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General Tabletop Discussion
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Spirits and Souls in D&D. What the Heck is the Difference?
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<blockquote data-quote="Fanaelialae" data-source="post: 8274529" data-attributes="member: 53980"><p>IMC, everything has a spirit. It's usually what you talk to when you cast a spell that lets you talk to a rock or plant or dead body. Spirits are generally pure, in that they are what they are. A rock doesn't question its rockiness, or wish it were something like a bird instead. It exists as a rock and "behaves" as a rock. To put it simply, it exists without self-conflict.</p><p></p><p>The soul is more complex, and not everything has a soul. It grants a being the capacity to evolve beyond the nature dictated by its spirit. It's free will.</p><p></p><p>Only certain beings innately have souls. However, a soul is like a flame that constantly throws off sparks. Occasionally, those sparks will catch and ignite in something that doesn't have a soul, which is frequently traumatic for the newly enkindled being. A fire elemental might have burned indescriminately for centuries, only to possibly begin questioning the morality of burning people alive, after becoming enkindled. However, for such enkindled creatures, their soul is impermanent and might flicker out at any time. The only real protection is to remain in the presence of other's with souls. </p><p></p><p>As a result, spiritual creatures such as fey and elementals will often avoid the presence of beings with souls. Being enkindled is both personally unappealing, and usually results in for banishment from their people (lest the "contagion" spread).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Fanaelialae, post: 8274529, member: 53980"] IMC, everything has a spirit. It's usually what you talk to when you cast a spell that lets you talk to a rock or plant or dead body. Spirits are generally pure, in that they are what they are. A rock doesn't question its rockiness, or wish it were something like a bird instead. It exists as a rock and "behaves" as a rock. To put it simply, it exists without self-conflict. The soul is more complex, and not everything has a soul. It grants a being the capacity to evolve beyond the nature dictated by its spirit. It's free will. Only certain beings innately have souls. However, a soul is like a flame that constantly throws off sparks. Occasionally, those sparks will catch and ignite in something that doesn't have a soul, which is frequently traumatic for the newly enkindled being. A fire elemental might have burned indescriminately for centuries, only to possibly begin questioning the morality of burning people alive, after becoming enkindled. However, for such enkindled creatures, their soul is impermanent and might flicker out at any time. The only real protection is to remain in the presence of other's with souls. As a result, spiritual creatures such as fey and elementals will often avoid the presence of beings with souls. Being enkindled is both personally unappealing, and usually results in for banishment from their people (lest the "contagion" spread). [/QUOTE]
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