Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hooper 01-22-08, 09:39 AM	I noticed in a few spells and parts in book the word Soul mentioned, but I can't find what D&D defines as a soul and its becoming important because other PCs and a DM are trying to screw me, literally. Such as the spell raise dead, says 'Soul must be free'. But what exactly or where can I find a game-mechanic rule for a Soul, or is there one?
LivingShadow 01-22-08, 12:02 PM	I think in DnD the "soul" is the part of you that can think and feel. When you die normally it travels through the astral to the appropriate plane. In order for revival to occur the soul must be both willing and able to return to the body. So for example if the soul is imprisoned on a plane (or by a trap the soul spell) the revival doesn't succede.
drunkendrake 01-22-08, 02:21 PM	I think that's basically it. I think I can remember something about souls being important to some Demons or Devils, and I think there are some uses for them in the Book of Vile Darkness. There's a rare metal in Complete Warrior (I think) which traps souls weapons of it kill- means they can't be raised, etc. without access to the item. It also traps the wielder's soul when they die, so you're close at hand for raising and ressrection costs less. I think the metal's Thinaun(sp?). -Drake-
toucanbuzz 01-22-08, 02:27 PM	"Soul must be free" should answer your question. If there's a trapping effect from a spell or item constraining it, the spell won't work. How are you being "screwed" exactly?
Wellspring 01-25-08, 10:58 PM	Imagine your body is an Apparatus of Kwalish. Your soul is the gibbering goblin inside.
Stardust 01-26-08, 04:31 AM	I think the implicit assumption in D&D is a type of dualism (presumably substance dualism), whereby an individual's 'soul' is an intangible entity bound to a particular physical body. Certain effects, such as the imprisonment spell wrench that essence from the body and bind it somewhere, effects such as death separate the body and soul, although the two can be reunited by the likes of resurrection. I'm not aware of anywhere in the core books where this is explicitly stated, perhaps on purpose so as to avoid nasty metaphysical/religious issues between WotC and people who make a fuss about that kind of thing. Maybe just to give DMs/players room to decide exactly how the metaphysics of their worlds work. I don't think you'll go far wrong game-wise if you follow this basic outline, though. (In reality, token-token physicalism is clearly the sensible route :P )
KyoMamoru 01-26-08, 04:39 AM	Reverse engineer from here: # Unlike most other living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.
Stardust 01-26-08, 04:42 AM	Reverse engineer from here: Ah, nice find. Makes sense.