So I have a player who’s original character(Wicker) was possessed by the ghost of a long dead scoundrel who was killed in his prime, but he is a sort of partial echo therefore not killing either of the entities. Over time the ghost(Cross) gained control and took over his first character creating a second charcter with a separate sheet and everything. Cross recently began looking into his past and who and what he is, where I came to the conclusion that it has to do with the Reconciled because of the characters drive for more power, the weird ghost situation he is in, and he is connected to Salia the vice purveyor ( part of the Reconciled in my game). We discussed his past what we thought would be cool or interesting but kept it sort of vague cause he wanted me to put my own little twist on it, we came to consensus that Cross, when he was alive he and his close friend Nyryx, were unknowingly participating in the trials of the Path of Echoes, under Salia’s guidance and slowly gaining power pushing him to want more and more until Cross was murdered by some unknown peeps(Church of Ecstasy) for unknown reasons part way through. After his character regained these memories and met his now Reconciled friend Nyryx he told Salia he wanted to finish the path.
So after the explanation, what are some of the ways y’all have portrayed the Path of Echoes in your games? Are they trials, is there some type of sacrificial rituals, or more like tests of skill or morals? In my version I like to think it is used to possess powerful people in the city , but for those deemed useful or worthy of this immortality can complete the full path to Reconciled.
Any inspirational media or books I can check out to help me get in secret cult paths to spiritual ascension creative headspace?
Thanks in advance, Let’s brainstorm up some cool stuffs :D