Leaving your soul in the Soul Cairn can have various consequences, both in terms of gameplay mechanics and from a roleplay standpoint. Let’s delve into the details of what happens if you decide to leave your soul behind in the Soul Cairn.
From a gameplay perspective, leaving your soul in the Soul Cairn will result in a debuff that affects your character’s overall stats and abilities. This debuff, known as the “Soul Tear” debuff, reduces your maximum health, magicka, and stamina by a significant amount. This means that your character will be weaker in combat, have reduced spellcasting capabilities, and tire more easily. This debuff essentially represents the piece of your soul that is missing, leaving you incomplete and less powerful.
Upon leaving the Soul Cairn and returning to regular Skyrim, the debuff will be lifted, and your character’s stats will return to normal. This means that if you solely focus on playing in regular Skyrim and avoid re-entering the Soul Cairn, you won’t have to deal with the negative effects of the debuff.
However, if you do decide to venture back into the Soul Cairn, whether for quest purposes or exploration, the Soul Tear debuff will be reactivated, and your character will once again suffer from reduced health, magicka, and stamina. This can make combat encounters and other challenges within the Soul Cairn more difficult.
From a roleplay standpoint, leaving your soul behind can be quite unsettling and disturbing. Imagine having a piece of your essence missing, leaving you feeling incomplete and disconnected from your true self. This can add an eerie and unsettling element to your character’s journey, as they grapple with the consequences of leaving their soul behind.
Personally, I found the idea of leaving my soul in the Soul Cairn unsettling, so I made it a priority to retrieve it. This involved embarking on a quest to find and reclaim my lost soul. It added an extra layer of depth to my character’s story and motivations, as they sought to restore their wholeness and regain their full power.
Leaving your soul in the Soul Cairn in Skyrim can have both gameplay and roleplay consequences. While it may be fine if you choose to solely play in regular Skyrim, re-entering the Soul Cairn will reinstate the debuff and leave your character weaker. From a roleplay standpoint, the concept of leaving a piece of your soul behind can be unsettling and add an interesting dynamic to your character’s journey. Ultimately, the choice of whether to leave your soul behind or retrieve it is up to you and how you want to shape your character’s story in the game.