Layonara - View Single Post

cappyra · 01-03-05, 05:38 AM

I don't think this can be a summed up by a discription in the players handbook with (evil) beside the spell name. There is quite a bit of gray area here that should be considered. Of course we must also consider perception.

First the rules are the rules. But there are also rules for Layonara that are not part of the rules for NWN or AD&D for that matter.

Back in the day when I ran a world of my own, rules were the general guideline however it was also my world the character's were playing in. I did not want to cap creativity by playing strictly by the rules. So I would adjust rules to fit my world.

Now that being said lets look at Paladins. Paladins, being the religious zealots they are only see things in Black or White. Undead are EVIL abominations period and must be destroyed. Undead are not just Zombies and Skeletons... there are Spectres, Wraiths, Liches, Ghouls, Ghasts and lets not forget ghosts. What if a Paladin were to encounter a ghost that found itself stranded on the prime material plane and could never find rest until a specific purpose had been fullfilled. Without question the Paladin destroys the ghost... because after all it is undead and an abomination and MUST be destroyed... now the Paladin has just ensured an eternity of pain and suffering to what could be an innocent soul. . .

Otherwise I think it would basically have to do with purpose and intent. While using magic to animate corpses would probably be veiwed as dark, distasteful and most likely evil by the general populace... doesn't mean that it IS evil. According to your post the spell has nothing to do with calling forth the soul... so basically you are making a bunch of flesh and bones get up walk around and do your bidding. The flesh and bones are merely the construction make up of the spell. There is no spiritual attachment to the animated corpse.

I do agree however that the spell could not be used to bring back a fallen Paladin to redeeme himself. It would be a good roleplay however to have a Fallen Paladin's corpse animated... then have the Fallen Paladin's diety place his/her soul within the corpse as part of the process of redemption. Imagine the Fallen Paladin running around trying to do good or complete a Holy Quest... as a Zombie. Heh.

Anyway. I hope I made a point. I don't think the best argument here is that because the book places the word evil in parentheses beside the spell name that it cannot be used otherwise.

I mean... don't we have Good Drow?

01-03-05, 05:38 AM	#12
cappyra Beholder Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Frederick, MD Posts: 369 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	RE: necromancy and the law I don't think this can be a summed up by a discription in the players handbook with (evil) beside the spell name. There is quite a bit of gray area here that should be considered. Of course we must also consider perception. First the rules are the rules. But there are also rules for Layonara that are not part of the rules for NWN or AD&D for that matter. Back in the day when I ran a world of my own, rules were the general guideline however it was also my world the character's were playing in. I did not want to cap creativity by playing strictly by the rules. So I would adjust rules to fit my world. Now that being said lets look at Paladins. Paladins, being the religious zealots they are only see things in Black or White. Undead are EVIL abominations period and must be destroyed. Undead are not just Zombies and Skeletons... there are Spectres, Wraiths, Liches, Ghouls, Ghasts and lets not forget ghosts. What if a Paladin were to encounter a ghost that found itself stranded on the prime material plane and could never find rest until a specific purpose had been fullfilled. Without question the Paladin destroys the ghost... because after all it is undead and an abomination and MUST be destroyed... now the Paladin has just ensured an eternity of pain and suffering to what could be an innocent soul. . . Otherwise I think it would basically have to do with purpose and intent. While using magic to animate corpses would probably be veiwed as dark, distasteful and most likely evil by the general populace... doesn't mean that it IS evil. According to your post the spell has nothing to do with calling forth the soul... so basically you are making a bunch of flesh and bones get up walk around and do your bidding. The flesh and bones are merely the construction make up of the spell. There is no spiritual attachment to the animated corpse. I do agree however that the spell could not be used to bring back a fallen Paladin to redeeme himself. It would be a good roleplay however to have a Fallen Paladin's corpse animated... then have the Fallen Paladin's diety place his/her soul within the corpse as part of the process of redemption. Imagine the Fallen Paladin running around trying to do good or complete a Holy Quest... as a Zombie. Heh. Anyway. I hope I made a point. I don't think the best argument here is that because the book places the word evil in parentheses beside the spell name that it cannot be used otherwise. I mean... don't we have Good Drow?