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2018-12-28, 01:47 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
the azure city guatd murdered by Belkar, most likely, went to Celestia, and people knew that, but still no one acted as if Belkar did the guy a favor.
As to resurrecting a baby, if you are incapable of understanding the invitation, you are probably incapable of accepting it too. Even if he does accept it, it causes permanent Constitution damage.
But it is true that taking her baby into battle is more stupid hubris than evil; unlike her other known acts, which are just evil.Last edited by diplomancer; 2018-12-28 at 01:48 AM.
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2018-12-28, 08:22 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Number of Character Appearances VII - To Absent Friends
Currently playing a level 20 aasimar necromancer named Zebulun Salathiel and a level 9 goliath diviner named Lo-Kag.
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2018-12-28, 12:09 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
1. On honorable:
I don't know. I find the entire "honor" concept the Dwarves have going pretty silly, so I am not the right person to tell what would be honorable and what not.
Thats my point: for me, drinking yourself into coma (potentially leaving starving kids) doesn't seem any more honorable than dying as meatshield for your axe-crazy mother, although involuntarily.
But again, the logic of this honor-business eludes me almost as much, or more, than certain honor codes from RL.
So.....
2. Convinced is not the same as proven, simple as that.
3. I don't know what you mean with Golden Rule, but all Evil (and Good) actions are judged by the effect they have on the victims.
Death in our world is irreversible, AND we don't have ANY proof that we have any afterlife.
Death in OotS is easily to moderately easy to reverse in a lot of cases, AND there is an afterlife for almost everyone except for soulbinded people and people eaten by the Snarl (for the first, only temporarily, for the second we aren't even sure about that yet).
Ergo, a crime that causes someone to die is much more impactful on RL people than OotS characters, and thus, if you really want to compare, RL murder is a really really big orange while OotS murder is a medium sized apple (for example).
Note that direction is not changed (evil=evil), but certainly the magnitude.
In OotS, murder is a crime you can potentially compensate for (pay for Resurrection, plus some money for the pain, make sure you are REALLY sorry, go to Jail, and maybe all parties will be content with the outcome in the end. Peace restored.
In RL, you can never right the party who was wronged.
Thus, fundamentally different, by the logic that follows from the laws of nature in the setting.Last edited by Mightymosy; 2018-12-28 at 12:25 PM.
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2018-12-28, 01:31 PM (ISO 8601)
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2018-12-28, 06:10 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society
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2018-12-28, 06:11 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Given some of the other shenanigans we saw Thor pulling along the edges when fighting for dwarven souls, I can see the discussion about babies/children going something like:
Thor: What about babies and children?
Hel: Don't want them, they get a pass.
Thor: Kind of expected you to put up more of a fight there.
Hel: It's no fun when they don't understand enough of what is going on to bother tormenting them--and them not understanding means that I don't get much juice from them anyway. Besides, the adults will be tormented even more by being separated from their children.
I figure that if the gods blew up the world, the souls of the dwarven chldren would go straight to the afterlife where their parents would have gone if they'd died honorably.Sudden thought after watching an old "Lois and Clark" episode: Lane Davies aka Tempus is probably the best possible choice to portray an animated or live action Xykon if either of those ever becomes reality--he was born in 1950 and Tempus' personality is a close match for pre-lich Xykon IMO. Just my two cents.
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2018-12-28, 06:13 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
If the choices are "go to battle with kid" or "leave kid with distrusted entities while going into battle," maybe (and I'm really stretching that maybe here). If the extra choice of "don't go into battle" exists, then no, it's Evil. I see blatant and reckless disregard for life as Evil.
Cuthalion's art is the prettiest art of all the art. Like my avatar.
Number of times Roland St. Jude has sworn revenge upon me: 2
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2018-12-28, 06:31 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2018-12-28 at 06:31 PM.
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society
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2018-12-28, 06:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2018
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2018-12-28, 06:50 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Cuthalion's art is the prettiest art of all the art. Like my avatar.
Number of times Roland St. Jude has sworn revenge upon me: 2
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2018-12-28, 06:55 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
In support of this, the last panel of this stripe: www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1113.html has her saying she's doing this for petty, self-serving reasons. Any arguments for Hilgya having any actually good reasons for doing this have already been shot down, by Hilgya herself, no less.
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2018-12-28, 06:56 PM (ISO 8601)
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2018-12-28, 06:56 PM (ISO 8601)
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2018-12-28, 07:19 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2007
Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
She knows nothing about that, and no-one filled her in.
So no, that's not one of Hilgya's reasons.
Grey WolfInterested in MitD? Join us in MitD's thread.There is a world of imagination
Deep in the corners of your mind
Where reality is an intruder
And myth and legend thrive
Ceterum autem censeo Hilgya malefica est
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2018-12-28, 08:40 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
In that comic they save they're trying to save the world and in the very next one explain that Durkon is trying to destroy the world.
She may have had petty self-serving reasons for being in Firmament in the first place, but she'd have to be a few notches above Elan on the obliviousness scale to not realize the world is at stake, or at least that these guys think it is.Last edited by RatElemental; 2018-12-28 at 08:40 PM.
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2018-12-28, 08:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
I am going to ask you to channel Elan for a bit, and reconsider that post. The premise that Hilgya can reject the narrative does not strike me as valid. She's not a real person, she's a character in a comic.
None of the above answer or excuses the point, that is made by the usual Greek chorus, that when offered a wide open and utterly valid chance to find and kill Durkon while leaving Kudzu in safe hands, she responds in a self centered and, to most common sense perspectives, irrational manner. That's a sign, as I see it, from Rich that she's not quite right in the head. (A few bricks shy of a load ... not playing with all 52 cards in the deck ... has a screw loose ... bats in the belfrey ... a d12 in a d20 world ... _fill in your own quaint expression here_)Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2018-12-28 at 08:58 PM.
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society
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2018-12-28, 09:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Indeed. Which means one of the clerics on the night shift could have been higher power, but instead Hilgya re-appeared with her baby strapped to her. Coulda been someone else, coulda had her baby stashed away during the fight, coulda been a lot of things, but it wasn't. It was her bringing a baby into a battle for revenge. That's the narrative.
[/Elan]Cuthalion's art is the prettiest art of all the art. Like my avatar.
Number of times Roland St. Jude has sworn revenge upon me: 2
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2018-12-28, 10:03 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2013
Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Couldn't you, uh, make the same argument for any action made by any character? Redcloak, Tarquin, Xykon... None of them have free will, they all must take precisely the actions that the Giant writes them as taking. And without free will there is no choice, and with no choice no evil!
(Of course, this argument doesn't work because we aren't judging them in the context of their existence as characters in a real-world webcomic, but rather as people talking the depicted actions in their own world.)
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2018-12-28, 10:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
1. Rich has been poking fun at, and poking holes in, the mess that is D&D alignment since over a decade ago, and
2. has made very clear in his writing, and in his commentary, that he considers personality characteristics and motivations, and actions, as a hell of a lot more interesting to tell a story than the labels assigned for (pick a reason). And he also explains his various alignment choices.
To use a RL parallel that we discussed when Hilgya first declined the (rational) suggestion that Kudzu be watched over by clerics while she joined the party for a battle ... if I were to discuss a combat mission I was on IRL with my wingman (where my crew were subject to real hot lead heading our way) and my wingman said "Today, my son will be flying with me since it is bring-your-kid-to-work-day" my response would not be
You are evil!
my response would be
Are you nucking futz?!
That was some of what was behind my original objection to the name calling I saw in the original discussion on this sub-topic, and it got a few panties in a bunch during that particular thread.
A few pages back in this thread, the point was made 'being wrong does not (necessarily) equal being evil' although the two can certainly coincide. I feel that diplo's point was along those lines. And the narrative imperative to have Hilgya in the battle was that they needed a chaotic high level cleric to oppose a group of lawful evil mid and high level vampire clerics. Narrative imperative. (And it still wasn't enough). And the Order went along with it.
PS, clerics are Tier 1 in D&D 3.5e.Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2018-12-28 at 10:58 PM.
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society
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2018-12-29, 12:10 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2013
Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
I... guess I don't understand the point you're trying to make, it at least how you're addressing my post (that you quoted). If there's narrative imperative that Hilgya join the fight, that could be expressed either through Hilgya being evil *or* Hilgya being wrong (or maybe she's right and we're all wrong, Kudzu did survive the battle just fine after all).
The point I was making was that we can't say that narrative imperative absolves characters of responsibility of their actions. It can define their alignment, personality, etc., but those are still part of the character.
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2018-12-29, 06:34 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
And what does she get from the explanation? "Oh, a chance to save the world"? No. Something about how Durkon is depraved, and something about getting to break a few skulls of the undead. Saving the world is never uttered by her as a reason for her actions, and thus declaring it is to make her look better is at best your headcanon, not something universally true.
Grey WolfLast edited by Grey_Wolf_c; 2018-12-29 at 06:35 AM.
Interested in MitD? Join us in MitD's thread.There is a world of imagination
Deep in the corners of your mind
Where reality is an intruder
And myth and legend thrive
Ceterum autem censeo Hilgya malefica est
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2018-12-29, 11:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
We agree, to the point where I think we see eye to eye on that point as you expressed it.
The point I was making was that we can't say that narrative imperative absolves characters -
As I understand Hilgya's character, her soul and her afterlife are in the hands of Loki, or, if she runs afoul of dwarf rules (which she detests as much as many forum posters do) in the hands of Hel. I am under the impression that only Loki can grant her absolution (in character/in world) if he even does such things. As the conversations have progressed, I have been somewhat surprised at how the discussion of Loki's alignment went such that there is an open question as to whether or not he is stamped with Chaotic Neutral or Chaotic Evil (there appears to be few to no voices advocating for him as Chaotic Good) ... but the ambiguity on Loki's alignment seems to me intentional on the Giant's part. Loki isn't a PC. (See also the discussions on Thor CG or NG with Durkon's LG ... in other threads).
@GreyWolf
Hmm, this prompted me to go back and read carefully again
Saving the world is never uttered by her as a reason for her actions,Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2018-12-29 at 11:51 AM.
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society
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2018-12-29, 03:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
I have to disagree on that one. Thor clerics are mostly Good aligned, so they would definitely try to keep Hilgya's baby away from her for the kid's safety and well-being, and the process would also include indoctrination into the honor system that she despise. So she's actualy perfectly justified in distrusting them.
Yes, I am slightly egomaniac. Why didn't you ask?
Free haiku !
Alas, poor Cookie
The world needs more platypi
I wish you could be
Originally Posted by Fyraltari
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2018-12-29, 03:42 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Cuthalion's art is the prettiest art of all the art. Like my avatar.
Number of times Roland St. Jude has sworn revenge upon me: 2
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2018-12-29, 03:58 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Yes, I am slightly egomaniac. Why didn't you ask?
Free haiku !
Alas, poor Cookie
The world needs more platypi
I wish you could be
Originally Posted by Fyraltari
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2018-12-29, 04:12 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Last edited by Rrmcklin; 2018-12-29 at 04:13 PM.
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2018-12-29, 04:13 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Last edited by Peelee; 2018-12-29 at 04:14 PM.
Cuthalion's art is the prettiest art of all the art. Like my avatar.
Number of times Roland St. Jude has sworn revenge upon me: 2
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2018-12-29, 04:20 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
They don't need to know anything. Hylgia assumes the worst of people she doesn't like, so she'll assume Thor cleric would invoke children protection to take her baby away from her.
edit : gosh, and that slightly alters my initial point from Hylgia being justified, to Hylgia being justified only if she disclose information to the babysitters.Last edited by Cazero; 2018-12-29 at 04:21 PM.
Yes, I am slightly egomaniac. Why didn't you ask?
Free haiku !
Alas, poor Cookie
The world needs more platypi
I wish you could be
Originally Posted by Fyraltari
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2018-12-29, 04:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
Please don't accuse me of trying to make Hilgya look better. She's evil enough without ascribing her delusional reasoning for taking Kudzu with her into battle as malice. I was just pointing out that not going into battle at all is an option that had pretty good odds of ending up in the order, Hilgya, Kudzu, and the entire world all dead.
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2018-12-29, 04:32 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Yet another thread on Hilgya's alignment
You were arguing that Hilgya was totally justified in mistrusting them. I pointed out, no, she was not. That Hilgya thinks she was justified doesn't mean anything.
Don't act like pointing out why you're wrong is some grievous attack.
The thing about that is that Hilgya admitted she doesn't care. I see no reason to give Hilgya points for helping them when she admits she's only doing it for petty and self-serving reasons.
Also, how much Hilgya's presence even ultimately affected the outcome is debatable.Last edited by Rrmcklin; 2018-12-29 at 04:36 PM.