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TA2: I know and in her defense, most of the time, she is seperated from her supplies. But that said, it is kinda her showing off with using magic to heal. That and Solitude isn't really a dangerous place. Potions, she brews for what is likely to be common diseases, minor cuts, tending to broken bones caused during tavern fights etc.. Niralie using magic to treat people can come off as "Pfft, primitive. I am better then you and just need my fancy spells." to Katlina. As for the fighting, I'm gonna to say that it's a mixture of her getting overconfident, her feeling she has to prove she is a worthy warrior and just not actually having any real fighters to fight until the events of the RP. Well, apart from the odd drunken fight.

TA2: You say all that, about Alchemy I mean.. But then I look at Nammu

GWN: I'm conflicted here on how Luke is going to want all of this potential epilogue stuff to work out. There are multiple factors I'm considering.

- Luke is Lawful Good. I don't choose alignments for them to be a concrete compass for my characters to follow, but I choose them because they help me define how my characters react to moral and ethical complexities. Lawful Good is, deceptively so, a really difficult alignment to play sometimes.

Luke isn't thinking to himself something as simple as "Should I be lawful about this or good about this", it's more like "Law and order is the best way we're going to get our society out of this mess, and that means that truth should be our goal in matters of litigation... but this shouldn't be at the cost of inciting violence."

I mean think about it. If the people knew just what the Vault did, there's a pretty good chance that there's going to be violence directed at the vault.

- This brings up another point; justice to be dealt to the Vault. Luke is furious about this plague business. Good-hearted doctors tend to not have a good reaction to bio-weapons, especially if it's a [&@%!] up Vault-tec experiment. So what is to be done? Let the rest of them off the hook because the overseer and her buddies are dead? How are we to know if anyone else knew about the plague?

If Luke testifies, I'm really not sure what he'll do. He knows more about what Rick did than the average resident and could easily condemn him with said knowledge, but were Rick's actions worth it?

GWN: Now that things are progressing more, do you have more of a definitive course for Luke to follow?

I think he's gonna lean law, though of course the alignment system isn't perfect and doesn't perfectly describe it. It's time for everyone to stop shooting and start sowing, dammit.

I think the speech made it pretty clear anyhow. Whether Rick hangs or not, Luke just wants to make sure his words are heard so that he can help Elk Lake in one of the best ways he knows how, besides poking people with scalpels.

BL: So, thoughts(admittly, not expecting much as i've not really done much to show him off due to well, the nature of the RP), on Shulbash?

Persona: Think there is just enough for an opinion on Oscar Nigel Tarinson. What are people's thoughts on it?

Just curious.

TA2:

Has Arellius hit The Anti-hero yet, or is he still The Sociopath?

If he has, does that no longer make him Chaotic Evil?

TA2: Well, last time he brushed a very near-death experience due to his life choices.. Maybe now he's trying to do better to stay alive <_< maybe unconsciously using others as a shield than as his stepping stones.. Not to say he can't just go "[&@%!] it" and not put up with someone's BS and be the ole bad boy Arellius we all know

Even Chaotic Evil characters are threatened by the world kinda ending

Well that or the disruption of the space time Continuum, but y'know, same thing kinda

Now, the interesting dynamic of his behavior is if he shifted from being entirely self-centered and self-serving.. To trying find meaning in life that isn't exclusively himself. Be it saving the world, screwing over the plans of a Prince, or even making life just a lil better for someone else..

Like, idk, the last bit doesn't even need to be romantic, just some ill conceived notion like "I want to save him" or "I just want her to smile again" or even "I just want someone to remember me" You can still be selfish without being self-centered on your goal

Who knows, maybe Arellius and Nora could bond over how they both wish to protect Niralie, like a sword and it's shield

"You are no longer Chaotic Evil. You are now, Neutral Evil." The answer is probably not to worry about it too much, this does come down to individual interpretation.

But that does raise the question of should alignment be consequentialist or deontological? So do outcomes of actions determine if a character is good or bad or do the actions and reasoning behind the actions determine that? Like am I saving the village which is being terrorized by goblins because helping people is good or am I doing it because goblins have stuff I can steal once I kill them and village elders will pay me? What if it's both? Does my motivation determine if helping the village is good or not? What if in the process of defeating the goblins I unknowingly set off an explosion which destroys the village, were my attempts to save the village then bad?

BL: Same as others TSD, I typically just skim the sections of RPs my characters are not involved in so I can't really tell you. Sorry.

Oh boy, this just went from a 4 to a 9 on how interesting this has gotten ^_^

Okay, so can one be a hero and still evil? Depends, are his/her dress amoral by default, dictated by the perspective of his/her foe/or ultimately deemed a necessary deed? I mean, if the ends really do justify the means... Evil can in fact do a greater good than those more concerned with self-image or the adherent lack in justice.

If I butcher every last child and heir of a household, can I even justify what I have done? Even if the hint of mercy could bring a calamity to bear. Must I do evil to cull any trace of this threat? Is it worse of me to end the lives of youthful innocence bc fate deems I so? Can I take no pleasure in it? Or am I even more irredeemable bc I did? Or does it even matter?

Heroic, you are not. But you can very much be evil and still bear the deeds of a hero still. Willing to do what others would dare not think of, a necessary evil others will secretly praise
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Again, I have no aspirations or hopes for Arellius to redeem himself, thats a different matter than just his shift in behavior. He can still be a cold blooded as ever and somehow stand on a pedestal of his own making like Nora.

But I still stand true to her assessment of him till proven otherwise. He is a toothy serpent >_> ready to coil and bite any unlucky to be his prey. He's dangerous, short and simple

TA2: So I find it interesting how, thus far, between Niralie, Nora, and Grelok, all have had different experiences with vampires and monsters. I mean, Grelok has a trusted guildmate, where as Niralie experienced first hand the risks, and Nora is a warrior for justice(gotta do them radiant quests, right?)

Arellius on the other hand is sort of obvious, dude doesn't trust anybody. Which is good. Trust can get ya killed

TA2: Arellius had bad experiences too. The group he started with was using a Vampire as a weapon against Niralie's group. But he's all about risks-minimisation so opposition to a Vampire should probably have been expected.

TA2: Speaking of Arellius, I've got an honest question, why does he get a rise from messing with people and fulfilling that role of 'antagonist' on a more individual basis, namely those of a more gullible status or those taking the moral high ground

I mean, he's always like that. And maybe for someone who is actively waiting to cut your throat or torment his opposition, then ya, it makes perfect sense. But frankly, for someone who's all about self-interests and benefit.. Being the devil in the group sure seems risky

TA2: The more dysfunctional and opposed over the pettiest issues the team is the less capable it is of turning on Arellius. He doesn't think that the group is one that will hold a naturally positive opinion of him over the long-run. He also thinks he has a better chance of developing attachments through conflict.

As characters like Nora are made to argue their position again and again the moral authority they might have initially been able to rely on is eroded. This will be an important point in any 'trial' scenario.

Its not riskless of course. But sacrificing some short-run good will for a long-run existence seems sensible to him.

I mean, it is sensible. Burn enough bridges, nobody can chase ya.. Or, wait I think I said that phrase wrong. Nvm. Point being, a devil though you be, at least your status is clear.

Really tho, as much as Nora as the most Lawfully Good inclined individual in the group, on top of her outgoing sense of justice(gosh, this makes her sound like some meathead of a paladin ) it makes sense why she would butt heads with Arellius so much(or even Grelok, when appropriate. Just bc your a thief doesn't mean you have to steal. Pay for the damn apple!) However, and as much as Nora would serve as a predictable target to undermine*, I honestly have always seen it that Eolwyn is more so his aligned rival(morally & objectively speaking) Which makes sense when you think about it, both stand on opposite spectrums but arent too far off from one another. And unfortunately, Niralie has more than proven she's not the moral counter-weight to Arellius, since she too has a fair bit flaws that can lead to disastrous results(I'll touch up on this more jn a bit. Just wait)

Plus, after all, it's not like there are many other's that strongly fit the profile. Sir "Vampire but totally wants to buddy up with us" doesn't exactly strike me as a kind person. And Katlina, obviously a mix of clumsy good. Can't say for Cass's girl. And then we got Grelok, who certainly fulfills that good guy-criminal, but he's not exactly 'good' in a legal sense, more so the moral sense(Tho I wont lie, it would be really cool if he did end up trying to 'be more good' as if influenced or inspired by certain companions *cough cough* Nora *cough*)

See the hide tag, I was alluding to how Arellius can basically use her to his own means. After all, he's preyed upon those same weaknesses before, at the time, that's all she needed to be convinced(i.e taking the one and only lifeboat and leaving everybody else to behind) The problem she probably didn't realize till later is the regret that follows, something those less morally 'good' would probably be immune to(i.e it's better them than me mentality)

Now, with his return. It's no surprise to say, Arellius has an influence on her. On one part, she's afraid in some part of what he's done.. On the other, that whole boat incident. It's safe to say, he's got her at a disadvantage. It probably doesn't help that she'll develop an attachment 'bc we've been through so much' which really is a recipe for disaster The only thing to her favor is that bit can go both ways, and she herself may have an influence on him 'bc we've been through so much' i.e softening up his harder edges, and in turn, maybe find some closure for herself

Niralie's still a good person, dare I say, she's regarded as the group's smarts n caretaker(or leader, if you want to get all fancy pantsy with roles here) but she's also flawed. Ya know, like a real person should. It just so happens she's afraid of dying(so don't go doing that anytime soon, ya hear, Nora dont wanna lose no more friends like that )