Truth required?

Since the Chosen of Eilistraee is a religious oriented player group, naturally there is a place to have theological discussions. That is in-game religions; please leave real-world religion out of it. Debate the fine points of a certain dogma, how a church can enforce worship while staying true to its tenets or simply why one deity is better than another one is. All are free to talk about it here.

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Bhaern Quel
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Truth required?

Post by Bhaern Quel »

Based on what was just posting in Lizard rider brings this religious question to mind.

Do followers lie?

I do not see anything in CG alignment that pervents lying nor anything in the dogma either.

The lie in question is not letting a blind person that greatly fear Drow, know she is with Drow. I of course see no harm in doing so, because protection can be offered better if the vlinded elf does not know she is surrounded by Drow.

What say you all?

Oh individual characters might be LG and self impose the rules of aligment on themselves, so the doscussion should more involve what does Eilistraee permet or forbid?
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Shir'le E. Illios
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Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

In general the question might come down to whether you consider lying chaotic or evil. And while to some degree it probably depends on what you lie about I think D&D defines it as more chaotic than evil.

So as long as your motives are good I don’t think there’d be a problem with lying.

However, I’m less certain about lying about being a drow or not. Eilistraeen faith seeks to find acceptance for drow… but you can’t find that by lying about who you are.

Then, of course, there’s the consideration that Eilistraeens seek to have others get to trust them where lying rather undermines that.

It’s an interesting question and as you can see one I’m not completely certain of the answer to. Though I’d say it all probably depends greatly on the situation.


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Bhaern Quel
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Post by Bhaern Quel »

The only lie Bhaern is asking to be told is that skin is dyed *wink*

As for the Clerics and there are two of them with thr party, they clearly have to agree that most Drow are evil, but the time they are recovered enough to cast regenerate or cure blindness (looks like regenerate is required) they will have time to speak of Eilistraee and the Good drow and other races that follow her. Hopefully she will come to trust the voices and the elves with her enough by them, that if the lie is even told will also accept the reason for the lie to be told.

The Sin Eaters apparently infiltrate Drow bands seeking recuits, I do not think they could do that by declaring themselves a Cleric of Eilistraee.
Last edited by Bhaern Quel on Sat Aug 05, 2006 3:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Unen_Stealthfoot »

[color=darkred:1ch750r6]If they don't ask "are you drow?" then, as long as you don't say that you are something else, you are not directly lying to them, simply not stating your race. Of course, if they specifically ask if you are a drow, then it's a no-go. If they just ask race: simply say elf.[/color:1ch750r6]
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Re: Truth required?

Post by Vorrick »

[quote="Bhaern Quel":2ue2z6gb]
The lie in question is not letting a blind person that greatly fear Drow, know she is with Drow. I of course see no harm in doing so, because protection can be offered better if the vlinded elf does not know she is surrounded by Drow.
What say you all?[/quote:2ue2z6gb]

I don't think the Goddess would mind this lie because if you were to tell them that they are with Drow they will most likely panic and in an attempt to flee hurt themselves. The hope would be that once/if their sight returns and they realize they are with Drow they will consider what happened while they were blind before panicking.
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Post by Quin_Larien_Halfling »

Aye, I agree.
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Re: Truth required?

Post by Dostrealt »

[quote="Bhaern Quel":rdgvtyuk]The lie in question is not letting a blind person that greatly fear Drow, know she is with Drow. I of course see no harm in doing so, because protection can be offered better if the vlinded elf does not know she is surrounded by Drow.[/quote:rdgvtyuk]

I think that good drow have to face the reality that many, if not most, people think that [b:rdgvtyuk]all[/b:rdgvtyuk] drow are evil.

Under normal circumstances it would be neart to impossible to help a drow hating person. But this is an opportunity to help someone who's fears do not normally allow them to accept help.

Misleading the blind person might be somewhat dishonest, but it is a dishonesty that done in the interest of that person. It isn't a dishonesty done for personal gain.

If the blind person was really xenophobic about drow, I would probably worry what their reaction would be [b:rdgvtyuk]if[/b:rdgvtyuk] they ever found out. If they are totally unable to see drow as good, they might suspect that something dodgy had been done to them.

[quote="Unen_Stealthfoot":rdgvtyuk][color=darkred:rdgvtyuk]Of course, if they specifically ask if you are a drow, then it's a no-go. If they just ask race: simply say elf.[/color:rdgvtyuk][/quote:rdgvtyuk]

This is definately a grey area. Most people would see this as a lie - a well intended lie, perhaps, but still a lie. I suppose, in part, it depends on how a character sees themself (and the drow race).

Drow are Illythiiri who were cursed by the good elven deities for following Araushnee when she turned to evil and became Lolth. But good drow have turned their back on Lolth and are trying to turn back to the values of the Seldarine. The drow curse may remain with them, but I could imagine some drow seeing themselves as becoming less like the drow that live underground and more like the illythiiri that their ancestors were.

They may not transform in a single generation, but if drow were to return to the land and avoid the ways of the Underdark, they [b:rdgvtyuk]would[/b:rdgvtyuk] transform into a slightly different race of elf.

[quote="Vorrick":rdgvtyuk]I don't think the Goddess would mind this lie because if you were to tell them that they are with Drow they will most likely panic and in an attempt to flee hurt themselves.[/quote:rdgvtyuk]

This is a really interesting point. I think you need to ask what is more important:

[list:rdgvtyuk]
[*:rdgvtyuk]Doing good deeds for others [b:rdgvtyuk]or[/b:rdgvtyuk][/*:m:rdgvtyuk]
[*:rdgvtyuk]Having people see that a drow has done the good deeds.[/*:m:rdgvtyuk][/list:u:rdgvtyuk]

If doing good deeds is the most important thing, then it doesn't matter if some people don't realise that a drow did them.

If making people see that drow are doing good deeds is most important, then is that actually going to help the drow cause? Are people going to see a good person who just happens to be a drow, or a drow who is trying to buy friendship with insincere good deeds.

If a drow is truely going to live on the surface as a good elf, then maybe they should be helping wounded animals and doing other good deeds that nobody (except them and the gods) will ever know about.
Last edited by Dostrealt on Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Aly'ffyn
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Post by Aly'ffyn »

We have this problem on my server quite often. The Eilistraee temple is often infiltrated by "lolthian" drow so the good guilds are trying to make a test of faith for all "eilistraeen drow" that is fool proof to lies. Basically, we are thinking about doing alignment checks with a paladin to show evil or good. As far as lying though, I don't see an alignment problem for RP if say your chaotic good drow would lie in the interest of saving his/her own skin.
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Post by Bhaern Quel »

Wow a two year old thread revived.

Welcome the newcomer.

Aly'ffyn. The question was not of the Drow peotecting himself, it was to prevent panic of a stranger (who is a friend) from panic after her escapre from Drow that blinded her. Eilistraee dogma is abit spares and from time to time we try to fill in gaps with best guesses.
The Faithful clearly will lie when on a mission to a Lolthian stronghold seeking those to rescue. Just as Lolthians clearly will lis to enter Eilistraee held terotory (We know the spider kissers clearly have no reason to be turthful).
The question was more a request for opinions on how to properly deal with a stranger/friend that fears Drow and ends up being aided by one. How much do you rell, how turthfully sould one be to someone one is protecting that fears Drow for what they did to her?
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