[DL] Re: dark side/Am I Evil? Yes I am.

["travis lide" <sinisterdexter@mindspring.com>]

----- Original Message ----- >
> Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 14:07:27 -0700 (PDT)
> From: munchwolf@yahoo.com
> Subject: Re: [DL] Re: {DL} Playing the Dark Side
>
<some stuff here>

> Wouldn't these actions RAISE the fear level, thus
> affecting the posse?

Sure, but it only raises the fear level temporarily. Besides, it wasn't
something that he would always do, only something he COULD do. Like I said,
he was an evil bastard, to be sure. But you could still rely on him not to
steal your stuff or turn on you in a fight.

> In my view, if the actions raise the fear level, they
> are evil (for the purposes of the reckoners).  If they
> don't, then they are not.  So stealing or killing
> bandits would not be considered evil (unless the
> players are in a town inhabited by bandits, ergo
> because the fear level goes up).

well.. I pretty much agree. Like I said, he was an a$$hole. I felt he was
evil, but doing good work most of the time. I just liked the irony of it, is
all... The question was proposed "Can you make evil PCs".. and I respond,
"yes, you can."

Like you say, it's a matter of opinion. A posse member that's a werewolf and
maraudes the countryside on full moons will raise the fear level. He's evil.
Sadly, he doesn't even know it yet (it's assumed). But he's still
counterproductive. A Huckster who casts Nightmare Realm a few times is sure
to leave "residual evil" around if he does it a lot - counterproductive, but
possible to be played.

And frankly, I think either the Agency or Texas Rangers would take care of
such a problem before it got too much out of hand...

> Evil is subjective.  Instead of looking at the
> actions, look at the results of the actions to decide
> if it would be considered 'reckoner worthy' evil or
> not.  Simple acts like lying and intimidation in town
> may do more for raising the fear levels, and thusly
> would be considered more evil than killing a lone
> mountainer whose been away from society for years.

Usually when I think of evil, I think of Need vs. Want. If a poor man steals
bread so his family can eat, he Needs it, so it's not evil (it's still
illegal, just not evil). If a rich man steals bread, it's not only illegal,
but evil. He simply Wanted to be mean. He didn't Need the bread. It's not
going to raise the fear level, but years of acts such as that (in Hell On
Earth, anyway) can lead to a person becoming a Servitor... Just as I think
my Huckster would have become eventually. (and what's wrong with developing
an NPC with some tie to the rest of the posse? Makes a great villian)...

Just some random, pain medication induced thoughts.....

sinisterdexter@mindspring.com
--
"the few remaining samurai surveyed the battlefield
count the arms, the legs and heads and then divide by 5"
-tmbg
--