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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Edena_of_Neith" data-source="post: 4006041" data-attributes="member: 2020">Well, Dambrathans certainly believe in a stable society (of a sort) and metaphorically the trains run on time.  The streets are clean by their standards (not clean as we think of clean, but in good physical shape and, best of all, filled with productive, loyal, dedicated citizens.)  Dambrathans consider their society superior to others, and have considerable evidence to prove their point.  For example, say they, they have concluded the millennia long struggle between elves and drow and humans, creating a Superior Race (the Criti) in their place.  And there is peace between drow and surface dweller, between Lolth and Loviatar, a uniting of many races and forces under one banner.  In the Bliss of Evil, the nation prevails and prospers.  Why can't other peoples and countries realize these truths?  (In other words, if you aren't really, really evil, and really, really dedicated to Loviatar and Lolth, what in the name of Mystra are you doing in Dambrath???)     Dambrath believes in justice.  Unfortunately, it is their justice.  'Mercy', in their eyes, is Reeducating the wrongdoer.  Fortunately for outsiders, they rarely receive this 'mercy.'      All Dambrathans desire (or, at least, all *proper* Dambrathans desire) the privilege of serving the country as one of it's leaders.  And since this is a Meritocracy, and occasionally thanks to Lolth's testing and meddling, practically anyone can come to power (the Sovereign, though, is always Crinti.)  Desire for power won't enable this, however.  Only the perverted notions of fanatical service, thralldom to evil, enthrallment of Evil, pleasure in inflicting horror, and being intelligent and competent (miracle of miracles!) and also accomplished in the field and as a character NPC (miracle again ...) confers such honor.  Those who are almost normal and sane people, merely obsessed with obtaining power, won't make it far here.  It's just too blasted painful.  And crazy.  And strange.  And since Loviatar and Lolth are both watching, it is pretty hard to 'sneak' your way up the ladder in Dambrath.     Lolth plays a crucial role here, and prevents Dambrath from decaying into stasis.  Lolth has talked Loviatar into allowing her to constantly 'test' the leadership of the nation (you know about Lolth's 'tests', of course ...)  Those that fail, pay the price, with Loviatar's blessing.  Worse yet, Loviatar has her own 'tests' for Dambrathan higher-ups.  There is no end to these 'tests', and Loviatar is never satisfied with what she sees in her leadership (when the whole of Faerun has fallen to Dambrath, perhaps she will be satisfied?)  Of course, failing Dambrath as a leader (in war, in peace, or whenever) is just that.  The consequences are swift, from both above and below.  Will Loviatar have mercy, and grant paradise for the one who gave so much?  Or will she denounce that one to the pits of the Abyss?  That is Loviatar to know, and for the condemned leader to find out!      Note that *life* has no value in Dambrath.    One only exists - heck, even one's very soul only exists - to serve the nation and it's deities.    Dambrathans take incredible delight in war and killing, are adept warmongers, and are quite willing to die (and die again, and again ...)  If it weren't for the incredible penalties against unauthorized pleasure, Dambrath would degenerate into a depraved horror of people torturing themselves to death for the joy of it (such are the problems of that 'Cloak of Evil')   I think you have it right about Bluff and Sense Motive.  These crazy people may be mad as hatters, but uncanny about ferreting out the false and the traitors in their midst.  Especially their own, but also foreigners.</blockquote>

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