Is necromancy evil or only as harmless as talking to your dead grandmother?

[Tallifer]

This is copied from a thread I made on the Wizards' forum, and I was curious about the results of a poll and the opinions/experience of a different group of roleplayers. I preface my query with a quote from another:

[quote author=Williamh75]I've NEVER played a setting as is. Every dm and group I've gamed with has always changed the settings as they and we saw fit, why because the setting is only there as far as I'm concerned to give ideas. Fun trumps being true to the original setting. I didn't say put trains and airships in athas but maybe add another continent to that world that has those things IF thats what the players want to do. It's a cooperative game the players should have some kind of say in the setting.

As to deities depends on what dieties would be best for the story though in EB I doubt Id let anyone worship the silver flame as I see that church as being the villian of any EB game I run. They are nothing but fanatics, and are in most ways worse than blood of vole, at least thats how I picture them.

Almost always have played home brew that takes ideas from different settings so I'll be honest being cannonically correct is very low on list of priorities. I've never encountered a dm whose dmed a setting as is before, ever. As to Silver flame first EB style campaign they are going to be antagonists. Ie going on another crusade to crush what they see as evil. And necromancy itself is not evil.[/quote]

1. I think necromancy in itself is evil, since it disturbs the peace of the dead, enslaves a soul, takes him from his proper realm or destination, and tampers with the right order of life and death. What say you, gentle reader?

2. I can see that many modern minds cringe at the self-righteous fanaticism of our ancestors who hunted witches and waged crusades against Moors and Saracens. But in a pseudo-mediaeval world where cosmic evil, inherently evil monsters and demons do exist, I would not say that a crusading mentality like that of the Silver Flame is inherently evil in terms of cosmological or moral alignment.
What say you, fellow roleplayer?

 

[Shemeska]

Depends precisely on how it's used and why and in what circumstances, and more importantly on a setting by setting basis on what necromancy actually does with regards to the soul (if at all).

For instance there's a big differences between enslaving the souls of the innocent and trapping them in their own rotting flesh versus animating a mindless puppet of bones with zero connection to the soul of the previous occupant of said corpse. One is evil, the other is no different than an animated object. Clean and sparkly =/ Good, and icky =/ Evil.

 

[amethal]

1. I think necromancy in itself is evil, since it disturbs the peace of the dead, enslaves a soul, takes him from his proper realm or destination, and tampers with the right order of life and death. What say you, gentle reader?

None of that is any worse than what non-necomantic magic can do, in D&D at least.

 

[Umbran]

It has varied from campaign to campaign.

For my games, the parts where a soul is enslaved or an undead created are typically evil. Talking to your dead grandmother usually isn't. Some of the stuff in between can vary.

 

[radja]

for my games, what happens to the soul determines good or evil. what happens to the body after departure of the soul is not important, whether used as wormfood (buried) or raised as a mindless (=soulless) undead. the soul has departed to the planes to receive its just reward. creating an intelligent undead enslaves the soul.

 

[Nifft]

There is no such thing as innocent power.

Having power means having power over someone or something. Power is the ability to take away other people's choices... for various values of "people".

Is the school of Enchantment inherently evil?

Are handcuffs inherently evil?

Cheers, -- N

 

[Steel_Wind]

Are handcuffs inherently evil?

I don't know about evil, but certainly naughty

 

[payn]

hmm

Well I like to think of it being more neutral with one foot in the grave. Society at large fears it because they dont understand. Those that have seen the work of such magic may have good reasons to fear it. Playing with fire and such. Only the most careful and strong willed casters can wield it as they wish. Each casting temps to pull one in directions not so natural and dark. I like it that way though because I am also a big cthulhu fan.

Descriptions often make undead being animated with negative energy and something else....... (insert Kevin McDonald) "EVIL!" If it doesnt work for you drop the evil and just let it be negative energy /wring hands.

I wonder though why folks are so afraid of playing evil characters? I mean everyday I see threads about paladins using poison and neutral characters killing people for no other reason than they wanted to. Just because your alignment is evil doesnt mean you have to be constantly horrible. You just value your self above others and are willing to justify the ends by the means. I dont know but necromancy seems to fit that bill.

Later folks, Payn

 

[Aus_Snow]

For all campaigns I have run (or played in) necromancy has been an inherently evil thing, yes. What it does, where the abilities come from, and so on.

Or, to answer the thread title directly: No. Nowhere near.

That said, even that act, innocent as it may seem, could be anything from 'slightly evil' to, well, disastrous. So. . . the implication(s) of the question itself might have to be disputed in the first place.

 

[Gilladian]

For an example of how, when, and why necromancy can be "not evil", I always refer people to the book series "Sabriel", "Lirael" and "Abhorsen" by Garth Nix. Clearly, in that world, necromancy is a necessary good. But MOST of the time, it is evil in the DnD sense of creating and controlling intelligent undead.

My feeling on the crusading, dogmatic, fanatical type character is that he/she walks a line very close to stepping into evil much of the time. This is a situation where the individual's actions and intent both weigh greatly in deciding what the moral end result becomes. IMC such characters most often veer off into evil simply because it makes for a good story, but also because I think it is the most likely outcome.