Rezzing

[wgreen]

The question is would a NG party cleric use the resources and the power of his god to ressurect the CN rogue that has never been pious to any god? I think not.

He might if they were close friends, as many party members are.

-Will

 

[DandD]

The question is would a NG party cleric use the resources and the power of his god to ressurect the CN rogue that has never been pious to any god? I think not.

Because the Neutral Good powers do recognize that although the Chaotic Neutral Rogue may not be a follower of every amend that the NG God may have called, he still obviously fights for the side of good, as exemplified in killing evil demons, devils, drows and dragons, and sharing the loot with the Neutral Good Cleric.
And because obviously, the CN Rogue is a friend of the NG Cleric, or a trusty companion, or has some other bond with him, whom the Cleric trusts his very life upon in battle and in overcoming the deadly obstacles and traps laid out by the servants of the evil powers.

Of course, with a little bit luck, alignment as the differing factor between player characters won't even come up at all anymore in 4th edition.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

The question is would a NG party cleric use the resources and the power of his god to ressurect the CN rogue that has never been pious to any god? I think not.

This is a very good summary of everything that is wrong with the alignment system. Kudos!

 

[Sun Knight]

He might if they were close friends, as many party members are.

-Will

Yet, it is up to the cleric's god to determine such a blessing is warranted. Just because a cleric has the skill to raise the dead does not mean his god gives him the power to. Unlike arcane spellcasters whose power is internal, divine casters basking "beg" and "plea" the gods to grant them power. If the cleric himself hasn't followed the dogma of his religion or forwarded his church in some way he may be lacking in spells when it is time to pray. Also if the party isn't pursuing the diety's dogma, or follow other gods, such as the possibility of the NG Cleric and the CN Rogue the Cleric's god may take exception to use His power to raise someone like that.

A better question would be... Why would a devout priest of Lathander ressurect a shadowy follower of Tymora?

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Yet, it is up to the cleric's god to determine such a blessing is warranted. Just because a cleric has the skill to raise the dead does not mean his god gives him the power to. Unlike arcane spellcasters whose power is internal, divine casters basking "beg" and "plea" the gods to grant them power. If the cleric himself hasn't followed the dogma of his religion or forwarded his church in some way he may be lacking in spells when it is time to pray. Also if the party isn't pursuing the diety's dogma, or follow other gods, such as the possibility of the NG Cleric and the CN Rogue the Cleric's god may take exception to use His power to raise someone like that.

A better question would be... Why would a devout priest of Lathander ressurect a shadowy follower of Tymora?

Because Lathander's a good guy and good guys help people even if they're not total saints themselves.

A better question would be... Why would a devout priest of Good and Sun (since having a god is, in the default setting, optional) not resurrect her trusted companion the rogue, who has saved her life on many occassions, and who is a constant reminder of the importance of allowing others to have their own views, even if they contradict your own?

edit: I can just see it...
Townspeople: Oh, cleric of Lathander, thank goodness you're here! The vampires have been predating upon us, and we fear that our end is near.
Lathander: Hold on, aren't most of you Neutral? Okay, line up the good people over here, and the neutral people over here. Fine. Now, I'm going to protect the good people, but you godforsaken neutrals are on your own.

 

[Sun Knight]

You seem to forget, that Forgotten Realms does not use the default setting when it comes to the divine. If you don't follow a god, you don't get divine spells. You also seem to show that you don't know how religion works. Religion, and their gods, tend to place their own interests and dogmatic teachings over the welfare of individuals. That is the social dynamic of religions, both in the real world and in fantasy.

 

[wgreen]

Tell me again how religion works in fantasy?

-Will

 

[Treebore]

Because Lathander's a good guy and good guys help people even if they're not total saints themselves.

A better question would be... Why would a devout priest of Good and Sun (since having a god is, in the default setting, optional) not resurrect her trusted companion the rogue, who has saved her life on many occassions, and who is a constant reminder of the importance of allowing others to have their own views, even if they contradict your own?

edit: I can just see it...
Townspeople: Oh, cleric of Lathander, thank goodness you're here! The vampires have been predating upon us, and we fear that our end is near.
Lathander: Hold on, aren't most of you Neutral? Okay, line up the good people over here, and the neutral people over here. Fine. Now, I'm going to protect the good people, but you godforsaken neutrals are on your own.

This will never happen. A cleric of Lathander hate undead and agressively hunt them and destroy them. Alignment has nothing to do with this. This is their mandate from Lathander himself.

So the cleric will say, "Be thankful to Lathander, for he knows the pain and suffering caused by the undead, and wills his faithful to eradicate their blasphemous blight from the world! Remember the will of Lathander protected you during your time of need, and consider him and his teachings as you find your path through life."

Or something to this effect.

Alignment only enters into things when Ideals come into consideration.

Such as why should a Neutral Good god allow a C/N thief to be ressurected using their blessing? Does the thief serve the god? Does the thief respect the god? Or does the thief totally disregard the god? All of this has nothig to do with alignment, but with motivations.

So in my games, if you want to be raised from the dead, you better worship one of the deities, or you stay dead. Or hope someone has a wish they are willing to waste on you.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Mongoose's "The Drow War" had a nice little solution where the players and certain important NPCs were the only ones who could be rezzed (for plot reasons). That'd make for a smoother game and less weirdness in running a proper story.

...so what was the solution? Why can some characters be raised, but others not?

 

[Treebore]

...so what was the solution? Why can some characters be raised, but others not?

Because some are "pawns" within the "games of the gods", so some pieces are "ressurected". Most are not.