Sunday, June 26, 2011

Situations taken from the Lore of DayONE... are they examples of amorality, or immorality? Where should the characters seek their moral compass?

Situation 1.
The offending Centaurs had been too afraid of staunch King Praginov, good to his word to a fault, to tell him of the incident that had almost broken his treaty with Mooncow. He therefore had no idea his subjects had inadvertently altered the terms of the Great Concession. When a couple of Centaurs unwittingly broke the new “agreement” a year later, it seemed to be in defiance of both Lm’mergath, whom they despised, and Mooncow, who they believed to be only a legend. Mooncow punished Lm’mergath with a severe beating, and he swore revenge on the faithless Centaurs that had made her angry with him.
It was in this frame of mind that the Xhon had spied the Spectral Dragoons attempting to cross the Forbidden Marsh on the Safe Path, as allowed by the Concession. An idea had struck him, and he had waited for one of the unruly bipeds to stumble off the Safe Path. Then, instead of threatening the lives of Dybbuk Amore or his raiders, Lm’mergath offered a deal. He had assumed by their armor, their polished weapons, and their looted Dwarven treasure that they were planning a raid on the Kalli Royal treasury. He offered, in a tone difficult to refuse, to attack the Great Hall, striking disabling fear into the Centaurs. With the populace distraught and the Royal Guard in disarray, the Dragoons could then easily raid the Kalli treasury and complete his revenge.
Lm’mergath enjoyed the killing; he decided to attack randomly even after the Dragoons had taken their prize. Killing a few of them periodically would create a fear that would prevent their visits to the Marsh forever. After his most successful raid, as measured by the number of Kalli swearing off visits to the Marsh, the Xhon decided he should wake Mooncow to brag that the Kalli would never again invade her home. He was surprised that Mooncow was already awake inside her island cave, and terribly angered.
“Idiot!” Mooncow screamed at Lm’mergath, catching him quite unaware. “How dare you attack the Kalli without my permission? And now you’re making deals with forest Elves!”
Lm’mergath Xhon’s other surprise was Bobalon, sitting in the corner with his hands over his head. He hid behind his hands as Mooncow raged up and down her lair. Bobalon closed his eyes, hid his face, and whimpered for the Garkin to save him or eat him. Then Mooncow pointed firmly at the Half-elf.
“Vatra’s voice was able to guide that imp here to tell me of the Ivory Sword, and you – you idiot –you’ve frightened the Kalli. The Elfin Prince is arriving with my Sword. Soon they’ll learn its secrets, and find power in the ways of Taman. What do you say to that?”
Lm’mergath, miserable with anger, coiled and hissed bitterly. He wanted to rise to his full ten-foot height, but fear restrained him. “How can you blame me, Mother? You yourself told me to be wary– that the world is changing. You taught me to kill and swore to stop your Sisters and defeat the prophecy. You punished me for letting the Centaurs live after they invaded the Marsh. It was for you that I risked myself then. How can you accuse me now?”
“Go! Go from my sight, you worm.”
Lm’mergath uncoiled. He crawled away to curl up in a dark corner of his mother’s foul-smelling, timeless cave. He began to tremble; leaving his mother’s side did nothing to avert her vicious anger and foul-mouthed parental lecture.

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