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Lycanthropy & Vampirism: would you ever really?

    • 275 posts
    March 11, 2016 3:43 PM EST
    I might have to check again, I don't pay attention to small details like that. Besides, what if they were bandits or something, there is a bandit group nearby in a tower of ancient Nordic architecture but I can't remember it's name at the moment.
    • 1595 posts
    September 24, 2016 3:51 AM EDT

    Edana said:

    As you all know, we have some die hard werewolf and vampire fans around these parts. I know this topic has been somewhat skirted before by TwistedOrthrus and Muffin Warrior--but what I'm posing to you today is somewhat different. I'm not asking which is more powerful in-game, which you prefer to play... Today I'm asking you to put yourself in Tamriel. The question has two parts, but they're both straightforward.

    1. If you were given the option, would you ever willingly become either of these? The abilities and limitations as outlined in the game are identical to the powers you'd receive in Tamriel, not as we necessarily understand them in pop culture today. But, somewhat unlike the game, keep in mind that this means you'll have to regularly hunt or drink blood to sustain yourself. You'd also have to live with keeping your condition a secret at best, or be completely exiled from regular society (or worse!). Is this something you would actually consider willingly taking part in for the powers you would receive?
    2. For those who said no to the question above, imagine you have no choice. You have to become one or the other. It's just a question of preference. Which do you pick and why? (Sotek, I already know.)

    Apparently I am a necromancer. Death is a friend, false life a companion and my stench a pleasant aroma.

    Over a year after this was posted I find myself actually thinking about the subject. I am not very good at hypertheticals as my imagination just isn't strong enough and empathy is a poor substitute for it. It requires a suspension of disbelief of a level I can't achieve and as such the very first hurdle to jump is this:

    Today I'm asking you to put yourself in Tamriel.

    Like, how? Burn the world. That's hard enough as it is, harder to imagine I would be in a situation in which I get a choice between two hexes. I doubt I'd survive my first day there, let alone live long enough to make this choice. Why would I be in that situation? What is my life like? Would I consider either a step up or a step down when compared to my current lot? So I need to look at it from an in-character view because my view isn't sustainable as it contains too many branches in a cause and effect tree. No fun allowed, I have a stick so far up my ass that Paladin Danse would be impressed. Elenwen has already asked if she can borrow it.


    If you were given the option, would you ever willingly become either of these? The abilities and limitations as outlined in the game are identical to the powers you'd receive in Tamriel, not as we necessarily understand them in pop culture today. But, somewhat unlike the game, keep in mind that this means you'll have to regularly hunt or drink blood to sustain yourself. You'd also have to live with keeping your condition a secret at best, or be completely exiled from regular society (or worse!). Is this something you would actually consider willingly taking part in for the powers you would receive?

    Right, so the only lens I can look at this through is the Soul Cairn choice Serana offers. In that scenario my character has a choice between losing part of the soul or becoming a vampire. That's odd really because my understanding is that once you accept Bal's "gift" your soul gets swapped out for that of a daedra's. The trade is that one's mortal body gets immortality while Molly gets yer soul. The quest to cure vampirism sort of indiactes this, but there are other interpretations to  be gleaned from that. I digress. So such a choice as Serana offers boils down to: All of your soul in exchange for immortality, or part of your soul as a deposit to access the SC (Soul Cairn, not Story Corner) which you will get back. If I had to judge Serana on her offer I would say she wasn't being entirely square about her motives and witholding pertinent fucking facts relevant to making an informed decision.

    Now I am going to try to imagine she offered three choices. Sanguinare Vampiris, soul deposit or Canis Hysteria. Why would either of the two extremes ever be better than the midddle one? It still is a case giving up the entirety of one's soul versus giving up only a part which will be given back. I mean, we're talking about a level of narcissism on par with Dorian Gray for someone to willingly choose lycanthropy or vampirism, surely? "Have my soul. Put it in a portrait somewhere and let me revel in an eternity of sin and barely controllable lusts."

    Maybe my character would think the ends justify the means? Or maybe the character is a hedonist and just wants to experience something new in a thrill-seeking "balls to it" moment of abandon. Hell if I know.

    So I guess I fall into the next category by virtue of not being able to relate to the question:

    For those who said no to the question above, imagine you have no choice. You have to become one or the other. It's just a question of preference. Which do you pick and why? (Sotek, I already know.)

    Now this is even harder to answer, no fair. How come I have no choice? Why was I even picked? Why would I even be worth being left alive? Was it an arbitrary roll of fate's dice or a stacked hand dealt from an already unfair game? crap on a stick, is there an easy way to answer this question? A coin toss is what it is, then. Heads I lose, tails you win.


    This post was edited by Paws at September 24, 2016 3:54 AM EDT
    • 627 posts
    September 24, 2016 3:56 AM EDT

    I don't think I'd ever be able to become a werewolf, I like sleeping to much to give up the ability to sleep soundly, and as for vampirism I'm pale enough already :P

    • 284 posts
    March 14, 2017 9:31 AM EDT

    Werewolf. Easy as that.

     

    Also, we all know what Sotek is. In real life he's probably that guy from Hungary that trains wolf that appear in movies.