Elder Scrolls Lore » Discussions

Morality of Necromancy

• Ernilcrabanar Lagorvyrthur

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  Yes, it is, just like in most settings. However, just because something is considered evil doesn't mean it's necessarily so.

  Yes, it is, just like in most settings. However, just because something is considered evil doesn't mean it's necessarily so.

• Ernilcrabanar Lagorvyrthur

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  I agree, although I'm not that familiar with Traven: could you explain to me some of his arguments?

  I agree, although I'm not that familiar with Traven: could you explain to me some of his arguments?

• Paws

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  Those waters are even muddier now you've brought Dunmer into it. For the majority of Temple-fearing dark elves going about their lives necromancy is without a doubt an evil on both a social  and philosophical level. Yet the Telvanni are neither pious nor concerned with Temple rules and care not about legality. Yet illegal necromancy is in Morrowind, not simply banned by some guild like in 3rd Era Cyrodiil.

  Abide not the sorcerer among you, for he comes to steal the bones of your fathers and dust of your tombs.

  Those waters are even muddier now you've brought Dunmer into it. For the majority of Temple-fearing dark elves going about their lives necromancy is without a doubt an evil on both a social  and philosophical level. Yet the Telvanni are neither pious nor concerned with Temple rules and care not about legality. Yet illegal necromancy is in Morrowind, not simply banned by some guild like in 3rd Era Cyrodiil.

  Abide not the sorcerer among you, for he comes to steal the bones of your fathers and dust of your tombs.

• Deleted Member

  
   

  October 7, 2015

  I confused him with having presented the arguments because he published the book. However, he agreed with the claims of necromancy being more of a risk than a benefit and thought Master Ulliceta gra-Kogg was a slave to necromancy. In essence, his arguments are pretty much the same as the others.

  I confused him with having presented the arguments because he published the book. However, he agreed with the claims of necromancy being more of a risk than a benefit and thought Master Ulliceta gra-Kogg was a slave to necromancy. In essence, his arguments are pretty much the same as the others.

• Deleted Member

  
   

  October 7, 2015

  One could argue controlling the souls of his family is worse.

  Saying one form of magic is more evil than another does not demonstrate anything, really. Any tool can be given a horror story, as well as one of benefit.

  One could argue controlling the souls of his family is worse.

  Saying one form of magic is more evil than another does not demonstrate anything, really. Any tool can be given a horror story, as well as one of benefit.

• Vazgen

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  "Summoning undead isn't frowned upon?"

  "By Shor no, those archaic policies died out with the Mage's Guild..."

  Necromancy is neutral if used as a tool. If it becomes a passion, then there is a problem.

  "Summoning undead isn't frowned upon?"

  "By Shor no, those archaic policies died out with the Mage's Guild..."

  Necromancy is neutral if used as a tool. If it becomes a passion, then there is a problem.

• Vargr White-Tree

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  You mean using fury to make his family murder him?  I was just trying to illustrate that robbing someone of their free will and making them do horrible things is worse than creating a zombie.  And in the elder scrolls universe illusion is widely accepted while necromancy isn't, at least to my experience.

  I'm also working from the belief that necromancy is using magic to create a soulless puppet similar to a dwarven sphere, just made of bone and flesh instead of metal.  Comparing the two (puppet of bones vs. robbing a man of his free will) I believe the second to be the more amoral of the two.  However, if we are snatching the departed soul out of the ether and shoving them back inside the body, then I'd lean toward that being ethically amoral on the same level as robbing a man of his free will. 

  You mean using fury to make his family murder him?  I was just trying to illustrate that robbing someone of their free will and making them do horrible things is worse than creating a zombie.  And in the elder scrolls universe illusion is widely accepted while necromancy isn't, at least to my experience.

  I'm also working from the belief that necromancy is using magic to create a soulless puppet similar to a dwarven sphere, just made of bone and flesh instead of metal.  Comparing the two (puppet of bones vs. robbing a man of his free will) I believe the second to be the more amoral of the two.  However, if we are snatching the departed soul out of the ether and shoving them back inside the body, then I'd lean toward that being ethically amoral on the same level as robbing a man of his free will. 

• Vargr White-Tree

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  Necromancy doesn't kill people, people kill people, who I then reanimate to be part of my undead army.

  Necromancy doesn't kill people, people kill people, who I then reanimate to be part of my undead army.

• Paws

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  Bringing it back down to earth, if a grieving parent witnesses his/her son who died on the battlefield being resurrected I think we'd have a hard time convincing them that the necromancer is not evil.

  Bringing it back down to earth, if a grieving parent witnesses his/her son who died on the battlefield being resurrected I think we'd have a hard time convincing them that the necromancer is not evil.

• Ernilcrabanar Lagorvyrthur

  

  Member
   

  October 7, 2015

  Actually, this isn't entirely true. It is illegal in Morrowind to raise Merish corpses, but it's perfectly legal to raise animal corpses. Also, under Dunmer law, Men, Argonians and Orcs are considered animals, so it's perfectly fine to raise them as well. And while Temple-fearing Dunmer do consider the raising of Merish corpses to be a foul evil, this is only as an extension of our elaborate burial customs which heavily involve RESPONSIBLE Necromancy: that which places a high value on the wishes and well-being of the spirits of the deceased. What else could binding willing ancestral spirits to this plane through ritual be?

  So in reality, the Dunmer have one of the most enlightened views of Necromancy, if not THE most enlightened. Aside from the racism, of course.

  Actually, this isn't entirely true. It is illegal in Morrowind to raise Merish corpses, but it's perfectly legal to raise animal corpses. Also, under Dunmer law, Men, Argonians and Orcs are considered animals, so it's perfectly fine to raise them as well. And while Temple-fearing Dunmer do consider the raising of Merish corpses to be a foul evil, this is only as an extension of our elaborate burial customs which heavily involve RESPONSIBLE Necromancy: that which places a high value on the wishes and well-being of the spirits of the deceased. What else could binding willing ancestral spirits to this plane through ritual be?

  So in reality, the Dunmer have one of the most enlightened views of Necromancy, if not THE most enlightened. Aside from the racism, of course.