Auric evil?

[MagisterCultuum]

True, she did read the Calabim tome on necromancy without permission in her youth.


Her action was one that favored the many over the few, but in a way that good civs would not condone. She is an archmage, which by the definition Kael Colbane's teachers gave him means she must think in terms beyond good an evil, to focus only on what if effective at achieving her goals. This doesn't mean being evil, but pretty much eliminates the idealism often associated with good. Pragmatism is pretty much the defining quality of Neutrality. (From the Malakim version of the Wages of Sin, we see that the Good members of the Overcouncil were not fond Decius's pragmatic nature.)



So, does Thessa continue to be an archmage under a disguised Faeryl, or become a Vampire when Faeryl turns her over to Alexis.

 

[Blackmantle]

Now is that application of it evil (by FFH2 Terms)?
If we take Basiums approach to Evil magics well that puts the terms good/and evil back into the label category. Doesn't it?
And if im not totally mistaken that's not fully outlined in the lore. Or have i overseen something? (It sure is touched upon hence my question.)

Edit: Thanks for the elaboration MagisterCultuum.
Still very blurry between the lines of good and neutral the way its described in the pedia as i read it. (Given the point Kael made was about the context and some of the things mentioned above by you do get less gravity by that context which would put it back into good teritory? I hope its understandable what i mean. At least in rough terms.)

But those expansions dp put her back a bit in the direction of neutral. (Add in that, all Magic was tied to evil gods back in the Age of Magic and there is proof galore that arcane power corrupts might make it even more likely that that is really the reason. Corruption through power. Yet resilent enough to the temptation to not fall.)

+ is pragmatism (in terms of religion if not a perfect match the Empyrean comes close here. Or am i mistaken?) really the very definition in terms of neutrality when it comes to FFH2s "teams"? Also seems a bit weaker to me in context to the world.

Perhaps Kael can expand with another not yet revealed tidbid which helps us understand as on why or if she really is strongly neutral or rather a weak case or even on the verge to being good (again in terms of FFH2 World not our modern views.)?
Or leave us in obscurity as oh so often to leave some of the mystery for our imagination to fill out.

 

[Nikis-Knight]

Another way of looking at the god/neutral/evil division is that good leaders fight for innocents, neutral for their nation/people, and evil for themselves, their own power or weath or comfort.

But in many cases, especially among some neutrals, there isn't so clear a dividing line, because people aren't going to be 100% consistant, and actions aren't always going to be crystal clear in regards to who they benefit and who pays the costs. Falamar will sacrifice when the fate of the world is at stake, he tends toward the good side of neutral, for example, but more often than not he takes for his own or his crew's benefit rather than for any larger cause--though not in ways as destructive as Hannah, who tends toward the evil side of neutral.

Likewise Thessa is largely defined by one action, as far as we can see, where she makes a sacrifice for, at least, her people and likely the larger community in and around that forest. We can say that she is neutral anyways, because of a larger number of actions "off-screen", and also that she isn't the one to bear the brunt of the sacrifice, and she doesn't inform Devon of her plans. That makes his death a theft, really, although clearly not one she enjoys and one for the benefit of others.

 

[Kael]

Pedia text alone isn't a good indication of alignment. Thessa and Amelanchier are a new generation of elves that were born to war. They love their nation, and they would make sacrifices for it. But outside of that they can be very morally muddy.

 

[Blackmantle]

That last point could be argued radically different though.
To be a sacrifice even far more costly than what Basium does as a whole or than sacrificing herself whould have been.
The worlds context only further highlights this. As does her reaction about it immediately afterwards and beyond.
But the point that she doesn't inform Devon is one good hint which puts above a bit into question...

And i'm interested in some of the off-screen stuff. (favoring the neutral civs / Leaders myself a bit overall. With a few exceptions on both ends.)

Edit @ Kael: Ah thanks alot for the clarification.
So i read into that its largely the off-screen stuff then.
It also basically confirms Nikis-Knights version of the above argument more than it does mine. (and makes her an even more faceted character in turn.)
Perhaps expand that off-screen part a bit (i mean in the Pedia / In-game-lore of course and mainly things not already hinted at)?
Would make her an even more interesting Character imo if the darker aspects of her become visible. (if you think she hasn't been covered to death already which one might understand.)

Amelanchiers Neutrality is already clearly depicted in his entry (and since his is a bit more clear cut and straightforward choice imo his story is a bit less interesting to read. So he might profit from a bit more depth if he has it to offer.)

 

[Nikis-Knight]

Pedia text alone isn't a good indication of alignment.

That's what I was trying to get at; since we tell stories to give a glimpse of the character's personality, and not an exhaustive biography, you can't judge the entirety of their actions.
But, the story that we tell about them should be representative in some way.

 

[Blackmantle]

Either you did depict her as far more benign in what is represented then or she is just a far to complicated character to depict more than an if important facet in a short story / entry (likely second one i guess.
That said i don't know her part in the Scenarioes much since i did play Faeryl in the Umbrawood and didn't gave Thessa to the Calabim. So there may be a few other tidbits i missed).

As is Hemmah and a few others btw.
Hope Kael (+ whoever else of you who wants to) gets his chance to write a few books. Would be well earned + chances are, well received.
Would really try to get my hands on something like that. And I'm usually not all so much into trivia (at least in form of thick tomes).