Svartlfar - Really Evil?

[Dora190]

You mean they would (try to) destroy their enemies even if it meant their own assured destruction?

NO. More often told as frog and scorpion. They have to cross water, but the frog is unhappy as scorpions kill frogs. The scorpion points out that this would be silly as the scorpion would die too. The frog agrees and sure enough half way across the scorpion stings the frog. As they both die the frog asks the scorpion why?

the scorpion replies - I'm a scorpion, its what I do.

(its paraphrased & seriously annotated but you get the point.)

Mating for all of the arachnids is very tricky, the male has to be very careful to avoid getting eaten and in some species it is very common. However its not a universal truth and if it goes wrong the female can end up as lunch too. Scorpions also have rather 'interesting' mating habits for the same reasons.

I have never heard of any spider or scorpion 'playing' a la feline with its food. They have poisons, they don't need to bother.

 

[Khai]

Now...why exactly does the frog in your story carry the scorpion across the water? It doesn't make sense...

 

[xienwolf]

It is a fable. They had to cross the water, and they were together for as good of a reason as any 2 critters are together in any fable.

 

[Grey Fox]

NO. More often told as frog and scorpion. They have to cross water, but the frog is unhappy as scorpions kill frogs. The scorpion points out that this would be silly as the scorpion would die too. The frog agrees and sure enough half way across the scorpion stings the frog. As they both die the frog asks the scorpion why?

the scorpion replies - I'm a scorpion, its what I do.

Yeah, but that's what I mean.

"Destroy their enemies even if it means their own assured destruction?"

I have never heard of any spider or scorpion 'playing' a la feline with its food. They have poisons, they don't need to bother.

That was the Cat part of the Dark elves. I said they were like cats, AND spiders.

 

[Nikis-Knight]

No, follow it's nature. The Svartalfar nature is betrayal, not destruction.

 

[Grey Fox]

No, follow it's nature. The Svartalfar nature is betrayal, not destruction.

K, let me rephrase the question

"You mean, they'll follow their nature even if it means their own assured destruction?"

 

[Nikis-Knight]

Eh... more lke betray their friends, even if it isn't in their best interest? Yes. Their own destruction? Well, no, but fables are simplified or exaggerated for pedagogic reasons.

 

[Calavente]

IMO, it is just a problem of short sighted vision

"just do it !!! if someone turns it's back to you, knife!! you may never have the occasion again... trust an elder of your race, worse than cutting through a friendship without any reason is when the so-called friend turns on you and face you with a sword... and when you die you will be remembered of today, when you didn't kill him, due to friendship even as you could"

"better alive and sorry and sad than eventually be betrayed and dead..."

extend this to a whole race...
and you have people backstabing other, never trusting, always on any plot, always using all their card, out of any long vision concern

 

[Corm]

In every game I have played so far the Svart's adopt and follow Runes becoming Neutral as do most of the other Civs...

 

[Rex rgis of Ter]

In every game I have played so far the Svart's adopt and follow Runes becoming Neutral as do most of the other Civs...

For me they often found AV, but never convery anyone, leading to their ultimate defeat.

 

[Broken Hawk]

I've had them adopt the Order more than once in my games but usually AV. Weird.

 

[Corm]

Played a few more games since I posted that and they are still nearly always Runes. In the last two games they were leaves and retained their alignment. I did use Nikis-Knights, Knights of Esus map/scenario though.