tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post6066092173383735395..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: The Joy Of SacrificeAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-83508942320223645412011-11-18T14:58:12.599-07:002011-11-18T14:58:12.599-07:00EHP and his minions are getting played . . .EHP and his minions are getting played . . .Brian (brian_cooper at hotmail d o t com)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02805168206752602148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-72084397842424645272011-03-10T18:09:15.984-07:002011-03-10T18:09:15.984-07:00Interesting. I guess it depends on what is import...Interesting. I guess it depends on what is important, the sacrifice of a body, pure and perfect, or of a soul, pure and perfect. (maybe both). <br /><br />And is the soul being tainted by the death (going to the 9th circle of heck) or is it being released to go to heaven?<br /><br />Seems like different evil theologies would treat things differently. <br /><br />How did the druids conceive of such things I wonder?Lasgunpackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13529298072677726064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-6195170181011391862011-03-08T06:22:01.509-07:002011-03-08T06:22:01.509-07:00in D&D, the race is absolutely the issue... on...<em>in D&D, the race is absolutely the issue... one does not make any suggestion of virgin dwarven princesses, or virgin orcs, or virgin frost giants.</em><br /><br />Quite so. Because sacrificing orcs in exchange for divine favour is the PCs' job.<br /><br />Which makes me think: if diabolical rituals make terrible demons and pharaonic burials make gods, maybe fairly meaningless stabbings down dungeons make for a neutral sort of recycling. What if the souls of all those orcs and goblins and minor demons the PCs kill just come back as more orcs and goblins and minor demons? If they became aware of this the PCs would have a choice: either keep doing it in order to level up/extract protection money from outland villagers, or find another solution that might actually reduce the numbers of monsters in the world.<br />If they took the monster-reducing path, other adventurers might not be pleased.<br /><br />I've also always wanted to take a leaf out of <em><a href="http://www.bookrags.com/research/evans-pritchard-e-e-eorl-05/" rel="nofollow">The Nuer</a></em> and have the high priest of Orkheim say "well, if we can't get our human virgin I guess we'll have to settle for sacrificing a cucumber instead."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-83988687738295268202011-03-07T16:19:29.574-07:002011-03-07T16:19:29.574-07:00@Jess:
I think that they've probably weighed...@Jess: <br /><br />I think that they've probably weighed the benefits of such a sacrifice with the risks of killing someone who has friends that can kill the entire town. <br /><br />Capcha: Halve. Perhaps the favored method of sacrifice in this town?C'nor (Outermost_Toe)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01580315916281876117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-38297487525680699802011-03-07T13:09:57.283-07:002011-03-07T13:09:57.283-07:00Dear Alexis
Thank you for, "But please accep...Dear Alexis<br /><br />Thank you for, "But please accept my utter respect for my non-virgin sacrificing readers. I understand you make a fair case."<br /><br />I needed a good chuckle.The Jovial Priesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00160018433070823408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-51246133846276020772011-03-07T13:05:15.154-07:002011-03-07T13:05:15.154-07:00If the community is giving up its most valuable me...If the community is giving up its most valuable members, wouldn't that suggest the ultimate sacrifice is ... a PC? :)Jessicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02007643933634699604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-91673700879055206712011-03-07T12:20:30.450-07:002011-03-07T12:20:30.450-07:00That brings up quite a myriad of possibilities. E...That brings up quite a myriad of possibilities. Especially given your game lacks alignment. Each religion with demons, devils, spirits, angels, archons and other otherworldly beings representing and serving those worshiped by cults and religions could be the result of such a sacrifice. A goodly god inducting them as a spiritual guardian.<br /><br />I also wonder about the subjects soul not necessarily being sent to another plane, but also perhaps becoming trapped as a greater undead? Another interesting concept. Perhaps even being the method of creating the kinds of undead that spawn other undead (thus explaining how the first came to be).Oddbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12091924105175846386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-6215454229716209252011-03-07T12:11:27.627-07:002011-03-07T12:11:27.627-07:00Clearly with such a wide variety of sacrificial pr...Clearly with such a wide variety of sacrificial practices, there's room for ceremonies of all kinds. I think what interests me primarily is how the particularism of the ritual produces particular kinds of transmigrated souls into the afterworld. I wanted to explore that, just to get people thinking.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-56235548294568051452011-03-07T12:01:25.018-07:002011-03-07T12:01:25.018-07:00Earlier in my career as a player I played in a cus...Earlier in my career as a player I played in a custom campaign with a character of a darker bent, forced to work with a demon to advance his abilities. I honestly didn't think too thoroughly about the process and somewhat regret the missed opportunity. While we still faded to black for the actual procedure, I could have spent more time picking the subject and setting up the environment.<br /><br />The question for me does arise though, while the sacrifice of the victim requires turning to a darker bent, this sounds like one of the greater ceremonies. Do you think lesser ceremonies might simply have the focus on the act of the priests to kill or torture the subject through the deities preferred method? (Disease, pain, decay, draining, and so on...) And do you think that these still qualify as sacrifices, or more as ceremonies involving the death of a subject?Oddbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12091924105175846386noreply@blogger.com