Character Creation

Hello All,

Summary:
Wizard, Level 2, Arcane Tradition: School of Necromancy, inherently evil alignment?

I'm developing my character essentially to make use of Speak to the Dead without making an undead army.

I'd essentially be: heavy CC, occasional light damage, and, utility focused without going into actually raising the dead.

I would still have to speak with certain npc's that are deceased, and I'm wondering if that makes my character inherently evil.

Just looking for a general consensus.

Thank you!

If your table/DM holds to moral absolutes (this thing is always evil and that thing is always good) then necromancy is probably on the DM's evil list. If your table/DM holds to moral relativism (evil and good are subjective) then necromancy is a tool, no different from a shovel or a sword or a hammer. What you do with the tool makes YOU good or evil, the tool will never be either: it is an amoral tool. So, what is it? chicken (absolute) or egg (relative)?

And for a bit of reference: At its core, necromancy is about divination and information:

Quote:

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necromancy (n.)
c. 1300, nygromauncy, "divination by communication with the dead," from Old French nigromancie "magic, necromancy, witchcraft, sorcery," from Medieval Latin nigromantia (13c.), from Latin necromantia "divination from an exhumed corpse," from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros "dead body" (from PIE root *nek- (1) "death") + manteia "divination, oracle," from manteuesthai "to prophesy," from mantis "one who divines, a seer, prophet; one touched by divine madness," from mainesthai "be inspired," which is related to menos "passion, spirit" (see mania). Spelling influenced in Medieval Latin by niger "black," on notion of "black arts." Modern spelling is a mid-16c. correction.

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However, it has come to be associated with raising the dead. In and of itself, this may not be an evil act. For example, the spell "Raise dead" is how you bring a dead PC back to life. Most people see that as a good thing. Turning a dead person into a mindless ghoul is usualy considered a totally different thing. This is why clerics have the grave domain, which is necromancy for the purpose of protection from the undead for the living and giving souls a peaceful rest in the afterlife.

New to FG but 40 years of DMing through all versions of D&D as well as other gaming systems.

I agree with Gavin's assessment but would also covey a few other thoughts....... one game mechanic..... the other ingame.

1.Game Mechanic> this would certainly depend on how your DM (GM) resolves the whole ethics vs morality conflict. As you would would be subject to the manner in which he/she will govern the world you adventure in.

2.In Game> As Gavin points out above, just because certain spells are categorized as necromancy doesn't define them as automatically evil. IMC either.


To relate to the spell you call out in particular, what if speaking with the dead are a means for a sheriff to find out who murdered the barmaid? then not so dark either....

So alot may be defined by the morals and ethics of the region set by your DM.

In my own campaign, Some druids performing a raise dead or high level cleric may be fine with resurrection. Yet others may consider it blasphemous to the natural order of things (as it relates to some druid philosophies) or contrary to a very Lawful Neutral group of clergy may think this is in opposition to the gods will to call the faithful home.

That's why I tend to look at all rules as guidelines not chiseled into stone to be viewed one way, but not all DMs carry this same view.

Another approach of perspective could be a character decides to collect poison venom from a monster encountered. Now after making the appropriate checks to safely gather it, one could ask what the reason is to gather it in the first place.... is he going to coat their weapons with it? Certainly drifts toward the darker side of things OR is it to be used to create an anti-venom?
OR
As a barbarian with a bear totem in my campaign discovered, when changing into a bear form when raging was considered a blessing from his homeland and ancestors.. in other superstitious places, they thought he suffered from some sort of lycanthropy and shunned and hunted him.

So while I don't subscribe as steadfast to the Rules as Written crowd, I lean more toward different cultures behave and view things differently, and this leads to good roleplay because all things are not the same everywhere.

But in all things, the DM has the final word on his / her world.
DLG

There will be lots of people to talk to in most cases and depending on the circumstances of their death, they may have less reasons to withhold information if they are already dead. Then again, if the characters are the ones who killed them, then they may hold a grudge. If you offered to resurrect them in exchange for info, then you might start treading on alignment shifting areas. It sounds like a fun opportunity for the DM and player to work together.