Alignment of Evening Glory's Undead? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alignment of Evening Glory's Undead? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kiioro
11-22-07, 01:48 PM I understand that Evening Glory's undead status is a secret to almost every being and she supports the idea of undying love. If her followers do the ritual to stretch forever their love, they become undead.

But not all of Evening Glory's followers are evil, so, what happens to them?
Is their alignment changed?
Are they an exception to most undead, available to continue with their original alignment?
Finally: what kind of undead? After all, there is a physical side to love and... well, it's not very enciting to think about a decaying lich for that kind of thing.
Bull-of-the-Pit
11-22-07, 02:12 PM Finally: what kind of undead? After all, there is a physical side to love and... well, it's not very enciting to think about a decaying lich for that kind of thing.
I imagine her priests are probably expert morticians as well. Perhaps they've also come up with a longer lasting (even permanent) form of gentle repose.
MagusBlack
11-22-07, 09:14 PM Her Ladyship does not approve of mindless undead, so all her followers form lowly peasant to mighty archmage are always sentient and thus tend to hold whatever alignment they held in life (Even if their deathstyle must change to accommodate).

If you’re the DM simply imply that the worshipers of the “Her Beloved Ladyship, Evening Glory” possess a special spell that allows for the body to freeze in its current form and never decay…and make it a special option for liches dedicated to Her Ladyship to be apart of their enlightenment.

And to your final question, young acolyte, they are known as Necropolitans (Libris Mortis).
celestialkin
11-22-07, 09:25 PM As the DM, why not rule that her good (or even neutral) aligned followers may become deathless instead?

The deathless are undead powered/filled with positive energy, instead of negative energy. They were first described in Exalted Deeds.

As for their looks, the idea of a more powerful and permanent gentle repose sounds like a good one. Since they can no longer heal naturally, it might be a good idea to also have a spell which will mend and refresh their bodies/corpses in case they take damage over the years. Not everyone can love a woman who looks like the Corpse Bride (http://corpsebridemovie.warnerbros.com/).
I_am_an_undead
11-22-07, 09:48 PM As the DM, why not rule that her good (or even neutral) aligned followers may become deathless instead?

The deathless are undead powered/filled with positive energy, instead of negative energy. They were first described in Exalted Deeds.

No. Evening Glory is a goddess of the undead, not of the deathless. She probably wouldn't mind having deathless as followers, but mainly they should be undead. The necropolitain cited above can be of any alignment and so is the ghost. No need to include deathless.

Besides, doesn't the deathless need to have a cause or something to "live"?

I don't like deathless anyway...
celestialkin
11-22-07, 09:56 PM Besides, doesn't the deathless need to have a cause or something to "live"?

Eternal love?
Shemeska the Marauder
11-23-07, 03:10 PM As the DM, why not rule that her good (or even neutral) aligned followers may become deathless instead?

The deathless are undead powered/filled with positive energy, instead of negative energy. They were first described in Exalted Deeds.

Being animated by positive or negative energy doesn't have anything to do with alignment, so there's no reason for Evening Glory's followers to be deathless as opposed to undead.

*and FWIW insert generic polemic against deathless* ;)
Orchomenos
11-28-07, 02:05 PM Eternal Love is somewhat Dracula's story. His wife commited suicide, so she would be denied eternal life. In order to one day be with her, he himself adopted an unholy form of life, and eternally seek her.

I don't know Evening Glory, but IMHO, "eternal love" is just another selfish reason to betray the holyness of life and turn himself into an undead. I see no reason why these undeads would be good or even non-evil.
setekh
11-28-07, 03:19 PM I don't know Evening Glory, but IMHO, "eternal love" is just another selfish reason to betray the holyness of life and turn himself into an undead. I see no reason why these undeads would be good or even non-evil.

:confused:

Faulty logic'D
Wanting to fight evil is totally selfish, you should let them win, afterall they have as much right to exist as you do.
Shemeska the Marauder
11-28-07, 07:30 PM I don't know Evening Glory, but IMHO, "eternal love" is just another selfish reason to betray the holyness of life and turn himself into an undead. I see no reason why these undeads would be good or even non-evil.

This assumes an inherent evil to all forms of undeath, which of course is a purely subjective notion. As a non-evil deity, I wouldn't see Evening Glory as sharing that opinion.

Objectively speaking, there's no blanket Evil associated with the animating and sustaining force of undeath, negative energy (nor any Good with positive energy either FWIW). Deriving a moral value on the state of undeath as a whole is something that isn't firmly attached to an objective value, and how it's viewed varies based on the specific culture or deity in question. Some good deities like Lathander or Pelor might see undeath as evil, while others good deities like Osiris or Nephethys wouldn't agree with that at all.
Orchomenos
11-29-07, 09:07 AM :confused:

Faulty logic'D
Wanting to fight evil is totally selfish, you should let them win, afterall they have as much right to exist as you do.

Evil can affect everyone, whole nations of oppressed innocents. Fighting evil has nothing selfish.

But "eternal love"? Ok, I'm in love with the beautiful Gueniver, and she's about to die, there's no cure, even not the spells Wish or Miracle. I have the choice between letting her go, with the faith that I will see her in afterlife after my own death, or the selfish choice of changing her into an undead to still be with her.

This assumes an inherent evil to all forms of undeath, which of course is a purely subjective notion.

This is my opinion. Ghosts would be the exception, as I see them as victim of a curse caused by an undone task. To quote celestialkin, the Corpse Bride would be a good example of love being the undone task, with a bride dying the day of her wedding, and cursed to remain with the livings until she can marry. But as soon as the undone task is resolve, the curse is removed, and the ghost can peacefully continue in the afterlife (sorry for the spoiler!). Wanting to set this cursed state as a (un)living standard would be wrong.

...while others good deities like Osiris or Nephethys wouldn't agree with that at all.

Osiris is not a god of undeath, he's a god of resurection. As a god concerned with the preparation and burial of the dead, I doubt he would be happy to see a dead one fleeing for trivial reasons.
celestialkin
11-29-07, 09:58 AM To quote celestialkin, the Corpse Bride would be a good example of love being the undone task, with a bride dying the day of her wedding, and cursed to remain with the livings until she can marry. But as soon as the undone task is resolve, the curse is removed, and the ghost can peacefully continue in the afterlife (sorry for the spoiler!).

Damn, and I was going to rent that movie this weekend along with the nightmare before christmas. I get spoilers a lot. :nonono:
The_Shaman
11-29-07, 10:11 AM Osiris is not a god of undeath, he's a god of resurection. As a god concerned with the preparation and burial of the dead, I doubt he would be happy to see a dead one fleeing for trivial reasons.

Well, it depends on what is considered trivial. While I also think that becoming undead for selfish reasons is likely evil, love might not necessarily be selfish. One could enter such a state to protect their loved ones, for example, or to do another important task they did not have the time for.

Evening Glory in particular is a rather weird case imo, and I'd rather not talk about her, but there can be - and are - non-evil undead. Anything with a free will can change or adopt alignments - even outsiders, although it's a one-in-a-million possibility.
Kiioro
11-29-07, 10:39 AM I agree with Sr. Shaman, I started this thread because I saw the facts this way:

* No mortal is sure of what exactly happens to their soul when s/he dies. If s/he loves someone else like nothing in the world, how can s/he be sure s/he will not be separated fom his/her love when they die? Maybe the afterlife separates them for good, for all eternity as far as they can tell.

* They can be even neutral good but if they love each other deeply, they decide to extend their love as much as possible.

*They discover Evening Glory, who promises eternal love (and only a few know about the undead part of her).

This will sound extremely cheesy, but Evening Glory is quite that kind of goddess.

* If they become undead, their only sin would have been loving each other more than they should. There are good vampires and good liches, but if the lovers weren't exalted people nor evil, must they turn evil?

In my point of view, negative energy isn't "evil energy", it's just the opposite of positive energy, none carry the evil/good axis always.

Then again, many, many undead are evil.
Orchomenos
11-30-07, 09:50 AM * No mortal is sure of what exactly happens to their soul when s/he dies. If s/he loves someone else like nothing in the world, how can s/he be sure s/he will not be separated fom his/her love when they die? Maybe the afterlife separates them for good, for all eternity as far as they can tell.

*They discover Evening Glory, who promises eternal love (and only a few know about the undead part of her).

This seems the kind of trick Cyric the FR god of lies could use to force someone in his realm... :P

It'd be strange that between all the major gods offering eternal life, this mortal only learn of the obscure god Evening Glory... But from this point of view, yeah, I agree with you: this mortal would not necessary be evil.

Also, I could agree that two lovers with different patron deities could fear of living eternal lives in different realms. But before resorting to undeath, at least one of them could change his patron deity to match his lover's one - if the two mortals love each other, there's a great chance both patron deities should be friendly toward each other.

Well, it depends on what is considered trivial. While I also think that becoming undead for selfish reasons is likely evil, love might not necessarily be selfish. One could enter such a state to protect their loved ones, for example, or to do another important task they did not have the time for.
As I said earlier, I don't know Evening Glory at all, I just seriously doubt of his arguments. It's the first time I read He could promote undeath to protect more than one person, which is much less trivial. But then, this bring us back to the unresolved task which, once resolved, should allow the victim to continue freely in the afterlife.
I_am_an_undead
11-30-07, 11:24 AM Evil can affect everyone, whole nations of oppressed innocents. Fighting evil has nothing selfish.

But "eternal love"? Ok, I'm in love with the beautiful Gueniver, and she's about to die, there's no cure, even not the spells Wish or Miracle. I have the choice between letting her go, with the faith that I will see her in afterlife after my own death, or the selfish choice of changing her into an undead to still be with her.

Actually, I'd guess only the evil (and possibly neutral) followers of Evening Glory would transform their lovers into undead whitout the lovers permission. If both you and the beatiful Gueniver are followers of Evening Glory, and both decide to become undead, it might still be selfish of you, but it won't be evil (except if you choose to become vampires, ghouls, or other kind of undead that need to feast on the living, then it will be evil, but that's what necropolitans are here for.)

As I said earlier, I don't know Evening Glory at all, I just seriously doubt of his arguments. It's the first time I read He could promote undeath to protect more than one person, which is much less trivial. But then, this bring us back to the unresolved task which, once resolved, should allow the victim to continue freely in the afterlife.

She. Evening Glory is a she. As far as the little information that exist about her tells, she doesn't exactly promote becoming undead to protect one's loved ones, though she certainly would wholeheartedly support such a thing, what she promote is eternal, everlasting love, unbound by the caprices of time and fate, through undeath. And really, the most valid point I ever have seen from people claiming that undeath is inherently bad (except "it's in the rules" and that doesn't explain the logic behind that choice at all) is that they are malevolent and hate the living. But the followers of E.G. don't hate the living. If anything, they pity those who have to renounce their love because of their mortality.
Sarella Starshine
11-30-07, 11:25 AM Well, Orch, Evening Glory is a Goddess and not a God.

But that is minor. This is the first I've heard that she herself is an Undead Goddess, and I even have the book she is in.

I can see reasons for her undead to be of any alignment, from the Evil selfish desire to 'preserve' that which he/she coveted in in the first place, to the Good selfless desire to be for your loved one for all eternity.

While Evening Glory herself is a NG deity, and her clerics cannot be Evil, I can see someone taking her ideals and twisting it to fit thier needs and desires from an Evil selfish standpiont.
I_am_an_undead
11-30-07, 12:47 PM While Evening Glory herself is a NG deity, and her clerics cannot be Evil, I can see someone taking her ideals and twisting it to fit thier needs and desires from an Evil selfish standpiont.

I don't want to nitpick or anything but Evening Glory's alignement is true neutral, not neutral good.
Bull-of-the-Pit
11-30-07, 06:10 PM I don't want to nitpick or anything but Evening Glory's alignement is true neutral, not neutral good.
That's not nitpicking...that's pretty important.
MagusBlack
11-30-07, 07:33 PM That's not nitpicking...that's pretty important.

Indeed! Her Ladyship would accept anyone regardless of alignment and would offer aid and support to other faiths if they wouldn’t brushes them off as automatically evil or good (or whatever).

Perhaps Orchomenos you should first learn of the deity and her attributes before you make any false conclusions…until then I dub thee Pelorite.:D
The_Shaman
11-30-07, 09:24 PM Evening Glory is TN, as others have said. There's more on her in Libris Mortis.
Rustmonster
11-30-07, 11:10 PM (except if you choose to become vampires, ghouls, or other kind of undead that need to feast on the living, then it will be evil, but that's what necropolitans are here for.)

In the very same book (Libris Mortis), it states that undead who need to feed off of life can also eat livestock, like chickens and cows, or what have you. If that somehow makes them Evil, then so are most people on the Material Plane.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kiioro 11-22-07, 01:48 PM	I understand that Evening Glory's undead status is a secret to almost every being and she supports the idea of undying love. If her followers do the ritual to stretch forever their love, they become undead. But not all of Evening Glory's followers are evil, so, what happens to them? Is their alignment changed? Are they an exception to most undead, available to continue with their original alignment? Finally: what kind of undead? After all, there is a physical side to love and... well, it's not very enciting to think about a decaying lich for that kind of thing.
Bull-of-the-Pit 11-22-07, 02:12 PM	Finally: what kind of undead? After all, there is a physical side to love and... well, it's not very enciting to think about a decaying lich for that kind of thing. I imagine her priests are probably expert morticians as well. Perhaps they've also come up with a longer lasting (even permanent) form of gentle repose.
MagusBlack 11-22-07, 09:14 PM	Her Ladyship does not approve of mindless undead, so all her followers form lowly peasant to mighty archmage are always sentient and thus tend to hold whatever alignment they held in life (Even if their deathstyle must change to accommodate). If you’re the DM simply imply that the worshipers of the “Her Beloved Ladyship, Evening Glory” possess a special spell that allows for the body to freeze in its current form and never decay…and make it a special option for liches dedicated to Her Ladyship to be apart of their enlightenment. And to your final question, young acolyte, they are known as Necropolitans (Libris Mortis).
celestialkin 11-22-07, 09:25 PM	As the DM, why not rule that her good (or even neutral) aligned followers may become deathless instead? The deathless are undead powered/filled with positive energy, instead of negative energy. They were first described in Exalted Deeds. As for their looks, the idea of a more powerful and permanent gentle repose sounds like a good one. Since they can no longer heal naturally, it might be a good idea to also have a spell which will mend and refresh their bodies/corpses in case they take damage over the years. Not everyone can love a woman who looks like the Corpse Bride (http://corpsebridemovie.warnerbros.com/).
I_am_an_undead 11-22-07, 09:48 PM	As the DM, why not rule that her good (or even neutral) aligned followers may become deathless instead? The deathless are undead powered/filled with positive energy, instead of negative energy. They were first described in Exalted Deeds. No. Evening Glory is a goddess of the undead, not of the deathless. She probably wouldn't mind having deathless as followers, but mainly they should be undead. The necropolitain cited above can be of any alignment and so is the ghost. No need to include deathless. Besides, doesn't the deathless need to have a cause or something to "live"? I don't like deathless anyway...
celestialkin 11-22-07, 09:56 PM	Besides, doesn't the deathless need to have a cause or something to "live"? Eternal love?
Shemeska the Marauder 11-23-07, 03:10 PM	As the DM, why not rule that her good (or even neutral) aligned followers may become deathless instead? The deathless are undead powered/filled with positive energy, instead of negative energy. They were first described in Exalted Deeds. Being animated by positive or negative energy doesn't have anything to do with alignment, so there's no reason for Evening Glory's followers to be deathless as opposed to undead. and FWIW insert generic polemic against deathless ;)
Orchomenos 11-28-07, 02:05 PM	Eternal Love is somewhat Dracula's story. His wife commited suicide, so she would be denied eternal life. In order to one day be with her, he himself adopted an unholy form of life, and eternally seek her. I don't know Evening Glory, but IMHO, "eternal love" is just another selfish reason to betray the holyness of life and turn himself into an undead. I see no reason why these undeads would be good or even non-evil.
setekh 11-28-07, 03:19 PM	I don't know Evening Glory, but IMHO, "eternal love" is just another selfish reason to betray the holyness of life and turn himself into an undead. I see no reason why these undeads would be good or even non-evil. :confused: Faulty logic'D Wanting to fight evil is totally selfish, you should let them win, afterall they have as much right to exist as you do.
Shemeska the Marauder 11-28-07, 07:30 PM	I don't know Evening Glory, but IMHO, "eternal love" is just another selfish reason to betray the holyness of life and turn himself into an undead. I see no reason why these undeads would be good or even non-evil. This assumes an inherent evil to all forms of undeath, which of course is a purely subjective notion. As a non-evil deity, I wouldn't see Evening Glory as sharing that opinion. Objectively speaking, there's no blanket Evil associated with the animating and sustaining force of undeath, negative energy (nor any Good with positive energy either FWIW). Deriving a moral value on the state of undeath as a whole is something that isn't firmly attached to an objective value, and how it's viewed varies based on the specific culture or deity in question. Some good deities like Lathander or Pelor might see undeath as evil, while others good deities like Osiris or Nephethys wouldn't agree with that at all.
Orchomenos 11-29-07, 09:07 AM	:confused: Faulty logic'D Wanting to fight evil is totally selfish, you should let them win, afterall they have as much right to exist as you do. Evil can affect everyone, whole nations of oppressed innocents. Fighting evil has nothing selfish. But "eternal love"? Ok, I'm in love with the beautiful Gueniver, and she's about to die, there's no cure, even not the spells Wish or Miracle. I have the choice between letting her go, with the faith that I will see her in afterlife after my own death, or the selfish choice of changing her into an undead to still be with her. This assumes an inherent evil to all forms of undeath, which of course is a purely subjective notion. This is my opinion. Ghosts would be the exception, as I see them as victim of a curse caused by an undone task. To quote celestialkin, the Corpse Bride would be a good example of love being the undone task, with a bride dying the day of her wedding, and cursed to remain with the livings until she can marry. But as soon as the undone task is resolve, the curse is removed, and the ghost can peacefully continue in the afterlife (sorry for the spoiler!). Wanting to set this cursed state as a (un)living standard would be wrong. ...while others good deities like Osiris or Nephethys wouldn't agree with that at all. Osiris is not a god of undeath, he's a god of resurection. As a god concerned with the preparation and burial of the dead, I doubt he would be happy to see a dead one fleeing for trivial reasons.
celestialkin 11-29-07, 09:58 AM	To quote celestialkin, the Corpse Bride would be a good example of love being the undone task, with a bride dying the day of her wedding, and cursed to remain with the livings until she can marry. But as soon as the undone task is resolve, the curse is removed, and the ghost can peacefully continue in the afterlife (sorry for the spoiler!). Damn, and I was going to rent that movie this weekend along with the nightmare before christmas. I get spoilers a lot. :nonono:
The_Shaman 11-29-07, 10:11 AM	Osiris is not a god of undeath, he's a god of resurection. As a god concerned with the preparation and burial of the dead, I doubt he would be happy to see a dead one fleeing for trivial reasons. Well, it depends on what is considered trivial. While I also think that becoming undead for selfish reasons is likely evil, love might not necessarily be selfish. One could enter such a state to protect their loved ones, for example, or to do another important task they did not have the time for. Evening Glory in particular is a rather weird case imo, and I'd rather not talk about her, but there can be - and are - non-evil undead. Anything with a free will can change or adopt alignments - even outsiders, although it's a one-in-a-million possibility.
Kiioro 11-29-07, 10:39 AM	I agree with Sr. Shaman, I started this thread because I saw the facts this way: * No mortal is sure of what exactly happens to their soul when s/he dies. If s/he loves someone else like nothing in the world, how can s/he be sure s/he will not be separated fom his/her love when they die? Maybe the afterlife separates them for good, for all eternity as far as they can tell. * They can be even neutral good but if they love each other deeply, they decide to extend their love as much as possible. They discover Evening Glory, who promises eternal love (and only a few know about the undead part of her). This will sound extremely cheesy, but Evening Glory is quite that kind of goddess. If they become undead, their only sin would have been loving each other more than they should. There are good vampires and good liches, but if the lovers weren't exalted people nor evil, must they turn evil? In my point of view, negative energy isn't "evil energy", it's just the opposite of positive energy, none carry the evil/good axis always. Then again, many, many undead are evil.
Orchomenos 11-30-07, 09:50 AM	* No mortal is sure of what exactly happens to their soul when s/he dies. If s/he loves someone else like nothing in the world, how can s/he be sure s/he will not be separated fom his/her love when they die? Maybe the afterlife separates them for good, for all eternity as far as they can tell. *They discover Evening Glory, who promises eternal love (and only a few know about the undead part of her). This seems the kind of trick Cyric the FR god of lies could use to force someone in his realm... :P It'd be strange that between all the major gods offering eternal life, this mortal only learn of the obscure god Evening Glory... But from this point of view, yeah, I agree with you: this mortal would not necessary be evil. Also, I could agree that two lovers with different patron deities could fear of living eternal lives in different realms. But before resorting to undeath, at least one of them could change his patron deity to match his lover's one - if the two mortals love each other, there's a great chance both patron deities should be friendly toward each other. Well, it depends on what is considered trivial. While I also think that becoming undead for selfish reasons is likely evil, love might not necessarily be selfish. One could enter such a state to protect their loved ones, for example, or to do another important task they did not have the time for. As I said earlier, I don't know Evening Glory at all, I just seriously doubt of his arguments. It's the first time I read He could promote undeath to protect more than one person, which is much less trivial. But then, this bring us back to the unresolved task which, once resolved, should allow the victim to continue freely in the afterlife.
I_am_an_undead 11-30-07, 11:24 AM	Evil can affect everyone, whole nations of oppressed innocents. Fighting evil has nothing selfish. But "eternal love"? Ok, I'm in love with the beautiful Gueniver, and she's about to die, there's no cure, even not the spells Wish or Miracle. I have the choice between letting her go, with the faith that I will see her in afterlife after my own death, or the selfish choice of changing her into an undead to still be with her. Actually, I'd guess only the evil (and possibly neutral) followers of Evening Glory would transform their lovers into undead whitout the lovers permission. If both you and the beatiful Gueniver are followers of Evening Glory, and both decide to become undead, it might still be selfish of you, but it won't be evil (except if you choose to become vampires, ghouls, or other kind of undead that need to feast on the living, then it will be evil, but that's what necropolitans are here for.) As I said earlier, I don't know Evening Glory at all, I just seriously doubt of his arguments. It's the first time I read He could promote undeath to protect more than one person, which is much less trivial. But then, this bring us back to the unresolved task which, once resolved, should allow the victim to continue freely in the afterlife. She. Evening Glory is a she. As far as the little information that exist about her tells, she doesn't exactly promote becoming undead to protect one's loved ones, though she certainly would wholeheartedly support such a thing, what she promote is eternal, everlasting love, unbound by the caprices of time and fate, through undeath. And really, the most valid point I ever have seen from people claiming that undeath is inherently bad (except "it's in the rules" and that doesn't explain the logic behind that choice at all) is that they are malevolent and hate the living. But the followers of E.G. don't hate the living. If anything, they pity those who have to renounce their love because of their mortality.
Sarella Starshine 11-30-07, 11:25 AM	Well, Orch, Evening Glory is a Goddess and not a God. But that is minor. This is the first I've heard that she herself is an Undead Goddess, and I even have the book she is in. I can see reasons for her undead to be of any alignment, from the Evil selfish desire to 'preserve' that which he/she coveted in in the first place, to the Good selfless desire to be for your loved one for all eternity. While Evening Glory herself is a NG deity, and her clerics cannot be Evil, I can see someone taking her ideals and twisting it to fit thier needs and desires from an Evil selfish standpiont.
I_am_an_undead 11-30-07, 12:47 PM	While Evening Glory herself is a NG deity, and her clerics cannot be Evil, I can see someone taking her ideals and twisting it to fit thier needs and desires from an Evil selfish standpiont. I don't want to nitpick or anything but Evening Glory's alignement is true neutral, not neutral good.
Bull-of-the-Pit 11-30-07, 06:10 PM	I don't want to nitpick or anything but Evening Glory's alignement is true neutral, not neutral good. That's not nitpicking...that's pretty important.
MagusBlack 11-30-07, 07:33 PM	That's not nitpicking...that's pretty important. Indeed! Her Ladyship would accept anyone regardless of alignment and would offer aid and support to other faiths if they wouldn’t brushes them off as automatically evil or good (or whatever). Perhaps Orchomenos you should first learn of the deity and her attributes before you make any false conclusions…until then I dub thee Pelorite.:D
The_Shaman 11-30-07, 09:24 PM	Evening Glory is TN, as others have said. There's more on her in Libris Mortis.
Rustmonster 11-30-07, 11:10 PM	(except if you choose to become vampires, ghouls, or other kind of undead that need to feast on the living, then it will be evil, but that's what necropolitans are here for.) In the very same book (Libris Mortis), it states that undead who need to feed off of life can also eat livestock, like chickens and cows, or what have you. If that somehow makes them Evil, then so are most people on the Material Plane.