Poison and drugs - evil? Why? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Poison and drugs - evil? Why? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tempus665
03-22-05, 04:56 PM I realize that these substances are considered rather unorthodox in the real world, but in a fantasy setting I'd think they wouldn't be very much out of the ordinary.

Yet, people (on these boards, on other boards, and some that I game with) tend to think of poison and drugs as evil substances. Why is that?

Pretend you're a free Faerūnian citizen - and try to justify why they are considered evil.
Rick Day
03-22-05, 05:07 PM Lets see. As a normal farmer you would think it evil becasue it is a distraction that could lead to death. If your youth arent following the rules and their "high" then they cant watch the sheep and they cant protect the flock so there goes your food. Starvation ensues, just an example. Most of the drugs are looked at as a contamination of the natural self so the temples are going to have the stand point of they are bad. Your mental defences are lowered by drug use and you are more succeptable to these things. Poisons are evil becasue they only have one use. Murder. There is no other applicable use of them save for paralitics. Hence Evil.
Artifact
03-22-05, 05:18 PM Sorry, I simply have to RANT about this.

Drug-abuse destroys lives, pure and simple. The glorification of drug-abuse (such as in Pulp Fiction) turns my stomach. Drug abuse is a real-life problem and has destroyed too many lives. Don't let anyone ever tell you that drugs are cool, even in a fantasy setting. They're not. 'Nuff said!
Rick Day
03-22-05, 05:22 PM Thnanks artifact I was mearly trying to be less subtle than a truck load of bricks. :)
Artifact
03-22-05, 05:30 PM Sorry. My post was not an attack. I simply have zero-tolerance for the glorification of drugs and drug-abuse. Years ago, I drew a line against drug-abuse and I can't in good conscience back down from that.
Kuje31
03-22-05, 05:44 PM Poisons I can see as being evil but drugs? Nah I don't see how they can be. But then I guess it depends on the drug and the poison as well.
Another Gnome
03-22-05, 06:04 PM It's a chicken-and-egg situation: criminal organizations deal with drugs and poison because the substances are illegal, and they're illegal because they're dealt by criminal organizations. And because they're illegal and criminals deal with them, labeling them evil is good.
MakesMeSick
03-22-05, 06:13 PM I agree with Kuje31, drug-use might not be well-seen by the general Fearūnian populace but I don't think that it can be considered "evil" in game terms.

I think drugs can be put in the same category as alchemist concoctions, or perhaps mild poisons, and using their effect on another person can be considered evil, especially if used to commit some crime, but not intoxicating yourself.

So the substance itself can't be considered "evil"...

Just my :twocents:
createvmind
03-22-05, 06:27 PM The reason they are assumed to be evil is because they are written as being used on someone, meaning a user using them on a target. Obviously no one takes poison themselves unless trying to build a immunity to a particular type, and many drugs have addiction levels that range from nil to extreme so a user is at risk when it comes to drugs. So drugs used on a target can cause that target to be a "junkie" to the seller or one who drugged the person in the first place.......drugs are not in the best interest of the user and therefore stray towards the evil description for various reasons. Perfect example is a demon who gains dominance over a blue dragon and begins feeding it lihux so even if the dragon were to shake the demons possession of it, its hopelessly addicted to the drug and unable to function properly.....drugs take away free will, that in itself is evil.
WizO_BigSister
03-22-05, 06:44 PM Sorry but bitter experience has shown that it is almost inevitable that threads on the topic of drug abuse in D&D end up discussing real world issues ... which as you can see has already happened here. It is not appropriate to discuss such issues on the FR forums.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tempus665 03-22-05, 04:56 PM	I realize that these substances are considered rather unorthodox in the real world, but in a fantasy setting I'd think they wouldn't be very much out of the ordinary. Yet, people (on these boards, on other boards, and some that I game with) tend to think of poison and drugs as evil substances. Why is that? Pretend you're a free Faerūnian citizen - and try to justify why they are considered evil.
Rick Day 03-22-05, 05:07 PM	Lets see. As a normal farmer you would think it evil becasue it is a distraction that could lead to death. If your youth arent following the rules and their "high" then they cant watch the sheep and they cant protect the flock so there goes your food. Starvation ensues, just an example. Most of the drugs are looked at as a contamination of the natural self so the temples are going to have the stand point of they are bad. Your mental defences are lowered by drug use and you are more succeptable to these things. Poisons are evil becasue they only have one use. Murder. There is no other applicable use of them save for paralitics. Hence Evil.
Artifact 03-22-05, 05:18 PM	Sorry, I simply have to RANT about this. Drug-abuse destroys lives, pure and simple. The glorification of drug-abuse (such as in Pulp Fiction) turns my stomach. Drug abuse is a real-life problem and has destroyed too many lives. Don't let anyone ever tell you that drugs are cool, even in a fantasy setting. They're not. 'Nuff said!
Rick Day 03-22-05, 05:22 PM	Thnanks artifact I was mearly trying to be less subtle than a truck load of bricks. :)
Artifact 03-22-05, 05:30 PM	Sorry. My post was not an attack. I simply have zero-tolerance for the glorification of drugs and drug-abuse. Years ago, I drew a line against drug-abuse and I can't in good conscience back down from that.
Kuje31 03-22-05, 05:44 PM	Poisons I can see as being evil but drugs? Nah I don't see how they can be. But then I guess it depends on the drug and the poison as well.
Another Gnome 03-22-05, 06:04 PM	It's a chicken-and-egg situation: criminal organizations deal with drugs and poison because the substances are illegal, and they're illegal because they're dealt by criminal organizations. And because they're illegal and criminals deal with them, labeling them evil is good.
MakesMeSick 03-22-05, 06:13 PM	I agree with Kuje31, drug-use might not be well-seen by the general Fearūnian populace but I don't think that it can be considered "evil" in game terms. I think drugs can be put in the same category as alchemist concoctions, or perhaps mild poisons, and using their effect on another person can be considered evil, especially if used to commit some crime, but not intoxicating yourself. So the substance itself can't be considered "evil"... Just my :twocents:
createvmind 03-22-05, 06:27 PM	The reason they are assumed to be evil is because they are written as being used on someone, meaning a user using them on a target. Obviously no one takes poison themselves unless trying to build a immunity to a particular type, and many drugs have addiction levels that range from nil to extreme so a user is at risk when it comes to drugs. So drugs used on a target can cause that target to be a "junkie" to the seller or one who drugged the person in the first place.......drugs are not in the best interest of the user and therefore stray towards the evil description for various reasons. Perfect example is a demon who gains dominance over a blue dragon and begins feeding it lihux so even if the dragon were to shake the demons possession of it, its hopelessly addicted to the drug and unable to function properly.....drugs take away free will, that in itself is evil.
WizO_BigSister 03-22-05, 06:44 PM	Sorry but bitter experience has shown that it is almost inevitable that threads on the topic of drug abuse in D&D end up discussing real world issues ... which as you can see has already happened here. It is not appropriate to discuss such issues on the FR forums.