Shattered Kingdoms

If an immortal comes down in immortal form, ICly, is it cool to attack them? (Yes, I know you'll probably insta-die). I've heard about people doing this before, but it also says you need to pay respect to all the Gods in the "help conduct" helpfile:


So, for instance, servant of Truth (paladin) is here. Thuban comes down. Can the paladin shout out a challenge then charge the god? Is this a curse-able action, or ICly legitimate and allowable, being that Thuban is the anti-thesis of everything the paladin holds dear and has sworn to defend?

Again, the helpfile seems fairly straightforward on this, but I ask because people have attacked IMM's before. It seems strange for a paladin of truth to prostrate before Thuban, so I guess I'm asking for opinions on what the proper etiquette in this kind of situaton would be from an IC standpoint.

In the example you point out, I can't imagine a knight of truth showing or giving any respect to Thuban. Maybe this is partly because I personally interpret that faith, along with Dabi's, to be the most evil and wicked of the evil faiths. Attacking the god is
a little stickier, but I could still see it in your scenario. I guess I would expect that Thuban would of course attempt to curse the mortal that dares attack him and is of his sworn enemy, but I could see that the paladin's patron would intervene to try to remove that curse, as anything else would have been against the tenents of the faith.

If Thuban or Dabi showed up to a Paladin, the paladin would certainly not prostrate himself, but if I were playing said Paladin, I would most certainly RP being almost completely frozen in a combination of fear and surprise. If I were playing a paladin that had undergone a great deal of character development and been very prominent, I would consider being a little braver, but even then daring to actually -attack- a god would be extremely foolish.

In other words, RP whatever you think is best -ICly-, but remember to also take the repercussions of that ICly also.

I remember a quote that states:

"Sometimes, the safest thing to be is your own paladin~"

Well, I would say the same, replied above me. But you know, in all honesty, when you decide to be a Paladin/Anti-Paladin, Knight or Squire, you at least have thoughts as to which God or Goddess you closely relate to. You're obviously trained in your own faith, of course having such a strong bond with your teachers; deacons, priests, other paladins.

I would say it would be -very- logical that, if some IMM approached whom was obviously in opposition to your faith, you would tell them to go away and leave or else, through your hands, they are to be struck down by the faith of your God or Goddess.

That or, if you're the sort of cocky little pally, you can bow and play the wise-cracker roll...

Again, as stated, its really up to the PC ICly...

I imagine it more as a child who was always taught that dragons were bad, who was suddenly one day confronted with a huge, fire-breathing dragon that possessed an aura of emanating evil from it. Regardless of whether his parents told him that dragons were bad, said child would probably pee his pants.

Now sure, paladins are more mature than children, but gods are supposed to be much more terrifying than dragons too. I personally think the reaction to one, even one diametrically opposed to you, should fall somewhere between the two.

Only if you attack them with cone of cold.

I remember when Karvik killed Nashira with voodoo back when adepts didn't have a limit on mana leech and no caps were on mana trains.

I'm not disagreeing with the fear aspect of meeting a deity.
Just how the person would handle it, given his or her experience(s)..

Surprised you didn't say magma.

While I respect the desire to stay IC, helpfiles are not optional. In fact, they determine what is IC in the gameworld. We're perfectly free to find interesting and novel ways to obey them, but they should in the end be obeyed. The key words here are:
"proper respect and awe in the presence of immortals"

I have a hard time believing physically threatening a god is "proper respect and awe". A character can believe an immortal is a demon or putz unworthy of worship, but still be terrified or awestruck at the sight. And all but the most stupid and foolish of characters must realize an attack cannot succeed.

That certainly doesn't mean a paladin can't defy a dark god, or even openly challenge or insult him. Just also roleplay the fear the paladin can't help but feel in this situation.