Re: The T'or Ruling

[Steve Ames <steve@ns1.cioe.com>]

I've been bantering about this for a bit today... and all the while
I was doing it I never really even questioned if Keith had done
anything wrong. I went on the assumption that I knew the rules with
regard to T'or and magic. I was wrong. Pulling out my trusty manual
I find only one place that mentions this and its pretty clear. The
section is labeled "Traditions" (for those of you who don't know the
difference between laws, rules and traditions, look it up):

> Priests believe that to truly participate in dispensing justice, they
> must engage in hand-to-hand combat. They must see their opponent's
> eyes, and be directly responsible for their deeds. They see those who
> use missile weapons (such as bows and throwing daggers), defensive items
> such as shields, bucklers and metal armor, non-weapon magic, and other
> idirect means as lacking honor and unworthy of the protection of T'or.

Well... this _IS_ interesting. Seems Keith's crime wasn't the mutate it
was the defensive item (hard skin) that really doomed him. I think T'or's
main aspect wears shiny metal armor but thats because he's a god.

All of the above list are directly in reference to dispensing justice.
Nothing in there would disdain a never ending cup of coffee. Nothing
speaks against a fly spell, hell if it gets you into range for an
honorable combat, all for it probably.

We need to go back to the spirit of the law. Obviously lighning
bolting your quarry is right out. Nothing honorable there, can't
see their eyes and its certainly not hand to hand. The have their
skill and "protection of T'or" to protect them.

But all of this is _tradition_. I don't think a god intervenes for
breaking with tradition. That's how new traditions are started. I 
seem to recall (Chapter 8 in my book, Section 'O') that there was
a whole sect of people who went against tradition... they were
called Garintown. And Tor did not strike them down. T'or is the god
of justice. If these 'traditions' are actually rules within
whatever Enclave Keith's adventurer belonged, then he broke the
rules of his Enclave and should be brought up for review. I don't
see that he broke T'or's rules.

Sorry Dan. Your going to have to give the word on this one as your
the only one who can actually speak for T'or. I realize that this
is a tricky political issue now because its already been done and
decisions cannot be reversed without a loss of face. *sigh* That
is why prior discussion is a good thing.

I personally think that what happened was right. Certainly there was some
question there and someone had to do something. I think maybe
future questions should be discussed among GMs first (with much
consulting of the actual rules which we are going by now).

						-Steve