Here I disagree and am confused because you refute this argument immediately later in your post. There's no way for your character not to know that what's going on with the tadpoles is an aberration. You should have changed within hours and you haven't.
Thats what it means?
Im sorry, my misstake ... i thought that to call something "aberration" it needs to be so weird so you dont even believe it originates from this world (i know Illithids technicaly dont, but to make something THAT weid even to their standards) ... while what your characters would recognize would be at best that something is not quite right.
To put it into numbers ...
To be aware that something is not as it should be ... it would need to reach rating 1-3 on scale to 20.
To call it aberration ... it would need to reach rating 18+ on scale to 20.
I'll write this off as my nervous, timid brain being fundamentally unable to grasp that people could look at such a risk and not take the cautious route. It seems bizarre and insane to me
It is ... but not impossible.
And thats my point.
I would never act like that myself ...
But then, i would also never travel to camp of strictly carnivorous goblins, that often have taste for humanoid flesh just in company of three complete strangers, from wich one allready tryed to kill me, and another one let it clearly known that she concider me less significant than insects beneath her feets.
I think we need to start thinking outside of our own box ... and supress our self-preservation instict a little since ... lets be honest, most of *us* would probably just shit themselves and die in few dozen seconds later after our awakening on Nautiloid.
At least im quite sure that i would. :-/
I see the point you're making, but I don't think it quite links to my point.
How so?
I set there the conection ... its psychological matter ... to confront your problem, you must admit you have the problem, and that is a big step ... especialy in situation where nothing presses you and it seems like ignoring the problem bares no consequences.
Also the idea that 70% of drivers ignore speed limits is horrifying and those people should never be allowed to drive. I just took my first driving theory test and it taught me that driving is too dangerous to let so many people do it.
Well, its Czech statistics ... we have quite bad reputation about our driving in Europe. :-/
Its not so dramatic as it sounds ... i mean for purpose of statistic even person who drives 55km/h instead of 50 as they should are included as those who ignore the limit ... and that is basicaly no real difference.
On highways tho ... well, some take it to extremes there. :-/
And yes i agree ... those people should never be allowed to drive ... those and many, many, many, many more for various reasons. :-/
I drive Van for a living few years now ... and i swear to you ... you wouldnt believe all the stories i could tell. :-/
Firstly, if what we're losing is spiritual, that's not any better. This is a magical world with confirmed souls and afterlives. A scar on the soul isn't just a metaphorical issue, it can have very real consequences that may or may not present themselves before death. It's not really an argument for not taking the loss seriously.
No, its an argument for possibility to be taken as seriously (or not) as willingly signing a pact with a fiend.
Losing one's virginity doesn't actually mark you metaphysically, and if it does we aren't capable of measuring that.
I could counterargument this ... but i really dont want to bring real world politics and religions here.
But the forgotten realms is a place where such things CAN be measured, more often than not.
Indeed ...
But that only means that there is risk, or cost if you wish, involved ... i doubt anyone expected anything different.
My second problem is with the idea that it's only a "colorful description" because it's describing something that our character is actively feeling. If it's trying to convey remose, then that's the game deciding how our character feels emotionally, which isn't good in an rpg. My interpretation that it's a literal feeling we experience, a tangible loss that can't be ignored and doesn't change based on the kind of person we are. So if we go by your assumption, then we're assuming the game is poorly designed in that instance. My stance tends to be that, unless there's further evidence that a thing is a mistake, I assume it's on purpose to some degree.
I see ... well, maybe i expressed myself poorly.
I think your description is fitting ... but since we dont know what we lost, and its just some imaginary "something" its still quite hard to grasp and react on it. :-/
