I know we've had similar threads before, so I have no interest in debating this. I just want to have it explained, because obviously what I thought the taint was, is wrong.

We know the Taint isn't necessary evil.
We know the Taint isn't unnatural, its a part of Nature now.
We know the Taint isn't an affliction or sickness that can be cured.
We are often told the Taint isn't anything like the destructive, soulless version.

So... why exactly does anyone have a problem with it? Because we're told? Because no-one likes change? Because its not pretty?

Before everyone leaps to give their own idea of what it is... could any of the Admin please give us poor sods who don't get it, a clue?

I've read through all the histories, and the help files that speak of it, but clearly my interpretation is wrong.

It's icky? That's about all.

Wheter or not the Taint is evil and bad or powerful and helpful or whatever, depends on whom you ask really.. espcially if you ask Magnagorans and non-Magnagorans.

Those that fight the Taint will simply say it's bad, Viscanti will say it changed them and made them stronger and that you should embrace it.

We were kinda hoping to have a reason why "it's bad", though, Shadow, that's the point of the thread.

I imagine the fear of the Taint was because if Kethuru were to return, he'd simply control them again. I guess many people look at the Taint and, ICly, don't believe it's uncorruptive. They look at Rowena and the Glom and at Luciphage and Nil, and say "Gods, the Taint is horrible." When that was Soulless taint. =\\ Know what I mean?

I guess people think that Soulless is bad, and since the Taint is the touch of a Soulless (even if long removed and changed), it is bad.

Maybe that is what is intended.

That only Magnagora and Glomdoring aren't stupid and shallow.

I'd still like a definitive answer, though.

I beleive the Taint was a residue of Kethuru's presence... I can't say that is totally accurate, but there was an ic discussion where a Divine, I think Hajamin, said something like that. I can't remember the exact description though, so don't take this as written word. And besides, since it was IC, that might simply be Hajamin's interpretation anyway.

On that note, I have my doubts about these arguments that "Taint is harmless because it doesn't have Kethuru's presence in it."

I still see poisonous fumes and crud coming out of the floor at me where a Geomancer's been mucking about. So something's obviously going on there. And I'm going to smack anyone that says that you can "forest" someone/thing and that that's the same as Tainting it.

From someone who played an anti-magick Imperian character, you don't NEED definite proof that something's bad to think it is. In fact, it's worse if one side has proof that something's bad because then the other side can't argue with them. Yes, so you're discovering OOCly that the Taint isn't necessarily bad. Your characters are hearing from Maeve and whoever that it isn't so bad. That doesn't mean that they're suddenly going to disbelieve the fundamental beliefs that underpin their lives and that they've been brought up and surrounded with constantly. Think about it, if some scientist came up to you and told you that actually, the Sun revolved around the Earth, would you believe him?

There is no definitive answer as to what the Taint is and whether it's good or bad or neutral, because that's the nature of the game. The Tainted don't believe that it's bad, and the non-Tainted do as a general rule.

I think you misunderstand what I'm looking for. I don't want an absolute answer. I don't even want proof.

I just want to have some kind of reasoning that isn't evidently false. Why would anyone have a problem with the Taint? Other than ignorance.

Zeal.

"These guys are Tainted, therefore they are touched by Kethuru, therefore they are bad."

Everyone will have a problem with the Taint for their own reasons. Elaria's initially was that the Tainted seemed to be cruel, murdering evil people. Finding plenty of Celestians like that, and talking to some Tainted changed her view, leaving her confused.

Your view against the Taint is your own. Come up with your own roleplay reasons why you like or dislike it. It does mutatey-icky things to nature, so maybe you think that as hostile... who knows

Here's a rather novel idea, roleplay out the same reasons you hated it before!

Maeve's misunderstood, she's connecting with her NIGHT side.

Night was a spirit before it got tainted.

Ergo, you still have a reason to hate them tainters!

When the land is tainted you can't forest it, herbs don't grow there.
Is that not reason for you to dislike it?

When the land is flooded, you can't forest and no herbs grow there.

The taint that Geomancers harness is nowhere near as powerful as the original Taint, nor does it still possess mutagenic qualities. It's just mobile pollution, which I think is why Elryn is, y'know, unsure of what to believe.

Not so.

There's plenty of herbs in Glomdoring. In fact, as too much water kills off herbs, and we all know that water is necessary for herbal life, it could in fact be said that Taint is a staple of these herbs' existence, and it's only an excess of it that damages them.

EDIT: Ninja'd.

Exactly, that's the point. Why do you (Elryn) have the urge to have stronger reasons to hate taint more then light?


Glomdoring is a sort of mutated nature. It was changed by the very powerful Taint cloud which was also Kethuru's tool at the time.
Can Geomancers use taint to mutate nature? No.
Point is Glomdoring's nature is not nature+taint, it's nature changed by the taint. It's a different thing. If it wasn't, what would prevent Magnagora from going to a forest and making it the same as Glomdoring?
Taint is a tool, when Kethuru infused it with himself, he could do tremendous things with it, like twist Gloriana in a blink of an eye.

Water has nothing to do with the light, just to clear that up. And while herbal life needs some water to grow (flooding an area is just to much) it doesn't require taint at all.

If the taint is bad I couldn't tell, my character fears it for it once containted Kethuru. He takes as evidence the feeling he gets when he enters tainted areas, the sickening stuff you all know about.

The plants within Glomdoring require taint to thrive.

Which basically gives the message that "too much water is bad - just enough helps" and "too much taint is bad - just enough helps".

I thought the plants in glomdoring are the same as in seren, only they grow SLOWER because of the taint.

What plant is only found on tainted ground?