The Dresden Files > DF Spoilers
Black Magic, Addiction, and Becoming a Warlock
Mira:
I realize that this bleeds heavily into two other current threads, but I think it is different enough that it deserves it's own thread at the risk of hijacking the other two.
So here is the basic question, why is it that some can have a brush with black magic and be rehabbed and others go full warlock? We've discussed what constitutes "gray areas" of the Seven Laws, what is breaking them and what isn't... However other than perhaps the ultimate punishment for what is seen as breaking them, what if that is beside the point?
What if the real answer comes down to a matter of addiction? We know in the case of alcohol and even drugs to some extent, some people can take a drink, even on rare occasions get drunk, but they do not develop a craving or addiction to it.. While others have no tolerance at all for alcohol, they "feel" one drink.. Some find pleasure in this feeling, some get a "high," others don't find the experience pleasant at all...
So what if black magic has a similar affect on the wielder of it? Like teenagers everywhere young people experiment with alcohol, even drugs.. Some get by with it for whatever reason, for others it ends tragically... Let's add that most know before hand some of the affects of these things, but being kids do it anyway.. Young kids with talent, without a wizard mentor have no clue, but they do know the sense of power over others it gives them.. That is the high they become addicted to, if they are too far gone, they cannot recover from it.. Some can dance in the gray areas of it without lasting affects, but the more susceptible may not.. So simple act of making a love potion may be a mere exercise for some, with others it signals a slippage into that craving for power..
Fcrate:
Yes, this indeed merits a topic on its own.
Personally, I think it comes down to strength of character. Morals - beliefs matter, but at the core of each of us is a human. Whether the temptation is food, sex, drugs, alcohol, theft or even black magic, a temptation is a temptation. A strong willed individual, who focuses their will on not falling to temptation, can resist it, with varying degrees of ease.
Of course, some are weaker towards certain temptations than others, but the concept remains the same. As you said, those prone to addiction, will probably end up as warlocks.
Arjan:
There are a few other things to consider. First is what are your main talents? Some talents are more prone to black magic than others. Also what problems do you encounter as a teenager and what are the obvious solutions to those problems. If that solution is black you get a different start.
Morals are obviously important but young teenagers are not as good with morals as older people, they have a lot to learn yet. However morals are based on the human social instincts and these are just better developed with some people than with others.
A strong person can resist temptation however he or she needs to know that it is necessary to do so, motivation is important.
The main attraction of black magic is probably power, power over others to make them do what you want or leave you alone. The thirst for power is not equally developed in everyone either. Your nature is important.
groinkick:
My opinion is it comes down almost entirely on your intentions. If you kill someone in self defense, or by accident you will still be in some ways affected by dark magic corruption. But it will not be the nearly to the extent as killing someone for fun. Doing so just a single time may cause the person to become a warlock with no hope of rehabilitation.
Molly wanting to help her boyfriend damaged her, and him but not to the extent if she had been acting in a malicious way. So it really comes down to why you are using that kind of magic. Are you using necromancy to raise a loved one you miss or a bunch of zombies to command? One will corrupt you more than the other.
The potions in my opinion are an entirely different discussion. Harry in Storm Front just needed magical energies to activate the ingredients in his potions. It didn't require a deep desire to create the love potion. When you go into someone's mind on the other hand requires a real belief, and desire to be there. It will change you. The potions that he made at least didn't require that, just some magical energy and concentration.
Mira:
--- Quote from: Fcrate on July 12, 2018, 02:07:19 PM ---Yes, this indeed merits a topic on its own.
Personally, I think it comes down to strength of character. Morals - beliefs matter, but at the core of each of us is a human. Whether the temptation is food, sex, drugs, alcohol, theft or even black magic, a temptation is a temptation. A strong willed individual, who focuses their will on not falling to temptation, can resist it, with varying degrees of ease.
Of course, some are weaker towards certain temptations than others, but the concept remains the same. As you said, those prone to addiction, will probably end up as warlocks.
--- End quote ---
Yes, but we know now that addiction is a lot more complicated than mere strength of character. There are real genetic and brain chemistry factors that play an even larger role. I am wondering if a person of talent can be predisposed by the above to become a warlock?
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