Azura's Star as it is made by Azura can't. It has to be corrupted, like soul gems, to capture "black" souls.

You can go assassinate NPCs for the Dark Brotherhood; and when necessary for other guilds. The deadra gods have some real gruesome quests that go way beyond assassinations - you have to lure innocent people to their deaths. You have to kill defenseless animals for their hides so you can level smithing. How about killing Falmer - what have they done to you?

But none of that bothers you - but putting a soul inside a gem does.

It's a game people, not real life.

Yes you're not the only one. I actually found them gruesome long time ago, back in Morrowind.

There is a quest in the College of Winterhold that answers this question.

So because it's a game, we cannot talk about morals in the lore?

You make way too many assumptions for your post to valid

It's no more immoral than raising and harvesting chickens/ducks/cattle, or hunting deer.

Unless we're using Black Souls here.



I can't bring myself to do any of that. Those I've killed for Daedra were either against my will (The Vigilant of Stendarr for Molag Baal - We were trapped and he went crazy), and I've walked away from all others. The Dark Brotherhood is dead in my game, killed by my blade. A shame the guards had a cold that day.

As for the Falmer - Have you seen what they've done to those who wish to travel between Whiterun and Solitude?

Well, yes it is.

It's possible to kill chickens/ducks etc in a humane way. Using their soul (which contains their personality and feelings) and trapping them in a soul gem for possibly an eternity is not humane. Yes, animals can have personality and feelings

Free range chickens and not causing stress to animals (unlike fox hunting) is humane.
It doesnt just have to be human soul trapping that is morally wrong

There's no evidence that trapping a soul is harmful to the creature who's soul is trapped - at least they aren't terrified of being eaten any moment anymore. In fact, http://www.prequeladventure.com/2011/05/amulet-overload/.

Well that means that soul trapping a human is not harmful, therefore contradicting your belief that black souls gems are immoral

Except humans are much more aware of what they are doing and much more upset when they lose their sense of agency. It's immoral in the same sense that slavery (Even without the degrading stuff that tends to come with it) and imprisoning innocents are immoral.

A rabbit, chicken, or hamster is quite content to live in a cage of two square feet, as long as it's regularly fed and watered. A human trapped in a cell that provides the same relative amount of space and amenities, on the other hand, is not.

I'm happy being in my room, fed, watered, and with skyrim. Am i a rabbit?

No, you're a bum.

How does the soul gem actually work on people anyway?

Lets say someone wacks me with a sword of binding and I die and my soul gets svcked into a black soul gem. Am I then a spirit conscious inside the gem? And then what happens when someone uses my soul to charge their weapon? Is my soul completely annhilitated or do I then live inside the sword? Do I still to Sovangarde or am I completely consumed?

You essentialy live inside the sword. No, you're actually THE sword itself.
You can hear and feel everything that's happening around you, but can't do anything about it.

In that case it can be a good thing. Imagine being enchanted in Mjoll's briastplate.

It's definitely a morally iffy concept. As for black souls, I generally only soul trap Thalmor, necromancers and Forsworn. Call it karmic justice.

Hmmm.... interesting. Dovahkiin has managed to get 8 black soul gems. 5 were given to her filled. One has a particular Thalmor's name on it -- yet to be taken. I will name the weapon. I guess Dovahkiin isn't so nice. I noticed the first two three guilds joined: companions (completed enough to become full member), thieves guild, Dark Brotherhood. Not so nice.

I liked how soul gems in Morrowind got the name of the character you had trapped. You could build up a little trophy collection of the boss enemies and hated npcs all trapped in gems.

I think I'll turn Nazeem into some boots of muffle. Not only will it shut him up but I get to walk all over him.

Haven't read through the thread, but I saw a comment on the first page saying that some have said that perhaps the gem doesn't actually trap the soul, just some energy associated with a soul leaving the body at death or something. That's a possibility I've thought about since Oblivion.

In any case, my characters - the good ones, anyway - won't use black soul gems. If one's filled, they'll use it, perhaps freeing the soul trapped inside, if indeed the gem does actually trap a soul, but they won't use soul trap to fill one. If there were a way to destroy black soul gems, they would.

That being said, my next character will likely be a mix of Sauron, Darth Vader and anybody else E-VIL you can think of, and will use any old soul he can get his EVIL EVIL EVIL hands on.

I think we should start PETS. People for the Ethical Treatment of Souls.

Don't know if its been linked yet, but here's a little http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Souls,_Black_and_Whiteon the subject.

Animals can be just stressed in these living conditions without interaction. It sounds like you have never had pets before. Even a hamster needs interaction and to be let out for exercise in order to be healthy

Just because animals are less self aware, doesn't mean it's alright

Yeah, don't ever give that guy a pet.

Are there any lore articles or books related to this subject?

I just linked one.