My apostate Bosmers use alchemy with impunity?

twev

I've only played in the Tamriel world since ESO launched, but I've been wondering:

Why is it that my Bosmers can harvest and use alchemical ingredients without being considered pariahs in AD areas?

There are alchemy tables all over.
The Mages's guild halls and other crafting areas have them out in the open.
Why no social retribution regarding openly violating 'The Green'?

rotaugen454

Because religious convictions often go out the window when profit is involved. Profits over prophets.

SirAndy

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Profits over prophets.

I don't know much about religion, but aren't the prophets usually the ones making the profit on the backs of the common worshipers?

SpringEternal

Alchemy is viewed with some suspicion, but is not forbidden. According to Spinner Erenas in the Pact Advocate quest, "Alchemy is not a common practice among Wood Elves, so it's understandable that there's some confusion. The only plant material I've ever used were leaves and flowers that naturally fell to the ground, as per our laws."

Pact Bosmer can also import plant-based products. Not to mention that there are probably plenty of potions they can make using mushrooms, insect parts, bone dust, etc.

NotaDaedraWorshipper

Not all bosmer follows the Green Pact. Mostly just the ones native to Valenwood. Whom are also fine with importing wood and other plants from elsewhere outside Valenwood. And which has been mentioned, they are fine with using plants that have fallen to the ground.
It's not even looked down on by Valenwood bosmer, since alchemy in Elder Scrolls uses a lot of ingredients that are not plants. That is what bosmer alchemists do, who follow the Green Pact. They simply use different methods and ingredients.

But most importantly: Game mechanics.

phaneub17_ESO

My Bosmer girl kills the largest of game, but is a vegan.

kargen27

"Pact Bosmer can also import plant-based products. Not to mention that there are probably plenty of potions they can make using mushrooms, insect parts, bone dust, etc."

Kind of like the guy who told me he couldn't kill his ancestors but would reward me if I had a go at them.

ArchMikem

The Green Pact allows the use of plants and flowers that fall to the ground naturally. They only make use of them when their life has taken its course. Or they just import it all from outside the Valenwood. Natural ingredients and materials felled and harvested by the other Races doesnt violate the Green.

worrallj

Yeah it seems like even in other TES games (which notably were not in Valenwood) the green pact was always something you heard about but wasn't really an omnipresent feature of bosmer you'd run into.

Also yeah ESO is a game more of mechanics than world building. Among those of us that think ESO should do a better job of following in the footprints of past games, it's a real systematic problem in ESO that the world serves the game mechanics, and not the other way around. Woodelves in valenwood *should* react badly when you pick flowers.

twev

I appreciate the time everyone took to respond, and give me additional insight.

Thank you, all.

Gatviper

twev wrote: »

Why is it that my Bosmers can harvest and use alchemical ingredients without being considered pariahs in AD areas?

Because your Bosmer is a "Vestige" and you pull the strings of his life with purpose of your choosing. Which doesn't have to play in line with any convictions.

AlnilamE

On a related note, I wondered the other day if the reason why wood nodes are logs on the ground was because of the Green Pact, so that bosmer characters could harvest them with a clear conscience.