Honourable failure

OK, so you owe somebody a great debt. Let's imagine for the sake of argument, that it's a life debt. Serious debt. Now to put it simply, you've willingly agreed to do whatever they ask of you for the rest of your life. No matter how dangerous or illegal you've sworn to do it. Serious promise.

Fair enough so far? Now suppose they've told you to do something that's likely to, let's say "corrupt" you. Assume you've talked it over with them but they've said it's not negotiable. You can't back out of this quest without breaking your oath but if you continue, the chances are you will fail anyway and your integrity will probably be damaged or destroyed.

How would you resign yourself to failure? Or what would you do instead? Any thoughts at all on the situation.

Daaren: Do my best not to fail. A promise is a promise.

Nico: I think I can think of things that would make you think twice if you were in such a situation.

Daaren: I can't imagine making an open promise like that.

Nico: A point.

Daaren [to original poster]: You got yourself in that mess, now bear it.

Nico: Er, well. My thoughts on the situation are that I'd like to know what quest that would be and how it would corrupt, but I guess you'd have said more already if you didn't mind sharing, so... *shrugs* Things happen. Sometimes they work out for the best. Good luck!

I'm tempted to agree with Daaren, purely because that is the most stupid, idiotic, NUMBBRAINED promise I have ever heard of.

However, you may have had a reason for it. It's hard to tell, what with all the mysterious vagueness, so I'll be fair and assume yes.

I have more of a bone to pick with your significant other/liege/oathee/questgiver/whoever they are, though. Ok, they clearly had the right to accept your oath, but to my mind, that's taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. (Did they save the life of a family member or something, is that why you promised to devote yourself to them? You don't have to answer... I'm just trying to imagine why anyone would do such a thing.)

That's one issue. What's worse is sending you on some quest that could get you killed or turned into something evil ('corrupted'?). Blatant abuse of power. I know honour's clearly important to you, and I know you won't want to hear this, but matey? Knight errant or whatever you are? Get well out of it.

Oh... *blush, facepalm* At this rate, my every second post will be an apology for ranting in the first.

Betray 'im. Sounds like a bastard.

Hrian: Whatever they ask, I'll try to get. I trust my friends. They wouldn't corrupt me. Even if they did, it would only make me more like them,right? They seem to be doing well enough, that I owe them such a great favor.


Mhelarn: The answer to that question is fairly dependent on the species of the debtor. And what kind of insurance, physical or otherwise, that it holds over me. If the quest in the question is lethal, then I won't. If it finds some new way to corrupt me, then I'm all ears. You only live once.

The real answer from my brother Hrian, btw, is more like this.

"So long as they keep feeding me...."

I was kind enough to transcribe the first one for my illiterate sib, but it really is self-reassuring nonsense.

Speaking of friends, I would have suggested recruiting some to help in this 'quest'. Providing it wouldn't be unacceptably dangerous to the friends, that is.

[pokes head back in] Buh. I didn't expect everyone to fixate on the "vow" thing. Would it help to think of it as "in love with them and willingly undertaking whatever they ask of me" instead?

In answer to some of the clarifications and questions... I was unspecific because I didn't want details to bias your answer and also it isn't my place to disclose them; being bound by my sort of vow is not very unusual where I live; don't badmouth my questgiver, please; I meant corrupt in some kind of bad sense; they are my own species; the tasks assigned are always allegedly within my capabilities, even though I would question that assessment in this particular case. (Perhaps I should be more trusting, but there's this nagging doubt...)

As to friends, I generally work alone unless I'm teamed up with others in my same situation.

Thanks to Daaren specifically. I think he said what I needed to hear.

A pity Suitov is such a busy man, or you could ask him for help...

Oh, I would almost certainly be more trouble than I'm worth.