I don't think they are testing whether or not you are greedy, selfish, etc. They are testing whether or not your character resorts to evil acts due to those tendencies. Greed in itself is not necessarily evil, but harming others because of it is.
Your character may be greedy, but will that cause you to kill another? Your character may be dominated by fear, but will you benefit from the suffering of others because of it?
In that sense, the tests are judging your reaction to those feelings, your morality, and not the presence of those feelings in themselves.
I'm not sure if that is even what you are asking, but your questions led me to think along those lines.
[Heavy roleplaying thoughts] Or are they merely single tests, and they mean nothing?
They have meaning because they shaped your character in a certain way, but in the long term, even with RP reasons, they mean nothing, since as your character grows, his responses may change in certain situations.
Like doing a personality test today, and then doing the same test a couple of years from now. Majority of the answers will be the same, but some will change due to new perception you've gained over those months.
Or game wise, you may run away in fear from a wolf when leaving Candlekeep but will slaughter a large pack of them later in the game without second thought.
In my opinion hell trials are rather accepting the essence of Bhaal than being good/evil. So if you accept the demons instructions you accept the essence of Bhaal willingly.
I imagine, that if you accept the essence, it can shape your character greatly. So if you were good, a simple decision can make you the opposite alignment through the Bhaal essence. If you are evil, you can still decide not to use your father power, but remain evil.
And shouldn't murder be the most powerful portfolio, seen that everyone murders each other, and that means that Bhaal should gorge upon these vile acts?
That is most certainly a question for an off topic thread.
In my opinion hell trials are rather accepting the essence of Bhaal than being good/evil. So if you accept the demons instructions you accept the essence of Bhaal willingly.
I imagine, that if you accept the essence, it can shape your character greatly. So if you were good, a simple decision can make you the opposite alignment through the Bhaal essence. If you are evil, you can still decide not to use your father power, but remain evil.
For every test you receive a tear of Bhaal, no matter what you choose. It seems to me that you have no choice but to accept the essence, but depending on the choice the essence will effect you in one way or another but the outcome will always be some divine strengthening of the character. Either way, you use your father's power, but you use it how you see fit, not how Bhaal does.
When my characters ascend at the end of ToB, I never look at it like they are overcome by Bhaal's essence. They are still their own character. Rather, they accept the responsibilities of Bhaal, and formally Jergal before him. That is the gatekeeping between the kingdoms of the living and the dead. See History_of_the_Dead_Three. I see this as a duty which could even be governed by the most holy of paladins, which might, for instance, choose to only let the wicked die.
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Your character may be greedy, but will that cause you to kill another?
Your character may be dominated by fear, but will you benefit from the suffering of others because of it?
In that sense, the tests are judging your reaction to those feelings, your morality, and not the presence of those feelings in themselves.
I'm not sure if that is even what you are asking, but your questions led me to think along those lines.
Like doing a personality test today, and then doing the same test a couple of years from now. Majority of the answers will be the same, but some will change due to new perception you've gained over those months.
Or game wise, you may run away in fear from a wolf when leaving Candlekeep but will slaughter a large pack of them later in the game without second thought.
There is a tear of bhaal that grants stat boosts. Otherwise I'm not certain what you mean.
That is most certainly a question for an off topic thread.
When my characters ascend at the end of ToB, I never look at it like they are overcome by Bhaal's essence. They are still their own character. Rather, they accept the responsibilities of Bhaal, and formally Jergal before him. That is the gatekeeping between the kingdoms of the living and the dead. See History_of_the_Dead_Three. I see this as a duty which could even be governed by the most holy of paladins, which might, for instance, choose to only let the wicked die.