Hallow's Silence effect vs Thunder damage.

[DanWardog]

What are your opinions on Hallow's possible silence effect versus Thunder damage? Would it negate it completely? As an example the spell Silence causes creatures to be immune to Thunder damage. It's the second to last effect in the quote, but I figured I would quote the entire spell's text.

" You touch a point and infuse an area around it with holy (or unholy) power. The area can have a radius up to 60 feet, and the spell fails if the radius includes an area already under the effect a hallow spell. The affected area is subject to the following Effects.

First, Celestials, Elementals, fey, Fiends, and Undead can't enter the area, nor can such creatures charm, frighten, or possess creatures within it. Any creature Charmed, Frightened, or possessed by such a creature is no longer Charmed, Frightened, or possessed upon entering the area. You can exclude one or more of those types of creatures from this effect.

Second, you can bind an extra effect to the area. Choose the effect from the following list, or choose an effect offered by the DM. Some of these Effects apply to creatures in the area, you can designate whether the effect applies to all creatures, creatures that follow a specific deity or leader, or creatures of a specific sort, such as ores or Trolls. When a creature that would be affected enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it can make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature ignores the extra effect until it leaves the area.

Courage: Affected creatures can't be Frightened while in the area.

Darkness: Darkness fills the area. Normal light, as well as magical light created by Spells of a lower level than the slot you used to cast this spell, can't illuminate the area.

Daylight: Bright light fills the area. Magical Darkness created by Spells of a lower level than the slot you used to cast this spell can't extinguish the light.

Energy Protection: Affected creatures in the area have Resistance to one damage type of your choice, except for bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.

Energy Vulnerability: Affected creatures in the area have vulnerability to one damage type of your choice, except for bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.

Everlasting Rest: Dead bodies interred in the area can't be turned into Undead.

Extradimensional Interference: Affected creatures can't move or travel using teleportation or by extradimensional or interplanar means.

Fear: Affected creatures are Frightened while in the area.

Silence: No sound can emanate from within the area, and no sound can reach into it.

Tongues: Affected creatures can communicate with any other creature in the area, even if they don't share a Common language. "

[ImproperJustice]

I know there are some fine rules lawyers who can probably parse words until they construct a counter argument, buuuuuut:

I think the intent of Silence is that it negates thunder damage as a source since thunder damage (such as Shatter) seems sound based or based upon the damage created from air displacement (Thunder step).

Hence, creatures in a Hallowed area which is silent should be immune to Thunder damage.

[Feddlefew]

Silence: No sound can emanate from within the area, and no sound can reach into it.

It reads as if sound can't pass in or out of the edge of the hollowed area. So as long as the source is within the hollowed area then thunder damage still works.

[Darc_Vader]

I would say strictly by RAW that it would have no effect on Thunder damage, since it’s explicitly an effect of the Silence spell to grant immunity while inside it and not a part of Thunder damage itself. That said, it’s also explicitly part of Silence and not Hallow to deafen creatures inside it, and I don’t think it’s reasonable to say that creatures inside a Hallow created zone of silence aren’t deafened. Fwiw, logically I would think Hallow should grant immunity to Thunder damage if it is silenced, and would probably rule it that way were I to be dming this situation.