i seem to recall cold-tempered/explosive-critical deaths to be permanent even on Normal. (or was that Core? i'm pretty sure it was Normal.)
I'm not quite sure what you mean by "cold-tempered/explosive-critical" here. Freezing won't kill party members permanently on normal; chunky deaths for party members don't occur on normal. If you mean something else, I don't know, but I'm pretty sure nothing can permanently kill a party member on Normal. (Something which removes the character from the party followed by damage or disintegration can mean permanent destruction, but I think that's about it.)
i agree from a realistic roleplaying standpoint. but these exceptional [again, i call lazy design] circumstances, where even non-bhaalspawn still get to call on their gods for seventh level spells such as, oh let's say Resurrection, at least once every eight hours (of hypothetically uninterrupted sleep - did i mention you can all sleep in the Abyss?) in that context, i see selfishness, but not much of a 'Price of Selfishness', in saying "yes, i will sacrifice you, and bring you right back a little later" - especially since you'll subsequently get the benefit of the tear anyway. (although it'd at least mean something to have them pissed off/[having been]in agony when you bring them back, a la a certain post-bandit jaheira...
Why should there be a price? That's the point; you can avoid any consequences
to you, if you choose to be selfish. Korgan gets to be torn limb from limb, but you can put him back together in time to be of use to you, and he doesn't get to vote on whether this is a good idea. Considering you're in a region shaped by the evil within CHARNAME, I'd say choosing to be evil should absolutely have no downside but that of becoming officially evil.
And as far as spellcasting and resting goes--your companions have the support of the master of the domain, after all, and you
are the master of the domain.
(although i think a tear that helps open the gate but gives no bonuses is worth considering for any/all trials. is that how the neutral ones work?)
No, you get benefits from them, too--different benefits, but about as powerful as the good and evil ones.