D&D 5E Is trafficking in soul coins ostensibly evil?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Id say that if a soul is trapped in hell then they are probably evil. Either they were through and through evil, or they did something extremely bad.

OK, so let's try the slavery model again:

The players visit a kingdom where slavery is legal as a punishment for crimes. Should they participate in the system, even if the slaves are all convicted violent criminals? It's still treating human lives as property and financial investments.

 

[Stalker0]

Every Paladin or LG character I've ever played genuinely regrets taking any life--even the life of the most dag-nasty Evil beings. Violence as a solution to problems should always be regretted. Deaths should always be regretted. Deaths you caused by violence, even though that might be exactly what is required, is still something to regret. To take a life leaves a mark on the soul. Recognizing that and taking every such instance as a reason to work even harder to pursue a world where that isn't necessary is the only acceptable approach. Anything less is defining which people are acceptable targets for guilt-free evil behavior.

And that's a perfectly fine way to play your paladins, but I can reasonably say that is NOT par for the course for in typical dnd (and you can use modules as your guide for what the "standard" is). Dnd provides no innate morale qualms with PCs (including good paladins) gleefully slaughtering legions of evil creatures. Heck certain good gods even encourage it.

If murdering evil creatures if perfectly ok with the good gods upstairs, I can see a neutral character having no beef with using the soul coin of an evil soul that was just going to get tortured in hell anyway.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

It's a minor evil, but I don't see that as a problem for a Neutral character any more than committing a good act would be. Alignment is by and large the sum of one's actions and intent.

 

[R_J_K75]

OK, so let's try the slavery model again:

The players visit a kingdom where slavery is legal as a punishment for crimes. Should they participate in the system, even if the slaves are all convicted violent criminals? It's still treating human lives as property and financial investments.

This is where alignment gets dicey. I'm going to double down and say yes, they're souls deserve it. If they were evil in life, there's a reason they are in the Nine Hells. if they weren't they would go to any of the other planes,

 

[Stormonu]

OK, so let's try the slavery model again:

The players visit a kingdom where slavery is legal as a punishment for crimes. Should they participate in the system, even if the slaves are all convicted violent criminals? It's still treating human lives as property and financial investments.

On the surface, it is certainly something that could be implemented with good intentions. Problem is, as always, people are involved. It's too easy to expand the scope, to let it become a stereotype or stigma with no recourse for redemption, for corrupt elements to abuse it or for an individual to get swept up in the system. The Lawful evil would probably push for it, the Lawful Neutral would respect it, the Lawful Good would have their reservations about it and the Chaotic Good would be working with the Neutral Good to have it torn down (while the Chaotic Neutral's selling them the dynamite to do it...)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

the Lawful Good would have their reservations about it and the Chaotic Good would be working with the Neutral Good to have it torn down

I would think the Lawful Good would be working "within the system" to eliminate the practice. Given that "the system" is overtly evil, though, I think most Lawful Good folks would be trying to eliminate it, one way or another.

(Trying to create a democracy in Hell that would work for the benefit of all seems optimistic, even for the most optimistic of Lawful Good folks, like Carrot from Discworld.)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is where alignment gets dicey. I'm going to double down and say yes, they're souls deserve it. If they were evil in life, there's a reason they are in the Nine Hells. if they weren't they would go to any of the other planes,

No one else's soul ends up in Hell? Isn't that the point of a lot of devilish shenanigans in the mortal realm -- diverting souls to Hell, one way or another?

 

[Necropolitan]

I would think the Lawful Good would be working "within the system" to eliminate the practice. Given that "the system" is overtly evil, though, I think most Lawful Good folks would be trying to eliminate it, one way or another.

(Trying to create a democracy in Hell that would work for the benefit of all seems optimistic, even for the most optimistic of Lawful Good folks, like Carrot from Discworld.)

Lawful Good can be violent and try to overthrow a system entirely.

As long as they're either trying to replace the system with one with good laws or (for individualistic Lawful Good) abide by a code or something similar.

"My god's laws say that slavery must be destroyed and they are the highest laws" is an entirely reasonable belief for a Lawful Good character:

 

[R_J_K75]

No one else's soul ends up in Hell? Isn't that the point of a lot of devilish shenanigans in the mortal realm -- diverting souls to Hell, one way or another?

I would say that the Nine Hells is LE. Its lawful so are it denizens for the most part, So I think that they would be selective in the souls they corrupt and usurp.

 

[Necropolitan]

I would say that the Nine Hells is LE. Its lawful so are it denizens for the most part, So I think that they would be selective in the souls they corrupt and usurp.

No, it's confirmed Devils will happily take other souls.

Hellfire weapons and Hellfire Engines send the souls of those they slay to Hell to be made into Lemures.