How evil is evil?

[sckeener]

sacrifice

The people on that island over there give a girl child to their volcano goddess every year to keep the island from sinking. If they don't do that, millions drown and die. An entire tradition of art and music goes away. Trade routes over half the world would be disrupted. Despite that, what they are doing is Evil and the people actively involved in doing it will detect as Evil. They may think they're doing Good by keeping the island above water, but they're not. To paraphrase, your ability to justify what you're doing doesn't make it right.

Are you saying a good person wouldn't sacrifice themselves for the greater good? Or is it the amount of sacrifice that troubles you? Jesus dying once vs girl child dying every year? I would agree with you that they are doing evil if the girl child is too young to make an informed choice; however you were not specific with the girl's age.

 

[Hand of Evil]

If we use that definition then, Drow are the good guys (at least according to other Drow.) According to their belief system sacrifice of intelligent beings is normal and if they don't do their sacrifices to Lolth (or whatever divine entity of the moment,) then they are going to the abyss, drow society is going to turn against them, and it will make them an outcast. Drizit is evil!

to other drow yes, it really does come down to view, this is why I say define good and evil in your game. The DM is the one that will decide and it needs to be clear cut.

 

[iblis]

How evil is evil in your campaign? Is it a broad term that encompasses 1/3 of the population, or is that alignment reserved for those who are true pioneers in foul deeds? I've been in several different campaigns with different views on the subject.

IMCs, I don't really have alignments kicking around very much, except when absolutely needed.

But at a rough guess, it would usually be somewhere in the vicinity of 5-10% true evil per 'standard' populace, on average, roundabouts, maybe...

And the same for true good.

As in dedicated good or evil.

Back to that word 'standard'. Hmm. This is where world design comes in. What exactly is a 'standard' populace on a given world?

What if the majority of beings on a world are orcs? Might kinda swing things a bit.

What if the majority are treants? Different again and in more ways still.

And so on.

So, it seems that a lot of opinions and preferences in this matter (including, some of the time, my own) are based around humans and some assorted neutral to benevolent quasi-human sidekicks running the show as the prime creative intelligent lifeforms around.

And in this popular context, I'd give good and evil about 5% each, maybe a little more or less depending, law a solid 30-50% plus, and chaos on the much lower end of things.

That'd be because I more or less see life and history (inasmuch as I think I understand them) as being stacked something like that.

It's only a very loose default, and there are, and have been, and will be campaigns to which I don't apply it or anything close.

 

[WayneLigon]

Are you saying a good person wouldn't sacrifice themselves for the greater good? Or is it the amount of sacrifice that troubles you? Jesus dying once vs girl child dying every year? I would agree with you that they are doing evil if the girl child is too young to make an informed choice; however you were not specific with the girl's age.

I think the word 'sacrifice' speaks for itself; I'm assuming the girl has no choice in the matter. If these people are throwing themselves into the volcano willingly, or in propition, then they are most likely Good. In either example the volcano goddess, demanding to be fed with lives or else she drowns the island, is evil regardless and should probably be disposed of or sealed away by some means.

As you're new here, I'll refer you to the board's terms and conditions rather than reply to the last part of your post. Discussion of real-world religion isn't allowed here because it can lead to no good end.

 

[Incenjucar]

Are you saying a good person wouldn't sacrifice themselves for the greater good? Or is it the amount of sacrifice that troubles you? Jesus dying once vs girl child dying every year? I would agree with you that they are doing evil if the girl child is too young to make an informed choice; however you were not specific with the girl's age.

I take it you view the bible as evil since it is filled with human sacrifice:

While in this particular case, the sacrifice, while seriously nasty, is reasonable.

However, do NOT bring in that blasted book; many people DO consider it evil to the very bitter, rotten core, it is a religious topic (against CoC) and it has no relevancy to D&D whatsoever.

 

[sckeener]

I think the word 'sacrifice' speaks for itself; I'm assuming the girl has no choice in the matter. If these people are throwing themselves into the volcano willingly, or in propition, then they are most likely Good. In either example the volcano goddess, demanding to be fed with lives or else she drowns the island, is evil regardless and should probably be disposed of or sealed away by some means.​

I think your example speaks more about the goddess and the society that lets it continue than individuals. I can see sacrifices for the greater good, but to not look for better long term solutions is evil. Your description of bottling the goddess being one longer term solution…..

There was an episode of Stargate where the planet could be defended as long as one person sacrificed his life. Basically the people of this planet created a defense system that could protect the planet so they could pursue more philosophical issues. It only required one person's life. They regressed technologically and didn't pursue any other means of defending their planet. In the episode, they seemed naïve, but good. There was no goddess demanding a sacrifice, but the fact that the people of this planet didn’t pursue other means of protecting themselves meant there always had to be someone ready to give their life to defend the planet.

As you're new here, I'll refer you to the board's terms and conditions rather than reply to the last part of your post. Discussion of real-world religion isn't allowed here because it can lead to no good end​

not exactly new here...just don't post. edited the original message. thanks for pointing that out.

 

[sckeener]

it is a religious topic (against CoC) and it has no relevancy to D&D whatsoever.

thanks and edited the original message.

As for having no relevancy to D&D, this is the General RPG Disscussion board and their are RPGs that deal with real world religious themes. My personal favorite is Ars Magica.

 

[VirgilCaine]

...but if it sends you to hell, [/b]if it turns society against you,[/b] if it makes you an outcast, it all is equal.

I have to disagree here. There's lots of evil things done by groups that lots of otherwise "normal" people support wholeheartedly. Insert various RL examples.

Which is why a certain few countries in my campaign world fight among themselves, not because of external evil influence, but because thats the kind of thing that happens IRL. A few evil clerics just give it a nudge whenever it needs it.

But anyway.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

30% Good
60% Neutral
20% Evil
Look on the player's face when he realizes the villain is vile: priceless.

I think that most folks float around neutral, and many at least pay lip service to good, relatively few are downright scary evil.

The Auld Grump evil , evil, evil, impolite and evil!

 

[shilsen]

[Falls over and rolls down a mountain as ground beneath feet shifts mightily]

That is weird! Mr evil mass murdering rogue10 registers as a faint evil in power while Mr theologan cleric of Vecna5 is a strong evil! I know which I would want to face.

Guess I'm going to have to enter the world of house rules to maintain my campaigns internal logic...

I personally love that rule. It puts a serious crimp on anyone's plans to use detect evil to make serious judgement calls about people.