Is wanting to destroy the world really all that evil?

[Asmor]

I'm working on a storyline for a game I may be running soon... Basically, the PCs are given a McGuffin (plain, but magically sealed, small wooden box) by a Paladin who knows he's being followed and about to be killed and told to take it to a church in a nearby town, which of course was recently razed, and yadda yadda yadda.

Anyways, the primary antagonist of this storyline is going to be a secret society known as the Nihilus Initiative, which seeks to destroy the world (actually, seeks to destroy all of existence) and, of course, they need that box. ("The Key." Yeah, I'm not about to win any points for originality here... ^_^)

ANYways... I'm having trouble deciding whether this group (and its agents) should be lawful neutral or lawful evil. Destroying the world is typically what one would consider an evil act, but I've always been of the mind that the good/evil scale in D&D is all about selflessness vs. selfishness. Now, the Initiative isn't selfless by any means, but they're not selfish either, so that would place them as neutral by my slightly-more-objective standards.

So... should I go with my gut and make them LE, or go with my policy and make them LN?

 

[Mouseferatu]

Good and evil is about far more than selfless vs. selfish. It's also about causing unnecessary harm.

I frankly cannot imagine any circumstances where destroying all of creation is anything but evil.

 

[Remathilis]

You KNOW your jaded when your asking if destroying existence is evil or not!

In answer, the motives of the group are plainly evil, but individual members may be more or less so.

 

[Darkness]

I've always been of the mind that the good/evil scale in D&D is all about selflessness vs. selfishness.

What about fanatical, murderous cultists of Erythnul who don't care about their own lives or happiness - at all - and slaughter everything they can to please their god? Who would take their own life in a heartbeat if they failed the dark deity?

 

[Brain]

Definitely evil, and I'd say chaotic as well.

 

[Asmor]

Alright, alright. LE it is.

 

[fanboy2000]

Let me try to wrap my polar bear mind around this. You're not sure mass murder is evil because the group doing the murdering isn't selfish enough?

:\ Aroo? :\

 

[Psion]

To quote a recently viewed movie:

"Let me think: YES!"

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

Destroy the world or destroy a world?

I would submit that destroying the world is just about the most evil thing. Unless you are Grand Moff Tarkin. I think he might be able to justify it.

 

[CockyWriter]

Lawful Evil.

They need to follow rules and regulations, hence they are lawful. A cult is pretty much like a church, and like a church, they do have guidelines to follow.

Evil because they are willing to slaughter the entire existence so they give their god a boner. Sounds cliche, but if done right, why not?