OotS 449

[questing gm]

I don't think Roy was ever a paladin of the Sapphire Guard, so that seems unlikely.

Well, Roy may not be a Sapphire Guard but he had an oath...and it would be a very interesting addition to the ones getting a chance to whoop Xykon...

 

[Professor Phobos]

I've been thinking of that. Isn't that like, Lawful Evil planning? Hinjo going "they're going to die but they were only reinforcements"?

Not really. They knew what the risks were of staying in that room and no doubt felt strengthened by the idea of being able to continue to perform their duties after death.

It isn't as if Hinjo is discarding lives for personal or momentary gain- they were not cannon fodder. They knew and volunteered.

 

[Pbartender]

Ethereal Jaunt can't be used on opponents. Mind you, the "pally ghosts" might have some nasty ability that can force an opponent to become ethereal (and then commence a major butt-whooping).

You're right, it's "personal" I was thinking of Etheralness, which allows you to take others with you, but is a 9th-Level spell... I wonder if there are any Cleric or Wizard 17/Paladin 1 Guards in that group. Unlikely, I suppose.

 

[Klaus]

I've been thinking of that. Isn't that like, Lawful Evil planning? Hinjo going "they're going to die but they were only reinforcements"?

/M

No. The paladins are fully aware (and agreeing) to the sacrifice (or rather, self-sacrifice) involved. That they choose to lay down their lives as to better battle Evil is one of the hallmarks of Good (or rather, Exalted Good).

Very cool strip, BTW!

 

[Darklone]

I guess IF Roy makes an appearance as some ghostly roy, he will appear after Xykon dispatches all the other ghosts.

 

[Andor]

I've been thinking of that. Isn't that like, Lawful Evil planning? Hinjo going "they're going to die but they were only reinforcements"?

/M

Nope. Evil is sending your own troops against a fortified position with the intention of raising them as undead rather than healing them. (Right Redcloak?)

Good is being prepared to die defending the gate with full knowledge that you will then be bound to it's defense in the afterlife.

Good is allowed to be ruthless to itself. Evil only sacrifies others.

 

[Drowbane]

Good is allowed to be ruthless to itself. Evil only sacrifies others.

Well said.

Or as Dark Helmet put it "Evil shall always triumph... cause... Good is dumb!"

 

[Celebrim]

I've been thinking of that. Isn't that like, Lawful Evil planning? Hinjo going "they're going to die but they were only reinforcements"?

I'm going to dissent from the majority here and say that its not good or evil. Self-sacrifice is the hallmark of lawfulness, not a trait necessarily tied to good or evil.

It isn't enough to say that because we see self-sacrifice going on here, it must be good. We first must now why the sacrifice is going on.

If they are willing to die because feeling a beserk hatred for thier enemy, then that's Lawful Evil - not Lawful Good.

If they are willing to die to advance some evil cause, such as subjecting a neighboring country to vassaltude and slavery or the rapacious conquest of the world, that's Lawful Evil - not Lawful Good.

If they are willing to die merely because they are ordered to and not because they believe in some cause, that's Lawful Nuetral.

But in this case, you have a group of people who are willing to die in defense of thier homes and in defense of an object which if it were to fall into the hands of evil would cause untold suffering to the whole world. That's Lawful Good. They aren't standing thier because they hate Hobgoblins so much, or because they just love killing things. They aren't standing thier because they have some great ambition for Azure City to rule the world and put the rest beneath its heel. They are standing thier and willing to die because they love something so well. That's always a good start.

A Chaotic Good perspective would not necessarily damn the Paladins for thier self-sacrifice, but it would damn whoever ordered them to go to thier deaths if they knew that they would die. The Chaotic Good would see that as tyranny and mindless obedience.
Now if the person giving the order had agreed to die along side them, and if those dying had been given the oppurtunity to refuse but had chosen to stay out of love of thier commander, then the Chaotic Good person would see that as noble. But self-sacrifice because you'd been ordered to do so, not so much.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Or as Dark Helmet put it "Evil shall always triumph... cause... Good is dumb!"

My Paladin would counter that Good shall always triumph...cause... the natural enemy of Evil is both Good and Evil. As we surely shall see eventually...

Hats off to Rich, for a clever twist.

 

[Ghostwind]

The last panel is hysterical. Xykon has a "deer in the headlights" look. Made me laugh out loud.