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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cbas10" data-source="post: 1283891" data-attributes="member: 6459">Without dragging real-world events and philosophies into this too much (almost impossible to not reflect at least a bit of my own feelings), here is my take.  I never see war in my games as "good" in any way.  None of the good or benevolent societies go off with an army with an intent on merely killing a bunch of goblins (or whatever other group) and wiping them off the face of the earth.  Those civilizations that DO do that are usually driven by greed, hate, or other similar desires.  When placed in a position of defending one's self, I would certainly never consider such a conflict or war as "evil."  In such a case, the leaders first desire either comprimises or non-violent resolutions.  If none can be reached, they must decide if violence a greater or lesser price than bending to the aggressor's whims.  Should the price of succumbing be much higher than fighting in defense, then an unfortunate war will take place.  War, in this case is certainly not evil; warriors will sacrifice their lives for future generations and living non-combatants, non-combatants will support the warriors by means with which they are able, and defenders will only desire to see enemies harmed or killed when those enemies desire the same fate of them.I never have gotten the impression that even "vanilla" settings viewed war as good or positive in any way.  It is not pleasant, desirable or anything but unfortunate, sad, and horrible.  When it comes down to "who is evil" in a war, it all comes down to intent.If a setting was to view any who wage war as being evil (even in defense), I believe that such a setting would quickly find itself dominated by evil rulers supported by evil warriors.  Those few "good" societies would either be scattered and hiding; after all they would probably reject evil warriors from "proper" aspects of society.  Those warriors would probably leave and find some place where they could be accepted and live with others who would not persecute or discriminate against them.  After a while, it would be a world of overall evil governments ruling over a mix of good and evil people.  At some point, if the good people in the world wanted to be free and away from such evil oppression they would be faced with a shift in paradigm and morality.I don't find that fascinating at all.  Well, maybe fascinating in the sense that there are certainly some naive and utopian schools of thought.  Still keeping with the game and the thread's references to "good and evil," what happens when a band of marauding barbarians takes over a Temple-Stronghold of Heironeous?  When the barbarians plunder resources, enslave children, and rape women, are the Paladins to be considered evil when they stand up to defend those women and children?  Are the paladins to lose their divine spark when they give the irrational barbarians a sound beating (not killing them...these barbarians must be held accountable, according to the land's laws) so that the children could be reached and freed from the cages?  If any of the paladins killed those barbarians when they knew fully well that it was not necessary (even if the barbarians were the aggressors) THAT would be evil.</blockquote>

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