Thread: Good vs. Evil
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Old 06-14-2002, 11:11 PM   #15
Jazuela
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: New England
Posts: 849
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That's a popular, and maybe even accurate, real-life explanation of the vague and esoteric term "good." It in no way relates to the world of the game I play. Once again, using real-world values and descriptions to explain fantasy world situations is not appropriate, UNLESS the fantasy world supports such things.

In Inferno (obviously the game I play if you look at my sig, and "the game I play" is getting really tiresome to write)...good is doing whatever it takes to keep yourself and your comrades alive. In the darklands, this means culling the weak from the group, and supporting the strong. Obviously no one wants to be culled, so they'll do what they have to in ordered to be perceived as strong. If they succeed, it means they ARE strong (mentally, physically, emotionally, politicially, socially, or any combination thereof), and thus deserving of survival in the darklands. This is GOOD, because it is one of the basic tenets of their goddess and their religious structure. The goddess really exists, she isn't just something one believes in. Her power is manifest and proven in all manner of things, and her devotees would die before betraying her.

Lightlands supports the weak and works for the greater good, and for "Unity" since their gods are dual, who work together in the creation and maintenence of the lightlands. This means that the underdog is brought into the herd, nurtured, and hopefully becomes strong. The whole safety in numbers kinda thing. This is GOOD, because it is one of the basic tenets of THEIR gods and religious structure.

It really is a very interactive dynamic system. It's similar, somewhat, to the underlying concepts of the Eternal Champion books, if you're familiar with them. It is never a matter of good vs. evil. It's chaos vs. order, which must always be balanced lest one get the upper hand and destroy the world. Chaos isn't evil. It's chaotic, and necessary. From chaos springs growth, and growth is essential to life. Order isn't good, it's order, and necessary. From order brings structure and discipline, which prevents growth from killing everything and itself.

Same with light and dark. Both are essential to existence. Neither side will accept this of the other, and each will vie for supremacy. It's the twilight that keeps the precarious balance. Again, not evil nor good. Simply necessary. In order for twilight to have a reason to exist, there MUST be a constant struggle between light and dark. Otherwise twilight become redundant, pointless, and fades out. So even the struggle itself is necessary for existence.

R
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