Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;950504I think you misunderstood me. I never said nor did I mean to imply the Aztecs were not evil for doing what they did. I apologize for the misunderstanding. They didn't sacrifice to appease specifically, but to help their gods keep the world running. "Appease" implies a protection racket, which this was not.

Stipulated. But as long as we can agree it's an example of how an evil society could be done. I, again, see no value in using the label unless I'm using mechanics tied specifically to Good/Evil/Law/Chaos - see Estar's post above, I'm pretty much exactly like that for some really nifty reasons: It's EASY. And it avoids discussions like this, that ultimately do not help the game.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;950504I am and I am not a moral relativist. I know rationally that morality is inherently arbitrary and self-contradictory nonsense that evolved to keep communities stable, but that does not stop me from believing emotionally that my 21st century American values are the one true way.

This is a pathological Post-modern view, you realize that? COME TO THE SIDE OF PRINCIPLES, BoxCrayonTales! COME!!!! You can do it! Drop your silly relativist ways!!!

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;950504I know that the Aztecs were superstitious ninnies because their fears of the world ending proved false; I would try to de-convert them if given the chance. If they were right about metaphysics, then they are good by virtue of keeping the world from ending; in that case, I would convert and sacrifice if given the chance.

That depends. If it's voluntary, and the conceits of the world are indeed that these souls are being used to save reality from destruction, I have no problem with that. But then I'd assume we're doing a full-blown Aztec-campaign, not just a Maztica Campaign with extra tidbits tossed in there for color.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;950504We are getting off topic. My original argument was that the evil society I proposed is qualitatively different from "evil" societies in Earth's past because they believe that publicly causing suffering for its own sake without any desire for reward is an act of compassion that dissuades the malevolent creator gods from killing or torturing everyone forever. This is a grotesque hybrid of Aztec and Gnostic beliefs that never existed on Earth, but does exist in some fiction.

But that's why I say it only matters if the setting demands it. Otherwise "Alignment" is of no real value that can't be handled with social codes etc that offer more nuance than simply "good"/"evil"