Great Blessings from Not-So-Great Situations

At the admittedly slim risk of anyone in my D&D group reading this blog post, I'd kind of like to blog about how the Big Bad Evil Guy behind the scenes in my current D&D campaign isn't actually all that bad. Sure, he kidnaps people and has them fight against dangerous monsters, but he also makes sure that these fights are winnable, that there are contingency plans if any of the kidnappees lose, and that the fights don't cause any permanent harm. He gives the kidnappees treasure, uncluding rare, unique magic items, and he gives them opportunities to gain experience and level up. When the kinappees leave the dungeon called Dungeon Deep (and the "BBEG" has every intention of eventually letting them leave), they will be much better off than they were when they were (admitted) forced to enter.

But, of course, the kidnapping victims don't see it that way, and, yes, they have every right to seek justice and punish (perhaps capitally) their kidnapper. Perhaps they're even right to do so. Who am I to judge? But I can't help but notice some weird similarities between the BBEG and God.

God sent us to Earth under somewhat dubious circumstances, and life on Earth isn't exactly a picnic. There's suffering here. Every day is a struggle against evils of all kinds. Yet, there's a point to all this conflict. Through our struggles, we gain experience and wisdom. We practice various abilities and talents, which we get to take with us. Ultimately, our lives on Earth are meant to help us become better people, and if all goes according to plan, we will return heavenly home much better off than we were when we left it.

Spending time on Earth is a good thing. Spending time in Dungeon Deep will be, for the characters currently trapped there, a good thing. The struggles, both real and fictional, will all be worth it in the end. Progress will be made and will carry over into the future. And in the meantime, despite the struggles, it's still possible to have some fun.

If my players want to kill the BBEG, who am I to stop them? Fighting the Big Boss at the end of a dungeon or campaign (or both) is basically an expected and well-established fantasy trope. But maybe, before they kill the BBEG, they ought to thank him for all the good he has done for them by bringing them to Dungeon Deep.