Redcloak and the misattribution of blame

[Ionathus]

The way I see it, RC was in the middle of the worst moment of his life (or at least one of the worst) when he learned about what he believed to be the background behind the very same moment, from the highest authority possible even, of course he was going to believe it.

This is something I'd never fully connected in my head: were I Redcloak, that experience of "entire family massacred, receive sacred message explaining the situation, receive divine orders" would be pretty hard to ever let go of.

Of course, the difference there is that Roy's family didn't live in the same small village as the high priest of an evil god bent on blackmailing the other gods by controlling a god-slaying abomination, which plan endangers the very existence of the world and everyone in it. And Roy himself didn't join the priesthood of said god. But, yeah, other than that it would kind of be the same.

I know you're not actually justifying the wholesale slaughter of goblin civilians and children, but the rhetorical device you're using kind of implies that. By nature of his knowledge and goals, the former High Priest was a threat to reality (though given that he was taking the time to visit a small village and ordain some minor clerics, he seemed to be doing much more "guiding the flock" than Redcloak ever has). That threat does not extend to ANY goblins that didn't know about The Plan. Of course the paladins would assume all the goblins were "in" on The Plan. The fact that they were not makes the scene that much more tragic, and drives home the injustice Redcloak experienced.

Redcloak kills thousands and he's given a pass because he has a just cause. The paladins kill hundreds and are condemned even though their cause is the survival of the world?

I suppose this is where I diverge from the majority viewpoint. Two wrongs can't make a right.

The paladins may have done a lot of evil, but this in no way mitigates or excuses or justifies the evil Redcloak does. Revenge is always an evil motive.

Nobody is giving Redcloak "a pass". His actions are evil. He is evil. The attack on Azure City was evil.