Post by Xxsuperheroxx on Feb 19, 2023 20:52:50 GMT -6
Alignment
Alignment describes the broad ethos of thinking, reasoning creatures - those unintelligent sort being placed within the Neutral area because they are totally uncaring. Note that alignment does not necessarily dictate religious persuasion, although many religious beliefs will dictate alignment. As explained under ALIGNMENT LANGUAGES (q.v.) this aspect of alignment is not the major consideration. The overall behavior of the character (or creature) is delineated by alignment, or, in the case of player characters, behavior determines actual alignment. Therefore, besides defining the general tendencies of creatures, it also groups creatures into mutually acceptable or at least non-hostile divisions. This is not to say that groups of similarly aligned creatures cannot be opposed or even mortal enemies. Two nations, for example, with rulers of lawful good alignment can be at war. Bands of orcs can hate each other. But the former would possibly cease their was to oppose a massive invasion of orcs, just as the latter would make common cause against the lawful good men. Thus, alignment describes the world view of creatures and helps to define what their actions, reactions, and purposes will be. It likewise causes a player character to choose on ethos which is appropriate to his or her profession, and alignment also aids players in the definition and role approach of their respective game personae. With the usefulness of alignment determined, definition of the divisions necessary.
Major Divisions:
There are two major divisions of four opposite points of view. All four are not mutually exclusive, although each pair is mutually opposed.
Law and Chaos: The opposition here is between organized and individuals. That is, law dictates that order and organization is necessary and desirable, while chaos holds to the opposite view. Law generally supports the group as more important than the individual, while chaos promotes the individual over group.
Good and Evil: Basically stated, the tenets of good are human rights, or in the case of AD&D, creatures rights. Each creature is entitled to life, relative freedom, and the prospect of happiness. Cruelty and suffering are undesirable. Evil, on the other hand, does not concern itself with rights or happiness; purpose is the determinant.
There can never exist a lawful chaos or evil good. These, and their reverses, are dichotomous. This is not to say that they cannot exist in the same character or creature if it is insane or controlled by another entity, but as general divisions they are mutually exclusive pairs. Consider also the alignment graph. If law is opposed to chaos, and good to evil, then the radically opposed alignments are lawful neutral - chaotic neutral, neutral good - neutral evil, lawful good - chaotic evil, and lawful evil - chaotic good. Lawful groups might, for example, combine to put down some chaotic threat for example, just as readily as good groups would combine to suppress some powerful evil. Basic understanding and agreement, however, is within the general specific alignment, i.e. one of the nine categories. These are defined as follows:
Neutrality: Absolute, or true neutral creatures view everything which exists as an integral, necessary part or function of the entire cosmos. Each thing exists as a part of the whole, one as a check or balance to the other, for chaos, and vice versa. Nothing must ever become predominant or out of balance. Within the naturalistic ethos, humankind serves a role also just as all other creatures do. They may be more or less important, but the neutral does not concern himself or herself with these considerations except where it is positively determined that the balance is threatened. Absolute neutrality is in the central or fulcrum position quite logically, as the neutral sees all other alignments as parts of a necessary whole. This alignment is the narrowest in scope.
Neutral Good: Creatures of this alignment see the cosmos as a place where law and chaos are merely tools to use in bringing life happiness, and prosperity to all deserving creatures. Order is not good unless it brings this to all; neither is randomness and total freedom desirable if it does not bring such good.
Neutral Evil: Similar to the neutral good alignment, that of neutral evil holds that neither groups nor individuals have great meaning. This ethos holds that seeking to promote weal for all actually bring woe to the truly deserving. Natural forces which are meant to cull out the weak and stupid are artificially suppressed by so-called good, and the fittest are wrongfully held back, so whatever means are expedient can be used by the powerful to gain and maintain their dominance, without concern for anything.
Lawful Good: Creatures of lawful good alignment view the cosmos with varying degrees of lawfulness or desire for good. They are convinced that order and law are absolutely necessary to assure good, and that good is best defined ad whatever brings the most benefit to the greater number of decent, thinking creatures and the least woe to the rest.
Lawful Neutral: It is the view of this alignment that law and order give purpose and meaning to everything. Without regimentation and strict definition, there would be no purpose in the cosmos. Therefore, whether a law is good or evil is of no import as long as it brings order and meaning.
lawful Evil: Obviously, all order is not good, not are all laws beneficial. Lawful evil creatures consider order as the means by which each group is properly placed in the cosmos, from lowest to the highest, strongest first, weakest last. Good is seen as an excuse to promote the mediocrity of the whole and suppress the better and more capable, while lawful evilness allows each group to structure itself and fix its place as compared to others, serving the stronger but being served by the weaker.
Chaotic Good: To the chaotic good individual, freedom and independence are as important to life and happiness. The ethos views this freedom as the only means by which each creature can achieve true satisfaction and happiness. Law, order, social forms, and anything else which tends to restrict or abridge individual freedom is wrong, and each individual is capable of achieving self-realization and prosperity through himself, herself, or itself.
Chaotic Neutral: This view of the cosmos holds that absolute freedom in necessary. Whether the individual exercising such freedom chooses to do good or evil is of no concern. After all, life itself is law and order, so death is a desirable end. Therefore, life can only be justified as a tool by which order is combatted, and in the end it too will pass into entropy.
Chaotic Evil: The chaotic evil creature holds that individual freedom and choice is important and that other individuals and their freedom are unimportant if they cannot be held by the individuals though their own strength and merit. Thus, law and order tends to promote not individuals but groups, and groups suppress individual volition and success.
Each of these cases for alignment is, of course, stated rather simplistically and ideally, for philosophical and moral reasonings are completely subjective according to the acculturation of the individual. You, as Dungeon Master, must establish the meanings and boundaries of law and order as opposed to chaos and anarchy, as well as the divisions between right and good as opposed to hurtful and evil. Lawful societies will tend to be highly structured, rigid, well-policed and bureaucratic hierarchical. Class, rank, position, and precedence will be important, so they will be strictly defined and adhered to. On the other hand, chaotic areas will have little government and few social distinctions. The governed will give their consent to government, acknowledging leaders as equals serving those who allowed them to assume leadership. Obedience and service in a chaotic society is given only by those desiring to do so, or by dint of some persuasion, never by requirement.
Alignment with Respect to the Planes:
Obviously, the material planes have no set alignment, nor do the other "inner planes" or the ethereal or astral ones either. However, the "other planes" show various alignments. This is because they are home to creatures who are of like general alignment. If the curves of the alignment table are carried outwards to the planes, only those planes at the corners will correspond to non-neutral alignments i.e., lawful good, chaotic good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil. Similarly, those on the horizontal and vertical axes correspond to the neutral-based alignments which support an ethos, i.e. neutral good, chaotic neutral, neutral evil, lawful neutral. The remainder of the outer planes areas are "gray" areas where alignments shade into each other. Inhabitants of these planes will generally have the same world-view as their fellows on the Prime Material Planes.
Graphing Alignment:
It is o importance to keep track of player character behavior with respect to their professed alignment. Actions do speak far more eloquently than professions, and each activity of a player character should reflect his or her alignment. If a professed lawful evil character is consistently seeking to be helpful and is respecting the lesser creatures, he or she is certainly tending toward good, while if he or she ignores regulations and consistent behavior the trend is toward chaotic alignment (see PLAYER HANDBOOK, APPENDIX iii, CHARACTER ALIGNMENT GRAPH). Such drift should be noted by you and when it takes the individual into a new alignment area, you should then inform the player that his or her character has changed alignment (see CHANGE ALIGNMENT). It is quite possible for a character to drift around in an alignment area, making only small shifts due to behavior. However, any major action which is out of alignment character will cause a major shift to the alignment which id directly in line with the action, i.e., if aa lawful evil character defied the law in order to aid the cause (express or implied) of chaotic good, he or she will be either lawful neutral or chaotic neutral, depending on the factors involved in the action.
It is of utmost importance to keep rigid control of alignment behavior with respect to such characters as serve deities who will accept only certain alignments, those who are paladins, those with evil familiars, and so on. Part of the role they have accepted requires a set behavior mode, and its benefits are balanced by this. Therefore, failure to demand strict adherence to alignment behavior is to allow a game abuse.
Lawful good characters should not be allowed to ignore unlawful or shady actions by "looking the other way". If for example a party that includes a paladin decides to use poison on a monster that they know is ahead, the DM shouldn't let the paladin be distracted or "led away for a few rounds" when it is patently obvious that the paladin heard the plan. If the player does not take appropriate measures to prevent the actions, the DM should warn the paladin that his lack of action will constitute a voluntary alignment change and then let the chips fall where they may!
Alignment describes the broad ethos of thinking, reasoning creatures - those unintelligent sort being placed within the Neutral area because they are totally uncaring. Note that alignment does not necessarily dictate religious persuasion, although many religious beliefs will dictate alignment. As explained under ALIGNMENT LANGUAGES (q.v.) this aspect of alignment is not the major consideration. The overall behavior of the character (or creature) is delineated by alignment, or, in the case of player characters, behavior determines actual alignment. Therefore, besides defining the general tendencies of creatures, it also groups creatures into mutually acceptable or at least non-hostile divisions. This is not to say that groups of similarly aligned creatures cannot be opposed or even mortal enemies. Two nations, for example, with rulers of lawful good alignment can be at war. Bands of orcs can hate each other. But the former would possibly cease their was to oppose a massive invasion of orcs, just as the latter would make common cause against the lawful good men. Thus, alignment describes the world view of creatures and helps to define what their actions, reactions, and purposes will be. It likewise causes a player character to choose on ethos which is appropriate to his or her profession, and alignment also aids players in the definition and role approach of their respective game personae. With the usefulness of alignment determined, definition of the divisions necessary.
Major Divisions:
There are two major divisions of four opposite points of view. All four are not mutually exclusive, although each pair is mutually opposed.
Law and Chaos: The opposition here is between organized and individuals. That is, law dictates that order and organization is necessary and desirable, while chaos holds to the opposite view. Law generally supports the group as more important than the individual, while chaos promotes the individual over group.
Good and Evil: Basically stated, the tenets of good are human rights, or in the case of AD&D, creatures rights. Each creature is entitled to life, relative freedom, and the prospect of happiness. Cruelty and suffering are undesirable. Evil, on the other hand, does not concern itself with rights or happiness; purpose is the determinant.
There can never exist a lawful chaos or evil good. These, and their reverses, are dichotomous. This is not to say that they cannot exist in the same character or creature if it is insane or controlled by another entity, but as general divisions they are mutually exclusive pairs. Consider also the alignment graph. If law is opposed to chaos, and good to evil, then the radically opposed alignments are lawful neutral - chaotic neutral, neutral good - neutral evil, lawful good - chaotic evil, and lawful evil - chaotic good. Lawful groups might, for example, combine to put down some chaotic threat for example, just as readily as good groups would combine to suppress some powerful evil. Basic understanding and agreement, however, is within the general specific alignment, i.e. one of the nine categories. These are defined as follows:
Neutrality: Absolute, or true neutral creatures view everything which exists as an integral, necessary part or function of the entire cosmos. Each thing exists as a part of the whole, one as a check or balance to the other, for chaos, and vice versa. Nothing must ever become predominant or out of balance. Within the naturalistic ethos, humankind serves a role also just as all other creatures do. They may be more or less important, but the neutral does not concern himself or herself with these considerations except where it is positively determined that the balance is threatened. Absolute neutrality is in the central or fulcrum position quite logically, as the neutral sees all other alignments as parts of a necessary whole. This alignment is the narrowest in scope.
Neutral Good: Creatures of this alignment see the cosmos as a place where law and chaos are merely tools to use in bringing life happiness, and prosperity to all deserving creatures. Order is not good unless it brings this to all; neither is randomness and total freedom desirable if it does not bring such good.
Neutral Evil: Similar to the neutral good alignment, that of neutral evil holds that neither groups nor individuals have great meaning. This ethos holds that seeking to promote weal for all actually bring woe to the truly deserving. Natural forces which are meant to cull out the weak and stupid are artificially suppressed by so-called good, and the fittest are wrongfully held back, so whatever means are expedient can be used by the powerful to gain and maintain their dominance, without concern for anything.
Lawful Good: Creatures of lawful good alignment view the cosmos with varying degrees of lawfulness or desire for good. They are convinced that order and law are absolutely necessary to assure good, and that good is best defined ad whatever brings the most benefit to the greater number of decent, thinking creatures and the least woe to the rest.
Lawful Neutral: It is the view of this alignment that law and order give purpose and meaning to everything. Without regimentation and strict definition, there would be no purpose in the cosmos. Therefore, whether a law is good or evil is of no import as long as it brings order and meaning.
lawful Evil: Obviously, all order is not good, not are all laws beneficial. Lawful evil creatures consider order as the means by which each group is properly placed in the cosmos, from lowest to the highest, strongest first, weakest last. Good is seen as an excuse to promote the mediocrity of the whole and suppress the better and more capable, while lawful evilness allows each group to structure itself and fix its place as compared to others, serving the stronger but being served by the weaker.
Chaotic Good: To the chaotic good individual, freedom and independence are as important to life and happiness. The ethos views this freedom as the only means by which each creature can achieve true satisfaction and happiness. Law, order, social forms, and anything else which tends to restrict or abridge individual freedom is wrong, and each individual is capable of achieving self-realization and prosperity through himself, herself, or itself.
Chaotic Neutral: This view of the cosmos holds that absolute freedom in necessary. Whether the individual exercising such freedom chooses to do good or evil is of no concern. After all, life itself is law and order, so death is a desirable end. Therefore, life can only be justified as a tool by which order is combatted, and in the end it too will pass into entropy.
Chaotic Evil: The chaotic evil creature holds that individual freedom and choice is important and that other individuals and their freedom are unimportant if they cannot be held by the individuals though their own strength and merit. Thus, law and order tends to promote not individuals but groups, and groups suppress individual volition and success.
Each of these cases for alignment is, of course, stated rather simplistically and ideally, for philosophical and moral reasonings are completely subjective according to the acculturation of the individual. You, as Dungeon Master, must establish the meanings and boundaries of law and order as opposed to chaos and anarchy, as well as the divisions between right and good as opposed to hurtful and evil. Lawful societies will tend to be highly structured, rigid, well-policed and bureaucratic hierarchical. Class, rank, position, and precedence will be important, so they will be strictly defined and adhered to. On the other hand, chaotic areas will have little government and few social distinctions. The governed will give their consent to government, acknowledging leaders as equals serving those who allowed them to assume leadership. Obedience and service in a chaotic society is given only by those desiring to do so, or by dint of some persuasion, never by requirement.
Alignment with Respect to the Planes:
Obviously, the material planes have no set alignment, nor do the other "inner planes" or the ethereal or astral ones either. However, the "other planes" show various alignments. This is because they are home to creatures who are of like general alignment. If the curves of the alignment table are carried outwards to the planes, only those planes at the corners will correspond to non-neutral alignments i.e., lawful good, chaotic good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil. Similarly, those on the horizontal and vertical axes correspond to the neutral-based alignments which support an ethos, i.e. neutral good, chaotic neutral, neutral evil, lawful neutral. The remainder of the outer planes areas are "gray" areas where alignments shade into each other. Inhabitants of these planes will generally have the same world-view as their fellows on the Prime Material Planes.
Graphing Alignment:
It is o importance to keep track of player character behavior with respect to their professed alignment. Actions do speak far more eloquently than professions, and each activity of a player character should reflect his or her alignment. If a professed lawful evil character is consistently seeking to be helpful and is respecting the lesser creatures, he or she is certainly tending toward good, while if he or she ignores regulations and consistent behavior the trend is toward chaotic alignment (see PLAYER HANDBOOK, APPENDIX iii, CHARACTER ALIGNMENT GRAPH). Such drift should be noted by you and when it takes the individual into a new alignment area, you should then inform the player that his or her character has changed alignment (see CHANGE ALIGNMENT). It is quite possible for a character to drift around in an alignment area, making only small shifts due to behavior. However, any major action which is out of alignment character will cause a major shift to the alignment which id directly in line with the action, i.e., if aa lawful evil character defied the law in order to aid the cause (express or implied) of chaotic good, he or she will be either lawful neutral or chaotic neutral, depending on the factors involved in the action.
It is of utmost importance to keep rigid control of alignment behavior with respect to such characters as serve deities who will accept only certain alignments, those who are paladins, those with evil familiars, and so on. Part of the role they have accepted requires a set behavior mode, and its benefits are balanced by this. Therefore, failure to demand strict adherence to alignment behavior is to allow a game abuse.
Lawful good characters should not be allowed to ignore unlawful or shady actions by "looking the other way". If for example a party that includes a paladin decides to use poison on a monster that they know is ahead, the DM shouldn't let the paladin be distracted or "led away for a few rounds" when it is patently obvious that the paladin heard the plan. If the player does not take appropriate measures to prevent the actions, the DM should warn the paladin that his lack of action will constitute a voluntary alignment change and then let the chips fall where they may!