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Message: <blockquote data-quote="drnuncheon" data-source="post: 572099" data-attributes="member: 96">You're getting into house rules here.  Paladins are devoted to "righteousness" according to the PHB and need not get their power from a deity.They are devoted to the principles of Lawful Good.  Part of what makes that different from Neutral or Chaotic Good is believing that there is an order to things, and that order should be followed.  They don't get to decide what they think is right and wrong like a CG person does - they have to follow the rules.If the rules of society, of their church should they have one, etc say that killing a prisoner is evil, unworthy, or dishonorable, then a paladin cannot do it and remain a paladin.  Period.Then what exactly separates Lawful Good from Chaotic Good in your view?  How would a Chaotic Good character act any differently than this paladin who is going around making his own decisions on what is good and what is not, ignoring those of society?"'Law' implies honor, trustworthiness, obedience to authority, and reliability."If someone has surrendered to you, and you kill them, that is dishonorable - they are helpless to defend themselves.  It is untrustworthy - they surrendered and put their trust in you that you would treat them properly.  I would not trust someone who accepted a foe's surrender and then killed them.  It may be being disobedient to authority, if the proper authority has said that prisoners should be treated in a certain way.  It doesn't seem very reliable either, especially if your friends are relying on you to guard the prisoners and not kill them.Do you see the slaughter of a surrendered person as honorable?  Do you see killing of a surrendered foe as trustworthy?  (Remember, the original example stated that the surrender was already accepted.)  If not, how can you say that a paladin can do such a thing and remain lawful?Remember that a chaotic character can follow a 'divine law' as well - if that divine law is chaotic in nature.J</blockquote>

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