Concisely describe the 9 alignments in your campaign

[dreaded_beast]

I would like to hear from all you DMs/players out there, how you describe each of the 9 alignments in your campaign. Please keep each description as concise and to the point as possible.

I am trying to create a list of guidelines for my players in regards to how the 9 alignments will be handled in my campaign. That way, if any questions arise in regards to alignment, we have a set of guidelines that we can fall back on if we have differing opinions.

Please refrain on commenting on how other people interpret alignment, since I am not seeking a debate, or flames, but just a general list of alignment interpretations that I, and hopefully others, can use to create their own alignment guidelines.

Thanks!

 

[diaglo]

there are only 3 alignments in OD&D

Lawful
Chaotic
and Neutral



Lawful are the civilized. they make laws for everything. they try and take over places and make them like they want them to be.

Neutral are the lovers of Nature. they use only what is necessary. and give back to sustain the balance.

and Chaotic are the uncaring. it is better to rob, steal and take than to grow it yourself. it is easy to destroy something and more fun than to build it yourself. live for today. the strong rule and the weak do the work.

 

[Mallus]

They don't exist.

[Hey, at least I was concise...]

 

[Ace]

I would like to hear from all you DMs/players out there, how you describe each of the 9 alignments in your campaign. Please keep each description as concise and to the point as possible.

I am trying to create a list of guidelines for my players in regards to how the 9 alignments will be handled in my campaign. That way, if any questions arise in regards to alignment, we have a set of guidelines that we can fall back on if we have differing opinions.

Please refrain on commenting on how other people interpret alignment, since I am not seeking a debate, or flames, but just a general list of alignment interpretations that I, and hopefully others, can use to create their own alignment guidelines.

Thanks!

In the campaign that I have aligments in the aligments are as follows

LG -- Truth and Justice über alles --

CG-- Freedom and Goodmess are the most important

NG -- Do the right think even if it costs you

N -- No alignment look out for your own

NE -- Supreme Selfishness

LE -- Power is Truth

CE -- I do what I 'effin want

LN - The Law is the Law Jean Valjean

CN-- I wanna' be Anarchy


My main game w/o aligments has three "polarities" Light -- Dark and lifted shamelessly from AU and Wicca --Green coresponding to Celestial, Infernal, and Natural --

Normal people do not have a polarity but Clerics, Paladins, Druids and Rangers-- and outsiders do. Monks don't exist in that game

 

[Galethorn]

Well, since I use allegiances instead of alignments (taken from d20 modern/Grim Tales), it's a bit broader than the typical moral/ethical axes.

Moral: Moral allegiances are usually more subconcious/internal than actual oaths sworn. An allegiance to good means you help others in need, and prevent harm. An allegiance to evil means you work for the betterment of the few at the cost of the many; a baron who overtaxes his populous to keep his family fed is still evil, as well as the double-crossing bandit who robs travelers blind to keep his own pockets full. Non-good/evil moral allegiances are rare, but possible; if there were such a thing (but there isn't IMC), existentialism would count as a moral allegiance.

Ethical: Ethical allegiances are usually more subconcious/internal than actual oaths sworn. An allegiance to order means you want things to stay the way they are, and/or prevent change. An allegiance to disorder means you like change, but (at least if you're not crazy or stupid) you only really want positive change, at least as it affects you. An allegiance to honor is pretty obvious.

Philisophical/religious: Philosophical (and/or religious) allegiances are usually more subconcious/internal than actual oaths sworn. An allegiance to the principles of the Church of The Four (the main religion IMC) means that you try to do good for your family, community, and king, in that order. An allegiance to the old ways (or whatever the local animist relgion is called) means that you make sacrifices to the spirits within everything, and thank them for all good that comes to you.

Person/Group/Nation/Organization: Allegiances to groups generally involve making a formal or informal oath. An allegiance to 'the people of Elondale' would mean that you will act to protect and preserve (you guessed it,) the people of Elondale. An allegiance to the High King would mean that (depending on how dedicated you are) you would die to protect him. An allegiance to the Crafters would mean that you would work against the Jaryan Merchant Guild. And so on.

------------

And, of course, I use the 'order of allegiance' as well, so you might have the son of the lord of Elondale with the following written under allegiances;

My father, Elondale, Good, the High King, the Eastern Church, and Order.

That would mean that the character would put his father before Elondale, Elondale before the greater good, the greater good before the High King, the High King before his religion, and his religion before order.

 

[Zappo]

How do I describe the 9 alignments?

I don't. Tell me your character's origins, history, motivation, beliefs, personality, modus operandi, allies and methods. Then choose whatever alignment you think such a character would have. We're dealing with people, there are more than nine types.

 

[Psion]

Good: You avoid hurting people without a good reason, and generally try to help others.

Evil: You hurt others without hesitation if it suits your purposes.

Lawful: You subscribe to the notion that some law and/or tradition are fundamental and essential to society or define the way you should behave.

Chaotic: You feel constrained by authority and feel that family or authority figures are out of touch with you, have no meaningful input, or are actively harmful to you and/or society.

Neutral: If in doubt.... i.e., if you are not sure which of the appropriate categories you are in, you are probably neutral.

 

[Psion]

Or, more lightheartedly:

Chaotic Evil means never having to say you're sorry.
Lawful Evil means never having to mean you're sorry.
Chaotic Neutral means you're often sorry, but oh well.
Lawful Good means you're just plain sorry.
Lawful neutral means that you're sorry, but not liable.
Neutral good means you're always sorry.
Chaotic Good means you're really sorry, but you've got to run.
True neutral means that you may be sorry, but then again you may not.
Neutral Evil means you're never sorry, you see no need to be sorry,
and you have a good laugh every time someone feels sorry around you.

or:

Lawful Good: "Two wrongs do not make a right!"
Lawful Neutral: "Please define 'right' and 'wrong'..."
Lawful Evil: "Wrong is right!"
Neutral Good: "Anyone can tell the difference between right and
wrong!"
Neutral: "Right and Wrong are purely subjective terms..."
Neutral Evil: "You see, I'm doing the right thing -- you just *think*
it's wrong."
Chaotic Good: "Two wrongs *can* make a right - it depends on who you
wrong!"
Chaotic Neutral: "Right, wrong,...who cares, anyway?"
Chaotic Evil: "DIE! All of you! DIE!"

Credit goes to the Planescape ML

 

[iblis]

I take an overly simplistic view of them, I know. And that's when I even use them.

Also, I've never written definitions down, or even summarised them in a like manner, so please forgive me if they suck.

1st hasty draft :

Lawful Good - Be either a hero or a saint (both if you prefer) and live up to that, but remember also to adhere to rules/laws/traditions/'normality' etc. unless circumstances dictate irrefutably otherwise, as these things are also absolutely vital for maintaining the greater good, which is Good manifested.

Neutral Good - Be either a hero or a saint (both if you prefer) and live up to that, and remember not to be overly swayed by such trivial issues as Law or Chaos. They can conceivably be 'throwaway tools' for a one-shot here and there, but in the end, all that is Good is all that matters

Chaotic Good - Be either a hero or a saint (both if you prefer) and live up to that, but remember also to defy rules/laws/traditions/'normality' etc. wherever possible, as these things cause stagnation, loss of liberty, stupor, ossification, and inevitably corruption (i.e. evil).

Lawful Neutral - Be ambivalent when it comes to good and evil; let those crazies fight it out...as long as they don't mess with the order of things, and as long as they adhere to the right way of doing so. Everything else should serve Law, too. If it doesn't, something is inherently wrong with it. Bring it into line or get it out of the way.

Neutral - Be ambivalent when it comes to good and evil. In fact, just be ambivalent. Stuff happens : it's the nature of things. Balance is essential, for without it life, the multiverse and all of us go insane. The multiverse is full of fanatics, sure, but frankly the fewer the better. Also, why waste time complicating life? Not complicated enough for ya? Feh, keep it simple stupid.

Chaotic Neutral - Be ambivalent when it comes to good and evil. Other than that, buck the system, ride roughshod over tedious, pointless restrictions. Be spontaneous!...if you like. Freedom is all that matters. Defend it at any cost, for without it why live? Unbind and unmake at whim. Liberate the minds of others from their needless shackles, when possible.

Lawful Evil - Be cruel and corrupting. Additionally, follow rules/laws/traditions strictly, as without adherence to Law, no dominion can succeed. Law is likewise upheld by the rule of evil, as that rule emphasises everything worthwhile - power, satiety, pain, slaughter - and those things enforce the rule of Law via ambition, greed, fear and bloodlust.

Neutral Evil - Be cruel and corrupting. Prepare to sacrifice anything and anyone else as needed to follow this simple maxim. Subjugate lesser beings to your superior will, and eradicate those who are more ah...stubborn, via whatever means. Have scorn for limiting Law and mindless Chaos. And hold an extra-special place in your heart for all that is Good.

Chaotic Evil - Be cruel and corrupting. Also, spit in the face of Law wherever it rears its predictable, sluggish head. Cut it off, perhaps. Power, satiety, pain and slaughter can all be achieved by the flexing of independent strength alone. So much more so, in fact. Never be tied down, never be predicted - Ha! Nothing will prevent your victory.

 

[Desdichado]

In my campaign? None. In my former campaigns? Didn't really make a big deal outta alignment. See the PHB Descriptions chapter for my take on alignments if we have to use them.