humble minion
Legend
The problem is that DL historically spends much, much more time and effort on discussing the conflicts and relationships between Good and Evil (and Neutrality) than on it does on thinking about what Good and Evil actually are. It often treats alignment more like picking a football team to support rather than defining and living by a moral code that may well undergo change or evolution over the course of your life. DLs view of morality breaks down badly when handling extremists, and ends-over-means types. Take the Kingpriest for example - we keep hearing about how he wanted to destroy Evil for the sake of Good, but where do we see him acting in a Good manner, with mercy, or humility, or charity, or forgiveness? DL kept trying to write unsympathetic Good antagonists to emphasise the whole Balance concept, but it always came across as if Good was simply a robe colour and a banner to march under, rather than a philosophy to be adhered to and acted upon.Because a core tenant of the campaign world is balance. If good wizards started wiping out the evil wizards (or denying them magic) then the Neutrals would join evil to help fight back. One of the largest disasters in the worlds history is when Good started taking over everything. This can be seen in real world examples as well IE The Crusades.
You can debate what good/evil actually means in real world context but this is a game not morality class.
(Anyway, doesn't the existence and cooperation of the three Orders inherently mean that both white and black robes tacitly endorse the concept of the Balance, and therefore support the core philosophy of Neutrality over a pure interpretation of their own? "I believe in the purest ideals of EVIL, rule of the strongest, take what you can and look out for number one and DAMN the rules ... oh, whoops, it's Tuesday evening, there's an Order meeting tonight! Time to go spend my time cooperating with my fellow mages to regulate and control magic use for the broader benefit of wizards and all of Krynn...")
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