Ethics of Killing POWs

[S'mon]

Well, he said that he was not inspired to respond. Sure, some may believe it absurd, but I believe in taking a man at his word.

Kahunaburger is female.

 

[Jhulae]

That's true. I know a couple of players who do play CN and do a good job of it without being jerks and being disruptive. But since most don't seem to be able to pull it off I just find easier to ban it from the game.

The other issue is that the Alignment system itself is screwed up. I know the 'original origins' of the Law-Chaos axis, but the way they're described in current 3.x is more confusing than helpful.

Law =/= Chaos. If they wanted Lawful to mean 'obeying the laws', then Chaotic should have been something like Anarchist. Conversely, if they wanted 'Chaotic' to mean 'random action', then Law should have been renamed "Order".

As it is, many people (wrongly) take 'chaotic' at its face meaning, not the way it's supposed to be interpreted by reading the alignment rules (as Anarchist).

 

[roguerouge]

The CN alignment does have its problems, I agree, but when done right, it can be worthwhile. The warmage and rogue in our party are presenting too very different characters within that alignment and they really move the narrative in productive places. In another campaign, I play a CN orc barbarian bard who plays punk music. Basically, he does what would be the most fun to do; he's with the party so that he can get their help in rescuing his band from the BBEG; plus, they're combats are always the most fun.

 

[Felon]

Kahunaburger is female.

This is pertinent information why?

AFAIC, everyone on the Internet is male until proven otherwise.

 

[Nifft]

This is pertinent information why?

... because you said "taking a man at his word".

Thus, it's vaguely funny if it's not a man whose word you're taking.

Not all that funny now that it's explained, but that's why.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Kahuna Burger]

It is interesting that you are certain that logic is not the result of schooling or culture, or some other product of civilization (say, language.)

Hrm, would you mind defining civilization? The original context this came up with was the use of morals "outside civilization" when dealing with a presumedly tribal culture. By civilization, do you many any grouping of humanoids, or the level where they build big statues and carve laws in stone?

And it's interesting that you call me "certain".

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Except that's absurd; the only people who post in response to something that failed to inspire a response are people who have to have to the last word. Since that doesn't seem to be KB's MO, he must have had a response that motivated him to reply.

"she"

I post when there is something I feel like saying, and don't consider an initial post to obligate me to answer all comers, though I will usually try to hit a representitive sample of things that are interesting.

 

[Elf Witch]

The other issue is that the Alignment system itself is screwed up. I know the 'original origins' of the Law-Chaos axis, but the way they're described in current 3.x is more confusing than helpful.

Law =/= Chaos. If they wanted Lawful to mean 'obeying the laws', then Chaotic should have been something like Anarchist. Conversely, if they wanted 'Chaotic' to mean 'random action', then Law should have been renamed "Order".

As it is, many people (wrongly) take 'chaotic' at its face meaning, not the way it's supposed to be interpreted by reading the alignment rules (as Anarchist).

I agree that the alignment system is messed up and complicated. It is one of the hardest things to explain to a newbie.

Now I don't view chaotic as being an anarchist. I view it as a person who puts personal choice above following the law. That does not mean they break the law for the sake of breaking the law. I always view it as they focus on the rights of the individual where as lawful focuses more on the rights of society as a whole. Personally I find neutral good to be the easiest to play because it does not have the extremes of LG or CG.

I never understood how a chaotic society really survives. Without mutual laws and rules and order I wonder how they get anything done. People in this kind of society would have to be highly unselfish and willing to come together when needed.

 

[Elf Witch]

The CN alignment does have its problems, I agree, but when done right, it can be worthwhile. The warmage and rogue in our party are presenting too very different characters within that alignment and they really move the narrative in productive places. In another campaign, I play a CN orc barbarian bard who plays punk music. Basically, he does what would be the most fun to do; he's with the party so that he can get their help in rescuing his band from the BBEG; plus, they're combats are always the most fun.

My roommate plays good CN characters. She does not play them as selfish jerks who go out of their way to disagree with the party. Or have to be forced to go along with the party. She plays them as having a reason to be with the party.

For example she played a CN fighter whose twin sister was in the party. Now the twin was very good. So when her sister wanted to spare baby kobolds the CN went along with it not because it was the good thing to do or that she really cared what happened to the babies but because she loved her sister and it is what her sister wanted.

She would go along on missions to help the world not because it was the right thing to do but because she wanted to protect her sister.

The trick to playing a CN that works is to give them a reason to cooperate with the party.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I never understood how a chaotic society really survives. Without mutual laws and rules and order I wonder how they get anything done. People in this kind of society would have to be highly unselfish and willing to come together when needed.

There was a thread a while back about what a CN society would look like. The opinions on whether it could work seemed to come down to whether chaotic individuals were capable of enlightened self interest and, secondarily, cooperation. My feeling is that just as a lawful society will not grind to a brain locked halt when something not explicitly accounted for in the laws occurs, a chaotic one will still have some form of laws.