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The "Lawful" alignment, and why "Lawful Evil" is NOT an oxymoron!
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<blockquote data-quote="Elderbrain" data-source="post: 6732131"><p>A while back, I was discussing alignments with some other posters over in "The Multiverse is back!" thread, and one of them asserted that the 4e system (with 5 alignments - LG, G, UA, E, and CE)was more logical and coherent than the usual one (the nine-alignment system - LG, LN, LE, NG, N, NE, CG, CN and CE). He felt that LE was a contradiction in terms. I think I've finally figured out why.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I suspect that to some people's minds, "Lawful" = "Legitimate". Therefore, when they hear/read the term "Lawful Evil", they think it means "Legitimate Evil", which would indeed be a oxymoron! At the time, I attempted to bolster my argument by making the mistake of referring to a notorious, real-world organization as an example of "Lawful Evil". Without naming said group again, I want to make it crystal clear that I was NOT asserting any sort of legitimacy for said group, because by my understanding of the rules, "Lawful Evil" doesn't MEAN that! Judging by the way the term has been used IN THE GAME for many, many years, there is NO implications of legitimacy intended when the term is applied to an individual or a group (Devils, say). I realize that some people view the term "lawful" as a synonym for "legitimate" in the real world, and It's understandable that they might assume that the term should have the same meaning in the game, but I think that looking at how the term has actually been applied shows that that is simply not the case. Perhaps this could have been avoided had another term, such as "Orderly Evil" or "Ordered Evil" been used instead - I trust nobody denies that evil can be orderly. </p><p></p><p>Another assertion was that "Lawful" characters must be honorable, and that Devils do not behave in an honorable fashion, therefore they could not be "Lawful". The first problem with this argument is that there are numerous "Lawful Evil" villains who DO INDEED follow a honorable code of conduct, for instance not cutting down an unarmed opponent (indeed, even "Chaotic Evil" villains such as Death Knights sometimes behave in this manner!) The Archduke Levistus is described as behaving in this manner in Fiendish Codex II, and I'm sure if I did some more digging I could find additional examples. Devils do not, for instance, break the letter of any agreement they make, though they will violate the spirit of it. The other problem is that honorable behavior differs from culture to culture - for instance, a "Lawful" Samurai who was verbally insulted by a peasant could kill said peasant without violating the honorable rules of conduct as determined by his society - indeed, he would be dishonored if he did NOT act to avenge the insult. (I think there is a tendency to equate "honorable" with "good", but the archtype of the honorable villain is well-established, especially in Japanese fiction and anime - there's almost always one such person in any "Bad guy" organization, and a popular cliché is having said character aid the heroes when it becomes clear that his/her boss is NOT honorable...)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Elderbrain, post: 6732131"] A while back, I was discussing alignments with some other posters over in "The Multiverse is back!" thread, and one of them asserted that the 4e system (with 5 alignments - LG, G, UA, E, and CE)was more logical and coherent than the usual one (the nine-alignment system - LG, LN, LE, NG, N, NE, CG, CN and CE). He felt that LE was a contradiction in terms. I think I've finally figured out why. I suspect that to some people's minds, "Lawful" = "Legitimate". Therefore, when they hear/read the term "Lawful Evil", they think it means "Legitimate Evil", which would indeed be a oxymoron! At the time, I attempted to bolster my argument by making the mistake of referring to a notorious, real-world organization as an example of "Lawful Evil". Without naming said group again, I want to make it crystal clear that I was NOT asserting any sort of legitimacy for said group, because by my understanding of the rules, "Lawful Evil" doesn't MEAN that! Judging by the way the term has been used IN THE GAME for many, many years, there is NO implications of legitimacy intended when the term is applied to an individual or a group (Devils, say). I realize that some people view the term "lawful" as a synonym for "legitimate" in the real world, and It's understandable that they might assume that the term should have the same meaning in the game, but I think that looking at how the term has actually been applied shows that that is simply not the case. Perhaps this could have been avoided had another term, such as "Orderly Evil" or "Ordered Evil" been used instead - I trust nobody denies that evil can be orderly. Another assertion was that "Lawful" characters must be honorable, and that Devils do not behave in an honorable fashion, therefore they could not be "Lawful". The first problem with this argument is that there are numerous "Lawful Evil" villains who DO INDEED follow a honorable code of conduct, for instance not cutting down an unarmed opponent (indeed, even "Chaotic Evil" villains such as Death Knights sometimes behave in this manner!) The Archduke Levistus is described as behaving in this manner in Fiendish Codex II, and I'm sure if I did some more digging I could find additional examples. Devils do not, for instance, break the letter of any agreement they make, though they will violate the spirit of it. The other problem is that honorable behavior differs from culture to culture - for instance, a "Lawful" Samurai who was verbally insulted by a peasant could kill said peasant without violating the honorable rules of conduct as determined by his society - indeed, he would be dishonored if he did NOT act to avenge the insult. (I think there is a tendency to equate "honorable" with "good", but the archtype of the honorable villain is well-established, especially in Japanese fiction and anime - there's almost always one such person in any "Bad guy" organization, and a popular cliché is having said character aid the heroes when it becomes clear that his/her boss is NOT honorable...) [/QUOTE]
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