Thought Exercise - Alignments for Discworld characters

[WhatGravitas]

Hmm, been ages since I read Night Watch.

Hmm... re-reading the end of Night Watch, Vetinari seems to be a bit more "friendly" than usual. He really, really strikes me as a LE/LN character, who has the urge to be LG, but knows that he cannot be "Good", as it would severely impair his possibilities - and he's not selfish, he cares a lot more 'bout the Ankh-Morpork... I'd say LE... who wants to be LG.

 

[hamishspence]

alignment shifts over time?

Vimes seems to become more lawful and more good as he gets older. But also has to grip his dark side more firmly to not let it out.

Susan: Increases in conscientiousness as she grows older (Thief of time, compared to Soul Music

Death: Becomes closer to good as he experiences humanity more.

Others?

 

[Agent Oracle]

Just want to point out: Vetinary has killed at least one person, as an assassin. AND he lead another to his death, as the ruler of the city.

Remember "Night Watch", where Vimes is thrown back in time to become his own mentor? Yes. Havelock killed Lord Snapcase. And at the end of Going Postal, he gave Reacher Gilt the option of running the treasury or walking out the door. Gilt walked out the door and into a deadfall, where it is presumed he died messily.

Speaking of which, Moist Von Lipwig is the very ideal of a Neutral Evil rogue. He'd sell any man a piece of glass and foil for two hundred gold, BUT he dosn't kill anybody. When his illusions are shattered by Mr. Pump, he kicks off his severe alignment drift over the course of the book. Ultimately becoming neutral good (though still underhanded, all those ranks in bluff have to be used for something!)

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Just want to point out: Vetinary has killed at least one person, as an assassin. AND he lead another to his death, as the ruler of the city.

Remember "Night Watch", where Vimes is thrown back in time to become his own mentor? Yes. Havelock killed Lord Snapcase. And at the end of Going Postal, he gave Reacher Gilt the option of running the treasury or walking out the door. Gilt walked out the door and into a deadfall, where it is presumed he died messily.

Of course, if we are talking about D&D allignments, can killing a raving evil lunatic who tortures and kills people as part of his running of the city really count that much against your allignment? Reacher Gilt (and Moist for that matter) were criminals legitimately sentanced to death. He gave them both a chance to do something useful with themselves or carry out their own sentance. (I didn't get the impression Gilt was any less aware of the deadfall than Moist, he just chose it over a lack of power.)

I'd put the Patrician at LN, myself, as the impression I've formed of him over the books. As others have said, what he has actually done vs the mystique he cultivates, does not indicate evil.

Unlike most here, I would peg Rincewind at CG. He wants to be CN, but when put in a situation where there is a right and wrong thing to do, he does the right thing, whining the whole time. When there is someone who needs help, he helps them. He is a servant of the Lady, and she smiles on good hearts and dumb luck.