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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Prince Atom" data-source="post: 373418" data-attributes="member: 6046">In the last game I played in, our paladin was detecting evil from up the corridor.  We came around a corner and ran into some Bugbears, who aggressed at us (though not very much, because we had surprise; they growled, was all).  So the party commenced to slaughter them, and didn't even give them a chance after the psion whipped out his Mind Blast.  So, no explanations, no questions, not even time to really attack us -- they just jumped to a conclusion.  The paladin sensed evil, and so the first things we run into must be evil.  Right?When I protested the merciless slaughter of the bugbears (which I'm not even sure was legal; I thought they were stunned, not helpless), the entire party rebuked my arguments by saying "These guys detected as evil.  In this game, to be evil you must have done evil.  Thus we are justified in killing them because they deserve punishment."  So we killed all but one, whom we questioned and whom the paladin managed to convert to worshipping Bahamut.I don't think what the paladin did was very lawful.  He didn't hold court, he didn't ask for witnesses, he didn't even ask for a defense.  He just passed judgement like Judge Dredd, and bloodied his hands.  I'd say (were I DM) that would be Chaotic at best, and I have stripped a paladin of his status for doing just such a thing as killing helpless folk.So I'm not comfortable with "Evil is as Evil does."  I don't think mortals should detect as any strong alignment, no matter what alignment they may have, unless they have some metaphysical connection to an outsider or force.  Outsiders and Undead, now, are definitely strongly aligned.  The rest of the world is just trying to make a living and advance its goals.A few of my definitions of alignments are as follows:Lawful Good -- You try your best to watch out for the weak and oppressed.  Laws exist to prevent anarchy, and you must follow every one of them as best you can, or have a really good explanation.  Mercy is a good thing, and should be practiced at all times.Lawful Neutral -- Laws exist to prevent anarchy, and they have been handed down by an authority.  It is not in your power to defy that authority.  The universe is highly ordered; you can influence your peers or underlings, but your superiors don't have to listen to you.  The Law must be followed to the fullest extent, and only the duly appointed authorities may interpret the law, pass judgement, and execute that judgement.  Mercy must be provided in the laws to apply.Lawful Evil -- Laws exist to prevent anarchy, and though they have been handed down to you, you are free to use them to further your own objectives.  You can use other people, or other people can use you.  You can exploit, twist, redefine, and generally bend laws to do anything you want, and only a higher authority can call you on it.  So it's good to cultivate ties to those above you.  Mercy is for the weak; leave no enemy behind you.(This is already long enough without six other definitions)TWK</blockquote>

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