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<blockquote data-quote="El_Gringo" data-source="post: 274082" data-attributes="member: 3114">Figuring I could use the learning experience, I allowed the players use of evil alignments for our latest game. The party consists of a NE Fighter, CN Gnomish Rogue/Inventor, and a LE Necromancer. While the fighter has aspirations of becoming an assassin, the necromancer wants nothing less than to acheive lichdom and conquest of a small area/nation. The gnome just figures that his companions have the right sort of morals to help him acquire funds necessary for his experiments. Surprisingly, they make a very scholarly team. Both the necro and the gnome seek out libraries and institutions of learning, albeit for infernal reasons. The fighter is very subdued, highly interested in tactics and strategies of war. All in all, the campaign of evil is going pretty well. Here's a little of what I've learned so far that makes the campaign successful.1. Nothing is ever described as bright, cheery, or beautiful.I've been careful in how I portray people. The friendly, portly innkeeper becomes the unkempt, unshaven old man who doesn't even care enough to hide his bulging gut under a shirt. An innocent child becomes a rotten brat who steps on your foot and then runs off. Towering buildings in a large city become tall monstrocities that choke the land and add more confusion to the urban sprawl.2. There is no such thing as good and evil.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Well, not in an evil campaign, anyway. Let's examine one of the necromancer's goals. Conquer a small area/nation. You don't have to be evil to want to do something like that. A necro calls it conquest, a paladin calls it a crusade. Different packaging but same end result. The heart of every conflict becomes less and less good vs. evil and more about opposing goals.3. Evil does not equal stupid.Do paladins kill every commoner they meet if they register on the Detect Evil ability? Of course not. The same applies with evil characters. Evil survives by staying hidden in the shadows, never revealing its true intentions. Evil isn't murder, or thievery, or powerful magic. Evil is selfishness. The promotion of oneself or one's cause above all else. Unless you're playing a CE Barbarian with an INT of 3, it's very doubtful you go about killing and looting whenever you please.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Anyone else have some advice to share on running evil campaigns?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="El_Gringo, post: 274082, member: 3114"] Figuring I could use the learning experience, I allowed the players use of evil alignments for our latest game. The party consists of a NE Fighter, CN Gnomish Rogue/Inventor, and a LE Necromancer. While the fighter has aspirations of becoming an assassin, the necromancer wants nothing less than to acheive lichdom and conquest of a small area/nation. The gnome just figures that his companions have the right sort of morals to help him acquire funds necessary for his experiments. Surprisingly, they make a very scholarly team. Both the necro and the gnome seek out libraries and institutions of learning, albeit for infernal reasons. The fighter is very subdued, highly interested in tactics and strategies of war. All in all, the campaign of evil is going pretty well. Here's a little of what I've learned so far that makes the campaign successful. 1. Nothing is ever described as bright, cheery, or beautiful. I've been careful in how I portray people. The friendly, portly innkeeper becomes the unkempt, unshaven old man who doesn't even care enough to hide his bulging gut under a shirt. An innocent child becomes a rotten brat who steps on your foot and then runs off. Towering buildings in a large city become tall monstrocities that choke the land and add more confusion to the urban sprawl. 2. There is no such thing as good and evil. Well, not in an evil campaign, anyway. Let's examine one of the necromancer's goals. Conquer a small area/nation. You don't have to be evil to want to do something like that. A necro calls it conquest, a paladin calls it a crusade. Different packaging but same end result. The heart of every conflict becomes less and less good vs. evil and more about opposing goals. 3. Evil does not equal stupid. Do paladins kill every commoner they meet if they register on the Detect Evil ability? Of course not. The same applies with evil characters. Evil survives by staying hidden in the shadows, never revealing its true intentions. Evil isn't murder, or thievery, or powerful magic. Evil is selfishness. The promotion of oneself or one's cause above all else. Unless you're playing a CE Barbarian with an INT of 3, it's very doubtful you go about killing and looting whenever you please. Anyone else have some advice to share on running evil campaigns? [/QUOTE]

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