Warlocks = evil?

[tombowings]

I could think of a few backstories that would work pretty well for a non-evil warlock. (this is a very simplified example, for the sake of time.)

A man's sister is taken and imprisoned by a devil. The man goes out and find the devil, who tells the man that the only was to get back his sister is for his soul to take her place when he dies. The man agrees out of the goodness of his heart. However, the man was never quite the same afterwards, awful things began to happen around him and people who knew were hurt. So the man left home. After a couple years on the road, he began to get a hold of his dark powers and vows to the local deity to use them to win back his soul from the devil.

 

[Zurai]

How is "fey" a dark and/or evil power source?

 

[Gunpowder]

Well if i recall the warlock design article (which is more current than the book I think) there are three sources in the phb: devil, feral, and shadow. So even assuming devil pact is irredeemably evil, there are two more sources.
Though infernal warock doesn't mean evil since good guys using evil powers is a trope that has had some history:
Hellboy, Ghost rider, Naruto, Spawn, Elric, Demon (DCU), Harry Dresden (made an unfortunate pact with his literally fairy godmother but does summon demons on occasion), Integra Hellsing has a pet vampire, and John Constantine

 

[The Ubbergeek]

How is "fey" a dark and/or evil power source?

You know, the REAL fairy tales... they where often quite dark.

Not evil, they where, but alien... and often mischevious.

 

[Kesh]

. D&D world is a lot more "black and white" than the real world

The part you keep ignoring is, "if you choose to play it that way." There's no more requirement to play D&D as "black and white" than you are required to play halflings as river-dwelling merchants. I understand you want to play it that way, but the repeated insistence that everyone else is wrong is really becoming repetitive. The term "badwrongfun" comes to mind.

 

[Zurai]

You know, the REAL fairy tales... they where often quite dark.

Not evil, they where, but alien... and often mischevious.

Yeah, dark wasn't something I should have said. Fey are very rarely "light". Most of them aren't evil, though. Even the Unseelie are more immoral than actively evil. And yeah, they're mischievous, but that's Chaotic, not Evil.

 

[tombowings]

Yeah, dark wasn't something I should have said. Fey are very rarely "light". Most of them aren't evil, though. Even the Unseelie are more immoral than actively evil. And yeah, they're mischievous, but that's Chaotic, not Evil.

I would go as far as to say that warlock are more chaotic than evil.

 

[small pumpkin man]

Yeah, dark wasn't something I should have said. Fey are very rarely "light". Most of them aren't evil, though. Even the Unseelie are more immoral than actively evil. And yeah, they're mischievous, but that's Chaotic, not Evil.

The point is that a character could easily make a pact with them for power and be both a good person and of "Good" alignment, and be a perfectly fit traveling companion for a Paladin of Bahamut. (while still being possibly a tad strange and creepy).

People have also mentioned Spawn, Batman and some other "morally ambiguous" comic-book protagonists who can be seen as having "dealt with the devil." As for that, I only have two things to say:
1. D&D world is a lot more "black and white" than the real world (where most comic-books purportedly take place). As far as I can tell, demons don't actually exist in the real world. But the do in D&D world; and they're capital-E Evil. It says so right in the MM.
2. Some of those comic-book examples are evil too. See above about ends and means.

Actually, I think Kieth Baker would want to talk to you about that whole "D&D morality is Black and White" thing, not to mention the people changing the 4E alignment system specifically to prevent GM's and others from bludgeoning the players with it. Also, it was actually John Constantine who was pointed out as an example, who would make deals with demons, and then jib them of of his part of the deal (usually, sometimes he failed).

 

[Agamon]

Yeah, I think the point is kinda moot, with the new alignment rules. Your warlock is what you want him to be. Will he be sunshine and kittens? No, probably not, but if his power comes from something that isn't tainted or malevolent (note, I'm treading around the 'e' word here, to avoid confusion), then he doesn't need to be a bad guy. Plus, as mentioned, he can use the powers given him as a means to an end without being darkness personified.

 

[CleverNickName]

I dunno. "Stars and the darkness between them" sounds an awful lot like a reference to the Old Ones. I'm thinking a Far Realms vibe for that one.

So I guess I should read up on my H.P. Lovecraft. I mean that in a good way, btw.