Yet another alignment concept

[Dogbrain]

This is more in the realm of meta-alignment than alignment. The terms wouldn't appear as such in the campaign.

Posit two general mystical forces.

Kenosis. (humility, emptiness)
Ego. (self-direction, desire)

These forces are posited as real, if intangible, and are not just concepts. Of themselves, kenosis and ego have no will nor personal identity, they simply make up the universe.

Morality comes from the interaction of these trends.

Kenosis often manifests itself as "good", as it is the trait one uses to put others before ones own goals and lusts.

Ego often manifests itself as "evil", for it puts the "me" before all other things.

However, kenosis can become apathy or hopelessness, or even the mindset of the willing servant of a vile master, and one cannot "do good" without some measure of ego.

Mortals try to interpret these forces and come up with "good" and "eviL', but since "good" and "evil" do not directly correspond to kenosis and ego, there are complications and arguments over means and ends.

 

[Zoatebix]

I'm really fond of the circular aspect - too far to either end of the spectrum and you end up with something bad. I think that's a very elegant way to model- well- a whole lot of dualities...

 

[s/LaSH]

Oo, that's nice and circular like my law/chaos conjecture (too much order is stifling, too much chaos is entropic, too much of either is therefore evil and meets curving out around the back of reality, a balance is therefore good).

It might almost be interesting to make kenosis and ego a more visible part of the campaign, if only as an esoteric philisophical principle.

And what sort of outsiders would these mystical forces field? I've got this sudden image of apathy angels...

 

[the Jester]

Reminiscent of Runequest, from what I've heard. You might look into it- they had several dualities in their alignment/ethos/whatever system.