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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dragonblade" data-source="post: 314348" data-attributes="member: 2804">You say "Lawful" as if you expect everyone to share your definition of "lawful".  As if the tenets of LG as you see them are self-evident.  They are not and although the PHB makes a valid attempt at explaining alignments, there are logical and moral inconsistencies that render it a dubious authority at best.My definition of LG is obviously quite different from yours and is derived from years of studying the mechanics of alignment in the various incarnations of D&D and also through studying human nature in the real world.  As far as I'm concerned LG implies self-discipline and may include following a code a of conduct.  But that may be a personal code or a divine one, especially in the case of a paladin.Lawful does not necessarily mean law-abiding, particularly in cases where the laws of the land may conflict with the paladin or his deity's divine law.The paladin does what is good and right according to a code that your or other secular authorities may not care for, and in fact may be "illegal".  But the paladin is not beholden to secular law or authority.  Only to the divine law of his god while in pursuit of good.You seem to assume that paladins are like police officers who must accord evil doers and monsters their "civil rights".  They are not.  They don't have to bring criminals to the "proper authorities".  After all the paladin is the only true proper authority when it comes to executing the divine will of their god.  And if the paladins code accords no rights to evil doers or monsters than they have none.  In fact the notion of civil rights is curious one arising from the ancient Greeks and appearing on and off throughout history.  But certainly not much in the medieval world nor in a fantasy one where paladins and churches of gods of justice are the only hope of a populace beset by undead, monsters, demons and all manner of dark magic.  In such a world the paladins would smite first and ask questions later and the people would love them for it.  To accord civil rights to vampires, drow and other foul monsters would be an insane and suicidal gesture.If the paladins code says that evil should be rooted out and destroyed by blade or by fire whereever it is found, then that is what the paladin will do.  There may be a local law against attacking people in town but if the paladin encounters a known villain he is within his right to strike down that foe then and there.  The local law of the town is irrelevant.   Nor are the townspeople likely to gainsay a paladin's judgement.  Likely they would applaud his action in destroying a foul villain in their midst.LG doesn't mean the paladin must follow all laws everywhere.  Otherwise every evil warlord in the land would simply pass a law making it illegal for paladins to do anything.Thus it is the paladin who will decide which secular laws he will follow and which he won't.  Being LG and a paladin it is simply assumed he will use good judgement in the exercising of such authority.  If he didn't he wouldn't be a paladin in the first place and probably wouldn't be LG either.</blockquote>

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