Good & Evil in Faerun (Alignments)

((Note: Alignment is an oft-debated topic. Below is clarification on how the Admins and Developers of TDN perceive alignment for Forgotten Realms. It is worth noting that Evil does not equal PvP. We encourage evil characters to be made with goals and pursuits in mind to create and develop both your story and that of others. Evil exists to advance evil designs, occasionally those designs cross over with combat, however it is not as often as some might perceive. Murdering someone for the sake of alignment is Out of Character and considered Meta-Gaming. Conflict is a powerful tool, however to muddy that story with illogical engagements of combat is damaging to the narrative of this server, as well as damaging to the immersion for all players involved.))

## Good and Evil in Faerun:

In Faerun, the concepts of Good and Evil are not ambiguous or shaded in greys; Good and Evil are distinct, knowable, and recognized as such in-character within the Forgotten Realms Setting. They are represented by Gods, manifested in magical and planar creatures, and every so often make their mark on mortal races.

Good and Evil are intrinsic forces in Faerun, and are at odds with one another. Good is more than simple kindness; it is an almost zealous and selfless drive in mortals. Evil is more than cruelty; it is vile and sociopathic when wielded by mortals. To destroy and kill Evil in Faerun is almost always inherently a Good act, and vice versa.

A character’s alignment is not the result of one action or consequence. Instead, it is the sum of all their actions and being. Although Alignment does not tend to change for most creatures in the Forgotten Realms, it is malleable and can be influenced by Lawful, Chaotic, Good, and Evil acts. The quantity and gravity of these acts will define a person, and in turn, their Alignment.

Although Faerun is a world of high magic, larger-than-life characters, and extremes, only a very small fraction of characters in the whole setting are firmly Good, Evil, Lawful, or Chaotic.

To help establish the alignment scale, consider that the predominantly average Human in Faerun is True Neutral. A very dutiful judge, a precise lawyer, or an exacting police officer may be Lawful Neutral; this alignment is the core of their thinking and world view.

An anarchist, career criminal, or hermit removed from society may be Chaotic Neutral; they are more than passingly random or unpredictable, they have little regard for higher authority or order.

Rare yet are the Humans who are Good or Evil. Both are in their own way exceptional to normal human behavior, and have few real-life examples. The Dalai-Lama can be considered a token Good representative, while someone like Josef Stalin can be easily regarded as Evil.

This all said, within the Forgotten Realms Setting, Humans are deliberately more mundane than many higher fantasy elements. Elves are with extremely few exceptions Chaotic Good, and it is more than simply a result of society; elven nature tends towards Chaotic and Good, just as Human nature tends towards True Neutral. Orcs, goblin-kin, and similar monster races are with extremely few exceptions Evil, and shifting one away from their default Alignment is much more difficult than to influence the alignment of a Human. Planar creatures, from celestials to fiends, are the very epitome of their given Alignments, and do not have the freedom to alter alignments at all.

A brief summary and some examples of the nine alignments are as follows:

## Lawful Good

* The essential Paladin. Lawful Good combines a deep commitment to authority, laws, and tradition with a zealous, fearless, and often reckless approach for Good. Lawful Good is a difficult alignment to represent because of how easily Law and Good can be made to come into conflict. The Lawful Good understands that the Law and traditions have been made to do the most societal Good possible, and that they are imperfect constructs but the best that society has. A Lawful Good character also understands that the Law can be used to abuse and harm, and when in doubt will side with Good over regional Law. Many LG orders have their own codes of conduct (e.g. Code of Torm) that may supersede other laws in extreme cases. Above all, the Lawful Good character is a paragon of their virtues, and would not easily accept a lesser evil in the face of the greater good.

* If confronted by Evil, a Lawful Good character would strike when he can, bide his time and use the law when he cannot, and always take the high road even at great personal expense.
* If confronted by Chaos, a Lawful Good character would look to enforce or assist the local law, while avoiding cruel and mismatched consequences, especially if the Chaos was to a Good end.

## Neutral Good

* This alignment is the most balanced force for Good. Neutral Good characters respect the Law and traditions without letting themselves be bound by it. They do not relish in Chaotic acts, but would not hesitate to steal or lie if it justified a Good cause. As compared to Lawful Good (which often resorts to violent methods) and Chaotic Good (which often resorts to subterfuge), Neutral Good is the most peaceful of the paths, preferring diplomacy where it can be applied. Neutral Good often produces some of the most selfless healers and people willing to stand up for the very principle of a cause.
* If confronted by Evil, a Neutral Good character would seek its end before it can create further evil and harm. They would use what resources they have available, and make their stance on it known unless it would impede their efforts.
* If confronted by Chaos, a Neutral Good character would be usually gentle with it, especially if it is in the service of Good. If the Chaos would cause harm and suffering, they would oppose it.
* If confronted by Law, a Neutral Good character would act with respect and understanding, and would make effort to navigate the legal system as far as they are able. They would not, ultimately, let the Law prevent them from doing Good, even at personal expense.

## Chaotic Good

* The alignment of elves, Chaotic Good values freedom and opportunity above all. Perhaps the most biased towards emotion rather than reason and tradition, Chaotic Good will be the least hesitant to use whatever means necessary..be it through theft or guile, but would undertake killing only in defense of themselves or innocents. While Chaotic Good tends to have a very strong moral compass, they will not take the high road as often as the other Good alignments would.
* If confronted by Evil, a Chaotic Good character would be at the least extremely wary, and if cause is given, would take any measure to excise it. They know that evil only spreads, but may wait to act until there is no doubt or recourse.
* If confronted by Law, Chaotic Good is likely to chafe and not understand much of what Law holds dear. Written law, traditions, and ephemeral subjects like honor do not bind the practical Chaotic Good character. Chaotic Good may still have respect for Lawful characters as they see them taking a higher, more principled path, but wouldn’t be shy to say that their less principled way is better.

## Lawful Neutral

* One of the more complex alignments, Lawful Neutral supports order, law, and tradition above all else. They will follow the spirit and letter of the law, and make among the most fair and competent judges and public officials. While it is true that Neutral alignments prefer good, Lawful Neutral cares more for what has been written and decided over any moral judgement. A Lawful Neutral character need not be blind to failures of law or ordered systems, but rather than discount them, they would work through the right processes to improve them.
* Evil characters earn a natural distrust from Lawful Neutral, for their practices and intentions are usually either self-serving or neglect the intent of the law to protect and impose order. They may yet get along well enough with Lawful Evil.
* Good alignments are likely to have some respect from Lawful Neutral, although Lawful Neutral is most concerned with method rather than simple intent. They would support good if it is done through the right systems and procedures, and reign it back if Good attempts to circumvent the existing order.
* Chaotic alignments and Lawful Neutral all come into frequent conflict. Chaos stands against all that Lawful Neutral supports, and whether it is for Good or Evil, Lawful Neutral would balk at the methods that Chaotic characters employ.

## True Neutral

* The most common alignment, and among the most diverse. Within True Neutral, most human outlooks and personalities coexist. Only the extremes pass into Law, Chaos, Good, or Evil. Most have their nature balanced out with a measure of selfishness and altruism, contempt and kindness. True Neutral prefers things to stay as they are, and while they prefer Good to happen to them and others, they would rarely put themselves on the line to act for it or for Evil. True Neutral can be incited to Evil and Goods act alike, and offers one of the most free ranges of expression. Too much of one sort of behavior though, from selfless courage to brash disobedience, will result in True Neutral leaning towards other alignments.
* In confrontation with other alignments, True Neutral characters may differ too much amongst each other to tell how they might react.

## Chaotic Neutral

* Chaotic Neutral is defined by service to one’s self. Selfish, but not cruel. Opportunistic, but not at the great expense of others. Chaotic Neutral is capable of petty acts such as theft and civil disobedience, but not many take murder or torture lightly. Their nature can be relied on usually only as far as their own interests are concerned..but even a Chaotic Neutral character is not immune to having principles or limits.
* Chaotic Neutral would oppose most Law that would ever try to restrict them. They might agree that it has its purpose, but its boundaries certainly don’t apply to them in their own mind. The dry and consistent methods of Law are likely to look incredibly frustrating and pedantic to Chaotic Neutral.
* For the most part, Chaotic Neutral does a good job of stepping outside of Good’s cause against Evil. It is most easily made to serve Evil through petty crimes and acts with some reward to show for it..but the right Chaotic Neutral character can be reminded that Good is worth striving for, especially in the long run.

## Lawful Evil

* Lawful Evil is ruthless, practical, and efficient. It comes with principles and codes, limits to how it can act. Lawful Evil can have contradictions, for methods matter in the Forgotten Realms as much as results, and a character that seeks to save a thousand by coldly murdering ten is no less Evil for it. They can be bound by codes and promises to a degree, and even morals, and are adept at working within the law for their results. Lawful Evil makes some of the best Machiavellian rulers, crime lords, or tyrants..for behind their acts there is usually a motive or a justification that has merit. A crime lord may rightfully make the claim that his iron grip on the city’s crime prevents chaos and death, and that his few self-serving murders are a small price to pay. A Duke’s killing of civilians as a punishment is very likely to deter many from attempting the same crime.
* Several famous quotes epitomize this alignment:
	+ “It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.”
	+ “If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.”
	+ “Politics have no relation to morals.”

* Good, especially Lawful Good, will often have the respect of Lawful Evil. The methods and limitations will be mocked, but some Lawful Evil characters will claim to share a cause with paladins, and will consider themselves a “necessary” evil.
* Chaos often earns the contempt of Evil. Chaotic servants are not uncommon, but rarely considered trusted or reliable..and so very often shortsighted, impulsive, and reprehensible.

## Neutral Evil

* Neutral Evil exists only to serve itself, and does not mind leaving bodies along the way. It is in many ways the least restricted Evil, and the most efficient at getting what it specifically wants. Laws won’t bind a Neutral Evil character, neither would anything resembling morality. A Neutral Evil character has goals that, while still reprehensible, could at least be understood by most. While some may take pleasure from cruelty, it’s a waste and inefficiency to most.

## Chaotic Evil

* The alignment of demons and perhaps the most horrifying of them all. While Lawful and Neutral Evil can be understood, Chaotic Evil has no respect for life, morality, and no goals. To cause suffering, death, and create more Evil is a goal in and of itself for Chaotic Evil. The most deranged serial killers are most closely tied to this alignment, and it is likely to come into hostile conflict with every other alignment unless it can cow and subvert it to its own ends. Chaotic Evil can be subversive and clever, but almost never to any higher goal except perhaps the service of a deity; they will deal out evil just to see how much they can get away with.