Chaotic Evil

A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. He is hot-tempered, vicious, arbitrarily violent, and unpredictable. If he is simply out for whatever he can get, he is ruthless and brutal. If he is committed to the spread of evil and chaos, he is even worse. Thankfully, his plans are haphazard, and any groups he joins or forms are poorly organized. Typically, chaotic evil people can be made to work together only by force, and their leader lasts only as long as he can thwart attempts to topple or assassinate him.

The major precepts of this alignment are freedom, randomness, and woe. Laws and order, kindness, and good deeds are disdained. Life has no value. By promoting chaos and evil, those of this alignment hope to bring themselves to positions of power, glory, and prestige in a system ruled by individual caprice and their own whim. The chaotic evil creature holds that individual freedom and choice is important, and that other individuals and their freedoms are unimportant if they cannot be held by the individuals through their own strength and merit. Thus, law and order rends to promote not individuals but groups, and groups suppress individual volition and success.

These characters are the bane of all that is good and organized. Chaotic evil characters are motivated by the desire for personal gain and pleasure. They see absolutely nothing wrong with taking whatever they want by whatever means possible. Laws and governments are the tools of weaklings unable to fend for themselves. The strong have the right to take what they want, and the weak are there to be exploited. When chaotic evil characters band together, they are not motivated by a desire to cooperate, but rather to oppose powerful enemies. Such a group can be held together only by a strong leader capable of bullying his underlings into obedience. Since leadership is based on raw power, a leader is likely to be replaced at the first sign of weakness by anyone who can take his position away from him by any method.

This is the category where the megalomaniacs, and the violent and most despicable characters fall. This is the cruel, brutal killer who trusts no one and has no value for anyone or anything that gets in his way. Individual freedom and choice is important, and the freedom of other individuals are unimportant if they cannot be held by their own strength and merit.

The chaotic evil also likes to corrupt the innocent and virtuous. People are play-things to the chaotic evil, to be used and manipulated for their own personal pleasure. A chaotic evil doesn't necessarily go after individuals just because they stand in the way of their success, they will harm or destroy people for the sheer pleasure of it.

The chaotic evil being seeks personal freedom at the expense of those who aren't smart, capable, or ruthless enough to get what they want. If what this being wants will come only at the price of the freedom and happiness (not to mention the lives) of others, so be it. Other individuals and their freedoms are unimportant if those freedoms cannot be held through their own strength and merit. All else being equal, the chaotic evil being is perhaps the most dangerous character of all, because one rarely knows how he might react to a given encounter. For reasons often known only to himself, he could ignore some situations, then suddenly explode in apparently identical ones. His behavior patterns are almost impossible to predict, for he has probably learned to curb and control his penchant for "evil" due to the constraints of civilization. A chaotic evil being is not expected to go about insanely slaughtering and torturing everyone he meets, for he isn't usually stupid. He will realize the consequences of such activities and will participate in such pleasurable distractions only when safe from discovery. To a chaotic-evil being, the lives of others have no value and are incidental in the pursuit of ultimate freedom and personal power.

A chaotic evil character never feels compelled to keep his word. He will attack and kill an unarmed foe (those are the best kind). He will kill an innocent. He will use torture to extract information and for pleasure. He will kill for pleasure. A chaotic evil character will use poison. He will not help those in need. He prefers to work alone, as he values his freedom. He does not respond well to higher authority, is distrustful of organizations, and will disregard the law in pursuing his self-interest. He will betray a family member, comrade, or friend whenever it is convenient to do so. Chaotic evil characters do not respect the concepts of self-discipline and honor, because they believe such concepts limit their ability to gain power over others.

## The Chaotic Evil Code

The personal code of a chaotic evil character may look like this:

1. You shall lie whenever convenient.
2. You shall harm the innocent whenever convenient.
3. You shall kill for pleasure.
4. You shall not aid the weak.
5. You shall not honor any other before yourself.
6. You shall break the law whenever convenient.
7. You shall betray friends, family, community, and nation whenever convenient.
8. You shall harm those who protect the weak or honor laws.
9. You shall pursue all forms of pleasure.
10. You shall seek unlimited power over others and unlimited freedom for yourself.

## Ten Chaotic Evil Signs of Weakness

Likewise, a chaotic evil character may consider the following as signs of weakness. A sign of weakness indicates that the character is straying from the cruel tenets of the chaotic evil philosophy. This list is given in the order of least severe infraction to most severe.

1. Failing to show contempt and disrespect for the virtuous and noble.
2. Failing to pursue a new form of pleasure.
3. Failing to give in to a sinful or chaotic impulse.
4. Avoiding injury to others at the cost of your own pleasure.
5. Refusing to display power over underling when appropriate.
6. Refusing to commit cruel acts that are in your best interest.
7. Refusing to kill when in your best interest.
8. Turning down a chance to gain power or wealth.
9. Acting altruistically.
10. Aiding the forces of Law and Goodness.

## The Chaotic Evil Adventurer

The following two lists detail common actions undertaken during "adventuring" that are considered honorable and dishonorable for the chaotic evil alignment. An honorable action is one that is in keeping with the spirit of this alignment, while dishonorable actions tend to be those which bring shame to the character in the eyes of his or her alignment peers. Note that an action which is considered honorable by one alignment may be considered dishonorable by another alignment and vice versa.

The following actions are honorable for this alignment:

* Accused of crime (innocent or not)
* Attacking an unarmed or obviously inferior opponent
* Convicted of crime
* Delivering death blow to a helpless opponent
* Desecrating an enemy's corpse
* Dirty Fighting
* Falsely claiming the 'bragging rights' that belong to another or outright lying
* Fleeing a fight with a superior opponent
* Gloating over a victory
* Killing a host who has provided you food or shelter
* Neglecting to properly bury a member of one's own race
* Paying off an extortionist or shake-down
* Perpetrate humiliating prank on enemy
* Refusing a fair contest/challenge
* Reporting the illegal actions of enemies to the authorities when profitable
* Taking a bribe
* Taunting an enemy into fighting
* Treason
* Unjustly slaying a prisoner or unarmed opponent who has yielded
* Walking away from a challenge

The following actions are dishonorable for this alignment:

* Allowing a disarmed enemy to pick up his weapon
* Allowing the enemy to attack first
* Being taken prisoner
* Picking up the funeral expenses of someone you slew in combat
* Refusing medical treatment for the good of the party
* Saving the life of another at great risk to own self
* Surrendering
* Taking an arrow or hit for someone else
* Taking prisoners

Chaotic Evil and Society

A chaotic evil being...

Is not concerned with the desires of family members.

Values flexible relationships with romantic partners.

Considers himself above the law.

Finds most people to be narrow-minded and inflexible.

Believes those who seek to rule others are, by nature, corrupt.

Seeks to undermine the authority figures of his community or nation.

Finds the legal procedures of his nation corrupt.

Believes luck determines wealth.

Will break any contract when he feels like it.

Will betray family members for personal gain.

Will betray friends if profitable.

Will seek to undermine his community and nation, especially if profitable.

Is not trusted by the community and may have enemies.

Will kill others to get ahead.

Uses any means necessary to evade justice.

Will use wealth to destroy others.

The residents of a community with a chaotic evil government live in abject fear because of the unpredictable and horrific situations continually placed upon them. In a chaotic evil society, the people are ruled by, and live in fear of, those more powerful than themselves. Local government usually amounts to a series of strongarm bosses who obey the central government out of fear. People look for ways to gain power or keep the power they've got. Assassination is an accepted method of advancement, along with coups, conspiracies, and purges. Adventurers are often used as pawns in political power games, only to be eliminated when the adventurers themselves become a threat.