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Edited on Tue Apr-18-06 09:38 PM by EstimatedProphet
Our side's not the evil side. DUers are usually Chaotic good, Neutral good, or Chaotic neutral:
Neutral Good
"Benefactor"
This alignment desires good without bias for or against order.
A neutral good character does good for goodness' sake, not because he is directed to by law or by whim. Such a character will obey the law, or break it when he sees it will serve a greater good. He isn't bound strongly to a social system or order. His need to help others and reduce suffering may take precedence over all else.
A doctor who treats both sides in a fight and an aid worker who feeds the starving in a war zone are both examples of neutral good characters.
Examples of neutral good characters include Mystra, Bruenor Battlehammer and Cadderly Bonaduce. Hawkeye Pierce, Albus Dumbledore, Luke Skywalker, and Gandalf are examples of the Neutral Good type in wider fiction.
Chaotic Good
"Rebel"
Chaotic good combines a good heart with a free spirit.
A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He is kind and benevolent, a strong individualist hostile to the claims of rules, regulations, and social order. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He will actively work to bring down unjust rulers and organizations and to liberate the oppressed. He finds lawful societies distasteful and will avoid them, often living as a nomad or hermit.
Noble rebel leaders fighting corrupt or venal regimes, vigilantes acting for what they see as the greater good, and anyone who "robs from the rich to give to the poor" are all examples of chaotic good characters.
Examples of chaotic good characters include Drizzt Do'Urden, and the folkloric Robin Hood. Other examples in wider fiction include Han Solo, Wolverine and Rick Blaine from the film Casablanca.
Chaotic Neutral
"Free Spirit"
Chaotic neutral is freedom from both society's restrictions and a do-gooder's zeal.
A chaotic neutral character follows his whims. He is an individualist first and last. He values his own liberty but does not strive to protect the freedom of others. He avoids authority, resents restrictions, and challenges traditions. A chaotic neutral character doesn't intentionally disrupt organizations as part of a campaign of anarchy. To do so, he would have to be motivated either by good (and a desire to liberate others), evil (and a desire to make others suffer), or be lawful neutral. A chaotic neutral character may be unpredictable, but his behavior is not totally random. He is not as likely to jump off a bridge as to cross it.
A wandering rogue who lives both by work for hire and petty theft, and the drow Jarlaxle is an example of a chaotic neutral character. In wider fiction, characters such as Janice Soprano, Zaphod Beeblebrox from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Elric, an instrument of Chaos, and GIR from Invader ZIM would be considered Chaotic Neutral.
Whereas Freepers are the evil ones:
Lawful Evil
"Dominator"
Lawful evil is the methodical, intentional, and frequently successful devotion to a cruel organized system.
A lawful evil character methodically takes what he wants within the limits of his personal code of conduct without regard for whom it hurts. He cares about tradition, loyalty, and order but not about freedom, dignity, or life. He plays by the rules but without mercy or compassion. He's comfortable in a hierarchy and would like to rule, but is willing to serve. He is loath to break promises, and is therefore very cautious about giving his word unless a bargain is clearly in his favour.
This reluctance comes partly from his nature and partly because he depends on order to protect himself from those who oppose him on moral grounds. Some lawful evil villains have particular taboos, such as not killing in cold blood (but having underlings do it) or not letting children come to harm (if it can be helped). They feel these personal morals put them above unprincipled villains.
Many lawful evil characters use society and its laws for selfish advantages, exploiting the letter of the law over its spirit whenever it best suits their interests.
Some lawful evil people and creatures commit themselves to evil with a zeal like that of a crusader committed to good. Beyond being willing to hurt others for their own ends, they take pleasure in spreading evil as an end unto itself. They may also see doing evil as part of a duty to an evil deity or master.
Lawful evil is sometimes called "diabolical", because devils are the personification of lawful evil.
A tyrannical ruler who drafts the rules to suit himself, a corrupt lawyer or judge who uses the law to mask his own misdeeds, and the ruthless bosses and minions of organized crime are all examples of Lawful Evil characters.
An example of a lawful evil character in fantastic fiction is Artemis Entreri. In wider fiction, such characters as Darth Vader, Superman's arch enemy Lex Luthor, Ernst Stavro Blofeld of the James Bond novels, Doctor Doom, and "IT" from A Wrinkle in Time epitomize the typical Lawful Evil character. In real life, Dick Cheney is an example of a Lawful Evil persona.
Neutral Evil
"Malefactor"
Neutral evil is pure pragmatism without honor and without variation — survival of the fittest.
A neutral evil character does whatever he can get away with. He is out for himself, pure and simple. He sheds no tears for those he kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. He has no love of order and holds no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make him any better or more noble. On the other hand, he does not have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has.
Some neutral evil villains hold up evil as an ideal, committing evil for its own sake. Most often, such villains are devoted to evil deities or secret societies.
Career criminals, particularly those who harm others for money, such as hitmen, are the most obvious example of Neutral Evil. In wider fiction, such characters as Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter stories, Rico from Little Caesar, Harry Lime from The Third Man, Christopher Moltisanti from The Sopranos, and Apocalypse from the X-Men comics could be considered Neutral Evil. George W. Bush is an example of a Neutral evil person.
Chaotic Evil
"Destroyer"
Chaotic evil is power without control, selfishness unfettered by any law.
A chaotic evil character does whatever his greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive him to do. 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. Fortunately, 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.
These characters will commit any act to further their own ends. Chaotic evil is sometimes called "demonic" because demons are the embodiment of chaotic evil.
Many serial killers would fit this discription, as would indeed most of the more violent and reckless criminals found in the worst sorts of places. In fiction, characters such as Batman's nemesis The Joker, Sabertooth from the X-Men comics, Mickey and Mallory from Natural Born Killers, Dr. Mabuse from the Fritz Lang crime films, Quamzin Kravshera a/k/a Khyron from Macross/Robotech, and Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange are all Chaotic Evil. Karl Rove and Tom Delay are Chaotic evil.
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