breakin' the law, breakin' the law,....

[felix_scarecrow]

      I did not get a good night sleep last night. My brain was stuck on trying to define a Lawful Evil's character in AD&D. It started off as a motivation question and a DM's assertion that evil parties deserve to die. In truth, this is probably the majority of any campaign,...kill the bad guys,...makes sense. This got me thinking as to how my

Comments

[billisaninja]

Yo, the best example I can still think of as Lawful Evil is Drow society, where nothing is illegal unless you get caught doing it. This creates a very secretive and backstabbing culture. It still has a very rigid matriarchal structure, but one based around being at the top of the totem pole. A lawful evil character has designs on one thing--power. And not how he gets it does not matter to him. In fact, it probably delights a lawful evil wizard to fry a bunch of people along the way to gaining a bigger fireball with which to fry even more people with

[felix_scarecrow]

Hmmmm. Drow is a good place to start, but I don't know if I think backstabbing is necessarily a Lawful trait. As a lawful character, I think you would be more likely to operate within the construct of the organization. I see a lawful eveil character as being very in control and adherent to the tenants of his position

[monkeysama]

I think your right on course with your scociety as a machine metaphor. A Lawfull Evil character likes the machine because he understands how to manipulate it. For any Evil PC the motivation/reason to be is utterly selfish. A good PC dreams of overthrowing the despot king and ruling as a just and kind king "for the people". An Evil PC dosn't need crap justification like that! He takes the kingdom and rules how he pleases because he wants to be king! Or worse the evil PC beleaves so strongly in his justification that he can never see any other way

[felix_scarecrow]

Selfish. That is an interesting way of putting it. You know there was a Marvel game that did not use evil, but rather "selfish". It makes sense for the most part. There are a couple type of characters that are somewhat difficult when trying to put thme in that "selfish" catagory. I imagine a Lawful Evil cleric that is doing everything he does for the good of whatever deity he serves. Or the Captain of the gaurd type character.
    I really like your suggestion. Start small to give my character something simple to move towards and build from there. If I can get some background as well that would be a good start. I don't know why I did not make a background before. I usually am very good about that. Doh!

[plungek]

Gotta love wondershowzen.