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waysoftheearth
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What Gives With Alignment?
« Thread Started on Sept 21, 2012, 11:45pm »

What gives indeeeed? Why should a player choose one alignment over another... or have an alignment at all?

Well, to start, there are the alignment tongues...

The Alignment Tongues

I've never especially liked the idea of alignment tongues, perhaps because there's no clear analogy with real life. But recently I've been thinking the alignment tongues do fit nicely with the idea of alignment "temples". It's easy to think that a "temple of law" or a "temple of chaos" could each have their own language, and that this language would be known to their respective clergy and templars (including clerics and anti-clerics). The clerical spell scrolls would likely be penned in these scripts too. However, a John Citizen or a regular fighting man would be less likely to know these temple tongues -- although some individuals might -- in much the same manner that the medieval clergy used Latin despite their flock being largely ignorant of it.

The alignment tongues would therefore not be automatically "known to all", but would instead be intimately associated with the alignment temples, and would hence be useful in identifying members of that temple, for provoking a positive reaction from those of an allied temple, for provoking a negative reaction from those of an opposed temple, and (possibly) for identifying clerical and/or anti-clerical scrolls.

Hirelings and Loyalty

There is also the matter of hirelings.

PCs (if they are wise) will likely look for hired swords as soon as they can afford them. Alignment doesn't come into play except that chaotics can hire Orcs who are half as expensive as are Men. That is to say chaotics will be able to afford mercenary muscle that much sooner than will lawfuls or neutrals, and/or will be able to afford twice as much of it.

Then there is hireling loyalty to consider. OD&D is brief on the matter stating only that Man, Elf and Dwarf hirelings will be relatively loyal, but saying no such thing about Orc hirelings. It is reasonably to assume then, that Orcs are relatively disloyal compared to Men, Elves and Dwarfs -- which makes for a certain logic considering they are comparatively cheap.

One might choose to ascribe this pattern of loyalty to the alignments of the respective hirelings -- Orcs are chaotic and neutral, Men can be of any alignment, and Elves and Dwarfs are neutral and lawful.

The referee might further rule that chaotic hirelings (and/or chaotic masters) apply a -2 loyalty adjustment, and that lawful hirelings (and/or lawful masters) apply a +2 loyalty adjustment. This very notion is given explicit treatment in AD&D, and it justifies, to some extent, the different costs of various mercenary types.

Inheritance

There is also inheritance to consider, and more specifically the likelihood of "getting any".

Should a PC meet an untimely demise his worldly goods become the property of his heir. Whether this is practical or not the custom of inheritance is "the law" -- it is what all proper law abiding citizens expect to happen to their goods when they die. In game terms, the inheritance rule allows a player to start a fresh PC without loosing all the loot he had previously accumulated.

Should a PC meet his end in some far off venture, returning his body and his goods may not be practical. This duty will fall to his adventuring comrades, or whomever else happens to be about -- possibly even the fellow who has just slain him.

A lawful PC would always do the right thing by a fallen comrade, and hence would rightfully expect the same proper and lawful treatment himself. Whether or not this is realistic a lawful PC can still expect that word of his demise will reach his relatives, that his remains receive a lawful burial, and that his worldly possessions will be passed on to his rightful heir.

A neutral PC would do the right thing by a fallen comrade if it was convenient, or if there was something in it for him (such as a reward, or being owed a personal debit by an influential family). He wouldn't have any problem "borrowing" the fallen PC's gear in the interim, perhaps intending to return it (or some of it) later... next time he happened to be in town on other business -- if he remembers. And if he happens to have spent some of that gold in the meanwhile... oh well, the relatives will be none the wiser. He suspects he would receive the same sort of indifference himself. And so he would.

A chaotic PC would always do the wrong thing by a fallen comrade. He would loot and/or defile the body without a second thought and d**n the relatives too. He would spread lies and rumours about how his comrade fell just for the hell of it. He expects no better treatment himself, and nor should he.

XP By Alignment

Finally (well, finally for this initial missive) there is the possibility of the referee awarding XP based on alignment. Seeing that players ultimately desire XP and advancement, this practice might assist players in running their PCs according to their stated alignments.

Speculation aside, there are three main mechanisms by which XP are awarded: 1) for winning combat, 2) for acquiring treasure, and 3) for achieving goals.

Here are some ways in which each of these might be made into alignment specific awards:

Combat Based XP

Lawful PCs are part of a team and get an equal share of XP earned for any combat that they participate in, regardless of who actually defeated the opposition. They earn double XP for defeating chaotics, but only half XP for defeating lawfuls.

Neutral PCs are out for themselves get XP according to their own achievements only, including XP per hit point of damage caused on a pro-rata basis. XP earned is not adjusted for the alignment of opponents.

Chaotic PCs are out to cause trouble. They get the full XP for any opponent which they themselves slay or defeat (including other PCs), even if others contributed almost all of the effort. They earn double XP for defeating lawfuls, and regular XP for defeating chaotics and neutrals.

Treasure Based XP

Lawful PCs gain an equal share of all XP attributable to treasure which is openly divided among the players, regardless of who actually gets the treasure.

Neutral PCs gain XP only for any treasure they themselves gain. This included any openly divided share of the spoils, and any loot taken in secret/by force and not subject to division among the players.

Chaotic PCs gain XP for any treasure taken in secret/by force and not subject to division among the players. They also gain double XP for any spoils they take over and above an equal fair share of any loot which is divided among the players.

Goal Based XP

The referee may desire to award goal based XP for completion of quests and/or other goals.

In this case, the referee should determine whether any particular quest or adventure that the players completed was "lawful" or "chaotic" or "neutral".

This should be reasonably obvious. However, as a guide, assume that any activity that reinforces/progresses lawful society and/or the influence of law, or that subverts the influence of chaos is probably "lawful". Any activity that subverts lawful society and/or undermines the influence of law, or that progresses the cause of chaos is probably "chaotic". Anything in between is probably "neutral".

With this in mind, the referee can adjust earned XP as follows:

Where LAWFUL goals are concerned:
. Lawful PCs gain full XP for progressing/achieving lawful goals.
. Neutral PCs gain only half XP.
. Chaotic PCs gain no XP for progressing/achieving lawful goals, but gain full XP for subverting/disrupting lawful goals.

Where NEUTRAL goals are concerned (including "just looking for loot"):
. Lawful PCs gain only half XP.
. Neutral PCs gain full XP.
. Chaotic PCs gain only half XP.

Where CHAOTIC goals are concerned:
. Lawful PCs gain no XP for progressing/achieving chaotic goals, but gain full XP for subverting/disrupting chaotic goals.
. Neutral PCs gain only half XP.
. Chaotic PCs gain full XP for progressing/achieving chaotic goals.

Well, that's something of a start at least.

Enjoy

edit: grammar

« Last Edit: Sept 22, 2012, 7:48am by waysoftheearth »