[Memnoch]

quote:

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Originally posted by Lifetime:
Actually I believe the Drow are Lawful Evil. Chaotic Evil is for characters with no respect for authority or just plain madmen. The Drow DO have a social ladder and ranking/class system, and they do pay respect to higher ranks, such as Priestesses and Matrons. They follow the "rules" of the Underdark and of Drow society as far as they know they'll be caught, but break the rules only when they know they can get away with it. They're pretty much like humans in a way. An Anarchistic, every-man-for-himself, yet highly ordered System.

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IMHO, you may be getting confused between being chaotic evil and being psychotic, Lifetime. The drow do NOT respect any laws save those that benefit them (read Homeland for a perfect example of drow law). Their society is not regimented by any structure - rather, it is regimented by the rule of the strongest. The law of power always prevails, and they have no qualms whatsoever about breaking the law when it suits their purposes. A drow may kill another drow on the streets of Menzoberranzan and if successful nobody will bat an eyelid. In a lawful evil kingdom the murderer would be tried, found guilty and tortured to death. The workings of Menzoberranzan typify this type of society - it is held together by those that have power and they use this power to force or manipulate others into doing their will.

The Salvatore book Siege of Darkness *minor spoilers coming* is another fine book that typifies the chaos that the drow live under. When Matron Baenre organizes the drow army to conquer Mithril Hall, she holds this army together by sheer force of will, power and the threat of Lolth's vengeance. It is FEAR of Baenre and FEAR of being overlooked in favours that drive the drow to unite - even so, despite the fact that their army was much larger and more formidable than that of the dwarves and barbarians, they failed because none of the soldiers/commanders from rival houses trusted each other and the army disintegrated upon Baenre's death. This is also why the drow have never been able to hold an army together long enough to conquer the surface (not that they want to anyway).

Here are some definitions (for those who don't know):


Lawful Evil: These characters believe in using society and its laws to benefit themselves. Structure and organization elevate those who deserve to rule as well as provide a clearly defined hierarchy between master and servant. To this end, lawful evil characters support laws and societies that protect their own concerns. If someone is hurt or suffers because of a law that benefits lawful evil characters, too bad. Lawful evil characters obey laws out of fear of punishment. Because they may be forced to honor an unfavorable contract or oath they have made, lawful evil characters are usually very careful about giving their word. Once given, they break their word only if they can find a way to do it legally, within the laws of the society.

Chaotic Evil: 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.

Here are the definitions for area alignments, for those of you interested.


Using a general alignment for an area allows a quick assessment of the kind of treatment player characters can expect there. The following gives ideas for each alignment.

Lawful good: the people are generally honest, law-abiding, and helpful. They mean well (at least most of them do). They respect the law. As a rule, people don't walk around wearing armor and carrying weapons. Those who do are viewed with suspicion or as trouble-makers. Some societies tend to dislike adventurers, since they often bring trouble. Eg. Cormyr.

Lawful Neutral: The people are not only law-abiding, they are passionate creators of arcane bureaucracies. The tendency to organize and regulate everything easily gets out of control.

In large empires there are ministries, councils, commissions, departments, offices, and cabinets for everything. If the region attracts a lot of adventurers, there are special ministries, with their own special taxes and licenses, to deal with the problem. The people are not tremendously concerned with the effectiveness of the government, so long as it functions. Eg. Sembia.

Lawful Evil: The government is marked by its severe laws, involving harsh punishments regardless of guilt or innocence. Laws are not intended to preserve justice so much as to maintain the status quo. Social class is crucial. Bribery and corruption are often ways of life. Adventurers, since they are outsiders who may be foreign agents, are viewed with great suspicion. Lawful evil kingdoms often find themselves quashing rebellions of oppressed peasants clamoring for humane treatment. Eg. Zhentil Keep, Thay.

Neutral evil, neutral good, and true neutral: Areas dominated by these three alignments tend to adopt whatever government seems most expedient at the moment. A particular form of government lasts as long as the ruler or dynasty in power can maintain it. The people cooperate when it suits them--or, in the case of true neutrals, when the balance of forces must be preserved.
Such neutral territories often act as buffer states between lands of extreme alignment difference (for example, between a lawful good barony and a vile chaotic evil principality). They shift allegiance artfully to preserve their borders against the advances of both sides in a conflict.
Neutral evil countries tend to be benign (but not pleasant) dictatorships while neutral good countries are generally "enlightened" dictatorships. Transfers of power are usually marked by shifts in government, though these are often bloodless coups. There is a certain apathy about politics and government. Adventurers are treated the same as everyone else.

Chaotic Good: The people mean well and try to do right, but are hampered by a natural dislike of big government. Although there may be a single ruler, most communities are allowed to manage themselves, so long as their taxes are paid and they obey a few broad edicts. Such areas tend to have weak law enforcement organizations. A local sheriff, baron, or council may hire adventurers to fill the gap. Communities often take the law into their own hands when it seems necessary. Lands on the fringes of vast empires far from the capital tend to have this type of alignment. Eg. The Dales.

Chaotic Neutral: There is no government. Anarchy is the rule. A stranger to such a town may feel as if he has ridden into a town of madmen. Eg. Vaasa.

Chaotic Evil: 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. Rg. Menzoberranzan.



[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

[ 11-06-2001: Message edited by: Memnoch ]