Posts from - City alignments based on AD&D.

Not a lady:), but I'll enlighten you – it's a tabletop role-playing game, the ancestor of all modern computer games. A Dungeon Master, or DM, is in charge; what happens is determined by the players' decisions and dice rolls. That's it in a nutshell, just like saying that Heroes of Might and Magic is a turn-based computer game in which special units – heroes – move around and capture castles and mines. Heroes fight each other, using troops that are purchased in castles for resources. Mines and castles provide resources.

Ladies, enlighten me about AD&D... What is it? :D

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - a well-known RPG system, as far as I know:

My brother used to play it a lot, the classic tabletop version... I prefer computer games, where the characters move realistically, where you can equip your hero with beautiful artifact armor and rings, and where you get a thrill when a beholder appears... :rolleyes:

What confuses me about Heroes is that you can add demons to a Knight's army and everyone will be happy. He'll even inspire them with his leadership (if he has any) :o Such positive demons they'll be!

Demons will agree because
1 they are afraid, therefore they serve a foreign hero, but at the right moment they will want to free themselves, and the Knight raises their morale, as he can find inspiration even for demons.

Chaotic Good is someone who is sometimes with evil and sometimes with good, without any specific pattern or idea; but more often ends up on the side of good.

I disagree that this would suit mages, because they are always good, the capital of mages in Erathia is located in the sky, and the guards are angels. Moreover, they are Light magic Mage Guild in Might and Magic 7. And a good side fighting against Necromancers

Magnus, I disagree with that description of Character Generation (CG). My definition comes from the AD&D rules, although not the latest edition. However, alignment definitions should ideally remain consistent across different editions; what has changed more often is the system for acquiring skills, calculating Action Points (AP), and damage… In short, I insist on this definition, at least until another official one is provided.

Magnus quoted me for some reason... Even though everyone already seems to agree that this definition is incorrect...

Magnus quoted me for some reason... Although everyone has already agreed that this definition is incorrect...

You're the local authority here. :p

You're the local authority. :p

:o:):cool:

Introduce me! :rolleyes:

Azalin
Lord of Darkon
Level 18 Lich, Lawful Evil

Backstory: Azalin was once a powerful wizard-king, known by another name [Firan Zal'Honan, later Azal'Lan], which he now keeps secret (possibly because, as Rudolph van Richten believes, knowing a lich's true name grants power over them). Even while possessing a kingdom, Azalin was consumed by a thirst for even greater power and deeper knowledge of magic. Regardless of whether it was right or wrong, he decided to become a lich, and so he did.
As an undead mage, he ruled and oppressed his subjects for decades. Eventually, they hired a band of experienced mercenaries to destroy him. Desperate and nearly defeated, Azalin hid in a fog-shrouded mountain valley. The mercenaries searched it thoroughly, but he was not found. The mists transported him to Barovia, a domain under the rule of Strahd von Zarovich [a vampire].
Despite his staggering powers, Azalin was captured by Ravenloft and was further humiliated when he was subjugated by the lord of Barovia. Although his physical strength was greater than Strahd's, the lich still feared this vampire. Azalin was misled by Strahd's connection to the land: he believed that without Strahd, Barovia, and everything within its borders, including himself, would vanish. Under heavy pressure, Azalin became Strahd's servant and hated every second of his service. He vowed that if he ever won his freedom, he would never again become a vassal to any being, whether living or dead.
Over time, the lich discovered that Ravenloft could grant its own land to any sufficiently powerful individual, so instead of remaining in Barovia, he entered Strahd's choking mists. (Being already dead, he did not fear the effects of the poison). His fierce personality gave rise to the creation of Darkon, the largest domain in Ravenloft.
Current state: Above all else, Azalin craves power. Ravenloft gave him staggering strength, but at the same time, it cruelly limited him. He can never rise above the experience level he currently possesses, nor can he master new magic. Even if he obtains a scroll with new spells and instructions for their use, he will be unable to comprehend them. Information about magic—even that which does not relate to spells—slips through his mind like water through a sieve. For example, if he is offered information on the functioning of the Demiplane of Dread, he will not remember it, though he will later be tormented by the thought that he once possessed this information. This is his curse—to exist among mortals whose potential, compared to his, is limitless. If another wizard activates a spell unknown to Azalin in his presence, he flies into a rage. Unable to evolve, Azalin looks to the past and passionately desires to return to his former life.
Very few know that Azalin is a lich. Most, and especially his subjects, consider him a despotic tyrant, evil incarnate, but—a human. Only a few of his advisors know that he is undead, but they are all monsters themselves—vampires, drow, and the like. Some lords of Ravenloft know who he truly is. And Strahd von Zarovich is certainly among them.
To prove his superiority and soothe his battered ego, Azalin encourages his subjects to humiliate one another. He hosts parties for the nobility where intemperance is the norm and atrocities are the entertainment. He toys with the loyalty of men and women, watching how low they will sink to earn his favor. Torture, for him, is an art form.
Azalin's long-term goals are unknown. He is an evil but outstanding personality. Although he cannot learn new spells, his other knowledge is truly superior. He remembers who visited Darkon in the past and who is visiting his land now. He also tracks events in other domains. A group of adventurers will never be able to outmaneuver him. His intrigues are multi-layered, built on pitting opponents against each other. Almost as soon as it seems he has made a mistake, his enemies learn through painful experience that they are doing exactly what he expects of them.

I left some things out (clarifications for the DM).

Reference: he's locked up for killing a bunch of people (including his own son), and in general, wasn't much different from Ivan the Terrible.

the rampart and the tower should be swapped.
truly neutral - the Conflux (they truly don't care about anything, they just exist).
truly evil - Inferno.
chaotically (i.e., not always) evil - Dungeon.
neutrally evil (i.e., they cover up their activities with evil, but in principle, they could also do good) - Necropolis.

So, these are Necromancers – and suddenly they’re pretending to be good? :eek:

Chaotic Evil isn't about being good sometimes...
I've noticed that many people view order and chaos as an amplification or weakening of good or evil, but in reality, it's more like two axes on a coordinate system. One axis ranges from Evil to Good, and the other ranges from Chaos to Order. Chaotic Evil isn't inclined to be good or evil at different times. It simply rejects organization; figuratively speaking, it attacks everything that moves, guided only by its own malice and greed. :cool:
For comparison, here are the definitions of CE and LE from AD&D (sorry for not providing it in Russian, but it's quite straightforward, and a translation could be accused of distorting the original source).

Lawful Evil: These characters believe that structure and organization elevate those who deserve to rule. They prefer a clearly defined hierarchy between master and servant. 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 or pride of power. Because they honor any contract or oath they have made, lawful evil characters are 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: Chaotic evil characters are motivated by the desire for personal gain and pleasure. 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.

The words are highlighted by me.

In other words, both types follow the path of evil, but some are inclined to live in society with its laws and limitations (although they are evil laws, of course!), while others find it difficult to coexist with anyone else: they are always ready to stab their partner in the back, even during their next scheme.

well, like in Perumov's works, where Fess raised hordes of undead to rid the world of evil (Western Darkness)... in such cases, the goal is noble (good), but the methods are... BRRRRR....;)

Like Tolkien's orcs, who are constantly killing each other... But in his works, they are simultaneously both chaotic and lawful; the conclusion is that Tolkien's world doesn't fit into D&D.

Just like Tolkien's orcs, who are constantly killing each other... But in his work, they are both chaotic and lawful; the conclusion is that Tolkien's world cannot be fit into AD&D.

But that's not the case!
Remember the chapter where Pippin and Merry were kidnapped by orcs. There were three groups, as far as I remember: Sauron's orcs, Saruman's orcs, and wild orcs from the mountains, who came to avenge the death of "their own." In that chapter, you can see the difference between the organized orcs – those subordinate to Sauron and Saruman