Posted by Mike on September 14, 2004 at 14:49:46:
In Reply to: Article: For Evil heathens and those afraid of them... posted by Dungeon Master on September 14, 2004 at 10:50:04:
: Evil is not always about homocide. Here's an excerpt from an old issue of Dragon that discusses how Good and Evil can live in harmony within the party.
: ------------------------------------------
: The problem with games I've been in has been that most players who enjoy evil characters for some reason enjoy playing them because they cause intra-party conflict. Usually it's a play at getting attention or an attempt to 'control' the game or the party and they feel that's the best way to do it. I have more problems when someone says they want to play a chaotic neutral character than a lawful evil one frankly 'cause my experience has been that it's almost always someone who wants to try and get away everything and say 'but I'm chaotic neutral... it's all on a whim!' -- they usually die very, very quickly in my games... But there has been at least one evil character in a game of good and neutral characters that I've DMed where it's actually worked and added a lot of fun and dimension to the campaign -- that player in my opinion played an intelligent evil character nearly perfectly.
: An evil character can realize that that particular group he or she is with presents the fastest, safest, or easiest track to wealth and power, even if that group doesn't share the same life philosophy and tend to be distracted by insignificant events (such as helping the needy, saving the downtrodden and oppressed, etc.). I hate to bring real-life events into things, but I think you could easily argue that Hitler, Stalin, and those like him have had those around them whom they actually cared about and protected -- children, girlfriends, friends they grew up with etc.... the same could go for an evil character -- they could simply like their companions and be predisposed, for whatever reason, to helping them out and making sure they're protected. It could be friendship, kinship, or even clannish or racial. You could do everything to protect your friends and not give a damn about anyone else and still be evil.
: I've never played one, but I'd think an evil assassin could be found within a good or neutral party for a number of reasons, and get along with them rather easily. First, what a boon it is to be associated with a group of heroes of sterling reputation while you're getting paid to off adversaries of your guild and their patrons. Second, you could view assassination as your job, something your good at, and something you have no inhibitions against doing -- but you could value friendships and loyalty, and at the very least realize that you want people around you whom you can trust without question -- those of good character may be more easily duped and sickeningly sentimental, but you can trust them not to stab you in the back when you're down or in a pinch as long as you prove your loyalty to them from time to time. Third, as above, you could happen to view the group you're with as the fastest, safest, or best way to personal power or fortune, and be willing to be sidetracked on some of the bleeding-heart stuff as necessary... ahem... evils to attaining that power.
Amen . . . errr, you get the point