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So there's always talk about paladins - who can have them, how they fall, etc. I take the view that, for one thing, a paladin is a holy knight and there are a feck of a lot of deities out there. For another thing, there's more than one way to be noble and just - sometimes without even being characteristically Good. So these are my preliminary notes on alternate Codes of Conduct, primarily just to add some flavorful options to a few games out there. Thoughts?
Code of Order (LG) : Do Good – don’t cheat, don’t steal. Don’t talk at the movies. Defend the defenseless, by words or swords – but only ever kill in defense of another life, and only if there is no alternative. Keep the peace. Abide by the laws of the land, except where those laws contradict any of the previous tenets of the code.
Code of Mercy (NG) : Do no harm – never ever aim to kill. Heal first, ask questions later. On your honor, try to save any life which might reasonably be saved – though this may often require difficult decisions. Resolve conflicts without bloodshed wherever you can. Treat prisoners and survivors as best you can. Never endorse the use of torture, maiming or mutilation.
Code of Liberty (CG) : Break chains. Open cages. Never leave a man or beast bound, if you can help it. Since killing is a form of restriction, try not to do that. Always allow others to speak their piece, if you can...though, of course, you don’t have to listen. Avoid positions of authority over others. Never ever compel an individual, by threats of force or magic; never support the use of compulsion, for good or ill.
Code of Justice (LN) : Do Right, no matter the laws or consequences. Judge with an unbiased eye, to whatever extent you can. Judge individuals as individuals and societies as societies, without mixing them up. Judge actions as actions and characters as characters – bad people may do good things, as well as the reverse. Never lie about events or observations – though your thoughts and intentions are your own. Reward or punish as you see fit.
Code of Preservation (N) : Knowledge is sacred; wisdom comes through awareness and understanding. Seek out new lore wherever you can. Never allow a knowledge to be hidden from the world, if you can help it. Don’t falsify records or documents. Never burn a book, scroll, or tablet which isn’t actively attempting to destroy existence. Never accept an argument of authority from someone you don’t recognize as an authority. Always fight your own battles, and try not to get caught up in others’ if you can help it.
Code of Expedition (CN) : Explore and experience! Discover! Wander through woods, crawl through dungeons, take the path less traveled. Go where luck and whim and adventure dictate. Gather experiences as firewood, to fuel your life – and to start fires in others as you go. That fire is life, warmth, and motion in the world. Never stay in one place for too long, for fear of growing stale. Never wait around when you can reasonably continue.
