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Our group will soon be running the first AP of Hell’s Rebels, and I have been going over the Player’s Guide since then studying the terms, actions, teams and events associated with the weekly schedule of the Rebellion. While this AP is clearly a perfect fit for Chaotic Good character types, if ever there was one, I had settled myself on playing a Paladin. As a Lawful Good, conduct based character in an environment of Intrigue, Secrecy, and Resistance, you would think that this would be a poor decision. Why, I’d stick out like a sore thumb!
On the contrary, I was actually attracted to the challenge. What’s more, I think the involvement of such a character in a resistance movement (as a prime mover rather than merely a supporter) is an overlooked aspect to any successful change in government. I’d like to try to explain my thoughts on such with this post.
For anyone curious, here is a link to the Pathfinder Reference Document’s definition of the alignments.
http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateCampaign/campaignSystems/alignme nt.html#lawful-good
Lawful Good characters exemplify duty, fairness, honor, property, responsibility, right, truth, virtue, and worthiness. They are tireless in seeing that justice is done, and are most comfortable in a world of law and order. Good is as much, if not more so, a part of their character as Law. In the end, they will see justice is done—by their own hands if necessary
Now, even given that Lawfulness is not synonymous with Legality, and that firm adherence to a code of conduct may take precedence over local rules and customs, I would generally assume that your average Lawful Good character (Paladin or not) is firmly comfortable adhering to the rules and regulations of the area they are in. It says so in the LG description: “Hers [the Lawful Good Character] is a world of order, and she obeys superiors and finds it almost impossible to believe there's any bad in them”.
Should an area where they stay for a protracted length of time have unreasonable rules or excessive fees and taxation, a Lawful Good character will likely champion change through the system and perhaps be mostly successful thanks to his or her support from the trust and traditions of the community. Whereas a Chaotic character may be viewed as a blacksheep or even an outsider, a Lawful character will be seen as persistent and reliant, exactly the kind of qualities needed to push for long term change in the system. Such an environment is where a Lawful Good character is obviously most comfortable, assuming they succeed.
So, what happens when that fail? Being unsuccessful in such a venture is not necessarily a turning point, but what if this unfairness is not only unaffected but expands further? As a lack of justice continues to pervade a community, a Lawful Good character may very well keep trying to adhere to the laws as best they can, but I would say only the most stone faced would not start developing some form of a persistent twitching over such gross violations of reasonableness, blatant thuggery, and overt persecutions. This is also just such an environment where we find this AP to be set in.
If a Lawful person can be thought of as firm and inflexible in their ways, then the misuse of law and order can be thought of as a steadily increasing load or strain upon their psyche. Sooner or later, when you push hard enough, they don’t bend. They snap.
This leads me to my next idea of how Lawful Good characters in a similar situation as this AP would behave. I would say Lawful Good characters really only have two modes when it comes to dealing with oppressive, brutal regimes:
1. Work within the system for meaningful change
2. Wage war to change the government and apprehend evil doers
(I would argue there is not much in between)
If there is at least one thing that no one should dispute Lawful Good characters can do, its wage war. We’ve seen such in the Worldwound adventures and with the ongoing Glorious Reclamation against Cheliax. In a no holds brawl where the chips are down and the knives are out, Lawful Good really lets rip. Lawful Good is not Lawful Nice, after all.
They’ll try to avoid harming innocents and bystanders, and protect them where they can be. Otherwise, the mentality is that there is no other option but to fight, so best get it on and over with as quickly as possible with the least amount of damage. They won’t lie to people’s faces, break promises, torture spies, threaten hostages, authorize mass collateral damage, steal from innocents, threaten family members, engage in terrorism, or kill without cause. Anything else, however, goes.
So what happens when this happens? When a system gets so bad that it forces such upstanding citizens to grudgingly take up arms against their government? Several things.
1. It gives legitimacy to the Rebellion. A group of underdogs, outlaws, and generally thought-of misfits suddenly have representatives and envoys that even Lawful Institutions would be comfortable conversing and dealing with (though not necessarily publicly). It helps if you’re known to keep your word and never lie.
2. Conversely, it reduces the Regime’s legitimacy. Suddenly, a credible alternative for law abiding folks starts to make itself known. It’s worse for the regime if the Lawful Good characters are native born traditionalists that can pull support from more conservative factions.
3. The Resistance becomes stronger. The same traits that made such Lawful characters good community organizers and law abiders also allows them to enforce discipline and organization across the rebellion. The rebels go from being a rag tag group to a credible freedom fighting force.
4. The Resistance gains endurance. A Lawful character is nothing if not persistent, disciplined, and focused. Whereas as a more Chaotic character may shift attentions as the months and years drag on, a Lawful character is in the struggle for the long haul.
5. A credible plan is developed for what victory will look like, and how the new government will base itself. An exiled heir may be found and supported, an imprisoned leader restored to their rightly office, or a constitution drafted for a new governing body.
In conclusion, I would say that not only would a Lawful Good character fit into a Good themed Rebellion against an Oppressive Regime of Devil Worshipers, but that their aid in the fight is crucial and marks a major turning point in the struggle. As a final note, I would bring up as an example of precedence three Lawful Good characters from another well-known Rebellion that I feel brought these benefits to their own faction in their fight against an oppressive, galaxy spanning empire: Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, and Luke Skywalker.
Thank you all for the long read :P
Good analysis. I totally agree.
Well, the issue in my own campaing is becoming that the LG doesn't see the first seven absurd "laws" as just that, Absurd, and even shrugged at the addition of torture as a punishment for ship captains.
Now, by the end of book 1 that might change, it might not. The other two LG characters I have either have extremely personal reasons (one is in love with an NPC) or has chosen to join the resistance on the idea that Thrune is redacting history (which is viewed as wrong, even if legal) and that they may yet find proof that the new Lord-Mayor actually did kill the old Lord-Mayor.