Falconer
2009-04-04, 07:34 PM
Please note that I've posted this in Arts and Crafts rather than in gaming because it's intended first and foremost as a writing exercise rather than a discussion on the D&D rules. I enjoyed writing this thing, and I hope all of you enjoy reading it. So without further ado...
Always Chaotic Evil
In the Monster Manual, there's all manner of creatures with all kinds of fantastic abilities and traits and powers and appearances. Some are ridiculously awesome, and others are…less so. But do you know what a ton of them have in common? The label of 'Evil' as their alignment. But why?
….anyone?....
…….anyone?.....
….Beuller? ….Beuller?...
Exactly! And thus, we shall investigate this matter most thoroughly, and we shall never, ever say "it makes no sense, just ignore it". Why? Because that's no fun! That requires no analysis! No thinking! And I don't get to force you all to listen to my ideas!
First up, we have some of my favorite baddies, the..
Rakshasa
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82161.jpg
Y'know, I've always liked Rakshasa. They have a sort of aristocratic classiness to them that just makes them great villains. But I ask myself: why does it say, in the SRD, that they are "always lawful evil"? They are spirits native to the material plane, a mildly neutral plane, so they are not simple manifestations of a great evil. They do not have the evil subtype, and so it is not inherent in their natures. So what is it, in their kind, that leads them, almost uniformly, to be Lawful Evil?
It is my opinion here that we go by their appearance. Do not misunderstand: I'm not saying "OMG they lookz mean so dey iz EEEVILZ!!1!" That would be stupid. But their appearance is that of a tiger, is it not? And so, it is not unreasonable to conclude that they have some manner of connection to said animal. I'll expand on this in a second. For now...
So Why are They Evil?
Evil, as specified in the SRD, is "implies hurting, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient." Personally, I don't like that definition of evil, as its far too simplistic; but nonetheless, it is what we are given to work with. So what is it that drives Rakshasa to hurt, oppress, and kill others, without exception (or nearly so)?
My theory is that its just so easy for them. Ridiculously easy. They have fangs and claws, and a rather impressive arcane arsenal that is just at their fingertips. Say you're a rakshasa. Is that monk really, really getting on your nerves? Then just slaughter the idiotic buffoon and be done with it. That court jester told one too many jokes about native outsiders? Then rip him limb from limb and eat him. Why? Because you can. And if you can, why not? You can kill the vast majority of things around you by sneezing at them, so it's not like you'll be held accountable. To a creature with the instincts of a jungle cat, death is a quick, easy, and satisfying solution to nearly any problem. Until the adventurers come, of course.
So Why are They Lawful?
This one is a bit trickier, especially as "lawful" is a very vague concept, with no good definition, not even in the SRD. In the SRD, lawful characters are described as people who "tell the truth, keep their word, respect authority, honor tradition, and judge those who fall short of their duties." Whoopdee-friggin'-doo. True, we can work with this, but only in respect to a character's interactions with society. I imagine Rakshasa, by virtue of their sparse numbers, would not have a society, or at least not in the typical sense of the word. I picture them essentially growing up by themselves, and, throughout their immortal life spans, only meeting up with others of their own kind every few centuries in order to do the nasty and make the next generation of fuzzy little killing machines. And in a lonely, ageless lifespan, I imagine there's little to do. Oh, of course, you can take up hobbies: hoarding treasure, slaughtering peasants, or knitting, but sooner or later, such trivialities will grow boring…unfulfilling. They look to their surroundings for meaning and purpose. And to Rakshasa, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, has a purpose. A reason. Nothing is 'just because'. This affects their interactions with others, too, even with activities that most people would consider 'chaotic': when they lie, cheat, and steal, there is a reason for it. It is never just for the heck of it. There's always an ulterior motive. A higher goal. When they genuinely make a promise, they fully intend to follow through on it. Whatever they start, they plan to finish. You could say that they're creatures of habit, but it's more than that. They do what they do because they've concluded that their way is the BEST way. The ONLY way. And come hell or high water, they’re going to stick to it.
General RP Ideas
Unlike what one might logically conclude about immortality, that it keeps one focused on the moment and never worrying about what is to come, I think the opposite takes effect: Rakshasa are, in fact, completely obsessed with the future. In their ageless lifespans, they lose their sense of the present and focus on the future and past. Just by virtue (or vice, in this case) of the way their native outsider brains have developed, they're constantly worrying about their future prospects, and always fretting about the past. Oh, they can certainly acknowledge the moment: it's not like they're literally stuck in the future or the past (as interesting as that would be). They can still cast Fireball on those hapless adventurers who stumbled into their cave/secret lab. But their thoughts and plans and hopes and dreams are always in the distant future. Once their evil plan to take over the kingdom has succeeded, it's on to the next diabolical project, like destroying the world or stealing Christmas.
Just a random thought
Can you imagine a rakshasa cub? It would be completely adorable. Seriously. Think of it.
"Koochykoochykoo! Who's a good rakshasa? Who's a good rakshasa? That's right! You are! …wait…wait a second...what are you...DEAR GOD IT'S GOT MY LEG!!!
Always Chaotic Evil
In the Monster Manual, there's all manner of creatures with all kinds of fantastic abilities and traits and powers and appearances. Some are ridiculously awesome, and others are…less so. But do you know what a ton of them have in common? The label of 'Evil' as their alignment. But why?
….anyone?....
…….anyone?.....
….Beuller? ….Beuller?...
Exactly! And thus, we shall investigate this matter most thoroughly, and we shall never, ever say "it makes no sense, just ignore it". Why? Because that's no fun! That requires no analysis! No thinking! And I don't get to force you all to listen to my ideas!
First up, we have some of my favorite baddies, the..
Rakshasa
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/eb_gallery/82161.jpg
Y'know, I've always liked Rakshasa. They have a sort of aristocratic classiness to them that just makes them great villains. But I ask myself: why does it say, in the SRD, that they are "always lawful evil"? They are spirits native to the material plane, a mildly neutral plane, so they are not simple manifestations of a great evil. They do not have the evil subtype, and so it is not inherent in their natures. So what is it, in their kind, that leads them, almost uniformly, to be Lawful Evil?
It is my opinion here that we go by their appearance. Do not misunderstand: I'm not saying "OMG they lookz mean so dey iz EEEVILZ!!1!" That would be stupid. But their appearance is that of a tiger, is it not? And so, it is not unreasonable to conclude that they have some manner of connection to said animal. I'll expand on this in a second. For now...
So Why are They Evil?
Evil, as specified in the SRD, is "implies hurting, oppressing, and killing others. Some evil creatures simply have no compassion for others and kill without qualms if doing so is convenient." Personally, I don't like that definition of evil, as its far too simplistic; but nonetheless, it is what we are given to work with. So what is it that drives Rakshasa to hurt, oppress, and kill others, without exception (or nearly so)?
My theory is that its just so easy for them. Ridiculously easy. They have fangs and claws, and a rather impressive arcane arsenal that is just at their fingertips. Say you're a rakshasa. Is that monk really, really getting on your nerves? Then just slaughter the idiotic buffoon and be done with it. That court jester told one too many jokes about native outsiders? Then rip him limb from limb and eat him. Why? Because you can. And if you can, why not? You can kill the vast majority of things around you by sneezing at them, so it's not like you'll be held accountable. To a creature with the instincts of a jungle cat, death is a quick, easy, and satisfying solution to nearly any problem. Until the adventurers come, of course.
So Why are They Lawful?
This one is a bit trickier, especially as "lawful" is a very vague concept, with no good definition, not even in the SRD. In the SRD, lawful characters are described as people who "tell the truth, keep their word, respect authority, honor tradition, and judge those who fall short of their duties." Whoopdee-friggin'-doo. True, we can work with this, but only in respect to a character's interactions with society. I imagine Rakshasa, by virtue of their sparse numbers, would not have a society, or at least not in the typical sense of the word. I picture them essentially growing up by themselves, and, throughout their immortal life spans, only meeting up with others of their own kind every few centuries in order to do the nasty and make the next generation of fuzzy little killing machines. And in a lonely, ageless lifespan, I imagine there's little to do. Oh, of course, you can take up hobbies: hoarding treasure, slaughtering peasants, or knitting, but sooner or later, such trivialities will grow boring…unfulfilling. They look to their surroundings for meaning and purpose. And to Rakshasa, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, has a purpose. A reason. Nothing is 'just because'. This affects their interactions with others, too, even with activities that most people would consider 'chaotic': when they lie, cheat, and steal, there is a reason for it. It is never just for the heck of it. There's always an ulterior motive. A higher goal. When they genuinely make a promise, they fully intend to follow through on it. Whatever they start, they plan to finish. You could say that they're creatures of habit, but it's more than that. They do what they do because they've concluded that their way is the BEST way. The ONLY way. And come hell or high water, they’re going to stick to it.
General RP Ideas
Unlike what one might logically conclude about immortality, that it keeps one focused on the moment and never worrying about what is to come, I think the opposite takes effect: Rakshasa are, in fact, completely obsessed with the future. In their ageless lifespans, they lose their sense of the present and focus on the future and past. Just by virtue (or vice, in this case) of the way their native outsider brains have developed, they're constantly worrying about their future prospects, and always fretting about the past. Oh, they can certainly acknowledge the moment: it's not like they're literally stuck in the future or the past (as interesting as that would be). They can still cast Fireball on those hapless adventurers who stumbled into their cave/secret lab. But their thoughts and plans and hopes and dreams are always in the distant future. Once their evil plan to take over the kingdom has succeeded, it's on to the next diabolical project, like destroying the world or stealing Christmas.
Just a random thought
Can you imagine a rakshasa cub? It would be completely adorable. Seriously. Think of it.
"Koochykoochykoo! Who's a good rakshasa? Who's a good rakshasa? That's right! You are! …wait…wait a second...what are you...DEAR GOD IT'S GOT MY LEG!!!