Chaos, and how it do

[Catarang]

I'm playing a chaotic neutral character (half-orc barbarian munchkin build that includes FB, Berserk, and Tribal Protector). I have no idea how to play a chaotic neutral character however. I have just united all the half orc tribes on the steppes at a moot, and am now preparing to march on the low lander empire, the empire of man. I would like some basic ground rules for the code I'm going to live by as a Chaotic Neutral Half Orc Barbarian/FB/Beserk/Tribal Protector Chieftain of many tribes and the tips you give will please include something about the following:

A) The fact that I'm chaotic neutral. Just in general some do's and don'ts for the alignment. I've seen other characters be chaotic neutral in campaigns before, but it always seemed just an excuse to be chaotic evil instead.

B) how to swing that into a tribal/Half orc chieftain vibe, aka a non written communally understood code of law. I understand being both chaotic and neutral i'm not the biggest fan of written law, and as such I was thinking more of a Social Darwinist "Might makes Right" sorta motif, probably settled by duels (not to the death unless a serious issue, such as murder accusations and the like).

C) Rules of warfare for fighting a Lawful neutral/lawful evil speciesist empire that would not stop until every other culture/race is integrated or destroyed. What will I stoop to to get the job done. Will I be murdering them whole sale? Will I go for a kind eye for an eye sorta deal? What will be the breaking point of this character and will I, if ever, stoop to their level of murder and slavery.

[Afgncaap5]

If you'd like a non-evil example of chaotic neutral, I might suggest looking at Captain Jack Sparrow (especially in the first movie.) Chaotic Neutral people generally have preferences for the way things should be, but few (if any) hard and fast scruples regarding those preferences.

An easy trap to fall into with chaotic neutrality is to assume that it means selfishness, which isn't always the case. What it *does* mean is that your character will be guided by whim more than any pre-established notions. Figure out what your orc warchief wants, and then make that warchief act in whatever manner would best get you toward that goal. Does this orc want the evil oppressive empire destroyed? Certainly. Does the orc want to slaughter all the babies of the villages they pass through? Probably not, not if you're not actually evil. Does the orc want to tell the people of the village that if they go to reinforce the army that they'll be back to slaughter the babies? Maybe; this level of deceit (especially one that might cause terror) could be seen as evil. On the other hand, if it's stated as "If you join their army, then my forces will have to retreat and your village happens to lie right on the most convenient route home for us. I don't know how good your children are at evading a stampede of orcs on the run, and I don't know if I can tell my troops to NOT stampede through your town, so for the safety of your children I'd avoid heading out to join your empire's military. By the way, I had some men burn the bridges out of town while we've been talking" then it might work.)

Ultimately, a chaotic neutral character knows what it wants, and then finds the quickest route to that goal even if that violates some pre-established rule that other characters wouldn't break. If your orc has sworn to oppose the powers of some evil demon's cultists, but is then in a situation where only the cultists will live, then the orc is likely to quickly perform the cult-joining ritual just before the calamity strikes (and worry about finding a way to leave said cult later.)

Regarding your thoughts on social Darwinism... that strikes me as more Lawful Neutral (or possibly True Neutral.) I can see a chaotic neutral society having a rule like that... but then individuals within the society making exceptions everywhere. Not to use the PotC movies for every example, but it's worth noting the "Pirate Code" that they have, and the repeated line saying "They're more like guidelines..." (Note also that the one single time in the movie that a character tries to rely on the "They're more like guidelines" line, it's the one time that it doesn't really work.)

For your final question... that's one of those issues that great stories are made of, and it's possible that a war that goes on long enough will change your orc's alignment. A good example of a "Chaotic Good" sort of warfare might be the guerilla-style tactics of the Freedom Fighters from the old 1990s SatAM "Sonic the Hedgehog" cartoon. The key of continually moving toward whatever your goal is might guide you through this... you may well murder someone in the name of your cause, but the next day you might let someone live in the name of your cause. Some might call this inconsistent. You call it chaotic, though, so you can deal with it. If you ever find that you *Can't* deal with it... then you might just be changing your alignment.

[rmnimoc]

I'll Admit I Just Sort Of Skimmed Your Post.

And Yet, With What I've Seen, Here Is My Nice Plan For You:

Step 1: Realize That A Huge Part Of Chaos Is Individual Freedoms.
Step 2: Watch Braveheart.
Step 3: Realize you are Playing A Half-Orc Version Of WILLIAM FREAKING WALLACE!!!!!!!!
Step 4: Write Down Every One Of His Lines. Actually, Here: FREEDOM (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112573/quotes)!
Step 5: For The Demi-Orc Chieftan Vibe, I'd Suggest That Your One Real "Law" Be That People Can Do Whatever The Hell They Want. Vigilante Justice Is Expected, If You Can Get Revenge Than So Be It. If Not, Too Bad. As A Chaotic Character You May Have Rules Of Engagement, But They Probably Will Be Broken The Instant They Don't Accomplish Your Goals. You Very Well May Engage In Slavery, And You Are The Kind Of Character Most Likely To Slide Down The Slippery Slope.

Step ?: "Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!"

[bekeleven]

I've played chaos many ways. One of my favorite chaotic neutral characters tended to assign odds to decisions based on risk and I rolled dice to determine his actions. Generally low numbers benefited the party and high numbers, himself.

More recently I wrote up a personality for a chaotic fey:


Some view chaos as the result of entropy getting sloshed and knocking up madness. Not so. To those that truly embrace it, chaos is the most predictable thing in the world.

Beings of law are beings of process. Beings of chaos are beings of results. Don't sweat the small stuff when you meet Nidawi: She's goal-oriented. That's it! That's the secret everyone wanted to know. Isn't life so much simpler?

[...]

Her friends at the palace tried to explain about the fun of it, which is how Nidawi decided to structure her process. She liked fun just as they did. If people overpowered and enslaved her people or herself, or otherwise overrode her agency, she would be unable to have fun. Therefore, gaining more power is the long-term route to amusement.

Nidawi is long-term. She's big-picture. But she's not lawful. If she were, she probably wouldn't have found herself assaulting evil wizards in pursuit of ultimate safety. But then, the safety was also just a stepping stone. Maybe the assault will be fun, too.