Lawful Good Hellknight

[AMFV]

I've recently been playing TOR, and that's gotten me thinking quite a bit about good characters in Evil Societies. In Pathfinder's Cheliax the Hellknights are undoubtedly one of the most unpleasant folks around, supporting one of the most evil empires. Do you think it would be possible to roleplay a good member of that order? What would it look like? How would the character interact with his superiors and others?

Many discussions have been had about playing an evil character in a good society, but what about the reverse. A good character who is not trying to forcibly subvert the evil society in which he lives, rather just to do as much good as possible. I think that's definitely an interesting character concept, so I'd love to hear you folks' opinion on it.

[Sacrieur]

Hellknights aren't evil though.

They care only about maintaining order, and this is what is good to them. A LG hellknight would have to do what is required of him, unquestionably. He may commit good acts, but where his duty and goodness collide, he must always uphold law and order, even if it means being evil. Failing this duty, even once, is a good way to get excommunicated or even killed; they will not tolerate dissent, especially in their own ranks.

Depending on the circumstances, maintaining anything except neutrality may be impossible.

[AMFV]

Hellknights aren't evil though.

They care only about maintaining order, and this is what is good to them. A LG hellknight would have to do what is required of him, unquestionably. He may commit good acts, but where his duty and goodness collide, he must always uphold law and order, even if it means being evil. Failing this duty, even once, is a good way to get excommunicated or even killed; they will not tolerate dissent, especially in their own ranks.

Depending on the circumstances, maintaining anything except neutrality may be impossible.

Hellknights are the enforcement arm of a government which is explicitly evil. It would be much easier to be a Hellknight if one is Evil. Alignments aren't really straightjackets, they don't force behavior, excluding Paladins, a character may be Good even IF they commit occasional acts of Evil. As long as their overall goodness is greater than their overall evilness, rather than in balance.

Maintaining Evil would again be easy, so would it be possible to be good. I think that might be a fascinating exercise, I've briefly toyed with a Paladin in their ranks idea, but that would be problematic for many reasons, although it could be quite interesting if it could be pulled off.

[Florian]

Short correction: Hellknights cooperate with the Chelix government but are no official part of Cheliax and can also be found elsewhere, like Citadel Wraith in Varisia or serving the korvosan crown.

Playing a LG Hellknight or even entering the PrC used on a Paladin is certainly possible. That would be Rookie Anderson in Judge Dredd, following the Measure and the Chain to a T, but still having a personal opinion on how to best go about it. That said, the whole environment and upper echelons will lead to a constant struggle to keep the high morality up.