Re: Ravages - I've never really liked any of the alignment tied abilities or even items. I find that most things tied to alignments (ie holy sword) simply work better as tied to a class (ie holy avenger). It just makes the item that much cooler and far more useful over all (not to mention less of a headache).

As far as ravages go, I'd likely either not include them, or use a variation of the system you mentioned where they affect people based on a behavior (poetic justice). I'd also make this common knowledge and build in a set of superstitions tied to behaviors ravages commonly target (knocking on wood after boasting so that it doesn't come back to bite you). It would all be roleplay, but then thats the part of the game I like more.

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Re:Eating souls gives xp bonus...

Personally... the way I see it, eating a soul gives you the bonus that the person you destroyed cannot be resurrected, ever. The power you get from that sort of activity is the fear it generates in others. If this guy kills you, you stay dead no mater what. In the DnD world thats scary, scary in a way that a elder red wyrm just isn't.

I'd give a fear aura based on reliable reputation myself or at the least a heavy bonus on Intimidate checks, something which can be graphed as a square root (not exponentially but the other way) starting quickly and then slowing down requiring ever increasing consumption to gain even a small bonus.
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Re:Good Evil spectrum

Personally I think there should be a alignment graph, rather than chart:


((Positions on the imaginary graph are do to where
We have the X axis: Law vs Chaos (-X to X)
The Y axis: Evil vs Good (-Y to Y)

Now for the puproses of argument you have Neutral defined as any number under |1| in any direction.

Law is any number between -2 and -1 on the X axis
Obsessive Compulsive (and/or Miko-esque strictness) is -3 to -2 on the X axis

Chaos is any number between 1 and 2 on the X axis
Completely Random, pure anarchist, or the like is a 2 to 3 on the X axis.

Evil is between -2 to -1 on the Y axis
Vile (as you described) is between -3 to -2 on the Y axis

Good is between 1 to 2 on the Y axis
Exalted (your version of Benevolent) is between 2 to 3 on the Y axis.

a 4 should be reserved for beings like Constructs or such that are unable to function outside of that parameter and should be impossible to exist on both axis (something with a -4 on the X axis instantly has a 0 on the Y axis and cannot do anything it has not received instructions for in the proper format and cannot receive new instrunctions until it has completed the previous task.) An Inveitable is an example of Alignment (-4, 0), or True Lawful.

This way you get Lawful, Axiomatic, Good, Exalted, Chaotic, Anarchic, Evil, Vile, Neutral, and True _____ as alignment options...

Most people will think that this is too complicated for the current DnD system, and I agree with them. But I feel alignment is best used as an RP guide and less as a hard mechanic (not that I agree with the direction 4th ed took with it at all).

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I personally believe vows and the such are best worked out between players and DMs and that the ones provided in the books are examples or templates.

creating a character based on Doctor Who for a DnD game isn't exactly a bright idea if you DM wants to play a hack and slash, but if they want an investigation and mystery campaign with a dangerous or violent aspect to it, suddely that Vow you made to always try to reason with the BBEG and give them a second chance becomes an easy plot hook for the DM to work with and create a more interesting story while giving the player a spotlight. Like alighment I see these more as role play "flags" for players to let the DMs know what sort of story they are hoping for.

That said, chastity being vowed by a follower of a fertility god should be akin to denouncing that god before all... and would lead to a very amusing story hook if I was DMing it (the god sends its most loyal, and attractive, servants to try to break your vow just so that they can get their follower back into their weave)... done right, it would be a very funny story arch, done wrong and you'd really need that "book of vile fantasy"

as to deformations being vile, they make as much sense as abstinence being inherently good... both are based off of actual middle ages beliefs that have no bearing on most game worlds what so ever.

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re: Serving an Evil god...

At that point, its all fluff which never really translates well to my home brew worlds. I rarely run games with PCs at a high enough level that death isn't an obstacle of some sort and the idea of Evil gods (particularly gods of treachery and such) following through on their promises makes as much sense as people selling their souls to devils.

Whatever fluff best fits your setting is the right fluff. If you don't see it, make it. If you don't like it, change it. This is how I usually run games, and so far without complaint form my players (quiet the oposite on fluff matters... mechanics I sometimes get complaints about, but thats because I consider everything outside the PHB optional for players and half my group considers anything in a book from which I've approved any single item to be fair play