Paladins choice

[hamishspence]

Fiendish Codex 2 has a short list of Corrupt acts (ones which can send the Lawful character to the Nine Hells regardless of their actual alignment, if there's enough not atoned for.

Desecrating a Good temple was one.

Stealing from the needy was another.

Torture (which ranges in evilness from intimidating torture, that does not involve inflicting lethal damage, to indescribable torture, that involves inflicting a great deal of damage) was a third.

Murder (unfortunately not explicitly defined in D&D) was a fourth- with "ordinary" murder being least bad "cold-blooded" murder being worse, and "murder for pleasure" being worst of all.



on the question of whether "doing nothing" can itself be an act with moral weight- there is an old joke:

Student- "Should I be punished for something I haven't done?"
Head- "No."
Student- "Good- cos I haven't done my homework."

A sentry who does nothing but watch while enemy scouts break into the castle he's guarding will get court-martialled, a doctor who does nothing but watch when sick people in urgent need of treatment are brought in when he's on duty, will get fired,

and a Paladin who does nothing but watch while evil deeds are committed in front of him, will probably fall- as might a Paladin who does nothing but watch while a person dies who could be saved by him at little effort.

Good characters have a duty to others- there are times when doing nothing at all, is a dereliction of that duty.