Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pallis 08-11-04, 08:05 AM	I've noticed in discussion that Thrane seems to be getting bad press, almost as though people are seeing this nation as being 'the bad guys'. With this in mind, I'm wondering how the nations are viewed in relation to an alignment. Is Thrane Chaotic Neutral? Zilargo Neutral Good? That sort of thing... Also, following on from this, what are the House alignments? For both these questions, I'm talking about getting to the issue of an overreaching ethic that can be summed up by alignment displacement. Ok, Karrnath used undead troops in the LW, but does that make them evil? Over to you guys... :whatsthis
q'afuu 08-11-04, 08:38 AM	Alignments are much more blurry in Eberron than in 'regular' D&D. One of the reasons for that is that alignments are based much more on viewpoint than on a strict alignment axis that applies equally to everyone. To use one of your examples, namely undead: creating them and using them is generally considered evil by the standards of regular D&D, without many considerations that have to be made. In Eberron, there are cultures that don't see the concept as necessarily evil (Aerenal, for instance). As such, using necromancy to create undead in ways that aren't considered evil, isn't evil either. The gray areas, among other things, mean that if you don't think what you do is evil, it may well not shift your alignment towards that category. I'm loathe to bring RL in it and I sincerely hope this won't spawn a debate on RL moral, legal and/or philosophical issues, but I can't think of a better way to explain it: IRL, some criminals aren't considered eveil, because they don't know any better. You're not evil if you can't understand, because of a psychological defect or whatever, that your actions in effect are evil (disclaimer: I'm not making any judgement about the example I just used. I'm stating it as fact, I'm not addressing my feelings about it in any way - I ask everyone to do the same). If you do realize that what you do is evil, and you still do it for no reason other than that you want to anyway, then you're evil. Eberron alignments function kind of like that. As such, I'd say most Eberron nations as a whole are neutral. You'll have people who are evil, you'll have people who are good and most will fall somewhere in between. That's a logical consequence of the pulp/noir feel of the setting.
lugnut71 08-11-04, 10:45 AM	Actual it is best not to think of a nation to have an alignment. In Ebberon good nations do bad things, bad nations do good things. Thrane might cause a inqustition killing hundreds but it is also the strongest force fighting the Lords of Dust. It is better to leave an organization alignmentless also.
LewisLlynn 09-01-04, 01:43 PM	If you really want to pin each nation/house with an alignment, This is how I would do it: All Houses: N Aundair: NG Breland: LG Darguun: LN Eldeen Reaches: NG Karnnath: LN Lhazaar Principalities: CN Mror Holds: LN Q'barra: N Talenta Plains: LG Thrane: LG Valenar: CN Zilargo: CG\ Just my personal Opinion.
ZiD 09-01-04, 08:59 PM	Well as q'fauu said, alignment in Eberron is much more blurry in comparison to other realms such as Fae'run. But for me, I generally use alignment in coincidence with the type of critter/its environ/etc. For example, a particular house may have people of many different alignments due to upbringing, moral choices, etc. Of course religion and all that to me would significantly affect that. Anyways, off topic haha. For houses I would just tack Neutral to the house as a whole like Lewis said. Theres too many possible alignments inside a house to shift it towards one direction. For undead tho I'd choose just plain Neutral due to the fact that they are summoned and controled, have no minds of their own. They attack anyone or anything. Unless its like an intelligent undead, like a Lich. I'm rambling and lost track of the topic haha... sorryz :D
Serpentine 09-02-04, 01:06 AM	As said before, Eberron organizations are not necessarily bound by alignment. The houses should be strictly neutral in their business dealings. The reason Thrane gets bad press is because many people immediately make the connection between the Silver Flame's purges, a theocratic regime, and RL crusades/inquisitions/genocides. Not to start a flame war or anything -- I deliberately did not specify any RL country or religion. There are two ways we could establish alignment for a country: through a sense of general, community sentiment, or through direction from the higher-ups in charge. Any country which focuses on obeying either military structure, class, power or economic-based structure, or religious directives is generally lawful. Any country which focuses on individuality and freedom, where positions change freely, or operates in smaller groups is generally chaotic. Countries that are neither or both are neutral. Chaotic: Breland*, Lhazaar Principalities, Talenta Plains, Valenar, Zilargo Neutral: Aundair, Darguun, Eldeen Reaches, Q'Barra Lawful: Aerenal, Karrnath*, Mror Holds, Thrane Looking in the Adventuring in .... section gives a pretty good overview of what people in the area are like, and what the laws are like and how they are enforced.
ZiD 09-02-04, 11:09 AM	^^ Yay for eberron