Neutral Evil

A neutral evil villain does whatever she can get away with. She is out for herself, pure and simple. She sheds no tears for those she kills, whether for profit, sport, or convenience. She has no love of order and holds no illusion that following laws, traditions, or codes would make her any better or more noble. On the other hand, she doesn't have the restless nature or love of conflict that a chaotic evil villain has.

Some neutral evil villains hold up evil as an ideal, committing evil for its own sake. Most often, such villains are devoted to evil deities or secret societies.

Neutral evil beings consider their alignment to be the best because they can advance themselves without regard for others.

Neutral evil is the most dangerous alignment because it represents pure evil without honor and without variation.

The Philosophy of Neutral Evil

Neutral evil is the philosophy that the self is best advanced by using whatever means necessary. It is a philosophy of egoistic consequentialism. This philosophy holds that people should behave egoistically and embrace any social order that allows them to gain the most power. Neutral evil can also be associated with act egoism, personal ethical egoism, and social darwinism.

Neutral evil philosophers generally maintain that there is metaphysical balance in the multiverse and thus may support doctrines of soft determinism, pragmatism, conventionalism, and/or instrumentalism. They may believe in free will or choice. They could also embrace skepticism or suspend judgment on philosophical issues. They tend to be moral relativists, holding that values differ from society to society, from person to person; that they are conditioned by the peculiarities of the society in which they arise; that they are not universally applicable at all times or in all places; and that they are correct or incorrect, desirable or undesirable only relative to whether or not they conform to a common norm or to common acceptance.

The ideal government for this alignment is any social order in which radical egoism is rewarded and altruism is punished. Neutral evil beings will try to secure the most power for themselves and will use the power of the state to accomplish this or the act against the state, if more power can be gained in this manner. Retributive justice is favored by neutral evil beings.

The Neutral Evil Code

The personal code of a neutral evil character may look like this:

1. You shall lie to advance yourself.

2. You shall harm the innocent to advance yourself.

3. You shall kill to advance yourself.

4. You shall not aid the weak.

5. You shall honor those who are stronger.

6. You shall follow the law only to advance yourself.

7. You shall betray friends, family, community, and nation to advance yourself.

8. You shall not aid those who protect the weak.

9. You shall not show mercy to enemies.

10. You shall seek unlimited power over others.

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Ten Neutral Evil Signs of Weakness

Likewise, a neutral evil character may consider the following as signs of weakness. A sign of weakness indicates that the character is straying from the cruel tenets of the neutral evil philosophy. This list is given in the order of least severe infraction to most severe.

1. Failing to show malice or inflict pain upon an innocent when it would be pleasurable to do so.

2. Not challenging a clearly weak leader for leadership.

3. Keeping your word when doing so would interfere with personal gain.

4. Refusing to commit cruel act that would harm your enemy or rival when appropriate.

5. Making a sacrifice to help another when not important to your survival.

6. Failing to commit cruel acts that are in your best interest.

7. Refusing to kill for personal gain or wealth.

8. Turning down a chance to gain power or wealth.

9. Showing mercy to one who is opposed to you or your cause.

10. Aiding the servants of Goodness.

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The Neutral Evil Adventurer

The following two lists detail common actions undertaken during "adventuring" that are considered honorable and dishonorable for the neutral evil alignment. An honorable action is one that is in keeping with the spirit of this alignment, while dishonorable actions tend to be those which bring shame to the character in the eyes of his or her alignment peers. Note that an action which is considered honorable by one alignment may be considered dishonorable by another alignment and vice versa.

The following actions are honorable for this alignment:

Accused of crime (innocent or not)

Attacking an unarmed or obviously inferior opponent

Defeating a superior opponent

Delivering death blow to a helpless opponent

Desecrating an enemy's corpse

Dirty Fighting

Falsely claiming the 'bragging rights' that belong to another or outright lying

Fleeing a fight with a superior opponent

Gloating over a victory

Neglecting to properly bury a member of one's own race

Paying off an extortionist or shake-down

Perpetrate humiliating prank on enemy

Refusing a fair contest/challenge

Reporting the illegal actions of enemies to the authorities when profitable

Taking a bribe

Taunting an enemy into fighting

Unjustly slaying a prisoner or unarmed opponent who has yielded

Walking away from a challenge

The following actions are dishonorable for this alignment:

Allowing a disarmed enemy to pick up his weapon

Allowing the enemy to attack first

Defeated by an inferior opponent

Picking up the funeral expenses of someone you slew in combat

Refusing medical treatment for the good of the party

Saving the life of another at great risk to own self

Taking an arrow or hit for someone else

Taking prisoners

Neutral Evil and Society

A neutral evil being...

Values his family, but will not heed their requests necessarily.

Will provide for friends, and expects to be repaid in some manner.

Does not seek positions of authority over others.

Fits in with their society.

Supports their nation when profitable.

Supports the law when advantageous to do so.

Is not concerned with politics, most likely.

Will keep his word only if it is profitable.

Will take risks if the benefits are great.

Will betray family members for personal gain.

Will betray friends if profitable.

Will seek to undermine his community and nation, especially if profitable.

Is not trusted by the community and may have enemies.

Will kill others to get ahead.

Uses any means necessary to evade justice.

Will use wealth to destroy others.

The residents of a community with a neutral evil government are usually oppressed and subjugated, facing a dire future. Neutral evil societies tend to adopt whatever government seems most expedient at the moment. A particular form of government lasts as long as the ruler or dynasty in power can maintain it. Neutral evil countries tend to be brutal dictatorships. Transfers of power are usually marked by shifts in government, often bloody coups. There is a certain apathy about politics and government.