Wither Alignments?

   So Project Descent is kicking along quite well with 24 out of 32 heroes painted up so far. The lovely weather sure helps and I'm very happy with how they are turning out. When these are done I shall be moving on to the smaller foes like the beastmen and the sorcerers and moving up in scale till I finish off with the demons and dragon. 

  Anyhoo, on Facebook recently there has been a discussion on the use for alignment and is it worth the bother? In my games alignment is something chosen by the players to show their allegiance to the great forces of the universe rather than a philosophical view point. Evil and Chaos are very much real and will try to destroy all of reality unless opposed. Given this, and that the gods will tinker in mortal affairs, wrong doers may find themselves burning in hell or spending eternity haunting the Shadowfell. With this in mind, alignment suddenly becomes quite important. The player characters are champions fighting to spread the ideals of the force(s) they have chosen to serve. The common man may not matter much in the great scheme of things but what of Melmoth, 14th level Warlock in thrall to the King in Yellow? His mere presence brings the attention of higher beings who seek to advance their will in The Great Game. 

  But what of monster alignment? Can a whole race be evil and if so is putting them to the slaughter deemed good? If Evil manifest stalks the land in my world then orcs, goblins and the like will seep naturally out the the dark, damp spaces of the world fully grown and ready to reek havoc. There are no women and children of these creatures to pity and spare the blade. Attacking them without provocation though will bring the killer to the attention of dark powers who will attempt to cajole the hero into more atrocities until their soul becomes beholden to them. But what of half-orcs? These creatures touched by darkness but born of man have their fate in their own hands. They may succumb to brute thuggery or advance themselves in the world around them to become exemplars of their class.

  So alignment in my games is a really important tool to show where you stand in The Great Game. Law and Chaos must forever be in balance and Good must stand against Evil wherever it can or all will be lost. Hail Pazuzu!