The * Frilond * Campaign
Pentian Cosmology and D&D Alignment

The Frilond campaign does not use alignments as described in the core rules. The D&D alignment system does not exactly mesh well with a Pentian world view. No one in Frilond has any concept of alignments as presented in the game; Pentian mythology is strongly dualistic (or maybe even triplistic). Religious thinkers occasionally speak in terms of law and chaos, but finer distinctions than this are rarely made: you're either going to the drink from the Fountain, or you aren't. The best way to describe the Five, for example, would be simply "Lawful." The Church of the Five is predominantly Lawful Neutral, but also contains elements which are Lawful Good and other elements which are Lawful Evil. And it is possible to find individual members of the clergy from any alignment.

Priests who are able to use spells (known as theurgists) are almost always lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good, although it is possible for lawful evil and (even more rarely) chaotic good priests to be granted spells from the Five. Regardless of alignment, virtually no reversed forms of priest spells are granted by the Five, and absolutely no priest may command undead. Lawful evil priests of the Five are able to turn undead.

Pentian cosmology holds that the outer planes are divided into three broad regions: the first is Empyrean, the Kingdom of the Five, which contains the Shining City. This region embodies Law. The second region is the infernal realm of the Shaithim, usually called the Pit or Perdition. This place embodies chaos and evil. The third region is usually called the Grey Realm or Purgatory. Here wait the souls who are neither wicked enough to deserve the Pit or virtuous enough to enter the City.

Upon death, it is believed that Pentian souls travel to one of these three realms. Alignment, as described in the D&D game, plays a part in determining where a soul ultimately ends up—but only one part. Obedience to the Five clearly plays the most important role in determining whether or not a soul enters the City. It is not impossible, therefore, to find chaotic good or even neutral good souls consigned to the Pit, although such occurrences are rare.