Alignment
"Help me!" the old man screamed. The man beating him gave a laugh that came out like a snort. The other man grunted back and continued to beat the old man, now quite pitifully curled up in a fetal position. "Help me!!" the old man screamed in desperation. The three adventurers stood, watching.
"Let's help him!" Said the Paladin heroically, puffing out his chest and drawing his sword with flourish. The paladin rushed forward.
"Hold on." the Ranger said quickly, stopping the Paladin in his tracks.
"What?" said the Paladin, clearly confused.
"Why are we helping the old man? How do we know he's a friend?" responded the Ranger.
"Well of course he's a friend! And after we save him, he'll give us instructions on how to continue with our quest!" The Paladin said enthusiastically.
"Oh please" the Ranger said. "We can't just assume that! We have to have good, in-character reasons for helping that man."
The Mage looked puzzled. "But the poor helpless victim always helps us after we save them! And often the victim turns out to be a powerful mage, or someone rich or generally someone who can help us." he exclaimed.
"Does that man look like a powerful mage to you?" asked the Ranger, pointing to the victimized old man.
"Hmm...." said the Mage. "He doesn't look rich either....we have a better chance if we help the thugs."
The Paladin crinkled his nose in confusion. "But we should help the old man because it's the right thing to do!" the Paladin finally reasoned.
"To you maybe." responded the Ranger. "But remember, my alignment is neutral."
The Paladin scratched his head pensively.
"Yeah, and my alignment is chaotic good" said the Mage.
"But that would mean you're still good right?" The Paladin responded.
"I guess....what's chaotic good anyway?" asked the Mage. "I suppose the real question is, what's good?" The Ranger responded.
"I think this is all unnecessary" interrupted the Mage. "It's obvious that helping someone will make him help us. Let's help for that reason, who cares about in-character reasons?" There was a moment of silence, penetrated only by the protests of the old man being beaten in the background.
"Well, being lawful good I'm supposed to oppose evil, tell the truth, uphold the law, help the needy and speak out against injustice." The Paladin said heroically. He drew his sword with flourish. "And beating old men is against the law, and that old man is in need!"
the Paladin started to run towards the old man, when the Ranger spoke again, "We've been wandering for weeks, what country are we in? What's the law around here anyway? Furthermore, who's really in need? Maybe those thugs are beating that old man for a reason. Who's to say the old man's needs are more important?"
The Paladin stopped, again, in his tracks. "Good point" He said, sitting down again.
"Help me!" the old man repeated.
"Of course!" the Mage exclaimed. He shuffled around his bag and pulled out a copy of the Player's Handbook. "This should settle it. Ok, lawful good Paladin, you should help those in need and stuff. Neutral Ranger, you do your own thing, and I, chaotic good, adhere to my own moral code!"
The Mage smiled. "I guess that settles it."
"Finally!" the Ranger exclaimed. The Paladin smiled in agreement and started towards the brutalized old man.
With the roll of a few dice, the Old man was dead and the party of three adventurers gained two new NPC's.