The Nine Alignments
1. Lawful Good (LG) Lawful Good.
Lawful Good creatures do their best to do what society considers right. Those who fight injustice without hesitation and protect the innocent might be Lawful Good.
2. Neutral Good (NG) Neutral Good.
Neutral Good creatures do as much good as they can, acting within the limits of the rules but not feeling bound by them. Kind people who help others according to their needs might be Neutral Good.
3. Chaotic Good (CG) Chaotic Good.
Chaotic Good creatures act according to their conscience, caring little about what others think. A tax collector who robs a ruthless baron's taxman and uses the stolen money to help the poor might be Chaotic Good.
4. Lawful Neutral (LN) Lawful Good.
Lawful Neutral individuals act according to law, tradition, or personal creed. Those who follow a strict code of conduct and won't be swayed by the pleas of someone in danger or the temptations of evil might be Lawful Neutral.
5. Absolute Neutral (N) Neutral.
The Absolute Neutral alignment belongs to those who would rather avoid moral questions and refuse to take sides, acting according to what seems best at the time.
Someone tired of moral debates might be Absolute Neutral.
Most ordinary people start out this way, prioritizing survival and avoiding conflicts between alignments.
6. Chaotic Neutral (CN) Chaotic Neutral.
Chaotic Neutral creatures act on their whims, believing their personal freedom is more important than anything else.
A clever rogue who makes a living by wandering from place to place might be Chaotic Neutral.
7. Lawful Evil (LE) Lawful Evil.
Lawful Evil creatures methodically get what they want within the bounds of tradition, loyalty, or order.
A Noble who exploits the people while plotting to gain power might be Lawful Evil.
8. Neutral Evil (NE) Neutral Evil.
Neutral Evil is the alignment of those who don't care about the destruction they cause while pursuing what they want.
A criminal who robs and murders whenever they please might be Neutral Evil.
9. Chaotic Evil (CE) Chaotic Evil.
Chaotic Evil creatures commit violence at will, driven by hatred or bloodlust.
A villain devoted to plotting revenge and destruction might be Chaotic Evil.
Unaligned Creatures
Most creatures that lack the capacity for rational thought have no alignment; they are Unaligned.
For example, sharks are fierce predators, but they aren't evil, so they are Unaligned.