People have a really weird view of evil in Roleplaying and Media. People either look at it as a force intent on destruction, or define it as 'cool people' who 'do what they want' -- but only to NPCs or people who want it. This is not 'evil'.

 

When I play a character who is evil, they often have many redeeming qualities that people appreciate; but the core quality of evil ... what makes someone "bad" ... is that they are willing to sacrifice other people's happiness, investments, lives, or convenience in the name of pushing their own agenda. Even if that's "killing random strangers to help provide for my daughter". You see, evil doesn't kick the puppy for no reason. It isn't blind rage. Evil is a choice -- a defined crossover, a moral event horizon where you start looking at the things other people want or need as expendable. Especially if you're willing to lead them along for a little bit to get what you want out of them before you toss them aside or start ignoring their needs.

 

People expect you to kick the puppy. They expect you to grab the damsel in distress by the hair and drag her off to your dungeon. They're OOCly okay with that -- but the moment you make their character look like a fool, or the moment you stab them in the guts for good reason? The moment things make sense ... that's when most people realize they've made a terrible, terrible mistake about someone's evil character.

 

This is usually the moment that players -- unreasonably in my opinion -- get OOCly offended.

 

My character doesn't go for obvious bait in front of witnesses. She doesn't kill people in broad daylight, while they're paying attention. She doesn't grab random people out of her tavern and sacrifice them to the Demon Queen of Spiders. She doesn't kick animals that aren't doing anything to her. And she has no interest in the worthless, helpless little girl that's standing around asking to get victimized. She's far more likely to victimize someone whom has things that she wants. Like oweing her money.

 

But likewise? If she's doing something illegal? She's very likely to dispose of witnesses. Especially if it increases her cut.

 

My drow's usually very polite to people, and only get hostile to those whom are rude, confrontive, or do not respect her personal space. The things that define her as evil are far and few between; but they're important.

 

She killed a prisoner because he insighted her allies to attack her.

   - His actions resulted in her being seriously wounded.

   - Her killing him was not necessarily evil because;

       - He had proven himself an enemy, resulting in her injury.

       - He was shouting for help to a third party in a language she could not understand. Possibly telling lies.

       - She had no other assistance, or means left to control him because of his destructive actions.

 

She, with the help of a deserter ... sacked a forest guard tower, and stole the month's wages after killing the men inside.

   - She used a silence spell to walk through the tower, and killed the majority of them as they slept by hacking or stabbing them with a sword.

   - She forced her partner to give her 65% of the treasure. She was planning to kill him if he refused.

   - She sacrificed one of the surviving guards to Lloth.

 

She destroyed a village, by putting a potion into the village well that would animate anyone killed by natural or violent causes as a zombie.

   - Then she had her partner kill one of the villagers one night, and watched the village get consumed by the undead.

   - She did this because they had once tried to hold her accountable for murdering a prisoner (as above) whom had threatened her life.

   - Nayleen used the comotion to loot the magical items from the nearby tomb of a dead hero.

 

My character beat the snot out of a woman whom tried to duck out on her (very expensive) bill at the tavern, and enslaved her to get her money's worth.

   - She has been torturing her to gain her compliance.

   - She's continuously intimidating her.

   - She is teaching Alon, her partner in crime how to deal with slaves by direct example.

 

Nayleen is evil -- but she's a very nice person if you're polite to her.

 

A very adult concept that few people understand in the modern age:

 

There are many polite snakes in the world, and many very caring people whom donate generously of their time and money to charity.. whom are very, very rude or lack social skills.

 

Do you begin to understand that a person's (or character's!) morality cannot be judged based on how friendly they are? Even when they *are* being perfectly honest?

 

Most violent crimes in the real world are comitted against people *known* by the suspect. Not by a random rapist, serial killer, drug-addict, or gang member.. they're usually comitted for personal reasons.