Codes of conduct without alignment.
I'm currently making my own tabletop RPG. It does not have an alignment system, and it never will because alignment systems are god awful for gameplay, but in-game organizations have codes of conduct and some classes are inherently linked to organizations. For example, in the game a priest of Yahweh should absolutely not be walking down the street in their boxers drinking a bottle of whiskey on their way to the casino with a big bag of donated money and there would be severe consequences for them if they did. (Excommunication, at least, and in some places execution.)
The problem is, however, that quite often there's no actual mechanical reason to follow these codes of conduct. You aren't losing your spellcasting powers because you're breaking your religion's rules, and it's a major point in the setting that the religious institutions are extremely corrupt and these codes of conduct are violated all over the place behind closed doors. It'd still be wrong, though, for a member of the clergy to show a blatant disregard for their religion's rules. Outside of the religious example, a member of a knightly order also has appearances to keep up. As does an army officer. As does a professor. As do many others.
So, outside of mechanical motivations, what motivation could be provided for player characters that are members of an organisation to follow (or at least pretend to follow) their organisation's rules when they're not in a position for that information to make its way back to their superiors? Especially when the party is around, what motivation could they have to follow their rules or hide breaking them when the party probably isn't going to rat them out?
The problem is, however, that quite often there's no actual mechanical reason to follow these codes of conduct. You aren't losing your spellcasting powers because you're breaking your religion's rules, and it's a major point in the setting that the religious institutions are extremely corrupt and these codes of conduct are violated all over the place behind closed doors. It'd still be wrong, though, for a member of the clergy to show a blatant disregard for their religion's rules. Outside of the religious example, a member of a knightly order also has appearances to keep up. As does an army officer. As does a professor. As do many others.
So, outside of mechanical motivations, what motivation could be provided for player characters that are members of an organisation to follow (or at least pretend to follow) their organisation's rules when they're not in a position for that information to make its way back to their superiors? Especially when the party is around, what motivation could they have to follow their rules or hide breaking them when the party probably isn't going to rat them out?