Lawful is an alignment. This alignment is generally associated with characters that uphold order, by enforcing and/or adhering to strict codes of conduct; that play a very helpful role to Ancardian society (such as Jharod or Khelavaster); or are just "innocent". Acts of order are generally those that either reject evil, or bring good to society.
The PC
Initial lawful tendencies
Dwarves, High elves and Hurthlings begin the game lawful; unless affected by class (i.e. playing as a Necromancer or Druid). Healers also start off the game with their alignment tipped toward lawful, due to the benevolent nature of their profession.
Acts of order
Whilst there is a large number of deeds in ADOM that push alignment towards lawful, most of them are either once-off actions or only raise alignment slightly each time. The transition from neutral or even chaotic to lawful is typically a very gradual process; though tends to be boosted towards the end of the game when the PC starts meeting a lot of powerful chaotic monsters. Champions of Balance should pay particular attention to this.
- Killing certain strong chaotic monsters causes a small alignment boost. These include (but are certainly not limited to): balors, molochs, corrupted monsters (e.g. chaos eye), servants of chaos (corruptors, etc.), giants of stone or greater, demons (besides least or lesser), grues, greater undead (e.g. revenants, vampires, skeletal warriors), liches, golems, werebeasts, quicklings (lord or higher), mimics, berserkers (prince or higher), ogres (lord or higher).
- Completing the Kill Kranach quest while already lawful
- Completing the Kill Keethrax quest while already lawful
- Allowing a panicking enemy to escape to the world map (very small boost).
- Offering peace to a panicking enemy (when talking to panicking monster, this option sometimes appears; press 'p' to activate)
- Giving gold to beggars, or seeds to farmers, or candy (both kinds) to children.
- Saving Khelavaster's life. This incurs a huge boost—champions of balance, in particular, should take extra care when doing this (preferably by wearing a blessed amulet of balance).
- Saving Yrrigs.
- Returning the cute dog to the tiny girl in Terinyo. The boost is a lot greater if the dog is brought back alive rather than dead (the PC can satisfy the quest by giving the girl the cute dog corpse if (s)he fails to save it).
- Various other quests including Portal Quest, Find Blup's Mom and Tywat Pare's quests.
- Sacrificing artifacts containing the essence of Chaos and Corruption.
- Healing an injured companion or a non-hostile monster. Note that inflicting damage directly and healing it will not have any effect.
- Wearing amulet of order or any armor of order
- Reading a tract of order
- Successfully planting herbs with Gardening skill.
- Self-flagellation
Social standing
As expected, lawful PCs get on with most other NPCs in ADOM but are shunned by the more shady characters.
- The demented ratling and Gaab'Baay will only reward/give quests to chaotic PCs.
- Yergius won't talk to lawful PCs — denying them the Thieves' Guild Membership Quest and the rewards it brings, as well as the ability to learn the Pick pockets skill.
- The malicious doctor won't sell a slave to lawful PCs.
- Only lawful PCs receive Rolf's Companion from the dwarven mystic.
Relationship with deities
Lawful deities do not allow the PC to sacrifice lawful monsters, and do not allow lawful NPCs to sacrifice the PC.
It is claimed that champions of order gain an increased resistance to corruptions.
NPCs
Very few monsters are lawful; the only ones commonly encountered are blink dogs, ki-rins, white unicorns, dwarves and generally most townfolk.
Notable lawful NPCs include: