It would depend a lot on the association, I would think. Are they going to befriend someone that they know is evil? No, most likely not. But would they interact with evil people with the goal of using them to further the cause of right and justice? Maybe. That's a more likely scenario and an option that provides much more flexibility in roleplay than stringent adherence.
It also depends on your definition of undead. Are you speaking of Forsaken or undead undead? Forsaken don't necessarily need to be inherently evil. If I could quote the
WoWWiki article on the Forsaken:
Quote:Although most of the race is evil, the Forsaken cannot be thought of in purely dualistic terms entirely. Although undead, the Forsaken are still inherently human, the majority of whom were victims of the plague spread by Kel'Thuzad. Thus some of the Forsaken are still good beings, if no longer living. As the above suggests, some individuals among them are capable of a tragic form of nobility, in that they do not allow their inability to obtain redemption to prevent them from trying.
The Forsaken that comes to mind that best represents this exception to the rule is
Leonid Barthalomew the Revered. He is a member of the Argent Dawn. As the article states:
Quote:He looks at his undeath as a malady. An illness that merely requires treatment, hence his loyalties. It is also a great advantage for the Argent Dawn. What better weapon to smite the abominations of the Scourge than one of the "redeemed" undead?
Aphetoros Wrote:If I remember correctly, if a paladin believes he/she is doing right, then they keep their abilities.
I read the article the same way, Aphetoros: if a paladin
believes he's doing right, he keeps his powers. Now, there are certain concrete beliefs that most -- if not all -- paladins should possess, but that doesn't mean that every paladin's moral compass is exactly the same.
Edit: I was giving this some more thought and it presents an interesting insight (at least, for me). The powers of a paladin are more based on
faith than anything else. If the aforementioned statements are correct, she must believe that she is doing right with every fiber of her being or else she will fail. There is no exception. If the belief that she is doing right cannot be sustained, she will falter.
So, this brings to the forefront some
really interesting possibilities for roleplay.
- The neophyte paladin who is slowly growing in strength as his training progresses. However, he has to overcome whatever innate fear that he has that he might fail. If he doesn't believe that he will succeed, his fears will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- The aged paladin who may not be exactly treading the path of righteousness. Rather than the iconic paladin (strong, virtuous, and so on), she's employed methods that would be considered unorthodox. She, in her zeal, uses her powers and her connections to quash evil in ways that make most men blanch. She is dedicated, stalwart, and certain that she is correct -- except as time progresses and maybe she interacts with others who have other beliefs, she has moments of self-doubt.
Neither breaks whatever moral compass guides them, but they both suffer from occasional inability to use the Light.
Hell, I might have to roll a paladin to explore these concepts a little more. It sounds interesting!