I am noticing a trend within the posts where some of you don't know how to, or don't want to pin the characters to a specific alignment. So, I'm going to describe the basic nine alignments, maybe it will help pin point a specific alignment that more likely than not can explain a character.
Lawful Good
Characters of this alignment believe in a strong, well organized government can benefit the people and keep a society strong. To ensure the better things in life, laws must be created and obeyed. They seek those things that can bring the greatest benefit to the most people while causing the least amount of harm. A wise and honorable king, a Knight in shining armor, all examples.
Lawful Neutral
The quintessential soldier. These people believe that order and organization are the most important things in life. They do not care if this organization is tyrannical or benevolent in nature, merely that it runs smoothly and there is a proper hierarchy of command. They do not question their orders and moral dilemma does not stop them from doing their duty. Most soldiers that follow commands without error, assassins that kill for an organization are good examples.
Lawful Evil
These characters believe in using the laws and rules of society to benefit themselves. They believe that organizational hierarchies are of the most importance to separate master and servant, and are always looking to climb that ladder. This characters follow laws only because they fear of the punishment that comes from disobeying, and because of this rarely give their word lest the law come down on them. They will only break their word if they can get away with it. A greedy merchant, or an iron-fisted tyrant are good examples.
Neutral Good
These characters believe a balance of forces is very necessary yet are not prompt to follow laws or figures of authority. At the same time they are not impulsive and quick to anger or action. They respect the fact that many people have different concepts of right and wrong, and strive to maintain a constant stream of "goodness" uncorrupted by society. If good can only come about by helping a king, then they will do so, if it can only come about by overthrowing said king, then that will be their quest. A baron who violates a direct order from their King to destroy something he sees as evil is a perfect example of a neutral good character.
True Neutral
(in my own opinion impossible to be roleplayed by humans)
These people believe in the ultimate balance of forces, both good and evil and lawful and chaotic. They refuse to see any behavior as good or evil, literally never judging an individual. His only goal is keeping all things balanced so that no one side has more pull than the other. A good example of a true neutral character would be a druid that joins an army to put down a village of gnolls only to switch sides at the last minute to keep the army from gaining too much of an upperhand.
Neutral Evil
In a word, these character care about one thing, and one thing alone...themselves. Their advancement in life is the only important thing they understand or respect. They have no problem working with others, or travelling alone so long as their is some benefit for themselves. While they do not have an "every man for themselves" attitude like chaotic-evil characters, they have no qualms about betraying an ally for personal gain. They typically base their alliances on money, making them very easy to bribe. An unscrupulous mercenary, the common thief, all very good examples.
Chaotic Good
These characters are very individualistic people marked by a very strong streak of kindness and benevolence. They believe in all the virtues of goodness and right, but do not respect laws or authority at all. They especially despise bullies and will make it a point to put down a person that "pushes" around those weaker than themselves. Robin Hood is a good example of a chaotic-good character.
Chaotic Neutral
These characters believe that there is no order to anything, including themselves. There are the most whimsical and fickled people about and normally does whatever it is that strikes their fancy at the moment. Good and evil are irrelevant when making a decision. These people are extremely difficult to deal with as they have been known to cheerfully gamble way everything they own on the single roll of a single die. The only reliable thing about them is that they are unreliable. Lunatics and madmen tend to be chaotic neutral.
Chaotic Evil
These characters are the bane of all things good and organized. They are motivated by the desire of personal gain and pleasure. They see absolutely nothing wrong with taking what they want by any means necessary. Laws and government are the tools of weaklings unable to defend themselves. The strong have the right to take whatever they want and the weak are there to be exploited. When these characters get together with others, only a strong leader can keep them together as the first sign of weakness will end in that leader's death. Bloodthirsty pirates and most base monsters are chaotic evil.
*most of these definitions based on TSR's definitions of alignment.
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