Why is a barghest lawful?

[epithet]

It seems to me that a barghest, being a shapeshifting goblin, should be chaotic. Apparently the monster has consistently been statted as lawful, however, and so before I just toss that out and 5e convert the thing as chaotic evil, I thought I'd ask whether anyone has an idea as to why a LE alignment could be more appropriate.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I assume it's because the traditional barghest isn't a boogeyman so much as it is a harbinger of a person's death. That's obviously been lost in D&D and it's another step further removed in Pathfinder. Change the alignment, but I'd also consider tossing the name entirely and calling it something more accurate.

 

[GMMichael]

I'm liking Whizbang's opinion. Evidently, a barghest is a creature of habit. Like clockwork, it drinks from the same pool, barks at the same goblin community that kicked it out, and warns some unlucky souls that they're about to die.

Lawful evil.

 

[steeldragons]

Barghests were introduced in 1e's Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (and then appeared in the MM2). I was going to assume that it was because in 1e goblins were lawful evil...weren't they?...hobgoblins too, right? So, goblin-related-thing...if they were thinking more powerful/better goblin...they're LE...No?

That was always what I assumed...They're "demonic/from the Abyss" story doesn't really mesh with that though, since (as we all here know) the Abyss is for CE and the Hells are for LE...

Sooo, I don't think it much matters which way you do 'em. Whatever makes sense to you/your world.