The session started off with the age old D&D quandary: What do you do with an enemy that surrenders in the middle of a dungeon? Well if you’re a paladin of Pelor named Rhogar apparently you just cut their head off, problem solved. So after Balgron the Fat was “taken care” of by Rhogar, everyone noticed Grimlock’s new look. Gone were the cestus and chainmail, and in their place were two shiny broadswords and some sleek hide armour. From that point on the party settled down and utilized some solid tactics as they began to systematically purge the first level of the Keep. This included taking out the rest of the goblin guard on the floor, some creatures tainted by the Shadowfell (further evidence the ritual had begun), and several undead creatures. The party came upon Sir Kegan, the former warden of the keep and the man who had battled Shadraxil into the Shadowfell. After convincing the suspicious skeleton of their noble and heroic intent, he gifted Rhogar with his battleaxe Acreis. The session ended after the party discovered a strange rune inscribed on the floor. After Khaine used his arcane knowledge to determine that rune if touched would trigger an ill effect, the party decided to jump over the rune. Unfortunately, Khaine seems to have spent too much time studying and landed on the rune itself causing most of the party to run in fear. What will happen next……
Decapitation is always the answer
The best part of interrupting a villan’s speech is the likely look of annoyance from the DM.
I was actually relieved as it made my job a lot easier as I didn’t have to worry about what I was going to do with him. It has also opened some possible story hooks regarding the paladin. Nice to hear from you Joyce, I miss working with you. Congrats on the baby. Have you and your husband played 4th editon yet?
It’s good to talk to you again as well. Thanks for the congrats; I hear you have a baby now too. Have you taken photos of your boy with some gaming paraphernalia yet? My hubby and I (along with the rest of our group) have read 4th edition, and decided to stick with 3.5 right now. I think it’s partly motivated by our already existing massive DnD library and the lack of space to continue expanding…
If you ever want I could run you and your husband through a one evening delve to get a taste. Chris lindsay is already in my group (I broke his D&D cherry a couple of months ago) he probably would jump at the chance to play with you. I have been looking to get my wife to play once, I have even bought her a set of dice. I like the idea of possible getting you hooked on 4th edition and thereby forcing to accumulate more geek supplies. the picture in my header for the blog is me and my kid.
“Pelor is the god of the Sun, Light, Strength, and Healing. Pelor is NG. Justice and freedom are brought about through charity, modesty, perseverance, and self-sacrifice.”
Justice? Freedom?
“Pelor is wrathful against the forces of evil, and is especially opposed to the undead. However, Pelor urges his followers to remember that excessive attention to things of evil can blind one to the truly important things: compassion and goodness. These are what must be emphasized above all.”
Did he really emphasize compassion (lol) and goodness there? How about respect for life?
Not dissing your campaign, but I take all religious aspects of the game seriously. If people can’t even moderately follow the tenets of their religion, they just shouldn’t play religious characters imo.
Hey thanks for the comment. What is interesting is in talking with my player he felt he was role-playing his character as a warrior of Pelor in that action, as he was focused on the expunging evil and in his words “compassionately ending the evil wretch’s life”. I don’t really have a problem with how he handled the situation or how he is playing his character as he feels he was upholding the tenets of his god. I think the DMG has stuff on how sects within religions can emphasize or distort certain aspects of the Deity. I was really intrigued by this situation, as like you I re-read the stuff on Pelor particularly the parts about compassion and mercy. It has opened up great story and adventure hooks as I am already looking at how possibly his order will try and have him learn and exemplify all aspects of their god through quests or deeds, sort of like teaching the young hero how to be a true paladin of Pelor. If he chooses to go another root with his character than perhaps a sect war within the church of Pelor.
One of the things I found interesting about 4th edition is removal of the alignment restrictions for paladins. It is one of the reasons I choose Tempus as my paladin’s Deity in the encounters program. I still play him as good but it really opens up role-playing opportunities. Do you usually play religious characters in your games? if so what’s your favourite.
I guess, it’s just that Pelor is all about “compassion, mercy, self-sacrifice, and goodness”. He’s NOT a smiting god. He’s not just a “good god” like Bahamut, he personifies goodness. He’s more like Ilmater is Forgotten Realms. He errs on the side of mercy instead of righteousness.
Killing unarmed, helpless, sentient life (that just bargained for their life and you LIED to them) is not a good act! It’s not even a good act for me in real life, and I’m not a representative of the god of mercy! The act certainly shows no compassion or mercy, let alone goodness. He’s not just playing an “interpretation” of the god, he’s playing the polar opposite.
If he did that kind of act playing a paladin of Bahamut, I’d have no problem, Bahamut is lawful good but smites more. Tempus, it also chaffes a bit since Tempus wants honorable battle and forbids cowardice, killing unarmed prisoners is both not honorable and fairly cowardly. As a paladin of Pelor, god of mercy and compassion, you just cannot kill unarmed, helpless sentient life.
Although it’s a good story arc, I don’t believe it’s an order’s job to teach a paladin the tenets of the faith, that’s suppose to happen before level 1. The paladin is supposed to teach others. Other paladins, in 4E, are there to “police” each other. To me, that means kill of strip the powers of a paladin that falls out of line, like this one. Harsh, but whatever, that’s how I DM.
I’m not that harsh, but if you want to play a religious character (which often means healing) you had better not do the opposite of the teachings of that church. Is it that hard?
Every DM handles their campaigns differently, you’re very nice (and lenient) to them, I’m just not ok with that kind of thing in my campaigns. That pally would be powerless, minimum. Then again, your players probably like you better than they would my style.
agreed, I am a big softy. I think I might be different if we played more freaquently but at every 3 to 4 weeks I just want to roll some dice and have some fun, as we are all prety busy with work and families. I am just happy that I could get my friends to devote any time to gaming as it has become a rekindled passion for me. In fairness to Mike I don’t think he spent a lot of time reading the full description of Pelor, as I told him he needed to pick a Deity on short notice. I am pretty sure if he did it might have gone differently. He is essentially using my character that I play in the D&D encounter’s program, but my god is Tempus. what is interesting is that we had people surrender in the first encounter and I role-played to stop the others from butchering them. I took the stance that they had conceded the field and the battle was won and that there would be no honour in killing them, they instead should be spared to spread the word of our prowess.
Although, I m not ruling out a little smackdown on him or penalty because I like the idea of impact from choices and actions a character takes, I wouldn’t want it to seem like I was being punative because I didn’t like how he was playing his character. in that I think there is a fine line for a DM to walk. I think I would also in additon to some smackdown/consequence give the opprotunity for redemption if that character would so choose.
have you had this happen in a campaign of yours? again thanks for your comment and thoughts I find the discussion interesting.
Generic cleric here. I’m the noob on the team, playing DnD for the first time (at age 41, which is probably a sin in some religious framework). GI, I appreciate your fervor; but you’re right, I like middleagedm’s style better than I would yours, as you describe it.
This text-only communication is limited. I’m smiling in a friendly way as I type this; it’s not meant to be incendiary, but fun banter.
I already mentioned my age. I work two jobs and have a wife and two little girls whom I love and never get to spend enough time with. I have little free time, and an old house to repair and maintain, which further reduces said free time. None of this is intended to provoke pity; it’s just reality. There’s just no way I’m going to devote much time to learning the religious tenents of Torm worship. (In fact, I may have just revealed my ignorance, as I’m not sure “Torm worship” is the preferred expression.)
Does this mean I should be excommunicated from the game table? Perhaps. But I’m glad my DM is nice enough to provide me with my first opportunity to play, even if I kinda suck as a cleric, in role-playing terms. I have carried my weight reasonably well in terms of healing my comrades and smiting a few beasties; but it would be difficult for an observer to tell if I was a cleric of Torm, or… well… I don’t know all the other deity names; but another one. I’m truly a generic cleric.
And I’m enjoying my first game. I’d love to really role-play in an authentic Tormish fashion; but it ain’t gonna happen soon.
My other thought, as someone who has paid a modicum of attention to religion in real life, is the abundance of examples of followers of any faith, who, like my generic cleric Kaz, kinda suck as disciples. Or suck according to other disciples.
I follow the reasoning which questions a paladin of Pelor-the-compassionate lopping-off someone’s head. But the history of religion is really not filled with examples of people perfectly following the tenants of their faith. Many fail miserably, despite the best of intentions.
And if you’re reading this Mike, please don’t chop off my head next time we meet! I’m not suggesting you suck as a paladin of Pelor! Really! Please… lower the axe!
‘Cause the other thing about religion – any religion – involves the chronic problem of hermeneutics; the interpretation of the faith. Many a war has been fought (and a few heads lopped-off) over religious disagreements about the “true” faith. Perhaps our dear paladin really believes that terminating the corrupt, vile, and ultimately miserable life of an evil creature is truly an act of mercy, compassion and goodness.
Anyway GI, I have to admit I’m biased for reasons outlined above. I know I’m defending my DM; and I know I’m yanking your chain. It’s meant in fun. If you tossed me from the table as a lackluster or apostate religious character, I would honestly respect that. But I’m also thankful that middleagedm is willing to tolerate both my generic cleric, and the head-lopping behaviour of the paladin in question; so that I might finally experience some gaming, at my “advanced” age
Peace,
Kaz the generic cleric
(Chris)
I am just happy you have finally learned which dice are which and have stopped rolling the 12 sided die to attack. next we going to work on you thinking ahead during battles so you don’t look like a dear in headlights when I call Kaz’s name in the initiative order. you did a good job role-playing in the skill challenge with the keeps defender. he asked youb specifically about your faith.
Oh I get it. It’s funny how everything changes with just a bit more information. Sorry to pick on you, I feel bad now, I didn’t know you were new to the game. And a casual player.
Please ignore what I said and just enjoy the game and the silliness of your friends, your DM is handling things perfectly.
Yes, I’ve had problems with experienced gamers doing whatever they wanted (and not playing their character) whenever it was convenient /inconvenient. Obviously new players should just be introduced kindly into the game and taught (through the game) about things instead of cracked over the head or disintegrated by their god. Heh.
Ha! Pretty dice, I think, has got to be the most common way to get any female into gaming… “ooohhh… SHINEY”
If I ever want to try out 4th ed., I’ll be sure to take you up on your offer. That would have to happen after I buy more bookshelves. We already got my daughter her own set of dice. They’re foam, and each die is the size of her hand. She enjoys throwing around the room – she’s a natural!
And my gosh, I never thought it would take this long to get Chris Lindsey into tabletop RPG! Chris, if you’re reading this, I hope you’re enjoying role playing. (Also, you must have a mighty bonus to your willpower saves since you’ve resisted, what I suspect to be, Jason’s daily attempts to get you indoctrinated into the DnD culture).