A Falling Paladin [PF]

[Desril]

I know this kind of topic has been done a million times, but the GitP search engine hates me and always errors out.

The story:
My players have all split off and are doing various solo adventures in what is now an online campaign. The Aasimar Paladin, who has the celestial-blessed template and first hand knowledge of dragons, has just made a deal with an ominous looking sorcerer to trade a service for a spell. Specifically, he's being teleported about a thousand miles in order to try and get to a town that rumor has it has been destroyed by monsters, and the thing he was heading to before hearing the rumor happens to be only a few days away. In return, I had expected him to barter one of his many powerful magic items or even simply offer enough gold for the spell, but instead he offered to perform a task. The task was simple, if daunting: Slay a silver dragon that resides in the mountains not far north of where he is being teleported as soon as his immediate business is concluded. The sorcerer, after asking some questions, realizes that the Paladin knows some things about dragons and will only agree to accept this should the Paladin vow on his honor and his goddess. The shoulder-angel he has with him recommended against such a vow without obtaining more information, though an NPC companion sided with the sorcerer. In an effort to help make a decision, the Paladin used Detect Evil. The sorcerer did not ping as evil, though a few objects of moderate and lesser power did show up within his vision. After a couple more basic questions, the sorcerer basically admits to wanting the dragon dead for revenge for something it had done to him, and does not care what the dragon has done for good or evil, then tells the Paladin that the offer to trade goods for service still exists. The Paladin then vows to slay the dragon.

The question: The Paladin has vowed upon his honor and goddess to slay a good creature in return for a service. If he attacks the dragon, he falls, but would it be a gross enough violation of his code if he simply decides not to attack, despite the seriousness of his vow? How would other GMs in the Playground handle this situation?

Side notes: Thanks to drawing The Lost from a Harrow Deck of Many Things, he's also no longer capable of taking levels in the Paladin class, and has been training in sorcery with his hireling NPC.

For those who are curious, the sorcerer is, in fact, evil (and a dragon himself), but has Nondetection up at all times and the Paladin didn't beat the DC 25 caster level check to get him to ping.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Breaking such a vow is most definitely against the paladin's code. It's not an evil act though, so it's not a guaranteed fall.

If it was me DM'ing, I'd probably fall him. I wouldn't require an atonement quest though. Just a "tithing" to get the spell cast on his behalf, at no xp loss for the caster. At most I'd have the caster of atonement require him to give the "sorcerer" fair recompense for the spell, maybe half-again the normal cost for a casting, and a suitable apology.

It's up to you whether the dragon thinks such reparation is sufficient to avoid his wrath.

[Terumitsu]

Well... Here is what one could do if the wording allowed for it. Now, if the paladin had agreed to kill the dragon dead with blood everywhere and no doubt that the extinguishment of life was the intent here, this wouldn't work but words like 'Slay' and 'Kill' are also slang for making someone laugh uproariously or at leas amuse a person greatly. So, get a bard that has a bang-up comedy act and put on a show for the dragon.

That said, if there is no way around the actual snuffing off the mortal coil kind of slaying, there are honorable duels to the death. The paladin can enter into a sort of duel contract with the dragon where they each pay half of what it would cost for a True Rez spell and then have at. Once the dragon is dead, the paladin can raise it and thank it for it's cooperation in such sport and perhaps have a nice chat. Might even get an ally out of this as long as everything is done honorably and then get the spell cast. The raising might not have to be done right away but the paladin should be honor-bound to complete the task as soon as he is able, though.

Anyway, just some ideas off the top of my head that a player could do to circumvent the breaking of their code and somesuch that a GM would likely find reasonable.

[jmelesky]

Well, he's going to fall one way or the other. Important questions: does he realize this? Does he care?

If he realizes this, and cares, he can (and probably should) consult with his clergy (the ones who would likely provide his atonement afterwords) and see whether they can help him think a way out of this dilemma.

If he doesn't realize, he's in for a surprise. If he doesn't care, well, welcome to being a less-awesome fighter.

My impulse is to say that breaking the vow (a chaotic act) is more forgivable than killing a (probably innocent) good creature (an evil act). Paladins smite evil, not chaos, after all.

Of course, breaking the vow will make him fall, but the clergy will be ready for appropriate atonement. Perhaps they require him to admit to the sorc that he will not honor the vow, perhaps not. The certainly should advise against accepting the agreed-upon aid from said sorcerer.

Again, my impulse would be to give him some fallen time so he can consider what led him to that deal in the first place. That might be days, weeks, or months, depending on the pace of the campaign (alternately, it might be timed in terms of levels gained). Once that probation is over, assuming he complied with the clergy's advice, go ahead and atone him without any additional ado.

On the flip side, if he doesn't realize what he's done, or purposefully avoids seeking counsel from the church, or goes so far as to actually kill the dragon, there should be some serious falling time. Probably add in a quest required for atonement, and maybe even a ban on using his new sorcerer powers to help him complete the quest. For added poetic justice, make the quest one where he's doing (as a pretty mundane, lowish-level adventurer) some of the good deeds that the dragon (old and powerful) was going to do had he or she not been slain.

Anyhow, hope that gives you some ideas.

[Chained_Icarus]

For added poetic justice, make the quest one where he's doing (as a pretty mundane, lowish-level adventurer) some of the good deeds that the dragon (old and powerful) was going to do had he or she not been slain.


I really, really, think that is one amazing idea.

[Desril]

Well... Here is what one could do if the wording allowed for it. Now, if the paladin had agreed to kill the dragon dead with blood everywhere and no doubt that the extinguishment of life was the intent here, this wouldn't work but words like 'Slay' and 'Kill' are also slang for making someone laugh uproariously or at leas amuse a person greatly. So, get a bard that has a bang-up comedy act and put on a show for the dragon.


The wording was something to the effect of "I don't care if it's breathing or not, so long as it offers me no resistance when I rip its heart out of its body."

The duel is a good idea though, and so is jmelesky's, thanks for the input.

[Psyren]

See, this sort of thing is why every Paladin needs a Phylactery of Faithfulness. They're dirt-cheap for the value.

[Desril]

See, this sort of thing is why every Paladin needs a Phylactery of Faithfulness. They're dirt-cheap for the value.

How did I not know these existed? They're amazing!

Edit: They're are is rather redundant. Oops.

[grarrrg]

Have him prepare the spell Hero's Defiance (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/hero-s-defiance).

[Slipperychicken]

This guy isn't just a follower, he's a Paladin; a walking Hand of God. This is not acceptable.

Why He Falls
Paladin falls for rashly swearing such a powerful oath to do an evil deed. That alone should be enough, before getting to whether killing the Dragon or not.

Paladin also falls for disobeying a contract for which he swore both his Honor and his Goddess's name.

Paladin also falls for truthfully agreeing to kill a Good creature, when he could have easily avoided it (offered gold for example, or requested a different service). That's so many levels of wrong.

He needs to Atone, as a reminder that his God and Honor are not rubber-stamps for Evil contracts, and are not to be used in vain.


His Punishment: Serve the Dragon (or it's next of kin) as a maid for three months, keeping its floors/tables clean enough to eat off of, preparing it's meals, doing other housework, and anything else the Dragon says, to remind the Paladin of his service to his Goddess. He will do all this while wearing the standard french maid's uniform, to make him feel the humiliation he inflicted on his goddess, and to remind him how he prostituted her honor for mortal boons. Every violation of his code committed, and every time he fails to obey the Dragon, during this period resets the time back to three months; he must learn his lesson completely.