How would you handle this situation....

[Starchild7309]

I am new to DMing, but have been playing with the same group of 5 for almost a decade in different campaigns. My players know what they are doing, usually.

The last session lead up to a minor BBEG's lair. They are 2nd level, I have given them LOTS of gold and they are in a big city so they can buy a lot of supplies. I even gave them time to prepare. However, my players, either from lack of thinking or not taking the situation seriously all decided to storm the BBEG's lair with absolutely 0 healing ability. They managed to make it 3/4 of the way to the BBEG before all but 1 player was knocked unconscious. So there is the one player surrounded by the bodies of his companions, surrounded by more enemies. I had him surrender, after negotiating. Now I ended up giving them the chance to work for the BBEG or dying and they chose to work for him, but I need some way to punish them for being really stupid. Other than killing one or two of them, not sure how I should go about that.

I am thinking making them do something to prove loyalty to the BBEG that may force them to no longer be able to live in the city, therefore limiting their access to supplies....not sure though. Any thoughts?

[Kelb_Panthera]

That -may- be a little much but the test of loyalty thing isn't a bad idea. Maybe have them do something unsavory that he can hold over their heads later.

Also realize that having to do -anything- for the BBEG is a bit of punishment in itself. It's embarrassing, degrading, and just generally unpleasant, especially since it's rather likely to be intended as a suicide mission.

[Lightlawbliss]

making them loose access to the city is likely overkill. If I were you, I would have them do something seemingly simple but that causes alignment conflict.

some quick ideas:
take everyone in this town prisoner and have them bring every dead person in the town able to be used for undead back to me. Then have them bring everything of value in the town to me. then kill them all before me and burn the town and all the nearby crops.

get me _____. (insert powerful object that will make him much harder to defeat)

kill ____. (insert powerful force or someone the PCs really care about)