Leaving a Party

[Rerem115]

I'm running a 5e campaign; custom setting, but fairly vanilla. Party of 6, level 10; this is the second year of the campaign IRL, with about most of the original players and a couple of the original characters.

In a moment of weakness, I allowed my players to create a Chaotic Evil, a Lawful Evil, and a Chaotic Neutral character. Predictably, the party is now officially an evil party (I should never have given them babies...). Now, one of my original players wants to join in on the fun. He wants retire his character, and bring in a new character more....suitable for the party. I'm entirely okay with this, but with one condition: he has to retire his character in some spectacular manner, preferably have his character survive, and ensure that the party can't get their hands on the rather substantial collection of gear he acquired over the course of the adventure.

Do you guys have any suggestions as to how he could retire his character? His character is a 10th level CG Wood Elf Hunter, and the party (LE Arcane Trickster, CE homebrew Paladin, TN Bearbarian, CN Battlemaster, and LN Draconic Sorcerer) is in the middle of a dungeon in the wilderness.

[Temperjoke]

I'm running a 5e campaign; custom setting, but fairly vanilla. Party of 6, level 10; this is the second year of the campaign IRL, with about most of the original players and a couple of the original characters.

In a moment of weakness, I allowed my players to create a Chaotic Evil, a Lawful Evil, and a Chaotic Neutral character. Predictably, the party is now officially an evil party (I should never have given them babies...). Now, one of my original players wants to join in on the fun. He wants retire his character, and bring in a new character more....suitable for the party. I'm entirely okay with this, but with one condition: he has to retire his character in some spectacular manner, preferably have his character survive, and ensure that the party can't get their hands on the rather substantial collection of gear he acquired over the course of the adventure.

Do you guys have any suggestions as to how he could retire his character? His character is a 10th level CG Wood Elf Hunter, and the party (LE Arcane Trickster, CE homebrew Paladin, TN Bearbarian, CN Battlemaster, and LN Draconic Sorcerer) is in the middle of a dungeon in the wilderness.

Maybe if he can wait until the dungeon is completed, he becomes the new Warden of the forest, ensuring that it doesn't become infested/corrupted with evil again, bonded to it to grant his character more powers, but tying him to the forest unable to leave it again?

[Rerem115]

That's more or less the general idea; his player's words being "retire to become Elf Batman". The issue is the actual act of leaving the party. He wants to rescue one of the children the party kidnapped and poof off into the night. Thing is, poofing off into the night is anti-climactic. What would be a suitably spectacular method of leaving the party?

[Idkwhatmyscreen]

Have the dungeon be a trap created by the wood elf and his friends. If its OK with your player, that can be his secret backstory. He travels around finding adventures and judging them morally. If they are good he moves on, but if they are evil they are to be taking down and destroyed for the good of the world.

[JeenLeen]

A dramatic telling of disappointment and regret about the path his friends and companions have taken could be appropriate. The ranger doesn't want to kill his allies, since they are friends, but he feels they can no longer travel together. He will continue to do good, and hope their paths do not cross in the future.

Just make that it is explicitly stated OOC that all these remarks are just IC, that is, that the player isn't ticked at the change. This leaves them as respectful of each other, but acknowledging they no longer work together.

[Rerem115]

A dramatic telling of disappointment and regret about the path his friends and companions have taken could be appropriate. The ranger doesn't want to kill his allies, since they are friends, but he feels they can no longer travel together. He will continue to do good, and hope their paths do not cross in the future.


Hmmmm. This could probably work.

[EvilAnagram]

If I were him, I would work with local authorities to hatch an elaborate plot to capture these criminals that have rampaged across the countryside. If he dies at the hands of the party, at least he dies spectacularly. If he manages to successfully capture and imprison them, then they meet his new character in the dungeon and the new plot hook is escaping to wreak vengeance on their former ally.

[Rerem115]

They haven't rampaged....Yet. However, IC and OOC, everyone knows it's just a matter of time until they do, which is why he wants to leave the party :smalltongue:.

[smcmike]

That's more or less the general idea; his player's words being "retire to become Elf Batman". The issue is the actual act of leaving the party. He wants to rescue one of the children the party kidnapped and poof off into the night. Thing is, poofing off into the night is anti-climactic. What would be a suitably spectacular method of leaving the party?

Before leaving, poop in their shoes.

[EvilAnagram]

Before leaving, poop in their shoes.

Trust me, nothing finalizes a breakup like a well-placed angry poop.

[Hopeless]

Maybe the next time they head into town he makes his excuses to go visit an old friend in the forest and they run into his new character?

Be interesting to see how they react to the change over?

Will they go off to find their former friend or continue on with his new character?

[Sir cryosin]

Why does it have to be showie. Thint about the kid if he makes it look cool or showie he's putting that kids life in more danger. The best thing to do is when it's for watch when they take a long rest take the kid and slip off.

[DizzyWood]

If he wants dramatic.... steal all of the best gear from the group and leave a a strongly worded message. No matter what that party tries the CAN NOT find a single clue to his location. He appears occasionally attempting to redirect the party away from what ever evil goal they are chasing. He ends up being Good equivalent of the BBEG. As for his new character.... there should be a connection between the new and the old. It ads tension

[CaptainSarathai]

If he wants dramatic.... steal all of the best gear from the group and leave a a strongly worded message. No matter what that party tries the CAN NOT find a single clue to his location. He appears occasionally attempting to redirect the party away from what ever evil goal they are chasing. He ends up being Good equivalent of the BBEG. As for his new character.... there should be a connection between the new and the old. It ads tension
That gets my vote.
Heck, you can even have this new character be the original's arch nemesis - like Batman and the Joker. I'd push for the player to go as disturbingly evil as possible, really have fun with it. Like, "you got your wish, you wanted to rampage and be done with that pesky Elf? Well, welcome to the crazy train - now throw me one of those kids, I'm hungry..."