Ideas for this...interesting development.

[MasterMercury]

So, I love my party. They have been underground for a while now, fighting fish people and green bigfoots.( Kuo-toa and Quaggoths).

Three party members teamed up, allying with the Quaggoths, and are currently carrying around a bunch in a bag of holding.

But here's my dilemma, which I should have seen coming. One party member, a Tiefling fiendlock with a habit of collecting pets, was facing off against a Hobgoblin captain and his summoned bearded devil. The devil makes an offer, join them and rule the realm. Warlock accepts.

Now, the warlock, his various pets, the hobgoblin, and the devil are walking up a tunnel to the Hobgoblin fortress, with the rest of the party being held back by two gibbering mouthers.


My question is, how can I make it interesting for the Warlock, give him some risk? I don't mind that he is evil, but I want some risk to his decision. The player has told me himself that he knows he could die from this, and is ready to play a new artificer.

TL;DR
Warlock betrays party, leaves with bad guys. How do I make this bite him in the "donkey"?

[CeriPendragon]

Off the top of my head I'd do something with the Warlock's patron. Maybe there's a conflict with serving two masters, demon/devil blood fued, etc.

[Potato_Priest]

You could have him bring out the new character now, and have the warlock return as a minor villain later.

[Vaz]

Let the warlock player play as the Artificer then. An RP Exit Stage Left is less final than HP Death, but an evil Warlock joining with others to rule the world in order to likely improve (or hinder) the pact with his patron and his patrons' status is a rather significant RP departure from the party and their current goals.

This is where you sit down with the players (other party members included) and talk it out with them, not contextless bloodthirsty players on GiantITP. Find out if the party want to start playing an evil campaign, and join that story arc, or if the Warlock is content with being an Artificer from here on out.

Nothing SHOULD affect the warlock, but he either is unplayable for a short while as the RP has turned out, or he becomes the next story arc which means the other party members need to roll up new characters.

You can always beat sense into the Warlock later on, and either have the Warlock player decide his.ultimate fate; death at party, recurrent BBEG or return to the fold, subdued and even less trustworthy than before.

[MasterMercury]

Off the top of my head I'd do something with the Warlock's patron. Maybe there's a conflict with serving two masters, demon/devil blood fued, etc.

Actually, they serve the same master.

[MasterMercury]

Let the warlock player play as the Artificer then. An RP Exit Stage Left is less final than HP Death, but an evil Warlock joining with others to rule the world in order to likely improve (or hinder) the pact with his patron and his patrons' status is a rather significant RP departure from the party and their current goals.

This is where you sit down with the players (other party members included) and talk it out with them, not contextless bloodthirsty players on GiantITP. Find out if the party want to start playing an evil campaign, and join that story arc, or if the Warlock is content with being an Artificer from here on out.

Nothing SHOULD affect the warlock, but he either is unplayable for a short while as the RP has turned out, or he becomes the next story arc which means the other party members need to roll up new characters.

You can always beat sense into the Warlock later on, and either have the Warlock player decide his.ultimate fate; death at party, recurrent BBEG or return to the fold, subdued and even less trustworthy than before.

Hmm. I might talk to him about swapping over.

[Hrugner]

I always assumed the "join us and rule the evil world together" wasn't a genuine offer. If he accepted, I'd expect to find the character dead by the side of the road, covered in scars and signs of degradation, some months in the future.

[Hathorym]

While it is extra work, I would talk to the player about the following:

1. Create a new character for the main group that is antithetical to his Warlock.
2. Allow him to also continue to play the warlock with you as PBeM.
3. Since he's so intimately familiar with the party, have him continue to plot his complete betrayal.
4. Build up to a final confrontation, where his new character is somehow disabled, and the Warlock and his minions face the party.
5. Repeat 2-5 until the warlock repents or is defeated.

Nothing brings the party together like hate for a great villain... let your player do that. If you can pull it off, it will be the campaign long remembered.

[Asmotherion]

So, I love my party. They have been underground for a while now, fighting fish people and green bigfoots.( Kuo-toa and Quaggoths).

Three party members teamed up, allying with the Quaggoths, and are currently carrying around a bunch in a bag of holding.

But here's my dilemma, which I should have seen coming. One party member, a Tiefling fiendlock with a habit of collecting pets, was facing off against a Hobgoblin captain and his summoned bearded devil. The devil makes an offer, join them and rule the realm. Warlock accepts.

Now, the warlock, his various pets, the hobgoblin, and the devil are walking up a tunnel to the Hobgoblin fortress, with the rest of the party being held back by two gibbering mouthers.


My question is, how can I make it interesting for the Warlock, give him some risk? I don't mind that he is evil, but I want some risk to his decision. The player has told me himself that he knows he could die from this, and is ready to play a new artificer.

TL;DR
Warlock betrays party, leaves with bad guys. How do I make this bite him in the "donkey"?

Have him face the rest of the party, and either breack his agreement with the Devil (the Devil will be pissed) or have him fight the party, and whoever lives becomes the center of the new party. Have players decide who's side they'll be on etc.

[Farecry]

If you present the option to them, let it play out and happen how it should. Overly controlling something you didn't plan for, but introduce to the game, could ruin it the next time you do something like that.