Though have to repent!- but how?

[Bobur]

Hello everyone

I am a paladin player of the ancient oath - animal, fey and tree loving. Its a lot of fun and usually I dont put the believes of my PC on others, but recently we had a special scenario.

2 of my fellow adventurers ( a fey WL and a bard) killed a sentient tree guardian - they thought it was a shambling mound, because they didnt listen to the DM I assume.
Usually the plan was to kill the mound, but not the guardian. For my paladin this is the equivalent to what an angel is to humans.

And I thought this might be a good opportunity for either a sidequest idea or at least some RP options for me and the 2 players.
So they should repent for their misteed, but how?

The bard could - for the first time ever- actually write a song about it. Not if this would need something else beyond RP. My group isnt that great in roleplaying. --° So maybe something technical would be needed?

For the Warlock- I asked my DM, maybe his Fey patron (I dont know much about it so far) talks to him? This hasnt happened so far either, which I find a bid wasted.

But maybe you guys have some ideas. It can be general advice or just ideas that I could offer my DM.
Thanks

[Quoxis]

Though your enthusiasm is admirable, make sure your fellow players actually WANT that - so far, it doesn’t sound much like it.
Experience has also shown that many GMs are more keen on getting through their story they painstakingly prepared than getting derailed by stupid players‘ decisions.
My tip therefore: talk to the GM first if they were hypothetically on board, then to the players whether they want it - mainly because it shoves your character in a position of moral superiority and teacher-esque power. The typical „i know best so i‘m the boss“ attitude is often not exactly well-regarded.
If they want, plan with them about how to implement their backstories and class fluff, they know best about it after all.

[Bobur]

Thanks, the DM in on board with it and likes the thought.

My pala is usually not very dominant except for a few topics. In most cases he just tries to minimize NPC casualties and is somewhat of the moral voice of the group so that they dont murder hobo their way through everything. ^^°

I will talks with the DM and with the players about it.

[GorogIrongut]

My response in your situation would be very simple... Discuss with the DM beforehand that your paladin Lay on Hands ability doesn't work when you attempt to use it on the two players who killed the Sentient Tree Guardian. Nor will it work until they serve some form of penance. You don't know what kind of penance is necessary. Leave it up to the players to walk the 'Path of Repentance' themselves (i.e. figure out themselves what needs to happen). Once the DM deems them suitably penitent, all the sudden your Lay on Hands ability begins to work on them again.

[Bobur]

I like that, sounds like a cool idea.

I asked both the DM and the player of the bard and both are ok with it. The bard doesnt know anything besides that I have a quest for him because of the tree.
The Warlock: Technically he didnt kill him and I would prefer it if the DM plays the fey patron a bit more active than what he did so far - which was either nothing or something so subtle that nobody noticed it so far.

[Joe dirt]

Do a quest to gain favor from a druid and have it reincarnated