The Team Want To Help An Evil Wyrmling Dragon To Find His Way Home

[Bartmanhomer]

Let's just a Fighter, Cleric of Tamara, Rogue and Wizard (Necromancy) heard horrible stories of evil dragons killing people and among other things. Then they encounter a male wyrmling red dragon. They were about to kill the baby red dragon. But he didn't want to fight and he was frightened. The baby dragon explained that he's lost and want to find his way home. The Cleric used his Sense Motive skill check to see if the red dragon was lying and believe it or not he was telling the truth. So anyway the party wass privately discussing if they want to escort the dragon home. The baby red dragon told the team he was adopted by by family of Brass Dragons which was very unbelievable because most good dragons don't accepted evil dragons. So long story short they escort the baby red dragon. Do you think the party did the right thing or should they kill the baby red dragon from the very start?

[StevenC21]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0207.html

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I think killing it once Sense Motive cleared it would be metagaming for sure.

Ignoring that, dragons are inherently their alignment... but atonement spells aren't that hard to come by, and I know of at least one D&D novel where one was used to allow a green dragon wyrmling to become good. I'd say that killing a creature that's capable of redemption, except in self defense or as judgment for acts committed, would have been the wrong decision.

[Bartmanhomer]

I think killing it once Sense Motive cleared it would be metagaming for sure.

Ignoring that, dragons are inherently their alignment... but atonement spells aren't that hard to come by, and I know of at least one D&D novel where one was used to allow a green dragon wyrmling to become good. I'd say that killing a creature that's capable of redemption, except in self defense or as judgment for acts committed, would have been the wrong decision.

I know that the red dragon is always chaotic evil. But this wyrmling, no matter how innocent or cute he is didn't seem like a huge threat for the party. Even if this was a different situation if the wyrmling red dragon would have attack the party then the party would have slaughter that baby dragon completely. But that didn't happen so that's that.

[RatElemental]

I feel this quote is relevant.

Here are the stats you actually need for a hatchling dragon:

Movement: Gets away if you let it.
Saving Throws: Miraculously survives all accidents.
Armor Class: You hit.
Hit Points: Congratulations, Baby-Killer.
Special Qualities: I hope you can live with yourself.

Coincidentally, these are the same exact stats for every other species of baby.

[Bartmanhomer]

I feel this quote is relevant.

LOL! Epic.

[Afghanistan]

Do you think the party did the right thing or should they kill the baby red dragon from the very start?

It really depends on the nature of Evil within your campaign setting. Is Evil a hard and fast thing, or is it a conscious choice that the party makes each and every time they wake up and have their Wheaties?

If Evil is a hard and fast thing, I think there is little defense for the Wyrmling on that basis alone. It will grow up and it will become a threat to Good. End of story.

If Evil is more realistic, than I'd say that killing the Wyrmling is premature to say the least and that this is a golden opportunity to train a powerful champion for good. If Devils can "rise", I don't see why a Red Dragon can't have a change of heart

Personally? Even if Evil is a hard and fast thing, where nobody chooses to be evil, I still wouldn't kill it. I know it's extremely modern of me to say that, but I don't think killing children is acceptable or a very "good" thing to do. Sanctify the Wicked, if it is available in your campaign is an option. OR you can open up a Redeemery.

[False God]

I think, even if the baby dragon was evil, made from pure evil, and didn't want to do anything more than kill people when he got home...I'd still have trouble killing it.

Assuming everything in the OP is true, then I absolutely wouldn't kill it and would probably help it, if nothing else, to find out everything it said was indeed true.

[Bartmanhomer]

It really depends on the nature of Evil within your campaign setting. Is Evil a hard and fast thing, or is it a conscious choice that the party makes each and every time they wake up and have their Wheaties?

If Evil is a hard and fast thing, I think there is a little defence for the Wyrmling on that basis alone. It will grow up and it will become a threat to Good. End of story.

If Evil is more realistic than I'd say that killing the Wyrmling is premature, to say the least, and that this is a golden opportunity to train a powerful champion for good. If Devils can "rise", I don't see why a Red Dragon can't have a change of heart
Personally? Even if Evil is a hard and fast thing, where nobody chooses to be evil, I still wouldn't kill it. I know it's extremely modern of me to say that, but I don't think killing children is acceptable or a very "good" thing to do. Sanctify the Wicked, if it is available in your campaign is an option. OR you can open up a Redeemery.

I know that not all evil creatures can be saved which is understandable in D&D. But maybe the baby evil dragon has a chance to redeem himself. After all, he has raised a family of Brass Dragons so that means something. If he was raised by his biological parents. Well, who knows what parents would be on their minds. They obviously might obliterate the whole party.

[Quentinas]

I would have done a sense motive after the wyrmling dragon said that he was adopted by a family of brass dragon (or some spell to see if that is true) because well...maybe is true that he is lost but he could taking the food (the party) to his mother ( a red dragon) for example . That said with their information (and supposing that he is truly adopted) they have done the right thing they don't have any motivation to doubt the word of the wyrmling and probably they will try to gain something from the brass dragon mother

[Asmotherion]

if they are good aligned they did the right thing.

in no way can infanside of a sentient being be a non-evil act. Even if it was hitler's son or something.

[Bartmanhomer]

I would have done a sense motive after the wyrmling dragon said that he was adopted by a family of brass dragon (or some spell to see if that is true) because well...maybe is true that he is lost but he could take the food (the party) to his mother ( a red dragon) for example . That said with their information (and supposing that he is truly adopted) they have done the right thing they don't have any motivation to doubt the word of the wyrmling and probably they will try to gain something from the brass dragon mother

Oh, the zone of truth spell. That would have come in handy.

[Lapak]

I think your party is doing the right thing. Dragons are not incarnations of alignment like fiends, and even the occasional fiend can be redeemed. If they genuinely believe the hatchling's story, trying to help it is very reasonable.

That said, I misread the title at first and thought they were trying to FIND a lost dragon hatchling that needed HELP getting home for some reason, which sounded like a pretty difficult quest too.

[Bartmanhomer]

if they are good aligned they did the right thing.

in no way can infanside of a sentient being be a non-evil act. Even if it was hitler's son or something.

Well the whole party is Neutral Good. So they're doing the right thing even if it's risky.

I think your party is doing the right thing. Dragons are not incarnations of alignment like fiends, and even the occasional fiend can be redeemed. If they genuinely believe the hatchling's story, trying to help it is very reasonable.

That said, I misread the title at first and thought they were trying to FIND a lost dragon hatchling that needed HELP getting home for some reason, which sounded like a pretty difficult quest too.

Hatchling and wyrmling are two different things.

[Asmotherion]

BTW just out of curiosity was the dragon lying or was it honest?

[Bartmanhomer]

BTW just out of curiosity was the dragon lying or was it honest?

The dragon was being honest about everything including his adoptive family. Turns out his adoptive family including a mix of chromatic, gems and metallic dragons brothers and sisters. They're a great dragon family.