Paladins in AL: Unusual Gods (SPOILERS BELOW FOR SEASON 4)

[Tyranthraxus]

Hi, Ive recently started to run the season 4 scenarios the Beast and Im after some DM advice.

One of the characters I have found out is a Paladin in service of Loviatar (who if you dont know is very much Lawful Evil and all about whips and Hurt and Suffering: ie the inflicting of it).

Now Ive run the beast and this character gave Alina a very hard time. He was kinda happy how Lazlo had died and how Alina was suffering because of it. So those 2 elements were being played up well.

What concerns me more is how should I react to such things when its done around 'civilised' people in town like Gregori and co. Im really not used to running for evil characters and any help for future scenarios would be great.

 

[Eltab]

In-game, I would find an NPC who can recommend to the Paladin that he take it easy about his goddess' desires. He is in a strange land where the locals will not at all take it well, should they find out.
If his character decides to lead with his whip, as it were, then he gets a frightened / angry mob heading his way bearing torches and pitchforks.

How much does the player know about Loviatar? She is just as happy if you lie on a bed of nails - or other demonstration of personal endurance - as with the whips and leather (and all that implies).
HE could be the one to clear thorny brambles from a sick farmer's field while wearing short sleeves and wielding a shortsword, for instance, and still be true to Her desires.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

A lot of people I find get confused with Ilmater, who is about taking on the suffering of others (literally) and Loviatar, who is all about spreading suffering to others. The Beast was the first session for this character (and the character took it as a sign from Loviatar about finding a certain item in game) that they were doing the right thing.

 

[Pauper]

In addition, some people don't seem to grok the distinction between being evil and being a jerk; a character can be the former without being the latter. This is particularly true when dealing with deities like Loviatar and Bane, whose evil tends to be social. It's hard to fulfill the tenets of your faith when nobody wants to hang around with you to become a subject of your faith.

--
Pauper

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

This is also AL play, so even though LE is allowed, the player still has to not be a jerk or try to sabotage the other players' characters, and that can include interacting with NPCs. The player has restrictions on how he can play this character and the DM has a responsibility to make it clear that the enjoyment of the other players cannot be ruined by how he wants to play his character.

Also, you name the deity for his character, but you do not list the character's alignment, though I think everyone is assuming he is also LE.

 

[TwinPeaksGuy]

Happens I have a Paladin in Borovia at the moment, a worshipper of Kelemvor. Any idea what the expected cost might be to commission a shrine? Past a certain point there's not a lot to spend gold on, I thought it would be in character to have him prosletysing and tithing and so forth. I already have him burying the dead and providing funeral services, might as well.

 

[Pauper]

Living Forgotten Realms had an NPC who was, while not a priestess, was something of a lay leader of Loviatar. Since this was 4E, there was no Lawful Neutral alignment, but she was clearly not evil. This became a significant plot point in DALE 2-2, which ends with the NPC either dead or having fled her village, overcome with guilt at the degree to which her lay group was manipulated by a servant of Loviatar's enemy, Talona.

I only point this out to say that it's certainly possible to serve an 'evil' deity in a way that isn't specifically evil, but that in the end, such 'playing with fire' doesn't generally end well. In AL, where the published adventures aren't really about the characters who play them, this is not as easy a thing to explore as it is in a home game.

--
Pauper

 

[Pauper]

Any idea what the expected cost might be to commission a shrine?

I think there are suggestions in the DMG, but because they are optional rules in the DMG, I doubt they'd be usable in AL.

--
Pauper

 

[Anthraxus]

What concerns me more is how should I react to such things when its done around 'civilised' people in town like Gregori and co. Im really not used to running for evil characters and any help for future scenarios would be great.

I think the majority of NPCs are so beaten down and scared living in oppressive Barovia that they really wouldn't appreciate the "Mistress of Pain's" whole thing(maybe not to the point of breaking out the torches & pitchforks, but who knows- your player might surprise you!). Though- some might be *really* into it.

 

[TwinPeaksGuy]

I think there are suggestions in the DMG, but because they are optional rules in the DMG, I doubt they'd be usable in AL.
--
Pauper

Ok, then a broader question: is there any way to simply deduct gold from my total as a donation to my character's faith? Without any presumption of a "tangible" result of any sort?