D&D 5E Fallen Paladin of torm redemption help

[GHammy26]

Hi Guys,

I've read your ideas and I agree with you all that I will be having a chat with him about the route he is taking before I do anything. Just an FYI, I'm not mad at him in any way as I too am a cheeky bugger when it comes to being a player. I'm mad at myself for falling for it, so I'm in no way trying to punish him for my mistake.

It was one of the other players that told me that he should become fallen; and as the Paladins background was that he was thrown out of his temple by Onthar Frume due to disagreements over his leadership style. I thought it would be entertaining RP wise to see what would occur from him coming back to his old master disgraced, maybe see if he tries to become a better Paladin.

On a second note he plays the Paladin like a Rogue, RP wise and it states that he is Neutral Good on his sheet but he plays very Neutral. It's a very RP group and I think he'd enjoy the challenge of RP getting back into his god's favour and possibly the favour of his old master. The original Assassin's Creed comes to mind when I think of his possible progression having to start from the beginning rank wise in his old order and work his way back up...

This is his first campaign into D&D and I don't want to scare him off, but show him he can't just do what he wants either...

FYI I love warping the words in the contract idea, the patch of land made me laugh. They already have a treasured pet sheep they were given in lieu of payment for the quest they did before starting HotDQ. The ranger DESTROYED a drake that was eyeing it up for food... So a patch of land may also become a greatly treasured asset some how, probably get a statue built on it or something... I dunno, they are a creative group...

The bad reputation with other places is also a good idea as well due to him wanting to start a business.

Any ideas on how he could atone for his sins?

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

Any ideas on how he could atone for his sins?

It really does depend upon what his sins were and who determines the sin.

Your other player was incorrect when they suggested the paladin should fall: only breaking their Oath of Vengeance will do that. This doesn't mean that the Church or Torm/Torm himself/the Lord Nighthill won't get annoyed at him and demand recompense or atonement: just that they can't take his Paladinhood away in punishment.

Contacting his old master, complaining of his conduct and suggesting further remedial guidance may be required is something that any of the three might do. He would probably be disgraced in the eyes of the Church/Torm at least.

Each of those three are going to view whether/what the sin of the Paladin was differently, and each are going to demand a different punishment or recompense.

 

[Fimbria]

(XP for taking the high road: cool story material goes on the table, but bad player behavior is handled outside. Despite all of the advice to the contrary, most successfully resolved conflicts start with direct assertive communication.)

As Cap'n Kobold says, it depends on who determines the sin and how long you want to spend addressing a dirty trick. You could brush it off before the next session, or you could make this the subject of a major storyline, or anything in between.

Here's one possible segue.

The paladin's rash action has dishonored the church in the eyes of Lord Nightfall. The high priests of Torm demand that the paladin restore their good name. Lord Nightfall agrees that he will forgive the church of Torm if the party clears up some problem which threatens his domain. (From there, nearly any one-shot adventure flows naturally.)

Alternatively, Torm shows up in a dream. He says that the trickery has brought corruption into the city, which is against his portfolio. Plus, it was a dirty trick unbefitting the name of a god of righteousness. He wants the party to correct it. When the party goes back to Lord Nightfall, they find that he already has the money. It turns out that Lord Nightfall has been having a rough year, and he was actually desperate for cash. To get the money quickly, he made a deal with some unsavory people. Was it the assassin's guild? The cultists down the road? Did he sell his soul to hell? Whoever his creditors are, they won't let him out of the deal easily. The paladin will have to negotiate with them to break that contract.

 

[Shiroiken]

You read my mind exactly letting him know what he's done wrong and where he is going if he carries on down that path. As for the spells failing this mission I LOVE that idea, just having one fail randomly would be brilliant, it'd be sort of a foreboding feeling too.

I've figured out the process of making him fallen and the points he'll have to cross before he is fallen.

What quest or for of repentance would a fallen paladin of torm have to do to get back in his good graces?

He's thinking about forming his own adventuring company, i was thinking about the celestial being letting him keep the gold to set up his company but it would have to be a charitable/non-profit company... Thoughts?

I'm not as up on Torm as I used to be, but the PHB mentions self-sacrifice as part of Torm's purview. Allowing him to form the company and requiring a periodic "holy" mission (as directed to him by the celestial telepathically), which involve helping others for free, would be a good compromise. Of course, more shenanigans that give the Church of Torm of bad name will not be tolerated.