Adventurer's Code of Conduct

[Numion]

As in there probably isn't any. This is quite normal rant about PCs that do things that maybe they shouldn't. This happened in the aftermath of the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil, and the characters are around level 14. Not much of a spoilers, mind you.

They had acquired a Deck of Many Things. Which seems to be a source of many player-stories, eh? With a little meta-game thinking (they had encountered one in some other campaign) they decide not to use it, but sell it. A fine idea. Execution is what lacked, IMHO.

They think for a while who would have the required dough to buy it. Red Wizards, of course. So, to enclave they go. The Red Wizard in charge is wary of a scam, because it is a lot of money. (100Kgp, paid in Thayan wares). So he asks them to prove that it's a real 'Deck. Draw / have someone draw 5 cards while a Red Wizard observes.

A plan is made. One character goes to the seedy part of town, finds a beggar. Takes the beggar to eat, gives him gold, and offers more gold if he comes with them. Easy gig.

Back at the office (yes, another story. They really do have an office.) they contact the mage, then offer the clueless beggar 100gp to say 'I draw five cards'. And so he draws. Nothing seems to happen. Four cards go by, and nothing happens. Just a slight expression of pain. Then on the fifth card 50 gems of 1000gp a piece appear. Players are hilarious. They sell the deck, net money, and even let the beggar keep the gems.

Honorable adventurers? He did get to keep the 50K gems, right?

Not so. In addition, the beggar has

1 - knows answer to his next dilemma
2 - gains a level for next monster
3 - -1 to all saves
4 - A Demon out to get him...

What do you think about this? They were mostly chaotic bunch, but it's mostly the CG cleric I was concerned about. Should heroes be more heroic? How do you, as a DM, encourage more 'honorable' actions?

 

[Werdnam]

Wowsers. In my opinion, these actions fall under "callous indifference to life," esp. if they knew what a Deck is capable of. I would say that this was an evil act -- they performed a magical experiment on an unknowing being, and a possible (even likely, given they drew five cards!) outcome was death (or worse) for that individual.

If you want to enforce some repercussions, depending on the CG cleric's god, this might be grounds for losing spells until atoning.

 

[Pheonix]

Definetly lose spells until atoneing-and probably make them take care of the demon problem, too. This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, to be honest, ever since I was in a game where a CN bard got past a guard by offering to do a card trick with him using the Deck of Many Things (without telling him it was anything but a normal deck of cards)-and the first thing the poor fool drew was the Abyss...

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

God, I love the Deck.

As for the moral dilemma, I'd simply ask the cleric if he would have been willing to pull the same stunt on the high priest of his own temple, instead of a helpless beggar. Or for that matter, if he'd even just risk pulling that stunt in front of the high priest of his temple. Unless it's some god or goddess of luck-- who might not have any problem with it-- I'd say he's in trouble.

I'd say he knowingly committed an evil act here. I'd strip him of his powers-- and beyond a simple Atonement, I'd likely let him suffer with no spells (or maybe only low level spells) until they took care of the demon (that was a great suggestion).

Now that I think on it a little more, I'd probably strip him of his powers and not even bother telling him WHY. Let him figure it out-- I doubt he would have to wonder for long, but he could always go to his temple elders and get some divinations done. And that's when I'd drop the quest on him.

As for his companions, I'd make sure that at the very least, word gets out to the other good temples in town, making everyone very reluctant to open their doors to them. Few adventurers can survive for long without the support of the local temple (especially when their own party cleric can't cast spells).

Side note: When our last party found a Deck, my gnome declared, "TWELVE DRAWS!" Figured I had a good chance of drawing Fates before anything TOO nasty-- but then, that's gnome thinkin' for ya. Worked out fine, but the newfound power and fortune brought the campaign to a screeching halt. I really just wanted to teach the DM a lesson for plopping the Deck into the game in the first place. I warned him...

Wulf

 

[Hejdun]

I don't know what the problem is. The commoner sees the Demon, knows what to do, kills it, then levels up. Sounds like a good deal to me! Screw the -1 saves!

In all seriousness, if the PCs don't attempt to protect the commoner, it's evil. Cleric goes to at least CN, maybe CE. Party gets bad reputation, and is no longer "good". It is obviously increasing your wealth and power at the lethal expense of someone else. Evil.

 

[hong]

I don't know what the problem is. The commoner sees the Demon, knows what to do, kills it, then levels up. Sounds like a good deal to me! Screw the -1 saves!

Damn, someone beat me to it.

 

[Rashak Mani]

5 CARDS !!! He was almost guaranteed to lose his soul or in this case be hunted by a demon... 50K wont compensate a demon ripping him up.

Alignment breach of contract... give them punishment !

 

[Nareau]

Wow, you guys are nice...

I'd have the beggar disappear into the night. The cards get sold at the proper price, and the PC's forget the entire incident.

A year later, the beggar (who's learned a thing or two about the world) turns up as a major NPC villain. Who knows what he's done in the interim? Maybe that demon recruited him in the Great War, where he rose to be a commander of a horde of unspeakable creatures. Maybe the beggar defeated the demon easily, and used the gems to bribe his way into the inner circle of the most powerful assassin's guild in the kingdom. Who knows? At any rate, let the PC's terrible actions reap their own terrible rewards.

 

[omedon]

I like that idea Spider. It is evil.

If the PC's didn't see the result of the cards, perhaps you could switch chased by a demon to Change alignment. Let him be transformed into an evil power hungry NPC. By leaving him with all the jewels the PC's inadvertently left him with the money to raise an army, conquering lands and expanding his empire.