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<blockquote data-quote="Crust" data-source="post: 5480426" data-attributes="member: 22330"><p>I've always found alignment difficult to juggle with my players. Some have their own opinions of what are good and evil acts. For example, the stalker of Kharash in my group believes that the wanton slaying of anything that bears an evil alignment is a good act. I disagree. Others might agree with my player. It's caused me to regret allowing <em>Exalted Deeds</em> altogether. It's my opinion that murdering a murderer (even slaying a helpless devil or demon) is evil, but opinions vary. It's not easy, especially given the, as I call it, “Neverwinter Nights mentality,” where enemies are enemies and role-playing takes a back seat (or is stored in the trunk) in favor of farming XP and hording magical items.</p><p></p><p>Given the OP's situation (especially the use of detect good and the "surprise" appearance of the troll, a classic foe of all adventuring parties), I'd chalk up the encounter as a moment of supreme ignorance on the part of the party. I'd find it interesting to allow the situation to dawn on the PCs, that they slew a troll that meant to help them, slaying a non-evil creature in blind ignorance based on appearances. Like others have suggested, when a troll comes within arm's reach of a party of adventurers, the conditioned reaction is to use fire and acid immediately. Stepping forward to shake hands, whether the troll is evil or not, could be dangerous. After all, bears aren't evil, but I wouldn't approach one of those under any circumstances. I wouldn't attack it either unless I felt threatened, and I imagine party members felt threatened by the troll.</p><p></p><p>I don’t often stop my players and say, “That’s an evil act. You can’t do that,” but I have warned players about that and watched things unfold. Concerning the OP’s situation, I wouldn't penalize any PCs outright for that encounter (stripping paladinhood or exalted feats, for example), but I would sit back and carefully weigh individual reactions to the slaying of a non-evil troll. Some of my players would respect and understand the gravity of their actions. Others wouldn't care. That would color how I proceed with future encounters, especially with NPCs who would judge the PCs and hold them accountable, such as a local druid or party of rangers who had already befriended the non-evil troll. Perhaps that druid (or some other NPC friend of the troll) might confront the PCs and either scold them or attack them outright for upsetting the delicate balance and slaying a troll just because it's a troll. Could be some interesting role-playing.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Crust, post: 5480426, member: 22330"] I've always found alignment difficult to juggle with my players. Some have their own opinions of what are good and evil acts. For example, the stalker of Kharash in my group believes that the wanton slaying of anything that bears an evil alignment is a good act. I disagree. Others might agree with my player. It's caused me to regret allowing [I]Exalted Deeds[/I] altogether. It's my opinion that murdering a murderer (even slaying a helpless devil or demon) is evil, but opinions vary. It's not easy, especially given the, as I call it, “Neverwinter Nights mentality,” where enemies are enemies and role-playing takes a back seat (or is stored in the trunk) in favor of farming XP and hording magical items. Given the OP's situation (especially the use of detect good and the "surprise" appearance of the troll, a classic foe of all adventuring parties), I'd chalk up the encounter as a moment of supreme ignorance on the part of the party. I'd find it interesting to allow the situation to dawn on the PCs, that they slew a troll that meant to help them, slaying a non-evil creature in blind ignorance based on appearances. Like others have suggested, when a troll comes within arm's reach of a party of adventurers, the conditioned reaction is to use fire and acid immediately. Stepping forward to shake hands, whether the troll is evil or not, could be dangerous. After all, bears aren't evil, but I wouldn't approach one of those under any circumstances. I wouldn't attack it either unless I felt threatened, and I imagine party members felt threatened by the troll. I don’t often stop my players and say, “That’s an evil act. You can’t do that,” but I have warned players about that and watched things unfold. Concerning the OP’s situation, I wouldn't penalize any PCs outright for that encounter (stripping paladinhood or exalted feats, for example), but I would sit back and carefully weigh individual reactions to the slaying of a non-evil troll. Some of my players would respect and understand the gravity of their actions. Others wouldn't care. That would color how I proceed with future encounters, especially with NPCs who would judge the PCs and hold them accountable, such as a local druid or party of rangers who had already befriended the non-evil troll. Perhaps that druid (or some other NPC friend of the troll) might confront the PCs and either scold them or attack them outright for upsetting the delicate balance and slaying a troll just because it's a troll. Could be some interesting role-playing. [/QUOTE]
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