Cleric punishment

[MarauderX]

How would you punish a good cleric for doing something rather heinous?

Here's the situation: A good-aligned cleric has decided that the goblin slaves they have freed should die, and has killed one of the 11 they just saved. The goblins were freed along with a group of humans by some slavers, and the party was debating what do with them when the player just gets sick of the discussion and says "This is what we should do!" followed by crushing one of their skulls in. I asked twice if he was serious, and he said yes much to the astonishment of everyone at the table. After that they decided to keep the goblins bound and escort them back to the nearest town to face a trial, much the same as condemning them to death.

Now, what about the cleric? I think some sort of temporary curse should be in order for next session, but I can't think what would be a good hinderance that wouldn't detract from the adventure they are on, nor should it prevent the player from enjoying the game.

I can't let such behavior go unpunished or it will happen again, so I appeal to the boards to debate a good solution.

 

[Mark Chance]

Based on your post, reading between the lines so to speak, I gather these two things are true:

1. The cleric's alignment and religion frown heavily upon slaying captive prisoners.

2. The cleric had no judicial authority to act in the manner he did.

Assuming these hold, my initial thoughts are:

1. Loss of at least some cleric spellcasting ability until appropriate atonement has been made.

2. Legal action against the cleric, probably in the form of fines.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Have his god (or an avatar of the god) visit him in a dream and demand the atone for the killing of the innocent goblin. Make sure he knows WHY it was wrong. Tell him if he doesn't atone, that something bad will happen to him (ie like a curse, or he can't cast healing spells for 1 week, or some such).

I'd give him this warning before you give him any serious punishement.

 

[Arnwyn]

I'd simply yank the cleric's spells for a short while.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

I am confused here. These are former goblin slaves right?

Then, for what reason are they being escorted to town for a "trial"?

Does your campaign run that all goblins are evil and thus automatically deserving death? Or is the town going to have a real trial and go after the goblins for having raided the town some time in their past while they are free?

If the town is going to have a show "trial" and then automatically execute them for being goblins then the cleric did nothing wrong. He expediently carried out a sentance. IF his God has a problem with this then his God should equally have a problem with delivering the goblins to the town that will do the same thing.

 

[Numion]

Is there any difference between a free goblin and a goblin that has just been freed? I mean, the former are free game AFAIK, so why should the latter be any different?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Start taking away spell levels...with the lowest spell levels first.

"Your prayers for powerful powers are answered, but, strangely, the weak miracles you wish to perform are ungranted. Your deity states that this is in reprimand, and the farther you fall, the fewer spells you'll be able to cast...."

If the cleric gets an Atonement (possibly mandating a side-quest), he can get the spells back.

Sets it up perfect for a Demon Lord to come in later and grant him a few spell levels......mwahahahahaha.....

 

[Norfleet]

That depends. Why are the goblins on trial, anyway? Did they do something wrong? Why did the cleric do that? Were the goblins infidels that had to die? Smiting infidels is a perfectly valid excuse in many ancient religions.

 

[shilsen]

Rather than removing access to spells, what I would do is provide him with only "benevolent" spells. After he finishes praying for spells, he discovers that all his slots are filled with protection and healing oriented spells. Is his deity trying to tell him something? Let him try to work it out.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Church Law! Make an adventure out of it, put the cleric on trial by the church. If he is found guilty he is banished or sent to the wilderness. If not, he writes policy, setting the stage of what is evil in the game. Next thing you know he has followers and they are called by his name.



Now for my soap box. It is important for a DM to define evil in his games, while the clerics act was brutal, it could be considered okay in a game that saw goblins as evil. Defing keeps issues like this from happening.