Fallen Paladin

[Goose]

Just wondering what kind of ways can you all think to make a paladin fall from grace. This has to be pretty extreme to make the typical paladin defy his god.

There is always the "He saw his family get killed by the head priest of his church" But im trying to think of some more unique ways to do it. All ideas would be welcomed. This could also be a nice place to write some tiny stories about it.

 

[Snoweel]

His true love was killed while the Paladin was away serving his deity?

Paladins somehow get a bad name and are hated by the general population, a la veterans returning from Vietnam?

He gets hooked on poker machines?

I think the important thing is that he suffers an incredible loss while away serving his deity/church/ideals. The idea being that if he wasn't a Paladin, he wouldn't have suffered the loss.

Actually, go with the first one. You have my permission to plagiarise it.

After all, I pinched it from Bram Stoker.

 

[green slime]

There are a million ways that would cause a paladin to fall from grace.

• Hopelessness: He got so depressed from the endless slaughter. The Hordes of Evil are so huge, so endless, so mighty, the cause is lost, there is no hope.
• The Material World:He becomes infatuated with things. Tempted to place a higher value on material things rather than the value of what is fair and just. This sort of includes Alchohol, Drugs, Sex, Land, Power.
• Vanity: He becomes so convinced of his righteousness that he forgets his humulity (Think Moses and the original stone tablets; he never got to the promised land)
  

Remember that while he may be forgiven for any number of these deeds by his deity, should he request forgiveness for them, show true remorse, and take up a quest, the difficult part may be that he never forgives himself, and thus never requests the forgiveness of his Deity.

Paladins are not superhuman; they are mere mortals attempting to live up to the infallible standards of Deities. Such is the pressure, such is the expectations they place on themselves, that forgiveness of their own errors is hard come by.

 

[Squire James]

My answer depends on if you're the DM, a player playing a Paladin, or another player who wants to mess up another player's character because he's evil or something.

I'm not going to help the DM or the other player any more than is necessary. I think anyone other than the paladin himself forcing a fall from grace is the wrong way to play the game. If the DM wants to tempt the paladin, fine, as long as there's a way out.

That being said, a paladin's fall from grace is a LOT more fun to play out if the fall is very extreme and very sudden. Consider these two options, and tell me which is more fun:

1. The paladin utters a forbidden curse word after losing a hand of poker.

2. "While the paladin is away" happens, paladin returns, paladin goes Orlando Furioso and burns several villages that may or may not be responsible in a fit of rage that any Barbarian would be proud of.

 

[sword-dancer]

There is always the "He saw his family get killed by the head priest of his church" But im trying to think of some more unique ways to do it. All ideas would be welcomed. This could also be a nice place to write some tiny stories about it.

I couldn`t see why this should let the pally fall?

 

[green slime]

but the sudden rage would need to be over more than a hand of poker, I would hope. Something to cause true grief, if the fall is to be so sudden.

Personally I like the idea of repeated temptation. The "Have a little more apple pie" method:
"Torture can cause the weak to reveal important secrets. Secrets that are vital for the safety of the realm/church."
"The harlot is begging you to spend the night the night in her arms. She wants it bad. I bet you could get it cheap from her, I mean, you can cure diseases, right?"
"You could purchase this item cheaper still, the man looks desperate for money."
"You would look so good in that armour, but the king gave it to the Earl of Geeks???"
"I wonder what the church would say if the Earl of Geeks had an accident? Accidents do happen so easily this time of year..."

 

[Napftor]

I can't help but comment that this thread comes at a time when I just finished an assignment about it. My contribution to this thread will be (hopefully) in the book Foul Locales: Behind the Gates when it surfaces early next year from Mystic Eye.

I'd add more ways for a paladin to fall, but I'm pretty much done with the idea for now. We now take you back to our regularly scheduled thread...

 

[Snoweel]

I bet you could get it cheap from her, I mean, you can cure diseases, right?"

 

[Celtavian]

Re

Use the old Sampson and Delilah scenario. If he is male rolplayer, and you are a good roleplayer, set him up with a woman over the course of a few adventures. Really draw him in through roleplaying to fall hard for this woman, then have her commit evil acts and the Paladin ends up defending her against armed good people trying to bring her to justice.

I have as a DM sucked quite a few folks in with the woman angle. Very few male player can resist a goodly woman who draws them into a web of intrigue if you are able to roleplay it properly. Then destroy him.

Enjoy!!!

 

[Sanackranib]

fallen paladin

I love this topic -

here is what I would do . . . put him in a situation where the only choices he can make are harmfull ie. the evil villian has 2 of his family members but he can only save one - which one does he sacrafice to save the other. or if he won't choose then both die horrible deaths. Paladins have that "silly moral code" and stuff that they can't just fight but that places them in a moral quandry really burns them. Guilt can be a powerfull weapon. Disguise the bad guys alignment and hire them for a task that seems on the up and up then set them up to kill inocents - Hey nobody ever said us evil types will Ever play fair and since most can't go toe to toe with a paladin use his code aginst them. But thats just the evil bastard me talking . . . Waaaa ha ha ah ha ha