Help me Pay my Paladin!

[herald]

In the Epic Level book (I think,) there is talk of what to give instead of treasure. Instead of money or loot, give them favors that can be redeamed at a church for healing or some other spell casting. Perhaps they should get a reputation bonus in reactions or influencing people.

 

[Thanee]

When we had a simlilar group (cleric, paladin, templar and monk all from the same temple plus sorcerer/wizard and rogue/wizard (the latter two being the only non-fanatic believers there )), the treasures (well, what actually made it into the loot packs after the rogue had her fingers on them *whistles innocently*) were just given to the temple, and some was given back to them to be put to use to further the cause.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hand of Evil]

It would be an insult not to accept...

Now you can have fun with this...

I give you (insert name) to train (or marry), it is the grestest honor!​

Henchman...

My lord is too humble and the light he walks in does not allow thought of the basic functions and needs of men of adventure. I maintain his accounts and charities. Yes, that is a tiddy sum and his lord thanks you and would like you to know that your patronage goes forth to fight evil and the darkness that is threating our way of life. ​

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

If they travel to the same locations often, have the local people show their appreciation by not accepting payment for food and drink, offers to help them stable their mounts, carry their things etc.

In smaller towns have their arrival become a reason for a town feast. Make it a festival atmoshpere that allows the people to show their appreciation for all the PCs have done.

Have the church(es) recognize their efforts as earlier said, but add that the church has noticed an increase in the number of young people becoming part of the church from the regions where these two PCs have been working.

 

[adwyn]

Having recently been through this twice, both as a player and as a DM, I have found that its hard to accept cash from the needy and innocent. A couple of things I have found;

Have the King/Church/etc. give them a small stipend. The word can make ridiculous amounts of money seem reasonably small.

Have a wealthy merchant or noble forced to quest out the paladin and give him one half of the merchant's wealth as a penance for some evil. This removes the taint of taking from the needy and from the innocent.

If its not just coin but more significant items like magic items you feel they need then try bequesting the items from retired or dying heros of old (deathbed bequests are hard to turn down).

If you're feeling really heavy handed go the Aurthurian route - i.e. "the kingdom won't be safe until the bravest of knights bears the Sword of Truth hidden in the deep dark dungeons of Bleck" sort of thing.

 

[ARandomGod]

Have an celestial emmisary from the gods themselves present them with items that "They will need in the coming years". Deus ex machina baby.

Give them an adventure in which they are horribly underequipped. Have them die. Go to "heaven", on the way they can see the evils committed against the innocent that their failure has brought upon the world. When they arrive, they speak to a holy messenger, who points out that if they had taken the items that were socially and acceptably theirs through rights of conquest, they would have been able to stop this monstrosity.

Deny them entrance for their "crimes".

Have them slowly wake up, with the messenger chastizing them still...

A neat "only a dream" adventure, with an actual reason behind it. Give them XP for whatever they did manage to accomplish in the adventure... and give them some penalty that they have to get an atonement for, possibly have the atonement be a quest in nearby adventure 3B, where there will be much loot that they really should take.

 

[Aaron L]

Give them an adventure in which they are horribly underequipped. Have them die. Go to "heaven", on the way they can see the evils committed against the innocent that their failure has brought upon the world. When they arrive, they speak to a holy messenger, who points out that if they had taken the items that were socially and acceptably theirs through rights of conquest, they would have been able to stop this monstrosity.

Deny them entrance for their "crimes".

Have them slowly wake up, with the messenger chastizing them still...

A neat "only a dream" adventure, with an actual reason behind it. Give them XP for whatever they did manage to accomplish in the adventure... and give them some penalty that they have to get an atonement for, possibly have the atonement be a quest in nearby adventure 3B, where there will be much loot that they really should take.

That's extremely harsh and unneccessary. Punishing them for not being greedy?


All of the other advice is good.

 

[argo]

Plenty of good ideas here, espically giving them patrons or reputation benefits, but one nobodyhas mentioned yet is leveled equipment. There are several ways to go about this but the basic idea is that as the PC's go up in level their items also become more powerful, say the paladin's sword that was a +1 longsword becomes a +1 Holy longsword. Presto; no need for them to loot/purchase new equipment. There are many good flavor explinations for this as well: perhaps their diety appreicates all their good works and bestows a blessing on them or perhaps their equiment is actually an acient relic that is starting to awaken in their hands. I find that it is also kind of cool for the heroes to walk around with (what appears to be) the same equipment for most of their career, particularly if they have a bond with something like the shield that was bestowed upon them durring theri knighting ceremony or something.

 

[ARandomGod]

That's extremely harsh and unneccessary. Punishing them for not being greedy?


All of the other advice is good.

But it's not punishing them for not being greedy. Unless you're really stating that if they did take the treasure it would be greed.... And I don't get that impression. It's instead punishing them for incorrect actions in the name of good. I mean, I'd make it a fairly minor punishment. But it's still a wrong in the name of the god.

A number of wrongs throughout the centuries have been done in the name of good. Spanish inquisition and witch trials just off the top of my head. Deluded hero's of an active god should be corrected.

Here are hero's who are not equiping themselves as needed and required to do all the good they should be doing. On purpose. Essentially performing minor suicides one step at a time, all while furthering the cause of evil which they were "destined" to fight. Thwarting the god's will... that is, if they're characters that the gods have any plans for. And these characters seem to be that type. (Call it a hunch, PC's often are.)

Now, if the gods don't care about them at all, then they obviously shouldn't bother to send the dream. But if the diety (or even his servants) feel that it's significant enough to intervene, then the chastisement should hold some sting in order to be felt. It's important that they *know* that this is something that displeases their god.

If the god(s) don't care enough to intervene, on the other hand, it seems unlikely that they'll care enough to take other efforts to reward the characters... And if they DID take other efforts, they're instead encouraging and condoning this behavior. Behavior which is definitely selfish and full of self importance. It's traditional for gods to smite mortals at least a little for this degree of hubris.

 

[ARandomGod]

Plenty of good ideas here, espically giving them patrons or reputation benefits, but one nobodyhas mentioned yet is leveled equipment. There are several ways to go about this but the basic idea is that as the PC's go up in level their items also become more powerful, say the paladin's sword that was a +1 longsword becomes a +1 Holy longsword. Presto; no need for them to loot/purchase new equipment. There are many good flavor explinations for this as well: perhaps their diety appreicates all their good works and bestows a blessing on them or perhaps their equiment is actually an acient relic that is starting to awaken in their hands. I find that it is also kind of cool for the heroes to walk around with (what appears to be) the same equipment for most of their career, particularly if they have a bond with something like the shield that was bestowed upon them durring theri knighting ceremony or something.

The patrons and reputation gifts I see as rewarding and encouraging their behavior.
Leveled equipment is nice. I've often used it in my campaigns. I really really like it when they identify the sword and it reads as near artifact level... and they get a +1 bonus. That's all. No, it's too complicated to read anything about it, but it does seem like it should be powerful than you're experiencing.