How Should the Paladin Suffer?

[Goobermunch]

Okay--

Here's the deal. The Paladin in my campaign made a noble promise to always protect a six-year old child. At the time, he probably didn't think much of it. He was simply trying to cheer her up and deal with some of her fears as they travelled through a dark forest.

Fast forward a few months. The Paladin dropped the six-year old off with her somewhat distant father. Unbeknownst to the Paladin, the girl's father is a necromancer. Since last he checked in, the necromancer is now a ghoul (retaining his spellcasting ability), and he has turned his daughter into a zombie (but hey, the body has an amulet of gentle repose, so it still looks pretty).

But wait, it gets better. Dad has also bound the daughter's soul to the zombie. In effect, the child's mind, personality and alignment are still intact, and she can communicate with her father or anyone else. Her body, however, is under his complete control.

Technically, the Paladin has not committed any evil acts. He has, however, made a promise which he has failed to keep. Further, the party had reason to suspect that all was not right with Dad, but the Paladin never managed to get the Detect Evil off at the right time . . . .

My questions:

What punishment should the Paladin suffer?
If he suffers the loss (or partial loss) of his paladin abilities, would it be better (more dramatic, appropriate, fitting) to lose those abilities as soon as the promise is broken? Or as soon as he discovers his breach?

I've got a reason for suggesting the latter, but I'd like to hear other theories.

--G

 

[SteelDraco]

I'd start off with having nightmares fitting to what's happened. Maybe a few relevant waking hallucinations as well. Having his abilities fail him at dramatically appropriate times might be an interesting indicator of what he's done wrong. After a while, if he doesn't do anything about the problem, then he should lose his abilities. But IMO, he should have some kind of warning first.

 

[kamosa]

This isn't the thread I thought it was going to be based on the title...
With a title like "How should the Paladin Suffer", I guess, uhh never mind.

Sorry
The BBEG

 

[Abraxas]

Without a lot more information - None.

He attempted, in good faith, to protect the child. Delivering the child to her father was perfectly acceptable.

If you weren't already planning on making the character's life hell for not checking in on the child frequently for the rest of her life, her zomification shouldn't make things worse.

If you were going to make the character keep fairly significant tabs on the child you should have warned the player when he was attempting to cheer her. His only real solution in this case would have been to not make said promise or give up an adventuring life and stay with the child.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I wouldn't punish him at all. I would, however, start sending him hints that something is seriously wrong, and his attention is required immediately. If he fails to act once the hints have gotten strong enough, then punish him.

 

[SteelDraco]

He attempted, in good faith, to protect the child. Delivering the child to her father was perfectly acceptable.

I'd agree, except he said that there were some doubts about the father and his intentions. If a paladin swears to protect someone, they should be sure about who they hand their charge over to. That makes it, at least partially, the paladin's responsibility.

 

[Eosin the Red]

I would send him prescient but vague dreams BEFORE the zombifcation. Then he can show up and try and take the girl but wait.....The necromancer will have the local law man inform the Paladin that the necromancer is a upstanding member of the town and people can't just start carting off villiagers children.....now the paladin has a real delima follow his vague dreams or follow Barney Fife??

The paladin has sworn to defend her and it maybe that this young girl has some important roll to play in the paladins faith - perhaps because of this she will become a saint but only if she survives and only if the player keeps his paladin-hood. Perhaps if he keeps her alive but violates his code she will grow up to be just like her father.

 

[Fenes]

I wouldn't punish him at all. I would, however, start sending him hints that something is seriously wrong, and his attention is required immediately. If he fails to act once the hints have gotten strong enough, then punish him.

I would do the same.

 

[Blue Sky]

That seems really... harsh. You said in your post that the paladin didn't know that pops was a necromancer, and even tried to detect evil, but never really got the chance. What reason would the paladin have to take a small child away from her father without any provocation?

If there is more to the story, then pray tell, but as it stands, I'd just give him a message from his god (prophetic dreams, usually) that all is not right with the kid. If he ignores the dreams, and has no more pressing matters, I'd start removing his abilities, starting with the highest level of spells. If, on the other hand, he's fighting against a horde of demons (random example) struggling to enter the prime material plane, the little girl should take a back seat. It sucks that he can't help her in her time of need, but needs of the many > needs of the one.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

I wouldn't punish him at all. I would, however, start sending him hints that something is seriously wrong, and his attention is required immediately. If he fails to act once the hints have gotten strong enough, then punish him.

I third this notion. Obviously now, there's some smiting that needs to be done, and some asking for forgiveness afterwards. But I wouldn't see any zapping of abilities until he has a chance to knowingly screw up. Set the stage when it becomes obvious that some small part of this state of affairs is due to his actions. Does he refuse to do what he can to fix the problem? Then start makng him feel it.

Personally, I'd reccomend that, if he refuses to fix the problem, start a slow leech of his abilities. Maybe all his spells are cast at one caster level lower. Maybe he loses LOH. Make it an obvious slap, but not a complete one.

Hm... Maybe describe how, when he finds out, he suffers an intense loss in his confidence and judgement, then swipe his +cha to saves. Have it eat at his minds as he dreams and preys (there go his spells).

Is it too late to set things up to try and give the Paladin a chance to stop the zombiefication?

Oh, and WHY exactly did the girl's father turn her into a zombie?

Now, the usual question: Is this player usually problematic in how he plays a paladin? Does his past actions and history warrent punishment?