Ferrix said:
The moral thing would probably be to offer them help, but not accept payment for it, the good deed is all satisfaction you'll need. Accepting things from people under duress is never a good idea, since there very well may be other things at play that you don't see.
There we go.
It works on multiple levels. Heroes shouldn't need a reward just to do a good act. Especially Exalted heroes that are supposed to be paragons of good. Also, bringing back folks from the dead is something that probably should only be done when you are truly aware of their reasons/motives and agree with them.
It's a moral quandry. One that should be acceptable to a player that really wants to use material from the Book of Exalted Deeds. In this case, any undead show up as evil. So, you can't rely on a simple Detect Evil/Good to point you down the correct moral decision. You have to ascertain whether the victim is truly a victim. Maybe she wanted to become a vampire originally and has now sussed out the secrets to lichdom. Maybe she didn't realize she would be a pawn of the master vampire. You have to roleplay to get some of these answers.
OK, assuming you figure out she holds evil intent. Now is she redeemable? Is the correct moral decision to show compassion and bring her back from the dead so you can redeem her? Or should you deny her that option?
Keep in mind that this is beyond the standard assumptions of good/evil in D&D. The Saint is from the Book of Exalted Deeds. Begin your moral debate with the assumption that you have read and accepted the limitations of Exalted Good as presented in Chapter One of that book. This brings in aspects of the book into the game and presents a quandry. It is perfectly acceptable for the non-exalted members of the group to feel that the vampiress committed evil and should be destroyed. Period. Evil acts earn you swift retribution from Good. But the Exalted Good PC must consider things like "Helping others", "Mercy", "Forgiveness", "Bringing Hope" and "Redeeming Evil".
The right answer then becomes one much more based on your intents and how well you can support them. From a roleplaying perspective, this type of quandry is a beautiful thing. Especially if you can successfully pull it off. Having determined that the wizard embraced being a vampire for the power it gave her, and having guessed that she wants to be mortal once again so she can become a lich, you force her to consider the error of her ways. You show the damage she has caused others in the world and demonstrate that no matter what, she can still choose to help people. She can help mend the hurts she has caused. You save her, but swing her from her desire to become a lich. Instead, seeking fame and perhaps a measure of personal power measured in compassion instead of domination. You are a living saint and you have proven, once again, that mercy, forgiveness and love are all more powerful than evil. Once again, you have 'earned your wings'. You are a paragon of good and the world would become a better place if more people followed your lead.
