If you were the DM and...

[SethDrebitko]

Premise 1: My character is about to get the Awaken Sand spell.
Premise 2: You're the DM.

Scenario 1: PC travels to Celestia (we have Plane Shift available) and Awakens some sand from the beach there, which is heavenly in nature, and has been awash in holy water since time began?

I'd make it an earth elemental with the celestial template that refused to leave the plane and became determined to be one of its eternal defenders.

OR

The elemental would become essentially an inevitable of good.

Scenario 2: PC travels to the banks of the River Styx, or someplace similarly associated with death, and Awakens some of the sand from the banks.

1. The local ruler calls down the pain on the players as an act for taking some of its land.
2. The crazy evil chaotic fiendish earth elemental becomes a villain and tries to sprinkle grains of itself within places and people to corrupt them to itself...man I'm going to use this one specifically.

Scenario 3: PC travels to Hell and Awakens some of the sand from that place?

1. The elemental knows its rightful place as the servant of the one who rules its level and becomes an eternal guardian.
2. The local ruler gets an awesome idea on how to make more loyal guards.
3. The ruler tries to gank the PC's to keep to keep the secret.
4. OR
5. The elemental realises itself as the only capable ruler of itself and hatches a plan to overthrow the local lord.
6. The local ruler tries to kill the pcs for being dicks.

Scenario 4: PC collects sand from several such sources and uses it to sculpt a form from wet sand, taking care about the placement of the sand, in terms of using Holy for the head and heart but Unholy for the limbs or extremeties, then Awakens the resultant form.

The elemental is immensely confused and depressed about its overall purpose. It often has fits of rage killing entire towns but then suddenly will aid those in true need. In the end the elemental is destined to die a sad horrible death, and the players will feel like s for causing it so much torment...thats not true they'll try again but use more good sand.

 

[kitcik]

Scenario 4: PC collects sand from several such sources and uses it to sculpt a form from wet sand, taking care about the placement of the sand, in terms of using Holy for the head and heart but Unholy for the limbs or extremeties, then Awakens the resultant form.

Question A) What difference would you have it make in the resultant creature?

Note that I'm not planning any such thing, I'm just inviting a bit of mental exercise.

So, she's hot but with a heart of gold?

I would hire a bad actor to sing a song about her:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKfB4cn6tBU]Sandy - John Travolta ( Grease ) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[anest1s]

Premise 1: My character is about to get the Awaken Sand spell.
Premise 2: You're the DM.

Scenario 1: PC travels to Celestia (we have Plane Shift available) and Awakens some sand from the beach there, which is heavenly in nature, and has been awash in holy water since time began?

Question A) What, if any, would be the reaction from the local "Powers that Be"?
Question B) What difference would you have it make in the resultant creature?

Scenario 2: PC travels to the banks of the River Styx, or someplace similarly associated with death, and Awakens some of the sand from the banks.

Question A) What, if any, would be the reaction from the local "Powers that Be"?
Question B) What difference would you have it make in the resultant creature?

Scenario 3: PC travels to Hell and Awakens some of the sand from that place?

Question A) What, if any, would be the reaction from the local "Powers that Be"?
Question B) What difference would you have it make in the resultant creature?

Scenario 4: PC collects sand from several such sources and uses it to sculpt a form from wet sand, taking care about the placement of the sand, in terms of using Holy for the head and heart but Unholy for the limbs or extremeties, then Awakens the resultant form.

Question A) What difference would you have it make in the resultant creature?

Note that I'm not planning any such thing, I'm just inviting a bit of mental exercise.

Well, they get nice colored sands I guess.

Okay, new tangent...

Premise 1) You're the DM.
Premise 2) The party Wizard has had a Fire spell, say Fireball, granted to them by the sun god (call it Pelor, Ra, Apollo, Helios, whoever), and the deity himself inscribed the spell in the book with holy fire.

What change, if any, would you make to the way that particular spell worked for that particular wizard?

Again, mental exercise only. The first hypothetical hasn't happened, and probably won't unless something extreme happens. This second hypothetical has already happened, and impact has already been decided.

The fluff of the fireball would change to "a huge sun-like orb" or something like that. I like the half divine damage too.

Okay, new hypothetical:

Premise 1) You're the DM.
Premise 2) A player in your game tries one of these ploys in a relatively transparent attempt to get something extra, above and beyond anything actually justified by the spell or situation? (Yes, it's an invitation to add plot hooks, but it's also an attempted power grab.)

Question 1) How do you deal with that player?

If it is something that could work, I would allow a lower success. The sands idea is too much trouble, so I would inform them before they tried that it wouldn't work. I can't see how the fireball could be an attempted power grab?

 

[Greenfield]

I think you're very much on a good track.

If a player goes out of their way, does some RP that can add to good story, you throw them a cookie. You don't buy them a bakery.

And if they're doing it specifically for that cookie, make it sugar-free.