I've just been made the conductor...

[Hussar]

Ok, killed was the wrong remark. In my defense, I did say so in the next sentence. To be fair though, if I decided to leave a briefing with my CO without permission, I would likely wish I was dead.

As to overshadowing the party, that's not really the issue. The situation is such that the enemy is a small (or not so small) horde of demons, so, it's a fairly high level adventure. THe party is APL 11, so, it's not terribly out of hand that way. OTOH, the party is about to be sent out on a mission to retrieve information while the angels hold the fort.

My worry is more about the fact that I can simply order the PC's to do stuff. They swore to defend the garrison and joined it. They actually made their oaths to the Solar commander of the Garrison, so, it is pretty binding.

Perhaps a light touch on the reins is required here. Tell them the goal and then let them complete it. Not too railroady I suppose.

BTW, in case it got lost in the wash, the party includes a paladin, so buggering off isn't likely going to happen soon.

 

[ThirdWizard]

It isn't railroading if the PCs actually choose to follow orders. It would be railroading if you forced them to follow the orders of the commander no matter what and they could never leave the service. So long as they made the concious choice to join the army then that doesn't even enter into it. Having PCs' actions have consequences for good and bad, or in this case fairly neutral, is not railroading. Don't even let that cross your mind.

So, play it to the hilt. Order them around. They wanted to join the army, so they get to be in the army. Yes sir, no sir, thank you very much sir. On the plus side, the army is willing to outfit them while they're in its employ and they have the protection of being in a large group.

 

[Hussar]

THat's true THirdwizard. They're going to get some sweet kit for this little job and I'm going to let them keep it. Since they lack a core cleric, out will come the wands of cure disease, create food and water and a couple of others. Proper weapons for dealing with demons as well - cold iron arrows, wand of align weapon, that sort of thing.

The two players who decided that they wanted to remain guests are likely going to be pissed.

 

[Kid Socrates]

Two of my PCs are part of a military-for-hire organization, and the third is an "unrestricted free agent" who works with them because they pay well. I routinely send them on missions, about once every ten to twelve sessions (the missions tend to take about five sessions, since it never goes smoothly). What I've been doing is giving them a very open-ended task and letting them do it their own way. Right now they're investigating the disappearance of a city, and their task was simply, "Go to Murond, find out why it has been reduced to ruin, find out how to keep it from happening to any other cities, and report back once you've succeeded." Everything else is in their hands. So far they've really liked it -- gives them a goal and a vague structure, but they get to come up with exactly how to handle it all themselves. I set the destination, but they make the path.

 

[Nim]

Ok, killed was the wrong remark. In my defense, I did say so in the next sentence. To be fair though, if I decided to leave a briefing with my CO without permission, I would likely wish I was dead.

So, handle it the way a planetar would handle it. It's a great opportunity for getting across the celestial mindset. Planetars are AL: Any Good, so they're not ALL Lawful, but from other things you've said, I assume this one is. Still, in this case I'd say that means that Good is the goal, and Lawful is the means.

Don't just slap down the disobedient character. Have the planetar EXPLAIN - sincerely, and probably sternly - why the formalities and structure are important. Remember that a planetar won't be cruel and has the ultimate good in mind, so won't be petty about its pride, so if it's expecting a level of military discipline, it has a REASON.

Look at this as an opportunity to go into some exposition about why Lawful Good is the Way (at least, from the perspective of this planetar...). It's also a chance to give the angels some of that slightly otherworldly feel they should have. Ideally, get the ball rolling and hopefully the Paladin will step up to the plate and keep on in the same theme. Some suggested talking points: A battle between fiends and celestials isn't just a battle of sword and claws, it's a battle of ideals. Accomplishing the military goals is important, but it's also important HOW they're accomplished, because this war is taking place on more levels than the physical. The method of the defense needs to affirm order and law in the pursuit of Good, the same way the demons use terror and chaos in the aid of Evil. The whole combat is symbolic of a clash of cosmic forces.

 

[Hussar]

Well, howzabout y'all be the judge?

Alex is the paladin/monk, Evalan is the planetar commander.

Alex bows once more to the celestials, thanking them for thier kind blessings, before leaving with the ladies.He listens carefully to the rules and other items brought up byEvalan, then he would go right back to bed, because although he needs but 2 hours,

Evalan turns to the retreating Alex. "Sir Alex, while I know nothing of your commanders before, surely you would not disgrace them so much as to leave the presence of a commanding officer without permission."

Evalan turns to Yolanda and Jiru, her eyes stare into the middle distance for a moment before focusing, "Your companions are being summoned. We have much to discuss and little time. As to using Blackrazor against Krasveshk, that will have to wait. Our first task must be to break this siege. If Krasveshk gains his freedom while the other demon lords are free, then we will not prevail."

A bit of a slap down. Note, that this specific problem wasn't really a big deal. I was worried in the larger sense of simply handing down their orders from on high. This is their marching orders:

"However, there is another problem. We don't know where the entrance to the Horde's Lair is. We can make a guess, but, from the fragments of knowledge we have of the area to the south, we know that the gate is well hidden behind several hidden doors. It would take far too long to search the area, even if you were absolutely certain of being able to find the doors in the first place."

"When the earthquake sundered this place and the inmates, we were cut off from our library. Inside the library are a number of maps of various regions. Lord Tarnaticus now holds the library. We know that he doesn't know what he holds, or the demons would have used the knowledge in there against us long ago. With the information from the library, would could find the path to the back entrance to the Horde's lair."

"Likely the library is much damaged, perhaps there is nothing to recover. I believe though, that Tarnaticus' zombie minions would not have done much random looting. Zombies are not generally known for their reading abilities. Likely, the library remains in disarray, but still of use.

"So, it seems that we need you to liberate the library first."

"We will not be able to help you too much in this, I am afraid. Should we send a patrol with you, the demons would take an interest and send large forces to overwhelm. You mortals are not seen as a great threat at the moment and the demons would likely be willing to let either the hag's ettins or Tarnaticus deal with you."

I don't think that I stepped on too many toes.

 

[Umbran]

Now you see the bind that I'm in. Do I enforce what I see as a legitimate claim by the ranks to what they consider their subordinates, or do I simply handwave it away and ignore it?

Enforce it. If the PCs are really hot stuff, they'll quickly rise in the estimation of their superiors, and thus earn a little more leeway.

They chose the path. This isn't railroading - it is experiencing the consequences of their actions.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Here are my suggestions:

1. Have the commander designate the party a semi-autonomous commando group. The commander gives them a problem, and they set about dealing with it. They aren't bound by the same protocols as the standard infantry (being mortals,) but are also not afforded the same support. They're a maverick unit sent out to deal with things only they can address.

2. Have the commander choose (or ask for a volunteer) spokesman for the party, and assign an NPC as a liason officer. Have the liason officer explain some of the niceties of dealing with your commanding officer to the spokesman.

3. Eventually, have the PCs take over the outpost leadership, using one of the methods of removing the current command structure suggested in posts prior to this one.

4. Re-read posts #11 and #16. They are spot on.

 

[haakon1]

E. Assuming the PCs are in any position to gain command after the death of commander, assassination. Then, you not only solve your problem, but also causes them to have something to worry about. The assassin had to be inside the fort! That's very dangerous.

Commander buys the farm and the PC's must step into the breech is what I would suggest.

Or have them get cut off, and have to defend, say, the gatehouse while the overall commander is in the dunjeon.

 

[Stalker0]

I say play it up to the hiltest hilt you can...hilt!!!

Seriously, this is a great RP oppurtunity. Its only railroading if you give the PCs unexpected consequences for their actions.

For example, if a party member goes against the commander and gets punished, that's simply roleplaying, and the party members will understand, especially if they've been warned. They may not like it, they may argue with the commander, but that's roleplaying.

If a party member tries to leave and is suddenly teleported back and forced to serve even though there's no magic like that around...that's railroading.

Set the scene, give the party clear indications of what the rules are, and what teh consequences are for breaking them... and then let them roleplay it how they wish.