Lawful society v. Chaotic PCs

[DreadArchon]

Because the OP asked the question, I think it is safe to assume that no such exception/immunity applies. If it did then the original question is moot.

I can see that. I interpreted the question as more like "Was this enough of an affront to the society to warrant harsh action against the PC's," my answer being "Let it slip with a warning."

If it was too much of a disruption to let slip with a warning, expel the PC's from town and make them communicate through a messenger. Without the PC's actually doing something to the town itself, I don't see a Lawful Neutral spontaneously reversing all of its plans and dumping all of its agreements in some sort of wild emotional backlash against "Chaos." This is a minor issue--again, assuming there weren't errant fireballs knocking down buildings, townspeople being Dominated as backup, etc.--and no matter how strongly the Beholder acted to prevent it from happening again, he would almost certainly try to avoid throwing off other matters while so doing. Imprisoning, blasting, or mindraping one's potential allies would definitely "throw off" negotiations.

 

[Mark CMG]

Give them a choice of either banishment (the rest of the group is welcome but the disruptive element must remain outside) or to willingly be charmed while within the confines of the society. Regardless, let them know what the consequence would be if they were members of the society and have that as the punishment if they act disruptively again. The beholder needs them for the time being and should be willing to give them a second chance if he can find some rationale for it.


I believe that Goodman had a special arrangement because the guide was in production prior to WotC officially disallowing use of the beholder (and others) as PI. A grandfathered residual part of the original gentlemen's agreement prior to the finalization of the OGL.

 

[MonkeyDragon]

Were a citizen of the town cause a public disturbance, I think an appropirate punishment would a fine (which the poor would have to pay in labor) and possibly an unpleasant but not particularly harsh physical punishment, such as a short stint in the stocks. And of course payment for any damages they caused.

For PCs, I think there are in game and out of game reasons to go lighter.

In game: The PCs are visitors who may not know the full extent of the laws. Recall that the beholder is LN, not LE. It is not unreasonable for him to forgive a first mistake. In any event, he will have an easier time maintaining his perfectly ordered society if he shows himself capable of mercy (issues of Charming aside). Also, his business relationship with the PCs may be too valuable to sacrifice by harshly punishing 2 members of the party.

Out of game: If the players didn't know about the laws, it might cause a trifle of unhappiness if they're punished for it. It also may put them in an unhappy position. If they need to work with this guy, and this is where the story is, it puts pressure on them to stay in town under the beholder's rule no matter what he does to them. That can rub the wrong way. This of course only applies if the players don't know about the strict laws. If there are signs on every streetcorner that those who disrupt the peace will be punished, they should lie in the bed they've made themselves.

My suggestion is this: The beholder talk very sternly and unhappily to the PCs, tell them exactly what they did wrong, what the usual punishment is, and that because they are new, they will be forgiven just this once. They must NEVER do it again, or he will have no choice but to punish them.

This way, you can work some exposition into the scene, make it clear that they've gotten off light, and keep things moving without disrupting the game to go through what happens as a result of the punishment. It also means that if the PCs get disruptive again, they have no excuse.

 

[Jon Potter]

Thanks for all the replies!

I don't favor letting them off scot free or fining them since the latter would be meaningless. (They just came into some "mad loot".)

I do like the idea of forcing the two offenders to wait outside of town (or in some other isolation for the duration of the group's stay in town. That would force the two into some good intearction and maybe finally clear the air between them.

Another option that ocurred to me was assigning one of those little mini-beholderkin to watch them both for the duration of their visit. Only mildly inconvenient/disconcerting, but it would emphasize the fact that "Big Brother" is watching.

 

[DreadArchon]

...Wait, can anyone in the town cast Mark of Justice? That's always handy.

 

[The_Gneech]

To go with another Star Trek reference:

"You are not of the body. You will be absorbed."

-The Gneech

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

There is a great deal of room for comedy, if you can convince your players to work together to achieve it (players fighting each other is not funny at all ...)
Beholders are egomaniacs. Each beholder believes it is the Perfect Beholder, and all other beholders are flawed. And each believes beholders are the Best Race in the world (much like the Daleks.)
Thus, whatever the Beholder does, it must be perfect. It must be perfect because the Beholder is perfect.

So imagine the beholder's consternation when barroom brawls erupt, workers walk off the job to hear the singing bard, notices that all taxes are to be refunded Friday are publicly posted by the beaucracy, and the Crier announces the beholder will personally present the Queen of the May award on the morrow. And, incidentally, a number of people identifying themselves as kender have appeared in town.
It is enough to make even a Beholder weep. And lose it altogether, so that the Chaotic Good character succeeds in charming *it.*