D&D 5E Morality Dilemma?

[Zardnaar]

Warning none of the following is that original. I've stolen almost everything from various sources and kitbashed it togather.

The set up is the PCs need to recruit allies so they're off to Cauldron to try and recruit Warforged from the Gnomes.

The Gnomes control the creation forges and it's basically a slave state. There's a Warforged in the party.

Theme is happy pirates and the Gnomes have magitech ships. A single ironclad is a great harbor defense.

To get said ship of course there's a job involving wiping out rebel Warforged. If the PCs side with Warforged and lead a revolt they can cause some havoc and maybe steal a ship and flee with a few hundred Warforged.

The Gnomes also sell Warforged a'la Unsullied in GoT. They won't sell all of them even if someone has baby dragons.

The easy road is free warship and aid to defend their city. If they go with the morally correct choice they free some soldiers but cause a big problem diplomatically.

Map used is Caribbean. Sasserine is where Havana is, Cauldron is located on Hispaniola. Gnomes control that island. No choice is perfect.

Thoughts?

 

[aco175]

It is only a morally correct choice from a certain perspective. I'm guessing that the gnomes feel they are acting perfectly good and are fine with it. Maybe ask the player who is playing a warforged PC how his character feels. There may some interesting thoughts.

 

[Zardnaar]

It is only a morally correct choice from a certain perspective. I'm guessing that the gnomes feel they are acting perfectly good and are fine with it. Maybe ask the player who is playing a warforged PC how his character feels. There may some interesting thoughts.

That player leans towards freedom.

Gnomes PoV is we created them we own it. So yeah it's a potential hook for that player. They can just sail away as well.

 

[Flamestrike]

It is only a morally correct choice from a certain perspective. I'm guessing that the gnomes feel they are acting perfectly good and are fine with it.

What the Gnomes think is not relevant to the morality of the choice confronting the PCs.

 

[Zardnaar]

What the Gnomes think is not relevant to the morality of the choice confronting the PCs.

Well it kinda is. If they provoke an uprising Gnomes turn hostile.

Put it down Gnomes aid them reducing risk to their city.

 

[prabe]

So, I'm probably about to quit playing in the one 5E campaign I'm a player because the DM has put us in too many situations where all we could do was choose the lesser evil, and I'm tired of it.

I told you that so I could tell you this: I don't think I'd be bothered by the situation as you've outlined it. It seems as though the PCs have a choice that at least they won't see as choosing the lesser evil.

 

[Flamestrike]

Well it kinda is. If they provoke an uprising Gnomes turn hostile.

Put it down Gnomes aid them reducing risk to their city.

It doesnt matter what the Gnomes think is moral with respect to the morality of the situation is what I meant.

They arent the final moral arbiters. That's the Gods.

 

[Khelon Testudo]

Suggestion: if you're going to have a Gnomish-majority nation as slavers, have other Gnomish-majority cultures or lands that are anti-slavery, or at least don't practice it themselves.

 

[zarionofarabel]

I vote...

Kill everyone and free the slaves!

 

[Shiroiken]

I think it really comes down to how warforged are viewed in your world. The gnomes probably don't consider them sentient beings, simply constructs, while the PCs are almost certainly going to see them as sentient beings due to their warforged companion. There are several options, each with advantages and disadvantages

• PCs can purchase warforged and perform side quest to gain the ship
  • Standard contract work that gets what they need in the easiest manner, but probably unacceptable to the warforged PC
• PCs can convince the gnomes that the warforged are sentient, and that their actions are wrong
  • Most morally correct option, but also the one least likely to succeed
• PCs can help the uprising in an attempt to steal the boat
  • Gets what they need, but morally questionable as they're using the warforged for their own ends, making them little better than the gnomes
• PCs can stay to help the uprising succeed
  • Morally correct option, but if original mission is time sensitive may cause too long of a delay

I vote...

Kill everyone and free the slaves!

FTFY