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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hawken" data-source="post: 3671346" data-attributes="member: 23619">I couldn't agree with you more. You can't apply your own morals and ethics to even other cultures without causing problems. Muchless an entirely different species. Muchless irredeemably corrupt fiends that spend eternity tormenting souls. If some people think its wrong to whack an imp just because it hasn't done anything wrong that they witnessed, more luck to 'em! They'll be the ones wishing for a paladin to come in with a Smite when their morality gets shoved right back up their backside by a stronger, meaner fiend that they tried talking to first because it didn't attack them right away! If a paladin doesn't whack an imp because he's got more pressing issues at hand, well, good for him; he knows how to prioritize threats! If he remains silent while his group bargains with an imp that is because he is already planning on dealing with the issue and how to do so best without endangering his companions. Silence does not equal compliance. Wisely, the paladin did best by remaining silent until it was the correct time to act. There was nothing deceptive, chaotic, non-good or even remotely wrong with his actions. The only explanations a paladin owes are to his deity, not to his friends, or even his church or government, but to the one that supplies his power and directs him. Whether he knew of the agreement or not, he did not have to contribute to the discussion and didn't owe his friends any reason or insight for his silence or apparent compliance.  If the terms of the group's agreement with the imp come to an end simultaneously with the end of the danger greater than that posed by the imp, then the paladin has the satisfaction of Smiting the imp and at the same time sparing/saving the consciences of his companions by not having Smitten the imp until the terms of their agreement with the imp (and thus any truce) had come to an end so they would not have to worry/dread about any unfulfilled bargains with fiends.Whether the player intended his actions that way or not, it all worked out quite well with the paladin's actions despite calls for penance or power loss. Paladins are not bodyguards. They don't wait for bad things to happen. They go out and bring the Good right to the Bad guys' front door! They should be cheered for taking the initiative, not reprimanded or punished because others do not share their holy mandate or their great desire to see evil purged from the world.</blockquote>

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