I suspect that many real-word covert operatives and special forces soldiers effectively do the "unimaginable" (cooperate with mass-murderers) regularly -- and I suspect that, in the middle of a war, it's surprisingly easy to accept "evil" acts that keep you and your close friends alive.
Party Conflicts and Different Moral Agendas
- Thread starter SHARK
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Endur
First Post
My paladin solved this issue by handing any surrendered orcs and goblinoids over to the local authorities. The local authorities could then apply justice to the humanoids.
If your Paladin is empowered with dispensing "justice", then yes, I could certainly see a Paladin acting as Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Imagine a knight who's liege has granted the Knight with the full power to try and punish criminals.
On the other hand, there is just something that feels wrong about executing a prisoner, so I think the first option, of handing the prisoner over to someone else for judgment, is better from a clean hands point of view.
Tom
If your Paladin is empowered with dispensing "justice", then yes, I could certainly see a Paladin acting as Judge, Jury, and Executioner. Imagine a knight who's liege has granted the Knight with the full power to try and punish criminals.
On the other hand, there is just something that feels wrong about executing a prisoner, so I think the first option, of handing the prisoner over to someone else for judgment, is better from a clean hands point of view.
Tom
S'mon said:When we captured evil orc prisoners, after interrogation he executed the cooperative orc captive as quickly and efficiently as possible - he had no desire to cause it pain or suffering, but he wasn't going to let it go to wreak more evil (always annoys me when Buffy lets Spike go 'just one more time', or Angel/Darla)
The GM seemed to see executing evil prisoners as un-paladinesque, whereas I regarded it as practically the epitome of LG paladinhood - the paladin hated having to kill helpless prisoners - he'd much much rather have slain them in fair combat - but because of his oath, he couldn't let them go. And he wasn't going to be a hypocrite and give the orcs some token weapon ("Pick up the gun!") & force them to fight him to falsely salve his conscience. Being a paladin (to me) is about doing the right thing, even when doing the right thing sucks.
SHARK
First Post
Greetings!
Indeed, Endur, it is a group of players controlling more than one character, as well as several DM-controlled NPC's. Chris has four characters, Chrissy has three characters, Brenda has four characters, Mandy has two characters, Adam has four characters, Louie has four characters, Kyle has two characters, and Matt has two characters. After all of that--I have a few characters in the group as NPC's.
Having this many characters in the party is a challenge. It takes not only good organizational skills, but also sharp mental flexibility in keeping in mind who does what, who hasn't done X yet, and who is moving where. In general, it provides for a greater degree of survivability over the long term, but it means that such characters advance at a slower rate, (because the experience points are divided over more people) and also that each individual character advances in personal power at a slower rate. (the amount of magic items are fewer for such a large party). This price, as I mentioned, brings something of a higher survival rate for everyone, because the typical trials of combat and death are spread somewhat over more people. In addition, the group tends to have more aggregate firepower, and more diverse skills. For example, think of what a party with six wizards might be like. Or four clerics. As I write, there are hmmm...four wizards, three clerics, three druids, three rogues all in the group. The rest being the usual assortment of paladins, fighters, barbarians, and rangers.
It can get wild, but its always fun!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Indeed, Endur, it is a group of players controlling more than one character, as well as several DM-controlled NPC's. Chris has four characters, Chrissy has three characters, Brenda has four characters, Mandy has two characters, Adam has four characters, Louie has four characters, Kyle has two characters, and Matt has two characters. After all of that--I have a few characters in the group as NPC's.
Having this many characters in the party is a challenge. It takes not only good organizational skills, but also sharp mental flexibility in keeping in mind who does what, who hasn't done X yet, and who is moving where. In general, it provides for a greater degree of survivability over the long term, but it means that such characters advance at a slower rate, (because the experience points are divided over more people) and also that each individual character advances in personal power at a slower rate. (the amount of magic items are fewer for such a large party). This price, as I mentioned, brings something of a higher survival rate for everyone, because the typical trials of combat and death are spread somewhat over more people. In addition, the group tends to have more aggregate firepower, and more diverse skills. For example, think of what a party with six wizards might be like. Or four clerics. As I write, there are hmmm...four wizards, three clerics, three druids, three rogues all in the group. The rest being the usual assortment of paladins, fighters, barbarians, and rangers.
It can get wild, but its always fun!
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Tiefling
First Post
SHARK said:Greetings!
Indeed, Endur, it is a group of players controlling more than one character, as well as several DM-controlled NPC's. Chris has four characters, Chrissy has three characters, Brenda has four characters, Mandy has two characters, Adam has four characters, Louie has four characters, Kyle has two characters, and Matt has two characters. After all of that--I have a few characters in the group as NPC's.
By my count that's 25 PCs plus NPCs in the party. Weren't there only 16 of them?
Endur said:
Our first-level PCs were holed up in the orc-filled dungeon of an evil wizard with no easy exit, and hundreds of miles from civilisation, so handing the prisoner over to authorities wasn't an option. My paladin didn't execute the orc as 'justice' per se, but for utiliatarian reasons - 'the greatest good of the greatest number', according to EGG this being the definition of LG in 1e AD&D.
Company of The Jade Hippo
By the way, SHARK has started a Company of The Jade Hippo story hour (for anyone interested).
By the way, SHARK has started a Company of The Jade Hippo story hour (for anyone interested).
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