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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pseudopsyche" data-source="post: 4912044" data-attributes="member: 54600">As a DM, you must strike a balance between allowing the PCs' actions to have consequences and creating a game where one mistake can unduly punish the players.  Note that the module in question lists the intended consequences of failing the skill challenge with Jelia: she doesn't help them later on and fights them instead.  The listed tactics imply that she fights to the death but can be persuaded to surrender when down to her last few hp.  By having her flee and join the big boss battle, you likely turned a level-10 encounter (2600 XP) into a nearly-level-12 encounter (3300 XP) (in an adventure intended for 7th-level PCs).  In effect, you punished the players' decision to attack Jelia by making the boss battle incredibly difficult.  What transpired may be realistic, but it doesn't sound like it was fun for your players.  Whether this was good or bad depends on what kind of game you and your players want.Personally, I would advise a more subtle touch than what you deployed in response to the players' aggression.  Instead of having Jelia join Calmachia (effectively combining two encounters (one the big boss) into one), I might have had her flee to plague the PCs later.  She can pursue her own agenda, instead of choosing to fight alongside the dragon that had been coercing her!</blockquote>