Second guess my paladin.

[Quasqueton]

However, if you are posting this just to create another endless thread with no resolution about Paladin behaviour, that would be an Evil act, and I will have to smite you. Just sayin', ya know?

I keep thinking that sooner or later, some paladin, somewhere, sometime has to do something that *everyone* can agree was a proper act. So far, in all the paladin threads, it seems that half the readers think the paladin did well, and the other half thinks the paladin did poorly.

I'm hoping we can find a general consensus on *some* aspect of *some* palaidin's action.

<shrug>

Quasqueton

 

[Planesdragon]

I keep thinking that sooner or later, some paladin, somewhere, sometime has to do something that *everyone* can agree was a proper act. So far, in all the paladin threads, it seems that half the readers think the paladin did well, and the other half thinks the paladin did poorly.

I'm hoping we can find a general consensus on *some* aspect of *some* palaidin's action.

"Let an evil that has behaved honorably go"--sounds like an act of mercy in keeping with the Paladin's code to me. (Has anyone objected in this thread yet?)

And the last major thread (the one with the poll) was not so much an argument about if the Paladin acted poorly, but if he should lose his paladinhood for it.

Oh, and there are dozens of things that we all agree a Paladin can do:

• Lead a battle against the demon of smoke and fire.
• Hunt an evil dragon that has terrorized a village.
• overthrow a wicked and corrupt tyrant
• (insert your twenty-one random things here.)

 

[SmokeDoctorlove]

Why Worry?

By doing evil acts, are you not in fact creating a situation where good can shine? Wouldn't that be helping the greater good? Go ahead be evil! Evil is good. In fact I would even go so far as to say by being evil you are being lawful and good. Join us brother

 

[Quasqueton]

delete

 

[Endur]

I'd try to avoid alliances with orcs and attempt to reform the whole town, but other than that, I have no issues with the actions of your character.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I hate to be a dissenter, but does not the PH state quite clearly that a paladin will never knowingly consort with evil creatures? The paladin in question here has seemingly done so. The orcs were evil, and he entered into an alliance with them. No matter how much greater the Greater Good, consorting with Evil to achieve it is a no-no for paladins.

That said, if the DM and group are okay with that, I see nothing atypical about the rest of the paladin's behavior. He seems to be holding to a very clear code that allows a strong sense of honor to partially mitigate being detected as evil.

Again, I don't think my own paladin would accept such a code, but if the code itself is accepted by all those involved, the paladin has certainly adhered to it throughout the mentioned events.

 

[Cassius_the_Elf]

I think you played it just right.

Playing a hellfire and brimstone 'kill all the evil' Paladin has to be tempered by sense as you;

a) will die
b) will ruin the game for the other players. Just Detect Evil> Charge! would stop your bard using his diplomatic abilities, stop your cleric talking to the wizard etc etc. Everyone needs a chance as so yor restraint makes the game work as well as your character.

You also remembered to be both honest and true to your word, important from a person with your responsibilities.

The only thing you might have thought differently is instead of ridding this town of evil you need to redeem it by changing the nature of the folk who live there. Perhaps you could have asked this 'evil' bodyguard to join with you to see if he could learn from your actions and change his views and mentality. Any old fool can kill or lock up a man, only a Paladin is brave enough to try and turn him to good.

That sounds OK written down, but I don't think in practise it would work!

I tried playing a similar Paladin on RttToEE and didn't enjoy it all, as I was pretty much unable to talk to anything in the adventure. The bad folk attacked me on sight and I ended up doing it to them. No fun at all after the first few sessions as there was no depth.

 

[Quasqueton]

Here's a new twist to this story:

Turns out the reason the orcs wanted our prisoner was because he personally stole something they valued (highly sentimental kind of thing). He wanted to surrender to our party for protection from the orcs' retribution for his crime.

So, my paladin has protected an evil thief from rightful punishment at the hands of evil persons. I had thought that the orcs only wanted him to take out their chaotic rage on him.

Quasqueton

 

[the Jester]

Here's a new twist to this story:

Turns out the reason the orcs wanted our prisoner was because he personally stole something they valued (highly sentimental kind of thing). He wanted to surrender to our party for protection from the orcs' retribution for his crime.

So, my paladin has protected an evil thief from rightful punishment at the hands of evil persons. I had thought that the orcs only wanted him to take out their chaotic rage on him.

Quasqueton

Excellent, nothing like a good muddying of the moral waters!

Seriously, I still think you did the right thing. You can't break your word just because it's convenient.

 

[Anabstercorian]

That jerk! What'd he steal?