Some of my PCs need to be punished...What to do?

[Tinker Gnome]

Okay, here is how the situation goes...

The group is taking a young Elven princess back home to her family(this is in FR by the way). She is also royalty. She is basically a DMPC who can not do much. she used to be attached to the Halfling Paladin, but one of my backseat DMs made me kill him. I have had her sneak off a few times and be held hostage by many different types of monsters. Now, the Barbaria f the group began to "tain" her last session. However, his "training" mrethods make me sick to my stomache. They included:Makeing her role and iron ball back and forth and not feeding her. Giving her water so she would throw up, kicking her in the back of the knees while she was rolling the iron ball to make her fall down. Throwg her in a river with weights and making her swim, and dunking her underwater. Then the Barbs players takes me aside and asks me f there is anyway I can seed up time without him againg cause he wants this girl to be his wife. Now mind you, I have made it look like the Leven girl wants the traiing, but she does not and fears to say so for fear of more. So, what should I do to the Pcs to show them what they are doing is wrong? Two of the PCs were Neutral in the whole affair. It was mainly the Human Barbarain who was doing this to her. He also claims it is for her "own good". He also openly admits that he will beat his children.

Sorry for any typos.

 

[Foundry of Decay]

If she's royalty, there will be hell to pay if such abuse is found out by her family, her people, or any allied nation or people.

A barbarian won't last long in the wilds when Elves start hearing tales of such abuse. If this princess is still attached to her royal family, they also might have an arranged marriage planned for her, and likely will look very darkly on this 'brute' attempting to steal her from her rightful place.

As for what punishments? Her loyalist bodyguards might come across her, or her family might find out what has happened to her, and declare war on either the barbarian or his people. He could be captured and imprisoned, or be made a servant to the family only to get treated as a 'pet' complete with collar and being fed scraps from the table, or sleeping in chains outside the residence where others might be able to throw stones at him as they see fit. It really depends on how you want to 'curb' this sort of short sighted behavior. I personally tend to ensure folks playing in my campaign realize there are serious instances of backlash for such actions (Even to the point where other 'good' parties are sent to wipe the character/PC's out as if they were big bad evil guys themselves).

Just a few ideas there.

 

[DragonLancer]

Have an elven band out looking for her, and find her during one of these torture... um... training sessions. I really think that whatever happens, the character should learn a definate lesson.

 

[RCanning]

I once did a series of about 4 or 5 adventures based around the characters having been found guilty of murder of a local lord (or guilt by association for the rest of the group - life is NOT fair) and then being chained and thrown into a forced labor camp.

You take their items off them - all of them. Some of them are confiscated, others will be held until the end of their term - maybe..... Then you have a bunch of adventures based on dealing with Prison politics, being forced by the guards to deal with threats to the work camp, escape. All sorts of wonderful things.

For ideas, go watch the movie Papillon, it has a lot of things you can borrow from. The characters can continue to earn XP, they can even continue to get levels as they work, but the style of the campaign takes a shift for a while. It only needs to be for a couple of sessions, then you can let them escape if that is what they try - starting their lives as wanted criminals. Or they can work it all through and spend 10 years in a labor camp before being returned to the world - poorer, out of touch and without much in the way of friends.

It is a real role playing challenge and a real eye opener.

Richard Canning

 

[Chimera]

Hoo boy. I'd have to say that this is where a scouting party of elves runs into the party and sees what is happening. And the food waste hits the rotating blades, so to speak.

This guy is in for a world of hurt for his crimes. Not just him, the other two as well. Sure, "we didn't do it". But they were there and allowed it to happen. That makes them just as guilty.

And even if you don't do this, what happens when they reach their destination and she is returned to their family?

"Sieze them!!!

"Oh daddy, this one tortured me!"

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Hoo boy. I'd have to say that this is where a scouting party of elves runs into the party and sees what is happening. And the food waste hits the rotating blades, so to speak.

This guy is in for a world of hurt for his crimes. Not just him, the other two as well. Sure, "we didn't do it". But they were there and allowed it to happen. That makes them just as guilty.

And even if you don't do this, what happens when they reach their destination and she is returned to their family?

"Sieze them!!!

"Oh daddy, this one tortured me!"

Yep, the whole thing surprises me. As the player is not usually very shortsighted.

 

[Nightfall]

Send in a Herald of Hoar to beat down the Barbarian.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

He also claims it is for her "own good".

And he might honestly believe this... It’s not something I would do or something my characters would do but it doesn't repulse me as much as could be as allot of it reminds me of older style military boot camp where they broke you down an reformed you into a new man...

I say this for two reasons, one he could do allot worse to her than make her push a stone around or make her swim around some and the monsters that captured her could have done allot worse so he might indeed being doing it cause he thinks its good for her. You said she wondered off more than once, how did the punishment go the first time?

As for hints and such, your so not dropping any If your making it to look like the girl wants it. A person can continue to push a rock around without having a sign of enjoyment. Say she looks like she in complete anguish, have her break and fall down and start crying... Anyhow do something... If the barbarian fills like he went to far and apologizes to her... Then this really comes down to rather or not she accepts his apology. If she does and never tails then would her people find out?

Anyhow barbarians are barbarians for a reason. There barbaric and they lack the understand and the civilization that normal folk have.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

And he might honestly believe this... It’s not something I would do or something my characters would do but it doesn't repulse me as much as could be as allot of it reminds me of older style military boot camp where they broke you down an reformed you into a new man...

I say this for two reasons, one he could do allot worse to her than make her push a stone around or make her swim around some and the monsters that captured her could have done allot worse so he might indeed being doing it cause he thinks its good for her. You said she wondered off more than once, how did the punishment go the first time?

As for hints and such, your so not dropping any If your making it to look like the girl wants it. A person can continue to push a rock around without having a sign of enjoyment. Say she looks like she in complete anguish, have her break and fall down and start crying... Anyhow do something... If the barbarian fills like he went to far and apologizes to her... Then this really comes down to rather or not she accepts his apology. If she does and never tails then would her people find out?

Anyhow barbarians are barbarians for a reason. There barbaric and they lack the understand and the civilization that normal folk have.

She is only pretending to like it so maybe he will let her off easier. But yeah, next game I will drop another hint perhaps. The problem is, he will probably just maker her "train" harder.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

She is only pretending to like it so maybe he will let her off easier.

I understand that, its a normal reaction to not appear weak and one I would have gone with in normal conditions... but the longer it goes on, the better chance she has of giving up...

Who knows maybe the guy will surprises you and be nothing but proud at how long she went and maker her an honor tribe member...

and if not...

But yeah, next game I will drop another hint perhaps. The problem is, he will probably just maker her "train" harder.

Then she obviously won't give forgiveness and her people can obviously hand out the punishments with righteous furry.