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

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, I did not blwo the roll because I admt I did not have the heart to. As for the whole thing about 20th century ideas. To me, Fantasy is not Medieval at ALL. Fantasy is something completely different. And there are many 20th centruy morals. The backseat DM also plays the Barb, and likes to play CN characters cause he thinks it means he can do what ever he wants tom which is not the case. I will not show him this forum, cause then he would come here and read this thread.

Yes, I am going to have something bad happen to him though. During the game I said

"Do you want an alignment change?" with a raised eyebrow to indicate that what he wa doing was less then moral. I will see what I can do abput theother PCs as well.

 

[Ravilah]

I sometimes give my PCs warnings through their dreams. Similar to the idea of the furies, some sort of entity (maybe their own consciences) place horrible screaming visions of the princess turning into a maralith and pulling them to pieces, or perhaps crumbling to dust as she weeps bloody tears. The story is not side-lined by throwing in a rescue party (unless thats what you wanted), and the party members get a "gentle" hint that their actions are not cool.

If the hints don't work, have the princess turn into a maralith and pull them to pieces. (Or go back the rescue party idea ).

 

[mythago]

He's a barbarian. Barbarians consider barbaric training "the norm".

Only in very bad fantasy novels.

In real life, a lot of "barbarian" groups had tough training and manhood ordeals for their young warrior men. That's a far cry from allowing an adult male to put a foreign young, unmarried female through "warrior camp" for any reason, punishment or otherwise. Certainly barbarians were not inherently stupid. Dropping somebody into a river tied to weights IS stupid.

 

[Bloosquig]

Why don't you let the princess become brainwashed, kinda like the whole "kidnapping victim" thing where eventually despite her entire life to that point being against it, her mind gives in and she begins to actually ENJOY the "training" shes receiving. (this actually happened a while ago, forgive me for forgetting the womans name =-X)

Finally when the PC's get back to civilisation the princess no longer wants to return to her life but wants to stay on with the adventurers looking for blood and glory. The king, who of course loves his daughter very much, can't openly destroy the heroes since his daughter would hate him forever for destroying them, but will constantly do small acts to throw the party off or discredit them in her eyes. If the heroes try to run away then the princess will try to track them down while the king will send his elves to track the princess down. That gives it a little more life then just saying, "a party of 18th lvl elven rangers shows up, the princess tells them whats up and they destroy the party. maybe next time you'll be nicer to any royalty you meet!" Now they have a princess who they can't seem to get rid of and who always seems to lead bad luck and small groups of angry hit-elves after them.
(sorry if that post was a lil rough its my first time heh)

 

[Bloosquig]

oops sorry double post.

 

[Parlan]

I wouldn't be so quick to slap down his character, especially as it doesn't seem like you've approached him and had a frank discussion about this. You 'dropping hints' is not an open dialogue, especially when your hints have the elven princess pretending to enjoy her treatment, which communicates to the barbarian that what he's doing is acceptable to her.

Agreed. As a player, I d be pissed if I got slapped down without a couple of in character hints. Especially since the NPC seems to LIKE the training.

for starters, one of the other PCs has to have a decent Wis. Give em a couple of Sense Motive checks to realize that the PC really DOESNT like the training but is too terrified of the barb to complain.

Otherwise, maybe all the PC s really DO think that the NPC likes it.

What if the princess pulled a muscle or something? Anyone with ranks in healing should know in character that shes being pushed too hard...

 

[tonym]

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.

Sound like he is trying to turn her in Conan with all that repetitive, difficult labor.

Okay, you are looking for a punishment....

Maybe have the girl befriend a forest creature. Then have the creature dig a hole near where the girl rolls the iron ball. Then the creature conceals the pit. Then next time the barbarian goes to kick her in the knees, he falls in the pit. Then the girl rolls the iron ball on top of him.

And maybe there are spike in the pit. And maybe the creature comes out of the forest and attacks the barbarian while he is pinned.

Tony M

 

[Ogre Mage]

I think the elven princess should "accidentally" die from these brutal "training" sessions. Try explaining that to the king. To further complicate matters, she rises as a ghost hell-bent on revenge ...

Another possibility would be to have the elven princess live but be completely embittered and scarred by the experience. She copes by investigating dark magics. She'll be on the road to hagdom before you know it. Then she can come back and say she wants the barb for a husband after all.

Finally, I like the idea of the Eldreth Veluuthra also. In fact, after this terrible treatment at this hands of humans, this elven princess seems like a PRIME CANDIDATE to join their ranks.

 

[Ogre Mage]

drat drat double post

 

[Avouz]

Just let her put the XP she's earning into Druid levels. Before too long, she'll be able to shapechange into a bear and rip the barbarian's arms off.

I was thinking something similar. But why bother with granting her class levels when a simple dagger across the throat (while the barb is sleeping of course) will do? Then have her run off again.

This puts the party in a bit of a bind. Do they pursue her to "avenge" their dead comrade, and if they do what sort of punishment do they give out? Anything they do in that direction will likely make the situation far worse once Daddy learns what's been going on.

Their better option is to cut and run at this point, but most parties are not likely do to that.

BTW, remember that in D&D alignment is objective, which means this barbarian has clearly slipped into evil territory with this behavior. If you haven't factored that into this game already, you probably should.