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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Unwise" data-source="post: 6253915" data-attributes="member: 98008">Thanks for sharing the stories, it sounds like it could be an interesting session. I'm not saying that this is necessarily the case, but it is a common temptation for GMs to feel like they should punish PCs for acts against their alignment, or acts of stupidity. I feel that this is a temptation that should be avoided. No matter how callous or stupid an act is, the consequences of it should just be based on cause and effect. In my games I try to ensure that there is no punishment, just causality. It is a hard line to walk, as I tend to cackle with devilish glee when I see them make a foolish mistake. It also really annoys me when they roleplay poorly.In the case in point, I really can't see how anybody cares that they stole the item in question. No political power cares about the fate of people hundreds of years dead, none of the gods necessarily need to take insult about it either, as it is a dead gods artifact. I think it is a perfect example of stealing from somebody nobody cares about. If there is to be any divine intervention about this, wouldn't it make sense to just be based on the fact that A) some god wants that artifact for themselves or B) Apollo is afraid that they might be cultists of Helios, and he wants to nip any chance of resurrection in the bud. I'm not quiet sure why the earthly churches would get involved in this at all of their own accord. If the churches don't care that much, what if they just tell the PC dobbing on the others "well bring us the dagger" without giving him any real support.Regarding the deal with that devil, I really like the idea of the bar being on the island below the sea. They get there and find it is gone, but can see it deep down under the crystal clear water. The devil is sitting there, apparently being able to breath underwater. If they did not try to arrive early, have they got the time to try and track down water breathing spells to get down there and deal with him? If they did arrive early, the devil doesn't, what do the PCs do as the water rises and the whole places starts sinking? The devil just teleports in at the allotted time.Also, note that he said "I have heard stories that..." then said "Get me the dagger of Helios..." he did not say that the dagger that he had heard stories of was in fact the dagger that he asked for, he just said that some people believe that. He could know full well that the dagger of Helios is kept in a volcano lair of some dragon. Now, as it turns out, he owns the guys soul, however that dagger that they are carrying is actually of some worth to him (it just isn't the Dagger of Helios), he would give the guy 30% of a soul for it...This way he gets the dagger he really wanted (a Dagger of Defilement, he tricked Pompeii into putting it on their altar thinking it was holy, thus bringing Helios's wrath on them) and still gets to keep a fair bit of the guys soul. I would say that there are certain tropes to be stuck to in certain settings, if "never deal with a devil" is one of them in yours, feel free to screw the PCs. If it does turn out that this is not the right dagger, what happens to the cleric that gave the false information? What if angels etc do turn up to reclaim the artifact and find they have been (indirectly) lied to. Zeus is not really the forgiving and rational sort.</blockquote>

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