What to do with a baby Ettin...

[BOZ]

ok, this weekend the party fought a band of ettins in a cave. we killed them all, then my paladin went down a corridor and found a giant-sized toddler. i had a moral dilemna, and despite the urgings of some of my party members, i just couldn't kill it. we realized that we couldn't leave it there either, as it would starve on its own. so, we would up taking it with us.

what would you do in this situation?

 

[Mark]

what would you do in this situation?

Buy same number of booties as normal but double up on the bonnets...

 

[ArcOfCorinth]

Raise it. Much of its evil comes from religion/culture/stupidity. That can be fixed with some moral guidance from a paladin.

I had PCs slaughter a kobold tribe and their black dragon "god." They found a room full of eggs. Well...they raised about a hundred kobolds and trained them to all be lawful good. *sigh* That was some fun DMing. Kobold rogues...kobold sorcerers...kobold paladins...kobold clerics...kobold monks...ugh.

I say talk to your DM about it.

 

[blackshirt5]

"When the game of life, makes you feel like Quitten, you'll feel better when you, kill an Ettin. And if you need yarn so you can do some Nettin, you'll get plenty when you, kill an Ettin.

Flsuh it down the can; hit it with your van; crush it with your shoe..."

 

[Tiefling]

I'll say what say to anyone who asks what to do with the women/children of the evil community they just conquered:

Sell 'em into slavery. An ettin, especially, should fetch a handsome price.

 

[ArcOfCorinth]

I don't think a paladin would go with that idea too well.

The evil party I'm DMing right now wouldn't even do that.

 

[Tiefling]

I don't think a paladin would go with that idea too well.

Well, depends on the paladin. If your paladin doesn't think that evil beings have rights, then he might very well go for it. Even paladins need cash.

The evil party I'm DMing right now wouldn't even do that.

Why not?

 

[Wormwood]

Depending on your outlook, two choices remain:

1. Ettins, like all 'evil races', are vermin. If you exterminated a warren of rats infesting a barn, you would be obligated to destroy their young as well.

2. Ettins, like all 'sentients', is capable of growth. Properly nurtured and instructed, it could become a productive (if unusual) member of any tolerant society. By killing it's parents (who were no doubt up to no good), you bear a level of responsibility toward the child.

Personally, I'd kill it without a second thought. But the second choice would make for a more interesting (and perhaps meaningful) game.

 

[BOZ]

well, i didn't kill it when faced with that choice, did i?

it's joined the party willingly (we've hidden the bodies, heh). it's pre-verbal at this point, so it's basically a blank slate. my paladin is a dwarf, but i guess i decided he was compassionate enough to spare the toddler. now am i compassionate enough to do the right thing? other party members have suggested selling it, but that's not exactly ethical either. i could raise it, but adventuring is a dangerous lifestyle even for such a big baby, and the other PCs really don't care for it anyway.

we might wind up giving it to another character that's travelling with us, and letting her do what she wants with it. she may sell it and she may keep it, but that would out of our hands at that point.

 

[tarchon]

I hear they're good ettin.