What to do with a scam artist who scammed his last scam?

[|]emonix]

If a major city found those responsible for scamming a merchant caravan, 2 adventurers, and also joining the militia and steeling massive cash from the state after dealing with some organized crime?

Yea my PC's are in deep if they blow their cover while in this town. Not sure exactly what the punishment should be though... Prison, death, torcher, humiliation, or some random task?

 

[Ysgarran]

So much depends on the city itself and what kind of world you are running. If it tends towards evil then a quick a painless death is the best they could hope for. Perhaps some kind of enforced magical slavery.

Neutral might go in for some magical branding and exile so that everyone know that they are thieves.

Some (but not all) good societies may believe in some form of rehab. but as the saying goes, good doesn't equal stupid. Even good societies would take precautions of some sort.

If you throw out alignment, then you need to look at the culture itself. Most societies took thievery seriously and had some serious consequences.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Or rather, a good society would cut off a finger, hand or the like as a warning.

A neutral society would most likely imprison them until the quick painless execution.

An evil society would most likely torture them to discover any accomplices, imprison them in a dank dungeon until the long drawn-out excruciating public execution, so they could be an example of to the rest of the populace.

 

[Always_a_DM]

Depends on who makes the law in that town and who meets out the justice. It also depends on what is important to the town. If the town's main function is a garrison, then the penalty for sneaking around while working in the militia will be a lot worse than stealing the money. If the town's main source of income is trade based, then the crime of stealing money will be a lot more hefty.

Stealing money from the state normally comes under the heading of treason (Lords and Kings can get very irate if you steal their pocket money) and the punishment for treason is almost always death.

If the PC's want to live, then they'll need to convince the lord (or whoever) that they are worth more alive than dead.

Here's my 2 copper. Mine it for any inspiration you can find. I'd have the Lord hire a spy to find out how much money the PC's have. Then hit them with a fine that will almost send them broke. Then have the lord tell the PC's that unless they turn state's evidence on that crime ring, they will be rotting in a prison for a very long time. That'l' be the stick. Now time for the carrot: I'd have the lord offer a slice of the pie from any confiscated loot that the lord gets from the crime ring.

I suppose that'll only happen if the party is discovered. If no-one suspects the party of these crimes, why not have an NPC run a con to scam the party out of their loot ?

 

[Always_a_DM]

D'oh. Double post

 

[fakename]

Cut their right hands off, and brand them with a (magical) mark that identifies them as criminals. Kick them out of the city, and never let them back in.

- Doug

 

[spacecrime.com]

I tend to use this kind of situation more as a plot-launcher than a punishment.

Were my PCs to get caught in a similar situation, I'd have whoever's in charge present them with one of the awful (perhaps terminal) punishments described above, then offer them a choice: be punished or repay their debt to society with a suitable incredibly dangerous and impossible mission.

Hey, it's an oldie, but it's still a goodie.

yours,

 

[Kichwas]

The usual historical solution would be hanging.

The best game solution would be that presented with an alternative that bonds them into the service of the local lord with oaths of fealty sworn under very strong words.

Such as swearing by their hopes of salvation, the names of their ancestors, and so on.

Something that people in the society would expect even the most villainous sorts to hold to.

That then puts you into a campaign where they have a patron who's sending them off on missions left and right. Which can be very handy and quite fun.

 

[Squire James]

Let's see: Geas (return to me twice the amount you stole from me), Mark of Justice, and an observing spellcaster that makes sure the spells stick until the Geas is completed (a good slot for a new PC). If they scam again (or remove the Mark or Geas) and get caught, death penalty.

If the PC's want to move to a different venue, and can deal with the Mark and Geas in some fashion, then be prepared for more scams. If you like running this sort of game, no problem. Sometimes people escape justice. Don't let them do this without some creepy assassin (or paladin) scaring the bejeesus out of them (at the very least), though!

If you don't like PC's who do this sort of thing, talk to them out-of-game and threaten to quit if the PC's don't shape up. Do this only if you would actually rather quit than deal with such PC's, because if you're bluffing you'll probably be called on it.

 

[Artoomis]

Assuming you, as the DM, do not totally disapprove of what the PC's have done and do not wish to simply execute them, then you've got some great opportunities here.

Remember the show "It Takes a Thief"

Make them the D&D equivalent, "It Takes A Scam Artist."

Force them (through Mark of Justuce, Gease, Quest and the like) to become agents of the state. Also, of course, they need to make restitution. That's, of course, in addition to becoming agents of the state.

The other choice, of course, is immediate, permanent death. Possibly a very slow, painful death, depending upon the society involved.

Then have fun!! Lots of fun!