Traps in a LG church... lemme know what you think [Archive] - Wizards Community

Traps in a LG church... lemme know what you think [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shar Baenre
10-04-03, 01:13 PM Alright, Lathander is known for gaudy churches. Churches full of treasures acquired by his followers and considered holy relics (magical or not). Now, my game tonight centers around a group of thieves trying to get into the temple where the PC's are staying and steal some of said treasure. But the thing is... being LG, would they still put wards or traps on the trinkets? Obviously the first inclination is to say, no, but they'd have heavy duty guards. But still, that's gotten around easily enough by a good team of rogues. So, if a treasure is considered holy enough, would lawful good priests resort to boobie traps?
Garen Thal
10-04-03, 01:25 PM There is nothing evil or chaotic about the use of traps to defend your own property, just as there's nothing inherently evil or chaotic about a sneak attack, to using charm person to get past a guard, or a lot of other things that people generally think goes against the common behavior of a Lawful Good character.

Lawful Goodness does not imply stupidity or an abandonment of common sense. It is a belief and style of action that promotes the good of all through order and law. A lawful good character tries to be honest, forthright, helpful, and just, but when defending her life or her property, most best are off. She'll probably fight in an honorable manner, but if you expose your armpit in a fight, she's going to stab you in it if she gets the chance (sneak attack). She won't attack you in the street, but if you break into her temple and try to abscond with the sacred relics of her deity, there is absolutely nothing wrong with her dropping you into a pit or a blade slicing into you. You'll be no more dead that if the guards got to you.
Shar Baenre
10-04-03, 01:35 PM yeah... you answered it the way I wanted it answered... it wasn't about the good or evil, but just the fact that its a faith high on honor. And I was having trouble deciding just how honorable they would find the idea of traps rather than further beefing up the guard. The trap in question is a teleportation trap, sending the perpitrator to the Great Glacier. However, by whatever means, the dweomer has become flawed over time, sending both the item and its thief, and lending way for my PCs to have a real reason for going to the Spine of The World instead of just wandering up there for the hell of it.
Faraer
10-04-03, 01:40 PM Prayers from the Faithful:On a normal daily basis, temple tomes are usually hidden in closely guarded inner rooms, and tend to sport spell-linked monstrous guardians -- beasts whose natural powers do not inadvertently damage the books they are guarding.The priests will also keep vigilant watch, use hired or lay guards, magical wards, and spells such as glyph of warding (of which we know a specifically Lathanderian example, telatha). There may be fake "valuables" and easily stealable items enchanted with curses (benevolent, but harmful to thieves and evildoers). Lathanderian priests (NG, not LG) won't have an injunction not to use mechanical traps, but they won't be good at it or inclined that way.
Purple Dragon Knight
10-05-03, 12:22 AM Lots of Alarm spells and a few strategic Sepia's Snake Sigil is your friend if you want a violence-free solution for traps...
the_heart
10-06-03, 04:57 AM a good church would probably tend to the non-lethal.

stasis type traps and charms and suggestions(i suggest you turn yourself in to the authorities...) etc.

i would imagine a t-port trap would be more likely to be keyed to the nearest jail.

but 'more likely' isn't always and again nothing to say the t-port isn't flawed. :smirk:

only thing i would say is IMO a NG t-port would not be to somewhere lethal ( if they wanted lethal they would just slice dice and fry), and the great glacier would/should be lethal to any group without cold protections and appropriate equipment.
Alratan
10-07-03, 11:16 AM The way I read it, by the PHB good creatures are only restricted to respecting the lives of innocents - anyone who has broken into the temple of a good god will have forfited that status, so lethal traps are fair game.
avian tiefling
10-07-03, 08:02 PM you could have a series of traps, beginning with some simple holding of charm glyphs, then becoming progressively more hazardous the closer the thieves get to the treasure, the final trap being a glyph that, when triggered calls lighting bolts from the ceiling. instant death. and this would only be avoidable using some sort of wardstone or something that would also have to be retrieved, thereby adding a sub-quest to your campaign.

for more info, E-mail at aviantiefling@hotmail.com if desired.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shar Baenre 10-04-03, 01:13 PM	Alright, Lathander is known for gaudy churches. Churches full of treasures acquired by his followers and considered holy relics (magical or not). Now, my game tonight centers around a group of thieves trying to get into the temple where the PC's are staying and steal some of said treasure. But the thing is... being LG, would they still put wards or traps on the trinkets? Obviously the first inclination is to say, no, but they'd have heavy duty guards. But still, that's gotten around easily enough by a good team of rogues. So, if a treasure is considered holy enough, would lawful good priests resort to boobie traps?
Garen Thal 10-04-03, 01:25 PM	There is nothing evil or chaotic about the use of traps to defend your own property, just as there's nothing inherently evil or chaotic about a sneak attack, to using charm person to get past a guard, or a lot of other things that people generally think goes against the common behavior of a Lawful Good character. Lawful Goodness does not imply stupidity or an abandonment of common sense. It is a belief and style of action that promotes the good of all through order and law. A lawful good character tries to be honest, forthright, helpful, and just, but when defending her life or her property, most best are off. She'll probably fight in an honorable manner, but if you expose your armpit in a fight, she's going to stab you in it if she gets the chance (sneak attack). She won't attack you in the street, but if you break into her temple and try to abscond with the sacred relics of her deity, there is absolutely nothing wrong with her dropping you into a pit or a blade slicing into you. You'll be no more dead that if the guards got to you.
Shar Baenre 10-04-03, 01:35 PM	yeah... you answered it the way I wanted it answered... it wasn't about the good or evil, but just the fact that its a faith high on honor. And I was having trouble deciding just how honorable they would find the idea of traps rather than further beefing up the guard. The trap in question is a teleportation trap, sending the perpitrator to the Great Glacier. However, by whatever means, the dweomer has become flawed over time, sending both the item and its thief, and lending way for my PCs to have a real reason for going to the Spine of The World instead of just wandering up there for the hell of it.
Faraer 10-04-03, 01:40 PM	Prayers from the Faithful:On a normal daily basis, temple tomes are usually hidden in closely guarded inner rooms, and tend to sport spell-linked monstrous guardians -- beasts whose natural powers do not inadvertently damage the books they are guarding.The priests will also keep vigilant watch, use hired or lay guards, magical wards, and spells such as glyph of warding (of which we know a specifically Lathanderian example, telatha). There may be fake "valuables" and easily stealable items enchanted with curses (benevolent, but harmful to thieves and evildoers). Lathanderian priests (NG, not LG) won't have an injunction not to use mechanical traps, but they won't be good at it or inclined that way.
Purple Dragon Knight 10-05-03, 12:22 AM	Lots of Alarm spells and a few strategic Sepia's Snake Sigil is your friend if you want a violence-free solution for traps...
the_heart 10-06-03, 04:57 AM	a good church would probably tend to the non-lethal. stasis type traps and charms and suggestions(i suggest you turn yourself in to the authorities...) etc. i would imagine a t-port trap would be more likely to be keyed to the nearest jail. but 'more likely' isn't always and again nothing to say the t-port isn't flawed. :smirk: only thing i would say is IMO a NG t-port would not be to somewhere lethal ( if they wanted lethal they would just slice dice and fry), and the great glacier would/should be lethal to any group without cold protections and appropriate equipment.
Alratan 10-07-03, 11:16 AM	The way I read it, by the PHB good creatures are only restricted to respecting the lives of innocents - anyone who has broken into the temple of a good god will have forfited that status, so lethal traps are fair game.
avian tiefling 10-07-03, 08:02 PM	you could have a series of traps, beginning with some simple holding of charm glyphs, then becoming progressively more hazardous the closer the thieves get to the treasure, the final trap being a glyph that, when triggered calls lighting bolts from the ceiling. instant death. and this would only be avoidable using some sort of wardstone or something that would also have to be retrieved, thereby adding a sub-quest to your campaign. for more info, E-mail at aviantiefling@hotmail.com if desired.