Post/Author/DateTime	Post
capn 09-07-05, 05:00 AM	I am currently running a campaign in the realms, with the characters almost up to 4th level. Unfortunatly I made the mistake of allowing a NE rogue, and a fighter who specialises in grappling who was supposed to be N but so far has only displayed evil tendencies. The rogue believes it is compulsory to break into everywhere and either steal everything and murder the owners. Recently they had a stopover in Shadowdale, and the evening before they left the rogue and fighter decided to rob some of the occupants staying in the Old Skull, I did what I thought would be appropriate, and had some members of an 8th level adventuring party staying in a couple of the rooms, with them guarded by an alarm spell. Due to some lucky rolling the rogue was able to bypass the spell on the window, and due to being asleep the occupants didn't hear anything. They did however have a animated chest that started attacking the intruders, not that it did much but it did wake them. The occupants were a wizard and a fighter, both sans most of their equipment except for a MW longsword and the mages quarterstaff. The rogue managed to get a critical sneak attack has he had highest initiative and severly wounded the mage, the grappler also pinned him in later round and eventually the mage was killed, the fighter managed to wound the grappler, but they then both made a run out the window with the wizards magic staff. I figured the fighter would see to his friend first so didn't make chase. My problem now is I've always said that their actions will have repurcussions, so I hoped they wouldn't do something so foolish. Now I know the adventuring party would want to get payback, but I also figure that the proprietor would also wish to do something about it. To cut short my rambling, what sort of action do you think I should take now?
tackleberry 09-07-05, 06:56 AM	Its always tricky when NPCs would be compelled to seek out the characters who robbed them. It ends up becoming another plot line to manage and has the potential to get more and more complicated. The other problem is, how far do NPCs take revenge before it spoils the game for the players. However, Yes, there should be repercussions for their actions as it would be unrealistic for the mages friends to simply let this go! However, If the thieves have done well to avoid being tracked by the victims, then they should get away with it! not all crime committed by a pc thief is automatically detected and punished. what would be the point - this is based upon what rescources you have decided the victims have at their disposal as to how successful they are in tracking the pcs. what friends do they have? If they are able to track the criminals, the authorities might get involved if the victims report this (and the inn keeper certainly would), and this can turn really messy. What kind of revenge for their friends murder are they wanting? if they are evil themselves then all kinds of nastiness. If the victims ARE able to track the pcs down, and assuming they are good, I personally would have the group serve the pcs their arses on plates, taking back their property in the process (or the property of their dead friend plus compensation and enough to cover the cost of resurection) and leaving the criminals with a sore lesson in how crime doesnt pay! More realistically, if the party are good, they would hand over the murderer to the authorities and demand his collaborators - those harboring a murderer and a theif - pay for the resurection of their murdered friend. BTW - the fighter is deffinately now an evil character for aiding his companion in this crime. In 2nd ed, the "Rogue" class was called a "Thief", they didnt know open locks and have hiding skills just for dungeoneering! Unfortunately
Faraer 09-07-05, 01:11 PM	Since you realize it was a mistake to allow evil characters, you have to talk to your players and come to an understanding on the kind of campaign you want to run. Nothing you do in game will matter if you as people aren't in accord out of game. Good characters don't associate with psychopathic murderers, so I have to wonder what your other PCs (if there are any) are doing about this. Have you talked to those players? Maybe in the Realms some gifted, ingenious thief with impeccable planning and magical resources can indiscriminately 'steal everything and murder the owners' and get away with it, but for all others it'll be a short life. Jhaele Silvermane doesn't like such fray in her inn; she's one of the best-loved, most knowledgable and most formidable people in the Dale; these people have dealt with Zhent armies and archmages and aren't going to put up with low-level adventurers harming the reputation of the Old Skull. Mourngrym doesn't want strife in the dale, and they'll make sure the PCs are caught and punished and, at the very least, are outlawed in Shadowdale and probably Mistledale and Daggerdale too. See "Law of the land" (Dragon #65) for insight into Dales justice. Harpers will be alerted. The aggrieved parties, their friends, and whatever power groups they're working for or allied with will track the PCs down. ('Another plot line to manage' is what Realmsplay is all about.)
createvmind 09-07-05, 01:54 PM	In short the rogue is chaotic and this should be a pretty short campaign, they'll get killed or tracked down eventually.
thumbs 09-07-05, 06:06 PM	Have them be harpers on a trip to storm or elminster, they could even be knights of myth drannor that were robbed in shadowdale there are almost unlimited options on how to do this. Maybe the staff was an harper artifact they could be Zhenatarim that they stole from use ur imigantion, You DONT have to kill them to teah them a lesson make who ever they stole it from steal some of their choice items or even sell them into slavery, roll playing to get out of the mess will be fun, its not always about i rolled good or my hands are free so i picked his pocket.