Post/Author/DateTime	Post
bakomusha 05-19-07, 07:06 AM	ive been planing on turning the npc cleric of my 6th level party against them in a twist, that hes an agent for the brotherhood of vesh(vesh is the god of evil, and undead in my setting) but i fear its gotten to far, as many in the party realy likes him, and my sisters pc (a orc barb) thinks of him as the best fighter in a melee heavy group, and best friend. so i dont know what to do, shod i pull the shocker or showed i just go on as normal? i could ealsy change the story planed out i his not the agent.
Danflor 05-19-07, 11:36 AM	Do it. If they don't expect it then you are doing a good job running him as someone who plans on betraying them. You may want to have him have second thoughts about betraying them. That would be a fun adventure idea! He may even fall in love with a female PC or in the end save one of their lives. Cliche I know, but so is betrayal.;)
Crystal Monk 05-19-07, 12:01 PM	agreed with Danflor - if the party really likes the guy, it'll make the betrayal hurt even more. but, if after the betrayal has occurred, he has a last-minute change of heart and turns against his god... well, he should end up dead, but it'll take a little of the sting out of it. either way, you've got something that - if you can pull it off well - will be the sort of thing your players remember. my only other advice is to not play the betrayal card more than once, or if you do, wait a good long time. the last thing you, as DM, want is PCs who won't trust anyone because they think everyone's going to betray them.
maharai23 05-19-07, 12:12 PM	Third option... The NPC comes clean. "Guys, I have a confession to make, and I want you to hear me out before you say anything... I was sent to you to monitor, and eventually kill you. I was sent by Agents of Vesh, who have taken interest in you and your actions. I received the order to kill you two days ago... But I cannot. Travelling with you has taught me that...blah blah blah... And that's all I know about the plot unfolding around us. Take me prisoner if you will, I know my actions are deserving of no less... Kill me if you must. But, before you do, know that I thank you for showing me a new world, full of hope, and, I hope, forgiveness." Or something like that. Good PC's eat that "we redeemed a lost soul" up. Plus, it still sets you up for possible forced betrayal, through dormant compulsion effects. Best of all worlds.
Gingerbread Guy 05-19-07, 02:46 PM	Hey gang, Thats an interesting dilema, and there are a couple ways to come to a solution, really. Whats really happened here is that, just as no DM is really capable of roleplaying a creature of extreme intelligence, such as a dragon, you are having trouble playing a character that is far more evil than yourself. You actually have guilt over what you planned to do. And for that, massive kudos. Not only are you actually a nice guy (yay you!) you managed to be a good enough of a DM to set up such a vile scenario that you're having trouble pulling the trigger (yay you again!). What you need to do now is sit back and have a good look at the game and its players and decide what, in the end, will be "more fun." It could very well be that the players (not just their characters but the actual people) are so attatched to the NPC cleric as they believe him to be, that pulling the rug out from under them will upset and/or disapoint them more than it will interest them as a plot twist. Really, only you can decide if thats the case, but if it is, it may be "more fun" to try a different route for this plotline. I actually think that the "last minute reform/confession" idea is cliche and moreover it dulls and confuses the feelings that you originally intended to evoke. Sometimes a good villain just stays a good villain. This isn't to say that the NPC cleric can't have developed some remorse for what he's doing, but lets face it.. he's a servant of a God. As much as he's grown to like these PCs, uhm.. they're mortals. Mortals, God. God, mortals. Really really really really evil God who will do unspeakable things to your soul for all eternity if you cross him, a couple mortals. It may feel like a really tough choice, but it really isn't. Once again, I think you're the only one who can decide what to do.. but whatever it is you chose, don't wuss out. Don't do it half way. You have a really good thing going here that you've been building up for a while.. don't waste it. ~Ginger
bakomusha 05-20-07, 03:55 AM	thanks guys, your advice is realy helpful, and i think im gona do it the games in 2 weeks, so ill post what happens when it happens again thanks and thanks to ginger even more for your kudos.