Divine Retribution

[Potato_Priest]

Hello Folks,

My players just killed a unicorn, so I'm looking for some ideas about the "divine retribution" that the Monster Manual Mentions is likely to result from such an action.

The situation was this: The party (level 6) encountered a unicorn in the woods. The Murderhobo Fighter opened fire on it almost immediately, but it was able to teleport away to safety. Later, the Unicorn Came back with some minions in an attempt to remove the threat (the players) from the forest, and was slain in the battle.

So, what form would you have Divine Retribution take? A hassle/inconvenience? A combat encounter? A lightning bolt at a crucial moment?

An idea that I currently have is that most priests and druids in the area would be alerted to the players' actions, and would either refuse to help them or actively attempt to hinder their efforts.

[Socratov]

A curse should do: something a god directly aims at the player(s) in question (in this case the fighter as he opened fire at the unicorn without due cause). Make sure that because the god did it directly (as in divine retribution in a very literal sense) that the curse can't be removed by remove curse and its ilk (as it is pretty much equal to an atonement spell).

As [insert fighter's name] attacks the Unicorn you feel as if nature herself shrieks at the injustice against her champion. [...] As you kill the unicorn it's as if the leaves form a face mimicking fury. As you hear the leaves whisper and shrubbery rustle a voice like the howling wind gathers its strength. [b]"Fools! For slaying my favoured servant, I will curse thee as Obad Hai is my name. You shall find no rest here, nor any place nature runs unopposed. You will find no quarter from my agents, you will gain no sustenance from the fruits of my soil until thee have paid penance for thine atrocities.

So, no long rest can be gained while in the wild. Animals and people involved with nature will hate them on sight (ranging from not giving any assistance to attacking on sight). Then the party can't gain any sustenance from product sourced in the wild (sources that have been domesticated will sustain the party just fine). Then comes the whole atonement thing where they will have to find a cleric of obad hai and say sorry, do some stuff that specifically furthers obad hai's agenda, yadda, yadda, don't do it again, problem solved.

[djreynolds]

You must become Tom Cruise's best friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, just check out Legend

[Fishyninja]

A curse should do: something a god directly aims at the player(s) in question (in this case the fighter as he opened fire at the unicorn without due cause). Make sure that because the god did it directly (as in divine retribution in a very literal sense) that the curse can't be removed by remove curse and its ilk (as it is pretty much equal to an atonement spell).

As [insert fighter's name] attacks the Unicorn you feel as if nature herself shrieks at the injustice against her champion. [...] As you kill the unicorn it's as if the leaves form a face mimicking fury. As you hear the leaves whisper and shrubbery rustle a voice like the howling wind gathers its strength. [b]"Fools! For slaying my favoured servant, I will curse thee as Obad Hai is my name. You shall find no rest here, nor any place nature runs unopposed. You will find no quarter from my agents, you will gain no sustenance from the fruits of my soil until thee have paid penance for thine atrocities.

So, no long rest can be gained while in the wild. Animals and people involved with nature will hate them on sight (ranging from not giving any assistance to attacking on sight). Then the party can't gain any sustenance from product sourced in the wild (sources that have been domesticated will sustain the party just fine). Then comes the whole atonement thing where they will have to find a cleric of obad hai and say sorry, do some stuff that specifically furthers obad hai's agenda, yadda, yadda, don't do it again, problem solved.

This is an extremely good (and mean) idea!, I'd say go for it or something similar, my question is.....



The situation was this: The party (level 6) encountered a unicorn in the woods. The Murderhobo Fighter opened fire on it almost immediately, but it was able to teleport away to safety. Later, the Unicorn Came back with some minions in an attempt to remove the threat (the players) from the forest, and was slain in the battle.


....Did the fighter slay the unicorn, if so you could have a look at what archetype they are (this could apply to all characters) and the curse attacks their identity, i.e. removes their archetype abilities, making them less of a person then what they were.

[Socratov]

This is an extremely good (and mean) idea!, I'd say go for it or something similar, my question is.....



....Did the fighter slay the unicorn, if so you could have a look at what archetype they are (this could apply to all characters) and the curse attacks their identity, i.e. removes their archetype abilities, making them less of a person then what they were.

Caveat Emptor!

please think before you take away a PC's abilities, making environmental effects dishonest and stacked against the players, that's fair play: just another threshold (please note to count it on the number of encounters if you do such a thing), if they even feel it as they opt to stay in urban areas instead. but taking away something that is specifically part of the PC is harsh. Sure you can once or twice 'attack' the PC's equipment (teaching them not to take things for granted like spellbooks and stuff). But taking away class features is a no-no.

[Fishyninja]

Caveat Emptor!

please think before you take away a PC's abilities, making environmental effects dishonest and stacked against the players, that's fair play: just another threshold (please note to count it on the number of encounters if you do such a thing), if they even feel it as they opt to stay in urban areas instead. but taking away something that is specifically part of the PC is harsh. Sure you can once or twice 'attack' the PC's equipment (teaching them not to take things for granted like spellbooks and stuff). But taking away class features is a no-no.

My apologies, I did not realise this was forbidden territory (I have never DM'd and I am still new(ish) to the game.

Would this be considered Ok if the curse was sporadic so for example in one encounter it locked an ability, then in another encounter it caused less damage becasue the characters equipment was affected, or something about their persoanlity changed (for example able to only say certain things)?

[jaappleton]

First, let me say this. You admitted to being relatively new to DM-ing.

As a DM, you have to understand that you're constantly walking a fine line. You are tasked with creating a fun adventuring world and providing challenges and consequences to the players actions, while not being unfair.

Taking away class features or de-leveling characters, stuff like that is considered a no-no.

But there should be consequences for this. It's a damn Unicorn!

My advice? Have a Druid monitor the party. Make it seem like nothing at first. Like it's just part of the environment.

"A sparrow flies overhead as you approach the river, the water a bit higher than usual this time of year."
"Rain begins pouring down as the sound of thunder crashes in the distance, you can almost make out the shadow of a fox as lightning illuminates the area briefly."

And then... BAM! Druid shows itself. Maybe it's as a damn bear, mauling the Fighter? Maybe it's as a normal person, simply asking the Fighter if he has any regrets? Maybe he asks if he knows the value and beauty in life, and if the Fighter blows him off, the Druid wraps the Fighter in vines and latches him to a tree before summoning a pack of wolves to eat him?

....What, did it get dark there? Well, some Druids can be downright mean.

[Socratov]

My apologies, I did not realise this was forbidden territory (I have never DM'd and I am still new(ish) to the game.

Would this be considered Ok if the curse was sporadic so for example in one encounter it locked an ability, then in another encounter it caused less damage becasue the characters equipment was affected, or something about their persoanlity changed (for example able to only say certain things)?
No problem, sorry to come on to you like that, it's good you raised the point (as we all sometimes want to take away the toys of the players).

First, let me say this. You admitted to being relatively new to DM-ing.

As a DM, you have to understand that you're constantly walking a fine line. You are tasked with creating a fun adventuring world and providing challenges and consequences to the players actions, while not being unfair.

Taking away class features or de-leveling characters, stuff like that is considered a no-no.

But there should be consequences for this. It's a damn Unicorn!

My advice? Have a Druid monitor the party. Make it seem like nothing at first. Like it's just part of the environment.

"A sparrow flies overhead as you approach the river, the water a bit higher than usual this time of year."
"Rain begins pouring down as the sound of thunder crashes in the distance, you can almost make out the shadow of a fox as lightning illuminates the area briefly."

And then... BAM! Druid shows itself. Maybe it's as a damn bear, mauling the Fighter? Maybe it's as a normal person, simply asking the Fighter if he has any regrets? Maybe he asks if he knows the value and beauty in life, and if the Fighter blows him off, the Druid wraps the Fighter in vines and latches him to a tree before summoning a pack of wolves to eat him?

....What, did it get dark there? Well, some Druids can be downright mean.

Indeed. If I might take it a bit further:

In DnD it' snot so much DM vs. PC's in the sense that you are the antithetical force opposing the players. You are the one in control of everything the players aren't. This sounds a bit like a no-brainer, but essentially it boils down to this: there is a very fine, but clear line between what you can control and what the PC can control: if it's about the PC and it's not explicitly called out as the DM's are of control, then you simply have no say in it: it's up to the player. This is what creates player agency. This, in turn give the player the freedom to act and the certainty that he can affect the world as he has his character made able to. Crossing that line (reducing player agency) is bad: now the player will need to start playing a game called "DM may I...?". He can no longer trust in his PC's capabilities as the DM has demonstrated that the rules are more guidelines and will use his power to take away the methods by which the PC may be able to act.

Please note that it is possible to do this, but only once you have the player's consent and drawn up a new set of boundaries: in that case the PC can expect what is coming to him. he wil be able to foresee that he may lose some benefits of his class (and will expect that as this is a trial of some type that he will be rewarded in the future).

That's why I created the curse: yes it's a mean curse, but hey, that's divine retribution for you: if you piss off the gods don't come crying when they turn their attention to you. Stacking the deck against them through the environment and through adversaries is fine and expected even, but taking away the good cards the PC's are holding and you will end up without a game.

And yes, nature is cruel, so a pretty nasty curse from the god of nature as retribution for slaying a unicorn is fair.

[Fishyninja]

No problem, sorry to come on to you like that, it's good you raised the point (as we all sometimes want to take away the toys of the players).

Not a problem at all, like I said I have less than a years experience playing (even though I am invested in about 3 campaigns) at the moment, and I like the Idea of DM'ing in the future when I am a bit more experienced. So obviously I don't want to ruin the game for the players, we are here to have fun.

Going back to the curse....don't piss off the deities.... Noted.

[Potato_Priest]

I like that resting idea, though this is a very nature-centric campaign, so that might be a bit too harsh, but as long as I provide a clear way to give penance it would be acceptable. I like how that curse puts a real strain on the party, much more powerful than just throwing treants against them every once in a while (which I might also do).

[Socratov]

I like that resting idea, though this is a very nature-centric campaign, so that might be a bit too harsh, but as long as I provide a clear way to give penance it would be acceptable. I like how that curse puts a real strain on the party, much more powerful than just throwing treants against them every once in a while (which I might also do).

Well, nature is biased against them and treants are pretty much nature...

[djreynolds]

I like that resting idea, though this is a very nature-centric campaign, so that might be a bit too harsh, but as long as I provide a clear way to give penance it would be acceptable. I like how that curse puts a real strain on the party, much more powerful than just throwing treants against them every once in a while (which I might also do).

Have you ever seen Legend? Just for Tim Curry's role.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

Gonna throw this out there.

Whatever nature-themed Deity you have being rightfully/righteously upset at the Fighter, they should inflict the PC with something that will mark them forever. No stats or abilities have to be altered. But at a glance everyone should be able to tell that this Fighter is scum. He killed a Unicorn. A bloody UNICORN!? It's basically pure Good in physical form. Killing that thing should be blasphemy, at best.

The PC grows a single, twisted horn from out of their forehead. It cannot be removed by the afflicted, but if anyone else helps them it regrows instantly. Priests and Druids refuse to heal such a person, beggars and lepers spit on them and refuse to take charity (not likely but whatever), and if children aren't screaming at the sight of him then the local law enforcers ignore his problems and try to help other criminals screw him over. Kings and Guildmasters refuse to speak to a party with him in attendance. Demons consider him one of their own. Devils laugh at his misery. Make him understand that the COSMOS hates him.

Either the characters dies or quits the game, or he will seek redemption. He should probably still die in the process, and it will be a monumental task to earn such a thing, but it should be possible. Unless this player has done this sort of @&%* before, in which case kick him.

[Fishyninja]

The PC grows a single, twisted horn from out of their forehead. It cannot be removed by the afflicted, but if anyone else helps them it regrows instantly.

I think I might steal this idea if I ever DM a game if you don't mind?