Apostate of Bhaal

[HoboKnight]

Hey guys,
since I like to prep up for certain things in advance... one of my players took up an idea of being a fervent follower of Bhaal. It's happening for a few sessions now and mentioned player is (in character) now realising that being an acolyte of actual god of murder may have some downsides... and he wants out. This should not be a problem mechanically, but I wonder... how would Bhaal himself treat an apostate? And how would his sentiment transfer to his active acolytes? Would, per known lore, there be any consequences?

Thanks!

[Millstone85]

While anyone could become the target of a ritualistic murder by Bhaalists, I think the apostate's value as a sacrifice would rise.

[LibraryOgre]

Was the character in any way empowered by Bhaal?

Are we talking a cleric/paladin/warlock sort of situation, an assassin who was a clergy member (i.e. priest without being priest class), or just someone who was a lay worshiper of Bhaal?

Divinely empowered? Bhaal is going to be mad, and he is going to send people after you. Bhaal will want your heart on a cheese knife.

Non-powered clergy? Bhaal is going to be mad, and he is going to send people after you. He will settle for a kidney.

Lay worshiper? Bhaal is going to be mad, and he is going to send people after you. However, he will settle for a large amount of blood.

[Ionathus]

IMO the Church of Bhaal would have the same policy on leaving as most organized crime rings do: the only way out is in a bodybag with your heart cut out on a stone altar.

Of course, as LibraryOgre said, you as the DM can always choose how invested Bhaal is in this. His worshipers are limited in number and there are only so many hours in the day, after all. Murder is literally their whole schtick, but especially if you're starting at level 1, that PC is gonna be pretty small potatoes. There might be bigger fish to murder -- at least for now. Great story and conflict-driving hook for sure, though.

[Slipjig]

Unless Bhaal has some sort of special relationship with the character (Chosen, Warlock, Divine caster), I doubt Bhaal will even notice? FR gods know a lot, but they don't really have the "I know when every sparrow falls" level of omniscience. Among hundreds of thousands of worshippers across the planes, one Tier 1 character no longer coming to weekly services isn't likely to attract his attention. Of course, thay could easily change if his departure is somehow dramatic (rescuing planned sacrifices, desecrating the altar, etc.).

Now, other CULTISTS he knows, especially those in his cell, may take the "nobody gets out alive" stance. But even in that case, if he makes his exit low-key, he might be able to gradually transition to emeritus status, "doesn't really run with us anymore, but we expect his support in an emergency". Especially a few levels from now, when he's a lot more powerful, he may have people from his old life showing up asking for help, with the implied threat of revealing his prior activities if he doesn't play ball. It can start with relatively reasonable requests ("Somebody got a good look at Susie during our last kidnapping, and the Watch is looking for someone of her description. Can she lay low at your estate for a few weeks?"), and gradually escalate.

[Ionathus]

Especially a few levels from now, when he's a lot more powerful, he may have people from his old life showing up asking for help, with the implied threat of revealing his prior activities if he doesn't play ball. It can start with relatively reasonable requests ("Somebody got a good look at Susie during our last kidnapping, and the Watch is looking for someone of her description. Can she lay low at your estate for a few weeks?"), and gradually escalate.

I really, really like this approach. As a DM, when a player gives me a backstory hook like this, my first instinct is often to just have assassins show up and say "nobody gets out alive," roll initiative.

But muddying the waters can really make things more interesting. Playing with the choices they have to make. Taking it slow and drip-feeding the questionable things they did in their past, and having it have a more sustained impact than "your old buddies track you down and fight you once, conclusively."

[Kardwill]

Yeah, a lot of it would revolve about how he left the cult.

Killed the high priest and burned the temple with his adventuring buddies / Snitched on them to the paladin order? The survivors will probably issue a "kill on sight" message to other cells they know, or exert reprisals on his loved ones. although it will depend of how thorough he was in scrubbing that cell and how many witnesses were left, I guess. Maybe even Bhaal himself won't mind, if the slaughter/betrayal was ruthless enough.

Simply skipped town and stopped answering summons? Then some "old friends" might blackmail him in a few month/years, when he thought he was safe. Or simply ask for a favor : After all, he was one of them. Some cultists might actually be old friends, or people he actually owes a favor to.

[Slipjig]

And then they want to borrow a guest room for a heist planning session...

And then when a heist goes wrong, the crew shows up at your door in the middle of the night carrying a couple of badly wounded companions. And what kind of monster turns away a wounded friend in desperate trouble?

And then they want to throw a feast for the visiting High Priest, and they introduce you as a "friend of the Order"...

And then they want to stash stolen goods in one of your outbuildings...

And then they want to hold a kidnapping victim in one of your outbuildings...

And one day you wake up and realize you are running a Bhaalist safehouse.

One good way to ease your players into it is to have the Bhaalists initially be selecting obviously evil people as their targets, at least until the character is roped in.

[Misereor]

Hey guys,
since I like to prep up for certain things in advance... one of my players took up an idea of being a fervent follower of Bhaal. It's happening for a few sessions now and mentioned player is (in character) now realising that being an acolyte of actual god of murder may have some downsides... and he wants out. This should not be a problem mechanically, but I wonder... how would Bhaal himself treat an apostate? And how would his sentiment transfer to his active acolytes? Would, per known lore, there be any consequences?

Thanks!

Looking to introduce any new BBEGs?

Work a kidnapping into an adventure, and have a friendly, smiling high level Cleric, prominently featuring the symbol of Bhaal, approach our tied up and helpless hero. A bunch of gibberish is mumbled, the air hums with dark energies as various spells are cast, and then our hero is cut loose and politely let go on their merry way, probably wondering what just happened.

Until the next holy day of Bhaal that is, when the curse takes effect and sends them into an uncontrollable killing frenzy for just long enough to make their life extremely miserable. A curse that is exceedingly difficult to lift and triggered by something you as GM should make both obscure and funny when the players finally figure it out. The BBEG is a smiling killer after all.

[Kardwill]

Looking to introduce any new BBEGs?

Work a kidnapping into an adventure, and have a friendly, smiling high level Cleric, prominently featuring the symbol of Bhaal, approach our tied up and helpless hero. A bunch of gibberish is mumbled, the air hums with dark energies as various spells are cast, and then our hero is cut loose and politely let go on their merry way, probably wondering what just happened.

Until the next holy day of Bhaal that is, when the curse takes effect and sends them into an uncontrollable killing frenzy for just long enough to make their life extremely miserable. A curse that is exceedingly difficult to lift and triggered by something you as GM should make both obscure and funny when the players finally figure it out. The BBEG is a smiling killer after all.

Fiat-kidnapping the PC, and then having the GM randomly taking control of it in unpleasant ways that could make the character unplayable? Errr, most players will rightfully riot if a GM mess with their character in this way

It's an interesting story arc, but the kind where you need complete player buy-in. Telling them in advance about what will happen and get their direct, explicit consent. Dropping it "cold" can cost you a player, or get you a repute as "THAT GM"

[Ionathus]

Fiat-kidnapping the PC, and then having the GM randomly taking control of it in unpleasant ways that could make the character unplayable? Errr, most players will rightfully riot if a GM mess with their character in this way

It's an interesting story arc, but the kind where you need complete player buy-in. Telling them in advance about what will happen and get their direct, explicit consent. Dropping it "cold" can cost you a player, or get you a repute as "THAT GM"

Echoing this. Having a cleric of Bhaal come to the rescue would be an interesting moment -- especially since the PC remembers leaving on bad terms -- but you could work it into "you owe me a favor now" or have it be layers of deception and betrayal, where the cleric tries to put the PC at ease before betraying them in a bigger way later.

"Insanity murder curse the PC has no control over" has never once been interesting in every instance I've seen it.

[Witty Username]

I personally like (when I am the player with this stuff) antagonism from not just the old allies.
As a servant of Bhaal, doing the murder is part of it, and servants of say Torm, Ilmater and Helm could all have words for you. Groups that are local police forces may have active suspicions of you, even if you haven't done anything (today anyway).
Or the other way, people could try to track you down looking for a particular set of skills. I am reminded of a Zeta episode (cartoon about a robot assassin that turned non-violent), where Zeta got kidnapped by someone wanting to use him as a weapon and being confused and dismayed that Zeta had thrown away some of his worst stuff.

[Spore]

Rather than ask yourself how their old god and faith will treat them, much rather have an idea how their new faith and god will treat them. Any mid level cleric can quickly find out who the Bhaalist was worshipping before and may need a token of their faith or a mission done to prove their new loyalty.

Which naturally would contain crossing Bhaal's plans since you are such an important in-person. Then said cleric would cast an absolution spell for you to absolve you of your sins and accept you into your new faith.