From: CX6L@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA (CX6L)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: RE: Ethical Dilemna (GURPS Fantasy - LONG)-Try 2!
Date: 24 Jan 93 21:55:57 GMT
Organization: McGill University

In article <C1Bz9n.EF7@csugrad.cs.vt.edu> kerr@csugrad.cs.vt.edu (Shane Kerr) writes:
>An Artarrean fencer (ick - hi Dave)
>A Templar
>A Jesuit
>A sheriff (typical trees and bark type)
>A reptile man craftsman

Wow....no mages! Amazing! (In my campaign, 5 of 6 PCs have *some*
degree of magical ability!)

>reasons), they encountered a group of pagans in the middle of drunken
>ectasy.  The Templar, in typical D&D fashion (no flames please) charged
>into the middle of the scene with broadsword hacking and hewing.

Well, actually, if the Churchmen in the party really have Status
and religious powers, ie, they both have Clerical Investment, and
the Templar has Status 2+ (as one would expect), AND the sheriff
has real Rank/Legal Enforcement Powers/Status too, then the group
has sufficient authority to *arrest* those engaging in pagan
ritual. Cardiel is Christian, and tolerates Islam, but it still
has the Church prejudice against worship of pagan gods: and, in
fact, would punish the pagans, especially if they were "mere"
peasants (Status -1 or 0). *BUT*, the summary death sentence
executed by the party is *not* within their authority, and is
grounds for demotion within Church and society. The local baron
could do little about the Jesuit or the Templar: they receive
their comeuppance from the Church. Loss of powers/Status would
be appropriate. The sheriff ought to be stripped of title, unless
he can pull an "old boys' network special" and weasel his way
out of the situation. The Aralaise fencer is doomed: his title
is useless in Cardieal, and he is a "damn foreigner". Chances
are, he'll be imprisoned and deported to Araterre on the first
boat out of Tredroy: you can let him escape, but make him take
the Social Stigma (Outlaw) disad (-15 points, -3 RR) AND lose
his Status -- devaluing the PC by 20-25 points! Sadly, the
Reptile Man, *regardless* of his personality and good intentions,
will be treated as a dangerous monster and killed. Only in al-Haz
(where they are religious) and Megalos (where they are prized
soldiers) are Reptile Men tolerated as equals. Again: he could
be allowed to escape, but he'll be branded an outlaw, too.

>local lord showed up and is a bit upset because somebody just slaughtered
>all of his peasants.  Yikes.

 . . . on the other hand, if the local lord is a good Christian (and
he probably is), he will NOT want the fact known that pagans use his
land for rituals. He may actually pay the party off to get lost and
never reveal what has transpired. It is unlikely he will go through
the process of trying the PCs, who have Status and power, over the
deaths of some irrelevant peasants who were violating Church law.
                                                                        s
>clear - they're gonna fry.  But should I allow them to get off with paying
>a werguild.

If these are truly peasants, and not freemen or burghers, then the
weregild will be trivial.

>Hm.  The worst part is that everybody but
>the fencer took honesty.

 . . in which case, the minute the Templar yelled "ATTACK!",