Question on Allegiance

[tooley1chris]

So I'm making an adventure with a little side trek. The side trek is as follows:

The PCs find a cave and entering it they spot a grotesque demon cast a spell and change into a Knight in shining armor. This "Knight" is guarding 3 beautiful young lasses, who are shackled to a wall. The wenches are sobbing for help. Claiming the demons spells won't fool them. They know what it is. Why does he taunt them so? Ect...

Here's the twist.

The lovely prisoners are actually Succubus and the Shining Knight is just that. A Holy warrior under oath to guard the demons. Their beautiful forms are an illusion as was the knights transformation from demon.

My PCs love rescuing maids in distress and I'm thinking they will fall for this ruse.

My question is this: would killing the Holy warrior count for points in shadow? Since when he does die the PCs see him for what he really is. A Holy man...

[Moonowl67]

Make the Knight cursed to guard succubi, as penance for falling to their charms.  However, give the succubi the power to cast the illusion, or even can gain brief control/domination of him, so that he attacks the party (appearing to be a demon) at least once.  Two of the demons distract the party with their pleas for help while the third casts the spells.  Then, give the party a chance at parley . . . Do Not trap them into killing a holy man - that path leads to resentment.  It might be fun to have him gasp out an "I'm Sorry!" as a sword rips through his armor and he changes back. Okay, now you have three chained up demons  . . . or ARE they chained up?  Was this one big demonic mind-game?

 

To answer your question - I count willful murder of innocents as granting dark points but somebody slain because of a nefarious trick earns the trickster dark points, not the slayer, unless the slayer is willingly complicit (in this case, the party would not be).

 

Gaining Light or Dark points can only be done with willful acts of valor or selflessnes/Cruelty or extreme forms of greed. A ruse, or momentary madness, or even demonic possession all turn off the will, so no points are gained.  Darkness spreads by seduction - it thrives when somebody willingly slakes a thirst for blood, or sheds blood in pursuit of power.  Followers of the Dark may appear mad, they may even be insane, but they know the evil that they do. Shadow grants them powers (expressed as allegiance points) because they can be counted upon to spread more Dark.

 

The Succubi would gain Dark points for having their guardian slain, and will no doubt taunt the PCs, or try to convince one of them to stay and replace their former guardian as penance.  They would offer 'benefits' to their brave new guardian. Darkness weaves lies and illusions.  How many knights have they killed in this way?  Perhaps there's a stash of loot from all the former victims, in a secret room nearby . . . This is not a prison, but a lair! 

[tooley1chris]

This free will vs guile as far allegiance points was how I was perceiving it as well, but I'm not always right.

I like the idea that the whole room is their lair instead of a prison. Very clever. But it ties in to something else I'm doing and the knight must be a Holy guardian. I had planned on utilizing social skills for a bit of parlay, hoping the PCs don't just attack. But if they do a lesson learned there shall be.