Ambigous Judgement Calls

[Domi]

Ok, I am working on a pair of characters, and I'd like them to have a number of discussions on the rights and wrongs, when there is a complex conflict involved, and the 'lawful' judgment feels either 'evil' or too simple or plain strange - in other words the tough situations for an LG character.

 

Something like a woman who steals something to feed her starving child and is to be punished as a thief.

Another one is the famouse - should you wake a vile and murderous sleeping dragon before attacking him or not?

 

I dimly remeber a D&D example something about poisoning a well in an evil city or something like that...

[jester]

Having to work as a stripper to pay for a lawyer to get her daughter back.

 

No wait!

 

 

Demi Moore already used that and it is not really evil and not really that good.

[Kulyok]

A classical example - a woman is about to die in childbirth, and a 'happy father' got to choose whose life to save - mother's, or child's.

 

Also, allowing a wounded stranger into the house and treating him as a guest. Later, armed men barge into the house, and it turns out that this guest is a possible murderer. Should the character abuse the laws of hospitality, or abuse the laws of the country?

 

Killing a sleeping enemy\finishing off a helpless enemy is popular, too. (Makes me wonder if Ajantis should complain about me using Sleep spell in BG1, LOL.)

 

Also, what to do, if a convicted thief\murderer is a child?

 

Hmmm... another oldie but goodie: you've found out the person is guilty, and a person has a vial of poison. Would you allow him\her to kill himself\herself, or would you submit her to the authorities forcefully?

[Domi]

Oh, I like the law of hospitality one

[BigRob]

Here's one: You are rescued from certain death at the hands of orcish raiders by a human bandit. The bandit is know to be a murderer as well as a thief, yet they treat you kindly and send you on your way without harm. Do you turn in the bandit or not?

[cliffette]

A good friend suddenly declares in front of all his friends and family that he loves you passionately and wants to marry you. You're not interested. Do you say yes to have him save face and crush his heart later, or tear out his heart now and rip it into a thousand shreds by saying no right away?

[neriana]

A good friend suddenly declares in front of all his friends and family that he loves you passionately and wants to marry you. You're not interested. Do you say yes to have him save face and crush his heart later, or tear out his heart now and rip it into a thousand shreds by saying no right away?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tear it out now. False hope that's crushed later is far worse than virtually anything else.

 

I've found all these so far to be pretty easy decisions, which I'm sure says something about me, but here's one I wouldn't find easy:

 

If you destroy one city, the war will end. However, destroying this city entails killing many civilians and demolishing beautiful, valuable, ancient buildings containing historical and artistic treasures. If you don't completely obliterate this city, which is relatively defenseless against you, the war will drag on, and many more people, including civilians, will die.

[Domi]

Thank you, guys. It is no problem that some of them are more easily resolvable from the position of a common wisdom than the others - I am actually adding now another character, that will have her own solutions to make this cycle of banter less predictable and less repetitive.

[Fallen_Demon]

A man responsible for the death of many innocent civillians has since seen the error in is ways, is very remorsful about what he did and settled down with a family, and his wife has become very ill. He was never captured and the local government still demands his arrest. The man will be given a trial if arrested, but the community still remembers the pain he caused and it looks like he will be imprissoned for life at best, in which case his children will probably starve.

[Domi]

cool, thank you

[Fallen_Demon]

anytime