I wondered about how different DMs manage the whole "punishment" for misdeeds problems? I'm specifically referring to PCs breaking their alignment or other similar scenarios. I am NOT trying to start a debate about whether a DM should or should not discipline his players in the first place - that's another thread (PLEASE!!). Just for those DMs who *do* choose to inflict consequences on the PCs for "improper" behavior - how exactly do you go about it?
On a different thread a DM was relating a story about how a LG PC cleric stood by and let a copatriot murder someone without protest and so said cleric was plagued by chronic & debilitating headaches. The cleric went to the local temple and sought answers to the dilemma and his "sin" was revealed, requiring restitution. I thought this was very well done by the DM. It's so much better, IMO, than just announcing "you've lost your abilities until you attone for this thing *I* think you shouldn't have done!", which almost always results in defensiveness and resistance from the players.
I once DMed a paladin PC who was unwittingly infected by lycanthropy and (unwilling) murdered all his companions in their sleep one full moon night. It was well role-played and everyone had fun but the paladin's code required he lose his abilities until he atoned for his chaotic evil act. The DMG suggests several options for atonement and I decided he had to complete a quest from the church in order to regain his powers (thus an adventure hook to the next module) but I still just broke continuity and announced "OK, you've lost your paladin abilities until you atone. What are you going to do?". The player knew this was coming and wasn't upset but in hindsight I'm now wishing I had accomplished this discipline "in game" - perhaps in a more subtle fashion.
(Sorry for my ramblings...)
Anyway, how have some of you handled this situation in the past?
I had the PCs acquire a set of minor artifacts from the tomb of a holy man. Said holy man was of the lawful, honorable type and his spirit infused the weapons they had acquired. When the PCs decided to do something very despicable and dishonorable with the weapons (which they had come to rely upon past their original intent), all the power of the weapons went away until they had gotten back in the holy man's good graces.
I try to infuse my games with the sense of actions & consequences - when you do something, anything, there will be consequences to your actions, whether good or ill. So, I have yet to have any real problem with the "Discipline" issue, as it's always had a plausible explanation. It's when you get into the realm of "I said so" and "Just 'cause I can" that you get into the sticky bits. There has to be a clear line between "I'm punishing you because you violated an oath (or whatever)" and "I'm punishing you because you're not playing your character the way I think you should."
So what that means, Lilith, is that any potential "bribes" will not work? ~sighs~ Drat!
Lilith, how did you present the loss of power and/or its link to their offense of the holy man? The specifics are what I'm really interested in. Did you allow them to use the artifacts and then describe their lack of function or did you warn them beforehand? How did they make the link between the loss of power and their own actions? (My players, god love 'em, are veterans but still a little dense when it comes to such things). Did you, as DM, just announce it or did you replay a scenario where the connection became clear to the players?