SPOILERS!!! Some Events at the Floodgates

[Fair Strides]

Hello again, everybody!

Ever since the Dwarf Barbarian Urist died fighting Black Magga, the new character's been having a difficult time. The player brought in a Paladin of Iomedae (yikes!) and while it's been amazing to watch her Smite Evil, she's had a few... moral conundrums as we call them.

First off, she had to retreat from Skull's Crossing because the Sorcerer "broke formation" and went to investigate the scale model of Skull's Crossing and fell victim to the Skull Ripper (we all forgot about Blindsense 30ft...) and lost her head. This decision was made after they found and started talking with the pit fiend about the dam and his request to free him.

The Paladin sought advice from her adoptive mother (Tira Ronnova, from Magnimar, City of Monuments) and got the Sorcerer reincarnated. They returned to the dam and requested more information from the pit fiend about how the dam worked and what it would do with its freedom. To be fair, none of the party made their checks to know what he was, besides the fact that he was a devil.

The Paladin finally stepped forward and offered Avaxial a deal, taking Avaxial up on his offer of a Wish if they freed him: "Use your Wish to make the dam power itself, if you can. And then you and your direct influence will leave the Material Plane."

Avaxial wanted his freedom, and he saw a loophole in the Paladin's use of the phrasing "direct influence", so he agreed, adding that "if it is not within my power to power the dam, you need only summon me within a year's time to get your wish." Needless to say, he wasn't able to change the dam's operations, but the party used a Summon Monster spell to power the dam.

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All of that being said, the Paladin believes he now needs to pay the full cost for an Atonement spell, which I'm personally on the fence about. What do you guys think? From my and the player's view, the Paladin did it to serve the greater good and protect the entire valley from the flood (he has no idea how big the damage really would have been...).

[Phntm888]

Well...I must say your paladin had some good roleplaying there. Freeing a devil in order to power the dam and save Turtleback Ferry is a powerful, defining moment.

I don't think the Paladin needs an Atonement spell, and if the Paladin thinks she does, she shouldn't pay for it out of pocket. Since it was a devil, not a demon, it's not quite as bad, and she saved a great many lives for it. If she wants to contribute, have her pay for the material components - the cost of spellcasting will be free.

As an alternative, if the paladin wants to take action to atone but you don't feel the spell is necessary, you coul have Iomedae speak to them in a dream. Iomedae could suggest the Paladin spend a night fasting and in prayer to Iomedae, then spend all day the next day helping others without rest. This can allow you to continue the adventure, but the Paladin has to spend a day with the fatigued condition. A form of penance for the Paldin without requiring a trip to Magnimar and a cleric capable of casting Atonement.