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Waterdeep Dragon Heist: a player made an oath to Asmodeus. What do I do? (ttrpg.network)

submitted 1 year ago by deft@ttrpg.network to c/dndnext@ttrpg.network

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Players discovered Cassalanters are devil worshippers. A player befriended and infiltrated their cult.

Any WDH advice here or in general devil cult worshipper infiltration advice?

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[–] reversebananimals@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I would start by collaborating with the player out of game.

"You threw us such an awesome curveball when you decided to ally with Asmodeus! Obviously this pits you against the party who is trying to protect the treasure - how did you envision playing this out?"

Give them options and suggestions to riff off of:

Were you thinking of having your PC become an evil NPC?
If we're going the NPC route, how about you give some some broad direction about how to run your now-villan of the campaign session by session?
If you did still want to keep playing this character, how were you thinking that would work?
If you didn't think ahead to playing an enemey of the party, do you want to try an arc were perhaps you were posessed by the bad guy and your party needs to bring you back to the good side?
If this is a double agent story, what kind of affliction do you want your character to suffer?

[–] deft@ttrpg.network 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

definitely a more double agent type, they want to get closer to a certain target and kill them.

just straight asking them is a great idea though. any ideas on how to roleplay Asmodeus' wants?

[–] tissek@ttrpg.network 5 points 1 year ago

Asmodeus is a master schemer, his (its?) most cunning plans span centuries. I would play into this and realize that my puny human intellect couldn't fathom his brilliance. Let him be this haughty, but always hinting of greater insight into his devices. When his minions are encountered they seldom know the same thing, and often contradictory things. Again, his plans are intricate, elaborate and for him only.

If you want to hand out tasks let them be for no specific reason and for various agents of Asmodeus. Menial tasks for a fresh acolyte. Or perhaps hold off on tasks, "soon" agents will say Soon dedication will be proven. This is just Asmodeus letting the character think the devil is on them, to let them stew in their own fear.

Perhaps Asmodeus even want the character to break his vow and thus forfeit his soul. Another soul to power the infernal machines of war.

Or perhaps Asmodeus doesn't even care? The character is handed off to a local agent as a reward for the agent having accomplished something. Now we get into politics and very understandable motives. Here I would pick something not really opposed to the party at large, nothing really distasteful. But the agent stand to gain more than what is apparent.

More specific than that you may have to look at the party itself and what their drives are. And the local setting.

[–] reversebananimals@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

The traditional D&D devil arc revolves around a "Devils Contract". The classic D&D trope is that devils contracts are long and riddled with fine print that can come back to bite the PCs - remember, devils are evil, but they are lawful evil.

In the case of your PC, I'd probably give them some boon, but some other curse to balance it out. A very RAW solution might be forcing them to trade a level in their class for a level in "Devil's Pact" Warlock.

If you're looking for modern inspiration, check out the "Wyll" character from Baldur's Gate 3.