[fantasy] breaking a færie vow

[muduri]

One of the characters in the campaign I'm GMing made that old fantasy trope, the rash vow, to a powerful færie spirit - in return for the whereabouts of his beloved he's now required to kill one of his companions. I do feel a bit guilty - obviously everyone else is fond of their characters, and if I was thinking on my feet it would have been "the first member of your household you meet" so there'd be the old chance to send out one of the hounds or something.

So what are the consequences if he doesn't fulfill it voluntarily? I can see it happening by fate - continued Will rolls to avoid a fight to the death with a random party member, or the next ranged critical miss swerving into someone's neck. Or maybe an accelerating curse - -1 to all rolls on this adventure, -2 on the next, etc. But if there are any other, more elegant solutions out there I'd be happy to hear them - thanks!

[DouglasCole]

You could do all sorts of things:

1) They fail all attempted skill rolls unless related to killing a companion
2) The fae whose vow has been broken kidnaps or otherwise steals one of their dependents
3) The character starts to be a murderbot in his or her sleep
4) Fae come out of nowhere to attack the party each day at the exact same time that the vow was made
5) Powerful fae kidnaps companion and oathbreaker and puts them under a glamour that makes the other look like a monster. They have to duel to the death in a fae dimension

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by muduri

One of the characters in the campaign I'm GMing made that old fantasy trope, the rash vow, to a powerful færie spirit - in return for the whereabouts of his beloved he's now required to kill one of his companions. I do feel a bit guilty - obviously everyone else is fond of their characters, and if I was thinking on my feet it would have been "the first member of your household you meet" so there'd be the old chance to send out one of the hounds or something.

So what are the consequences if he doesn't fulfill it voluntarily? I can see it happening by fate - continued Will rolls to avoid a fight to the death with a random party member, or the next ranged critical miss swerving into someone's neck. Or maybe an accelerating curse - -1 to all rolls on this adventure, -2 on the next, etc. But if there are any other, more elegant solutions out there I'd be happy to hear them - thanks!

This is a broken, rash vow and not a Vow rashly made and broken. Under the trope, the character would feel honour-bound to fulfil it but that isn't the case here. He isn't going to become a murderer unless the faerie spirit curses him in that way.

By the trope, the faerie spirit should undo its part of the bargain. It can't take back the character's knowledge of the beloved's whereabouts, so it'll do the next best thing. The faerie spirit, or its agents, will kidnap, and carry off to Faerie, the beloved. It might put the beloved in an enchanted sleep in its home (if it doesn't want to be bothered with the beloved); or it might trade the beloved to another faerie, either to pay a favour owed or to gain a future favour; or it might make the beloved the prize of a quest, setting the beloved at the summit of a glass mountain guarded by a giant, in the top of a tower guarded by a dragon, etc.

[roguebfl]

Breaking as vow to the fae, means you owe the fae, this given them power over the forswarn, fae are often limited to glamours unless they have permission, a broken vow gives them open permission to effect you.
this includes a form of Magic Susceptibility limited own to the fae the owns the debt

[Varyon]

For avoiding forcing the characters to kill each other, assuming the characters don't have the power to actively oppose the fae, they may be able to bargain to instead do something much more difficult that the fae will get some benefit from (even if that just means the fae finds it more entertaining). Alternatively, he might go to one of the fae's rivals - or superiors - and offer some vow/service to keep the original off his back.

Also, figure out the exact wording of the vow, and see if there might be a loophole. A symbolic death might be sufficient, or simply a mortal wound that is healed by magic (possibly with the assistance of another fae, resulting in a new debt). Or there may even be an option to get some patsy to take the fall, although that's leaning rather heavily into the evil side of things.

As for appropriate punishments for not fulfilling the vow, others have given some pretty good options. Another is Unluckiness. If you want it to build up, use multiple "levels" of Unluckiness - the default is a single level and causes you to suffer one case of bad luck each session, so each additional level causes another case per session. Note this Unluckiness wouldn't come into play when trying to kill a companion.

[finn]

I believe that frequently the one who makes the deal seems to almost forget, or not care about the conditions they agreed too, until it's too late.

I will not punish the PC for not immediately killing a companion. After a couple of sessions and the PC actually meets his beloved, and if the PC has not yet killed any "companion" or tried to exploit a loophole, the PC should be led into killing a companion, on night the character reunites with the beloved.

I would present a clear chance for the PC to easily kill a companion. The companion could be drunk or sleeping alone and easy to kill physically. The PC may insult the character and try to pick a fight with the PC, or already in deathbed, making it morally easier to kill. The companion need not be another PC. Remind the PC of the condition. If the PC forgoes the odviouse chance, the PC should be cursed, or the PC's beloved should go missing again.

You can also add a loophole to the clause from now. At begging of the next session, or preferably between games to make sure the player is ok with it, you can give the player a note describing the exact words of the fae. You can say "I glossed over the wording at my last game, as I was not prepared for the negotiation to take place. Here are the exact words of the fae". If the wording is fitting with the style of the game, and looks like there may be a loophole that could be exploited, the player would probably be happy for the clarification.

[tanksoldier]

I wouldn’t force the character to kill another party member but actions have consequences. I’d love impose unlucky and some level of enemy. If the fairie is powerful enough have it steal away the love intrest and hide them again... but still impose unlucky for putting the fey to the trouble.

Also reputation.. no fey will make a bargain with that character again.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

TBy the trope, the faerie spirit should undo its part of the bargain. It can't take back the character's knowledge of the beloved's whereabouts, so it'll do the next best thing. The faerie spirit, or its agents, will kidnap, and carry off to Faerie, the beloved.

This, totally this.

[Ashtagon]

Suppose the wording was to take the life of a companion. That could within the tropes include impersonation for a major event and it's immediate consequences. There's no rules that says he can't give the life back after taking it after all.

[Randover]

Me being too benevolent GM I would introduce a plot that allows for the character to fulfill the Vow. Hellish nightmare, shapeshifter or NPC companion. All are good ways to make the player work hard.

But all the advice already mentioned is also great. Kidnapping the beloved is the best fay wise.

Killing and companion can have great many meaning.