101 reasons the people / citizens are worth saving


Homebrew and House Rules

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Hello all, I'm not sure if one of these has been made yet, but recently one of my characters has taken the turn of, "Why are people worth saving?" moral question and he's wrestling with it, finding it hard to care. That said, I'm interested in seeing how man reasons one can have for this kind of question.

I'll start.

1 - Because it's the right thing to do.

2 - To gain their trust, so that you can steal their stuff later.

3 - Because you own a shop, and they're sort of your customers.

4 - Because you're a paladin.

5 - Because you're evil and they're who you intend to rule.

6 - Because you're king / queen and you do rule them.

7 - Because they don't deserve what happened to you... (DUN DUN DUN)

8 - Because you're one of the idiots living amongst them (GotG reasons)

9 - Because you'll be able to sleep better at night?

10 - Because you'd be bored otherwise.

Granted, most of these aren't very motivating, but stuff is stuff.


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11 - Because money comes and goes, and we can always get more stuff, but every individual is unique and irreplaceable.

12 - Because within all of us is a spark of the divine, the potential to be more than mere animals, to overcome our instincts and strive for perfection.

13 - Because they are no different than I am, just people who feel joy and love and pain and anger. Who am I to choose my well being over that of countless others. Their lives mean just as much as my own.

14 - Because while I may not like them, I hate anyone who would commit such atrocities against them.

15 - Because someone needs to take a stand against the forces of chaos and destruction. Without order, life is brutal and short. That order requires us to commit to principles, whether we want to or not. It doesn't matter if the people don't deserve mercy or protection, they must get it. If we make ourselves judge and jury, it doesn't matter who is executioner, justice will be gone and we will be back on that road to hell.


16. Because you'll need subjects to rule after you marry into the royal family.

17. Because streets lined with decaying bodies smell offal. (:P)

18. Because that guy owes you money, that other guy is his employer, and those other folks are his customers.


19. Because you can (someone had to go there).

20. Because all the screaming is keeping you awake.

21. Because you need voters in the next election, and saving these people is a good way to get votes. "Vote for me, you owe me your life!"

22. You are their master, they're your acolytes/apprentices, and your temple, guild, etc. would be really upset with you if you let them die and could have stopped it.

23. They provide you with useful services as your valets, butlers, maids, guards, and favorite shopkeepers.

24. Turns out those people are your black market contacts and they've got the goods you want. They end up dead, so much for that plan.

25. If you want good undead servants, you need to pick the best stock. Better to keep them alive till you're ready to make them better.

Scarab Sages

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19. After all that they've mistreated, derided, and looked down on you, the look on their faces when they realize they owe you their lives will be priceless.

20. Most of them aren't worth saving - but there are always some among them who are. The spark of true greatness is essentially random and could show up anywhere, heedless of class, creed, tribe, race, or vocation, thus only by saving them all can you save the worthy few.

21. They make some damned fine cheeses.


Third Mind wrote:
9 - Because you'll be able to sleep better at night?

22. So you won't have to sleep alone at night.

23. Because Stockholm syndrome is just too much fun to induce.


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24. Because you haven't figured out how to torture the dead yet.

25. Because the most satisfying person to stick it to is the personification of nihilism.


26. Delicious!

Scarab Sages

27. Because they're family, and nobody messes with your family!


28. To put them in your debt.

Dark Archive

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Evil excuses to save a bunch of people;

29. Magical Statistics - Every person has potential to be useful to either you personally, or to the community. Maybe everyone won't become a wizard or cleric, or carry the necessary bloodline to become a sorcerer, but the more people exist, the greater number of those special people will exist, through sheer weight of probability, and the stronger your land will become. Breed peasants, breed! We need more magic workers, even if they are 'just' Adepts!

30. The Economic Pyramid needs a bunch of peons at the base to support the lucky few at the top. Some hatchet-faced scrub needs to get up and harvest the grain that some other pock-marked loser will make into flour that will eventually become this succulent pastry (through some process involving procurers and cooks and whatever that us noble folk could care less to learn about) I'm going to nibble at and then discard. If we let all our peons get killed and eaten, who the heck is going to lug the heated bathwater up the stairs for my morning scrub? Who is going to wash my robes? Cook my meals? Listen attentively and / or fearfully (captive audiences are the best audiences!) while I complain about declining standards of quality in wines they'll never get to taste?

31. Gratitude is not Optional. I saved your entire miserable town, what do you mean I have to pay for drinks at the tavern?

32. Everyone has Value. Night Hags and Cacodaemons pay top coin for souls, even if the soul was that of a Commoner 1. Letting someone else kill them is taking money straight out of your pocket. The bodies might also have some value, to a Gebbite. Waste is evil and disrespectful to the gods who gave us such bounty!

33. Can't sell 'em into slavery if you let them get killed.

34. Damn Statistics, Again. There are a finite number of horrible encounters you can have in an area, a finite number of high CR challenges or beasties or whatever. The more people there are around you, the greater chance of one of those terrible fates occurring to someone else, and not you. Avoid calling them your precious 'Arrow Catchers of Fate' in a language they might understand...


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35. They make pie!

Liberty's Edge

36. Because maybe, just maybe, that really cute innkeeper from Xianghua might be interested in you; she just needs to be properly heroically rescued.


A lot of fun and awesome ones. I especially like how deep you got MakeItStop.

I think we're on 44 now technically since a few got the same numbers. So.

44 - While you may not like most of the people or care about them, among them live your family and friends and its them, their family and their friends that you won't let go unprotected. For their sake.

45 - This gives a relatively legal way to kill things.

46 - [evil] They're yours to kill when you deem necessary. If anyone is going to kill them, its you and not some two-bit hack from another plane of existence.

47 - The rogue promised you they'd stop sifting through your bags and pockets it if you did it.

48 - Because there are children amongst the people, and you actually like children.

Good stuff all around everyone!


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49) "Deus volt" ("God wills it").
50) It'll make a great story later.
51) Who knows? Fifty years from now, when you're an old adventurer, one of them might save you.
52) Chicks dig heroes. Alternately, dudes dig heroines. (Insert whatever sexual inclinations you have here.)
53) You'll look like a chickenshit if you don't try.

Sovereign Court

54) Keeps the meat fresh as long as they're alive.

Sovereign Court

55) They are your future..... Zombie/Skeleton Horde.


56) Self-propelled field rations.

57) Body warmth is best.

58) Do you know how to brew beer? I don't. Quick! We must save the taverns' staff!!

59) Someone has to tend to the bacon.

60) Someone else has to grow the smokeable vegetation.

61) Being a farmer is thankless and (hopefully) boring. Preventing farmers and the others involved in providing your steady diet of beer, bacon and smokes from becoming beer, bacon and/or smokes is your civic duty as an adventurer. Often involving gratitude, such as bacon, beer and smokes!

62) Sometimes preserving your steady supply of bacon, beer and smokes comes with a delectable side of body warmth that you don't have to pay for. Rawr.

63) Long pork BBQ is vastly overrated.


64) Because anyone can chant at the ritual that will put you among the gods.
65) If it's a hell dimension, you want enough brownie points so you don't have to reincarnate back here again. (Ravenloft and HOL)


66) Because they are worth sweet sweet xp, and I'll be damned if some BBEG is going to steal those juicy xp morsels away from me.


67) Because bar fights are really boring when you are there alone.

Radiant Oath

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

68. To spite your enemy, knowing he'll be LIVID when he learns you stopped his planned massacre.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

69. If you have to ask the question, then you are not numbered among those Good at heart.


69)You know that NPC that called you a Murder Hobo? It is so much more satisfying to transfer the Mark of Cane to them and have them run out of town. Who's a murder hobo now!


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71. Because SOMEONE has to bring us food! I swear, raiding farms is so yesterday. Save a few towns and they will give us Dragons some food.


Goth Guru wrote:
...the Mark of Cane...

Is that the one you get in the Philippines?


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Jaelithe wrote:
Goth Guru wrote:
...the Mark of Cane...
Is that the one you get in the Philippines?

It just requires a cane do attitude.


72. The more you pack together (the highest the population of a city), the more likely they will be providing (either through selling, or through you stealling from them) potent magical items.


Jaelithe wrote:


52) Chicks dig heroes. Alternately, dudes dig heroines. (Insert whatever sexual inclinations you have here.)

73. Because no more peasants means no more sheep.


Makeitstop wrote:
Jaelithe wrote:


52) Chicks dig heroes. Alternately, dudes dig heroines. (Insert whatever sexual inclinations you have here.)
73. Because no more peasants means no more sheep.

That's not what I meant. :)


Sharoth wrote:
Jaelithe wrote:
Goth Guru wrote:
...the Mark of Cane...
Is that the one you get in the Philippines?
It just requires a cane do attitude.

This Mark.

http://supernatural.wikia.com/wiki/Mark_of_Cain


74.) Jim the bartender gave you a free drink once a week. And Lily the tailor always makes sure that your coat is in perfect repair. You've got to return the favor somehow.

75.) Building an entirely new town is hella expensive.


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Ventnor wrote:

75.) Building an entirely new town is hella expensive.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott.


76) Someone has to take care of all the cute doggies and kitties.


76.) Because all those lonesome farmers' daughters aren't going to save themselves.

Liberty's Edge

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Jaelithe wrote:
Ventnor wrote:

75.) Building an entirely new town is hella expensive.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott.

Freddy the Fighter: Randolph Scott! (removes helmet)

Amy the Alchemist: Randolph Scott! (removes her little alchemist turban)
Erik the Cleric: Randolph Scott! (removes his cleric miter)
Rita the Rogue: Randolph Scott! (does not have a hat to doff)

Chorus: ♪Ran-dolph SCOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT~


Jaelithe wrote:
Ventnor wrote:

75.) Building an entirely new town is hella expensive.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott.

I have no idea who that is.

Liberty's Edge

Ventnor wrote:
Jaelithe wrote:
Ventnor wrote:

75.) Building an entirely new town is hella expensive.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott.
I have no idea who that is.

He was a star in Westerns in the '40s.

The reference is Blazing Saddles.


77. Because the necessary infrastructure to bring you rare materials for your spells/rare metals for your weapons requires a large amount of miners, merchants, and farmers to support them. Without a functioning society you would need to gather all that bat guano yourself.


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78. A peon saved is a peon earned.


78. Because somewhere among them, is the plot hook for the next chapter.

79. Because the GM will have someone else save them if I don't, and that guy is my rival.

80. Because I just remembered, my backstory includes a situation just like this, and NEVER AGAIN!

81. Because it should take about an hour and a half, and we've already missed the first showing of that new movie.


Looks like we did 76 and 78 twice

83. Because it beats standing around and arguing about what to do for another hour.

84. Because tucking your tail between your legs and running away does little for your reputation.

85. Because the GM already did his prep, so if we go exploring instead of saving the village, we have a 90% chance of finding a nearly identical village in a remarkably similar situation.


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86. Because the McGuffin is nearby and we need a good base.

87. Because the cute party member used the doe eyes and I failed my will save.


88. Because there has to be at least one hot chick in thst crowd, said the most generic bard ever

89. Because statistically if youre from the same area you will be genetically related. Medieval times, people didnt move too far.


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Errant Mercenary wrote:

Because there has to be at least one hot chick in thst crowd.....

...if youre from the same area you will be genetically related.

This message brought to you by House Lannister.


Under the same line as some of the deep stuff MakeitStop came up with, some things my character is going to use at least.

90. Every innocent life is equivalent in value. Risking your life for another is a noble and just thing. Something that you can be proud and content with, even in the after life.

91. Because you don't back down, and you've taken this threat against the people as a personal challenge.

92. You can't pass up the chance to say to an entire population / town / city, "Wanna see something cool?" before being one of few that takes down the threat. (Granted only like 5 or 10 will probably hear you say it...)


93. Because you know the rest of the party will be b!&*#y at you for weeks if you don't help.

94. 'cause experience points yo.

95. Because you flipped a coin and it landed on heads so you will be good today. There is of course a 50-50 chance you will slaughter the innocents yourself tomorrow but today you will save them.


96. Because otherwise the Jedi are really going to feel it.


Bararok wrote:
Because you flipped a coin and it landed on heads so you will be good today. There is of course a 50-50 chance you will slaughter the innocents yourself tomorrow but today you will save them.

I imagine this said to those innocents: "Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

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