Arthas from Warcraft III is probably the prototypical fallen paladin, and an excellent example of how to do a fallen paladin right.
Arthas asked the spirits of the cavern for the sword to be released from its icy prison, proclaiming that he would "give anything or pay any price, if only you will let me save my people."
Arthas knew full well what he was doing when he took up Frostmourne. He wasn't tricked or browbeaten by an upset DM. He was given a choice, and he made that choice.
Now, I've covered morality choices a lot up to this point. And I'd like to change tracks. The idea that a choice has to be set up so that the player actually has to consider all the decisions can be used for nearly any point of choice.
The trick is to set up two goals in conflict.
Take weapons, for example. Long or short range? You'd take long range every time, if there were no other factor. But if long range came at reduced damage, you'd have to make a choice on which you value more in a weapon.
Every option should have a benefit and a drawback. Every course of action too. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien wrote the story so that the fellowship eventually retreated from Caradhras and go through Moria, but in your game, the party might make it through Caradhras. Neither choice was desirable, and both had their risks.
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