If a deity were to directly manifest, I don’t think this would be the moment. In my gaming experience (which may not represent the average), divinities tend to be rather more subtle (encounter-breaking boons notwithstanding). I’d expect minor bumps, little hints that show up in progressively more blatant style with each infringement. Only when Ysteena tries to explicitly claim him would that “mine!” incident occur.

> Its not clear that Ysteena knew the level of quest before the quest was completed.

Sure she did: “My last three squire wanna-be’s didn’t make it out of that cavern.”
https://elven.co.nz/comic/elven-00129/

I mean, it spices up the plot, and maybe we’re reading too much into a comic, but intentionally sending people on missions in which three previous parties have died is hardly a good act.

The kindest interpretation is that she was hoping that Cypren would chicken out, so giving him the mission was a graceful way to have him decide to leave the order on his own.
But even then, what did she say to the previous party? “Okay, two previous partied have been killed attempting this. Have at it!” (oops, I did it again?)

If you start with a really good skillset and then you grind, all things being equal you end up way ahead of someone with average skillset who grinds, nature of the rpg game. The levelling will come faster and you will be stronger at the same level. (of course leading to a less earned and more luck based success)

Though we may have an equaliser, where if you are average abilities and act exceptional you may get favor of a god boost.

Lawful Good can still technically be on the table for the group as a whole. Remember, this quest was for a ‘fallen’ templar to earn back his lost graces. The other parties may well have been the same. Taken in that regard, it was a ‘recover your honor’ sorta thing. That said, I am ALSO leaning towards neutral for their allignment, just wanted to point out that good is technically still on the table.

Yes. Cause you only have one chance to get a good skillset. When you roll. Yup. No one grinds XP, lvls up and improves their skillset that way. No, that is to efficient, and not utterly evil. Better to send them to over lvl fights so they can die if they don’t have a miracle provided to them by plot armour. As evidenced by all the corpses hanging in the webs.

The only kind of thing this kind of ‘leadership’ inspires, is coups, and knives in backs. And she’d deserve every blade sunk into her. Hope they’re dull.

He was out of his way to risk/give up his life to save allies, which for even a lawful good deity probably vastly outweighs starting a bar fight

Its not clear that Ysteena knew the level of quest before the quest was completed. We don’t know what happens after permadeath, possible it means reroll new character/reincarnation. If it is reincarnation then may in some ways helpful to those with weaker skill set to reroll till they get a good skill set.

Dragon Magazine published the Antipaladin, then later, seven other alt-paladin variants back in 1e or 2e, and again published paladin alts in 3e (3.5 actually).

Denied. Contract stipulates no explicit insults.