I dont allow resurrection that often in my games, so he would have to be happy with the results he got or roll up a new character.

I would give him the chain amulet, but let it be enchanted if he propriates his God properly (i.e. spends the magic item in question's market cost on sacrifices, incense, what have you.)

That way -- cool effect, non-gimped character.

yrs--
--Ben

You asked him to change his character's fundamental concept in exchange for a perk. It's a tricky thing, but now that the deal is done, I'd offer him something special in the followup quest to compensate.

I think he has a valid complaint.  You gave him a mechanical penalty (losing an item slot) for a roleplaying perk (spotlight time and a special quest).  Mechanics don't balance fluff, and vice versa.  If the other neutral players agreed to change to good, then great for them-- their characters are alive and now they have a powerful incentive to stay good with a cool roleplaying hook to build off of.  The assassin--- well, neutrality is his choice.  It seems like you've essentially blackmailed the other players into being good and you have one who won't stand for it so you've penalized him for not playing along.

Resurrection can be cool, and the extra obligation to Helm is all well and good, but don't forget that this is a colaborative and cooperative game.  Look at it this way-- instead of losing an item slot, he could have lost an item.  I know you're using variant rules for raise dead type spells but that doesn't change the fact that other priests of other gods can cast them too and all it takes is a little gold or whatnot in exchange.  You could keep things the way they are until he completes his quest, at which point the character's devotion to Helm is proven and the item slot opens back up again--- sort like he's passed his "magical item slot" probation.

I'd flay him alive and nail his head and skin to your front door as a warning.

According to the current rules (I'm assuming here that that is what we're talking about) when you're turned to stone you're not technically dead per se unless your stone self is shattered. You were wrong to begin with unless you're houseruling or making them up as you go along. Plus, I completely disagree with the way the bargain was handled, forceing them to be another alignment is treading over some serious railroading taboos. A better in game way to handle something like the entire party getting turned to stone would have been to teleport them to the middle of the desert or something they wake up back to flesh with a note that says "see me when you're worthy" or something to that effect. Or deal with it for what it is, a TPK and start over.

Alright, I know petrified is not dead. In fact, it's the current name of our group's message board

But it was a TPP nonetheless (total party petrification), and one character stranded on another plane.

I told the players out of game that I could get the characters back, but not without payment – the price being not for the turning to flesh, but for losing the fight with the basilisk and walking away.
The alignment thing was relatively free. The only one who was forced to become good was the cleric, since he in turn could have brought back everyone else.

I realize what I did is not in the rulebooks, but that doesn't faze me at all. I don't care, and neither do my players – they actually told me to forget the rules for this instance.

The only question was, since we played for two years in this same campaign, whether they wanted to continue the campaign, and whether they wanted to keep their characters or not. If they wanted to play on, I'd make it happen.

From this thread, I took the idea of opening their choices, and i already told them they didn't have to act good; however, if they didn't, then there could be consequences (but not certain death).

Radu has a good point, too. But the mechanical benefit was "getting brought back to life" (by the cleric, not the celestial), and the price was for the same as above – losing the encounter, since in our campaign raising the dead doesn't cost a permanent level.

It also seems the player forgot about spells like Unholy Blight and similar that now will affect most of the party save him. He already said he was fine with the necklace now. Though we haven't played yet, and won't until May 27th.

What is important is that you have fun.  You gave the roleplaying guy a game mechanics penalty.  I don't disagree with your ruling, it's your game.  Alignment changes aren't necessarily permanent.  The only modification I might consider in your shoes, is to give the mechanic a possible roleplaying outcome.  A certain amount of killing in the name of his god, or pronouncing the retribution of his god, whatever is required to a certain limit, to have the albatross removed.  At that point it may be a badge of honor to wear, or something to adorn his shield, or gain a weapon proficiency with.  To get imbued with holy power at a later date.  All in all an interesting situation.

GW

Good idea! It's not that I'm not listening to you guys/gals. It'll just take a while to simmer in my head. I'm not too good at spontaneity, which did not come in handy in the given situation.