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[Creative] My Homebrew for Adventurer's Guide to the Bible
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<blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 9283530" data-attributes="member: 6750502"><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qnLM7N5.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>Saving Jesus</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_at_the_Cross_-_Cristo_en_la_Cruz.jpg" target="_blank">Artwork by Carl Bloch</a></p><p></p><p>The arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the most detailed and well-known parts of Christian history. His death is an important part of the religion’s evolution, a moment of self-sacrifice to bear humanity’s transgressions and through that pave the way for universal redemption. In the context of this adventure, it is an important event that significantly and permanently weakens the influence of Satan and his minions in the world. Whereas other parts of the book have been open-ended and allowed for leeway when it comes to PC autonomy, the Adventurer’s Guide more or less puts things squarely on a linear railroad where events in the Bible transpire more or less unimpeded. While the book notes that the DM can get creative for PCs deadset on rescuing him, there is hardly any advice on where to go from here for the more stubborn and creative of players. This post is meant to help in that regard.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>The Meta-Narrative of Saving Jesus</strong></p><p></p><p>Before running the Way of the Cross encounter, the DM should have a good sense on whether or not the PCs not only wish to save Jesus from death, but also the players’ out of character motivations for doing so. Some players may be okay with Jesus’ death being inevitable on a metagame level, but other players may feel their opportunities robbed from a genuine desire to try and change history or simply trying to do the right thing. Different groups have different methods for the handling of metagaming in this case: the DM can out and out tell the players upfront what is expected in the narrative and if they’re okay with that, or they can use leading questions between game nights in the leadup to Way of the Cross to try and read their motivations. Determining how acceptable players may find a deus ex machina that stymies their efforts, or how well such a trick can be concealed under the illusion of choice, is something that differs from table to table.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>PC Capabilities</strong></p><p></p><p>Beyond the motivations of the players, the DM must also determine the capabilities of the PCs and how they can steer the adventure in their rescue attempt. At this point, the party should be around 9th level, making them some of the most capable mortals in the Fertile Crescent to say nothing of the many treasures and allies they accumulated on their journeys! While it depends widely on class and role, PCs at the higher end of Tier 2 have a lot of tricks up their sleeves both inside and outside combat.</p><p></p><p><strong>Combat:</strong> At this point in the campaign, most PCs can more than handle themselves in fights. As a sandbox-oriented setting whose world doesn’t “level up” as the PCs do, most authority figures in Jerusalem aren’t going to be a match for the party. The only real advantage of Jesus’ captors are their superior numbers and institutional backing of the Roman Empire. As is detailed in the adventure, the people most likely to imprison or otherwise visit violence upon Jesus are all rather “low-level,” having stats such as Guard (Cr ⅛), Angry Mob (CR 5), Roman Legionary (CR ½), and Roman Centurion (CR 3). The last two would be found standing guard in key security areas of the city such as the crucified prisoners up in Golgotha. Judas uses Sicarii (CR 3) stats, although his role is rather “non-combatant” in the whole affair.</p><p></p><p>On the magical side of things, most of the NPCs don’t have any spellcasting potential, the exception being the priest Caiaphas (CR 2, casts as a 5th level Cleric). While the Roman Empire makes use of mages such as Simon Elymas (CR 5, mage stats) who can be found on the Isle of Cyprus, neither Pontius Pilate nor King Herod are mentioned to have such an advisor in the adventure.</p><p></p><p>With all this said, well-prepared PCs can easily overpower Roman or Jewish authorities. However, as evidenced by his proverb “live by the sword, die by the sword,” Jesus is very explicitly against any of his followers using violence to free him. While he may not stop the party from doing so if they’re out of his presence (if only to avoid making the adventure feel too railroaded), he will also know if the party has inflicted violence outside his presence and admonish them for doing so. If they try to do so within his presence then he’ll supernaturally stop combat as in the Garden of Gethsemane. The only exception to this will be if an archdemon gets involved, as covered under Legion’s Game later on in this post.</p><p></p><p><strong>Magic:</strong> Primary casting classes have up to 5th level spells. Charm Person, Dominate Person, Geas, and Modify Memory are some of the more powerful enchantment spells attainable by 9th level PCs. Dimension Door, Far Step, Knock, Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum, Passwall, Stone Shape, and Teleportation Circle can be good for overcoming conventional barriers and security. Hallucinatory Terrain, Hypnotic Pattern, both normal and Greater Invisibility, and Seeming are all potent illusion spells that creative PCs can use to distract and trick people. Commune, Commune with Nature, Divination, Legend Lore, and Scrying can be used to magically learn things. Someone with Raise Dead may very well attempt to use this on Jesus, or use Summon Celestial to try and gain divine guidance of some sort.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2pdVtoF.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Utility:</strong> When it comes to scenarios that don’t involve rolling for initiative, some subclasses and options bear special mention. A PC with expertise in a skill and a corresponding ability score of 18 to 20 has a +12 to +13 modifier when using said skill. Even without expertise, a +8 modifier can be expected at the very least from specialists. Enhance Ability, Inspiration, and various other means of granting advantage on a roll can make getting a result of 20 or higher easy if not trivial.</p><p></p><p>In addition to Expertise, bards are very good at boosting skill results, Circle of Stars druids have similar spells and class features for this, while certain Battlemaster maneuvers and Rune Knight runes can help enhance certain skills. An artificer or rogue with expertise in Thieves’ Tools should be able to overcome all but the hardest of locks and traps. Circle of Dreams druid is able to conjure a sphere that can help an entire party sneak around better while concealing their own light sources. A College of Eloquence Bard is guaranteed to routinely pass DC 20 Deception/Persuasion checks, and an Oath of Redemption Paladin can get a lesser but still good bonus on Persuasion checks via Channel Divinity. For the Fighter, the Echo Knight’s Echo Avatar is great for scouting. Way of Shadow Monks can move about well at night and given that this is a humanocentric setting, most sentries cannot see them in total darkness. Gloom Stalker Rangers gain darkvision and are similarly invisible to those that use this sense type to see. For Rogues, the Arcane Trickster’s Mage Hand, Assassin’s Infiltration Expertise, a Mastermind’s Insightful Manipulator, and a Swashbuckler’s Panache are all broad “roleplay oriented” abilities. Certain Warlock Invocations such as Mask of Many Faces and Misty Visions can open up all manner of creative uses.</p><p></p><p><strong>Connections:</strong> Throughout the campaign, the PCs likely earned a lot of goodwill across the Fertile Crescent. They might have saved the Parthian Emperor from an assassination attempt, avenged the murder of Roman nobles and saved many more aboard Gluttony’s pleasure cruise, helped reunite a pair of unicorns, delivered the Ark of the Covenant to the Queen of Sheba, returned a precious family heirloom to Cleopatra’s daughter, and may have earned a large fortune in coin and treasure as just a few possibilities! It’s not out of the question for PCs to pull on every string they have in order to secure Jesus’ safety.</p><p></p><p>While it’s inevitable that the party has powerful people on their side, so too does the side that wants to kill Jesus. Due to this, we should examine the various Allies and Factions and their views on Jesus.</p><p></p><p>Celestials serve the will of God and are aware of Jesus’ role in dying for the sins of mortals. They are not happy that this act requires letting humans themselves commit murder, but will take the stance that the PCs should not avert this. If need be, they’ll bring up the fact that Jesus is fully aware of the consequences and doesn’t want others to suffer for his sake, as his captors will surely retaliate should he be rescued. The Magi, John the Baptist, and other God-fearing mortal mages will have come upon similar findings in their research, knowing that his shed blood is necessary to weaken the Shadow of the Beast once and for all.</p><p></p><p>Ajax and the Skiritai will be willing to help the PCs stage a rescue attempt with sufficient gold or favors cashed in. However, their mercenary nature means that their best use is violence and the threat of it, which ties back into the complications covered under Combat. The Society is similarly mercenary yet on the merchant side of things: for a reasonable sum, they can put the PCs in touch with various scholars and general-purpose experts. Such as an engineer who can tell the PCs how to find the weak point in a prison wall. Or bribing an official to look the other way at a post, or “forget” important signatory documents to bungle up the bureaucratic process to extend the crucifixion by several days.</p><p></p><p>Rome and its authority figures view Jesus as a dangerous partisan who is fomenting unrest in Judea. Even should Pontius Pilate have eventual reservations against his imprisonment, he cannot afford to make an exception lest he incur disfavor from both Rome and the Sanhedrin. He could end up losing his post as a best-case scenario. A party Allied with Rome can gain an audience with Pontius Pilate, who is willing to present their rhetoric and findings at the Trial of the Sanhedrin. They may be given a last meeting with Jesus in jail as a show of good faith, albeit PCs who spring him out will surely end up trading in their Allied status for Hostile unless they somehow cover up their involvement. Using graft and corruption as covered by the Society example above can work similarly, albeit will be less expensive. Germanicus the Centurion, should he have survived, is a prime candidate for aiding the PCs in this instance as he’s been inspired by Jesus to argue for social reforms.</p><p></p><p>The Parthian Empire’s agents may be willing to help rescue Jesus, if only because they view the survival of a controversial religious figure as fomenting further unrest in their geopolitical rival. Sheba and its Queen may be similarly helpful in being faithful worshipers of God, albeit their aid in Jerusalem is limited to what can be given in their Allied status.</p><p></p><p>The Zealots and Sicarii aren’t fond of Jesus’ pacifistic message, believing that only blood and armed struggle will free their homes from Roman tyranny. If anything, their leadership believes that Jesus’ death will convince local Jews that the Roman Empire cannot be reasoned with and that violence is the only answer. PCs may be able to gain the aid of members of their organization at an individual level if they helped them out, but they will not have the official backing of the group as a whole.</p><p></p><p>The Pharisees and Sadducees aren’t fond of Jesus’ more radical teachings, particularly the ones that call into question long-held traditions such as the Messiah’s status. PCs allied with either may be allowed to attend the Trial of the Sanhedrin as witnesses and have their voices be heard. Similarly, siding with Jesus to the point that they directly oppose traditional teachings and the status quo may revoke their Allied status to Neutral or even Hostile. Graft and corruption is possible but will be harder, as unlike Rome they are a more local authority and not an occupying power.</p><p></p><p>The Essenes’ are mostly an academic group, and they may not be directly involved but can provide the party with scholarly resources which may be helpful at the Trial of the Sanhedrin. The Nomad Confederation is similarly specialized; they can help the PCs and their allies hide out in the wilderness while evading authorities but little more than that.</p><p></p><p>The Witch of Endor is a bit of a wild card. She is well aware of the far-reaching effects of Jesus’ sacrifice and that this can inhibit the demons she so hates. But she is canny enough to know that this may not sway PCs who won’t’ abide his suffering. For that reason, the Witch may offer to help the PCs with one of her classic bargains with an ulterior motive. She will tell the party to locate a Roman Centurion by the name of Longinus in Jerusalem and tell him to “avert the path laid before him.” At a metagame level, PCs aware of Longinus’ role in Christian history may presume that the Witch is sending a message to not aid in Jesus’ torture. In reality, she is manipulating events so that Longinus or another mortal will bring about Jesus’ death, as detailed below in Legion’s Game.</p><p></p><p>If Legion is still alive, Longinus’ murder of Jesus becomes an act of defiance as the Centurion comes around to realizing that serving a demon can only end in woe and thus robs his master of the kill. If Legion is no longer alive, then alternatively he may stab Jesus at the crucifixion in order to spur on his death to put an end to his suffering. In this case, he interprets “averting the path” to not giving into the more sadistic impulses evidenced by the behavior of his soldier peers towards the Messiah.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6XJqMIi.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>Trial of the Sanhedrin</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_de_Madrazo_y_Agudo" target="_blank">Artwork by José de Madrazo y Agudo</a></p><p></p><p>During his arrest, Jesus underwent two trials: one before the Sanhedrin, and one before Pontius Pilate. The Sanhedrin was more hostile to Jesus, accusing him of various crimes. During the trial Jesus was relatively non-talkative, with his assertion as status of being the Son of God serving as the binding resolution for his condemnation. However, this wasn’t the only thing Jesus was being tried for: his other accused crimes included violating the Sabbath by healing people on it, practicing sorcery and gaining powers from demons, threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple, and claiming to be the Messiah. PCs who have sway in an appropriate faction (or manage to use their spells and abilities to gain such pull) may be allowed to attend the trial as witnesses.</p><p></p><p>While it’s unlikely that PCs will manage to clear Jesus of all charges (and in several cases he will personally reaffirm the “crimes” of which he’s been charged), characters who manage to clear Jesus’ name for some of them can be enough to extend his upcoming execution, buying them time to try other things. It’s possible that during the trial they may sway some onlookers of Jesus’ innocence, which can have rippling effects in Jerusalem and beyond, and possible saboteurs who indirectly help the party during their rescue.</p><p></p><p>Regarding the first charge of healing on the Sabbath, medical care is considered “work” and thus technically prohibited, <a href="https://www.thejc.com/judaism/why-doctors-can-heal-on-shabbat-ekxvdudf" target="_blank">but there is both ancient and contemporary (at the time) precedent of Jews making exceptions, particularly during life-or-death situations.</a> PCs can argue this case and realize relevant details via History, Religion, <a href="https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/10274?lang=bi" target="_blank">and/or an appropriate Torah passage.</a> Likely criticisms may point out that several cases weren’t technically life-threatening, such as blindness and leprosy which don’t result in immediate death.</p><p></p><p>Regarding charges of sorcery and associating with demons, arguments against this require the messenger to just be as important as the message itself. PC spellcasters are the most likely experts, but depending on their reputation and magical manifestation, this can work against them. “I’m a veteran demonologist, and I can attest that Jesus of Nazareth isn’t one of our own” is going to have the opposite effect of proving his innocence in that someone consorting with demons is vouching for his character!</p><p></p><p>A better route would instead focus on the specifics of his exorcisms and miracles via D&D rules. For one, many of Jesus’ most celebrated miracles are quite evidently beneficiary: healing the sick and forcefully exorcizing demons are more or less the province of Clerics and divine spellcasters. While there are Mages and arcane spellcasters of various faiths in the setting, the only Cleric types are those of the Abrahamic faiths. Being able to force demons out of a possessed body, rather than appeasing or negotiating with them, is quite novel in this regard. Focusing on Jesus’ uniqueness and benevolent nature can be a convincing case, particularly as he never demanded rewards in doing such deeds unlike most mages.</p><p></p><p>A PC who managed to free an NPC from the hold of a fiend during the adventure may have them summoned as witnesses. Naamah, Belzebub, and Moloch’s quests are prime qualifiers, as is exorcizing one of Legion’s victims in Jerusalem. If anything, this can show that the PCs are no allies of evil, and their trust in Jesus can cement them as expert character witnesses.</p><p></p><p>Additionally, PCs who managed to discover the circulation of cursed silver impairing people’s judgment towards the Messiah can use it as evidence. If they presented their findings to Pontius Pilate and/or dispel its effects on a person, this can be enough to have certain judges and witnesses’ testimonies called into question as their judgment cannot be trusted.</p><p></p><p>The alleged destruction of the Jewish Temple likely stems from Jesus disrupting the dealings of money changers at the temple. While this isn’t a literal advocacy for destruction, Jesus’ actions did interfere with commerce. More contemporary scholarly analysis points to theories that this revolt was due to economic injustice, as the administrators at the Temple engaged in exploitation of the poor. Jesus not being arrested for such a major disturbance indicates there was local support for his actions. With all that being said, this alone won’t sway Jerusalem’s political establishment: the best the PCs can hope for is making the case that this is a symptom of a larger problem, of tension among the common folk who don’t feel that their leaders have their best interests at heart. Thus, convincing them otherwise will do much to lessen future resentment. However, if the cursed silver in circulation has been previously uncovered, PCs who bring that up can show that there are forces subverting Jerusalem’s economy using fell magic, which can be enough to give the judges pause.</p><p></p><p>As for declaration of being the Messiah, PCs faithful to Jesus’ ministry cannot honestly argue against this, for it is an important aspect of his message and the teachings of Christianity itself. Judaism is quite specific on the Messiah’s qualifications, qualifications that Jesus does not fulfill. Although the context of this adventure takes the stance that Jesus’ status is correct, it still flies in the face of contemporary Jewish society. As this is one of the few times Jesus will outright reaffirm and speak for himself on this issue, there isn’t much the PCs can do without going against his word. Should they desire to do so anyway (“Jesus is crazy, you wouldn’t execute a crazy person, would you?”), this can mollify some of the judges into believing that the PCs are harmless or good-intentioned rather than seditious collaborators…should their role-play and skill checks be successful, that is!</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Barabbas</strong></p><p></p><p>In the adventure, Barabbas is not just a mere murderer, but the leader of the Sicarii. Given that he’s the head of a violent insurgency against Rome, it seems odd that Pilate would consider even giving a crowd the offer of his release. Even if it’s to placate the mob, I can’t imagine many Senators back in Rome looking kindly upon what would be the modern-day equivalent of a city governor releasing a notorious terrorist leader from custody due to popular demand.</p><p></p><p>Additionally, there’s always the possibility that the PCs may have already killed Barabbas during the campaign, given that they have the opportunity to meet him in a random encounter and even visit the Sicarii headquarters under Jerusalem. It’s even possible that PCs may make use of their great skills and magic to sway Pilate or even the crowd into releasing Jesus instead!</p><p></p><p>So, what is a DM to do? One idea is to trade Barabbas for another political prisoner. <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/a-passover-tradition-to-promote-jewish-unity/" target="_blank">As there’s indications that this tradition was done to cease tension and encourage goodwill between local Jews and the Roman occupiers,</a> one idea may be to replace Barabbas with an NPC whose crimes are much lesser. Say, a faithful Jewish person who was convicted of besmirching the Roman Emperor’s claims to godhood in too public a manner. In this case, PCs end up with more of a moral dilemma: even should they engineer events to make Pilate release Jesus, they will be condemning someone else to death. Someone less worthy of death than Barabbas.</p><p></p><p>The principal characters involved in this are Caiaphas, who assembled the mob, and Pontius Pilate. The angry mob and Roman soldiers who are certainly guarding Pontius Pilate’s house can more or less be treated as secondary characters to set the scene. While a PC may be able to hijack a single NPC via Dominate Person, a moment of change that appears too sudden and uncharacteristic may cause the crowd to turn on the dominated NPC. Hypnotic Pattern can be used by a PC to charm the crowd and use that to sway their opinion. Casting Calm Emotions on Caiaphas or one of the more charismatic people in the mob can help knock the wind out of the sails of the rest of them, perhaps granting advantage on relevant checks. Disguise Self or Seeming (remember, unwilling targets get a save) can alter the appearance of someone to appear as Barabbas being released, mollifying the crowd long enough before they find out that he’s still imprisoned.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Let This Cup Pass From Me</strong></p><p></p><p>Although Jesus is both afraid and in despair over his eventual death, it is a decision he chose to take on. Both for humanity’s salvation at the cosmic level, and for ensuring that authorities will not go after his disciples at the more personal level.</p><p></p><p>There are many instances during Way of the Cross where the PCs may meet up with Jesus: at the Last Supper, during his imprisonment at either Caiaphas’ private prison or Antonia’s Fortress, during his carrying of the cross to Golgotha, and at his crucifixion. If they intend to rescue him, Jesus will explain his motives to the PCs once they meet. Even should the PCs have taken measures to ensure a nonviolent escape, he will explain that this will make them outlaws in the eyes of Rome, and that soldiers will be sent not only after them but also their loved ones. Jesus argues that he’s willing to spare them all of this.</p><p></p><p>If the PCs remain unconvinced, allow them to continue on with their escape plan; Jesus won’t resist, but neither will he support this decision.</p><p></p><p>While one may contemplate having Jesus tell the party that his death will weaken the remaining archdemons, this feels a bit too blatantly deus ex machina. Even if it’s true in the context of this adventure, having Jesus outright tell them this goes against the spirit of their rescue efforts and in my opinion turns what should be a heartfelt moral decision into a calculated “lesser evil.” A more important measure of character is in the PC’s belief that their actions are coming at a cost (incur the wrath of Rome and Jerusalem) in order to save one life.</p><p></p><p>What’s more, should the PCs rescue Jesus, they aren’t necessarily out of the woods yet. Beyond the inevitable reprisal from Rome, the PCs will need to deal with the Cult of the Beast, as covered below in Legion’s Game.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/o7wlcd6.jpeg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>Legion’s Game</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="https://catalogueofstelisabethconvent.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-holy-centurion-st-martyr-longinus.html" target="_blank">Artist unknown, I found it on this blog post.</a></p><p></p><p>The Shadow of the Beast is perhaps the least likely to be Allied, and if they are Allies at this point in the campaign then something very strange is going on. However, it is still possible to come up with an interesting scenario via Legion. If that archdemon still lives, he may represent a “deal with the devil” bargain in securing Jesus’ survival regardless of the party’s relationship with the Cult. Not only has Legion had the most involvement in formulating the events leading to Jesus’ capture, he’s also the first one to determine that he is in fact the Messiah. Being the encapsulation of Envy, Legion is incredibly petty: he is well aware that Lilith, the Prideful demon that she is, will take most of the credit for Jesus’ downfall.</p><p></p><p>While Legion will still seek Jesus’ death, he will try to convince the PCs of coming around to this as a regrettable necessity. He will do what he can to sabotage rescue attempts, and say that even if they rescue him they will be prolonging the inevitable. For example, if they get him off the cross and they don’t have healing magic, Legion will point out that his body is too broken, his spirit too full of despair, to ever come back to normal. He’ll argue that putting him out of his misery is the humane thing to do, and that it would be better for morale purposes for Jesus to be remembered dying “as a valiant hero than a miserable soul crying out at being forsaken by God.”</p><p></p><p>Legion has a trusted mortal agent: Longinus (use Assassin stats), one of the few worshipers left of Envy’s cult who persists mostly out of having something approximating a friendship with the demon. Legion, of course, views him more as a valued prize and tool of great worth: a warped sense of “respect” that only views him for his uses and not for anything on a more personal level. If Legion cannot rely on the PCs, he will pass on the task to Longinus. In such a case, Legion, Longinus, and any number of lesser cultist foes to make for a challenging encounter will attempt to ambush Jesus and the PCs during their rescue attempt. During the fight, Jesus will throw himself in the direction of an otherwise mortal blow directed at a PC or innocent bystander (Longinus’ Assassinate ability is perfect for this), coming around to fulfilling the prophecy albeit in an alternative way.</p><p></p><p>If Legion becomes aware that Jesus’ death will redeem humanity and weaken demons, he will come up with an alternative idea: if Jesus dies not by human(oid) hands but by that of a demon instead, salvation can be averted. The above ambush idea can be thus reworked, with Legion telling his minions to save Jesus for him, only for Longinus to inadvertently save humanity. But if that also feels too forced, have the PCs come upon this revelation otherwise, and have to save Jesus from dying at Legion’s hands. If they themselves carry on with the deed, they fulfill the prophecy. If Legion ends up killing Jesus, this can usher in a “bad ending” for the adventure if the DM is fine with allowing that as a risk element. In a way, the PCs are risking this outcome by going against Jesus’ original plan!</p><p></p><p>Alternatively, it’s possible that Legion may still be game for a human-caused death via a Sunk Cost Fallacy: all this time he’s dedicated countless lifetimes plus his own sanity into bringing about Jesus’ persecution. The idea that it will be all for naught, or that Lilith and the other archdemons will gain credit for this, pushes him over the edge. Even though it will be a setback to Satan’s plans in the long run, Legion has gone too far to contemplate alternatives. In a perverse sense, he can still take pleasure in a pettier victory: if Longinus or a mortal kills Jesus, not only have they committed a grave sin, they will go down in history as the Son of God’s killer and will have to live with what they did. That universal salvation can come around from the suffering of another is something Legion can take glee in, to show that even with God’s grace the Devil can still win smaller battles.</p><p></p><p>If Legion has been vanquished by the time of Way of the Cross, the DM may replace his role with that of Abaddon. In this case, the demon won’t be encountered in the final dungeon should he be fought here. His motive differs in being more straightforward, learning through spies that the PCs have rescued the Messiah and are taking him somewhere safe.</p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Desecration</strong></p><p></p><p>While it’s likely something most heroically-minded PCs wouldn’t dream of doing, there’s more than a few spells and features that make use of a dying soul. For instance, the Phantom Rogue’s Tokens of the Departed and College of Whisper’s Mantle of Whispers don’t exactly create or control undead, but it’s clear that their features make use of the departure of a soul. There is of course the more beneficent motive, such as using Raise Dead to bring Jesus back to life.</p><p></p><p>So what happens if a PC tries the unthinkable, and targets Jesus’ soul? Well for one, the attempt will automatically fail and will rebound on the caster in some way. If the PC was doing it for power or similar selfish motives, they will gain the effect of a permanent Bestow Curse in line with their attempts. For example, a PC who sought to turn Jesus’ corpse into a zombie minion may find themselves afflicted with the inability of fine manipulation, forced to rely on others for trivial tasks. A PC who sought to gain the power of God may find that all of their belongings have become repossessed by the poor, as someone who seeks to be so close to God “should have little need of such things.”</p><p></p><p>A PC whose motives were of relatively good intent may come face to face with Jesus one last time, who imparts comforting words that he is not truly gone and by being saved they too do not have to fear death. They’re still treated to the effects of being Stunned and Incapacitated as though they cast a divination spell on Jesus.</p><p></p><p>It’s likely that there are some scenarios and abilities I didn’t cover in this post. But I hope that it serves as a useful springboard for DMs during one of the most memorable events in Adventurer’s Guide to the Bible!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Libertad, post: 9283530, member: 6750502"] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/qnLM7N5.jpeg[/img] [b]Saving Jesus[/b][/center] [url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_at_the_Cross_-_Cristo_en_la_Cruz.jpg]Artwork by Carl Bloch[/url] The arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the most detailed and well-known parts of Christian history. His death is an important part of the religion’s evolution, a moment of self-sacrifice to bear humanity’s transgressions and through that pave the way for universal redemption. In the context of this adventure, it is an important event that significantly and permanently weakens the influence of Satan and his minions in the world. Whereas other parts of the book have been open-ended and allowed for leeway when it comes to PC autonomy, the Adventurer’s Guide more or less puts things squarely on a linear railroad where events in the Bible transpire more or less unimpeded. While the book notes that the DM can get creative for PCs deadset on rescuing him, there is hardly any advice on where to go from here for the more stubborn and creative of players. This post is meant to help in that regard. [center][b]The Meta-Narrative of Saving Jesus[/b][/center] Before running the Way of the Cross encounter, the DM should have a good sense on whether or not the PCs not only wish to save Jesus from death, but also the players’ out of character motivations for doing so. Some players may be okay with Jesus’ death being inevitable on a metagame level, but other players may feel their opportunities robbed from a genuine desire to try and change history or simply trying to do the right thing. Different groups have different methods for the handling of metagaming in this case: the DM can out and out tell the players upfront what is expected in the narrative and if they’re okay with that, or they can use leading questions between game nights in the leadup to Way of the Cross to try and read their motivations. Determining how acceptable players may find a deus ex machina that stymies their efforts, or how well such a trick can be concealed under the illusion of choice, is something that differs from table to table. [center][b]PC Capabilities[/b][/center] Beyond the motivations of the players, the DM must also determine the capabilities of the PCs and how they can steer the adventure in their rescue attempt. At this point, the party should be around 9th level, making them some of the most capable mortals in the Fertile Crescent to say nothing of the many treasures and allies they accumulated on their journeys! While it depends widely on class and role, PCs at the higher end of Tier 2 have a lot of tricks up their sleeves both inside and outside combat. [b]Combat:[/b] At this point in the campaign, most PCs can more than handle themselves in fights. As a sandbox-oriented setting whose world doesn’t “level up” as the PCs do, most authority figures in Jerusalem aren’t going to be a match for the party. The only real advantage of Jesus’ captors are their superior numbers and institutional backing of the Roman Empire. As is detailed in the adventure, the people most likely to imprison or otherwise visit violence upon Jesus are all rather “low-level,” having stats such as Guard (Cr ⅛), Angry Mob (CR 5), Roman Legionary (CR ½), and Roman Centurion (CR 3). The last two would be found standing guard in key security areas of the city such as the crucified prisoners up in Golgotha. Judas uses Sicarii (CR 3) stats, although his role is rather “non-combatant” in the whole affair. On the magical side of things, most of the NPCs don’t have any spellcasting potential, the exception being the priest Caiaphas (CR 2, casts as a 5th level Cleric). While the Roman Empire makes use of mages such as Simon Elymas (CR 5, mage stats) who can be found on the Isle of Cyprus, neither Pontius Pilate nor King Herod are mentioned to have such an advisor in the adventure. With all this said, well-prepared PCs can easily overpower Roman or Jewish authorities. However, as evidenced by his proverb “live by the sword, die by the sword,” Jesus is very explicitly against any of his followers using violence to free him. While he may not stop the party from doing so if they’re out of his presence (if only to avoid making the adventure feel too railroaded), he will also know if the party has inflicted violence outside his presence and admonish them for doing so. If they try to do so within his presence then he’ll supernaturally stop combat as in the Garden of Gethsemane. The only exception to this will be if an archdemon gets involved, as covered under Legion’s Game later on in this post. [b]Magic:[/b] Primary casting classes have up to 5th level spells. Charm Person, Dominate Person, Geas, and Modify Memory are some of the more powerful enchantment spells attainable by 9th level PCs. Dimension Door, Far Step, Knock, Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum, Passwall, Stone Shape, and Teleportation Circle can be good for overcoming conventional barriers and security. Hallucinatory Terrain, Hypnotic Pattern, both normal and Greater Invisibility, and Seeming are all potent illusion spells that creative PCs can use to distract and trick people. Commune, Commune with Nature, Divination, Legend Lore, and Scrying can be used to magically learn things. Someone with Raise Dead may very well attempt to use this on Jesus, or use Summon Celestial to try and gain divine guidance of some sort. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/2pdVtoF.png[/img][/center] [b]Utility:[/b] When it comes to scenarios that don’t involve rolling for initiative, some subclasses and options bear special mention. A PC with expertise in a skill and a corresponding ability score of 18 to 20 has a +12 to +13 modifier when using said skill. Even without expertise, a +8 modifier can be expected at the very least from specialists. Enhance Ability, Inspiration, and various other means of granting advantage on a roll can make getting a result of 20 or higher easy if not trivial. In addition to Expertise, bards are very good at boosting skill results, Circle of Stars druids have similar spells and class features for this, while certain Battlemaster maneuvers and Rune Knight runes can help enhance certain skills. An artificer or rogue with expertise in Thieves’ Tools should be able to overcome all but the hardest of locks and traps. Circle of Dreams druid is able to conjure a sphere that can help an entire party sneak around better while concealing their own light sources. A College of Eloquence Bard is guaranteed to routinely pass DC 20 Deception/Persuasion checks, and an Oath of Redemption Paladin can get a lesser but still good bonus on Persuasion checks via Channel Divinity. For the Fighter, the Echo Knight’s Echo Avatar is great for scouting. Way of Shadow Monks can move about well at night and given that this is a humanocentric setting, most sentries cannot see them in total darkness. Gloom Stalker Rangers gain darkvision and are similarly invisible to those that use this sense type to see. For Rogues, the Arcane Trickster’s Mage Hand, Assassin’s Infiltration Expertise, a Mastermind’s Insightful Manipulator, and a Swashbuckler’s Panache are all broad “roleplay oriented” abilities. Certain Warlock Invocations such as Mask of Many Faces and Misty Visions can open up all manner of creative uses. [b]Connections:[/b] Throughout the campaign, the PCs likely earned a lot of goodwill across the Fertile Crescent. They might have saved the Parthian Emperor from an assassination attempt, avenged the murder of Roman nobles and saved many more aboard Gluttony’s pleasure cruise, helped reunite a pair of unicorns, delivered the Ark of the Covenant to the Queen of Sheba, returned a precious family heirloom to Cleopatra’s daughter, and may have earned a large fortune in coin and treasure as just a few possibilities! It’s not out of the question for PCs to pull on every string they have in order to secure Jesus’ safety. While it’s inevitable that the party has powerful people on their side, so too does the side that wants to kill Jesus. Due to this, we should examine the various Allies and Factions and their views on Jesus. Celestials serve the will of God and are aware of Jesus’ role in dying for the sins of mortals. They are not happy that this act requires letting humans themselves commit murder, but will take the stance that the PCs should not avert this. If need be, they’ll bring up the fact that Jesus is fully aware of the consequences and doesn’t want others to suffer for his sake, as his captors will surely retaliate should he be rescued. The Magi, John the Baptist, and other God-fearing mortal mages will have come upon similar findings in their research, knowing that his shed blood is necessary to weaken the Shadow of the Beast once and for all. Ajax and the Skiritai will be willing to help the PCs stage a rescue attempt with sufficient gold or favors cashed in. However, their mercenary nature means that their best use is violence and the threat of it, which ties back into the complications covered under Combat. The Society is similarly mercenary yet on the merchant side of things: for a reasonable sum, they can put the PCs in touch with various scholars and general-purpose experts. Such as an engineer who can tell the PCs how to find the weak point in a prison wall. Or bribing an official to look the other way at a post, or “forget” important signatory documents to bungle up the bureaucratic process to extend the crucifixion by several days. Rome and its authority figures view Jesus as a dangerous partisan who is fomenting unrest in Judea. Even should Pontius Pilate have eventual reservations against his imprisonment, he cannot afford to make an exception lest he incur disfavor from both Rome and the Sanhedrin. He could end up losing his post as a best-case scenario. A party Allied with Rome can gain an audience with Pontius Pilate, who is willing to present their rhetoric and findings at the Trial of the Sanhedrin. They may be given a last meeting with Jesus in jail as a show of good faith, albeit PCs who spring him out will surely end up trading in their Allied status for Hostile unless they somehow cover up their involvement. Using graft and corruption as covered by the Society example above can work similarly, albeit will be less expensive. Germanicus the Centurion, should he have survived, is a prime candidate for aiding the PCs in this instance as he’s been inspired by Jesus to argue for social reforms. The Parthian Empire’s agents may be willing to help rescue Jesus, if only because they view the survival of a controversial religious figure as fomenting further unrest in their geopolitical rival. Sheba and its Queen may be similarly helpful in being faithful worshipers of God, albeit their aid in Jerusalem is limited to what can be given in their Allied status. The Zealots and Sicarii aren’t fond of Jesus’ pacifistic message, believing that only blood and armed struggle will free their homes from Roman tyranny. If anything, their leadership believes that Jesus’ death will convince local Jews that the Roman Empire cannot be reasoned with and that violence is the only answer. PCs may be able to gain the aid of members of their organization at an individual level if they helped them out, but they will not have the official backing of the group as a whole. The Pharisees and Sadducees aren’t fond of Jesus’ more radical teachings, particularly the ones that call into question long-held traditions such as the Messiah’s status. PCs allied with either may be allowed to attend the Trial of the Sanhedrin as witnesses and have their voices be heard. Similarly, siding with Jesus to the point that they directly oppose traditional teachings and the status quo may revoke their Allied status to Neutral or even Hostile. Graft and corruption is possible but will be harder, as unlike Rome they are a more local authority and not an occupying power. The Essenes’ are mostly an academic group, and they may not be directly involved but can provide the party with scholarly resources which may be helpful at the Trial of the Sanhedrin. The Nomad Confederation is similarly specialized; they can help the PCs and their allies hide out in the wilderness while evading authorities but little more than that. The Witch of Endor is a bit of a wild card. She is well aware of the far-reaching effects of Jesus’ sacrifice and that this can inhibit the demons she so hates. But she is canny enough to know that this may not sway PCs who won’t’ abide his suffering. For that reason, the Witch may offer to help the PCs with one of her classic bargains with an ulterior motive. She will tell the party to locate a Roman Centurion by the name of Longinus in Jerusalem and tell him to “avert the path laid before him.” At a metagame level, PCs aware of Longinus’ role in Christian history may presume that the Witch is sending a message to not aid in Jesus’ torture. In reality, she is manipulating events so that Longinus or another mortal will bring about Jesus’ death, as detailed below in Legion’s Game. If Legion is still alive, Longinus’ murder of Jesus becomes an act of defiance as the Centurion comes around to realizing that serving a demon can only end in woe and thus robs his master of the kill. If Legion is no longer alive, then alternatively he may stab Jesus at the crucifixion in order to spur on his death to put an end to his suffering. In this case, he interprets “averting the path” to not giving into the more sadistic impulses evidenced by the behavior of his soldier peers towards the Messiah. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6XJqMIi.png[/img] [b]Trial of the Sanhedrin[/b][/center] [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_de_Madrazo_y_Agudo]Artwork by José de Madrazo y Agudo[/url] During his arrest, Jesus underwent two trials: one before the Sanhedrin, and one before Pontius Pilate. The Sanhedrin was more hostile to Jesus, accusing him of various crimes. During the trial Jesus was relatively non-talkative, with his assertion as status of being the Son of God serving as the binding resolution for his condemnation. However, this wasn’t the only thing Jesus was being tried for: his other accused crimes included violating the Sabbath by healing people on it, practicing sorcery and gaining powers from demons, threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple, and claiming to be the Messiah. PCs who have sway in an appropriate faction (or manage to use their spells and abilities to gain such pull) may be allowed to attend the trial as witnesses. While it’s unlikely that PCs will manage to clear Jesus of all charges (and in several cases he will personally reaffirm the “crimes” of which he’s been charged), characters who manage to clear Jesus’ name for some of them can be enough to extend his upcoming execution, buying them time to try other things. It’s possible that during the trial they may sway some onlookers of Jesus’ innocence, which can have rippling effects in Jerusalem and beyond, and possible saboteurs who indirectly help the party during their rescue. Regarding the first charge of healing on the Sabbath, medical care is considered “work” and thus technically prohibited, [url=https://www.thejc.com/judaism/why-doctors-can-heal-on-shabbat-ekxvdudf]but there is both ancient and contemporary (at the time) precedent of Jews making exceptions, particularly during life-or-death situations.[/url] PCs can argue this case and realize relevant details via History, Religion, [url=https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/10274?lang=bi]and/or an appropriate Torah passage.[/url] Likely criticisms may point out that several cases weren’t technically life-threatening, such as blindness and leprosy which don’t result in immediate death. Regarding charges of sorcery and associating with demons, arguments against this require the messenger to just be as important as the message itself. PC spellcasters are the most likely experts, but depending on their reputation and magical manifestation, this can work against them. “I’m a veteran demonologist, and I can attest that Jesus of Nazareth isn’t one of our own” is going to have the opposite effect of proving his innocence in that someone consorting with demons is vouching for his character! A better route would instead focus on the specifics of his exorcisms and miracles via D&D rules. For one, many of Jesus’ most celebrated miracles are quite evidently beneficiary: healing the sick and forcefully exorcizing demons are more or less the province of Clerics and divine spellcasters. While there are Mages and arcane spellcasters of various faiths in the setting, the only Cleric types are those of the Abrahamic faiths. Being able to force demons out of a possessed body, rather than appeasing or negotiating with them, is quite novel in this regard. Focusing on Jesus’ uniqueness and benevolent nature can be a convincing case, particularly as he never demanded rewards in doing such deeds unlike most mages. A PC who managed to free an NPC from the hold of a fiend during the adventure may have them summoned as witnesses. Naamah, Belzebub, and Moloch’s quests are prime qualifiers, as is exorcizing one of Legion’s victims in Jerusalem. If anything, this can show that the PCs are no allies of evil, and their trust in Jesus can cement them as expert character witnesses. Additionally, PCs who managed to discover the circulation of cursed silver impairing people’s judgment towards the Messiah can use it as evidence. If they presented their findings to Pontius Pilate and/or dispel its effects on a person, this can be enough to have certain judges and witnesses’ testimonies called into question as their judgment cannot be trusted. The alleged destruction of the Jewish Temple likely stems from Jesus disrupting the dealings of money changers at the temple. While this isn’t a literal advocacy for destruction, Jesus’ actions did interfere with commerce. More contemporary scholarly analysis points to theories that this revolt was due to economic injustice, as the administrators at the Temple engaged in exploitation of the poor. Jesus not being arrested for such a major disturbance indicates there was local support for his actions. With all that being said, this alone won’t sway Jerusalem’s political establishment: the best the PCs can hope for is making the case that this is a symptom of a larger problem, of tension among the common folk who don’t feel that their leaders have their best interests at heart. Thus, convincing them otherwise will do much to lessen future resentment. However, if the cursed silver in circulation has been previously uncovered, PCs who bring that up can show that there are forces subverting Jerusalem’s economy using fell magic, which can be enough to give the judges pause. As for declaration of being the Messiah, PCs faithful to Jesus’ ministry cannot honestly argue against this, for it is an important aspect of his message and the teachings of Christianity itself. Judaism is quite specific on the Messiah’s qualifications, qualifications that Jesus does not fulfill. Although the context of this adventure takes the stance that Jesus’ status is correct, it still flies in the face of contemporary Jewish society. As this is one of the few times Jesus will outright reaffirm and speak for himself on this issue, there isn’t much the PCs can do without going against his word. Should they desire to do so anyway (“Jesus is crazy, you wouldn’t execute a crazy person, would you?”), this can mollify some of the judges into believing that the PCs are harmless or good-intentioned rather than seditious collaborators…should their role-play and skill checks be successful, that is! [center][b]Barabbas[/b][/center] In the adventure, Barabbas is not just a mere murderer, but the leader of the Sicarii. Given that he’s the head of a violent insurgency against Rome, it seems odd that Pilate would consider even giving a crowd the offer of his release. Even if it’s to placate the mob, I can’t imagine many Senators back in Rome looking kindly upon what would be the modern-day equivalent of a city governor releasing a notorious terrorist leader from custody due to popular demand. Additionally, there’s always the possibility that the PCs may have already killed Barabbas during the campaign, given that they have the opportunity to meet him in a random encounter and even visit the Sicarii headquarters under Jerusalem. It’s even possible that PCs may make use of their great skills and magic to sway Pilate or even the crowd into releasing Jesus instead! So, what is a DM to do? One idea is to trade Barabbas for another political prisoner. [url=https://daily.jstor.org/a-passover-tradition-to-promote-jewish-unity/]As there’s indications that this tradition was done to cease tension and encourage goodwill between local Jews and the Roman occupiers,[/url] one idea may be to replace Barabbas with an NPC whose crimes are much lesser. Say, a faithful Jewish person who was convicted of besmirching the Roman Emperor’s claims to godhood in too public a manner. In this case, PCs end up with more of a moral dilemma: even should they engineer events to make Pilate release Jesus, they will be condemning someone else to death. Someone less worthy of death than Barabbas. The principal characters involved in this are Caiaphas, who assembled the mob, and Pontius Pilate. The angry mob and Roman soldiers who are certainly guarding Pontius Pilate’s house can more or less be treated as secondary characters to set the scene. While a PC may be able to hijack a single NPC via Dominate Person, a moment of change that appears too sudden and uncharacteristic may cause the crowd to turn on the dominated NPC. Hypnotic Pattern can be used by a PC to charm the crowd and use that to sway their opinion. Casting Calm Emotions on Caiaphas or one of the more charismatic people in the mob can help knock the wind out of the sails of the rest of them, perhaps granting advantage on relevant checks. Disguise Self or Seeming (remember, unwilling targets get a save) can alter the appearance of someone to appear as Barabbas being released, mollifying the crowd long enough before they find out that he’s still imprisoned. [center][b]Let This Cup Pass From Me[/b][/center] Although Jesus is both afraid and in despair over his eventual death, it is a decision he chose to take on. Both for humanity’s salvation at the cosmic level, and for ensuring that authorities will not go after his disciples at the more personal level. There are many instances during Way of the Cross where the PCs may meet up with Jesus: at the Last Supper, during his imprisonment at either Caiaphas’ private prison or Antonia’s Fortress, during his carrying of the cross to Golgotha, and at his crucifixion. If they intend to rescue him, Jesus will explain his motives to the PCs once they meet. Even should the PCs have taken measures to ensure a nonviolent escape, he will explain that this will make them outlaws in the eyes of Rome, and that soldiers will be sent not only after them but also their loved ones. Jesus argues that he’s willing to spare them all of this. If the PCs remain unconvinced, allow them to continue on with their escape plan; Jesus won’t resist, but neither will he support this decision. While one may contemplate having Jesus tell the party that his death will weaken the remaining archdemons, this feels a bit too blatantly deus ex machina. Even if it’s true in the context of this adventure, having Jesus outright tell them this goes against the spirit of their rescue efforts and in my opinion turns what should be a heartfelt moral decision into a calculated “lesser evil.” A more important measure of character is in the PC’s belief that their actions are coming at a cost (incur the wrath of Rome and Jerusalem) in order to save one life. What’s more, should the PCs rescue Jesus, they aren’t necessarily out of the woods yet. Beyond the inevitable reprisal from Rome, the PCs will need to deal with the Cult of the Beast, as covered below in Legion’s Game. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/o7wlcd6.jpeg[/img] [b]Legion’s Game[/b][/center] [url=https://catalogueofstelisabethconvent.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-holy-centurion-st-martyr-longinus.html]Artist unknown, I found it on this blog post.[/url] The Shadow of the Beast is perhaps the least likely to be Allied, and if they are Allies at this point in the campaign then something very strange is going on. However, it is still possible to come up with an interesting scenario via Legion. If that archdemon still lives, he may represent a “deal with the devil” bargain in securing Jesus’ survival regardless of the party’s relationship with the Cult. Not only has Legion had the most involvement in formulating the events leading to Jesus’ capture, he’s also the first one to determine that he is in fact the Messiah. Being the encapsulation of Envy, Legion is incredibly petty: he is well aware that Lilith, the Prideful demon that she is, will take most of the credit for Jesus’ downfall. While Legion will still seek Jesus’ death, he will try to convince the PCs of coming around to this as a regrettable necessity. He will do what he can to sabotage rescue attempts, and say that even if they rescue him they will be prolonging the inevitable. For example, if they get him off the cross and they don’t have healing magic, Legion will point out that his body is too broken, his spirit too full of despair, to ever come back to normal. He’ll argue that putting him out of his misery is the humane thing to do, and that it would be better for morale purposes for Jesus to be remembered dying “as a valiant hero than a miserable soul crying out at being forsaken by God.” Legion has a trusted mortal agent: Longinus (use Assassin stats), one of the few worshipers left of Envy’s cult who persists mostly out of having something approximating a friendship with the demon. Legion, of course, views him more as a valued prize and tool of great worth: a warped sense of “respect” that only views him for his uses and not for anything on a more personal level. If Legion cannot rely on the PCs, he will pass on the task to Longinus. In such a case, Legion, Longinus, and any number of lesser cultist foes to make for a challenging encounter will attempt to ambush Jesus and the PCs during their rescue attempt. During the fight, Jesus will throw himself in the direction of an otherwise mortal blow directed at a PC or innocent bystander (Longinus’ Assassinate ability is perfect for this), coming around to fulfilling the prophecy albeit in an alternative way. If Legion becomes aware that Jesus’ death will redeem humanity and weaken demons, he will come up with an alternative idea: if Jesus dies not by human(oid) hands but by that of a demon instead, salvation can be averted. The above ambush idea can be thus reworked, with Legion telling his minions to save Jesus for him, only for Longinus to inadvertently save humanity. But if that also feels too forced, have the PCs come upon this revelation otherwise, and have to save Jesus from dying at Legion’s hands. If they themselves carry on with the deed, they fulfill the prophecy. If Legion ends up killing Jesus, this can usher in a “bad ending” for the adventure if the DM is fine with allowing that as a risk element. In a way, the PCs are risking this outcome by going against Jesus’ original plan! Alternatively, it’s possible that Legion may still be game for a human-caused death via a Sunk Cost Fallacy: all this time he’s dedicated countless lifetimes plus his own sanity into bringing about Jesus’ persecution. The idea that it will be all for naught, or that Lilith and the other archdemons will gain credit for this, pushes him over the edge. Even though it will be a setback to Satan’s plans in the long run, Legion has gone too far to contemplate alternatives. In a perverse sense, he can still take pleasure in a pettier victory: if Longinus or a mortal kills Jesus, not only have they committed a grave sin, they will go down in history as the Son of God’s killer and will have to live with what they did. That universal salvation can come around from the suffering of another is something Legion can take glee in, to show that even with God’s grace the Devil can still win smaller battles. If Legion has been vanquished by the time of Way of the Cross, the DM may replace his role with that of Abaddon. In this case, the demon won’t be encountered in the final dungeon should he be fought here. His motive differs in being more straightforward, learning through spies that the PCs have rescued the Messiah and are taking him somewhere safe. [center][b]Desecration[/b][/center] While it’s likely something most heroically-minded PCs wouldn’t dream of doing, there’s more than a few spells and features that make use of a dying soul. For instance, the Phantom Rogue’s Tokens of the Departed and College of Whisper’s Mantle of Whispers don’t exactly create or control undead, but it’s clear that their features make use of the departure of a soul. There is of course the more beneficent motive, such as using Raise Dead to bring Jesus back to life. So what happens if a PC tries the unthinkable, and targets Jesus’ soul? Well for one, the attempt will automatically fail and will rebound on the caster in some way. If the PC was doing it for power or similar selfish motives, they will gain the effect of a permanent Bestow Curse in line with their attempts. For example, a PC who sought to turn Jesus’ corpse into a zombie minion may find themselves afflicted with the inability of fine manipulation, forced to rely on others for trivial tasks. A PC who sought to gain the power of God may find that all of their belongings have become repossessed by the poor, as someone who seeks to be so close to God “should have little need of such things.” A PC whose motives were of relatively good intent may come face to face with Jesus one last time, who imparts comforting words that he is not truly gone and by being saved they too do not have to fear death. They’re still treated to the effects of being Stunned and Incapacitated as though they cast a divination spell on Jesus. It’s likely that there are some scenarios and abilities I didn’t cover in this post. But I hope that it serves as a useful springboard for DMs during one of the most memorable events in Adventurer’s Guide to the Bible! [/QUOTE]
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