Possibly a stupid idea for a short adventure - You'll be the judge!

[Jon_Dahl]

In my game, there's a Fleshwarper (PrC found from Lords of Madness) who wishes to have an official position (guildmaster in an Adventurers' Guild), but the church of Saint Cuthbert is convinced that this is necromancy and refuses to listen to reason.

A knight (aged half-elf NPC) is willing to speak on the behalf of the Fleshwarper, but the problem is that how to involve PCs AND make this exciting...

I was thinking that the knight has the right to request a Trial of Truth. This is a combination of ordeal of water, fire, earth and wind. Usually the accused party (in this case the Fleshwarper) must stand one of these... Or maybe all... In this case, the knight requests that the PCs act as champions for the Fleshwarper and each performs one of the ordeals.
The fire requires walking on burning coals.
The water requires staying submerged for 5 minutes.
Earth requires swearing the truth under a massive stone weight.
Wind requires jumping of a cliff.

No magic or tricks are allowed.

If the PCs pass all these test, they will be believed to be telling the truth.

I'm just thinking, is this too hostile for players? They would receive XP for the ordeals and a award from the Fleshwarper? Also, this is a stupid or a good idea? Better ideas?

 

[Grogg of the North]

Why is the knight willing to take the risk to speak on the PCs behalf? Did they do him a favor in the past? Just curious.

I would have the Knight arrange a meeting, agree to come along with the PCs and generally help them navigate the court/church (who to talk to, what to say, how to dress, who to bribe). Have the PCs plead their case. If they do a good job with lots of role playing, let it end there. If the PCs screw the pooch, have the Knight whisper to the PCs that they may still be able to achieve their goal by requesting the trials of truth/trial by combat.

The trials you've listed seem like a good way to get rid of your PCs. Walking on coals seems like the only non-death trap. Are these ordeals set in the campaign setting? Homebrewed? Because depending on the classes and stats of your PCs they're either trivial (a monk slow falls down the cliff; a 25 con character sits underwater with no problems) or suicidal (jumping off the cliff/being crushed by a rock and hoping for more 1's than 6's). How do you see the PCs surviving all these trials?

An elemental themed trial isn't a bad idea but I don't think it quite fits in with St. Cuthbert. I see his church as more of a trial by combat / strength of arms kind of place. Maybe they charge the PCs with going out and slaying Baron von Badguy and his cult of Hextor followers?

 

[Rune]

Is Zone of Truth not an option?

 

[Ragmon]

Grogg mentioned this already but, trial by combat is more St. Cuthbert, Obad Hai would be more of an elemental guy.
Tho there are many options, like:
- Gaining the favor of 4 priests of St. Cuthbert. (you can mix it up at this point)
- Maybe a riddle challenge.
- A quest to cleans an evil/unholy place, OR just a simple quest to retrieve an item.
- And so on...

And I agree that your challenges are rather lethal. tho can be overcome with the correct race, stats, class. In my opinion, and this has been mentioned before, Zone of Truth. Or something more interesting, a hat that bites of your head if you lie (Bag of Devouring + zone of truth... woah, I love this idea, just came up with it), no save.

PS: Players like to role-play these trial and challenges and not ROLL-play it. (but not everyone is like that)

 

[Jon_Dahl]

I'd love a trial by combat, but duelling or anything of the sort is not allowed in the kingdom. This game is set in Greyhawk.

The challenges would be appropriate for the level. Not too easy, not too difficult. I have it figured out and I've done my math.

The four elements are a reference to the ordeals of fire and water which we had in our world. Christians have never been keen on the elementals, yet we had them. Even though Obad-Hai is the deity of nature, I don't restrict things like the four elements solely to him. And besides, I'm unable to come with better choices then these.

The PCs saved the knight from an undead menace a little while ago.

Zone of Truth is available, but the Cuthberites believe that Fleshwarping is wrong and the PCs believe that it isn't. No lies, no truth.

Players like to role-play these trial and challenges and not ROLL-play it. (but not everyone is like that)

I'd be fine with this. But a lot of things are solved like this. I mean, a LOT. PCs talk their way out of things of things all the time. They negotiate, make deals... This is supposed to be something different, for a change. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that either I have these trials as a one-shot "different" gaming experience or I just abandon the idea.

 

[Stormonu]

Seems like it would be cheating for anyone other than the one charged to undergo an ordeal. I could a combat challenge for the right to present one's case being handled by a champian, but other than accompanying the fleshwarper on his ordeal as cheerleaders or also-runs doesn't sound right.

Y'know, with dueling being illegal in Greyhawk, this sounds like a great venue for the party to escort the fleshwarper to another place where a trial by combat/ordeal could be legal - and dealing with St. Cuthbert priests who are determined the fleshwarper never makes it to his destination...<EDIT> or conduct the trial in transit, approaching the fleshwarper and PCs in disguise/secretly - possibly using your elemental tests as 'natural disasters/obstacles' along the way; say, escaping a wild fire, a rockslide, a flood and a collapsing mountain ledge.

 

[Ragmon]

Me again.

- So dueling is illegal...charter a ship, sail ~11 mile out to sea, into international waters and go for it, a bit of Water World action.

Now I though about this one for a while: Since the PC wants to be the Adventurers Guild leader, the elemental thing should not work, the PC should prove that he is a great adventurer, that he has been to many places, that he made his name know in many different lands. Its should be something that is earned, and not just "oh i wanna be guild leader, ill succeed at a few roll and I'm there". I don't know what level your guys are, but a leader should be 10+ in my opinion, in a larger town.
In conclusion, he should prove that he is a good adventurer...

Oh wait...its not about the guild...its about the Church... then well...hmm... So I just read that St. Cuthbert likes common sense...you could just give him a real life Common Sense test...modified to fit the world.
http://www.kathimitchell.com/commons.htm

And if the PC has anough common sense then St. Cuthbert should approve.

PS: Don't forget, the PC is allowed to fail, gives them a sense of challenge, and caution.

 

[Herobizkit]

I'd say it's time to bring the Church down... or find someone Lawful Evil to find a loophole.

A priest of St. Cuthbert would likely send the guy off on some impossible quest where he would likely get killed rather than come back successful.

That said, priests of St. Cuthbert values virtues such as charity, compassion, honesty, faithfulness, hard work, and keeping promises and oaths.

So design a series of challenges that exude these virtues.

• Send the Fleshwarper to a village that has been recently war-torn and full of the sick and dying.
• He must first promise to not use his 'demonic powers', possibly receiving some kind of Geas or similar (promise/oath).
• He must find a way to bring the village back from ruin (hard work), heal the sick (compassion), and convince the offending party to pay some kind of restitution to the casualties - by force if necessary (faithfulness).
• The fleshwarper must also raise and pledge the value of the restitution to the Church (charity) above and beyond what he currently possesses (honesty).

A Judge of the Church's choosing will follow the Fleshwarper's efforts and document his activities.

Failure to complete any of these tasks will prove his unworthiness.