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Message: <blockquote data-quote="epithet" data-source="post: 6685859" data-attributes="member: 6796566">Another staple of the medieval witch trial was the ordeal.A trial by ordeal might involve a series of constitution saving throws, with differing levels of success in the ordeal based on how many save successes there were. For example, holding a red hot iron bar for a period of time while clearly articulating the testimony in question (usually a protestation of one's innocence) might have a best outcome of 1 level of exhaustion and the loss of half of your hit points. A medium outcome might sill pass the ordeal, but with 2 levels of exhaustion, half hit point loss, and a "permanent" injury from the DMG that matches the ordeal in question. Failure of the ordeal might leave you at zero hit points and unconscious, with a permanent injury and 3 levels of exhaustion.Make sure you have a plan for how to deal with the permanent injury on a PC - maybe the priest of Pelor has a minor relic that lets him cast greater resto once a year as a ritual, when the sun is at its zenith on a particular feast day of Pelor that will be coming up in a couple of weeks. Or, you can make the injury one the PC can live with and RP, like a maimed shield hand.One possibility is that if the PC prevail in the legal challenge and the evil priest is convicted, before he is sentenced he can invoke the ancient law of trial by ordeal. He passes the ordeal with a permanent injury that becomes a distinguishing characteristic and drives him forward with a passion to exact a terrible vengeance on the PCs, the town, or both.</blockquote>

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