D&D 5E The Bible Is A New 5E Setting

The Adventurer’s Guide to the Bible is a 5E setting and adventure set in the first century AD.

The 350-page book, created by Bible enthusiasts, included four new lineages, a range of subclasses, and an adventure for character levels 1-10, along with a full first-century AD setting with locations like the Library of Alexandria and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, NPCs, and monsters such as giants, seraph serpents, angels, and demons. The adventure itself involves a search for three missing Magi.

It's $25 for a PDF, or $39 for a hardcover.

The Adventurer's Guide to the Bible for 5E

A fifth edition campaign setting with new rule options for players and GMs, and a full adventure for characters of levels 1 - 10.

www.kickstarter.com

Cleopatra is dead. Rome and Parthia struggle for control of the Fertile Crescent in a bid for world domination, while local politics in the Middle Kingdoms become increasingly divisive. The prophecies of the so-called “Messiah” have long been forgotten, and an ancient Evil lurks in the shadows, corrupting the hearts of humankind. Three of the wisest mystics known as the “Magi” travelled to Bethlehem following a star they believed to be a sign. They never returned. Hope grows dim as the world descends into darkness. What we need are answers... and those brave enough to seek them.

This isn’t the first biblical era setting for D&D, although it might be for 5E. Green Ronin released Testament: Roleplaying in the Biblical Era for 3E over a decade ago.

 

[HammerMan]

Besides here but in all TRPG settings based in History the PCs aren't allowed to alter the timeline. What if PCs avoid Caesarion (Cleopatra and Julius Caesar's son) to be killed by Octavian?

now I want a D20 modern update to 5e... then run this and what ever they do to change we then do a campaign in modern day with the changes rippling through time...

 

[J-H]

Is there anything in the initial info that says Jesus won't be painted as a white western European, though? You go accurate for the region and you know certain groups will be all riled up that he does not look like them.

Given how successful The Chosen is and how little criticism I've seen of it, that's somewhere down at the bottom of the list of possible problems on this project.

 

[Yaarel]

Really, Jesus can be any complexion.

Israel is a landbridge between Eurasia and Africa. Its population has and has always had a broad spectrum of complexions. For example. Abraham is Aramean, whose family ultimately originates from Syria. He was in Turkey, and seems to have gained household there. Likewise, there are Hittite families. And so on, with pale complexions. David is said to be a red head. At the same time, Joseph has an Egyptian wife, and his children, the tribes of Mnashe and Efrayim are African in origin. Moses has a Kush wife, from Sudan or Ethiopia. And so on, with dark complexions. By the time of the first century, Israel included Temple pilgrims from around the known world.

Heh, of course, Jesus is unlikely to look like Norse Baldr with yellow hair and white eyebrows, but still, many complexions for him are plausible.

 

[Parmandur]

“In the beginning…”

I mean, I guess their goal is to facilitate catechesis, so...

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Really, Jesus can be any complexion.

Israel is a landbridge between Eurasia and Africa. Its population has and has always had a broad spectrum of complexions. For example. Abraham is Aramean, whose family ultimately originates from Syria. He was in Turkey, and seems to have gained household there. Likewise, there are Hittite families. And so on, with pale complexions. David is said to be a red head. At the same time, Joseph has an Egyptian wife, and his children, the tribes of Mnashe and Efrayim are African in origin. Moses has a Kush wife, from Sudan or Ethiopia. And so on, with dark complexions. By the time of the first century, Israel included Temple pilgrims from around the known world.

Heh, of course, Jesus is unlikely to look like Norse Baldr with yellow hair and white eyebrows, but still, many complexions for him are plausible.

Well, he should not have any of Joseph's DNA at all or look anything like him, what with the whole virgin birth and impregnated by an angel bit, so he should mainly look like Mary. If she is Semitic or Black Egyptian or Greek-Egyptian, then he should be too.

 

[Yaarel]

Well, he should not have any of Joseph's DNA at all or look anything like him, what with the whole virgin birth and impregnated by an angel bit, so he should mainly look like Mary. If she is Semitic or Black Egyptian or Greek-Egyptian, then he should be too.

I view the virgin birth as a midrash. A virgin mother − a whole and self-sufficient feminine − is an important archetype, a spiritual presence. Even so, the historicity is probably normal birth.

I assume Joseph is the biological father of Jesus. And Joseph would need to be, for Jesus to be the "seed" of David, to qualify for a Neo-Davidic dynasty.

By the way, according Luke, Jesus is a descendant of David, but isnt a descendant of Solomon. Rather, Jesus descends from one of Davids other sons, Nathan. I consider Luke to describe the biological ancestry (at least as far as the family believed it to be). Matthew lists a political succession.

(When it says in Greek, the "virgin" will conceive, it means Mary got pregnant the very first time she ever had sex. Joseph was surprised and was unsure if the kid was his or not.)

In any case, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, can plausibly be any of a variety complexions. Presumably, the complexion of Jesus resembles that of one or both of his parents.

 

[Sepulchrave II]

Lots and lots of possibilities for this game, although I can't say it's my cup of tea. I think people will need to adapt it to their own particular perspective, and I could see it maybe causing friction at tables if people have different expectations in that regard.

As to what's actually historically real and what's not - I'm not touching that one with a ten-foot battle lance.

 

[wellis]

Is there anything in the initial info that says Jesus won't be painted as a white western European, though? You go accurate for the region and you know certain groups will be all riled up that he does not look like them.

You may have missed it but Evangelicals aren't quite stuck in the 1980s anymore and have had enough enthusiasm with Biblical Archaeology to accept Jesus wouldn't be some pale skinned European dude.

 

[Tallifer]

Samson definitely seems like your typical Fighter, and Jacob like your typical Rogue

 

[J-H]

Samson definitely seems like your typical Fighter, and Jacob like your typical Rogue

Jacob is definitely a rogue, with expertise in Deception but not Perception.

Samson's definitely a barbarian, able to wade into a horde of enemies swinging a jawbone around and being the only one on the battlefield at the end of the day. On the character level, Samson was very impulsive and led by his desires and emotions rather than any sense of discipline, training, expertise, or even justice.