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Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)
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Author:  Lord Karick [ Fri Jan 16, 2015 12:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

Ok everyone. I'm almost there, but need the last details. I want to put my players' PCs through a series of 5 tests of virtue (5 because I have 5 players, and because it's a nice round number). The basic premise is that they've entered a dream state (though hopefully this won't be clear from the beginning), waking chained up in a dark dungeon with other prisoners. In this context they will be presented with a series of tests of virtue (see below for examples). I've got four that I'm reasonably happy with, but need a fifth (and perhaps one or two in the back pocket).

The nasty bit is that to pass a test will require the player to sacrifice their PC. Tricky if they're not sure whether the prison is real or virtual, but they're confident that I'm not a blatant PC-killer.

The ultimate purpose to passing the tests is to restore an angel's sanity. Each time a test is passed, the player will be removed from the room and handed a small glass sphere. Together the five spheres can be placed in a receptacle which will simultaneously restore the angel's sanity and catapult them back to reality at the moment of departure so that they can confront their would-be captors.

Thanks in advance for your help and ideas.

The Tests so far...
Charity (Caritas) - sharing valuable food at personal cost
Justice (Justitia) - steal gaoler's key (dropped if necessary), gaoler starts killing prisoners indiscriminately until the thief volunteers
Mercy (Clementia) - in escape attempt guard pleads for mercy
Courage (Virtus) - escaped into dark, wintery woodland; steep slope beneath castle. Guards let the dogs loose, see a chance to let girl escape (stream)
...

Author:  Kharille [ Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

Just finishing off 2nd bottle of vin blanc... One thing that comes up is integrity...


they must't cheat at gambling...


stand up vs the lynch mob despite all the benefits of giving in. I think Wyatt earp had some similar situation....

Author:  Damian May [ Sat Jan 17, 2015 4:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

The seven Heavenly Virtues are listed as chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility.

You have a bit of overlap on those and I like yours better.

I would suggest Humility be the one to choose for the final test.

Perhaps not taking credit for some part of the escape, or allowing oneself to be ordered around by a "lesser"?

Author:  Lord Karick [ Sat Jan 17, 2015 6:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

Thanks guys, what I'm struggling with though is how to turn the outcome of being virtuous in those situations into a death sentence. The others I've got down:
Charity - starve to death in another's place
Justice - be executed for owning up to stealing the key
Mercy - after you let the guard who surrendered live, he takes a dirk from his boot whilst your back is turned and stabs you
Courage - you let the dogs take you so that the other can go free

Author:  Dreadnought [ Sat Jan 17, 2015 6:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

Lord Karick wrote:
Thanks guys, what I'm struggling with though is how to turn the outcome of being virtuous in those situations into a death sentence. The others I've got down:
Charity - starve to death in another's place
Justice - be executed for owning up to stealing the key
Mercy - after you let the guard who surrendered live, he takes a dirk from his boot whilst your back is turned and stabs you
Courage - you let the dogs take you so that the other can go free


I'm drawn to the idea of prudence (which was one of the cardinal virtues in Greek philosophy). In that sense, prudence involved making the best judgement from a range of choices - if they were bad choices, the one that would do the least damage.

Could a character be exposed to a plague like condition during the escape, and know that there is a cure available for them (a scroll of Cure Disease or a bespoke potion, or something, but they can only access it by passing through a group of innocents who they would likely infect?

Author:  Kharille [ Sat Jan 17, 2015 12:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

Eesh, that was a wild night last night. Ended up puking after drinking some red wine...

How about .. .. what is it, Satan according to wiki had this failing, pride I think it was. He was cast out of heavens because he didn't want to be submissive to gods latest creation. So what is the virtue, the opposite of pride? put it through a thesaurus....

Author:  garyjohnson [ Mon Jan 19, 2015 8:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Five Tests of Virtue (have 4, need a 5th)

Well, if it's to free an angel, the fifth virtue should be piety - maybe a hellion offers to help them escape, and they have to refuse the aid of the unholy and allow themselves to be recaptured?

Cheers,

Gary Johnson

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