Long is the Way, and Hard • 2017 rpg

A Devil and Angel war for the soul of a Penitent undergoing five Trials on the path to Salvation . . . or Damnation.

Needed: 1 card deck, 10d6 each

NB: face cards = 11; ace = 12

Spread 5 cards (Trials) face-down. Deal 5 cards and 10 dice to everyone. Keep cards secret. Pass your highest card right and lowest left.

Introduce the characters and the nature of the pilgrimage---who, why, from/to where.

Contend. To influence the Penitent, the Angel and Devil play a card face-down. Wager dice (Influence). Reveal cards. Winner keeps their own Influence; loser gives 1, discards remainder.

The Trial. Penitent wagers Influence, then reveals 1 Trial. If the Penitent can’t beat it, 1 Influence goes to the Contend winner. Discard remainder. If win, 1 Influence from both Angel and Devil.

Resolve. Trial card suit determines scenario theme to resolve, win/fail:
Heart = empathy/generosity | callousness/pettiness
Spade = humility/piety | social conflict/hardship
Club = pacifism/de-escalation | physical conflict/hardship
Diamond = asceticism/conservation | materialism/gluttony

Judgment. The Penitent arrives and is judged (by whom?). Deal 5 cards face-down. The Penitent takes ALL Influence and rolls. Compare Influence total to card total. Resolve Judgment, flavored by Angel/Demon Influence.