Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Clerics of Janus, Part III

Liminal Space
Janus sends his faithful through many thresholds so that they might better understand the implications of space and time.

Divine Tests
1-2. Are you administering the proper rites? The cleric apparently needs more practice honoring new beginnings and measuring how much has already been done. He must now take 2d6 turns of time, as well as having a 50% chance of needing to sacrifice at least 1d6 x 10 gold pieces in treasure or goods, in order to do so.

3-4. A firmer reminder is now required. The priest is immediately shifted in time or space, suffering a -2 to all rolls for the rest of the day and possibly other considerations. Roll 1d3.
[1] Be sent 1d100 minutes into the future- he will experience it as lost time
[2] Be sent 1d100 minutes into the past, being able to even change it, but then suffering 1d20 damage from any paradoxes caused
[3] Be sent 1d20 feet in a random, horizontal direction, taking 1d3 damage and being pushed aside if he would materialize in a solid object

5-9. Duration and dimension can necessarily limit a cleric’s magic. As a result, he experiences a reduction in spells available (50% chance for each one) until dawn of the next day.  Roll 1d6 for each spell lost to determine what the cleric needs to happen in order for him to be able to use it before then:
[1] Arrive at a certain hour: roll 1d12 to determine what hour that is, ignoring whether the time is before or after midday
[2] Pass through a gateway, doorway, or other portal that he has never traveled through before
[3] Prevent all evil beings from passing through the nearest gateway, doorway, or other portal for the next 1d3 hours
[4] Open and pass through a gateway, doorway, or other portal that is currently locked or guarded
[5] Be at an area of synchronicity of time and space (e.g. a location associated with 144 at 1:44)
[6] Defeat one that has violated the laws of time or space (e.g. undead or summoned being)

10-12. Liminal Space can have broader applications, so in this case, use a Test from a similar Divinity rather than one from Janus. Roll 1d3:
[1] Manannan (otherworlds caused by time and space)
[2] Mars (beginnings of war)
[3] Mercury (gateways of trade)

See Divinities and Cults: Volume II for details on these Divinities. In the case of Manannan, explain the sense of not belonging or being otherworldly to the worship of Janus being more popular during archaic times.

13-17. A greater understanding of space is now required of the Janus priest, as well as anyone else who happens to be standing within 1d6 x 5’ of him when this Test occurs. They are immediately teleported a certain distance in a random, horizontal direction, also taking damage from any unfortunate collisions and/or elevation adjustments that might occur when they arrive at the destination. Perhaps he will remember to stick to proper rites for all new beginnings from now on? Roll 1d4.
[1] 1d100 feet, 1d4 damage
[2] 1d10 quarter miles, 1d8 damage
[3] 1d100 miles, 1d10 damage
[4] 1d1,000 miles (roll a 1d100 and add another d10), 1d20 damage

18+ As ‘Janitor’, Janus needs to clean up the cleric’s mess and show him that once and for all, time and space are one. After allowing him to view a temporal mishap that his lack of proper ritual has likely caused (or will cause), Janus then causes the cleric to either (roll 1d3):
[1] Travel 1d10 years into the past
[2] Travel 1d10 years into the future
[3] Enter an alternate reality with 1d4 divergences caused by paradoxes in the timeline (see the Manannan listing in Divinities and Cults: Volume II to generate divergences at random)

Those standing near the cleric when this Test occurs can also be transported with him (per Referee). And, unless the cleric finds another way to immediately return to his original time or reality (a base 5% chance per level), then those transported will end up being stranded. They then have a 50% + 10% chance per level of returning (or seeming to return) by either:
[1] Showing up immediately to find the party again but years older (if they were transported to the past)
[2] Reappearing again years later at the same place and at the same age (if they were transported to the future)
[3] Being switched with an alternate reality double that has a 50/50 chance of being either kinder or crueler and also has all ability scores adjusted by 1d6-3 (if they traveled to an alternate reality).

Otherwise, they will not return. What is more, for every Liminal Space result over 18+, increase the time travelled by 1d10 additional years and increase the divergences by 1d4!