The Demon Who Had His Soul Stolen In a Church

Brainstorming so far

1st scene: PCs sees this demon figure approaching the church. Might be within the church or travelling to take shelter/talk to hateful priest on an errand there.

2nd scene: PCs coming into contact with the ‘demon'.

• How do PCs know that the ‘demon' is an infernal stone elemental?: either discovered by Parnan dwarf b/c of special link to stones or told by hateful priest or could even be clues picked up from perception check (vocab I picked up from sneak peek of forum games)

• How do the PCs link up with the ‘demon': thinking that either that the ‘demon' has a companion who is a spokesman on his/her behalf (prob. need to be of an appearance/demeanour that makes the PCs trust him/her) or maybe the demon himself/herself speaks up and asks for the PC's help (maybe there's someone among the PCs- a paladin or someone that could help this person)

• Maybe one of the PCs takes an instinctive dislike to the hateful priest that could be springboard for the ‘demon' successfully getting help from the PCs

The truth:

• The hateful priest sundered the soul of the innocent and fused most of it to a demon/infernal stone elemental.

• The person the priest cursed had something he wanted or represented something he hated (royalty, romantic rival, etc) and not only was he turned into a demon, but also became a slave to the priest. He must perform the tasks the priest forces on him. Meanwhile the priest has posted a bounty for anyone who can kill the 'demon' threatening his church.

• The bounty was posted by the priest in spite as well. Assuming that the innocent is not the controlling entity within the demon all the time (innocent might be subservient part of the soul always or might be continual struggle b/w innocent and original demon so that innocent becomes the controlling entity some of the time), then the bounty has the effect of making the innocent guilty in the sense that he is forced into having bloodied hands whilst trapped within the body of the demon.

Characters

• Priest: well-liked by the locals. Going after him would put the party at odds with the town. One or more of the PCs should find him distrustful, giving credence to the ally's claims of the demon's innocence

• Demon/victim: Why was this person targeted by the priest?

• Roguish younger brother who had been out of town for years. Was returning as a prodigal son of sorts, when he stumbled upon the priest summoning a demon and was added to the ritual as a sacrifice

• Ally of the demon:

• Mother of the 2

• Was with the prodigal son when he was killed. Died trying to protect him

• A shade now, concerned mother trying to help her son who has been turned into a demon but comes across as scary to most

Plot

• Opening scene: narrative with demon looking into the church?

• Demon bounty; list of crimes

• 
  

The Twist

• A strong gale seemingly arose out of nowhere. With it, dust and other debris swirled in the air, clouding the vision of the party. When that air cleared as abruptly, the party saw the following terrifying scene:
  <blockquote>
  GM Notes:
  Choose one (or roll a die to determine) of the following dismembered spectral body parts to appear to the party:
  

  • 1.Upper part of face including nose and hair in style appropriate to a middle aged/elderly woman
  • 2.Lower part of the face
  • 3.Upper top half of the torso with appropriate garb to a middle aged/elderly woman
  • 4.Two arms clothed
  • 5.Lower half of the torso with appropriate garb to a middle aged/elderly woman
  • 6.Two legs clothed

  </blockquote>
  This spectral ‘woman' seemed to have lost her mind, beseeching the party to save her little boy by whom she actually meant the demon! Besides that, she would be babbling meaningless gabble in general.
  <blockquote>
  GM Notes:
  This ghostly woman would conjure a gale that has the temporary effect of rendering vision to zero if the party attempts to hurt the demon.
  </blockquote>
  
  

  • Interaction between priest and ghost-mother revealing the truth (italic scene)
  • oBasically convo b/w the two steadily revealing the truth of how the demon became ‘the demon'

  
  The Resolution
  <blockquote>
  GM Notes:
  We picture that the resolution could go two ways: a combat-oriented approach and another approach using tact and leveraging on the plot itself.
  For the combat-oriented approach, resolution basically comes in the form of killing the priest and breaking the relic on the altar. Here the GM are free to choose whether or not to have the ‘demon' being subservient at this point so as to adjust the difficulty of the combat. Additionally, there might be an unclear ending to this plot associated with the party being branded as murderer of their beloved priest by the townsfolk.
  If the GM wishes to go for the tactful route, then we imagine the ghost-mother would be the key figure for convincing the priest to reform his ways and help out his brother in his capacity.
  </blockquote>
  Different endings:
  

  • Clean ending-
  • odemon and brother successfully separated
  • opriest killed/redeemed
  • Unclean endings-
  • oPriest killed, leaving black mark on the party
  • oPriest redeemed but cannot save brother, leaving him perpetually trapped within demon body