It is a time of turmoil in the holy city. Judea groans under the rule of the Roman Empire, its king, Herod Agrippa II, nothing more than a puppet for the Roman governor. Some demand action against the Romans, others believe it a mistake to antagonise their masters. And there is turmoil between the different Jewish sects and with the new religion that has grown recently, spreading throughout the Roman World and threatening the Jewish faith: Christianity. This new faith undermines the authority of the Temple and invites Gentiles into matters meant only for the Jews.

Jerusalem is at a critical point in history. But its future has yet to be decided ...

Sects

At this time, there are three dominant Jewish sects in Jerusalem: the Sadducees, the Pharisees and the Zealots. YOU are an ardent follower of one of these sects. But which one? You must decide which sect you belong to for this adventure. Each has its own beliefs, policies and advantages.

The Sadducees

The Sadducees are the dominant force in the Jewish Temple and its council, the Sanhedrin. They believe only what is written in the Torah and have no time for oral tradition. As members of the Jewish ruling class, they believe maintaining good relations with the Romans is the key to keeping power and authority. Their arrogant air and closeness to the Roman overlords means they are not very popular with most of the other Jews.

Advantage: If you choose to play as a Sadducee, you begin the adventure with 10 extra sestertii.

The Pharisees

The most popular of the Jewish sects and a rising power in the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees believe in the Torah, but also see the value of oral teachings and are even open to some outside influences such as the thoughts of the Greek philosophers. They are however no friends to the Romans, though they do not actively oppose them.

Advantage: If you choose to play as a Pharisee, you may add 1 point to your starting CHARISMA score.

The Zealots

Like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the Zealots believe the Jews are a chosen people. However, they do not believe the Jews will achieve their destiny by letting themselves be walked over by a foreign oppressor. The Zealots are militantly anti-Roman and will stop at nothing to see Judea free.

Advantage: If you choose to play as a Zealot, you may add 1 point to your Initial SKILL.

Attributes

In addition to the usual Fighting Fantasy attributes SKILL and STAMINA, there are three more attributes that determine your capabilities. These are as follows:

CHARISMA: A measure of how well liked you are and how convincing your speech.

DEXTERITY: Indicating your accuracy, keenness of eyesight, etc.

LORE: A measure of how well versed you are with both Jewish scriptures and that of the Gentiles.

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