Assessor
The Upper Planes are divided into fiefdoms and planes to various deities and celestials, and despite their best efforts, the souls of the deceased can find their way to the wrong place. Assessors travel the celestial planes and interrogate any souls they find there.
Aura Detection. The assessor can detect an adventurer’s aura (unless some feature allows them to hide it). Those with an aura that opposes the assessor’s plane make all checks to overcome this challenge at disadvantage, while those that match gain an expertise die. Having two opposing auras triggers a critical failure for that adventurer.
Assessment Staff. The celestial wields an assessment staff which they use to cast zone of truth for the assessment. The assessor does not need to expend a charge to do so.
Celestial Task. This celestial is just doing their job. They don’t initiate combat so long as the adventurers are cooperating with the assessment and will retreat if offered violence (use stats for a deva using the assessment staff instead of a hammer). It does return with backup, however, such as a group of devas or a planetar .
We’re Not Dead Yet. Even though the adventurers are (probably) not dead, the celestial insists on doing the assessment. Once the assessment is complete, if they are still living or otherwise allowed to travel the Upper Planes, they will be informed what plane they will go to upon their demise.
The assessment involves the assessor asking questions about the party’s moral character. The adventurers each complete the assessment individually under the effects of zone of truth, making either a Deception or Persuasion check to downplay their misdeeds or put themselves in the best light. Past actions may give advantage or disadvantage on this check, depending on how in-line they are with the virtues the celestial is assessing (determined by the alignment of the area of the Upper Planes they are traveling in) and truly heroic deeds may trigger an automatic success for that adventurer. If an adventurer violates the zone of truth, it triggers a critical failure for them. Features such as a Cutthroat Rogue’s Deceptive Mind feature work as normal here.
Critical Failure. The party feels the weight of judgment—either for their own actions or for turning a blind eye to those of others. They each suffer two levels of strife and make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are cursed. The nature of this curse is determined by the Narrator and functions as enduring bestow curse , with the condition usually being some great act of good.
Failure. The adventurers are judged unworthy. Each adventurer that fails suffers two levels of strife.
Success. The adventurers pass inspection and are allowed to continue their journey.
Critical Success. The assessor praises the party for their deeds. Each adventurer can reduce their choice of fatigue or strife by one level. Roll on the Boons and Discoveries table.