Sarastro

Sarastro was a Human prophet and theologian, and one of the most prominent religious figures in Dreibach. Originally a priest (and later bishop) of the rapidly dying Fundamentalist Church of Osiris, he founded the Order of Sarastro on 9 April, Y1061. He acted as its leader from its inception, building a thriving religion with over ten thousand followers out of the ashes of a near-forgotten sect.
On the Day of Ascension, 9 April Y1111, Sarastro completed a set of secret rituals that allowed him to transcend to godhood. However, shortly afterwards, the Battalion of Degenerates stormed his temple, destroyed his apostles and followers, and banished him from the Material Plane.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Sarastro's original goal was to pull teachings and favors from other gods to bolster his belief that Osiris's laws and requirements for mortalkind are rigid and inflexible. Over time, this goal evolved into a desire to join the Celestial Courts themselves and act as a literal judge and prosecutor at Osiris's right hand.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Sarastro was born in a small village somewhere in the Central Duchy of Dreibach. Little is known about his family or early life. Any references to his original family name, if he had one, have been carefully purged from any record.

Gender Identity

Sarastro was a cisgender man. Much of his philosophy focused on the role of men as providers and protectors, the natural opposite of the passive and nurturing women he believes they should be bound to. He believed gender is fixed at birth, and did not acknowledge the existence of other genders.

Education

Sarastro arrived at a dwindling monastery of Fundamentalist Osiris followers in the small town of Breughelland sometime in his early-to-mid-teens. He ascended quickly through his studies, achieved priesthood at the age of 16, and became the head bishop of the monastery at age 23 (upon the previous bishop's mysterious and untimely death).

Accomplishments & Achievements

Sarastro founded the Order of Sarastro on 9 April, Y1061 by combining the basic tenets of Fundamentalist Osirianism with reification of the the Litigation of Flames and the gods who most assisted Osiris, including Isis and Gilgamesh and Enkidu. In the fifty years between its founding and its downfall, the Order became the fastest-growing religious sect in Belcantas and gained particular favor with the Emperor in Val-Nurem. By the time of Sarastro's defeat, practically the entire town of Breughelland followed the doctrines of the Order, making it a primarily religious settlement. It is unclear how many of the surviving people of the decimated town still hold to this belief system after his death.

Morality & Philosophy

The Order of Sarastro closely reflects all of Sarastro's publicly held viewpoints and philosophies.
Sarastranism beckons followers to follow the Righteous Path, a particular set of guidelines for living. The seven tenets of the Righteous Path can be summarized as follows:

1. PURITY: The pure and perfect bond between Isis and Osiris is the brightest beacon to follow upon this plane. The King protects and rules over his maiden, the Queen heals and cares for her King. The nature of man and woman is fixed in the stars, sacrosanct and permanent. We belong to each other as Isis and Osiris did, as partners with distinct and glorious roles, joined when the time is right into a Holy Bond. Body, mind, and soul should be oriented towards keeping and protecting your Holy Bond, both before and after it is forged.


2. COUNSEL: Have the discernment to follow the Shepherd and the Flock in all their steps along the Righteous Path, lest you stray off the path and be devoured by devils like sheep before wolves. Brother will guide brother, sister will keep sister.


3. PROTECTION: Defend first the doctrines of the holy, then the safety of your brothers and sisters in Sarastro, then the rest of the world around you. Divine rules over mortal, just as mortal rules over beast.


4. RECOURSE: If corruption enters your house, you must cut it from your life. If your mother sins, you are not of her womb; if your son wanders astray, he is not of your seed.


5. DOCTRINE: Work hard to study the Glorious Way, letter by letter, step by step. Strive to travel first down the Righteous Path; the heights of your potential are unlimited, if your devotion is steady and your thoughts and deeds are righteous.


6. ANTIQUITY: All ages of history have built upon each other to pave the way for the Righteous Path. The High Lord Sarastro has seen the guides left for us in history, and he will lead us by them to the Age of Possibility.


7. MYSTICISM: Give oneself completely to that which you struggle to understand, for the questions will be answered by the Gods and the Prophet. Follow the Righteous Path even towards certain doom, for even at death Osiris will weigh our hearts and reward our bravery if our attempts are fearless and devoid of all other desires.
   

Reign

Sarastro's reign as the de facto ruler of Breughelland began in the fall of Y1078. The region's former noble, Viscontess Magdalen, died and left her title to her young son Paolin. Paolin's interest in the occult had led him to a friendship with Sarastro's disciple Schobiak (Apostle of Mysticism), who inducted Paolin into the Order and subtly controlled his decisions for the rest of his reign. After Paolin's death in the Glorious Revolution, the title of Viscount or Viscontess of Breughelland was abolished, and Sarastro has been the de jure ruler of the township and its nearby villages.

Divine Classification

Prophet

Current Location

Breughelland

Species

Human

Ethnicity

Human

Church/Cult

Order of Sarastro

Honorary & Occupational Titles

High Prophet of the Grave
Leader of the Glorious Path

Date of Birth

19 January, Y1033

Year of Birth

1033 Y 78 Years old

Aligned Organization

Order of Sarastro

Related Plots

• Eclipsed Wedding
• Sarastran Exodus

Ruled Locations

• Lyceum of the Dead
• Prime Sarastran Temple

OperaQuest

Sarastro, God of Judgment CR: 30

Gargantuan celestial, lawful evil

Armor Class: 25

Hit Points: 729

Speed: 45 ft , fly: 90 ft

STR

28 +9

DEX

16 +3

CON

24 +7

INT

21 +5

WIS

18 +4

CHA

30 +10

Saving Throws: Constitution +15, Wisdom +12, Charisma +18

Skills: Perception +12

Damage Resistances: acid, cold, fire, radiant, necrotic

Damage Immunities: poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered

Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned

Senses: truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 27

Languages: all languages

Challenge Rating: 30

Spellcasting. Sarastro casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (+19 to hit, spell save DC 23)
Cantrips: word of radiance (5d6), toll the dead (5d8/5d12), minor illusion, thaumaturgy
At will: guiding bolt (3rd level), cure wounds (3rd level), sanctuary, bestow curse (no concentration), spirit guardians
4th level (4): banishment, death ward, dimension door, psychic lance
5th level (4): dawn, holy weapon
6th level (3): disintegrate, heal, summon fiend
7th level (3): divine word, sequester
8th level (2): dominate monster, power word stun
9th level (2): mass heal, meteor swarm

Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Sarastro fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Special Equipment. Sarastro carries the Scepter of a New Age. In the hands of anyone other than Sarastro, the Scepter is a +2 mace.

Prophet Ascended. If Sarastro, God of Judgment is reduced to 0 hit points, he immediately regains 3d8+8 hit points for every celestial or fiend sworn to the Order of Sarastro within 600 feet. If no such followers are present, the avatar of Sarastro dissolves in a burst of radiant light, leaving behind seven white feathers. Sarastro's avatar cannot return to the Material Plane unless all seven feathers are placed into the pages of the Sarastran Enchiridion and blessed by a follower of the Order of Sarastro.

Divine Avatar. Sarastro doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Actions

Multiattack. Sarastro uses Unbind Soul (if available) or Spellcasting. He then makes two attacks with the Scepter of a New Age.

Unbind Soul (Recharge 5-6). A creature Sarastro can see within 60 feet of it must make a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature falls unconscious as its soul is trapped in Sarastro's sarcophagus. Otherwise, a creature that fails the saving throw is restrained as its soul struggles to stay in its body. A restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, falling unconscious with its soul trapped in the soul cage on a failure or ending the effect on a success. A successful dispel magic spell (DC 19) cast on the sarcophagus releases all souls trapped within it. A creature’s body can survive unconscious for three days without a soul. After the third day, the body dies, and the creature can’t be resurrected until its soul is freed.

Scepter of a New Age. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6+8) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage. If the target is a creature, it is afflicted by entropic magic, taking 9 (2d8) radiant damage at the start of each of its turns. Immediately after taking this damage on its turn, the target can make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Until it succeeds on this save, the afflicted target can't regain hit points.

Reactions

Sarastro can take up to three reactions per round but only one per turn.
Righteous Counterspell. Sarastro utters a holy word to interrupt a creature he can see that is casting a spell. If the spell is 4th level or lower, it fails and has no effect. If the spell is 5th level or higher, Sarastro makes an Intelligence check (DC 10 + the spell's level). On a success, the spell fails and has no effect. Whatever the spell's level, the caster takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage if the spell fails.

Word of Recourse. In response to being hit by an attack, Sarastro utters a fell word, dealing 10 (3d6) radiant damage to the attacker, and Sarastro teleports, along with any equipment he is wearing or carrying, up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space he can see.

Legendary Actions

Attack. Sarastro makes one attack with the Scepter of a New Age or casts a cantrip.
Teleport. Sarastro teleports to an unoccupied space he can see within 60 feet.
Cast Spell (3 actions). Sarastro casts one of the spells from his spell list.

Sarastro was once a human priest of a dying branch of the church of Osiris. He spent fifty years building the Order of Sarastro, whose accumulated power and wealth allowed him to access the forbidden magic that he used to ascend to godhood. This statblock is for the avatar of Sarastro in the Material Plane, which first appeared on 9 April Y1111 at the Prime Sarastran Temple in Breughelland.