friluftshund's page

Theme:
- Humility
- Inspiration
- Awe
- Resolve
- Emotions (love)

I'll start off with a visitation. They were visited before after the Grey Garrison in their dreams, so Iomedae will do so again. Is this a dream, or is it reality? It will soon become apparent that it is indeed reality.

Once transported to Iomedae's cathedral, they will find themselves on the steps to the altar, gazing at the most magnificient structure they have ever seen, with stained-glass windows depicting the Acts (foreshadowing to question #1, angelic attendants among the pews, a soft sound of a choir rehearsing, although there is more than a tinge of sorrow in their harmonies.

Iomedae will move up behind them, below them and move a few steps up while they admire the building.

"I am glad you approve of my cathedral, for it is sustained but through the prayers of my loyal followers." Giving a small measure of thanks to any Iomedaen followers in the group.

"It is, however, also my prison." Pause for effect. "There is a matter of greatest urgency and the utmost difficulty I would impart upon you, and it is my sincere hope that the many trials you have endured up to this point have been enough to bolster your resolve and to strengthen your arms. I would grant you three tasks to test your mettle before setting out on your next voyage, that of running the labyrinth of the Demon Lord Baphomet in search of my abducted Herald."

After a pause, and to allow any Iomedaen followers in the group to regain their composure and to take in these news she gestures toward the closest stained-glass windows which shift from one of the acts to a scene of a more recent battle.

"A little history if you wish." (PC may resist the effect with a DC40 will save (harmless))

The group is pulled into the window depicting a bloody battlefield and crusaders in disarray. They appear behind a cleric in battle vestments kneeling on the ground, head touching earth while the battle rages on all sides. It is apparent this is a battle on the tipping point between victory or defeat, a battle against a host of demons. The battle of Raliscrad.

As the group can do nothing but stand in witness, they realise the cleric is calling out for help, and it is indeed a powerful cry, for before him, shimmering in the air a being of purity appears, swords circling his head, a fire in his eyes. "Your call has been heard faithful one, what would you ask of me?"
The cleric slumps forward, utterly spent after the calling. "Help us please, in The Inheritor's name!"

The Herald would tip the battle in the crusaders favor, it would be a decisive win, were it not for the shadow being cast across the Herald's face. Unable to turn around, the heroes are powerless to face this new opponent, but it is apparent the Herald does, and it is with a mix of rage and despair. "You!" is all he manages before coils of shadow and dark, demonic energy shoots across his form, and a strange dual laughter issues from behind the PC's as the writhing form of the Herald is pulled from the plane they are on.

And the group is pulled from the stained-glass window, back to the cathedral, feeling like they've ran several hundred yards in heavy armor.

"This is what face you, brave heroes." Iomedae has moved to a chair off to the side of the altar, mostly reserved for the attendants to priests holding sermons. Looking quite unlike all the depictions of her, The Inheritor has obviously suffered a heavy blow from the events at Raliscrad.

"Can you do it? Can you really travel to the heart of a Demon Lord's realm and free my captured servant?" Iomedae asks as much herslef as the heroes, but any affirmative answer draws a smile from the goddess.

As I said, I would test you my heroes of the fifth crusade, to steel you against the coming storm. "Join me in history"
She extends her arm towards the heroes and the cathedral grows bright until all vision is blocked out.

Next they find themselves on a hill, surveying a land under heavy clouds and thunder. The heroes stand amongst horses and knights unaware of their presence. The Inheritor moves between the horses, showing a sense of kinship with the beasts of war, moving up tp the head of the formation who are at a stand still.

At the front is a young lady, flanked by two knights, all with their helmets off. The older advisers to the young Iomedae seem hesitant about their quest. broken conversatins are heard through the rain and thunder. "...What if we fail my Lady, what then of the rest of teh campaign?" The other adviser is of like mind to the first. "I don't think we have the strength to break this enemy now."

The mortal Iomedae turns in her saddle and smiles, favouring her troops a smile, and her eyes seem to find the ghostly presence of the heroes yet to come.
raising her voice she bellows. "My knights, my knights! Are we not the Knights of Ozem?! If not we, then who shal stand against this foe, and the other foes to come?! History will judge us no matter what we do, but you know as well as I do, history favors the Bold! Join me in battle, join me in death and we shall taste the fruit of glory, and all will remember us!"

All thought os hesitation swept aside by the charismatic commander, the host of knights starts a charge toward the enemy lines, crying as much to Iomedae as to Aroden.

Left behind, The Inheritor seems lost in thought for a moment before turning towards the heroes. "History does indeed favor the bold, remember this my heroes. Now to the test. You must abchor your mind when facing a Demon Lord, for they are vaunt to make you forget who you are. Know you history and use it as a beacon to stay true to yourselves. Which enemy do I face here, which enemy did my Knights vanquish at this place?" (per the first question - Erum-Hel, Lord of Mohrgs at the Battle of Three Sorrows, the Fifth Act of Iomedae.)

If no one knows this, she enlightens them and prays they will research the history of the crusades and use it as an anchor. Shen then transports them back to the cathedral and presensts them with the Chalice of Ozem.

"Now to the second test.
You have a hero’s bravery. You have proven that you can survive the horrors of the Abyss, and this marks your courageousness as surely as any feat. But also you have learned that not all those in the Abyss are your enemies. Some are creatures whose nature can be used as a tool to defeat greater evils. So tell me, when evil assumes a fair form, and when weak villains beg for their lives, are they due mercy? Or are the wages of their villainy always death and oblivion?”

Should the group fail to reach a consensus, she will show them their acts of compassion throughout their adventure on the stained-glass windows and quiz each hero about their motivations for that kindness, and remind any hero that hesitates that every redeemed demon is one less piece on the enemy's board.
She grant the Atonement ability with the hopes that they will be able to save souls for the light, and deny the darkness its due.

"The final task then. How will you outwit the Lord of Minotaurs in his own labyrinth, how would you strike against such a foe? How will you defeat a Demon Lord in his own realm?"

If none of the heroes seem confident or willing to risk their lives she will gently shake her head while smiling. "You have already learned this lesson, you have already placed youselves in danger uncounted times, you are heroes, my heroes of the fifth and final crusade. If you don't have faith in that, know at least that I have faith in you!"
She draws a string off her cloak, and offers the heroes the Stole of the Inheritor

The goddes moves to stand in front of her throne.

“Strike evil in the name of the good and right, and redeem those you can from folly. With the blessing of Iomedae, you shall vanquish evil, and your names shall ring with glory, for even if you fail in this righteous task, your just rewards will await you in the Great Beyond! Take then this, my final gift to you! With it, you shall always be but a step away from home, yet know that the path it opens to safety
will save you but once before it returns to me — save such flight for a last resort.”

The tone of The Inheritor's choir changes dramatically flavor, and the song is now one of hope and valor, and some heroes might just catch snippets of lyrics incorporating their names into this mythic event.

“You are worthy to champion me against Baphomet, for mandate
prohibits the interaction of the divine in even such matters as
personal as the loss of a herald. I charge you as worthy souls to
go into the darkness of the Abyss, into the Ivory Labyrinth of my
enemy, and seek out my herald. If he be dead or worse, I trust
you shall finish things as befits those of your boldness. Heed the
advice I have given you. Go forth on a road of honor, swiftly and
with great justice, to defeat Baphomet and return or avenge my
herald. In so doing may you find the strength to face the true
peril that lies ahead. Deskari always watches, and the time shall
soon come when the Worldwound must be closed forever lest it
consume your world.”

With that, the cathedral flashes white once again, and
an instant later the PCs have returned to where they left
the Material Plane. Yet in each of their hands is a simple
token: a bronze holy symbol of Iomedae. Each PC knows
that he need but hold the symbol in a fist and concentrate
to be transported into the Ivory Labyrinth, one final “gift”
from Iomedae to speed them on their way. Beyond this, she
cannot aid them in the trials to come.