So my band of merry plot wreckers have been barreling through WOTR- We are currently in the final fight with Hepzamirah on book 4, and I'm looking ahead. We are on a bit of a time crunch due to things outside game where I want to be wrapped up by mid summer, we play once a week.
My party consists of this
Dwarf Paladin of Torag (husband in game and OOC to cleric)
Dwarf Cleric of Torag (wife in game and OOC to cleric)
Dwarf Warpriest of Groetus (cousin to Cleric in game)
Dwarf Speaker of the Past Shaman [Dwarven Pantheon]- (Cousin to Paladin in game)
Catfolk Hunter (follower of Desna)
As such, they have minimal connection to Iomedae- the Paladin is wielding Raidance (upgraded to a Sacred Avenger as opposed to the standard Holy Avenger) and they are tight with Galfrey. So the meeting with Iomedae would have minimal bearing with them.
So I was considering changing it up to make it a meeting with Torag instead of Iomedae; however, he doesn't have the connection to the Crusade in as large of an extent that she does. I imagine it would be a very different tone of meeting. I picture Torag in this instance almost as the proud grandfather addressing the party. Complimenting them on their victories in a jovial manner and the like.
However, part of the plot point is Iomedae getting the party on track to the Ivory Labryinth. I'm thinking leaving the encounter largely as is with Iomedae hitting the plot points, then Torag stepping in as a pleasant surprise.
Also, I don't particualrly want to run the ridiculousness of the Labryinth, so I was wanting another stand in for that. On a whim, I'd built an oracle (shadow mystery) vampire for another campaign I was writing set in Ustalav. So I took Hero Lab, ramped him up, and liked what I saw after making it mythic. As the party is going through the mines of Colyphyr, I've been dropping hints about the "the One Who Walks In Darkness" preparing an attack on "the mortal fortress" (Drezen) since the idea is that the Oracle is using their shadow teleportation-esque abilities to transport the Nahyndrian Elixir around in exchange for some of it.
Here's what I'm thinking- the party returns from Colyphyr to find Drezen in a panic; the Hellknight allies they have tentatively made are gathering around the Sword of Valor, and the Paralictor (inspired by Paralictor Derenge from the Owlcat Game) informs the party that something has been attacking the Citadel and caused several disappearances. Galfrey, Arushalae (who has a relationship with the catfolk going), Irabeth, Aravashnial, and the leaders of the company of Dwarves that came to support the Crusades (consisting of the Paladins ex-fiancé and the warpriests 'Uncle Iroh' like husband). Several Hellknights and Crusaders have poured into the dungeons of Drezen trying to mount a rescue to no avail. The party is going to wade through several troops of zombies/skeletons and lesser vampire spawn made from the Crusaders (I know, not particularly threatening to Team Divine).
When the party gets to the end, I'm thinking the ex-fiance will be a fully turned vampire (we've fluffed her as a soldier or battlerager, so something in melee), a dominated Warpriest Husband (established as a kineticist, so turning him would result in no more kinetic abilities), maybe a turned Arushalae or Aravashnial. Any other ideas?