RHoD Addendum: The Helm of Iomedae's Sight

Hey folks!

To anyone following along my series on Scenario Structure, sorry for the delay! I'm almost done with Part 5, and have a couple partial drafts of new Scenario Structures, but unfortunately one of my games had a bit of an interpersonal blow up that led to a player leaving (ultimately for the best I think, but a bummer the way it went down). Dealing with this ate up a bunch of my time for side-projects, and that paired with all three of my campaigns entering new arcs (SoT is just about to start the final chapter; I finished SF with my partner and we are moving onto Rusthenge/7 Dooms; RHoD is about to head to the Hammerfist Holds) means that I am mostly focusing on content for my immediate games, at least for the time being.

Along those lines, today, we'll be writing up some visions! Specifically, I am planning on probably running a converted/edited Alexandrian Remix of Descent Into Avernus after the Red Hand of Doom, and want to seed as many elements from Elturel in Brindol as possible to help keep up the feeling of continuity. One of the coolest parts of the remix are the memory dives, including the Vision from Torm. My players never made it to Cinder Hill, and therefore haven't seen Azarr Kul, nor do they directly know that Tiamat is involved. Today, I'll be pulling all these threads together and creating a vision that the Helm of Iomedae's Sight might give to a member of the party as they enter the final stages of the war.

Let's jump in!

How the Visions Work

In the Alexandrian Remix, Justin has the players take an active role in the visions, with two ground rules: "PCs cannot be killed." and "The past cannot actually be changed." The full text is as follows:

• "PCs cannot be killed. Characters taking damage in the dreamscape suffer psychic damage and if reduced to 0 hp are rendered unconscious but stable.
• The past cannot actually be changed: These are morphable (and, it should be noted, therefore unreliable) visions of what happened. The PCs are not actually travelling through time. The dreamscape experiences are strongly guided and, if the players deviate too far from the course of history, it’s likely that the dreamscape will adjust itself. (Alternatively, the memory dive might end abruptly and need to be restarted.)"

There are Visions, where the PCs have control over someone in the scene and can talk or fight in their place, and there are Snippets, where the PCs simply observe a conversation or scene.

Acquiring the Helm

The Helm of Iomedae's Sight (based on the Helm of Torm's Sight) is a powerful magical artifact that the Hellriders protect in their Citadel. Some say it was a gift from the Angel who led them into Hell, others that it was found in an ancient crypt (Note: this is the truth), others that a Hellrider champion of old earned it from Iomedae herself.

(Note: Even though Iomedae is a more direct parallel for Torm, Pharasma could also be a good choice given her association with visions - feel free to switch up the god based on what your players gravitate towards!)

Reya may offer to let the PCs use the helm, either if one of them joins the Hellriders, if they gather enough of them, or if they hear about the Helm from someone else (e.g. Jarmaath or one of the churches) and ask (up to you if they need to jump through hoops).

Only one PC will put on the Helm, and it is dangerous. I had them make a DC 25 Fortitude and Will save, representing how well they held up physically and mentally, and then had the other players help Ser Bereld with a Ritual of Returning to bring the PC back. They each attempted a check of their choice, and I needed 3 total successes (between the PCs helping and the original saves) for the PC in the vision to be okay. I think otherwise it would've been some more narrative consequence, probably like long term exhaustion (though my PCs succeeded).

Once the ritual of returning is dealt with, the PC who wore the helm can recount their visions.

Visions of Fire

When a character puts on the Helm of Iomedae's Sight, this is what they see. Only they are actually present, but all the players take the roles of characters in the visions. Once the PCs have gone through all the visions, award them 120 XP (or more if they need help levelling up). Again, in Snippets, PCs are just observing. In Visions, they can act.

Between each vision, the PC is surrounded by a gentle white haze that overwhelms their senses.

Snippet - Answering the Call

You see a wall of flame with the shadows of five sinewy dragon heads cast upon it, writhing, all looking at the same figure kneeling before it - a young hobgoblin, with flecks of shining blue breaking through his deep red skin and small horns protruding from his head.

"My lady, if you will grant me the power I seek, then I will raise you up from Avernus and claim these lands in your name. We will be the People of the Dragon, your servants eternal."

Vision - Purging the Rebels

The PCs will play as the resistance to the Red Hand! They can choose from Dethon the Hobgoblin General leading the ragtag band, Phaedrig the Hobgoblin Archer, Zrac the Goblin Scavenger, and a Goblin Get Gang.

You stand within a vast underground chamber, your comrades standing beside you and a huddling mass of goblins and hobgoblins unable to fight behind you. Across the chamber from you are several hobgoblins, all marked with that cursed insignia of the Red Hand. The Kulkor Zhul have come for you!

The hobgoblin at the front - a bladebearer named Malgrug that Dethon once called a friend - sneers at you. "Look at you, rats trapped in a cave with no way out. How appropriate, always scurrying about and getting in our way. But no more! The Kulkor Zhul will rise, and you cannot stop us. The High Wyrmlord is on his way - surrender or die!" If the PCs ask, they know instinctively that surrender tends to be the same as death for the Kulkor Zhul. This will likely turn into combat sooner or later, but feel free to let the PCs banter for a bit.

Combat 1 (Moderate 5): The PCs face a bladebearer (Malgrug) and 6 hobgoblin soldiers.

As the last of your foes fall,  you see Him for the first time in months, watching. Nearly seven feet tall, his body covered in pockets of brilliant blue scales and magnificent horns growing from his brow, more pronounced than you'd previously seen him: The Son of the Dragon, High Wyrmlord Azarr Kul. You know in your heart that you are doomed.

The High Wyrmlord surveys the battlefield disdainfully. "Such unnecessary waste. So much pure blood spilled, and for what? You could have marched with us in glorious conquest, helped us take revenge on those who have humiliated goblinkind and cleanse the world of impurity! But no, your so-called "freedom" was too much of a price to pay. So be it. While the true People of the Dragon take their rightful place in the sun as rulers of all we can see, you are free to die!"

Combat 2 (Extreme 5): The PCs face Azarr Kul. Nearby, 2 Kulkor Zhul War Adepts rain fire at the fleeing goblins, and a line of 6 hobgoblin soldiers block the exit. Note: this combat is more or less unwinnable, here largely to give the PCs a sense of Azarr Kul's abilities and power without giving away the literal numbers of his stats. Feel free to skip away after 1-2 rounds rather than playing the whole thing out!

Snippet - War Council

You see a dusty war chamber deep underground. At its head sits the High Wyrmlord, at his sides his Wyrmlords. We see a hooded bugbear with a gnarled staff, a lithe goblin with a powerful bow, a beautiful hobgoblin woman with a whip at her side, and a densely muscled hobgoblin man with a greatpick.

The High Wyrmlord speaks: "Koth, you will command our forward scouts. Silence any who would detect our approach and ensure fertile ground for our armies. Saarvith, you will oversee the infernal experiments to make sure that Nurklenak does not stray from our purpose. Ulwai, once Skather has stolen the Ghostlords Soul Cage, you will ensure his cooperation. Kharn, as our greatest warrior, you will lead the army itself as it sweeps through the Vale. While the others will join you, the command will be yours."

The Wyrmlords look at each other in confusion. Ulwai speaks, "Then, what will you be doing, my lord?"

"I have a higher calling. Our lady awaits. The blood of battle will be the perfect sacrifice to raise her up."

Vision - Stealing the Soul Cage

The desert sands blow around you as you faced the massive lion-shaped monument, surrounded by dozens of translucent lion spirits circling the air lazily around it. You tighten your handwraps, knowing that you must soon give your all for the Kulkor Zhul's gambit to work. You feel yourself speak, loudly calling out demanding an audience with the Ghostlord. Instead, two more substantial spectral lions emerge to attack you! As they do, you see your hooded comrade sneak in through the lion's mouth, hoping to use the time your blood buys to claim your true prize.

Combat 3 (Moderate X): The players are Doom Fist Monks battling 2 Ghost Lion Brutes.

With the spirits defeated, you see a gaunt figure standing at the base of the lion monument, its skin stretched thin, its robes covered in bones, a burning wand in its hand. A voice like the desert wind echoing through a canyon speaks. "You impudent fools dare trespass on my domain and interrupt my solitude? Do you seek to steal my treasures? Trample on my memories of the past? It is no matter. You will not live to see this done."

The Ghostlord raises a hand and summons a tangle of vines from beneath you and a desert storm begins to swirl around you. You know you are doomed - all you have to do is stall a little bit longer to give the assassin time to escape with his prize.

Allow the PCs to ask a question or two if they try to talk, or have them come up with some other way to stall for a bit.

As the Ghostlord moves to finish you off, you see out of the corner of your eye the hooded assassin emerge from the Lion's Mouth, a small bone necklace in his hand, and magically fly off into the sky.

Snippet - Ulwai's Proposal

You see Wyrmlord Ulwai standing before the withered form of the Ghostlord. They stand in a circular chamber with a single patch of earth in the center, from which a horrifically diseased tree grows from this barren soil. Its twisted limbs writhe out in every direction, seeking to engulf the entire room.

The Wyrmlord speaks in a singsongy tone: "As I am sure you have discovered, scrying is of no use. We have hidden it beyond your finding. But come, we need not be enemies! Build us an army, and not only will we return your soul to you, but we will pay you handsomely for your services."

The Ghostlord's dry, canyon voice rings out "I need no payment. I have treasures untold from civilizations long dead from before you mother's mother's mother was born. I seek only solitude."

She replies, "Nevertheless, you shall have it. If mortal treasures do not interest you, perhaps more souls to keep yours company?"

Snippet - The Army Approaches

You see several marching feet in armored mail. Then, dozens of hobgoblins with the Red Hand insignia, filled with determination. You zoom out as if flying away from them, and see ogres, bugbears, andall other sorts of creatures. Further still, you move out and further out until you see thousands up on thousands of warriors, with giants on either side and dragons flying overhead. The Red Hand is coming.