We were preparing to chase after the Rasper when we noticed that our companion Fay was missing. In her place was a shifting demonic portal. Thinking quickly, not wanting to abandon our friend to whatever horrible fate awaited her, the three of us leapt into the portal after her. We found ourselves in a DESCRIPTION REDACTED island surrounded by demons; the demons seemed quite surprised at our arrival and oddly not hostile. I marched up to one and demanded to know where Fay was, but it didn’t have any clue what I was talking about. That’s when we heard a voice from a ways off - “No, no, no, I know them!”
Approaching us was a woman dressed in elaborate colorful silks. I had never seen her before, but my two allies seemed to recognize her. “Remember me?” she said to them; apparently her name was Ula. We demanded that she explain herself immediately and take us to Fay, and she said she had to take us to the one in charge of this place. After following her for a while, we got to a large stone structure like a castle. Inside, sitting on a throne, was a woman with phoenix-like wings, who immediately knelt down before Ula. The mysterious woman laughed and dismissed her, before transforming into the shape of a demon mistress; I recognized her from my readings on the demons as none other than Nocticula, the first succubus and the ruler of the Midnight Isles.
We had a brief chat with her about why we were here. Nocticula apparently wanted to help us against Baphomet and Deskari because of some grudge, but we were quite against the idea of accepting aid from a demon lord. Nonetheless, she exerted her will on us anyway, placing a burning fiendish mark on Felix’s neck. Then she shifted us out of her plane back to Golarion.
We found ourselves in the outpost, where Vincent and Arueshalae had been directing troops and killing demons and apocalypse locusts. We were informed that somehow we had been missing for two days, and the battle wasn’t going too well without us. Vincent took us into the war room to help with a tactical decision. They didn’t have enough men to protect both the wealthy of the city and the poor of the lower dock districts, so he needed to figure out where to send his soldiers. I wanted to send them to the impoverished lower districts who couldn’t protect themselves as well, but Felix had the idea to escort the poor across the city to the upper districts to protect them all. It was a risky move, but it had the potential to save many lives, so we decided to go for it.
Then it came time for our really risky play: taking the fight directly to the Red Rasper and his dragon. Fay was still in bad shape from her time in the Abyss, so we took Vincent with us instead. The Rasper was out on top of a citadel northwest of the city; on our way there we were ambushed by two apocalypse locusts. The fight went less well than expected; Felix and I were grabbed in their pincers, and they managed to kill Felix before we took them down. Saggaroth and Vincent teleported back to the outpost to get a Hellknight Signifier to raise Felix, then teleported back to where I was keeping watch at the site of the battle; then we kept going.
We arrived at the citadel a while later. The Red Rasper was perched on his dragon 200 feet up; rather than climbing the inside of the building, we decided to simply fly up to him. That would reveal itself to be a mistake shortly, as the dragon charged us and knocked me out of the sky, where I plummeted to the ground and crashed upon the rocks below.
I awoke on a bed in a white room. For a moment I thought I was in a hospital somewhere, but I had a strange sense of peace in my soul. I exited the room and went exploring. I went down a white hallway that opened into a large dining room. Sitting at the table was a Chelish human woman with black hair, wearing armor; I immediately recognized her from religious art as none other than Iomedae herself. I knelt before her, too stunned to speak, and she bid me rise. I was a bit shellshocked at being brought before my goddess in person, so my memory of the conversation isn’t perfect, but she showed me a vision of myself in a general’s regalia and told me that I would be leading the Fifth Crusade of Mendev, that I was to be an important figure in the events of the near future. She also said that my allies would be visited by their gods as well, and that we would all receive gifts.
I then awoke in my bed at the outpost. By the bed was a golden chalice; when I touched it, I knew that drinking from it would invigorate the drinker permanently, but when it was used a few times it would return to Iomedae. I went downstairs, where Arueshalae was shocked to see me. I explained my death and my vision of Iomedae to her, and she told me to drink from the chalice and see what happened. I did so, and I felt like my vigor and health had been boosted quite a bit. I gave some to Fay too, then I waited for my companions to return. The battle outside had ended, as all of the remaining demons and locusts had left; we took this as a sign that the Red Rasper had been defeated, but in reality he had escaped.
I then found out that our plan to evacuate the poor of the city had failed, and that over 20,000 people had been killed by the locusts. This was a great blow to my heart; I can’t help but feel that it was partially my fault. Now I am even more determined to wreak revenge in those people’s name against the Red Rasper and all of demonkind.
It was then that Felix’s slaves were delivered. One of them in particular, a halfling girl named Wynn, took quite a liking to Felix after he explained that she was free now, and decided to stay close by his side. The rest of his slaves did the same.
The next morning, I went downstairs planning to get ready to go to Mendev, when I was greeted by none other than my old friend and fellow crusader Irabeth! I was glad to see her, but she was urgently speaking with Vincent and the others; she explained that she was sent a few days ago because the demons, led by the Storm King himself, had broken through the wardstones and were attacking Kenabres! Our presence was needed immediately, so we decided that Saggaroth would teleport there with myself, Felix, and Wynn; Irabeth would escort the rest of Felix’s slaves and the still-recovering Fay.
When we arrived in Kenabres, the Queen greeted us by immediately granting me the rank of General. I was quite honored to receive this title, but it was no time for ceremony; there was a war to fight. Galfrey took her paladins to the front lines, while I was left to direct other troop movements. I sent Arueshalae with a group of forces to secure the southern border of the city, while I and my companions took the rest towards the western gate where the demons had broken through the wall.
On our way there, a light shined upon us from above. Floating down to us was a beautiful figure with resplendent white clothing, carrying a golden trumpet. This was a Trumpet Archon, a being of pure Law and Good, and it had been sent by the goddess Shelyn to assist us in our quest. We welcomed its presence gladly, and made our way over to the western gate to fortify it against the demon horde.
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