#Iomedae

[fried-piranha]

mommies！

[wearepaladin]

Iomedae Paladin by

Simone Stormrider Bucci

[jannaphia]

Arazni and Iomedae

Private commission for Nico. Thank you! ♥

[murthingsblog]

Oh yeah, Hand of Emotional Supp- I mean Hand of the Inheritor

I find it amazing that he was an angel of three (and a half if we count the commander from PC wotr) deities who definitely needed support: Ragathiel (It's tough to be a good angel if you are half-devil with anger (and daddy) issues), Iomedae (The knight and the beautiful lady, ah! he asked to become her champion, which the new goddess did not have), and now?

Arazni "I despise my followers and do not wish to be worshiped as a goddess because I do not deserve it" the Unyielding

I hope they heal their soul wounds together.

I love Inheribro

And Arazni

And Iomedae

And Ragathiel too

But WHY NOT a Hand of the Unyielding PAIZO. I like Promise of the Unyielding, Just wondering why

[lizzorasaurus]

Another Pathfinder deity!

Iomedae - The Inheritor, Lady of Valor - goddess of righteous valor, justice, and honor!

[dailycharacteroption]

Deity Drop 8: Iomedae

And so we’re back to the top of the list, looking at our second of the core deities of the Inner Sea Region, and it’s perhaps one of the most important for humanity: Iomedae the Inheritor!

The youngest of the Inner Sea deities, Iomedae lives up to her title by being the one that inherited the title of God of Humanity after Aroden’s death after serving as his second Herald after the death of Arazni. However, she did not start out this way.

Indeed, Iomedae is our first example of a mortal risen to godhood (outside of Aroden himself) and the latest (confirmed) to have done so by way of the Starstone, the legendary artifact that granted Aroden his own divinity, which he sequestered away in the Starstone Cathedral, a dungeon meant to protect such a powerful object and test the mettle of those who would dare to seek divinity.

In her mortal life, Iomedae started as a Chelish paladin in the service of Arazni and served in the Shining Crusade against the Whispering Tyrant. It was during and after that campaign that she performed 11 miracles, some of which were merely impressive feats for a mortal, others showed a spark of divine favor. The exact details of which are lost to time, but it is generally considered that the lessons learned from them are more important than the particulars.

In any case, her final act was turning her cloak into a bridge across the bottomless span to the Starstone Cathedral, where she took the test and ascended to divinity, where Aroden took notice of her and offered her a spot as his herald, which was recently vacated by the death of Arazni.

However, Aroden himself later vanished, presumably dying, leaving his followers and humanity in general in the lurch, that is until Iomedae stepped into his shoes, becoming their patron.

That being said, Iomedae is a very different deity to Aroden, focused more on goodness and righteousness and the fight against evil than he ever was, which he actually found inspiring.

Iomedae is a goddess of honor, justice, rulership, and valor, and leads by example to encourage mortals to do the same. Whenever mortals show courage against evil, compassion to others even when it puts themselves at risk, and even hand in their use of authority, The Lady of Valor smiles upon them.

So yes, Iomedae is the deific embodiment of what a knight is supposed to be, and those that follow her genuinely can be expected to be devoted servants of law and order, both on the crusade and back home seeing to the people.

(Keep in mind that unlike the real world, the crusades of Iomedae’s followers are generally expected to actually be motivated by a desire to defeat evil, since such things are tangible and real in Pathfinder. That being said, even lawful good groups can make mistakes, and not everyone is comfortable with the association with the Crusades)

The Light of the Sword appears much as she did in life, being a Chelish woman with short dark hair, adorned in fine plate mail with her sword and shining shield in hand, and sporting an aura that strikes fear and unease into even most fiends.

Iomedae’s personal realm does not seem to have a unique name, but it is located on the second tier of Heaven, taking the form of a pastoral and peaceful land that is nevertheless dotted with several keeps. The militant nature of the realm makes it a useful support for the archon armies of the heavenly mount, with many archons training there and staffing it’s keeps in case someone ever dares to invade the celestial realm.

Naturally, humans make up the majority of Iomedae’s worshippers, though she accepts all with righteousness in their heart. Warriors that value honor, as well as civilians that try to live their less violent lives by the same principles are equally worthy to her. Additionally, there is a sizable population of halflings that believe in her message despite having a history of enslavement by humanity in the Inner Sea Region.

The Inheritor counts most lawful and goodly gods among her allies, and the chaotic and evil as her foes. She shares something of a rivalry with Irori due to the differences in their methods of ascension to the divine, and she holds a grudge against Pharasma for her secrecy concerning the death of Aroden. She typically has no friendly dealings with beings of evil, though she cautiously hears out Asmodeus and his cronies, sifting through the lies and corruption for nuggets of wisdom.

Her servants are composed of angels and archons in abundance, and she even has her own unique angelic servants in the form of the iophanites, small burning disc-like angels that can transform into shields. Her current herald is the mortal Queen Galfrey, who stepped down from her previous role as leader of Mendev in order to serve the goddess. Her previous herald was the Hand of the Inheritor, who was captured and corrupted by the Demon Lord Baphomet, leading to his death. Additionally, Iomedae is served by the likes of the superior iophanite Jingh, the celestial gold dragon Peace Through Vigilance, and Saint Lymerin, a former priestess of her goddess uplifted to an avian-headed celestial form.

Iomedae’s domains are Glory, Good, Law, Sun, and War, with the subdomains of Archon (by way of Good and Law), Chivalry, Day, Duels, Heroism, Honor, Hubris (by way of Glory), Light, Redemption, Revelation, Sovereignty and Tactics; all of which reflects her nature as a god of righteous warfare, but also of kindness and perhaps a little recklessness in the pursuit of what is right.

Meanwhile, her 2E domains are confidence, might, truth and zeal, which reflects those aspects as well. Additionally, she offers the alternate domain of duty, as well as magic of uncanny accuracy, increased size and might, and warding oneself with flame.

The obedience of the goddess is simple enough, being an hour long ritual of reaffirming one’s vows to follow her teachings while dangling your holy symbol from your preferred weapon. Those that do so are blessed with insight when it comes to diplomatic matters and recalling information about the upper echelons of society.

But of course, as a full deity her expanded powers are split into three. The first of which, her evangelist powers, reflect her courage and the fear she strikes into evil. She grants spells that dispel fear and imbue allies with the blessings of courage and heroism. From there, She grants power to pierce the magical defenses of fiends or protection from them if you are no caster, as well as the ability to infuse spells (or weapons for non-casters) with holy power to pierce the immunities of such fiends.

Meanwhile, her exalted ones draw upon her command of holy energies, able to cast protective wards, enthrall with words, or smite with rays of light. They can also learn to imbue their weapon with a deadly burst of holy wrath against their foes, and even summon mighty shield archons to aid them.

Finally, her sentinels reflect her history as a mortal paladin, first granting spells that bless weapons or armor, as well as bolster strength. Afterwards, she grants them an improved ability to smite if the sentinel is a paladin, or a lesser form if they are not. And finally, their blades are blessed to banish fiends back from whence they came.

Iomedae is actually very prevalent in Starfinder, retaining her role as patron of humanity, as well as any species that values honor and valor alongside warrior prowess. Her largest religious organization is the Knights of Golarion, which act as righteous defenders of the Pact Worlds and anyone else that calls out for aid with their mighty fleet of warships.

That will do for today, but I hope this was inspiring and interesting to read, and shines some new light on the role of the typical “uber paladin deity”. Tomorrow we’ll be going for something a bit more obscure, delving into a forgotten god from the Mwangi Expanse.

[lukedanger]

Day 18 - Compromise

A little late for @owlcatober, but better than never, right?

[Ao3 Link]

====

In some ways, being a god was not so different from being a mortal.

Iomedae grimaced as she looked at the map of the Worldwound and the regions around it again, updated before her eyes as she could watch the individual battles waged. Even if gods did not need such tools to be aware, it was still useful when interacting with their heralds or other servitors. Watching worlds turn onwards, all to try and figure out how best to aid those under her charge within the limits placed on her.

And as she watched the triumph of Drezen, the culmination of fate, opportunity, and no shortage of mortal courage, she should have been happy. The demons had been thwarted at Kenabres, and having lost so many fighters while the main crusader army was unmolested they had been vulnerable. Queen Galfrey had seen the opportunity, and committed everything she had to it - even her own power as she elevated a new Knight-Commander.

It was the exact kind of thing that Iomedae herself had prayed for as a mortal, when she had ruled a besieged Kantaria. For the enemy to overcommit, be broken, and then to exploit it to put them on the defensive. To take the initiative from them. Yet now, in Aroden’s position, she felt only frustration.

After all, as she looked at the Knight-Commander, she saw what her mortal followers had done. She had heard their thankful prayers for deliverance at long last, and the questions of those who wondered what took so long… or the one mortal who should have been her chosen, had Iomedae chosen someone at all. It was a surprise for her.

After all, she only knew Knight-Commander Elaina as one of her paladins, no different than Irabeth Tirabade whose valor, leadership, and ability to organize chaos had rallied Kenabres’ defenders to give her supposed chosen the chance to save the Wardstones. No different than Seelah, that rising errant who if Iomedae was to be objective could have easily filled the same role. If anything, Iomedae would have chosen Galfrey: the queen for a century who had sacrificed her own mortality long past the point she should have been able to pass the duty on, who had been praying for any guidance on what to do beyond ‘hold the line’.

Someone else had created a false chosen, and she was at a loss as to who had done so. Yet, it had delivered the first genuine victories over the Worldwound’s hordes in many years.

It never should have come to this. And she still wondered if it was her fault that things had degraded so far. She should have been able to figure out something better than the Wardstones. They should not have had to wait for circumstance to finally work in their favor.

“We gave them the tools they needed. It is not your fault that they cannot use them.”

Iomedae looked up at the armored dwarf standing at the door, gilded plating over his red blacksmiths’ apron and clothes. Torag, ever punctual, was early to the strategy meeting.

“You know better than me that demons are a far different beast than orcs.”

Torag grimaced at the snapped rebuttal, but did not immediately answer as he walked towards his spot at the map and summoned an image that Iomedae had been focusing on.

“This is true,” he finally conceded as he looked at the new Knight-Commander. “What is your plan, then?”

“That is where I am at an impasse. I should tell her the truth, even if privately. The Hand has already asked that I clarify the situation, and he will not wait to seek out Lariel’s sword. I will have no better chance.”

“So why not tell him, then, if it eats you so?” 

“Because all I would do is undermine the first victories Golarion has had against the Worldwound in decades. I cannot tell her where this power comes from, or why it is seemingly transforming her into a celestial. All I can do now is tell her what she is not, and the only thing it would be salve for is my desire for truth. Truth I still do not understand.”

While honor was not technically one of Torag’s divine areas of concern, he bid his followers to still act by the expectations of dwarven honor. He understood keenly why she would be torn on this issue - how honorable was it to allow false glory to be attributed to her? Yet, on the other hand, how honorable would it be to undermine one whose honor was under her guard?

“Even after centuries of experience to ground you to divine reason, you still try to think as a mortal.” He stroked his beard. “Then so be it: what would mortal Iomedae have done so long ago?”

Much as she did not want to answer, she knew what ruling Kantaria had often demanded. What she had seen the crusaders need to do time and again to hold the line. “Compromise. At least until I could act definitively. Balance concerns to keep everyone content, if not happy, no matter how much I loathed it.”

“And what is your compromise?”

“Let it stand, until I know the truth.” She loathed the very idea, but Torag had cut to the meat of the point. “When I know, I will descend and tell my paladin the truth, whatever it is. Until then, I will let her reconstitute the crusaders and drive a lance into the Worldwound.”

“You have given her the tools of a paladin, and others have entered her toolbox. It is up to mortalkind to decide what they will create or destroy. What of the Hand, will you allow him to go?”

“Perhaps his guidance is what she will need, and it has been far too long since he stood among the crusaders. Together, they can find the truth.”

Torag nodded approvingly. “Let them find their own way. It may not be the way you seek, but it is not our place to solve all of mortalkind’s problems.” 

He waited for Iomedae to offer a response, then as she stayed silent he offered a smile. “If you must draw your attention away, perhaps you might join me on a trip to Elysium? Cayden Cailean has a new brew, and is looking for company to try it with.”

Iomedae smiled in response. Perhaps a chance to step away, for a short while, was just what she needed.

Some things truly never changed.

[humanfishystink]

蹭波热度😱🫳

[nairdde32]

Paizo was so real for this

[onehobgoblin]

Okay, head cannon time:

Does anyone know if the whispering tyrant did something big after failing to take over Absalom the last time?

Because if not I have a theory: Aroden was his biggest enemy and he fucking died while the lich was sealed away. Imagine getting to the city with a brand new undead army, ready to kill your nemesis just to discover that someone else already did it.

If he didn't make anything big after this is because the lich is fuckin depressed, megamind style, after losing his enemy.

Imagine Iomedae approaching him and calling him for a fight and the Whispering Tyrant being like "IT'S NOT THE SAME THING!"

[kageshoud]

More of my Pathfinder OC Sorin ! I hate painting metal ;;

[greaterstolenlandspolycule]

The more I read about Arazni and Iomedae’s relationship, the more I become fascinated with it and sure that I will riot if the latter dies. Iomedae was originally a paladin specifically of Arazni (Inner Sea Gods, 77), back when she was Aroden’s herald—and Iomedae was also the leader of the Knights of Ozem (who considered Arazni their “patron saint” (Knights of Lastwall, 8)) who bound her and forced her to lead the Shining Crusade against Tar-Baphon* (Knights of Lastwall, 9), who ended up killing her, allowing her to eventually be transformed unwillingly into a lich by Geb (Knights of Lastwall, 9). Arazni’s whole thing (okay, not her *whole* thing, that’s a bit reductive), of course, is that she doesn’t forgive (see, for instance, her edicts in Gods and Magic, 54). And yet there’s no specification of her holding the hatred one might expect towards Iomedae (although she absolutely has a grudge and is resentful, she doesn’t seem to *blame* her)—in fact, “a small part of her takes comfort and even pride in Iomedae’s achievements” (Eulogy for Roslar’s Coffer, 72).

*I’m not sure if Iomedae was the one who bound Arazni, or if she even gave the order for it, but there’s no specification that she didn’t, and frankly, it would be weird for something this big to happen under the leader’s nose. The idea that Iomedae gave at least tacit approval to binding Arazni is supported by their creator, Erik Mona, in this thread, although, as he himself notes, messageboard posts are generally only “quasi-canonical”.

[rollofleaf]

WIP Wednesday!

I decided the wedding fic could use a little bit of toxic yuri... Nothing nsfw (yet), just setting up.

Iomedae stood alone in her temple, smiling serenely as she walked around. Her hand brushed over tables and seats that had been arranged for the wedding, a celebration just short of ostentatious that had transformed the usual pews and altar. She didn’t mind. What she did mind was the delicate footsteps on stone of the woman that had just entered the temple. Her presence alone put the goddess on edge, and the sound of her steps was rapidly growing annoying.

Nocticula wore her own serene smile, looking around and focusing on the stained glass window depicting the Inheritor. “Hm. I suppose there’s proof I’ve changed. I can walk into such a sanctified place without bursting into flame!”

Iomedae cast an idle glare at the newly-ascended goddess. “You certainly do not act like you have changed.”

Nocticula slid up to her with a faint smirk. “I haven’t threatened or hurt anyone all day. I didn’t even have to hold back any impulses, I just had no desire to do it. The old me would have found that quite difficult.”

“You will forgive me if I doubt the truth of that.” 

A fleck of annoyance crept into the former demon lord’s voice. “Oh come now, Inheritor! You and I both know that you can see my aura, and there’s no way I could hide it from your eyes. Listen, I know I still have my barbs and my tongue, but I really am trying to be a better person. Hah, just the other day I got a prayer addressed to the ‘Redeemer Queen’. He wasn’t even put up to it by Ember, I checked!” A content smile grazed her plum lips, quickly buried under a smirk as Iomedae studied her face.

Iomedae looked away. It unnerved her, that Nocticula could just change so easily. Her victims wouldn’t receive justice. She sighed and changed the subject. “Why are you here, ‘Redeemer Queen’.” The name was uttered with thinly-veiled contempt.

“I’m here to apologize.” The part of Nocticula that still lived for drama drank up the brief look of shock on Iomedae’s face, but her face made it clear that she was quite serious. “I know I’ve been a thorn in your side, to put it lightly, especially regarding the Worldwound incident. I know my succubi and I have done horrible things to many of your followers, I know the Worldwound’s existence is partially my own fault, so… I am sorry, Iomedae. And I would like your advice regarding what I could do to begin to atone…” Her gaze faltered, a sheepish glance cast at the ground. Some part of her still found the act of apologizing to be degrading and pointless, that little voice in her head taunting her with Look at how the proud demon lord has fallen, debasing herself for some sanctimonious bitch! But she shook it off. She had resolved to stop doing bad things, but trying to atone for some of her worst misdeeds was also an important part of changing.

You and your kind have murdered thousands. There’s nothing you could ever do to make up for that. The words almost came out. Iomedae had to bite her tongue to hold back her judgement. No, no, it was her duty to support the fledgling goddess. Even if she had not entirely been convinced of Nocticula’s transformation, even if she was still furious at the former demon, she had to try and push her towards good. Showing mercy was just as important as fighting the unrepentant, if not more.

[redsinistra]

Portrait Commission - Gabriel of Kenabres

I don't know why I didn't upload him here but, here we go! Commission from the last batch! Made a roughter style for this one. Meet a Champion of Kenabres named Gabriel, (nephilim) for the Wrath of the Righteous Campaign (Pathfinder 2e) we are playing together. This is fo a dear friend of mine :). TY SO MUCH!! ❤️🥹

They are OPEN: Ko-fi Commissions 🌟

[murthingsblog]

Okay

A completely spontaneous idea that I'm starting to find charming.

1. We don't know (?) (I definitely don't know) anything about the Iomedae family except that they are from Cheliax and were born around 3800

2. Aroden was very much loved in Cheliax, Cheliax was the center of worship of Aroden

3. ...

4. Pick any story about the divine conception of any mythical hero demigod and tell me that Aroden couldn't pull off something like that

5. Do you know what mythical demigod heroes do? Labours. Or, for example... Acts

6. The Inheritor is starting to sound a little ironic if Iomedae is literally Aroden’s daugther

I'm not saying it's canon, but I am saying I'll be exploring this idea for a while because I see potential in it. It's funny

[quenthel]

Legend