Clash With a Chosen

The Sacred Dimension

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A central obsidian altar is encircled by statues of former champions, each uniquely posed, their expressions reflecting triumph or failure. This place is a temporary space, designed solely to test the characters. When done, it will vanish.     While in this sacred pocket dimension the following applies:  

• Boundaries. Feels vast, but attempting to move more than 60 ft. outward or upward reveals an impenetrable boundary.
• Light. The chamber is brightly lit with no obvious source.
• Truth is Absolute. Creatures cannot lie here. Any attempt to do so results in them instinctively speaking the truth.
• Conjuration. Summoned creatures remain for 1 round before returning to their home plane. This affects familiars. This does not affect Ori’s summoned deva.
• Divine Magic. When a creature casts a divine spell, roll 1d20 . On a 17-20, the spell slot isn’t used. This affects Ori.

Ori & Forest

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Shortly after the characters arrive, Ori and Forest appear at the central altar. Give players enough time to display their confusion and try to understand what is happening before bringing Ori into play. Ori is a tiefling infused with divine power and the arbiter of the trials. Like the characters, Ori has no choice in this; everyone is bound by the will of a god.     Ori of the Plains. (L/G, Male, Upiryrial Chosen)
Ori was once a celestial Upiryrial (aasimar), but a curse turned him into a tiefling. This did not strip away his divine purpose. He is fierce, unyielding, and unapologetically honest. Ori has embraced death as an inevitability and wears his doomed fate like armor. His voice carries the weight of someone who has seen the truth of life and doesn’t flinch.   Roleplaying Ori of the Plains
Personality Trait. “I am weary, yet I do what I must.”
Ideal. "Divine Rite. I am bound to my duty."
Bond. "Death doesn’t frighten me. I’m ready."
Flaw. "I don’t want to carry this burden forever."

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Forest. (N/G, Female, Blink Dog Companion)
Forest is a blink dog with ashen fur and faint silver. She is always by Ori’s side, bound through divine power and love.

Challenge One: Trial by Combat

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This trial is a test of poise under pressure; battle reveals truths words cannot. Ori does not wish to injure anyone, but will not hold back. He must understand how they face real danger.   Encounter. This is not a fight to the death. Ori, alongside Forest, summons 1x deva who uses its Change Shape ability to take Ori’s form. Lair Actions occur each round (see reference). If Ori or a character dies, their body vanishes and they reappear at the altar 2 rounds later with 1 hit point. Ori ends the trial once each character has shown how they respond to adversity.   Tactics. Ori and the summoned deva switch places each round, working to confuse opponents. Ori disarms the most dangerous weapons, while Forest moves them to inconvenient locations. Ori targets those who have evil in their heart or are unsure of their choices. He does not wish to change them, but to make sure they understand why they have chosen their path.   Linked Companion. Forest is spiritually connected to Ori. All damage dealt to Forest, Ori takes instead. As a bonus action Forest can Blink, grab a dropped item, and appear elsewhere.

Challenge Two: Trial by Identity

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This trial is a test of unity and legacy. Ori does not participate but may offer insight into Tus’Alim or guidance to those unsure how to begin. The offering must reflect who they are and what they will leave behind. It is a measure of their resourcefulness.     Encounter. The characters must craft something as an offering, using the provided divine materials. It can be a weapon, armor, focus, staff, or something entirely symbolic, but it must reflect their purpose as a group. The crafted item should embody their journey, unity, and individual contributions. Each character should add personal flair while crafting collectively. They are given as much time as they are willing to invest. The trial tests devotion and collaboration, not speed. Follow crafting rules on pages 128-129 in the DMG, or use those on the reference page.

Challenge Three: Trial by Truth

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This trial confronts the character’s burdens. A pressure fills the space, pressing inward until the air is gone. Characters are aware of the trial’s parameters and the total hit point threshold they must reach together. Players should stay quiet and in character, leaving the numbers and knowledge hidden for the mechanics.     Encounter. Characters cannot breathe and are restrained. At the start of their turn, a character takes 10 force damage. At the end of their turn, a character may choose to sacrifice additional hit points and confess a flaw, regret, or familial sin aloud, then make a vow to atone for it. This continues until everyone falls unconscious, or the characters have collectively sacrificed 100 hit points and each character has made a vow to atone for their confession (see reference). If a character falls unconscious before making a vow, they are excluded from the trial’s benefits.   Afterward, Ori offers his support whether or not they succeed.

Rewards

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Divine Creation. The characters receive the item(s) crafted during the trial. Only those who complete their geas gained during the Trial by Truth can attune to these items. If the geas is incomplete or removed, a character cannot attune.   Restoration. If the trial is completed successfully, all surviving characters receive the benefits of a long rest to prepare for the challenges ahead.   Heroes’ Feast (If Ori Survives). Before the group departs, Ori casts heroes’ feast, granting the characters its benefits as a gift.

Alternative Crafting

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Player Agency. Allow players flexibility to describe how they approach the task. Encourage the players to decide as a group what they are crafting. The item should reflect their purpose, unity, and ideals. Balance is up to GM discretion.   During the Trial. Let the players explain how they contribute, whether through skill, magic, or ingenuity. Use skill checks (Arcana, Religion, Smith’s Tools, etc.) sparingly, only to enhance roleplay or resolve creative ideas, not as a requirement. Focus on collaboration and the meaning behind the creation.

Tiefling Curse

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Tieflings in Dromaria are cursed by the demonic, cut off from the cycle of reincarnation. Their soul cannot return, and upon death, they face oblivion. This curse is rare, manifests in youths, and is a symbol of cosmic judgment with no cure.

Tus’Alim

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Tus'Alim, the first god, embodies ancestry, ceremony, and history. Creator of the Upiryrials, it values legacy and intention.

Lair Actions

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On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Sacred Dimension takes a lair action and causes one of the following effects. These actions also affect Ori, but not Forest or the deva.   Tus’Alim’s Voice. DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or lose the ability to speak until the end of your next turn.   Tus’Alim’s Sight. DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn.   Tus’Alim’s Touch. DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or you are unable to hold objects until the end of your next turn. Any items the creature is holding are dropped.

GM Advice

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Use this encounter when characters are nearing a major turning point. Divine intervention should feel sudden, but not random. Let omens, visions, or signs of Tus’Alim foreshadow the shift. When the trials end, Ori offers aid and insight to those who seek it. Only then are the characters returned.