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Hamshanks ignored all pretense of pleasantries as he pounded into the meeting room in the Grand Lodge in Absalom. "Never time to do it right, is there? Gorum see us through this, then." He grunted loudly and leveled his glare at the entire room. "Ever been to Qadira? Religion is almost a fad down there, with new cults springing up like weeds and getting crushed just as quickly. It has been that way for centuries. But some make a mark — on Qadira or in the Chronicles. Three centuries ago, the archdevil Moloch, preaching surrender to the desert heat, suddenly became the rage. Qadirans walked into the desert just to die just as if the heat was their paradise. The most devout sought out the hidden Citadel of Flame, where a fearsome bull-headed idol of Moloch judged them and sent the worthy to Malebolge, the sixth layer of Hell. No surprise that Sarenrae’s priests launched a mighty crusade to demolish the citadel. After two weeks, a great sandstorm swallowed the expedition — and, it seemed, the citadel and its idol. Nothing more was heard from either. Until ten days ago, that is. Sandstorms regularly scour the Qadiran highlands, and this time they emptied an entire valley of dunes. Poking out of that valley, visible only to those soaring above — such as a flying Pathfinder wizard — was the lofty spire of a fortress: the Citadel of Flame, presumably. Hopefully we are the first to learn about its reappearance and we need to act fast. The Decemvirate doesn’t expect any trouble, so they’re sending you. But I do expect trouble — who knows what’s infesting that citadel? Get in there fast and find that idol — it could be the key to the entire cult. It’s likely statue-sized, maybe as big as me, and should have a bull’s head on it. And for Gorum’s sake be careful."
Hamshanks waits and looks at you. Waiting for questions.
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Arthrax scratches his head, lost in thought. He looks up at Hamshanks, "Does this statue have any powers related to it? Or is it just a lump of stone? Also, can we get some desert supplies? I have a feeling we are poorly equipped for desert travel, at the moment..."
He looks around at his fellow Pathfinders, trying to get a measure of them.
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Lone knows that three hundred years ago, during one of the fiercest heat waves ever recorded on the long rolls of the Padishah Emperor, the cult of Moloch, archdevil of Malebolge and so-called God of Fires, spread honeyed words through the many markets of Sedeq and Dimayen and the small towns in between. Some of the Qadiran people, fearful of the sandstorms and unbearable temperatures scouring the desert, embraced these new prophets with a fervor that frightened the satrap. The streets seethed, fanning the flames of disquiet. The leaders of the cult of Moloch argued that the heat itself was holy, a landmark guiding Qadira to paradise but in truth they were encouraging their fellow Qadirans to risk the desert’s heat so that hundreds would die and the leaders of Moloch’s cult could claim to their god that they had made a great sacrifice for him.
Soon many Qadirans trekked alone into the dunes, giving their lives to the inimitable desert, and young Qadiran lovers immolated themselves in the hopes of reuniting in the f iery paradise beyond. All of these events increased the Moloch cult’s power in the eyes of the archdevil of Malebolge. Only the bravest of these enraptured souls were urged to seek the towering spires of the Citadel of Flame, the hidden home of the cult deep in the southern Meraz. There they would pay obeisance to a fantastically magical bull-headed idol of the cult’s deity. Most failed in their quest, perishing of thirst or in violent sandstorms and thus adding to the cult’s sacrif ice, and still more were judged unworthy and murdered. But those few who passed burned with an unholy flame so intense that it transformed their very souls into creatures of fire.
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"Arthrax Bellringer. I can debilitate foes with my axe. Pretty useless, otherwise." The large man chuckles, looking to their other comrades.
Of course, the man will gladly accept any hot-weather equipment that gets passed to them, and will even offer to carry extra gear for others with a less sturdy frame.
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From a back corner, suddenly a shadow moves in restless impatience. A hooded figure leans forward into the light and you can see that he looks.. different.. nubs protrude from his forehead and he carries a darkness around him that seems part security blanket and part shield. "Sir. With all of the deaths that this cult caused, what are the possibilities of meeting up with any undead?" Awen looks about the group studying them. "I am well equiped, even eager to meet these unnatural foes, but my companions may not be such."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Awen takes the directions and maps that are offered, and says "I am capable of getting us there. That will not be a problem. If no one else has questions I suggest that we get going."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Thinking the woman was probably more clever than he was, he purchases the same things she does.
"Let's be off! The last adventure I was on for the Pathfinder Society was a stupid murder mystery that completely escaped me, for the most part! This seems a bit more straightforward!" Arthrax grins at this last, his preference for straightforward things quite evident.
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Once you are ready to leave Absalom and travel to Sedeq. The voyage is short and without incidents.
Now, after a swift voyage to Sedeq and a tiring trek through the endless Qadiran dunes, the sun beats down on a maze of red slickstone, with delicate arches and towering columns called hoodoos dotting the landscape. Somewhere within this expanse lies the Citadel of Flame and within, the idol of Moloch.
The path descends through a maze of cliffs, opening into a slot canyon of smooth red stone surrounded by towering hoodoos. At the far side, two hoodoos carved into enormous bull-headed men leer down on the canyon, while those nearby look like stylized flames. To either side, the canyon walls rise steeply in a series of rough ledges to the clifftops above. Brass doors on a massive wall of baked gray mud can be seen through an arch at the far side of the canyon.
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Seeing nothing moving in the valley, Awen motions the group forward. "This appears to be the place, but let's be careful. There's no telling what may still be here!" As they move into the valley, Awen nocks an arrow to his bow and maintains a vigilant guard
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Awen knows that the creatures which created the scorch marks on the valley floor are fire elementals. Winella knows more about them. She can see that they are smaller than usual , they are immune to fire and vulnerable to cold. A hit of a fire elemental burns the opponent and the opponent might catch on fire.
As soon as the fire elementals see Arthrax approaching the center of the canyon they attack.
Winella
Elemental orange
Awen
Lone
Elemental red
Arthrax
Gregory
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Awen feels the heat of the elemental and jumps back fast enough to avoid further damage. With a hurting arm it is not easy to aim well so his arrow goes wide and hits one of the hoodoos. Lone swings his great sword at the elemental which just attacked Awen and kills it. The remaining elemental moves across the canyon and approaches Arthrax and Gregory and slams it's fiery arms at Arthrax. The fighter dodges the attack easily.
Winella
Elemental orange
Awen
Lone
Elemental red
Arthrax
Gregory
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Arthrax swings his axe at the fire elemental in front of him. He almost hits it, but in the last moment the axe swings through hot air. Gregory shoots his crossbow, but the bolt goes wide and hits the floor. He moves to the other side of the elemental and creates a flanking opportunity for Arthrax.
The elemental sees Gregory moving to the other side and tries to hit him with it's fiery fists but also misses.
Winella
Awen
Lone
Elemental red
Arthrax
Gregory