Clebsch GM Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path (Inactive)

Game Master Clebsch73

Tauni raised a hand to the wall, not touching it but sensing the energy of it. "Madness," she said. "Whispers of madness. The chaos and evil of the Abyss have permeated the very stone here." She pulled her hand away from the wall and added "It may be able to be purged, but it would take as much positive intent invested as the negative intent that created it. Probably years of concerted effort." She shook her head at the waste of it.

When Karas asked about what they might do when this is all over, Tauni frowned. Why was I thinking this would never end? Such dark thoughts... It must be the terrible influence of this place already seeping into me. She shuddered, and then chimed in to the conversation. "I've thought about traveling. I would like to see Varisia, where my foster parents are from. Growing up near the Worldwound, I heard tales from crusaders who came from all over the world. They talked about the wonders they saw, both natural and crafted. I would like to some such things. The Eye of Abendego. The wonders of Magnimar and Orision. More than I could see in an elf's lifetime."

Karas Took the lead with Ellena as they descended into the whispering madness of this place. "Maybe the crusaders can cleanse the building itself if we can clear it."

--------------------------------

Karas looked out into the distance before replying to Raine. " I don't rightly know. Honestly until I met a certain angel" *he gave a loving glance to Anarya in her glorious form* "If I'm being truly honest, Kenabres wasn't exactly easy living for me. Aside from making sure Terendalev is remembered, I don't know. Make sure people like me don't get such a bad wrap in the rebuilt city?"

He smiled at Tauni as she replied with her dreams of wondrous travels.

Anarya shudders as they cross the threshold into the dark underbelly of the fortress. "It feels cursed down here... the Worldwound is always twisted, but this... this is foul in a whole new way." Her light wavered for a moment, but then Karas turned and looked back towards her - and she found the strength to continue. Her halo surged into brilliance once more as she smiled at her love.

She turned to Tauni. "There will be time for that cleansing to come. When the demons are beaten back, when this land belongs to its people once more... even this will heal."

The heroes felt as if they were descending into a miasma of dark, negative corruption that made their skin crawl and made them all feel as if they could use a hot soapy bath to remove the stench. The steps descended 40 feet and ended at a room carved out of the bedrock that underlay the citadel. The walls of this chamber held numerous dark, narrow prison cells, many littered with long dead remains of prisoners. Around the main entrance stood an iron cage, with a cell door blocking entrance into the main vault. Opposite the entrance was a locked set of double doors set five feet into an alcove. Sturdy locks were visible on all doors. Once into the iron cage area, two passageways could be seen going west from the main room, one north and one south of the cage. No creature, living or unliving could be seen moving about in the room. See map Drezen Dungeon G1.

While locked the cage door and other cell doors showed no signs of traps and Raine had little trouble getting past them. Raine can take 10 and open them.

Looking through the area past the cage, nothing of value was found among the remains of prisoners. The room northwest of the cell block was apparently used as a place for jailers to rest when not making rounds. It was empty except for some scraps of bone leftover from someone's meal.

The southwest room was much the same as the one to the north, but as Raine looked at the far wall, she noticed a faint outline. Anarya noticed it as well. The outline appeared to be a secret door that did not appear to be trapped or locked.

The doors to the east had small windows just big enough to see the hall beyond. A long hall led west, ten feet wide with cell blocks to the north and south, some small, some larger, with a large room at the far end. Nothing stirred in the area, which was obviously a prison. These doors were locked but apparently not trapped.

All doors marked in white are made of iron (hardness 10, 60 hp, break DC 28). Locks past the first room are DC 30 unless noted.

Ellena was fine leading the way....that was her job, of course. She wanted the others to help her decide which direction to head with their sharper eyes. ”Do you want to go to the secret door first,” she whispered, once it was brought to her attention.

”Pick a proper direction, and I’ll guard us as we go,” the Paladin calls out, keeping her shield and sword at the ready.

"Yeah, that secret door sounds like a good idea," Raine agreed. "Hang on just a tick though."

The redheaded woman retrieved a string from her pack and the tin cup and utensils from her mess kit. It took less than a minute for her to tie the string across the closed double doors with the mess kit dangling from the string.

"If anybody opens these doors while we're pokin' around, it should give us a bit of ruckus and noise as a clue," she explained.

After she confirmed that she could see no traps, Raine took up her position as rear guard. A murmured spell hardened her skin to the texture of bark, and she nocked an arrow on the string, before nodding to either Karas or Ellena to be the one to actually open the secret door.

The angel's smile always gave him confidence.

With a nod to Ellena, Karas approached side by side with her to open the door and allow her the have her sword and sheild at the ready.

Avelina giggled at the simplicity of Raine’s trick. ”Absolutely delightful, Cousin! They shall not anticipate such mundane measures, knowing our extraordinary powers.”

She paused before they continued on, placing a hand on Ellena’s shoulder. ”Here, My Champion: I grant you the power of The Spirit of the Champion. As is only fitting.”

Cast heroism on Ellena using her new spell like ability. It will last 90 minutes

The secret door was cleverly designed, so when the proper point was pressed, the block of stone filling the wall pivoted back and up, creating an opening that could be walked through. Beyond could be seen a sturdy metal cage in the shape of a ten foot cube. It was at the edge of a ledge. No creatures appeared to be inside or in the vicinity of the cage. The edge of the terrace is lined with bars that prevent movement beyond it, although the cage has an unlocked gate that allows entry and egress from the cage and so would offer a way though the bars.

Moving through the door revealed a vast chamber. The cage enclosed an elevated lift at the top of a high terrace. A line of chains and an array of pulleys allowed the cage to be lowered down into the room or moved across the room to a set of double doors at the far side of the chamber.

The terrace and cage both overlooked a large chamber with walls that seemed to glow red hot. Heat wavered in the air, and wisps of vapor periodically wafted up from the floor and walls, but the temperature atop the terrace was rather cool. Below, in the center of the room, squatted a large forge made of black and red metal.

The floor of the forge area was about 20 feet below the terrace level. In the light given off by the forge, a group of at least four creatures could be seen slithering around tending to items in the forge or moving materials around the rest of the area. The creatures had snake-like bodies that had a humanoid torso about the same size as a normal person. Their bodies were licked with flames and appeared as hot as the room itself. Anarya, Raine, and Tauni recognized them as salamanders. Each carried a spear on his back. Monster Lore options in the next post.

The forge floor extended northwest and southeast with passages leading beyond what could be seen from above. Anyone reaching his or her hand over the edge of the terrace found the air extremely hot. Apparently, some magic protected the terrace area. Looking at the area through the lens of a detect magic spell revealed the cage seemed to have the same protection from the heat of the forge as the terrace. It would take magical protection from heat such as endure elements to endure the forge area; even Karas might be injured by particularly strong drafts of hot air.

Those detecting magic found the whole room radiated strong chaos and evil. The forge itself was highly magical.

So far, the salamanders appear not to have noticed the heroes, but anyone casting spells or moving into position to cast spells into the room or to make ranged attacks into the room will risk being detected.

Anarya and Tauni get 2 spoilers and Raine gets 4, plus all can see the general description.

Waiting for the knowledgeable folk to advise before declaring an action.

Ellena felt a best sensation at the supportive magicks granted by Lady Avelina. She’d felt many helping spells before, but never this particular one. She tingled as the magic steeled her for battle. A good thing, she thought, as she looked down on the salamanders and felt the blast of heat from this forge place.

Taking DR and Immunities.

"Use magic weapons, and don't bother trying to burn them!"

Taking general, special attacks, spell-likes, spellcasting

Raine squinted narrow-eyed at the salamanders through the shimmering haze of heat. "Salamanders," she whispered at the others. "Evil warrior sorts, make weapons, like demons. Real damn peaches. Even their skin's hot and their weapons'll burn ya to if you're not careful. We maybe could use some protection against fire or the like.... good news is they can't cast no magical spells about or even stuff that looks like magic, so there's that. Ready when ya are."

”If anyone could protect us from the opporessive heat, that’d be wonderful. My armor will get really hot really fast, I’m afraid...”

"I might be able to do something..." Tauni bit her lip as she thought. There's a spell that helps shield from heat, I might be able to pull it off. But if I do, it may draw their attention."[/b]

Thinking Wild Arcana to cast communal resist energy.

Karas' silversheened skin tingled at the heat.

"I'm ready to go when the rest of you are. If necessary save the heat resisting magic for yourselves. I'll endure it."

The GM said spellcasting will probably draw attention to ourselves so probably gonna be fighting shortly

Avelina accepted the fire resistance from Tauni graciously. She really will have to remember herself that she has such versatile stores of magic.

Anarya remembers their (lack of) spell resistance and their weakness to cold.

"They are creatures of fire, so icy attacks will be particularly effective - and they are not resistant to magic," Anarya notes quietly, keeping her voice low. She nods at Tauni. "Cast your spell. I will cast along with you to imbue us with fervor - Avelina, if you have a similar spell to call upon, now is the time."

When one of the others starts casting, Anarya will cast blessing of fervor on the entire party. (Presumably this would happen during the surprise round?)

When everyone is ready, Tauni will cast communal resist energy vs. fire. It will give everyone DR 20 vs. fire. I can split the duration in ten minute increments, so it will be ten minutes for most of the group, and twenty for Tauni and Cobblepaw.

The salamanders on the forge floor picked up on the sounds of the heroes entering the area near the transport cage. They looked to see who was entering, expecting Staunton or his brother. When they did not recognize their allies, they readied for battle, dropping what they are working on and readying their spears. They could get up to the ledge so they just gathered in a broad circle around the center of the forge floor.

Position yourselves on the map. The salamanders cannot initiate combat, as they appear unwilling to throw their spears, keeping them as melee weapons. The cage can be entered and the apparatus used to move at a rate of 10 feet per full round (either down or across at ceiling height, 30' above the floor). The cage has an exit door to the SW through which PCs may move if they can fly or if they wish to jump or climb down. Climb DC is 25. PCs get to act first in Round 1, which starts once the PCs begin to act. The protection spell is sufficient to prevent damage from the heat, but remember the other modifiers for the CE alignment and the unhallow spell.

Assuming that nothing stops Raine from using archery from the upper ledge down towards the salamanders, she will just stay on the top and use ranged from there. Moved.

Smirking at the world of hurt they were about to unleash on the evil creatures before, Raine nocked an arrow as she jogged forward to an advantageous position.

Tauni moved up after Raine, glancing around with a frown. Why aren't they coming for us? Concerned that other foes may be lurking, Tauni cast a spell to seek out the hidden.

She'll cast extended see invisible, and look for any flyers are ranged folk that may be invisible.

If we have time while they are just looking up at us, I'd also like to cast mage armor.

”Whats the best way for us to get down there,” the paladin asks, wanting to get down to the level of the salamanders and begin thrashing them properly n

Karas moved into the room and looked over the fiery beings.

"maybe we can use that lift?"

Avelina strode into the room and looked down at the villainous salamanders. ”Battle has been joined! If they do not wish to close, or fight from range, they shall learn their lesson.” She calls down a familir burst of light upon them.

I should be able to hit four of them if I center the ten foot burst on the top right corner of 2’s square

SR Check if needed (spell pen, greater spell pen): 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 13
Damage (only taken if evil): 5d4 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 4, 1) = 12
Dazzle/Blind Duration: 1d4 ⇒ 4

DC 22 reflex save to reduce the blinded effect to dazzled. The damage is not reduced on a successful save, but they do not take any if they are not evil

Three of the salamanders were temporarily blinded by Avilina's flash of very bright light. One managed to close his eyes in time and was not blinded. Their flesh became mottled with dark spots, the magical damage done by the light reacting with their evil natures. S1 is dazzled for 4 turns, S2, S3, and S6, are blinded 4 turns. All take 12 damage. The salamanders do not have SR.

I assumed the pre-battle spells were cast back on the other side of the secret doors, so Tauni could cast mage armor at that time.

Raine can take her shots. The salamanders are not flat-footed, since they are expecting trouble.

Options for getting to the floor of the forge: move into the cage, open the gate on the far side, and jump down (20 foot drop) or climb down (DC 25, 20 feet), or fly down if flight spell is available, or lower the cage, which will take two full round actions of whoever is manipulating the mechanism (turning a crank that shifts the chains supporting the cage and lowering down). You could also lower the cage for 1 round and jump the last 10 feet.

"Why bother goin' down?" Raine smirked. "If they're dumb enough to stand there and wait for us to come down, I'm just as happy turnin' them into pincushions from up here."

An arrow streaked from her bowstring as she spoke.

I am assuming just a single attack since I moved forward.

Vs #5 (Fav Enemy, PB, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 17 + 4 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (8) + 17 + 4 + 1 - 3 = 27
Damage (bow, PB, FE, DA): 1d8 + 3 + 1 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 + 4 + 6 = 18

Ellena moves into the cage. ”One of you let me down. I’ll distract them so you can get Karas down to catch them surprised after,” she demands.

The mechanism to lower the cage can be operated from inside the cage or from the terrace. Karas (and any other PC) can ride with Ellena when the cage is lowered. That will start next round. I don't think anyone else has any ranged attacks they can make, so I'll have the salamanders take their turn and the new round will begin.

Raine's arrow found its mark, as usual, wounding one salamander. After they were attacked from the terrace, the salamanders retreated to positions affording them cover form attacks from above. The ones who had been blinded, moved northeast until they encountered the wall and then felt their way along the wall and moved out of view. The other one affected by Avelina's spell moved directly under the cage. The solid floor of the cage and the walls on three sides give him complete cover from spells and ranged attacks.

The other two retreated to positions behind the forge. The forge is big enough to give them complete cover as well.

Round 2: everyone may act.

"That's right, run!" Raine shouted at the salamanders taking up their defensive positions. "Right-- Karas, Ellena, I'll crank the damn thing!"

Will wait til Karas and Ellena are both in the cage, then do a full-round action to start lowering the lift

Karas nodded and moved into the lift

As the heroes went into the tiny lift, Tauni watched on. She was suspicious of the salamanders and their choice to retreat. She waited in case some of them decided to charge the cage on its descent.

For round 2, Tauni will ready an action to cast grease on the spear of the first salamander that rushes forward to stab Karas or Ellena. DC 16 reflex save or slapstick antics ensue.

I think that nobody has actually cast endure elements yet so Anarya will take care of that!

Just before the lift descends, Anarya reaches out to touch each of her allies. Her hands carry a comforting coolness which spreads through each of the heroes' bodies, shielding them from the sweltering heat of the chamber.

Inspired spell for communal endure elements, 4 hours each (CL 11th).

I think that nobody has actually cast endure elements yet so Anarya will take care of that!

...

Tauni already cast it.

When everyone is ready, Tauni will cast communal resist energy vs. fire. It will give everyone DR 20 vs. fire. I can split the duration in ten minute increments, so it will be ten minutes for most of the group, and twenty for Tauni and Cobblepaw.

It is known that attacks from the salamanders can inflict additional fire damage, so Tauni's spell will protect against that eventuality.

Anarya can cast another spell or take another action.

Everyone can take their round 2 actions when ready. I'm not going to worry about melee initiative order for this battle. I'll assume actions occur in the order posted, unless otherwise noted. This assumes a PC who acted earlier in the previous round delayed prior to acting in the following round.

Karas and Ellena are in the cage and one of them is operating the mechanism to lower it 10 feet (half-way to floor), unless someone up top wants to volunteer to do it. Anyone else who wants to take the lift down, get in the cage. See earlier post listing options for getting to the floor by jumping.

As the crank lowered them down Karas muttered a few phrases in draconic.

casts phantom blood

Avelina fired off a few more of holy arrows at the salamander that has taken up position down below. ”You all carry on, darlings. I will keep you covered up here with Raine.”

Volley of Holy Arrows Magic Missile: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 2) + 4 = 15

”You should best surrender, salamander. We have the high ground!”
Intimidate (heroism, bloodline arcana): 1d20 + 20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 20 + 3 + 1 = 34

Standard to cast magic missile on 1, the move action to intimidate

Ellena uses her divine bond ability with Radiance, making the blade even more wickedly effective fir the job ahead of them.

Adds another +2 to it for one minute.

Raine dourly cranked the lift.

Avelina fired off a few more of holy arrows at the salamander that has taken up position down below. ”You all carry on, darlings. I will keep you covered up here with Raine.”

[dice=Volley of Holy Arrows Magic Missile]4d4+4

”You should best surrender, salamander. We have the high ground!”
[dice=Intimidate (heroism, bloodline arcana)]1d20+20+3+1

Standard to cast magic missile on 1, the move action to intimidate

All the salamanders have total cover at the start of round 2. The furnace is tall enough to hide the two waiting behind it and the one under the lift has the floor of the lift blocking a line of effect. So Avelina can save her spell until one comes into view. This also limits the use of Intimidate to demoralize opponents. The opponent must be able to see the person attempting to demoralize him/her/it.

Call it a ready then, that’s fine. She’s not going down

Anarya could cast a different spell than endure elements since Tauni took care of the heat issue already. Then we need actions for Anarya and Tauni for the round that the lift is descending, including whether they are in the lift or not.

Not in the lift, and will renew her ready action for the next round; if a salamander charges those stuck in the lift as it descends, she'll cast grease on its weapon.

I think we're all set on the crucial buffs then - everyone remember the effects of blessing of fervor that Anarya already cast. Instead of endure elements she'll just cast guidance on Karas, and while the lift is descending, she readies an action to cast burst of radiance on any foe who moves out of cover towards the party.

None of the Salamanders moved from their hiding places.

The one below the cage jammed something into the space between the edge of the cage and the rock wall. The cage would not descend any more until it was .

Those in the cage will have to jump the last 10 feet. See Acrobatics Skill for rules on jumping. They can take their actions for the round now.

Karas slipped over the side and to the ground facing the creature underneath the lift.

I have had time to look up the rules for how many action I'd have left but I'd rage and take a swing if he's in range

Aw heck, my post must have got eaten. Let me try again.

Elena rides down as far as she can in the lift. Once she felt resistance, the brave Paladin kicked open the door and jumped to the floor.

Acrobatics 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (17) - 3 = 14

acrobatics+guidance: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 1 = 29

Karas landed on his feet with changes in processed. Icy rime coated his claws as he rushed the Salamander under the lift.

eating the AoO

Claw attack,PA: 1d20 + 18 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 18 - 2 = 22
Claw Damage: 1d8 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 4 = 17
Claw Cold Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Blessing of Fervor benefit +2 to hit, +2 to Ac

Elena also lands on her feet and moves to the closest enemy, swinging Raidance with all her might.

Mythic power attack 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Damage 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Ill take an AoO to get my attack off if necessary.

What is Karas' AC? His profiles lists 23, the header has 27, and in either case, is that including the +2 from Divine Fervor? Probably best for everyone to list their current AC, since it could shift due to whether or not one is using the BOF boost to AC or not. I'll narrate the action after I learn Karas' AC.

Anarya's current AC is 29. She (and anyone within 10 feet of her) gets a +2 deflection bonus against any evil creature (+1 for Anarya, since she already has a +1 deflection bonus), and she gets another +2 sacred bonus against outsiders with the evil subtype.