DM Rah's "The Citadel of Flame" PFS PBP Gameday (Inactive)

Game Master Kobash

"Hmmph. You make good points." Vulcus strokes his beard and puffs on his pipe as he considers. "Let me finish forging this blade and I'll be givin you my decision. Oh, and I wouldn't suggest climbing the stairs. Gets mighty hot up there, and Hafshi would likely kill you for bothering her."

He turns back to the forge and starts pounding away at the sword, bending it into ugly uselessness with every shower of sparks.
*Clang!*
"Oops.
*Bang!*
"Damn."
*Clang!*
"Oh, that's bad."
*Bong!*
"Hmm, might need to start over."

"Happy forging, sir," Haku says with a smile, before heading to the stairs.

If not the stairs then where? Do you have a different suggestion?

Sark tries not to laugh as Pascal asks his question,then says as he passes her "Come on Pascal, lets go meet Hafshi." and climbs the stairs watching for traps on the stairs and on any doors.

Are there any other apparent exits besides the ramp and the way we came in?

Alden not wanting to be left behind tromps up the stairs.

Ugly oils his sword with the magical lube, or was that- lube his magical sword with oil ::shrugs::, quite certain it'll be going into the dwarf in the next few moments.

Vulcus ignores the group as they move towards the stairs, though he does continue talking to himself.

"Tis a shame Hafshi likes it so hot up there. Would really like to be opening these vents and let the steam disperse."

There are no other exits.

Haku looks around to see if there is some way to open the vents that the dwarf is talking about...

Vents eh. Well, no need for everyone to stifle in the heat eh? I'm sure they work you hard enough as is.

Pascal joins Haku in the search.

Alden taking the hint, joins in the search for vents or something resembling vents.

Pascal can't quite figure out the engineering of the vents, but Haku and Alden point out what Vulcus is referring to. Redirecting the vents, however, is not a simple task and requires someone good a working with mechanical devices.

Sark is the only one with enough skill to do this, so it is up to him to decide on whether or not to disable the vents.

Haku stands there looking at the vents, "I wonder how these open? Anybody have any ideas?"

If Sark wants to try to disable them, Leonides will cast guidance on him first.

There is no apparent penalty for failure, so if Sark wants to disable them he can.

Sark looks around expecting the others to have followed him, when he sees them still on the ground floor he returns and listens to what they are trying to do. "Sure looks easy enough, you just pull this and push that...."

Sark will take 20 to disable the vents

While simple for Sark, the process is beyond comprehension for all others. As the vents shift and the steam disburses the thought might cross a few minds that the one who suffered twice under burning flames might have just saved all from third such event.

Leaving Vulcus and the forge behind the group ascends a long, winding ramp that gently loops up through the Citadel. According to the slave's book found among the gaav's belongings this was called the Pilgrim's Passage and was of enormous ceremonial importance to cultists seeking service—or death—with Moloch.

The corridor's walls are decorated with mosaics of a female pilgrim's journey. Throughout these scenes, a small golden idol of Moloch perches on her shoulder.

The innermost loop is covered in a large mural that shows the pilgrim abandoning her family to begin a pilgrimage to the Citadel, as well as her journey through the Qadiran desert, with sandstorms, steadfast refusal of water, and a heat-induced vision of Moloch. At one point in the loop a super-heated vent of air from the forge blows upward across the outer wall. Next to it lays a pile of black sand. The slave's book mentions cultists using it to scour their bare faces.

The middle loop illustrates the passage through a hoodoo maze. The pilgrim encounters increasingly large fire creatures, but in each case she prostrates herself to them and is allowed to pass. At the center of the hall an obsidian statue of a towering bull-headed man looms over mosaics of pilgrims kneeling before it.

The outermost loop shows the final judgment of the pilgrim. The golden idol looms over the entire Lava Temple, reflected in every torch, lava pool, and smoke plume. At the end of the passage the mural depicts the pilgrim placing her hand in a bonfire of blue flame. A much smaller brazier of blue flame stands on an ornate sconce in the passage.

At the top of the Pilgrim Passage sits an ornate spiral stair leading up. The murals here depict Malebolge, where the pilgrim has been reborn as a fiery warrior clad in black armor and standing in a paradise of water and palm trees (though hints of darker skies and fiery storms can be seen in the distance, reflecting the true nature of Malebolge). Along the walls, choirs of fire creatures sing in celebration, and a frieze on the ceiling shows the golden idol of Moloch smiling over his hordes.

Four doors along the outermost loop of the Pilgrim Passage lead to the residence halls of the old cult, which were spread through the many spires and minarets of the Inferno Heart. Each of these chambers constitutes the central hall of a tower with several more rooms, both above and below the entry points, along with bed chambers, guardrooms, a rude kitchen and dining hall, latrines, and storage closets. Nearly all are long abandoned, with the floors covered in a thick layer of desert sand, the simple furniture broken, food long-since desiccated or rotten, and no signs of life.

Only one of the many chambers has been cleared of sand and set up with three rough bunk beds and a simple shrine to Moloch.

If you want to clear the other sand filled chambers it will take 10 minutes for one person to search each of the 20 sand-filled rooms.

Sark takes in the wall's story with a smile then says " Let first search this room then clear the rest, no telling what we may find, one of us should watch the exits other foes showing up, sound like a plan guys?"

Alden shrugs having lost Sark after his explantion of the vents.

"Sure. Why not?"

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 Nope.

"Huh." The big islander shrugs, "Sure, let's take a look."

Sark searches the first cleared room and watches out for any traps set up in them, then moves to the room to the south and starts to clear the room of the sand, moving to each of the other rooms we clear all the sand, opening each of them. Unless something stops us we clear all 3 filled rooms.

Can I take 10 on the Knowledge check?

Leonides, yes you can.

The inquisitor chuckles to himself as he looks over the mural. "It's in lovely shape, and artistically it's quite pleasant, but it does skip over the whole 'millenia of torture' thing. Arshea promises far more honest pleasures."

Still smiling, he begins to clear sand.

Somewhat disappointed that the dwarf didn't put up a fight or set a trap, Ugly slams the sword back into the sheath and follows the others. He takes intense interest in the told story; sometimes walking back a little to reexamine the passed portions. Ugly didn't come to dig graves, so he volunteers to stand guard.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Take 10-20?

I think you can only take 10 on perception checks for standing watch.

Pascal joins in the search.

Searching the rooms along the Pilgrim's Passage, including the one already cleared by the cultists, takes about a half-hour, and unfortunately uncovers nothing hidden or of any real value.

"Up the stairs then!"

Sark looks disappointed when they find nothing. He checks each of the rooms for the stairs to see if they lead anywhere.

Alden echoes Haku.

"Up the stairs then."

It seems the group is going up the stairs. I am unable to update the map until tonight, so I will move this along then.

The only way leading further are the stairs at the top of the Pilgrim's Passage. Haku and Alden have already suggested that route. Is everyone following?

is there stairs in each room? looks like by the map if they are blocked then yes i will follow from behind with bow ready listening to see if can hear anything on next level.

Leonidas joins the others on the way up.

The staircase opens onto a grand hall of polished obsidian and red marble. The walls are decorated with reliefs of a gleaming brass city, a massive sandstorm scouring a desert, and a horde of fire elementals descending on a city full of terrified humans. Rivers of slowly bubbling lava crisscross the floor, all streaming out of an elaborate altar at the far side of the room. Atop the altar sits a squat golden idol, 3 feet tall, of a bull-headed man, its arms raised and its hands holding a large thorned sword and a huge battleaxe. The idol’s eyes glow a deep crimson. Lava flows impossibly fast out of the bull-headed idol’s open mouth and down its torso, fanning out from there into rivers on the floor.

Behind the altar, an obsidian relief of geometric forms stretches from floor to ceiling. Smoky forms flit across the relief ’s surface, their fiery eyes staring out at the room.

A robed woman stands before the altar, arms raised and prayers streaming from her in a tongue much like that of the gaav. As you enter, she turns and glares at the interruption.

"You have not performed the rituals of the Pilgrim. Your presence is an insult to Moloch." She reaches for a mace at her side, and bears her teeth in a viscious smile. "But your sacrifice will please him."

INITIATIVE - Round 1
Sark 22 <=UP
Pascal 17 <=UP
Ugly 16 <=UP
Hafshi 14
Alden 13
Leonides 9
Haku 5

The map has been updated.

Haku grips his club tighter, I wonder if Pele is related to this Moloch. If so, an ugly cousin to be sure!

"Right...", as Ugly squeezes off a silver round.

pistol: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22dam: 1d8 ⇒ 1

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Stepping into the room Pascal launches both her chakrams at the robed woman.

attack 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
damage 1: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

attack 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
damage 2: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Sark shouts "Spread out, we dont want to be hit with area spells!" With that Sark moves into the room and hops over the lava flow to the south and lands surrounded by lava. In the red glow of lava Sark draws and fire's an arrow at the robed women aiming for her throat.

jump: 1d20 ⇒ 13 oops forgot the +7
att: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12dmg+sneak: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8

Sark moves into the room and looses an arrow, but it bounces harmlessly off scale armor Hafshi wears beneath her robes. Pascal steps in and throws two chakrams. One misses completely, but the other slashes her arm. Then the sound of Ugly Stranger's firearm cracks the air and blood wells from a grazing hit to her cheek. She touches the small wound and glares across the chamber, then raises her left hand in a complex gesture and chants a spell.

A glowing thorned sword appears before Pascal. It slashes at her, but she ducks away.

Attack on Pascal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

INITIATIVE - Round 2. Since we are now just going back and forth I moved all PCs going at the end of round 1 to the beginning of round 2.
Alden <=UP
Leonides <=UP
Haku <=UP
Sark <=UP
Pascal <=UP
Ugly 1<=UP
Hafshi

Sark curses his luck and fire another arrow at the mage but the glow of the lava throws his aim off and it goes wide. He hops over another lava flow and runs behind the alter and ducks out of the sight of the mage.

att: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

jump: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Ducking from the glowing sword, Pascal draws and launches another chakram at the cleric.

attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"Demon witch!", Ugly reloads and shoot.

pistol: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25;1d8 ⇒ 7
threat: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8;1d8 ⇒ 5

Alden moves with all haste towards the witch.

Speaking in Infernal.

"Asmodeous will be pleased that My companions and I have stopped one such as you."

Ugly, firearms threat on a 20. Also, I don't see alchemical cartridges in your gear and it is a standard action to reload a one-handed firearm with a normal bullet.

Alden, looks like you are trying to move behind the woman, not towards. Are you positioning to flank?

Leonides calls out, "The judgment of the Empyreal Lord Arshea falls on you!" Pronouncing judgment, swift action, initially activating as 2 points of fire resistance. The inquisitor is surrounded by a flickering aura. He leaps over the lava stream separating him from the priestess, his flail spinning in an arc which unfortunately fails to terminate on his foe.

Leaping the lava: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (11) - 2 = 9
Flail attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Sorry oversight. Reload this round, keep rolls for next? Also move him away from group

Haku twirls his club as he moves forward, hopping the lava stream Acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19 and steps up to the woman, taking a swing at her!

Club, 2-h: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

lol I mistook tokens. Red is enemy yes? Have repositioned to the correct place and taking an AOO i think.