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 would 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.”
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.
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Raman searches the exotic-looking landscape, her dark eyes scanning with the focused intensity of a hawk. She’s a striking young woman, if not exactly pretty in the traditional Vudrani sense. Her body—outfitted practically for the hot climate underneath her braided leather armor—is athletic and long-limbed. She stands with both arms folded across the top-end of a brand new darkwood longbow, the other end stabbing into the sands at her feet. Every few moments she idly taps her one thumb against the long, black braid that falls forward over her shoulder.
”Explore, report, and cooperate, no?” The words, delivered in the crisp, practiced manner of a well-educated Vudrani woman taught to speak Taldan by tutors, are carried on a surprisingly-low voice. She cuts her dark gaze over at her fellow pathfinders, her mouth quirking into a half-smile, ”I do not suppose Hamshanks gave anyone a map?”
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Xavilon, a tall half-elf with dark hair and pale skin, seems to search in his memory anything related to Moloch's cult and this part of history.
At the end of the briefing, he can't help but bark, laughing:
"Weeeeeell it looks like Sarenrae's cult failed once again against devils. Not the fist time, though."
The half-elf's eyes widen with a crazy expression.
"Devils shall never be taken too lightly. My family owns their stigma. I WEAR their stigma! A SHAME FOR A FOLLOWER OF VILDEIS!" he shouts, showing a birthmark on his right hand in the shape of Asmodeus' pentagram. You also see that there are a lot of scars on this birthmark and soon notice that most of his skin is covered in scars, some still wet from blood.
You ask around about such a temple with the locals in the nearby market after talking with Hamshanks. A woman carrying a basket of apples casts her eyes downward as you ask her of the Citadel of Flame. In Kelish, the woman says a few words, but repeats herself in Common once she sees that you don't understand the language. "I know nothing of this Citadel."
As you speak, a man of the Sarenite faith passes by and hears you speaking and he spits on the ground, cursing in Kelish before moving on. The woman quickly departs as well.
You think it will be hard to garner any information on the place in Sedeq.
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Yalandlara looks for a shadowy place while her companions seek information. Not that she did not wanted to help...
Yalandlara is a small elf with a slender frame, tanned skin and blond hair fashioned in a ponytail. She is considered beautiful for the elvish standards, even if a little small compared to humans. She was born with a special condition in her silvery eyes, granting her the ability to see in dark, but the bright light of the day, specially here in Sedeq, hurts her eyes.
I hope this does not take too long... the weather here is to hot and dry... She misses the waters of Lake Encarthan where she was raised.
Hum... maybe I can find somewhere with some cold beverage.
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Raman raises her eyebrows at Xavilon’s outburst, but is saved by Melody’s comment, which brings her gaze back to the waiting landscape. She nods, and echoes the woman’s observation with a simple response. ”Beautiful.”
She stands quietly like this for a few more minutes, then finally breaks the silence. ”So we need,” she looks over at Yalandlara, the elf in her outdoorsy travel gear, ”a person who can find things out here, no?”
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Yalandlara nods.
"You are right, sister." Lara pauses for a moment. "I think I can find our way to the Citadel, specially if we wait a couple of hours so my eyes are not dazzed by this burning light."
Lara looks at the indirect sunlight in the floor.
"It will be more pleasant to travel also... see, I prefer the moonlight, but since you can not see the way I can, we could depart a couple of hours before the eventide."
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Erasmus is a man of lithe body and long limbs. His skin isn't so deep olive-colored for a Varisian, but the yellow eyes shows his heritage. A long hair colored in black and white, and many tattos on the skin complements his appearence.
Before get there where they are, Erasmus seances with her sister's soul, Nissa, near to a practice yard in Sedeq, far from any curious eyes. Once at that place, he listen his new fellows in a contemplative silence.
Erasmus analises everyone there, as if he is trying to know what are their special gifts, only by stare them. "I'm Erasmus", he introduced himself, "and I agree with you, this place is really beautiful", he says trying to be friendly.
When Yalandlara suggests that she could help them to find the way to the citadel, he just consents with a head shake.
Leaving Sedeq, the group travel along the route given to them by their superiors. It leads to a trail through a canyon. Shortly after traversing down into the gully, they find a short branch path marked on the map. 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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As we leave Sedeq, you notice that Xavilon walks and moves with a noble grace, displaying years of education. Though, the inquisitor already seems bored after a few miles. He stops to recover his breath along the road and stares at the shifting sand. He then points at some marks on it.
"Well it seems like we have company. Look closely, these are faint scorch marks littering the shifting sand and rock walls of the canyon. Anyone knows what it is?"
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Despite concentrated in taking her companions to the Citadel, Lara quite talkative and charismatic, much different of the normal ‘lone wolves’ that normally make the function of guides.
"As I promised, my friends, here is the Citadel!"
Also noticing the marks in the ground.
"These marks, the are not from any normal animal or inhabitant of these lands... Do not know what it is, buff for sure nothing of our plane."
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Raman walks along, bow in hand and arrow nocked. At the mention of the tracks, she looks up … obviously impressed with the two trackers, and giving each an appreciative look.
”Anyone knows what it is?”
Raman shrugs and shakes her head, her low voice serious. ”I am guessing we will find out.”
As the group continues forward, she nods to Erasmus's suggestion and lets Kazamir and Xavilon lead the way, trailing them at about fifteen feet with her mule tethered behind her.
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Raman winks over at Yalandlara, "We have a saying in my country. मुख्य पाठ्यक्रम से पहले ऐपेटाइज़र.” She gives the men in front of her a reserved smile, ”It means ’appetizers before the main course.’”
She goes back to scanning their surroundings. ”And I like this drunken god. He seems a good companion in a ..." she searches for the right Taldan phrase, "tight spot, no? Though he seems reckless."
As you approach the citadel through the slot canyon, you enter the playground of fire elementals, which makes sense given the name of the target. It also appears that these unexpected elementals don't take too kindly to your intrusion.
The two elementals leap from behind elaborate bull-headed hoodoos and rush at the party before anyone can react.
Initiative:
Initiative:
1st: Xavilon; Yalandara; Erasmus; Kazamir; Raman; Melody
2nd: Fire Elementals (Red; Blue)
Xavilon moves forward to slash at the elementals, managing to send some of the flames into dispersal as Raman leaps back to Xavilon's previous space, trying to avoid the ire of the two elementals adjacent to her, but she trips and both lash out at her.
One of the fiery beasts is able to catch her as she dodges, burning her.
Melody looses an arrow at the same time as Raman does, dispersing both elementals in a single volley.
Once you defeat the elementals, you are free to investigate the canyon. The bull-headed statues leer down on the valley while the flame-carved hoodoos rise gracefully far above the canyon floor. The arch at the east end of the canyon has a multitude of faint runes carved on its front.
[spoiler=Kelish and Successful Perception check] These glyphs record the prayers of Sarenrae’s crusaders as they were buried alive by a massive sandstorm summoned by the cultists.
Status:
Xavilon @ 11/11 HP
Yalandara @ 10/10 HP
Erasmus @ 10/10 HP
Kazamir @ 12/12 HP
Raman @ 6/11 HP*
Melody @ 10/10 HP
*Pending "On Fire"
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Nodding at the dispersal of the fire creatures, Raman swipes at the embers that threaten to alight on her clothes. "That went well," she declares as she pulls out a wand. In short order, her light burns are fresh, untouched skin.
Not knowing to make of much of what is in front of the team, the Vudrani woman simply waits and watches.
The group has no interest in the glyphs as they mill about while Raman heals herself and Xavilon makes an off-handed comment about a few being in Kelish. Either way, the group presses onward through the tunnel to the gates of the citadel.
Beyond the arch, the red stone hoodoos open up to a massive citadel. The stronghold appears to have two parts: the nearest is a squat, square fortress covered in decaying plaster and topped by an enormous minaret from which a thin plume of smoke escapes. The plaster walls are richly decorated with intricate geometric carvings of dancing flames, and smaller minarets rise from the corners. At the east end of that building, the valley floor drops suddenly and a windowless second structure perches on a plateau beyond, rising gracefully from the void in a tangle of minarets and spires. Even though centuries of sand have scoured away most of the gold leaf that once decorated the structure, the sunlight reflecting off the deep red stone of the citadel makes the entire structure glow like a massive bonfire. A delicate, red, enclosed bridge links the first fortress with the second one beyond. A pair of massive brass doors covered in a flowing decorative script blocks access to the near fortress.
The brass doors are closed in the entryway and must be moved manually (DC 20 Strength check). They are adorned with glyphs similar to those in the clearing.
Status:
Xavilon @ 11/11 HP
Yalandara @ 10/10 HP
Erasmus @ 10/10 HP
Kazamir @ 12/12 HP
Raman @ 11/11 HP
Melody @ 10/10 HP
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Xavilon stares at the arch and the walls in wonder. He states "Wow, my cousin would like to be here. I gotta tell him what we saw."
Seeing the blank faces of his companions, he adds "He's an Ifrit. Yeah, pretty strange family..."
He moves towards the doors and tries to open them with his strength, using divine insight to help him.
"Oh mighty Vildeis, help me to open these doors so that I may discover what evil lies within!" While praying, he uses one of his nails that is pretty long and seems sharp to scarify his arm, licking blood off the minor wound.
As you push the door open, the giant brass doors creak and moan as if they haven't opened for ages.
The entry hall is clearly meant to impress visitors. Many rows of stout pillars, carved to resemble writhing flames, surround the center of the room where a spiral staircase, devoid of rails or walls, leads up to the minaret above. A large bonfire burns in the middle of the staircase, casting normal illumination throughout the room. The walls are covered with written prayers in Ignan carved in gold filigree as well as stylized efreeti faces spaced every 5 feet. Massive obsidian benches line the walls, and a thick layer of desert sand covers the floor and stairs, especially near the entryway.
As you enter, the sand in the middle of the room bears a set of footprints leads towards the stairs and continues upwards.