GMG's PBP: Series of the Fiend (10-11) (Inactive)

Game Master Tyranius

“Rachikan has been discovered!” exclaims Venture-Captain Adril Hestram as he peers up from a collection of ragged maps, dusty tomes, and tarnished coins from behind a massive desk within the Grand Lodge in the heart of Absalom. His excitement quickly fades and Adril gestures toward an elderly man sitting by the hearth.

“May I introduce a former Pathfinder and respected friend, Benton Grone. This gentleman has suffered a great loss to bring a grand discovery to us and he has agreed to trade all rights to his claim of locating lost Rachikan in return for locating his missing nephew. Go with him and make haste; he has agreed to guide you to the Pillars of Anferita in Cheliax.”

Helldot

A comely woman with pale blue skin and dark blue ombre hair swept up into a neat bun wanders in and greets the Venture Captain with the pleasant but slightly distant smile of a well-coached diplomat. She wears stylish yet functional silk clothing in the reds and blacks of Cheliax, but in the modest cut and style typical of an ambassador. Her cloak is secured by a brooch pin bearing the insignia of an infernal eye looking out of a swirling portal.

She nods a friendly greeting to Benton Grone "I am Svetlana, I am sure I will be able to assist"

She places a book with a well-worn leather cover on the table, the gold leaf lettering on the front of the volume has mostly faded and flaked away but the title can still be made out - 'The Measure and the Chain'. She toys with a shining wayfinder emblazoned with an emblem of a silver dragon absentmindedly as she talks.

Diplomacy - Take 10 for a 20

"Yes I had heard that large purchases of mining equipment had been shipped from several cities in Cheliax to the Pillars of Anferita. I also heard that a member of the Pathfinder society spent several ancient coins from the Jistka Imperium recently in a town called Macini in southwestern Cheliax along the Inner Sea coast. He claimed to have found lost treasure and has since disappeared" she waits to see the mans response for a brief moment "I don't suppose the two are connected?"

"Anyhow, I just returned from a Jitskan ruin in Rahadoum a few days ago - golems, ghosts, and genies abounded, terrible place/ I do hope the coins are purely coincidental"

"Perhaps you could tell us more about the nature of your exploration in that area?"

Knolwedge (History) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Diplomacy, Gather Information 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Heavily armored with a mask hiding his expressions, this man steps forward with his trapping all the glory of Asmodeous.

"I have heard rumours of coin lost and the hand of this stern society called the Jistka Imperium." He turns to look around his companions.
"I see we are called upon in service to the Lord of Hells."

"Sister Hellion, I am glad to see you" says the hulking, armoured hunchback. He wears spiked fullplate and a tattered crimson robe; the armour bears the prominent symbol of the Order of the Gate - the same infernal eye that Svetlana wears.

The hunchback turns to Gratus: "The Hellknight Orders do not serve Hell, Brother. You and the Clergy surely do, but the Orders do not.

I have seen Sister Hellion at Citadel Enferac, I am certain, though we have not worked together before. I am Hellknight-Scientist Doctor Drokk. I, uh, make weapons. I am an alchemical engineer."

There is an echoing, wet noise from within Doctor Drokk, a clanging as a steel hatch in his armour pops open, and then there emerges from his hump a small, naked, grey lumpen creature. It has arms and legs, and vaguely resembles some kind of monkey. "Eeeek! Oook, oook!" says the monkey-thing.

"Ah, yes. Of course. This is Nigel." says the Doctor, indicating the creature that sits on his hump holding on to one of the armour spikes. "I grew him."

know.local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"I also heard stories of the missing pathfinder, but nothing more substantial."

Turning his masked face towards the one calling himself a doctor.
"I must have being gone for a long time to be told that the orders have fallen from the Service." he turns back to scan the rest of his companions, hiding his distaste from that mishappen creature on Doctor Drokk.

"The Orders are in service to our Great nation of Cheliax is it not? They in turn have arrangements with the Powers of Hells but if this is the state of the world, then so be it." the voice echoes from within the mask but it sounds dissapointed?

"Ah, 'twas ever thus with men of Faith. I am a man of Science! The multiverse is a thing of rationality and reason, capable of being understood and commanded by those who possess the wit and the will to do so.

Do not mistake me Brother. I do not deny the gods, nor the powers of Hell. I accept their aid when it is offered. I respect their strength. But I do not bend the knee."

"Indeed. I have not had the pleasure of spending enough time with the good Doctor here, as my work for the Order has seen me roving far and wide, but what he says is true. The Order of the Godclaw is an interesting example - they venerate aspects of Abadar, Asmodeus, Iomedae, Irori, and Torag. To them, setting the world on a righteous path is their greatest goal as opposed to revering one particular deity. I suppose I agree with them to an extent, the forwarding of law and order is what will create a civilised and decent society in which all may live in harmony and peace, what could be a greater goal?"

"The Order of the Gate focuses on the pursuit of knowledge from dealing with infernal servants in the worlds beyond. We are comprised almost entirely of practitioners of the divine and the arcane, however, we still need to be ready with sword and steel to keep our scholars protected. I suppose my impure blood can be useful from time to time as well, it is a good thing I am used to having it shed in service to the Order"

A half orc in the standard hellknight plate, but with his mask not currently worn, Karzug speaks. "Karzug am cleric of best tree god Erastil. Join Order of Pie-ur to keep bad gods from Golarion. Kill followers of Lissala and other bad gods." He nods, seriously. "Not serve hell, serve Erastil. Also serve other not-so-bad gods, but mostly Erastil."

"Welcome Karzug, it is not often I encounter members of the Order of the pyre"

"Mmm. 'Tis unusual to find a follower of Erastil amongst our brethren, but welcome all the same. I wonder what it is that brings four Hellknights together under the Pathfinder Society's banner? Lost treasures, a vanished empire, and a missing nephew. Well then. Mr Grone, is it? What can you tell us?"

"Karzug not sure whether it okay to talk about it. But mission is mission, so better know things than not know things. Karzug can grow big and like hit things with axe. Well, not like to, but good at it when Erastil let him be. Can chop people like chop wood. Also able to heal and bring people back to life if they not dead very long. No one here hate Erastil, do they?" He looks about, because despite his simple nature, Karzug knows that preaching and proselytizing is not something that's always okay. After all, that's part of why he joined the order of the Pyre. It totally wasn't that he misheard it as pie.

"And if anyone need anything, let Karzug know. Him are able to ask best tree god Erastil for many blessing. Erastil very good god. It nice to meet you Svet-la-na, Drokk, Ny-Gel. Also nice meet man who not say his name."

"Be assured, Brother Karzug, I do not hate your god. Nor do I hate Asmodeus for that matter. Your blessings are welcome. I hope that you will also find my science welcome. And my fire.

I have studied rare fighting techniques. As death grows close, I grow stronger. Nigel is more vulnerable, but he can always hide inside me, where he can quickly heal. He used to be very protective of me, but for some reason of late he has grown quite cowardly. I must remember to conduct more experiments to determine the reason for this."

"Eeek. Ooo-oook! oook!"

"Erastil is fine, in his own way he is about forming order out of chaos - even if it is mostly focused around building orderly farmlands out of the wilds, replacing the tangled chaos of the woods with neat crop rows and predictable planting cycles"

"It is certainly unusual for four Hellknights to be formed under the Pathfinder banner, but perhaps the mission is in territories controlled by Cheliax and the continued strained relations and difficult diplomacy may be well served by a collection of Hellknights representing three of the Orders."

The man retrieves a coin from his pocket "Coins like this?" he hands over the coin. On one side you see a pilar with a temple-like building on top of it. The other side has a Jistkan rune on it.

"My nephew, Eldis, send me a letter in which he asked for a meeting two months ago. He never showed up. With his letter he included this coin, saying he had discovered Rachikan at the pillars of Anferita. The meeting was supposed to happen two weeks ago. I waited for some days and then started to fear for the worst. I am a retired pathfinder, so where better to get aid than with the Society?"

Seven days at sea end at a view of the Pillars of Anferita bursting from the Chelaxian coastline, waves crashing against their rocky flanks. The central pillar’s curves, flora, and shape are perfectly represented on the discolored Jistka coin you now have in your posession.

As sailors from the hired vessel row toward the central column, a second rowboat in tow, Benton Grone breaks his silence. “It’s got to be here; the coin says so. Look at the picture on the back: A temple-foundry high atop this pillar awaits to be discovered. If old Rachikan of the Jistka Imperium is inside, then my nephew must reside there as well. Please hurry—find my poor Eldis.”

As the sailors row away from the pillars, taking Benton Grone with them but leaving behind a rowboat to return to the waiting ship, the waves slowly begin to push higher up the rocky harbor, signaling the beginnings of high tide.

The base of the central pillar is a haven for gulls, seals, and other wildlife that chirp and bark in the distance. Salty air assaults the senses, burning the nostrils on each deep inhalation. The wet surface of the pillar offers many nooks and crannies creating a dimpled appearance suitable for climbing up the pillar’s edge. High above, the top of the pillar can be seen cresting to what must be a great plateau. Somewhere up above, a rope, in excellent condition, is anchored and runs down the cliff to the rocks below.

Cliff face is 200 feet high

Svetlana fingers the coin and reads the lettering "10. I wonder what that bought you once upon a time"

***

The Hellknight looks at the weathered coastline and almost sighs "Home. Surely this is my last mission, and then I return to Citadel Enferac to take my place there permanently. My time with the Pathfinders shall soon draw to a close, so it is fitting my final adventure takes place here"

She looks up the cliff "I hope this nephew took a lot of food, or he's not going to be healthy when we find him"

As she moves towards the rope, the glammer surrounding Svetlana fades away slowly, revealing her to be dressed not in quality silks but finely decorated and ornate Hellknight Plate of blackened steel - featuring dozens of tiny leering imps of cold iron worked into the metal - closer inspection notes all of the Imps wings are razor sharp. On her breastplate is the seal showing the same Infernal eye staring out of a vortex, and also the seal of the House of Thrune.

She wields a bardiche with a wickedly keen blade of adamantine, she slings it carefully and draws a fine bow.

She concentrates for a moment and begins drifting upwards.

Levitate

During the sea voyage Drokk uses an extract of Comprehend Languages to decipher the Jistkan rune. "Uh, it's a number. Ten. A denomination of value perhaps?"

Drokk also preps some arrows with Ghost Salt.

Drokk asks Grone for a description of his nephew before parting.

"So. Our first challenge is a two-hundred foot rope. Can you all fly? Or shall I send Nigel ahead to scout for danger? I can shrink him down to a size so small he will likely escape the notice of anything that might dwell in or atop that cliff face."

"Ah, very well Sister. Up we go."

Drokk consumes his mutagen. His arms lengthen, and his hands sprout long claws. His jawline distends and his tusks grow, and fur-like black and grey hair sprouts from his flesh (though this is largely hidden by his heavy armour). Most notably, great black vulture wings sprout from his back. He beats his wings and circles upwards; Nigel retreats inside him. Drokk now somewhat resembles an armoured derhii.

"Ah Brothers indeed I meant no slight. I'm used to those of the same faith as me though I'm aware of other faiths within the Orders True. I myself am of the Nail and my last mission had me gone far before I have had the fortune to return." Gratus says as he notices his fellow hellknights get ready.

"I see that most of us are well and ready for this and I have prayed for spells to aid us in Fervor. I shall go up last and if you have had need of aid, I'll be happy to provide some." Gratus adds as he is unable to read the writing on the coin itself and more then willing to trust in his fellow knights.

What's the DC to climb?"

Earler
"There can be no slights between us, for surely we are unified in the common cause of building a structured and orderly society - our paths to that noble vision may differ, and the gods that guide our feet go by different names, but we share the same dreams and the same ideals"

***

As Svetlana starts drifting upwards she looks to her companions - "Are you all safe climbers?"

"I can mix an infusion that will grant one of them the ability to fly, or climb if preferred. Let us see if the pillar is safe first though."

Doesn't look like either of our ecclesiastical brothers is equipped for climbing. If they can't climb under their own power I can make an infusion of Fly or Spider Climb with my open level 3 slot, and Monkey Fish with my open level 1 slot (although that will require the recipient to strip off his armour). Otherwise, with a mutated Strength of 23 I can probably carry them up one at a time. Heavy load maxes at 600lbs (and I've got maybe 80lbs of gear not counting what's in the Handy Haversack).

"Karzug good climber, but that very far. Can still climb though maybe." The half-orc does not seem afraid, only concerned for his stamina.

"Perhaps it might be wiser to scout." Gratus conceeds.
"I am at best a decent climber but that distance is slightly on the far side and it is a long way down."

You give the rope some pulls and it does not give. The face of the rock should provide for sufficient ledges and ridges to gives some aid with climbin DC <= 10, exact number withheld

It seems the plan is that Svetlana and Doctor Drok will fly up while the others stay down? Will the flyers ascend at approximately the same speed?

Same speed seems wise to me, yes.

ETA: if we happen to go into initiative, Drokk will burn his Heightened Awareness for +4 to his initiative roll.

Seems like a decent plan - we can ascend at the same speed, leave a space of 20' between us to avoid any calamity hitting the both of us etc, and we won't ascend directly ON the rope line because anyone with a boulder up top would have lined it up to hit climbers :p

Two of the hellknights slowly ascend, Svetlana slightly above and to the east of Doctor Drokk while Gratus and Karzug stay on the ground. You are all focussed on the cliff above you, but Doctor Drokk takes a moment to look out over sea. It is a good thing because he sees two woman-like figures move closer, black wings on their backs and bows in their hands! Both fire an arrow that bounces of hellknight armor!

Initiative
Knowledge (Planes) to identify, also tell me what you are interested in
Doctor Drokk, surprise round
- - -
Enemy
- - -
Doctor Drokk
Gratus
Karzug
Svetlana

Bold can act

know.planes, mutagen, archivist: 1d20 + 13 - 1 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 13 - 1 + 3 = 22

Would like to know: DR, will they burn?, special attacks, in that order.

"We are under attack! Look to the sky!"

Doctor Drokk, concerned at the prospect of being peppered with arrows at range, consumes his infusion of Displacement Standard action.

The artwork makes them look just like the Erinyes that Svetlana can summon twice a day... :p

Are you testing your companions Svetlana?
Dr Drokk, can I get a fly check for hovering at DC15?

Doctor Drokk identifies the two flying creatures as erinyes, fallen angels that are resistant to most weapons except holy ones (i.e. DR n/good). He quickly takes his infusion.

The two erinyes see that the Doctor starts to shimmer and focus on Svetlana. Apparantly they have heard things from the other erinyes that Svetlana occasionally summons. The female hellknight is peppered with arrows, only one misses!

Initiative
Knowledge (Planes) to identify, also tell me what you are interested in
Doctor Drokk
Gratus
Karzug
Svetlana 21/115 hp
- - -
Erinyes
- - -

Bold can act

Knowledge (Planes) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 Wow.
21 out of 115? Get back here so I can heal you!
Gratus squints but the confines of his mask prevents him form making out what their assailants are.

Gratus crouches low, so low in fact he seems to be lying down. Which he is.
Yes I'm prone to get bonus against range attacks lol.

Wasn't my turn so couldn't call out - also I was making an assumption :)

And ouch - but luckily I have 5 Fire resist so I get some HP (15?) back :p

Tossing up actions, I'll see what the others have in their sleeves.

Recalculated Svetlana's damage: you were not flat-footed

Initiative
Knowledge (Planes) to identify, also tell me what you are interested in
Doctor Drokk, can also adjust surpise round action
Karzug
Svetlana 92/115 hp
- - -
Erinyes
- - -
Gratus (prone)

GM, you're not saying I need to make a Hover check in the surprise round are you? Because that would change my action - and would put me at a disadvantage compared to a character who did get surprised.

Karzug, on the ground, tries to figure out exactly what he can do against these enemies, being that they can fly and he's quite stationary there on the ground. He prepares to take evasive action. "Can friends bring them close to Karzug so he hit with axe?"

Planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Don't think that's high enough, but if it is, just need to know the DR you told us. Karzug just hits things with an axe. He'll go full defense.

Svetlana decides being stuck in the air and away from the collective is less fun, and ceases her ascent, falling towards the earth "Heading down Doc"

Now Feather Falling - descends 60'

"Agreed."

Surprise round fly check, 5' step, DC10 to move less than half speed:
fly: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Otherwise surprise round action remains the same: drinking displacement infusion.

Round 1 actions:

Drokk calls out to the Erinyes, seeking parley "Dūston, mo ʙo şumo çang namekunem. Mo Hellknights hastem. Şumo cī kor mekuned?"

And in case the Erinyes do not wish to parley, Drokk augments his defences with his Shield wand. Drokk folds his wings and flies down towards his comrades in a controlled dive.

Swift action to draw wand with spring-loaded wrist sheath, standard to activate, move to move 20' down.

Karzug, no, that was not high enough to identify them
[ooc]Doctor Drokk, what language are you using as infernal?

In a different dialect of infernal they answer "Смерть, ми не під вашим командуванням. Ви помиляєтеся і будете вбиті, якщо ви не вийдете звідси зараз!"

They fold their wings and dive down, unfurling their wings when they are 25 feet above the ground. There they point their bows at Svetlana and Karzug.

Initiative
Doctor Drokk, can also adjust surpise round action
Karzug
Svetlana 92/115 hp
Gratus (prone)
- - -
Erinyes
- - -

It's supposed to be Tajik, but that doesn't look right now. I've got a list of languages in my main profile (on the wishlist tab). I got the original list from another forum user, but it had gaps. I don't remember if Infernal was one of those gaps. Might have been. Will switch to Ukrainian.

"На якій території ми переслідуємо? Хіба це не Імперія Челяксу? Ми є солдатами Cheliax про наш законний бізнес! Але доведіть свою претензію, і ми залишимо."

"They claim we trespass, and demand that we retreat. I have asked them to prove their claim. Continued hostility may be unnecessary."

Retreat seems a sensible option at this juncture.

Drokk flies downwards to interpose himself between Svetlana and one of the erinyes. Double move. Moving to a height of 30 or 35 feet should provide Svetlana some cover.

"Great. Might as well ask who do they serve?" Gratus calls out from his position.

"Ця область була передана нашим роботодавцям цього року. Вони доручили нам боротися з порушниками, які не носять потрібних амулетів. Ви можете взяти його в ланцюг команди або бій, нам все одно."

"і хто такі роботодавці, вимагати такого права?"

Drokk translates. If you're happy with more words GM, given we're in initiative; if there's no more time Drokk translates as soon as he can.

"They say this area is ceded to their employers for this year. We need certain amulets to pass their guard."

"Lovely." Gratus calls out.
"I don't suppose we can go buy one of these amulets? Seems like someone has being going through alot of effort to keep us away."

They pull back their bowstrings "час до смертного, йди або померти."

Initiative
Karzug
Svetlana 92/115 hp
Gratus (prone)
- - -
Erinyes
- - -
Doctor Drokk

I think this is a good point to finish the discussion for now ;-). You are able to translate this.

Svetlana continues falling (and drops prone) beginning to call upon her Hellknight abilities!

Summon Devil (Sp; Order of the Gate)

Gratus while on the ground concentrates for a brief moment on the pentacle on his neck before another Gratus appears beside him. This illusory double he hopes should throw off their aim somewhat.

"They talk too much..." he grumbles.

"Karzug not able hit you up there! Come down here where Karzug can hit you!" Karzug casts Barkskin since he can't do much else.

The devils seem to dislike that Svetlana starts to cast something. They pull back their bowstrings and start shooting arrows at Svetlana. All arrows miss, thanks to her being prone.

Initiative
Karzug
Svetlana 92/115 hp(prone)
Gratus (prone)
Doctor Drokk
- - -
Erinyes
- - -

Lol! Missing when we're prone....
"So Should we all be lying on the job while waiting for them to finish using their arrows?" quips Gratus as he ponders what spells to use.....Without them coming nearer, he feels they are at an impasse.

Karzug looks at the people laying down. "Why you lay down? We fighting. Hit birdies!" He tries reaching them, but can't. "Someone make Karzug fly, he go hit birdies!" Full defense until either they come to range or I get a method to go hit them. AC is 31 while that is the case.