Legacy of Fire (Inactive)

Game Master dinketry

Drael shakes his head in disgust, Then he should not be commander, if he won't meet with his underlings.

Andgronakraks gives a cracking noise from his mouth that sounds something like a 'tsk'.

"Thratnias, our commander, is matriarchal. She won't usually meet with humanoids in person." He looks at Razif. "There is no apology needed. I came across Thratnias and her shield-bearer at an inopportune time."

Lesaar jumps in at this point.

"If you were to enter the throne room from the secret passage in my chambers, it would be highly likely that you would be undetected by Thratnias' lover, Kitil, and could encounter her directly. I would still caution you as she is our leader, and deadly, but were something to happen to her...well, then I would lead the Coils of Flame." Lesaar levels a serious expression at Andgronakraks, then regards the party again.

"Of course, you would need to deal with the unthinking brutes in the chamber north of her in order to accompany me to my quarters. Thratnias' rule is unequivocal; if she has decreed that none shall pass deeper than this chamber into our domain, then I have no power to offer you. Yet."

"Yantuk is very angry at bad leaders who make Yantuk wait in poison air, not even to get where Yantuk is going!" At this Yantuk draws his rapier, and raises it, as if a call to arms, before looking around sheepishly and returning it to his sheath. "But Yantuk follows the lead of the nice glow-y lady," turning to Layaali.

Min considers the options carefully and says How do we know you are not lying?

Good question Min, how do we know if he's lying... My guess is we don't. We should go through the front door and sneak in so that we have lots of fresh air outside this place. I can not breath.

"Yantuk is still choking..."

Razif nods.
"A brief chance to regroup and maybe recover a bit before we, uh, usurp the salamander throne, might be a good idea."

Lesaar gestures towards Rab-rab.

"The pink-haired child is right. You don't know if I'm lying, but I will promise you this: if I were leading the Coils of Flame, then we would be allies as opposed to dismissed vassals."

"By all means, get a clear breath of air and consider your options."

Layaali helps Rab-rab and Yantuk out to the fresh air and tends them for a while, hoping to help the little gnome clear her airways. While there's little she can truly do to help, she does use the time to speak with the others candidly.

"Just our luck; on the way to usurp a tyrant we find another tyrant." she sighs. "It's an inconvenience, but perhaps a blessing, too. Vildeis desires all evil banished from this world. How handy to have this evil fall into our laps and save us a trip." She smiles gently, then holds out her hands in prayer. "Praise be to the Cardinal Martyr for showing me the path."

She looks at the others. "Have we any preparations to make before heading back into the caves to visit this 'Kitil' and 'Thratnias'?"

Layaali reaches out a hand to each of her allies, and offers them a blessing. "I pray for the courage to be as brave and selfless as Vildeis. Bless our bond."

Layaali uses life link on all of her friends. Each round at the start of Layaali's turn, if the any of you are wounded for 5 or more hit points below your maximum hit points, you heal 5 hit points and Layaali takes 5 hit points of damage.

Her blessings complete, she turns to the caves. "Ready?"

Drael shrugs at Layaali's philosophizing, I suppose so, I'd rather just have been let through but things are never that easy.

Based on the part of the caverns we've seen so far, does Drael think he could cast Enlarge Person and still be able to navigate the area?

Within an hour of leaving the Mountain's Maw and the toxic gases vented from therein, both Rab-rab and Yantuk feel considerably better, their coughs assuaged.

Both Rab-rab and Yantuk can remove their conditions.

Drael considers re-entering, realising that the serpentine entrance to the Mountain's Maw likely prevents his ability to grow to an inflated size easily.

Drael has identified at the very least the entrance passage into Andgronakraks' chamber as too tight to safely enlarge within; there may be other passages that are similarly restrictive in size. The serpentine salamanders definitely don't seem to have difficulties.

"Truth be told, I'm not a fan of this development either, and I don't exactly trust Lesaar, but... I feel bad about Andgronakraks. And, of course, we need to press on."

He stretches a bit and takes the opportunity to breathe as much fresh air as he can. "I'm ready to go back in, in any case."

Drael bows his head a moment and focuses on a quick protection spell, a barely visible bubble of energy emanating from his body. Alright, let's get this over with.

Casting Protection from Evil.

The party takes a few more breaths of clear mountain air (marred by a sulphurous stench), and then descend again into the Mountain's Maw. When they return to the oppressively warm entrance hall, they find Andgronakraks seated at his stony table, his back to the party, hunched over, a curious noise emanating out. Lesaar stands lazily leaning on their staff but gracefully rises as the suli, aasimar, kobold, human, and gnomes return.

Andgronakraks' crunching noise stops as the team draws near and he looks over his shoulder. The stony valet appears to be cradling a stone box filled with multicoloured gemstones between his two hands. He swallows and delivers the team an unreadable expression. Abruptly, he returns to his repast and pays the group no more heed. Lesaar clears their throat gently.

"If you would please follow me, but do be on your guard," Lesaar purrs, leading the way north out of the chamber, "the warriors in the next room, though lounging in their pools, are formidable and loyal to Thratnias." They then stop abruptly and cast a sly eye across the group. "I would not have the blood of my kinsmen on my hands prior to taking control of the realm. That is where YOU come in."

[b]"Oh my! Intruders to the Coils! To arms!!"

You all my react to anything in the scenes above, but because combat is about to break out, please don't leap into initiative just yet.

Drael moves to the front of the group at Lesaar's cue, not yet drawing his axe but keeping it close to hand as the group walks into the new chamber with cauldrons.

Razif moves behind the large pillar, drawing his bow, ready to jump out and shoot when the fighting begins.

Before Lesaar leads them into combat, Layaali casts shield of faith on Drael, Razif, and Yantuk, you each get a +2 deflection bonus to AC for 5 minutes. If any of you have a decent deflection bonus already, let me know and I'll switch the target to someone else.

When Lesaar starts shouting, Layaali narrows her eyes at him. "Don't do that again."

Rab-rab and Min are sick but they'll be on today to buff/comment before the fight.

Drael already has a deflection bonus thanks to Protection from Evil, so go ahead and buff someone else!

Rab-Rab prepares her air blast. And backs up behind the pillar.

I have positioned everyone where I thought that they might be to start. Razif, that 'pillar' in the previous room is Andgronakraks' table where he is huddled munching on gemstones. It provides neither cover nor a vantage point on the other room, FYI.

The salamanders in the room react as Lesaar scampers up the steps leading out of the room, beginning to extract their sinuous forms from the boiling cauldrons in which they soak. Before any can draw weapons however, Yantuk and Drael spring into action!

Yantuk and Drael, you may act!

Drael takes his axe from his back as he runs up to the first salamander, bringing it down with a mighty overhead blow on the unfortunate creature.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage: 1d12 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

The suli notes the motes of steam wafting off of the form of the serpentine creature as he hacks into it, scoring a solid blow. The warrior growls in reply.

Yantuk may act!

Yantuk follows up on the Salamander that Drael had struck.
hit: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

"Stab Stab!"

The salamander beset by Yantuk and Drael looses a full attack with its whirling spear on the suli. For good measure, it slaps at the kobold with its searingly-hot tail.

Attack #1 vs Drael: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 291d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (4) = 13 HIT! Drael can ignore the fire damage (due to his racial abilities), so just 9 pts of piercing dmg.

Attack #2 vs Drael: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 81d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (1) = 10 MISS!

Tail Slap vs Yantuk: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 162d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (6, 2) + 1 + (1) = 10 MISS!

Drael takes a spear to the shoulder but avoids a serious wound. Yantuk easily dodges the tail, but notes the heat as it passes by. Just as swiftly, the salamander from the back slithers forward, aiming its spear-point at Drael's chest!

Attack vs Drael: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 311d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (5) = 13 CRITICAL THREAT!
Critical Confirm vs Drael: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 152d8 + 8 ⇒ (2, 2) + 8 = 12 NO CRITICAL HIT! Just 9 more pts of dmg, Drael.

Drael finds a second spear stabbed into his shoulder.

Layaali, Min, Rab-rab, and Razif may all act!

"Hey, where are you all-"
Noticing a bit too late that the rest of the party is planning to bring the fight to them, Razif rushes (double move) to join the fight.

Sorry, it ate my post from before the fight it looks like. I must have messed up. I used mage armor on myself.

Min runs into the tunnel and rolls his hands over each other faster and faster. "Kskooo kskooo!" He mutters over and over. Getting louder and LOUDER! Then he thrusts his hands forward and a beam of ice shoots out of his hands!

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 15
Cold Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Min says he is shooting the yellow one (he forgot to clarify) and if he hits he forgot to add +1 damage from his point blank shot (but he remembered to add it to the attack roll).

Rab-rab dashes forward, with Razif and her brother, and gathers the winds into her hands. Then she shoots a blast of air at the orange salamander! The wind looks like rabbits and they hop forward and rush right through it!

Ranged Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 1 = 23
Magic Bludgeoning Damage: 3d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 5, 4) + 6 + 1 = 20

The gnomes spring into action! Min, fires off an icy blast that pings into the searing hot cauldron, missing the salamander on Drael's right shoulder. Rab-rab's pneumatic blast catches the salamander brute squared off with the suli full in the face!

Layaali may act!

Layaali grants the +2 deflection bonus to Min then, rather than Drael.

Layaali grits her teeth as a deep puncture wound opens in her shoulder, while Drael's wounds begin to heal. Layaali takes 5 damage and Drael heals 5 damage.

She casts her arms out, praying to Vildeis to scour evil from existence. A burst of brilliant light appears around the enemy salamanders.

Casting burst of radiance so it targets the three enemy salamanders but misses her companions and Lesaar. Creatures in the area are blinded for 1d4 ⇒ 4 rounds, or dazzled for that time if they succeed at a DC 16 Reflex save.
Evil Creatures also take: 5d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 1, 4) = 13 damage.

As Layaali draws Drael's injuries partly into herself, she blasts the centre of the room to injure the three salamanders. Unfortunately, she inadvertently hits Lesaar in the blast!

Layaali, burst of radiance has a ten-foot radius. There is no place in the room where you can place a ten foot burst that hits all of the enemies and misses either Drael and Yantuk or Lesaar. I assumed that you wouldn't want to potentially blind your colleagues.

Reflex Saves: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 201d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 121d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 241d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

The holy light pings off of the iron cauldrons, emanating a faint ringing noise as one of the salamanders goes down in a heap of coiled muscular flesh. Lesaar hisses in pain and curses, their eyes shut tight.

"Clumsy oafs! Be done with them!"

The remaining salamander slithers forward and thrusts from behind his fallen brother at Drael with a wicked spear!

Employing reach and power attack.

Melee Attack vs Drael, Power Attack, Reach, Dazzled: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 - 1 = 111d8 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 9 + (5) = 18 MISS!

Fortunately for the suli, the dazzling effect of Layaali's spell prevents the salamander from focusing.

Yantuk and Drael may act!

Drael barely dodges the spear as he steps to the side and swings at salamander on his right, but is still off-balance and his axe flies far wide of the creature's head.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Damage: 1d12 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Yantuk 5ft steps next to Drael.

"Wait for Yantuk to make opening! Yantuk set them up, you knock them down!"

To hit: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26
Damage: 1d4 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Drael's axe swings wide, but the spunky kobold springs into the fray, his rapier finding an opening in the salamander's taut musculature. Yantuk notes that his attack doesn't seem to damage the serpentine foe as much as he'd like, however, but it does grab his attention.

"Puny lizard," the salamander's voice crackles and hisses, "you shouldn't disrespect your betters."

Melee Attack (Spear) vs Yantuk, Dazzled: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 1 = 81d6 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 3 + (2) = 11 MISS!
Melee Attack (Tail Slap) vs Yantuk, Dazzled: 1d20 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 1 = 41d8 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (4) = 6 MISS!

The brave kobold dances around the attacks with ease.

Min, Layaali, Rab-rab, and Razif may all act!

Razif takes up a good position and attacks the salamander furthest north.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 1 = 27
Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 1 = 8

Rab-rab blasts the remaining salamander.

attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
damage: 3d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 3, 6) + 6 = 16

Razif's arrow flies true but pings off the salamander much in the same way as it would off of the wall. Rab-rab seems to have more luck as her pneumatic blast shellacks the dazzled salamander.

Min and Layaali may act!

No worries over last round, but a 10-ft.radius burst is measured from a grid intersection. Yes, I can definitely place it without hitting allies or the salamander pal. Double checked page 215 of the Core Rulebook to confirm (page 214 for relevant text and page 215 for relevant image). I'll draw a picture this time to show where she's aiming.

Layaali casts her arms out again, sending another burst of radiance at the salamanders in the centre of the room—and being a little more careful not to hit their so-called salamander ally in the area of her dazzling holy light.

Creatures in the area are blinded for 1d4 ⇒ 4 rounds, or dazzled for that time if they succeed at a DC 16 Reflex save.
Evil Creatures also take: 5d4 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 4, 2) = 16

Sorry, Layaali. I was having trouble figuring out where you were targeting in order to avoid all of your allies. Thanks for the diagram on this second spell.

The oracle siphons a conduit to her divine patron once more and the two remaining salamanders collapse into writhing heaps of steaming flesh.

COMBAT END!

Lesaar hisses from the top of the chamber to the north. "Quickly! We will use this to our advantage." They then round the corner, out of sight of the party.

What next?

Razif follows and turns the corner.

Drael follows, axe still in hand.

As this goes on, does Layaali's Life Link continue to activate on Drael? Just making sure our respective HP totals are still correct for whatever comes next.

"Yantuk says onward!"

You would heal once more, Drael, to 46/54 hp, and Layaali would be damaged to 34/44 hp, as you follow Razif. I'll assume that you and Yantuk both immediately trail Razif.

Razif rounds the corner in time to see Lesaar exiting the far eastern end of a two-tiered chamber glowing with red-hot rocks that jut from the ground in angry spears. Several large, worked pieces of stone form giant fist shapes that project out from the walls forming stylized braziers, orange flames licking upward from between the fingers. Two rocky ramps coil up to a higher platform, where Lesaar pushes through a brilliant curtain of strung purple crystals nearly concealing a passage leading deeper into the mountain.

Four more salamanders, alerted by the noise from the other chamber, stand on guard within the room on the upper tier of stones, spears at the ready. When Razif rounds the corner, they hiss and move forward to attack.

Map is updated. The heat in this room is worse than previous rooms, but your endure elements effect seems to be helping. The upper tier of stones (from 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock via clock face on the map) is five feet off the ground.

COMBAT BEGIN!

Despite their readied state, the kobold and the archer move faster!

Yantuk and Razif may act!

Yantuk lunges forth at the pink salamander!
To hit: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Yantuk grunts in frustration as his rapier thrust most likely unless their flatfooted goes wide.

Yantuk's attack seems on point, but his blade doesn't even seem to scratch the salamander's shiny black flesh.

You're more than welcome to attempt a free Knowledge Planes check to know something about this creature.

Razif moves up and sets his arrows alight with a frown. Our weapons aren't doing much, and I'm not sure fire is even going to make a difference, but it's worth a try...

One of the salamanders slithers off of the upper ledge towards the kobold, gleaming red-hot spear at the ready. It thrusts viciously with both hands!

Melee Attack vs Yantuk, Power Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 201d8 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14 MISS!

The spear tip misses the frisky kobold.

Drael may act!

Drael runs into the next room with his axe in hand, but his powerful overhead blow doesn't quite connect with the nearby salamander.

These aren't lawful outsiders, right? Making sure the axe's bane properties don't apply, not that it matters here.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Damage: 1d12 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Attempting my knowledge (planes) check to learn about the creature now, so I can get the info for my turn.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Layaali knows that these are all salamanders, but she notices that two of them (the two that are about to act below) look different to the others. Despite not being able to identify the subtype, she's fairly confident that all salamanders are immune to fire and vulnerable to cold damage.

Drael's axe swings wide. The other two fiery-scaled serpentine creatures spread cobra-like hoods from their neck and hiss as they approach the front line. One of the new combatants stops short of Drael, thrusting from a reaching position. The other slithers right up to Yantuk and spins around to slap at the kobold with its tail!

Melee Attack vs Drael: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 251d6 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (6) = 14 HIT! Because of your natural fire resistance, Drael, that is 9 pts of damage.
Tail Slap vs Yantuk: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 171d8 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (1) = 5 MISS!

Yantuk dodges the fire-laced tail, but Drael takes a spear to the mid-section. It even burns a tiny bit.

If Layaali's life link is still active, then she absorbs 5pts of Drael's damage. Layaali, Rab-rab, and Min may act!

Sure is!

Layaali hisses in pain as burns spread across her torso. Layaali takes 5 damage and Drael heals 5 damage. "Hurry," she says to the gnomes as she rushes down the tunnel. "They'll be weak to your magic, Min!"

Double move.