Legends of Katapesh - Legacy of Fire

Game Master justaworm

Pae grins at Hazreem "Just keep reminding me..never go adventuring with their Children"

Hazreem chuckles, "I am with you, my brother. I believe having a child would be far more challenging than facing down Jhavhul's entire army!" His face grows wistful for a moment, "I do not believe I will ever get the chance to know the joy of seeing my progeny...Gozreh has provided me with much, and yet..." his voice trails off.

"Anyway, what should we do with these items here?" He asks, pointing to the holy water and the decanter. "I think they would be useful, but I don't want to get caught with them either."

Pae shrugs.."Look have we met anything down here apart from the Princess who hasn't instantly tried to kill us..no. So taking items they will kill us for having is..no big deal really."

He reaches out and grabs the decanter..

"I'm with Pae on this one. We know we need these things eventually and everything has tried to kill us anyways. We should just keep them in an extra-dimensional bag so detect spells won't pick them up automatically." Once everything is loaded up, "Pae, it looks like there are three other doors out of here. We should try the first door to the west first."

The paladin takes his place next to Pae and follows his lead. Hazreem notices the paladin is suffering from the same lingering effects the druid is.

"Bahir! I'm so sorry you were drained like that following me; sometimes I'm too impulsive. The other girls all said so. I won't be able to cure you and Hazreem until tomorrow." Mah'ysa said anxiously.
As an afterthought, she lets Spooky out of her pack and puts two of the holy water vials in.

The paladin's easy smile returns as he laughs, "I didn't realize that the walking through fire for you would be so literal...but I would happily do it again."

Only direction was Efreat stating you should try the first door to the West. Assuming that direction...

With 2 flasks in Mah'ysa's pack and the rest in the bag of holding, you continue on. Opening the first door on the left, you enter another chamber where short couches and divans that line the wall, and multiple rough pallets cover the floor. A pair of narrow openings in the far wall let in a reddish light from outside. To the south, a hallway leads to another door. To the north, wide stairs lead down to a landing and another door to the right of the stairs.

Three kobolds lie listlessly on the rough pallets, with only meager bowls of meal and half-evaporated cups of water next to each. They appear extremely injured and barely conscious, and they only half-turn to your presence in the room. They have numerous bruises and lacerations across their bodies.

Map Link

Hazreem airy body shudders in anger, the most emotion you have seen the druid show in a while. "I don't care that these are kobolds...no one should suffer so!" He reaches into a pouch on his belt and draws out several goodberries. "I think they could use some nourishment, don't you?"

Unless someone speaks up against this...

He flies over to one of the kobolds and hands over one of the goodberries. "Here you go, this will help you heal." assuming the kobold accepts it, he will give the other two goodberries as well.

Pae's nose wrinkles at the smell of Kobold.."Go ahead my friend even such as they deserve compassion though they might not understand it"

As the relatively large air elemental approaches, the little reptilian creature becomes aware of his presence and begins to panic and back away. Though with its limited strength it doesn't move back more than a few inches. But as the elemental holds out its hand and speaks in friendly in the common tongue, the kobald slowly musters the strength to reach out and clumsily grab the berry. The others follow suite and nervously accept the gift as well.

Quickly they seem to come to their senses and a new emotion is apparent upon their face. Fear. But not of you. The first one Hazreem approached speaks in common in a quiet tone, almost a whisper. "It's not safe for you to be here." His voice cracks with dryness and pain. "The slavemaster will kill us all if you are found here."

Bahir nods to Hazreem's question and guards both he and Mah'ysa as they tend too and question the kobolds but adds, "If you tell us of this "slavemaster" and where to find him we will make sure he never harms you again." He does his best to address any fears of repercussions they may have.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41

The kobold retreats and cowers as the door to the north flies open. A satanic voice shouts from the fiery-eyed creature that enters through the opening. It's body bristles with barbs from it's fang-filled head to the tip of its lashing tail. It stops mid-speak as it notices you, then begins to growl in pleasure as it yells something else.

Initiative

It catches you completely off guard, but all it does it begin howling in delight and yells something.

Round 1 - Everyone is up!

Map Link

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32

"I recognize you devil! I shall send you back to the pits that spawned you!"

Swift action smite evil and charge.
Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (17) + 24 = 41
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 4 + (6) + 20 = 32

I healed myself earlier. So I should be at max hitpoints -5 for the negative level.

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

Round 1__________

Keeping her distance, Mah'ysa slings a shot at the devil.
sling glove attack #1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 for a possible 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 crush and magic damage.
sling glove: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 for a possible 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 crush and magic damage.
...Crit confirmed?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 for a possible extra 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 crush and magic damage.

Efreat flies up and away from the kobolds and the devil. "besh'kree'nar!"
move: fly into the bottom left corner.
Standard: cast haste on the rest of the party

Hazreem flies up and out of reach of the devil, taking a position directly across the door where the devil came from. The lower right corner on the map, acroos from Efreat. He holds his action for the moment waiting for reinforcements to arrive. Delay satndard action.

The Paladin charges, paying no mind to his own safety. He hits it, but the barbs covering this creature from hell tear into his sword arm as he does so.

Barb Damage on Bahir: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

His blade cuts deep to the creature's disgust, though the frost effect on the blade seems to have no effect. (Damage: 26)

Mah'ysa fires two shots from where she is at. Even though both strike their target and one strikes rather hard, neither one seems to do anything.

Round 1 - Pae is up!

"Fiends from the Pits of Hell..who invited the Chelaxians?" Pae mutters as he waits for an opening to strike effectively.

Ready action and charge if I can get flanking otherwise I might as well spit at it

The devil is furious at the paladin for interrupting his summoning. (+16 concentration, but won't meet the DC40 necessary) With mad rage, he tears at Bahir's armored flesh.

Claw #1 on Bahir: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30
Claw #2 on Bahir: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30

The Dawnflower's radiance protects the holy warrior against such fiends of hell. The razer sharp claws only scrape harmlessly against all the steel surrounding the paladin.

The kobalds stumble backwards off the pallets and cower.

I think this would be a difficult encounter if there wasn't a paladin in the group.

Round 2 - Everyone is up!

Map Link

Efreat levels his hand, "Shiz'koom" and five black bolts of energy slam into the devil. cast magic missile. SR check:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 175d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 2, 2) + 5 = 14

The force bolts hit their target, but do little to harm the devil.

The holy warrior continues to make the devil feel the power of The Dawnflower's holy radiance.

Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 20 = 28

Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 20 = 25

Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 20 = 27

Oof, awful rolls. Left off frost damage since it is immune. He'll move around the side of the devil to give Pae a flank.

I have a bad feeling about this...

Hazreem was looking at throwing a spell at the devil, then realized the fiend's spell resistance might prove a problem. Instead he takes off towards the devil, launching a lightning charge at it while drawing his own scimitar.

Fly 60' to above the devil next to Bahir. Draw scimitar.
Lightning Arc: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 2 = 23 vs touch AC; Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 electrical
SR check: 1d20 + 11 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 11 - 1 = 16

With the unholy sentinel now engaged with the holy warrior, his strikes don't come as easy. Even with haste, all three of his quick attacks fail to cut through the creature's thick, barbed skin.

Bahir: I think your third attack should of been at +21 instead of +11, but it still would miss.

An electrical storm brews above the battle as the air elemental arrives. Lightning shoots out, striking the fiend. But just like the magic missiles, it appears to have no effect.

Can an air elemental draw a scimitar?

Round 2 - Mah'ysa and Pae are up!

I totally missed that Efreat had hasted us. I normally get 3 attacks and, as far as I can tell, the negative level just gives me a -1 to most things but does not cause me to lose an attack. If it does cause me to lose an attack than disregard the below roll. Also, I did not add the +1 for haste to my above attacks if that makes a difference.

Hasted Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (6) + 22 = 28
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 20 = 28

It states -1 attack rolls, not base attack bonus. And since it explicitly states that spellcasters do not lose spell slots, I would assume that fighters do not lose attacks. And with the +1, the original attack still misses. But the hasted attack...

With one final effort, Bahir swings and manages to score a spot more susceptible that his first strikes and the divinely glowing blade slices deep into the hellish creature. (Damage: 28) But as he pushes the blade through, the creature's spikes tears across his arm again.

Barb damage on Bahir: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Ouch, this thing doesn't need to hit me, I'll just impale myself thank you very much! That'll kick in a swift action Lay Hands On: 6d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 5, 2, 4, 5) = 19

Hasted

Round 2__________

Mah'ysa casts Spiritual Ally, and a translucent force-Deva appears; fiery wings and scimitar and all. Immediately she swoops to attack the devil.
Spiritual Ally attack: 1d20 + 7 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 4 + 1 = 13 for a possible 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 force damage.
IF the devil is struck and he has Spell Resistance, then Caster Level check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30. If failed, Spiritual Ally is dispelled.

Pae still has no opening on the fiend he merely remains ready should one present itself.

continue readied charge if I can achieve flanking

A warrior of Sarenrae appears within the room and flies down to fight beside Bahir against the abomination. Though its initial attack is not that impressive. (Succeeded on SR check)

Furious that he was unable to grab ahold of this puny human before him and twice has been severely wounded by the same, the hellish creature retreats back a step through the doorway and calls upon the powers of the underworld. A cold, soul-wrenching black, greasy vapor quickly explodes from right in front of the halfling. It envelops almost everyone, including the paladin, air elemental, rogue, cleric, kitty, and Mah'ysa's spiritual ally.

Potential Damage: 5d8 ⇒ (5, 1, 6, 7, 3) = 22

Bahir/Hazreem/Mah'ysa: Will Save DC18 for half-damage. On failure, also sickened for 1d4 rounds. (Paladin Mercy will not remove this!)

Paellat: Will Save DC18 for quarter-damage. On failure, take half-damage. No sickened.

Spooky Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 Spooky takes no damage.

The cleric's spiritual ally seems unaffected by this black vapor.

Round 3 - Everyone is up!

Map Link

know(arcana):1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16
Efreat cracks his knuckles and shouts "Shiz'koom!"
trying magic missile again. SR check1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 165d4 + 5 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 1, 1) + 5 = 17
are you $*(*#(*$)#($@ serious! The dice roller hates me for this fight

I think I confused myself when writing the above. Spooky actually took quarter-damage (5) from the black vapor.

The sorcerer looks frustrated as another set of force missile strike their target but still with no effect.

Looking at the air elemental description, I do not see it can carry a weapon, but they do get a slam attack. If Hazreem cannot use his scimitar then he will just use a Slam attack.

Will save: 1d20 + 15 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 15 - 1 = 19 success

Hazreem shrugs off the sickness and flies through the doorway, trying to draw the devil's ire and to allow a flank for Pae. His blow is not intended to hurt the devil, but more to distract it.

Aid another attack (slam): 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 3 = 17 Pae will get a +2 to hit for his next attack.
.
AC is 23 for the AoO.

With glee the devil strikes out at the new combatant.

Devil Claw AoO on Hazreem: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31 Hit!
Claw Damage: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (1, 8) + 6 = 15
Grapple attempt: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (3) + 22 = 25 Succeed?
Impale Damage: 3d8 + 9 ⇒ (7, 2, 4) + 9 = 22

The deadly spikes on the end of its arm (think wolverine here) slice right through the passing elemental and manage to hook him, preventing him from making further progress. The barbed devil draws Hazreem in for a friendly hug, impaling him with his full body spikes.

You take 37 points of damage and fail to get around to give Pae flanking.

Round 3 - Bahir, Mah'ysa, and Pae are up.

With his life fading before him (Down to 7 HPs remaining after the previous ordeal with dripping molten brass), Hazreem gets a good look at this other room. It is simply furnished with an assortment of whips, tongs, and various torture implements hung from the walls. A small bed rests in the corner and there is another door along the far wall.

Also, Hazreem needs to make a Will Save DC 20 against Fear (mind-affecting). Gain +4 to this roll due to Bahir's Aura of Courage. On Failure, become frightened for 1d4 rounds. This effect occurs prior to your attempt to aid another.

Lovely...OK someone feel free to kill this thing now...

Will save: 1d20 + 15 - 1 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 15 - 1 + 4 = 38

Will Save: 1d20 + 13 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 13 - 1 = 26

The paladin advances through the black wave of evil to press the attack on the devil...

1st Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (4) + 22 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 20 = 27

2nd Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 20 = 25

3rd Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 20 = 30

Hasted Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (11) + 22 = 33
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 20 = 29

Will save vs DC18: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31 = Half damage from the Blight.

Round 3__________________
Conditions: Haste

Spiritual Ally attack #1: 1d20 + 7 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 4 + 1 = 23 for a possible 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 force damage.
Spiritual Ally attack #2: 1d20 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 4 + 1 = 9 for a possible 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 force damage.

Knowledge:Arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Move: Mah'ysa moves up behind Hazreem.
Standard: She sacrifices a Communal Protection from Energy to cast Cure Critical Wounds on him (defensively).
Cure: 4d8 + 10 ⇒ (6, 3, 6, 2) + 10 = 27 on Hazreem are healed.

Seeing as Hazreem is badly hurt, I'll use a swift action to cast Litany of Righteousness for this round also. That doubles my damage.

Hmmm... Hasted Paladin with Smite Evil and Litany of Righteousness. Evil creatures don't stand a chance. That's 162 points of damage...

With near rage at his friend's fate on the line, Bahir calls upon the Dawnflower to bring her full might against this creature of hell. His brightly glowing blade flashes in a fury of deadly strokes, ignoring the impalement he is taking himself from it. With a high-pitched screech, the blade slices clear through with a bright flash of divine light. When the light clears, the devil is gone. Hazreem stumbles down into Mah'ysa's healing arms, the threat over.

Barb Damage on Bahir: 3d8 + 18 ⇒ (6, 1, 2) + 18 = 27

And I was hoping to use his Greater Teleport ability to whisk away the druid on his turn. :> (Evil GM grin)

Out of Initiative

And I was hoping to use his Greater Teleport ability to whisk away the druid on his turn. :> (Evil GM grin)

Lol, well that just proves I needed to do that, as that was a VERY close call for a PC death. I doubt the devil would have been kind if it had succeeded. I seem to either totally rock or be barely holding my own. Constructs, ghouls in anti-magic, and shaitan have given me grief as of late. Well, those and anything not really evil. It definitely seems to be a bit of a roller coaster.

The paladin gives a concerned look to Mah'ysa, "Is he going to be all right?" Seeing the druid still moving, "Hazreem? Are you well?"

Seeing that his friend will recover he turns to continue his conversation with the kobolds, "Now that the devil is banished will you be kind enough to share what you know of this place and why you are here?"

My earlier diplomacy roll was a 41.

Hazreem stumbled to his feet, barely able to stand and grimaces in pain. "I am still moving am I not?" He then hovers off the ground experimentally before sinking back down next to Mah'ysa. "It will take more than some misbegotten fiend to finish me off...but if it is all the same I think I need to rest for a moment here."

He flies over to one of the beds and sits down on it. "Oh, I noticed that devil was engaged in his favorite hobby...torture, judging by all the torture equipment in there."

Gratefully accepting the healing from Mah'ysa, he takes out his own wand and supplements the cleric's healing.

CMW Wand #1: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (7, 5) + 3 = 15
CMW Wand #2: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (1, 7) + 3 = 11
CMW Wand #3: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (5, 7) + 3 = 15

Current HP: 7 + 27 + 20 + 15 + 11 + 15 = 95 total. 37 charges left.

Mah'ysa channels Positive Energy, healing 5d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 4, 5, 5) = 20 to all allies in 30' r.

With the spiritual ally standing guard, Bahir questions the kobolds as Hazreem and Mah'ysa tend to the wounded.

The small reptilian creatures seem impressed by the paladin's abilities and seem to open up to him. With a noticale reduction in stress in their voice, they say in the common tongue, "You are in Bayt al-Bazan, a citadel in the Noble district. It used to belong to an efreeti prince, but a curse fell upon this place and any who enter cannot leave. We are the property of The Flickering Candle, a group of efreeti and salamander thieves and assassins", with a glance towards the open door by the holy summoned warrior he finishes, "and that thing. They were cornered and fled into this building where they wouldn't be followed. But now we are all trapped here, you included. I don't know where you came from, but like us you cannot leave. We've been held up here for who knows how long. Decades? Apparently there are other groups trapped in here as well, each fighting to keep their corner of the citadel."

Map Link

Hazreem speaks up in his elemental voice, "Thank you for telling us this. It confirms much of what we suspected. We do know how to escape this place, but we need to find an item first. Did your devil master mention anything about something called the 'Impossible Eye'? Also these other groups that are trapped here, what do you know of them?"

The kobolds shake their heads negative. "Never heard of an impossible eye. What is it?" To the second question, "We are but slaves and are not told of what is going on. But they have come back wounded and have lost some of their own from skirmishes. All we know is what we have overheard. The Flickering Candle controls this wing of the citadel, both downstairs", gesturing towards the stairs leading down, "and upstairs two more floors." The kobold gesturing to the southern door. "There are stairs going up through that door. We haven't been outside this wing."

As the kobold is talking, Dawnflower's warrior walks into the northern chamber.

Lay Hands On: 6d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 1, 4, 1, 2) = 17

With unwavering confidence he says, "Yes, thank you. We shall try to free you when we escape this place." Looking to his companions, "Perhaps we should examine the devil's living quarters first but then where should we head? Efreat and salamander assassins do not sound overly friendly." Addressing the kobolds again, "Do you think The Flickering Candle will be willing to speak with us or are they just likely to attack?"

Mah'ysa nods her assent, and after making very sure Bahir is recovered as much as he can, she steps just inside the northern chamber and casts Detect Magic.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

"I don't think they would ally with us, unless the devil was controlling them through intimidation. Now that he is banished, they might be willing to talk now. Perhaps we can reach a truce of sorts."