[PFS] PbP Gameday 3 - The Citadel of Flame (Inactive)

Game Master Luke_Parry

Trig tries to cast a quick detect magic at the footproints.

Triccio does not detect the presence of magic.

"We had better check out those stairs and footprints first. Follow me," Odo says as he starts to cautiously move into the room. Looking our for other signs of trouble, Odo makes his way toward the spiral staircase.

Nothing untoward happens to Odo as he walks towards the spiral staircase, although he *does* notice that the deeper he moves into the chamber, the warmer it becomes.

Billin nudges Remue, and the two of them follow Odo.

Trig waits for another person to join the procession before falling into line behind them.

Well, at present, the party is gathered at the base of the minaret... No-one has declared any further movement ;-)

At the base of the minaret, Odo looks up the spiral. "A wiser man may let a sleeping dog lie, but I'd rather not face the possibility of a danger behind us while we explore deeper into this ancient site. I will listen to and weigh alternative council, but if nobody think better of it, I will explore upward."

Odo starts to climb the stair.

A set of graceful spiral stairs, constructed of black marble veined with scarlet, wind upward. The bonfire in the entry hall sends waves of intense heat flowing upwards, along with thick black smoke. Directly above the flame, at the level of the chamber’s ceiling, is a wide capstone concealing the interior of the hall’s large minaret. The stairs wrap around the capstone and end in a small landing adjacent to an egg-shaped enclosure suspended inside the minaret. The chamber’s exterior walls are wreathed in smoke flowing in wide ribbons toward the minaret’s peak. A squat stone door leads inside.

Existing concern heightened by Odo's speech, Trig takes a look around the room before resuming his place in line climbing the stair.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Triccio does not observe anything unusual in the room (beyond what has already been mentioned) before taking his place in the ascent of the stairs.

I am currently waiting for declared actions at the top of the minaret :-)

Odo walks up to the egg-shaped enclosure and looks over the door.
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

"I assume whatever made the footprints on the stair is around here, probably in the... egg... thing. When everyone is ready for trouble, in case there is any, I will try to open this door."

Darvan nods, motioning to Sahba to be ready as well.

"I AM VERY READY FOR TROUBLE AT ALL TIMES!" Madok bellows.

Odo does not discover any traps upon the door.

Odo sheathes his scimitar and, trusting in his divine patron, tries to muscle the door open.

Billin draws his sling and loads it in order to cover Odo as he opens the door.

The door provides a small degree of resistance, but then it bursts open, allowing the party to be engulfed in flames!

Odo, Billin, and Madok: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5 Fire damage, Reflex DC 11 for half.

Once the flames die down, the party is free to explore the the chamber beyond.

The room is dark and bare of any furnishings, although the walls are decorated with a large mural of the Qadiran desert and a second large mural depicting a grand battle between soldiers of flame and the dervishes of Sarenrae. Arcane sigils decorate the ceiling, whilst blood stains the floor.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

"Youch!" Odo cries out as he flinches back from the flames.
"Sorry about that. Someone baited us into a trap and I fell for it."

By the way, good time to mention it. Odo has the Lucky Halfling feat. This means that once/day, an ally can use Odo's save in place of a bad save roll of his own. So, when you think you've blown a crucial save, let me know. I can use the feat and maybe help out.

Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

I'm assuming Remue would need to make a save too, since I'm on his back.

Reflex (Billin): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Reflex (Remue): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

"Ow!"

Fortunately Trig's below the fire blast. "Are you all right?"

Once he steps into the room Trig looks around curiously. "Seems they had plenty of time to paint this mural after the big fight."

Know(geo): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"GUYS I THINK THERE WAS SOME SORT OF FIRE TRAP."

"HEY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GO MURDER A FLAME CULT I WONDER IF THERE IS A CONNECTION!" Madok positively beams with pride at his deduction.

Darvan casts detect magic and looks around the room.

Darvan does not detect the presence of any magic in the room.

"I WONDER IF THAT FIRE TRAP WAS THE PRODUCT OF ...MAGICAL FORCES?!" Madok waggles his considerable eyebrows in what he thinks is a wise way.

Just waiting for someone to tell me what they wish to do next :-)

Personally, without a map, I'm unsure of what to do or where to go...

There is no map for the minaret in the scenario... it is a minaret (i.e. a small chamber at the top of an otherwise solid pillar of stone).

The room description mentioned earlier (bottom of page 1 of the thread) *did* note that there were two sets of doors at ground level going deeper into the complex (which are shown on the map)...?

Darvan looks to the others, "Well, I cannot detect any magic in this room; who- or whatever made those glowing footprints is apparently not here any longer. Let's head back down and make our way through the doors to the southeast." Assuming there are no objections, he makes his way down the stairs, then heads to the door.

Upon opening the SE door...

Although formerly full of finery, this large hall has been completely ransacked. Scarlet drapes lie in tatters on the floor, obsidian pedestals are smashed, and shards of red and black clay cover the floor. The southeast corner is the only exception—a large table sits there undisturbed. On it, sits a strange idol: a large, armored flame creature with the head of a bull.

Odo scowls at the scene in front of him. "Is that the idol we've come so far to retrieve? I would have expected it to be better defended than this." He looks about as if he has completely missed something important.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Odo does not notice anything unusual about the room.

However...

...a ball of flame suddenly appears, thrusting itself towards him!

DC 13 Reflex save, or take 3d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 3) = 13 Fire damage.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Odo manages to avoid the brunt of the fire damage, though he does feel a bit scorched.
"Where did that come from?!?"

Sense Motive 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Trig flinches back from the oncoming ball of flame.

Not sure if the ball was for all of us or just Odo. Here's my save just in case. Let me know. 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

"It looked like it formed out of mid-air."

Trig hums and scans the room for signs of magic.

Detect magic

Just Odo.

Round 1 of Concentration - Triccio detests the presence of magic.

"I am starting to feel this place does not like paladins of the Dawnflower," Odo observes with a bit of wry humor. He fishes out his wand of cure light wounds and applies it to himself - while still watching for surprising bursts of flame.

Cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Darvan orders Sahba to seek out anyone in the room.

Handle Animal (Link): 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 4 = 23

Sahba moves into the room, sniffing the air.

Perception (Scent): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

"HOLY S&!~ THAT DOG IS UGLY!"

At Odo's mention of the Dawnflower, the ball of flame bounces away, does a circuit around the bull-headed statue, and then pounces back on Odo...

DC 13 Reflex save, or take 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 2) = 7 Fire damage.

...before disappearing.

Sahba does not find any creatures in this room.

"There's magic here." Trig announces the news while stepping cautiously into the room.

Sorry, Odo. I didn't realize the ball of flame was still around or I would have tried something other than detect magic.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Missed! so Odo takes the full 7

"Yow! And some malevolent intelligence seems to be controlling it as well."

Odo sheaths his scimitar and takes a more significant step to relieve his injuries.
Laying on Hands: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10

"We had best make more haste. I am blessed with a substantial number of healing options, but they will run out eventually." As he says this, he moves closer to the bull/flame idol and looks it over.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Odo does not find any traps or secret compartments in the statue, but whilst he is investigating it, the statue begins to levitate a few inches above the ground, and then floats around his head, making a couple of mock strafing runs, before quietening down, and returning to its original position.

Let me know what you want to do ;-)

"HA HA HA HA"

Triccio continues to concentrate on the detect magic.

As soon as the idol returns to its original place, Triccio ceases to detect the presence of magic.

Trig drifts around the room examining the walls before moving closer to the idol.

"It's like each of these rooms has a one-time magical trap. But they haven't been very dangerous. So what is the point of them? Were they more lethal earlier and have become depleted over time?" Trig looks at Darvan. "What do you think?"

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Yes, well, at high tier, there might have been fireballs...

With a more careful search of the room, Triccio finds a tiny chink in the wall, through which a faint amount of flickering light is escaping; it is clear that there is a space beyond the wall, but there is no door - simply a peep-hole.