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

Game Master Luke_Parry

"OK JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU NEED ME TO DO ME STUFF."

Upon opening the door...

The passage itself is richly decorated, the floor covered by a maze-like geometric pattern of scarlet flames.

Sputtering torches line the passage, providing normal illumination throughout.

Standing at one end of the passageway, peering through a peep-hole, is a young Keleshite man, dressed in sweat-stained clothing.

He looks up, startled, as the door swings open, blanching, and exclaiming...

"Aw, Hell..."

Round 1: Madok, Darban, Triccio, Odo, G, Billin

Everyone except Billin can act.

"HAHAHA! FINALLY MY SKILLS COME BACK INTO PLAY! LET THE UNNAMED GOD LOOK DOWN ON ME WITH HIS TUMESCENCE!"

Madok bolts forward to smack the boy with his greataxe, but miscalculates where to swing. Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9Damage: 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

"Madok, no! We need him alive."

Realizing the others will be more effective than him, Trig waits.

What is this guy doing here? I thought us Pathfinders had the inside track on this place.

Feeling pretty irritated at the trouble this young man seems to have been causing him, Odo rushes in, drawing his scimitar on the way.
"I will do my best to subdue him, Trig, on that you may count. But I will chastise him as well for his mischief."

Scimitar for non-lethal: 1d20 - 4 + 8 ⇒ (16) - 4 + 8 = 20
Non-lethal damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

I moved my counter a square up because, as the guy opening the door, I think I had been bumped a bit farther away than expected.

Move action: Move in while drawing scimitar
Standard action: Attack to subdue

Madok hustles forward, and takes a swing at the young man, but in his eagerness, he misjudges his swing, and slams his greataxe into the wall mere centimeters away from the boy's head.

Triccio delays.

Odo hustles in, and slaps the boy with the flat of his blade, raising a large welt.

Round 1: Madok, Darban, Triccio, Odo, G, Billin

Darban is up.

Darvan, too, moves forward and attempts to subdue the man.

Move action: As indicated on map, drawing scimitar
Standard action: Attack young man (non-lethal)
Attack (Scimitar, Non-lethal): 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 4 = 11
Damage (Scimitar, Non-lethal): 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Triccio readies bardic performance against the chance that the boy uses some enchantment or illusion against the party.

Perform: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
If I have to choose between countersong and distraction as his readied action, then I'll go with countersong.

Darban moves forward, and attempts to deliver a brutal hilt-punch with his scimitar, which the young man is barely able to avoid.

"Just go away!", the young man cries plaintively, and draws a feather, which he tosses into the air, where it transforms into a giant whip, which attempts to hit Odo...

Whip: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23, for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 non-lethal damage.

Grapple: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28.

...not only succeeding in giving him a nasty bruise, but also successfully wrapping itself around him.

Round 2: Billin, Madok, Darban(-5), Triccio, Odo, G(-4)

Party is up.

GM - you said the whip attacked Odo, but gave Darvan the damage. Am I rolling a grapple check or an attack?

It is indeed Odo who took the damage (as he is the only one to actually hit the young man). As an aside, even if you *were* grappled, you could still attack - a scimitar is a one-handed weapon, and therefore can be used perfectly normally in a grapple.

Darvan swings the flat of his blade at the young man once again.

Standard action: Attack young man (non-lethal)
Attack (Scimitar, Non-lethal): 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 4 = 21
Damage (Scimitar, Non-lethal): 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

As I am unable to reach the young man, I'll try to help Odo get ungrappled. I'm not sure what to roll, though.

Yikes. With a CMB of +15, Odo doesn't stand a chance with an escape artist check even with liberating command backing him up. So, he'll attack.

Odo grunts with the strain of moving against the whip, but he still strikes at the the young man with his scimitar.

Striking to subdue: 1d20 + 8 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 4 - 2 = 22 crit threat
Confirm: 1d20 + 8 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 4 - 2 = 3 nope
Non-lethal damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Billin delays.

Darban delivers a nasty blow to the young man's abdomen, knocking the wind out of him.

Odo then follows that up with a blow to the temple which knocks the young man out cold.

The whip then releases Odo, and hovers in the air.

Combat over.

"OK SO I AM NOT SUPPOSED TO KILL HIM?"

"No, we don't want to kill him. We need to find out if he's alone, and why he's here." Trig slips off his pack and rummages for a few minutes before pulling out a coil of fine thin line.

"We'll tie him with this so that he can't fight too much. Beware spells however."

Odo eyes the hovering whip warily. "We should drag him out of here and shut the door before he has a chance to wake as well. That whip seems... dormant... but if it is still here when he wakes up, he may be able to use it against us. I will offer as much cover as I can until he is secured."

Odo, shield at the ready, moves to put himself between the whip and Trig and anyone else who tries to help him tie up the young man.

The young man's limp body offers no resistance as he is trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Throughout, the whip remains dormant.

What now?

Odo's plan to drag him out and shut the door is sound. I think we'll follow it and then question the man.

Trig grabs the young man under the armpits and drags him out, through the throne room, and into the room of the levitating statue. E3 He takes a rag, splashes some water unto it until it is well soaked and squeezes water unto the young man's face to wake him.

"Come on, wake up. What's your name?

The young man stays unconscious.

Unfortunately, that is not how non-lethal damage works. He will wake up in a matter of hours, or when he has been healed to above 0 hp.

Trig looks to the others. "I could heal him, but I'm running out of spells for the day."

I could drop a CLW on him but then I'd be down to one spell left. Anybody else have a lower value resource to use? If the consensus is Trig casts CLW on him , I'm happy to do so.

"I can heal him easily enough. The mercy of the Dawnflower will work just as well on him as it will on her faithful. But as long as we have him out, we should make sure his hideaway is well-searched. Then I will rouse him and give him his chance of redemption."

I can lay on hands. It normally heals 2d6 damage and removes fatigue. If there is no fatigue to remove, it actually heals 3d6 (Greater Mercy feat).

Studying the floor mosaic reveals that it is a map of the nearby mountains.

The room is otherwise empty.

Searching the young man reveals two identical potions, a scroll, a two smoke sticks, a dagger, a mummified hand, a holy symbol of a bull-headed humanoid, and a key.

Trig watches the young man while Odo searches. He ponders the holy symbol and the other items.

Detect magic, all three rounds on each item showing an aura.

Know(arcana) Potions: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Know(arcana) Dagger: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Know(arcana) Hand: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Know(arcana) Holy symbol: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Know(arcana) Key: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Only the potions and the hand are magical.

Triccio is unable to identify the potions, but is able to determine that the mummified hand is a Hand of the Mage.

"Ugh, not too particular are we?" Trig says to the unconscious man as he examines the hand. Still it might be handy for anyone who is not too squeamish.

"Madok, come here. Put this around your neck. Then concentrate on moving the key."

"OK!"

Madok does as instructed, brow furrowing in deepest concentration.

After a bit of effort on Madok's part, the key does indeed float in the air.

"OH! OH MY! SURELY MY NAMELESS GOD IS WITH ME TODAY! THIS POWER IS HIS!"

Trig chuckles a little as the key flies. "Perhaps you'll make a mage someday, Madok."

[ooc]

"An interesting magic trick, but given that it comes from a mummified hand, a completely disgusting device. Shall we learn more about the man who wore it? I am ready to heal his injuries and wake him." Odo says as he crouches next to their restrained enemy.

When everyone is ready, Odo will lay on hands for 2d6 in healing (+1d6 if the unconscious guy isn't fatigued).

3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 3) = 8

The young man stirs to consciousness as a result of Odo's ministrations.

He struggles for a few moments, before his shoulders slump in defeat.

"Go away! You are not welcome here. This place does not belong to you, infidels!"

"This place has been lost for a long time. It belongs to no one. Why not us?"

"It belongs to the glorious faithful of Moloch, infidel! It has never ceased to be ours - its location was never lost, just hidden."

Trig draws a slow breath. Well, that confirms the holy symbol.

"And you are its guardian? Was it always guarded by the faithful or was it recently rediscovered? There's a tale I'd like to hear."

I'd like to try to winkle information out of him by diplomacy, working slowly and taking 20 if possible. Trig's modifier is only +8, so he's going to need help, or maybe someone else should take lead. Luke is that ok, and do you guys think we have time for that approach?

We don't seem to be under imminent threat, so we might as well take time for a diplomatic approach and move to intimidation if that doesn't work. I'm not sure taking 20 is possible, though. My skill mod starts at +10 so I should probably make the main roll with your assistance?

"Indeed. We are more interested in knowing more about the citadel than taking possession of it or putting its inhabitants to the sword. I have even healed you of the injuries you sustained when we fought. Deal with us honestly and you need have no fear of us."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

I'll help you (or anyone with a better mod) then. And we take 20 if possible.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11

Darvan sheathes his scimitar and nods, adding, "We are, first and foremost, explorers."

Note: Even with the assists, that Diplomacy check failed.

The young man shakes his head.

"I would rather die then betray the secrets of my faith to outsiders... to do so would forfeit the paradise that awaits me upon my death, when I go to Moloch's side. However, I can tell you of the glory of Moloch, for He is always eager to have His Word spread..."

His eyes gleam with fanaticism as his tale unfolds.

"...Three hundred years ago, during one of the fiercest heat waves ever recorded on the long rolls of the Padishah Emperor, the Faithful Moloch, archdevil of Malebolge and God of Fires, spread His truth through the many markets of Sedeq and Dimayen and the small towns in between. Some of the Qadiran people, fearful of the sandstorms and unbearable temperatures scouring the desert saw the Truth of His Words, and embraced these new prophets with a fervor that frightened the petty, small-minded satrap.

Moloch teaches us that the heat itself is holy, a landmark guiding Qadira to paradise. Soon many Qadirans trekked alone into the dunes, giving their lives to the inimitable desert, and young Qadiran lovers immolated themselves in the hopes of reuniting in the fiery paradise beyond.

Only the bravest of these enraptured souls were urged to seek the towering spires of the Citadel of Flame, the hidden home of the Faithful deep in the southern Meraz.

Most failed in their quest, perishing of thirst or in violent
sandstorms, and still more were judged unworthy... But those few who passed burned with a Holy flame so intense that it transformed their very souls into creatures of fire!"

He then sneers.

"You most definitely are not worthy. Stop profaning this Holy place with your unworthy feet!"

Yes, I know that issuing orders is usually best done from a position of strength... but he *is* a fanatic.

"YOUR GOD IS BOOOOORING."

"Madok, shhh!"

""Creatures of fire? Like the two in the valley outside? Wonders indeed! How did you come to be here? What makes you worthy?"

"Fire is in my blood; I have felt my Lord's call my entire life."

"I was afraid of this. The bluster of a fanatic is of little use to us. Let's gag him and put him back in his secret chamber. We can retrieve him on the way out and let the local authorities deal with him."

"I fear you are right, Odo. One more question and we'll do as you say."

Triccio turns back to the young man. "You want us to stop profaning this place with our presence? Tell us what dangers lie here. Convince us to leave."

I figure he'll lie, but we can try sense motive against the lie. Maybe there'll be a tiny clue in what he says.

The young man snorts.

"I am not an idiot. If I tell you what you might face, that would give you the element of surprise... an intolerable state of affairs. If you choose to continue blindly, then it will be your own folly."

Let me know what you wish to do next :-)

"Well then, our unholy feet will continue to profane this place. You have failed to deter us. How does Moloch deal with failure? Maybe a nice cold drowning?"

I'm for Odo's plan unless someone wants to try intimidation.

The young man laughs.

"I did my best to deter you, so I am still worthy of my place in the paradise of Malebolge when I go to the Great Beyond..."

Just so we don't bog down any further, the scenario specifically states that he will not reveal any more information about this place 'even on pain of death' (he is a religious zealot, after all), so unfortunately, Intimidation would not work.

What now?

"WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY GOD? I HAVE A HOLY BOOK HERE IN MY BAG SOMEWHERE ..."

Let's gag him, stuff him in his secret chamber, close the door, and be on our merry way. If only we had a cask of amontillado...

"So be it. You are unrepentant and we will waste no more time with you," Odo says as he gags the foolish cultist. He then drags him into the secret chamber, already searched and looted, and closes him in.

"Now, let us take his key and see if it will open that locked door." he says, indicating the other secret door.