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A dozen plain wooden chairs surround the long, elliptical table that takes up the center of this room. The table is currently empty, but it has been set with a tablecloth in anticipation of the feast scheduled to cap off today’s celebrations. The double door facing the courtyard has been propped open, while the doors leading to the prayer hall is only open on one side.
And as you continue around, the two small rooms between the Meeting room and the lounge are storage rooms.
Each of these storage rooms contains cleaning supplies, leftover construction materials, training dummies, crates of parchment and ink, and other sundry items needed for the Society’s day-to-day business.
Shortly after you solve the last of Safa’s pranks, the lodge suddenly falls unnaturally quiet, and you find yourselves standing in the northernmost section of the courtyard.
The color of every surface and object has taken on a muted tone. The constant hustle and bustle of the party that has followed them from room to room is simply gone. All of the guests, the staff and your fellow Pathfinders have vanished. You are now completely alone in Sedeq Lodge (along with any animal companions or minions that were with you)
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The doors leading out of the lodge are sealed shut, and the windows show only a featureless landscape stretching in all directions beyond.
It’s impossible to break the doors down or pry them open. Furthermore, both sets of stairs lead to solid ceilings— there are no upper floors at all. This space isn’t the actual lodge, nor is it anywhere near Sedeq.
You all hear a voice
“Pathfinders! Your desperate attempts to secure allies are disgusting. Such pathetic fools! You have no place in my city. If you were truly strong, as I am, you would not need allies at all—you would command servants to do your bidding! I, Fasiel ibn Sazadin, have become a genie binder, in spite of the Society’s meddling! I shall soon be master of Sedeq, and I shall start by eliminating you!”
The voice grows quieter, but no less angry. “Safa, I command you! Bring me to the battlefield!”
Safa appears above the fountain, hovering with their head tilted to one side as they consider the command. “Of course, Fasiel. As you wish.” A man walks out of the courtyard’s maintenance closet. He wears the garb of a Qadiran aristocrat, and his two antlers protrude awkwardly from his lopsided hat. His face is a deep, unnatural red. He shouts, “Summon a powerful minion for me, then stay back! I’ll show these Pathfinders myself what it means to be a true genie binder!”
Safa furrows their brow, then grins. “A minion. Of course— your favorite kind.” Safa weaves magic through the air. A gout of flames roars up from the fountain, and a muscular, twelve-foot-tall horned woman with flaming red skin and smoldering eyes steps forward. Fresh bits of charred flesh cling to her flaming scimitar. “You dare to summon me, Safa?!
Shouldn’t you still be skulking about in the ether?! Explain, now. Or die.”
Safa shrugs, points at Fasiel, and says, “He did it.”
Fasiel shouts, “Marvelous! Yes, it is I, Fasiel ibn Sazadin, who commands you! Efreeti, obey my—”
The flaming woman screams in irritation, cutting off Fasiel’s words. “Shut up, skelm! You disgust me. I have no time for this—Safa, don’t ever do that again.”
With another roar of flames, the efreeti is gone, and creatures of fire and steam pour out of the fountain. Safa winks and vanishes.
Fasiel moves forward with two actions and starts to yell at everyone present.
◆ Stride
◆ Stride
◆ Frightening Rant [one-action] (auditory, concentrate, emotion, enchantment, fear, linguistic, mental, occult) Fasiel rants angrily, filling nearby creatures with shame, fear, and anger. Each creature within 30 feet must succeed at a DC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure). While frightened by this rant, creatures take a –2 status penalty to Strength-based damage rolls against Fasiel but gain a +2 status bonus to those rolls against other creatures.
The Green Mephit moves forward and breathes toward the group, catching Fasiel and Rexon in the cone.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Breath Weapon [two-actions] (arcane, fire) The steam mephit spits a cloud of steam in a 15-foot cone that deals 3d6 fire damage to each creature within the area (DC 18 basic Reflex save).
The steam mephit can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
The Cinder Rat moves forward and tries to bite Drilwenwënas.
Missing with both attacks, but the Rat has a constant cloud around it.
Fetid Fumes (aura, fire) 5 feet. A creature that enters the emanation or begins its turn there must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or become sickened 1. Everything within the aura’s emanation, including the cinder rat, is concealed by smoke.
The Blue Mephit Also moves up and breathes.
◆◆ Breath Weapon [two-actions] (arcane, fire) The steam mephit spits a cloud of steam in a 15-foot cone that deals 3d6 fire damage to each creature within the area (DC 18 basic Reflex save).
The steam mephit can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
Initiative, Round 1
Bold may act
FASIEL IBN SAZADIN (-5 HP)
SCALDING MEPHIT Green
CINDER RAT
SCALDING MEPHIT Blue
Sola DC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure)
Zenith DC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure)
Argoni Slate DC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure)
Rexon Kleensop DC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure) (Reflex save DC 17 or 5 Fire damage) DC 22 Fortitude save or become sickened 1
Itka Biklest DC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure)
DrilwenwënasDC 22 Will save or become frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure) DC 22 Fortitude save or become sickened 1 for you and Caityn,
SCALDING MEPHIT Red
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The liquid courage Rexon drank protects him from Fasiel's vitriol. He gets a little burned, but not overcome by the smoke around the rat. He reaches behind himself and blesses the katana Drilwenwenas has sheathed, then raises his shield.
◆◆Cast a Spell magic weapon on Drilwenwënas' katana
"Cut them down to size, Dril."
◆ Raise Shield
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Argoni takes a step back in fear, but his brain still manages to put some of the words together. "Fasiel ibn Sazadin, we meet at last. And you're a sklem! No wonder you've seemed angry all the time."
The halfling slips out from behind the others and hurls a blight bomb at the genie-binder, the target of his investigation. Then the halfling ducks behind some of the decorative plants for cover.
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Zenith's nerves nearly get the best of them, but Safa's subtle rebellion brings a level of light-heartedness needed for Zenith to laugh off the mad rant. "Your servants do not make you a better man than the rest of us, and they deserve to be free! I'll see to it!"
Zenith leaps towards the genie binder and tries to grab hold of him. Then, with their other hand, Zenith attempts to slice him with their starknife.
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Will Drilwenwënas:
Will Caitlyn:
Fort Drilwenwënas:
Fort Caitlyn:
Well, poor Caitlyn, let's take this rat down. Go to flank it.
Jaws, frightened 1, sickened 1:
Damage, sneak, last 1 of fire:
The ifrit quickdraws his katana, marks the rat as his prey and strikes.
+1 katana, Magic weapon, frightened 1:
Damage:
Concealment Caitlyn DC 5:
Concealment Drilwenwënas DC 5:
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Rexon takes some fire damage but otherwise seems unharmed.
Argoni cowers in fear for a brief moment but finds the courage to hit Fasiel with a Poison bomb.
Zenith leaps at Fasiel and manages to grab him, but fails to connect with the starknife.
Caitlyn loses sight of the Cinder Rat in the smoke, but Drilwenwënas manages to slice the rodent in half with his Katana (Crit versus FF).
Itka's Biting Words seem to sting Fasiel, but he still stands.
Initiative, Round 1
Bold may act
FASIEL IBN SAZADIN (-18 HP, + 1d4 Persistent Poison, Grabbed)
SCALDING MEPHIT Green (-1 HP)
CINDER RAT
SCALDING MEPHIT Blue
Sola
Zenith
Argoni Slate
Rexon Kleensop (-5 HP)
Itka Biklest
Drilwenwënas
SCALDING MEPHIT Red
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Sola with her Gouging Claw Attack.
The Red Mephit moves up and breaths a cloud of steam over Zenith, Fasiel and Sola.
Fasiel Reflex save
Fasiel tries to break free from Zenith's grip
◆ Escape from Zenith's grasp (Athletics DC 21)
Fasiel critically succeeds and moves away from Zenith
Then he moves toward Drilwenwënas and tries to recklessly strike him.
◆ Stride
◆ Punishing Strike [one-action] Fasiel unleashes his constant rage in a reckless attack that makes him flat-footed until the start of his next turn. He Strikes; if he hits, he increases the number of damage dice by one and adds Push to the effect. This counts as two attacks for his multiple attack penalty.
The Green Mephit Moves into the group and invokes a boiling rain
◆ Stride
◆◆ Boiling Rain [two-actions] (arcane, conjuration, fire, water)
Frequency once per day;
Effect The steam mephit calls down a rain of boiling water that surrounds them in a 10-foot emanation. Creatures in the area take 2d8+3 fire damage (DC 18 basic Reflex save), and small unattended flames (such as torches) are extinguished.
The Blue Mephit strides up and strikes at Sola with its claws
◆ Stride
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
Initiative, Round 2
Bold may act
FASIEL IBN SAZADIN (-27 HP, + 1d4 Persistent Poison, Flat Footed)
SCALDING MEPHIT Green (-1 HP)
CINDER RAT
SCALDING MEPHIT Blue
Sola (-6 HP) DC 18 basic reflex save or 11 fire damage, DC 18 basic reflex save or 16 fire damage
ZenithDC 18 basic reflex save or 11 fire Damage, DC 18 basic reflex save or 16 fire damage
Argoni Slate
Rexon Kleensop (-5 HP), DC 18 basic reflex save or 16 fire damage
Itka Biklest
Drilwenwënas (-21 HP), DC 18 basic reflex save or 16 fire damage
SCALDING MEPHIT Red
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Zenith finds themself in a tough spot next to the fountain and no where to dodge the flames. Quickly, Zenith decides to roll beneath the green mephit and move into a flank with Rexon. With hopefully sufficient flare, Zenith strikes Falsin with their starknife before repeating the rolling maneuver once more!
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ooc]Sorry Sola, the tactics for the Mephits have them doing damage rather indiscriminately, and you were in the way.[/ooc]
Zenith manages to Tumble Through the Green Mephit by the skin of his teeth, but gains Panache regardless.
His strike on Fasiel, however, is not marginal and catches the Skelm squarely in the chest. The Skelm stumbles under the massive blow but continues to fight.
Zenith proceeds to Tumble Through Fasiel with a beautiful flourish, regaining his Panache.
Initiative, Round 2
Bold may act
FASIEL IBN SAZADIN (-58 HP, + 1d4 Persistent Poison, Flat Footed)
SCALDING MEPHIT Green (-1 HP)
CINDER RAT
SCALDING MEPHIT Blue
Sola (-31 HP)
Zenith (-13 HP]
Argoni Slate
Rexon Kleensop (-5 HP), DC 18 basic reflex save or 16 fire damage
Itka Biklest
Drilwenwënas (-21 HP), DC 18 basic reflex save or 16 fire damage
SCALDING MEPHIT Red
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Itka cautiously backs away from the Skelm before flipping him the bird with a contemptuous glare as she casts Evil Eye on him. This is followed by another string of insults. "Hmp! Hornswoggling scaramouch! Zounderkite mooncalf! Throttlebottom-snollygoster!"
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You are all completely healed as Safa reappears and all the Mephits disappear.
Fasiel’s wound is fatal. That much is clear even as he clings to it, dragging himself along the ground. “Safa! Heal me! Return me to my lair, so I may plot my revenge!”
Safa appears out of nowhere, descending through the air without bothering to hide their glee. “Of course.” They snap their fingers, summoning a flash of white-hot flames that cauterize Fasiel’s wound. He howls with pain, rolling in the dirt and cursing Safa’s name. The genie pins him to the ground with one foot and casts a hasty glance around the courtyard.
“His wounds will heal... with time.” Safa flashes a wicked grin, but it lasts only a moment. “Fasiel has encountered the Society before, in the home of Corvius Vayn. He believes your agents prevented him from becoming a genie binder. A cruel genie twisted his wish for confidence and power by transforming him into the creature he is today. The wretched skelm is hateful and cruel, but also shortsighted—he could never match the Pathfinders. Your true foe, the one who gave him my seal, is far more powerful. They hold deep hatred in their heart and have long dreamt of the Society’s downfall. They would trade anything, even me, to further their goals. They’re angry, sinister, loathsome—your newest nemesis. Please don’t ask for a name. Just know that they’re out there, and this... man... is hardly their only puppet.”
Safa stoops, hoists the mewling Fasiel over their shoulder, and salutes. “Good game, Pathfinders. I hope we meet again.” With a snap of Safa’s fingers, they both vanish.
In the next blink, you find yourselves back in the real Sedeq Lodge courtyard.
The crowd is eager to speak with you and congratulates you on a successful party, expressing how much they’re looking forward to the coming feast.
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Argoni pouts a bit. "Well, it was too bad Safa couldn't be helped. The fact that he took Fasiel is annoying too. And there's some mystery man who is the real power!" He stamps his foot on the ground. "Dang it, that's super unsatisfying!"
The halfling pulls out another slice of pork wrapped in a roll that he managed to steal away, and he stress eats it.
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Agdal Karga approaches you and congratulates your group for hosting a successful event. Khayrat adds to the congratulations with a bottle of fine elven wine. Casira doesn’t approach you, but she’s among the crowd and happy to tell anyone who asks about your help in the library.
The adventure ends with Danya Ben-Abn calling the assembled to dinner, a feast which should serve as quite the pleasant reward for a job well done.
Thank you for playing. Chronicle sheets will be sent in a couple of days from RPGChronicles. I have noticed the Chronicles sent via RPG Chronicles tend to end up categorized as SPAM, so please check your SPAM folders for them.
If you would like me to include any Earn Income rolls on your Chronicle Sheets, please roll them here and I will add them. You are under no obligation to do so, since they made Downtime the player’s responsibilities.
Please let me know if you have any comments, questions or corrections.
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Rexon enjoys his dinner, but refrains from too much wine. The next week, he seeks out the local competition circuit and offers his services as an announcer and judge. Thanks to Kurgess, he is able to be clearly heard from a great distance away. (he makes himself heard with bullhorn)
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There might be a slight delay in the Chronicle sheets. RPGChronicles is having issues with the additional Faction Reputation for this scenario. I have notified the developer and he is working it. If he doesn't have it fixed by Sunday, I will go ahead and generate the Chronicle sheets with the additional reputation in the GM Comments block.
Please let me know if you need your Chronicle sooner than Sunday.
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Zenith collapses to the ground. But...Safa...your freedom seemed so close.... They seem in pain, but even after healing their burnt skin-- they seem no better off. With time they stand up and prepare for the dinner.
Zenith hardly pokes their food during dinner, and instead is fairly absentminded-- dreaming of consulting the stars. They try to remain pleasant, but first chance they get they set out to be under the open sky. "Farewell my friends, it has been an honor working alongside each of you. But for now I must go."