Unusk slices another brigand. He falls to the ground as he loses consciousness from the blood loss.
Hampton hurries his shots and misses the remaining brigand. The brigand snarls before spinning in place three times. Once he regains his balance, he rushes Hampton and drives his sword into the half-elf's shoulder.
Round 3. Bold may act.
Red (-8 hp) (flat-footed)
Precious (97/108 hp)
Bella (44/44 hp)
Hampton (44/56 hp)
Ithuriel (31/32 hp)
Olov (67/67 hp)
Unusk (48+/77 hp) (shield)
Hazard
The remaining brigand pales as the towering toy trundles after him. His quick reflexes keep him from being skewered on the lance. The sharpened tip still cuts a deep line across his arm. He shows no sign of surrender or remorse and so is cut down by the rest of the Pathfinders with efficiency.
"Ah, Safa, your pieces have prevailed over Fasiel's dregs," Chaliz says as the last mercenary falls. He claps.
"Yes. And they didn't even need my help," they say.
The shaitan floats back to the ground. The floor thrums with power again as the genie lands. "There are mortals that these mercenaries kidnapped in the room to the north, if you have a mind to free them," he says to you. "I'll be happy to watch over them, if you like--my duty to Fasiel has been completed--and any of these," he says with a disdainful gesture at the two fallen mercenaries that were not beheaded, "that you might wish to save or any other prisoners you might take."
As the two surviving mercenaries come to their senses under Olov's wave of healing energy, they suddenly fall back to the ground as though under a great weight of stone, unable to even lift a finger. "I've got them," Chaliz says with a lopsided smile. "Take these as a reward for impressing me with your skill at kingmaker." He hands you a set of adamantine kingmaker pieces and an element-infused diamond. "And in case you must face the salamander that guards the floor above, though recently I have also sensed an efreeti." He hands you a flask with a thick, fiery orange liquid inside.
Meanwhile, Hamptom finds the three mercenaries have their leather armor, mundane sword, sap, and bow, standard thieves' tools, a standard climbing kit, and each of them has an elixir on their belt.
Unusk notes a hall to her left as she moves to the double doors on the north wall of the main exhibit hall. Shelves of jeweler’s tools and delicate crafts line the walls, surrounding the busy workbenches in the center of the room on the other side of those doors. A woman, a man, and a gnome flinch and shield their faces when the doors open. When you do not immediately bark orders at them, they lower their hands and peer at Unusk with frightened, sleep-deprived eyes.
The three people are chained together by brightly polished copper chains and manacles that are fastened to the center table. The chain only has enough slack for the prisoners to reach the shelves and a not-very-private privy.
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Unusk sheathes her scimitar and gives the friendliest smile she can manage to the people. She points to the holy symbol on her armor.
"Hello. I am Unusk from the Burning Sun Hold. I am a follower of Sarenrae, and we are all with the Pathfinder Society. We have come to set you free."
She keeps some distance so she doesn't frighten them.
The prisoner's eyes are a mix of hope and terror at Unusk's words.
"Set us free?" the woman says as though she does not understand the words.
"It's impossible!" the gnome blurts out as their eyes begin to well.
The human man sets down his tools and wipes at his own eyes. "I am Zadfar ibn Nazal, a goldsmith who works with the Church of Sarenrae. We desperately want to be free--"
The woman falls to her knees and cries, "My children! Someone has to see to my children! They've been all alone since I was taken!"
Safa glides into the room and wraps their arms around the woman. "There, there. Your children are safe. Your children are safe."
The man continues once the woman has calmed down. "We want to be freed, of course, but these chains are wickedly cursed. Fasiel made us try to escape in front of him, threatening to kill us on the spot if we did not try our hardest. I did the best I could, and the result of that attempt nearly killed us all. It felt as I imagine being struck by lightning would feel. The cad then destroyed the only key to the chains in front of us while he laughed."
"It is painfully ironic that I, Billfric the glassblower, am now in chains and forced to serve another," the gnome mutters glumly.
"If you have a way to free us, be careful and diligent in your efforts," Zadfar says. "We also do not want to die."
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"Though it seem dark, the Dawnflower's light will soon burn through the darkness. And when it does, Fasiel will be consumed by its fire. This I swear to you." The anger is apparent in Olov's voice, though he feels uncertain about the cursed chains. "Hm. Sarenrae's power might dispel the cursed effect," he mutters, "but what feedback might that bring on the captives?" He turns to Safa after a moment and asks "What assistance might you be able to lend us here, Safa?"
"You can examine the chains--touch them, even--without risking the enchantment," Zadfar says. "But if you try to break the links or pick the locks, we'll suffer for it." He adds, "So will you. The whole room is struck by lightning."
Safa looks over the chains and furrows their brow. "I transfer the harm from the chains away from these good artisans and into myself, if you ask."
Examining the chains, there appear to be two ways to disable it without harming the captives or yourselves. An expert who is very careful could pick the locks without setting off the enchantment. Those trained in the arcane or nature might be able to rig a way to discharge the power into a focal point of their choice so that nobody would be harmed.
You could also try to shatter the links by brute force, but striking the chains would certainly unleash the bound power.
"As you wish," Safa says as they touch each of the three captives on the head. "You may not proceed."
Hampton cobbles together a contraption with the metal wire available in the workroom and several rags soaked with water from your waterskins. While Safa wards the artisans, he tries to discharge the power in the chains through his contraption.
Light flares through the doorway accompanied by the crash of thunder, which momentarily blinds and deafens those of you watching from outside the room. When your vision clears, Hampton is still standing but the edges of his clothing smolder and stream small tendrils of smoke. Safa's pony tail is frizzed out. The captives, however, are safe, if a little surprised they're alive. The chains no longer thrum with energy.
While not elegant, you have bought yourself enough time to break the shackles through brute force.
Not knowing how much time Hampton bought them, Olov moves in quickly with a crowbar and begins to break the links. Adrenaline rushes through his body as he snaps the first link with a single yank. The rest do not go quite so easy, but eventually each of the artisans are free.
The woman rushes over to Olov and gives him a hug and pecks him on the cheek. "Thank you! I need to get to my children!" She pauses at the door to the room when she sees the bandits struggling against the supernatural gravity holding them down and the towering shaitan. "Ah. Is the way out safe?"
The gnome wastes not time taking revenge. They rush out of the room and kick one of the mercenaries in the face. "Kidnap and enslave me!?"
"Thank you," Zadfar says to Hampton. "That was brave of you."
Once you have the captives reassured and safely in the care of Chaliz, you continue on with your progress through the museum. The hall to the left of the workshop has two champers off of it, which turn out to be semi-private privies, and a stairway leading upwards.
At the top of the stairs, you see a long hall leading off not far from the top of the stairs. It is lined with several doors. However, to your south, the space opens into a grand hall.
Sunlight pours in through the floor to ceiling windows of the vast hall. An armored salamander stands watch, the room’s braziers flaring and dimming with his breath.
The wavering image of Fasiel appears once more, ruining any hope you had of sneaking past the salamander. "You may have gotten past my janni and shaitan, but your feeble teamwork will perish in flames! Obey me, Anshul! Destroy... wait, what?!"
Fasiel shrieks as the burning hand of an efreeti tears his image apart. A towering horned woman wielding a flaming scimitar stands in place of the salamander. Safa manifests in a swirl of wind, smiling. "Are we playing hide and seek, Farah? You know you won’t catch me. You’re barely even here."
Heat pours off the efreet. "One humiliation too many, Safa. You betray my brother and then mock me with a summons. Death would be too swift." The efreet produces a sapphire medallion traced with delicate script. "I found your marid friend and ensnared the trusting fool. And now I’m going to smash their seal. They might be trapped a thousand years. All because of you." Farah turns her attention away from the djinn. "I have no quarrel with you, Pathfinders. You freed my brother and humiliated his binder, Vayne. I won’t hold your association with this breeze against you."
"As though your wan candle flame has the strength to smash anything," Safa says, turning her face with a sniff. This causes the braziers to flare with light as the efreet, Farah, grits her teeth.
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"Safa" Olov says softly to Safa, "we don't need more enemies right now. Don't let her cause you to lose your composure."
To Farah, he says "Honorable Efreet. I understand you have reason to be angry with Safa, but what is time to one such as yourself? Surely your revenge can wait a little longer. Right now, we" he says gesturing to the Pathfinders and Safa "are working to destroy a wicked creature, as you just destroyed his image. He seeks to bind others to his will, and once aspired to be like the very Vayne we humiliated. If he is not stopped, he will bind more of your people to his service, just as Vayne did. Please, do not interfere with our effort. Allow us to rid the world of this wicked fool before you pursue your feud with Safa."
"It doesn't matter how long the Honorable Efreet waits, she doesn't have the power to take revenge," Safa says derisively.
The braziers glow a little brighter than fade as the efreet speaks to Olov. "The Society has capable agents. I trust you will be able to deal with Fasiel without Safa's dead weight."
"I think you have mistaken my purpose, Hampton," Safa says and pats the half-elf on his bald head. "I want her to go away. Far, far away." They narrow their eyes at the efreet. "Far."
The flames in the brazier fade a little bit more. "Still, the insult is so great! I must have recompense!" the efreet growls.
"I fear we do not all always get what we deserve," Safa says with a feigned yawn behind their hand.
Precious and Olov can tell through all her bluster, Safa is hiding her fear for her trapped friend.
"No. Let justice prevail!" Farah counters Ithuriel's entreaty. "I see that you will not abandon Safa. I concede the honor in your choice, so I will give you the chance to save her friend through trial by combat." She puts away the blue gemstone under her breastplate and brandishes her flaming scimitar.
Two previously unnoticed hellhounds climb out of the braziers.
As you ready your weapons, Farah leaps forward. Her heavily armored body flies across the intervening distance and lands before Olov and Precious with a heavy thud. Her blade sweeps toward Olov before he can react, and the burning sword bites deep into his chest. She grabs hold of the orc by his arm with her right hand--her touch blisters Olov's skin--as her blade sweeps on toward Precious. The scimitar cuts under one of the tiny knight's plates and burns the stuffing within.
Trial by Combat! Round 1. Bold may act.
Farah al-Saleel (grabbing Olov)
Hampton (56/56 hp)
Blue Hellhound
Ithuriel (32/32 hp)
Olov (21/67 hp) (grabbed) (Escape DC 29; take 1d6 Fire at end of turn if still grabbed)
Unusk (77/77 hp)
Precious (83/108 hp)
Red Hellhound
+
+
Farah ducks under the first of Hampton's arrows easily, but the second grazes the side of her head.
One of the hellhounds bounds forward and snaps at the struggling Olov. However, despite being restrained in the towering efreet's grip the fiendish hound cannot find solid purchase. The beast then belches fire across the Pathfinders. Ithuriel is blessed to be far enough away from the hellfire.
Trial by Combat! Round 1. Bold may act.
Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire prior to all actions in this block.
Farah al-Saleel (-41 hp)
Hampton (56/56 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire)
Blue Hellhound
Ithuriel (32/32 hp)
Olov (21/67 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire)
Unusk (77/77 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire)
Precious (83/108 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire)
Red Hellhound
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Olov turns his armored flank to deflect the hellhound's belch, the only effect seeming to be a slight increase in the smoke that seems to leak from the armor's seams. "Dawnflower, protect me from these foul dogs!" he prays.
The holy symbol around his neck briefly glows, but seems to sputter and fade as Farah's grip burns his flesh. He grits his teeth and grips his sword, slashing at the hellhound pinned between himself and Precious before muttering another prayer and raising a magical shield around himself.
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Ithuriel lays a comforting hand on Olov's shoulder as he moves behind the orc. "Not to worry. Razmir is watching over us all friend."
HP 44/44
AC 21 (+1 Mage Armor; +1 Shield)
Focus Point 0/1
Spells Used:
(1) Mage Armor
(2)
(3)
Staff Charges: 3/3
Wand of Heal (1st) 1/1
Healer's Gloves 1/1
Cloak of Repute 1/1
Lantern of Empty Light (Living) 0/1 | Incorporeal Undead 1/1
Drain Bonded Item 1/1
Hero Point 3/3
As Precious breaks away to deal with the hellhound, Farah dances around while holding Olov in place and cuts the tiny knight with her scimitar. The flames on her blade leave a smoldering wound in his stuffing.
Carrying on to his goal, Precious drives the tip of his lance into the infernal hound. Olov struggles in Farah's grasp. Her titanic hold prevents him from calling upon the Dawnflower's blessing to heal his wound. Ithuriel steps forward to demonstrate Razimir's power and heals a great deal of the wound.
Olov turns his attention to the offense and chops his falchion down on the hellhound. The beast roars in pain just before it vanishes to the infernal planes.
Trial by Combat! Round 1. Bold may act.
Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire prior to all actions in this block.
Farah al-Saleel (-41 hp) (reaction used)
Hampton (56/56 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire)
Ithuriel (32/32 hp) (shield spell)
Olov (45/67 hp) (shield spell)
Unusk (77/77 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 12 Fire)
Precious (54/108 hp)
Red Hellhound
+
Unusk wards herself and moves in to strike the efreet, but Farah parries the blow.
"You can beat her!" Safa calls from behind you. "She's barely an echo here on the mortal plane!"
The remaining hellhound chases down Precious. The poppet fends off the beast's burning maw easily enough.
Farah keeps Olov in her burning grasp and slices at him. Her blade scores his armored breast plate but does him no harm this time. She continues her sweep toward Unusk, but the other orc is easily able to step out of the way.
Trial by Combat! Round 2. Bold may act.
Farah al-Saleel (-41 hp) (grabbing Olov)
Hampton (50/56 hp)
Ithuriel (32/32 hp) (shield spell)
Olov (44/67 hp) (shield spell) (grabbed: Escape DC 29, Fire 1d6 at end of turn if still grabbed)
Unusk (65/77 hp) (shield spell)
Precious (54/108 hp)
Red Hellhound
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Ithuriel raises a hand, releasing a small wave of holy magical missiles into Farah. "That will be enough of that."
HP 44/44
AC 21 (+1 Mage Armor; +1 Shield)
Focus Point 0/1
Spells Used:
(1) Mage Armor
(2)
(3) Magic Missile
Staff Charges: 3/3
Wand of Heal (1st) 1/1
Healer's Gloves 1/1
Cloak of Repute 1/1
Lantern of Empty Light (Living) 0/1 | Incorporeal Undead 1/1
Drain Bonded Item 1/1
Hero Point 3/3
Precious grows in size to match Farah. It takes him more than one try, but he stabs the efreet through a joint in her armor.
"Oh. I see you hid your true strength," Farah says while Olov strikes at her arm, but the blade only strikes her vambrace. His skin continues to blister under her grasp.
Farah narrows her eyes at Ithuriel as the force darts slam into her.
The first of Hampton's arrows sinks into Farah's smoldering flesh, but the rest of the arrows plink against her iron breastplate. Unusk's sword is likewise deterred by the iron armor.
The hellhound snaps at Precious, but the poppet is careful to deny the beast any advantage and rebuffs the assault. The hound moves around the giant toy in order to belch its agonizing hellfire over more victims.
Farah releases Olov and turns her attention to the giant knight. She cuts a line through his inflammable skin and then grabs hold of his wrist. The fabric under her hand smolders and burns. She brings her blade back toward Precious. He ducks his head, and her sword glances off of his helmet.
Trial by Combat! Round 3. Bold may act.
Farah al-Saleel (-90 hp; <50%) (grabbing Precious)
Hampton (50/56 hp)
Ithuriel (32/32 hp) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 10 Fire)
Olov (38/67 hp) (shield spell) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 10 Fire)
Unusk (65/77 hp) (shield spell) (Basic Reflex DC 19 vs. 10 Fire)
Precious (13/108 hp) (grabbed; Escape DC 29, 1d6 fire damage at end of turn if still grabbed)
Red Hellhound
+
+