GM Jhaeman's Dawn of Flame, Chapter Five: "Solar Strike"

Game Master Jhaeman

"That latter option sounds preferrable if we can do it, but I'm not married to the destruction if push comes to shove."

"It could be the resnator is an artifact they cannot replace, at least not without great effort and expense. We should inquire as to its origins, but I am leery of destroying something that sems so important if we do no have to."

"Amongst their senior leaders is a dragon, yes? " The damai asks, running a hand over the oversized barrel of his armor-mounted ice cannon, showin an uncharacteristic disinterest in the talk of novel (to non-sun-dwellers) psychic technology. Xylian was promised a dragon.

Ah, so bombing the dragon? I like the idea, but bombs are not grenades, so we probably need to work out how to do it. She takes out the map that they were given and gets everyone gathered around to suggest how they should proceed.

Amhesha's eyes light up. "They could be made into grenades!... but it would take more time to research than we have to spend, so I'd also go with possibly setting it up ahead of time as well."

Poring over the layout of the battle-damaged Spire, the group continues to formulate a plan . . .

Thanks for your patience everyone, I'm now back. It sounds like the group is leaning towards a more traditional assault, perhaps blowing up some chambers along the way? I suggest taking another day or two for any final preparation/planning you'd like to make, and then we can move on.

The time has come for the final push to liberate Kahlannal! With the occupation forces weakened and disoriented, the anassanois of Kahlannal are inspired to full revolt! The Protectors take to their chariots and lead assaults in various sectors, while the rest of the resistance stages simultaneous attacks on several key occupation bases; soon, anassanois throughout the city take to the streets in solidarity, inundating security checkpoints, obscuring sight lines, and slowing occupation troop movements.

With the occupiers’ attention directed toward the chaos, the Spire’s defenses are at their weakest, and Zhyffor organizes a major assault near the magtrain station previously sabotaged in order to provide veritable angels from distant worlds a chance to slip into the Spire from below!

Crawling through the rubble of the collapsed magtrain tunnel, you all emerge into a loading dock near the base of the Spire. A magtrain trench loops around a central platform in this vaultlike chamber, natural lightning coming from above through its pearlescent walls. Transparent tube-shaped lifts rise along a thick shaft from the platform’s center into the ceiling forty feet above. Containers crowd the ground near the tracks on the platform. Several anassanois are here, inventorying the containers.

Okay, we are on Slide # 2, Area G1 (the top left of the slide). You can place your tokens as if emerging from the long tunnel. These anassanois are busy with the containers and are not expecting visitors, so I'm going to assume they don't notice you arrive--it's your call on how to proceed.

It's a risk, but either the Anassonoi are brainwashed/zombified or they aren't, and she wants to be sure before harming anyone, so Zharis clears her throat loudly to get their attention and says

Hey, we're here to clear out the invaders, and we don't want you to come to harm. You should probably leave.

If they attack, then she fights back, but if they are peaceful, then she wants to allow them to leave.

Diplomacy check in case they have free will:

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 17 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 17 + (5) + 2 = 34

Aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Amhesha sends a telepathic message to the Anassanoi in Anassan. "What Zharis here said, we're here to clear out the invaders. I prefer not hurting innocents... if at all possible."

Oh wow! telepathically transmits one of the anassanoi. You've rescued us--we've been conscripted to work here under terrible conditions! I'm Rehljaer, and we owe you our freedom!

But unbeknownst to the outsiders, the anassanoi's words are utter lies! These are are not conscripts, but collaborators! And indeed, Rehljaer must be having a secret conversation with the others, because suddenly, in unison, they draw weapons and attack!

Everyone received a Sense Motive check (with a +6 bonus because anassanoi telepathic emotions are easy to read) in order to act in the Surprise Round, but alas Rehljaer rolled *very* high on his Bluff and beat out all of you. In the Surprise Round that follows, they each spend their one action to draw a weapon (static arc pistols and a fighter handcoil) (this is one occasion where having Quick Draw would make a big difference, but none of them have it). We'll now proceed to the first round of regular Initiative.

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore
Zharis
Rehjaer
Tulgram
Amhesha
Xylian
Collaborators

Bold should go!

Rehjaer is the Red token (picture at the bottom of the slide).

Filthy collaborators, thinks Zharis. Remembering the occupation of her own planet, she has zero compassion for those that would sell out their own people.

She advances and attacks Black with her claws.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Damage: 1d3 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Amhesha smiles wickedly. "Welp, good luck in your hellplane! It hopefully won't last long and will be devoured by chaos. Either that or Triune eats it all."

Tulgram shrugs his shoulders, silently expressing contempt for their stupidity. They chose death. What for? It's a waste.

Theo steps up and reaches both his enormous paws for the nearest collaborator. Big mistake, quisling.

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 16 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 16 - 4 = 21
Damage, Magical/Slashing: 2d6 + 27 ⇒ (1, 6) + 27 = 34

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 16 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 16 - 4 = 17
Damage, Magical/Slashing: 2d6 + 27 ⇒ (4, 2) + 27 = 33

Despite centuries of innovation with laser pistols and shock grenades, sometimes the primitive savagery of sharp claws is still the best choice in battle! Zharis scores one of the collaborators across the chest with her claws, while Theodore nearly disembowels his foe!

The leader of the traitorous anassanois points fires a burst of electricity at Zharis and shouts "The war is over! Better to survive than be crushed under the occupation's heel!"

Zharis' attack hits Black for full damage.

Both of Theodore's attacks hit, dropping Blue!

Rehljaer (Red) does a standard action to use Improved Get 'Em on Zharis, allowing him to attack and give himself and allies a +2 on weapon attack and damage rolls against the pahtra. Result: Hit. Zharis, you take 17 E.

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore
Zharis
Rehjaer
Tulgram
Amhesha
Xylian
Collaborators

Bold should go!

@Everyone: I didn't notice until now that all the squares in the Spire are 10' (sigh!). I've resized all the tokens accordingly.

"And you just," she says as she gets target tracking activated on the Yellow Anassanoi, "accept that? Don't try to fight back? You do realize whackos like that won't just stop at conquering you!"

Horizon Striker: 1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 14 - 2 = 19 That's going to be a miss lmao.
Damage anyways: 3d4 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) + 9 + 4 = 19

"That was a warning shot. I'll give you one last chance to honestly surrender before I send you to Hell where bootlickers like you belong. Even Axis would fight back to protect their own laws."

A telepathic scream carrying with it the sensation of burning pain briefly flashes through the room as Amhesha's "warning shot" strikes one of the collaborators in the bicep!

Amhesha's attack hits Yellow. (sometimes these encounters have lower-CR foes!).

Tulgram and Xylian are up.

Xylian never was fond of being told what to do. On the contrary, everything would be better for everyone everywhere if everyone just listened to Xylian. He cannot imagine going to work for some dragon just because one is frightened. Scientific progress has no room for fear. He brings his combat tracking online and aims his cannon betwixt Zharis' ears, using the fuzzy triangles like a primitive analogue site.
Move Action to Twin Tracking Red and Black. Standard Action to shoot Black.
Ice Cannon vs KAC (Ignores up to 4 AC from Cover: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
P + C Damage: 4d8 + 9 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 7, 8, 5) + 9 + (2, 1) = 36

Hope you learned lots of stuff and got trained good, buddy =) Welcome back.

A blast of ice frozen to near absolute-zero streaks right between Zharis' ears and slams into the anassanoi collaborator in front of her!

Xylian's attack hits Black, who is almost down.

Thanks mate--training went well, and I didn't run over any (important) pedestrians.

Tulgram is up.

Knowing the leader of the collaborators isn't worth any of his specially-formulated inhibitors, Tulgram tries to shoot him with an empty (but still very painful!) needle-dart.

Botting Tulgram as moving closer to Rehjaer as a move action, drawing a weapon as part of the moving, and attacking as a standard action. Result: Miss.

Called Needler Pistol: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 131d4 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 (piercing vs KAC)

Zharis' anassanoi foe fires a shock pistol at point-blank range!

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the loading dock, a terrified anassanoi sprays bolts of electricity at Theodore before sprinting for the rear of the chamber!

Black is trying a trick attack with a ranged weapon in melee range, which provokes an attack of opportunity from Zharis. Zharis, if you do hit with your AoO and inflict enough damage to take Black out (13), the rest of his action doesn't occur. Results: The trick attempt works and the attack hits. Zharis, you take 14 E.

Yellow knows something bad is coming his way, and fires once before doing a move action to move back. Result: *Just* misses.

Apropos of nothing, does anyone know why the images on Slides # 1 and # 3 are no longer working? Maybe some sort of copyright update to Google Slides? Weird.

Initiative (Round 2)

Theodore
Zharis
Rehjaer
Tulgram
Amhesha
Xylian
Collaborators

Bold should go!

Reminder: Each square is 10'.

It is all Theodore can do not to laugh at the collaborator's pitiful attempt to flee. Giving in to his predator's instincts, he falls forward, loping after the anassanoi on all fours. He easily reaches his prey, and rears up again to strike, sending a burst of telepathic malicious laughter as he does so.

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Damage, Magical/Slashing: 2d6 + 25 ⇒ (6, 5) + 25 = 36

Zharis sees her opponent going for a shot, and swipes at him to foil his attempt:

AOO: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Damage: 1d3 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

If that is a miss, then the second attack is also for black, but if it somehow hits, then Zharis steps diagonally and the second attack is for Red.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage: 1d3 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Didn't deduct any SP yet because not sure if AOO hit (earlier I hit with a 16, so supposing it is possible).

Slides 1 and 3 seem to be working for me... what are you trying to do?

A primal telepathic scream of pain and fear flashes through the room, as Theodore easily catches up to his fleeing foe! Meanwhile, another swipe of felinoid claws delivers final justice to another anassanoi collaborator.

Seeing the carnage around him, Rehjaer quickly holsters his pistol and raises his hands in the universal sign of surrender. I place myself in your custody as a prisoner of war. Everyone here is talking of the alien mercenaries wreaking havoc in Kahlannal. I wish you would realise you're standing in the way of the future! The efreet can lead my people from backward traditionalism to a new golden age!

Theodore's attack hits Yellow, who is still up (barely).

Zharis' AoO *just* misses, but the regular attack is a hit and drops Black. (Zharis, you will take the damage from the trick attack).

Rehjaer spends a standard action to do an Inspiring Boost on Yellow (returning 22 SP) and a move action to holster his pistol. With Rehjaer having surrendered, we can go off Initiative (unless your intent is positively murderous).

Amhesha growls at the Anassanoi. "Do you want them to do this at the barrel of a f%%&ing gun? They aren't here to lift your traditionalism; they're here to trample all over you and abuse your people. We've seen it happen time and time again."

Responding to Rehjaer, Zharis echoes the same sentiments as Amhesha.

You're so deluded. You realize that the efreet are turning your people into literal zombie slaves, right? If you approve of what is happening to your people out there, then you have no honor or ethical center in your life at all. If you really want to be an efreet slave, I think we have one of their slave collars around here somewhere. Happy to let you have it so you can be burned to ash for disobedience like the last person who wore it. Who is feeding you this information about a golden age? You sincerely believe those lies?

Rolling diplomacy to try to convince him of the truth and hope that he will realize he is fighting for the wrong side... might be hopeless, but it's an attempt to save him. Using these abilities if applicable: Diplomatic Nuance (When you attempt a Diplomacy check to change a creature’s attitude, the creature’s attitude worsens only if you fail the check by 10 or more.) and Expert Negotiator (If a creature’s initial attitude toward you would be unfriendly, indifferent, or friendly, you instead treat its attitude as one category higher. When you fail a Diplomacy check to change the attitude of a hostile creature by 10 or less, you can attempt to change its attitude again.)

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 + 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 19 + (2) + 2 = 43

She manacles the Anassanoi prisoner, taking his guns and anything else of value on him, although she leaves him his mundane clothing.

They loot the other bodies as well, and look through the containers.

It's a lot o' effort ta talk ta a freak. Although on tha other hand, i've always liked them, they're useful. When ye have "recruited" slaves, it be better ta put an overseer from their own race. These will be tha most frostbitten scoundrels, ye can only marvel at their damn cruelty. Tulgram gives a gap-toothed, unpleasant smile as he looks at the collaborator.

Rehjaer is obviously shaken by Zharis' persuasive words. Still, he can't completely admit he was wrong. But don't you see? You're living proof of exactly what the efreet will bring us: the end of our seclusion in favor of open communication, travel, and trade with both the Plane of Fire and the Pact Worlds! And anyway, the forces of the occupation of countless and invincible. Just because you snuck in and captured the loading dock doesn't mean you can retake the entire Spire! You have no idea what you're really up against.

A careful search of the loading dock turns up little of interest, as the crates contain only mundane foodstuffs. The antigrav lifts in the center of the dock look intact, however. The prisoners and corpses are lightly outfitted--it seems the occupation trusted them, but only to a point.

Countless and invincible, eh? I think it is you that has a skewed reality filter. If you choose to be a slave, I won't take that pleasure away from you, but don't ever believe that slavery leads to freedom, or that people who do unspeakable things to your people have any respect for you.

Zharis eats a bag of Space Cheetos from the food stores, then carefully cleans her claws.

Then she gags Rehjaer and locks him in a crate before trying his clearance card on the lift.

"I don't know about countless, but I can guarantee Efreet aren't invincible." Theo sends, as he cleans the blood from his claws.

Amhesha starts howling in laughter. "Even if they are countless. There are documented instances of big, visible planar incursions being fought against by other interested planes. Maelstrom leakage being countered by Axis," she says with a twinge of annoyance in her voice. "Hell being opposed by Heaven and Elysium. Sure, they don't always act boldly but," she then thumbs her holy symbol. And points at each and every one of them across her armor and rifle, smiling wickedly, cold-infused rifle in plain view. "The planes already seem to be trying. What makes you think you'll succeed, when fire can just be snuffed out like it's nothing?"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Kind of a pitiful intimidate roll.

With the prisoners gagged and secured, Zharis uses an access card to gain access to the lifts. Due to the damage to the Spire, it looks like the lifts will only provide access to a particular floor above.

The antigrav lift travels rapidly through its transparent tube, past floors of devastation and a hole ripped in the Spire that looks out over Kahlannal; the tube itself is cracked there, and moments later, the lift grinds to a halt, slightly crooked in its tube.

As the door opens, the odor of decay flows inside. Stone slabs line the walls of this semicircular room, each glowing with the light the Spire transmits through its pearlescent walls. Corpses: anassanois, azers, ifrits, and event a giant--lie on the slabs or on the floor under them. Around the corner are another set of doors to a separate bank of lifts.

An efreeti stands at the northern end of the room. “Ah, the visitors I have foreseen are finally here. How to begin?”

Suddenly, five of the corpses in the chamber rise to their feet!

We are now on the bottom left part of Slide # 2. A picture of this efreeti is at the bottom of the slide. We will, unsurprisingly, move to Initiative!

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore
Undead
Xylian
Efreeti
Amhesha
Zharis
Tulgram

Bold should go!

Reminder that each square is 10'.

Zharis is unimpressed with the layout of the tower so far. Morgue levels should never be above shipping, or off a direct public access lift.

There was nothing to save here, but apparently they had to go to a different lift to get to another level. What kind of a twisted place was this?

"Let me guess, traditional necromancy?" she says as she examines the corpses as she feels her rifle grow cold as she stares down thee Efreeti. Bringing a frost infusion was worth it.

lot easier to remember with Theodore existing.

Sorry, been working a lot the last few days.

Theodore quickly steps up to the nearest undead and attempts to tear it in half.

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 16 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 16 - 4 = 15
Damage, Slashing: 2d6 + 27 ⇒ (6, 3) + 27 = 36

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 16 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 16 - 4 = 19
Damage, Slashing: 2d6 + 27 ⇒ (6, 1) + 27 = 34

If both claws hit (somehow), the second one does an additional 4 damage, plus bleed as follows:
Bleed: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Theodore tears the nearest undead in half, but the others advance, arms outstretched, moaning like in a horror vid!

Gray is destroyed by Theodore.

Red moves adjacent, provoking an AoO from Theodore. The others move closer as well.

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore (AoO vs Red)
Undead
Xylian
Efreeti
Amhesha
Zharis
Tulgram

Bold should go!

Reminder that each square is 10'.

Undead hasn't worked before, Xylian does not know why the invaders insist on using them again as Theo tears through them. The leader of the expedition levels his cannon at the ifrit over the heads of the shorter zombies and blast them with ice.

cannon vs kac (80', ignores up to 4 ac from cover): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32
P + C damage: 4d8 + 10 + 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 2, 8) + 10 + (5, 6) = 40

Reminder that each square is 10'.

Luckily Xylian is also 10'. Actually i don't know how that helps us.

Xylian lobs a perfectly placed shot over the heads of the zombies and into the efreeti's chest! The freezing projectile sizzles into steam as it meets the outsider's fiery body.

"Crude," says the efreeti, curling his lip in disdain. With a wave of his hands, a wall of fire suddenly rises up to the ceiling, separating him from the fighting!

Xylian's attack hits the efreet, and does some extra damage from the part that's cold.

The efreeti conjures the wall of fire as a standard action (which incidentally singes Black), and then does something else as a move action behind the opaque wall.

@Xylian: Sorry, I forgot you had your power armor on and were Large-sized now. I've adjusted your token size.

Initiative (Round 1)

Theodore (AoO vs Red)
Undead
Xylian
Efreeti
Amhesha
Zharis
Tulgram

Bold should go!

Reminder that each square is 10'.

Having a cold-infused weapon, Amhesha decides to take aim at the Efreeti. Opaque, damnit.

Move: Combat Tracking on Black. Standard: Fire horizon striker v. KAC, half piercing, half cold.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22
I don't think that'll hit but: 3d4 + 9 ⇒ (1, 4, 3) + 9 = 17

Zharis sends her camera up high to keep it safe, and give the audience an interesting perspective.

Meanwhile, she circles around the enemy before stepping in to attack Red.

Claw Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Slashing Damage: 1d3 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28 That may take a -4 because I full-attacked this turn. Apply as needed.
Damage, Magical/Slashing: 2d6 + 27 ⇒ (2, 2) + 27 = 31

Theo reaches out and catches the undead with a heavy paw as it tries to get past him. I'm pretty sure that hit if the last two did.

Do ye really want ta scare a duergar with fire? Bah, what do ye know aboot our blacksmiths? You hear this from Tulgram, who rushes past the battle with the undead and throws himself into the flames.

Swift - Haste Circuit (as haste spell); double move, 100ft in total; I'll get AoO from red, but otherwise, I easily have enough speed to bypass both black and efreeti without additional attacks.

As his allies continue making short work of the zombies, Tulgram takes the fight to the real danger by hurling himself through the raging flames! The efreeti on the other side is certainly surprised by the seemingly-insane duergar's actions, but not so surprised he doesn't take the chance to lash out with a flaming fist to Tulgram's face!

Theodore's AoO hits and takes out Red (I did check, and there's no penalty to AoOs even if you've done a full attack in the round).

Amhesha's attack hits Black (even through Cover), and combined with the tiny bit of damage the zombie took from the appearance of the wall of fire, is enough to destroy it!

Zharis' attack will be redirected to Blue since Red is already destroyed; that attack hits. There's a little DR at work, but another such swipe will take it down.

Tulgram takes 13 F from passing through the wall of fire. The efreeti has reach, and so does get an AoO as you get adjacent. Result: Hit. Tulgram, you take 22 B&F from the slam attack.

Initiative (Round 2)

Theodore
Undead
Xylian
Efreeti
Amhesha
Zharis
Tulgram

Bold should go!

Reminder that each square is 10'.