Weirdly I did slow things a little :
Corinstian didn’t join in on round one
2 of the bone devils were delayed by the song of silver
Thrune was delayed one round because they but barriers up
I never brought in Zella and her priests
Round 4 priests have not shown up
Norgorber guys have walked in at end of round 6 so effectively 7
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But splitting was crazy
I do think the guy who jumped down thought he would be joined
The Kineticist can now “ride the blast” so should have been able to follow really really easily (and get back if needed).
Indeed he should have followed in the surprise round and then on round one two of them would have unloaded some full attacks and some of the early road blocks would be out
Basically everyone made some mistakes
But I think I will brief them on some of roguerogue’s points. I did this before when they had a torrid time with midnight mirror (which is quite brutal)
I interpreted it as one per room as they are split off by doors
Thanks to everyone for the advise from my previous game where my group triggered the whole temple
We played it out at the weekend and I started by withdrawing Thrune and the Gardener completely and having Grivenner withdraw to the fire to buff and heal
The skinsaw cultists showed up and they were still terrified of the Jorogumo from previous experience
It was a grueling encounter which they got out of. One character triggered the Song of Silver Breath of Life after getting hit by a critical Slay Living. The high priest is dead but the vampire will still be around as she was merely forced to retreat to her coffin in gaseous form
So the ritual is effectively out of the window as not only is the high priest dead but I don't think there are 5 devils left. So my assumption is now Thrune just wants to try and eliminate the PCs when they next come after him hoping that will break the rebellion
I quite like the idea of them fighting him three times with the final one being in the Belfry. I think I am going to have to wing where he attacks them prior to that and hope he can either be bailed out or teleport away if they do get the upper hand
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Relatively minor question :
Does anyone have any suggestions about replacing the ioun stones (cursed and uncursed) in the temple shop. I am using ABP so I ideally need a good faith item and something that is a "no-brainer" can be disguised as a stone of weight
There aren't many items that are as big a "no-brainer" as the stat boosts. I found this when replacing the Book 2 gifts
I mean I could try and use a different cursed item or ditch this part altogether
I was just interested in ideas
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In an interesting development from the aftermath of the fight:
I have a player who is playing an ex-Red Mantis. He apparently didn't follow through on his final mission to murder someone in Kintargo and actually stayed in town and married that person
He never really explained to me why they wouldn't have killed him for this but I have left it hanging
Anyway I forgot that I put all the prisoners taken in the Keep so wanted someone for the Hellwasps. For dramatic effect I killed of the character's twin sister who is still a Red Mantis (and with whom he isn't on amazing terms)
He wants to send a note back to Red Mantis HQ to say "Stop sending Mantis after Thrune, I will eliminate him and then hand myself over to you".
What he doesn't know:
- The Red Mantis never sent the sister to take on Thrune in my current interpretation (legitimate authority and all that)
- My idea is that the sister has been covering for him for all these years (perhaps even getting the organisation to believe he was dead)
- Thrune get eliminated as far as the party knows at the end of Book 4 and the signs of him coming back do not appear until Book 6
I have no problem with people retiring their character if they think their story has reached a natural end. But in this case he would be somewhat unwittingly doing it. But it is tricky to discuss this all without revealing the plot
However what I am not factoring in is that if I recall correctly there are ritual notes in the temple and Thrune doesn't have a heart. So that might stay his hand. If not I will have to just have it so he is not immediately executed by the Red Mantis and perhaps let him play Book 5 as a different character...
(Assuming he doesn't die in 4 but Kineticist with very high Con, ability to be at range, buffer of non lethal before death and the Song of Silver Breath of Life means that is unlikely)
I just thought I would share some of the weirdness! I don't think the fallout for this would crystallize for quite some time yet!
The locks in the Record Hall (B1 and B10)... how good are they? It's not mentioned. Is it acceptable to guess the front door has a simple lock (DC 20), while the Security locks (at B10) are good locks upgraded with arcane lock (DC 40)?
My game has been stalled a bit due to life and schedules
I am interested in how people ended (or plan to end) this volume.
I understand cutting the the bridge fight as written as that doesn't feel right
But defeating Thrune and then going to the Belfry and exorcising the bells doesn't feel climatic either
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I have Thrune being the only major NPC from the main temple being alive but my players are taking liberties with how many times they are leaving and coming back so I feel like I should do something. I completely missed the part about the Resurrection scroll on my many readthroughs. So I might bring him back. I am not sure what he would do given a large chunk of the temple have been beaten
At the very least I might reduce some of the treasury and have him bind a Barbed devil to service (as 1E doesn't support 4 on 1 fights especially with Hex spamming witches)
My plan had been to have a Thrune attack during the final clear out phase of the temple (they have all of the top floor except the clay golems and hell hounds to do). Then have him flee to the Belfry
I really wanted him in the Belfry so I can have him monologue to explain the cool story (and name) and Asmoden and muse on who will be "next" for a similar fate
But him plus the Belfry inhabitants would certainly be a TPK without NPC allies. Perhaps 2 waves? Have him fight after the Asmoden. In that case I would need some allies with him to prevent a 4 on 1 mugging. Does anyone have any suggestions? Perhaps some Erinyes from a early triggering of the bells would be the best fit (maybe advanced)
But thinking on it I would want the order to be:
- Beat Asmoden and Herecites
- Exorcise Bells (hopefully they have the spells!)
- Fight Thrune
So that Erinyes idea might not work...
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I meandered into thoughts about what I am going to do
But what about everyone else?
I think I saw DM Living mention having the Asmoden come down to the Nave?
I have seen another talk about cutting the bridge and the Belfry
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I didn't have the PCs clear out the belfry because I felt that the defeat of Thrune had to be the climax of the book.
As part of the epilogue of the book they used NPC allies / high priestesses / priests of the various good faiths clear it out as it served as a way to get the different churches to all work together, which lead to each of them starting to use the church afterwards.
If you REALLY want to keep it in, shift it to the beginning of book 5 (or at least make it look like it's what kicks off book 5).
Maybe during the Silverspan celebration the bells peal and don't stop, which should cause the PCs to investigate, then run it as written.
As for Thrune being the only main bad guy left, I don't know what's been going on in your game or what the current situation is, but my initial thought is to get Thrune out of the temple, have him get back-up in the form of devils and/or like-minded NPCs, and have him bring the fight to the PCs. Make it so that the players don't feel like they can keep running away. Have him get a bunch of devils to start running though the streets killing random citizens as they're trying to find the PCs, have Thrune supporters (Chelish Citizens Group, Hellknights, Dottari, random citizens) beating up regular citizens and rioting against the rebellion.
For NPCs for Thrune to recruit, maybe the head of House Sarini is a level-appropriate sorcerer? Maybe Nidal sends some people to help Thrune?
Put so much pressure on them that they're aware that if they keep attacking and running away many, MANY citizens are going to die.
I just realized that Team Thrune has access to an orb of storms (p. 54, the vault). The weather thing is very flavorful, but when exactly should they use the 1/month storm of vengeance ability?
And, if used in the city, how many civilians should die from:
* 1d6 acid (no save) over 360' radius (or 407,150 foot area, or 16,256 tactical squares)?
* lightning bolt to 6 buildings?
* 5d6 bludgeoning (no save) over 360' radius (or 407,150 foot area, or 16,256 tactical squares)?
I ordinarily would just say "lots" but we're tracking citizen deaths at this point in the AP.
Depending on how aggressive Thrune is and how dangerous the streets are, I'd probably only roll a D100.
I'd pick this because a) it's likely that there aren't a lot of people outdoors and b) people would likely be able to get to cover pretty quickly before taking enough damage to die. (Most NPCs have a least a level or two of "commoner")
Edit: I only responded to the acid rain damage.
For the lightning, perhaps use the event where buildings are lit on fire?
Hailstones, MAYBE another D100 people as most would've definitely made under cover by then but anyone that doesn't is very likely dead.
In my campaign, this will be a "twist of the knife" event. If all goes according to plan, the PCs successfully run their barricades scenes to defeat the waves of soldiers, Hell Knights, and devils. Think "Les Miserables But They Win." THEN, the BBEG uses the orb to decimate their neighborhood anyway, right in the heart of the Old Kintargo street rebellion. THEN, the PCs get to go on offense against the BBEG thoroughly hating him.
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Crit Decision:
PCs stormed the temple of Asmodeus, interrupting the ritual and forcing Corinstian to fight them. Barzillai tried a distraction play: mounting the dragon and flying out to lay waste to the city.
I had Corinstian summon the biggest scariest devil he could (one single pit fiend). The party tried to run past it and attack the high priest directly but the first AoO from the pit fiend is a huge crit and kills their dawnflower-bard. The magus made it past the fiend though and rolled a spellstrike crit, killing Corinstian.
Their paladin, juiced up on every spell and potion imaginable pursued the dragon and with the party's archer + Ellia Nones (gunslinger from Scourge of Belial) rolling some hot crits (guns crit x4 remember), the dragon was brought down. Barzillai survives the crash, greater-commands Ellia to face him, and does a full attack with that mace of his, critting twice, leaving her at -30 hp super-dead.
This enrages Cassius, her captain, who was also outside the temple at this time fighting, and he charges Barzillai, rolling yet another crazy crit and leaves Thrune at -20 hp. Incapped but not dead, the paladin drops onto him and chops him to pieces, finally killing him at -200hp.
Crazy fight. Largely decided by massive crits. Goodtimes.
Preparation montage:
Identify fortifications weak points: Security check, Knowledge engineering, Profession: soldier, Survival
Wall repair: Special Action check, Profession/Craft (stonemasonry), Knowledge: Engineering.
Internal defenses (fallback locations, choke points, traps): Secrecy check, Craft, Diplomacy, Knowledge: Local
Militia Drilling (forming militia troops?): Security check, Intimidate, CMB, Profession: Soldier, Sense Motive, Perform oratory,
Foraging for supplies: Earn Gold action, Survival, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Profession (varies: cook, armorer, weapon smith, etc.)
Logistics and Support training: Influence check, Heal, Knowledge Local
Counter Thrune sabotage: As Traitor event
Sabotage action targets: poison/spoil food, siege weapons, free beast animals and steal war horses, steal/ruin ammo and munitions
Spread disinformation uses: spread false orders
Additional elements to a Defend Old Kintargo, Les Miserables-style set piece:
Waves:
• Menador troop and 4 Hell Knights
• 2 dottari troop, 2 wizard, 2 Asmodean priests
• 2 Erinyes, 1 imp flight
• Intercepted while racing to another area: 3 Hell Knights, 2 Hell Knight Signifiers, 1 war priest Hell Knight
• Ice Devil and 2 Asmodean priests, shepherding lemure mass
Interestingly, the PCs at my table staked out a crossroads, hid, and waited for several of these to show up and then ambushed them.
Possible scenarios:
• Race from location to location
• Each PC rallies groups: diplomacy, oratory, intimidate, bluff, loyalty check, prof. soldier.
• Hold an area, retreat, then lure enemies into internal defenses
• Have each PC narrate how their PC deals with random dottari opponents (just for flavor)
This could culminate in Vannases Trex holding an Old Kintargo square with dottari troops and wizard/priest support. [Then you just have the bridge held by a high CR devil and some troops, rather than the commander of the dottari being on guard duty.]
How is Jackdaw's existence kept a secret when it is not hidden in any way? I get that they are not currently using that level but there's literally nothing stopping the Lictor from walking around that level and finding the cell with Jackdaw in it. After all, a complete tour of the premises on your first day seems like the Hell Knight, Lawful thing to do.
Maybe she got an order from Barzillai to not enter that area? Following orders is also the lawful thing to do.
True. Unfortunately, I described this area as a "secret prison level" months ago, having not looked at the map in two years. Any ideas for a good secret door?
Has the First Warden been a good combat encounter for people? I'm looking at this stat block and seeing very minimal damage and a paralysis attack that's just +4 to hit. This looks like a curb stomp for the PCs at my table, which are barely challenged by a CR 13 creature with mook support. They also have a monk, so DR/magic and bludgeoning is not a problem.
Page 31, first paragraph under "Confronting the First Warden" describes why the Lictor hasn't been to the lowest level(s).
Only specialized dottari agents who report directly to the archduke of Ravounel are allowed into the castle dungeons.
Something that always bugged me though, is that Page 9 says "Jackdaw ... has been kept as a secret prisoner deep below Kintargo Keep ... Both NPCs learned this information from Barzillai before the lord-mayor saw to their silence..."
But then page 29 says "... while both Kyrre and Barzillai know that one prisoner remains under guard ... neither of them realizes Jackdaw is a significant figure to the rebellion."
So Thrune knows Jackdaw's name and that saying he has her locked away will taunt both Shensen and Jilia, but doesn't realize she's important to the rebellion?
That seems weird...
The First Warden, with all of her buffs up (not just shield of faith, but everything):
HP 163, AC 33, melee 17/17/12 and 9, average damage (if all hit) 73, its primary DCs are all 18-20, saves 16/8/14,
The goals for CR 12 monsters are:
HP 160, AC 27, saves 16/8/14, melee 15-21, average damage (if all hit) 21-55, and its primary DCs should be 21 with a low of 15, and the saves should be 15 to 11
That's spot-on health, high AC (its DR is a boost, but not at my table), great damage but is unlikely to hit with numbers at the low end for a melee monster, DCs are on the high end, and the saves are fine for the good ones, but below for the bad one.
And that's with the following: shield of faith, protection vs. good, divine power, freedom of movement, invisibility purge, bull's strength, eagle's splendor, resist fire, sacred armor and weapon, and both fire blessings.
Page 31, first paragraph under "Confronting the First Warden" describes why the Lictor hasn't been to the lowest level(s).
Only specialized dottari agents who report directly to the archduke of Ravounel are allowed into the castle dungeons.
It's weird for that to apply to the NPC referred to as the Keep's warden, but I guess it makes enough sense. It looks worse on the maps, which omit several intermediary levels. On the page, it looks like the stairs go straight from the prisoner reception to the maximum security level.
It's weird for that to apply to the NPC referred to as the Keep's warden, but I guess it makes enough sense. It looks worse on the maps, which omit several intermediary levels. On the page, it looks like the stairs go straight from the prisoner reception to the maximum security level.Page 31, first paragraph under "Confronting the First Warden" describes why the Lictor hasn't been to the lowest level(s).
Only specialized dottari agents who report directly to the archduke of Ravounel are allowed into the castle dungeons.
Think of the bottom floor(s) as the "Queen's Personal Dungeon Area" or some such thing. Yes, weird choice, but with the redactions Cheliax does it kind of makes sense to have somewhere that only the really high-ups can get into.
And yeah, the description lists how many floors there are and that they match the top one but with some of the rooms changed just a little. I can't remember how many floors it is, but it's in the book somewhere. (I'm not near it right now.)
As a warning, just in case your players are like mine, my players wanted to rescue anyone that was in there that was being held unjustly. I had to make it clear that everyone in there, except for people on the bottom floor, were all horrible, sadistic criminals.
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And yeah, the description lists how many floors there are and that they match the top one but with some of the rooms changed just a little. I can't remember how many floors it is, but it's in the book somewhere. (I'm not near it right now.)
Page 27 describes five floors "and a sixth underground floor."
As a warning, just in case your players are like mine, my players wanted to rescue anyone that was in there that was being held unjustly. I had to make it clear that everyone in there, except for people on the bottom floor, were all horrible, sadistic criminals.
Bah. If your players want to roleplay the Gordon Riots, let them, and damn the consequences.
I think I'll lean in to the bar on Kyrre entering the level by having the First Warden place many glyphs of warding throughout that level as a security measure. Sonic booms should be a good way to start the spells rolling. I think I'll also add desecrate to boost the warden
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As a warning, just in case your players are like mine, my players wanted to rescue anyone that was in there that was being held unjustly. I had to make it clear that everyone in there, except for people on the bottom floor, were all horrible, sadistic criminals.Bah. If your players want to roleplay the Gordon Riots, let them, and damn the consequences.
Part of the problem is that one of my players suffers from being an utter completionist and was suspecting that they would miss someone important if they didn't go through each and every person in there but at the same time, they knew that Rivozair was attacking the town so wanted to rush, but then felt they couldn't because maybe important person but... but dragon is attacking... but maybe someone important...
The poor player nearly had a conniption fit.After book 4 they were sure to have someone carefully go through all of the records to make sure that everyone in there was supposed to be there.
(Maybe the PC went through the records themselves? I don't remember; it was over a year ago now.)
How long can the party delay in rescuing Hetamon before he's killed? My table's party has run several other missions and three days lapse before attempting a rescue. Should there be consequences?
The First Warden, with all of her buffs up (not just shield of faith, but everything):
HP 163, AC 33, melee 17/17/12 and 9, average damage (if all hit) 73, its primary DCs are all 18-20, saves 16/8/14,
...
And that's with the following: shield of faith, protection vs. good, divine power, freedom of movement, invisibility purge, bull's strength, eagle's splendor, resist fire, sacred armor and weapon, and both fire blessings.
The solution ended up being simple: bump to 13th level, add spells to the prepared spells (greater magic weapon, magic vestments, righteous might, desecrate), switching law blessing to trickery, moving some stats from CHA to STR, and bringing in channel smite, power attack, furious focus, quicken blessing, and improved vital strike.
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Just a short summary I wrote on our event-log. Mostly about book4 but includes a super-short recap of 1-3.
https://hellspathfinder.tumblr.com/post/190106902218/thunderous-passing-of- titans
Short-short-short version: Party killed rivozair, barzillai and corinstan successfully but had 3 of their party and 3 major npcs die as well. All party members and 1 of the npcs were able to be raised. On to book5!
The party has defeated a team of Vyre Skinsaw assassins, and used speak with dead and interrogation to track the remainder to their lair in the basement of the Fantasmagorium. They've begun a scry and fry assault, teleporting to the burrow of the wererat in the old nature preserve that's the last room of the Many-Steps Monastery. They're sending their monk with a silence spell cast on them into the burrow to attack Hei-fen alone while the rest of the party stays in the nature preserve room to ward off the jorogumo and the remaining 12 cultists.
What precautions would Hei-Fen have put in place to defend herself against such tactics?
Lead prevents scrying?
Huh.
Help with Jackdaw: what's her role after her rescue? what's her non-insane personality, interests, and goals? And what does she know about the original SR era and how would that be of interest to the PCs?
My players just finished a lightning raid on the Secret Dungeon level, getting Jackdaw out while luring away the First Guardian, who did too much damage for them to directly smite down. She gave a back from the past to bless the current SRs speech to the city in rebellion, but now I don't know what to do with her.
Help with Jackdaw:
Forget her. She deserves a happy retirement and recovery period.
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Help with Jackdaw: what's her role after her rescue? what's her non-insane personality, interests, and goals? And what does she know about the original SR era and how would that be of interest to the PCs?
My players just finished a lightning raid on the Secret Dungeon level, getting Jackdaw out while luring away the First Guardian, who did too much damage for them to directly smite down. She gave a back from the past to bless the current SRs speech to the city in rebellion, but now I don't know what to do with her.
Consider her contemporaries: other long-lived or immortal creatures. She may know Ithanothaur personally, and surely knows the pit fiend who appears in Book 6 whose name I forget. Purely as a quest-giver or expositor she'd still have things to say.
The Adventurer's Guide frames her as a leader or at least a prominent person among the new Silver Ravens, on a par with Shensen and Rexus. That suggests to me an active personality eager to throw herself back into events, whether to make up for lost time or to distract from her shell shock, or both. The revolutions in what she would know as eastern Cheliax, and their practical and theoretical advancements (or deviations as the case may be) over the revolutionaries of her day could pique her interest. She'd likely be tickled by Blackjack in Korvosa, the Red Raven in Isarn, and the Silent Silhouette in Corentyn, who more or less follow her example as masked folk heroes.
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The Adventurer's Guide frames her as a leader or at least a prominent person among the new Silver Ravens, on a par with Shensen and Rexus.
Interesting point. If that's the case, perhaps she can actually take care of transitioning those rebels to actually useful citizens once the PCs save the city in book 4... take them off the PCs' hands so that they can, you know, go to Hell. :P
That's interesting--knowing about Ithanothaur is an angle I hadn't thought of. I did have her mention that the Rivozair's hell-pact is a new development when she was asked about it. She can probably serve to nail down the Castle Kintargo district while the PCs do other things during the rebellion. I'll also have her know Queen of Delights Manticce Kaleekii in Vyre, as I postponed that encounter to book five, as it fits well with that book's theme of a Free Ravounel. She would probably push the party to connect with the Glorious Reclamation (a development which may be my book 6).
Here's another question: The First Warden now has nothing to do, having lost her only prisoner to outside forces she knows nothing about. What would this lich do? Stay on the level? Work with the Thrune agents holding the castle? Simply start searching block by block in the city for her lost prisoner?
Here's another question: The First Warden now has nothing to do, having lost her only prisoner to outside forces she knows nothing about. What would this lich do? Stay on the level? Work with the Thrune agents holding the castle? Simply start searching block by block in the city for her lost prisoner?
Slay people in the streets until the PCs come to confront her, at which point she asks, "Where's my prisoner?"
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The Adventurer's Guide frames her as a leader or at least a prominent person among the new Silver Ravens, on a par with Shensen and Rexus. That suggests to me an active personality eager to throw herself back into events, whether to make up for lost time or to distract from her shell shock, or both. The revolutions in what she would know as eastern Cheliax, and their practical and theoretical advancements (or deviations as the case may be) over the revolutionaries of her day could pique her interest. She'd likely be tickled by Blackjack in Korvosa, the Red Raven in Isarn, and the Silent Silhouette in Corentyn, who more or less follow her example as masked folk heroes.
Further inference based on things in - or omitted from - sourcebooks: Jackdaw is probably a lot more nationalist/patriotic and a lot less outward-looking than I've given her credit for. I base this on the list of prominent Firebrands in the Lost Omens Character Guide. These include: one prominent Ravounel (Shensen), one prominent Vidric (Shimali Maunx), one likely founding member of indeterminate nationality (Ranik Helt, likely a Chelaxian based on his association with the Bellflower Network), and a follow-on member (Devrin Arlos). Jackdaw isn't mentioned, possibly due to lack of space, but perhaps because she doesn't see the value in cross-border work, or doesn't trust non-Ravounels after repeated invasions and torture. She might push hard for independence in the name of protecting the revolution in Ravounel even if it means letting the GR go hang.
Other people she might know include the leader of Acisazi.
In the likely event that the party takes the castle now, what are some good ways to justify there being so little loot in the castle?
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In the likely event that the party takes the castle now, what are some good ways to justify there being so little loot in the castle?
1) Castle's been largely disused for decades, why would there be anything in it?
2) Someone else got to the loot first:a) Ekodyre is known to be acquisitive - she was the major beneficiary of Thrune's order expropriating the Order of the Torrent. Over the course of Thrune's lord-mayoralty, she's spirited various valuables away to her home in the Heartlands (or wherever);
b) Rivozair stripped the place bare and its riches will be in her hoard.
Out of curiosity,
There’s no mention of the reaction within the temple to one of both of the Infernal Engines being shut off.
Is it reasonable to assume that this action taken by the PCs would put the temple on high alert since the shutting off of one engine deactivated the column of hellfire enshrouding Grivenner?
I’m thinking that raising the alarm would send everyone to the knave but Aluceda and Barzillai would personally inspect the Infernal Engines.
Realistic?
Good point. I think though, not everyone. This is a temple, so wisdom is in high supply. They will protect their ritual fully. They'll have a plan in place for what to do if one of the engines shuts off. As DM, you should figure out timelines and groupings of people coming to investigate. But not everyone--they will recognize this could be a distraction to weaken the central area.
Good point. I think though, not everyone. This is a temple, so wisdom is in high supply. They will protect their ritual fully. They'll have a plan in place for what to do if one of the engines shuts off. As DM, you should figure out timelines and groupings of people coming to investigate. But not everyone--they will recognize this could be a distraction to weaken the central area.
Thanks for the feedback!
That’s great advice. Last night Aluceda responded alone. She was threatening them arrogantly. At one point she hissed “I don’t need to kill you. I only need to slow you down.”They killed her but that’s not always cut and dry when dealing with Vampires. >;)
The temple is now acutely aware that they’re under siege. It should be a fun next few games. The temple authorities will do their best to soften the PCs up with expendable resources in an effort to drain their resources. The ritual must continue!!
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I'm sorry--are there no openings to the outside in the belfry? Don't all belfries have that?
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Usually, yes... you want people to hear your bells. LOL
This one is enclosed as far as I remember though! LOL
It is enclosed. My players were shocked at that - but more because as is typical they were trying to find a short cut through the adventure
I think James is on somewhere saying it is all enclosed and the Bells can be heard "because magic" basically
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Well, repurposing Tombus' attack on the hideout as a jailbreak worked swimmingly. I put this event after the combat with Rivozair and before the Temple of Asmodeus. It works very well as a desperation ploy by the Asmodeans to rescue important NPCs awaiting street trials in the basement jail and as a last-gasp attempt to cut off the head of the revolution.
In addition, having Aluceda Zhol come along gave it more style points--it's a much more intimidating visual when the upstairs door to the Lucky Bones opens and the players hear 5 bat swarms eat a SR guard alive. And then the vampire strides in with Tombus and his troop. It's a great intro to a villain off-screen much of the time. (At my table, this was more of a culmination of a campaign of terror than a first appearance.)
Sadly, she didn't survive the combat. A daylight spell neutered her darkness defenses and when she was finally taken to 0 HP and forced into gaseous form, the PC arcanist trapped her in a well-positioned wall of stone so that she couldn't get back to her coffin.
I also had a team of her vampires and a kyton take two rowboats to do the prison break from the smuggler's tunnels level while the PCs were being kept busy upstairs with Aluceda and Tombus. They ended up being thwarted by the arcanist having turned their target (Zella Zdili) into stone and having sunk her feet into the floor. They argued and tried some stuff while the combat went on upstairs. When the PCs--who got split up trying to get down there as fast as possible--hit them, it was headed towards a TPK. So, I had a PC's cohort present a holy symbol to keep them at bay. That worked long enough to unite the party. The vampire-kyton team went back to the docks and rowed off, because their mission couldn't succeed.
That's when the spellcaster PCs flew after them invisibly and dropped two sacks containing all of the alchemists fires I gave them this campaign. They took out one of the two rowboats, permanently destroying two vampires with the running water immersion.