Tome of the Pyromancer: Darkflame’s Grace Part 3
Let’s continue our journey in Quelann! Aquilia recruited a few allies: a Darkflame wisp, created from pain and loss during the Time of Woe, a Floating Ashen Bubblefish cursed with immortality by the Thousand-Eye, and an undead dog she named Shadow.
They continue heading toward the Embered Catacombs after the Darkflame Spine.
Day 3
Foraging: Favorable = 3 Rations (6 total) + d3 (=3) Healing Supplies (3 total).
UD6: 1, down to UD4!
Nothing else.
Nighttime
1 Ration consumed (5).
No encounter, nothing spoiled or lost.
Uneventful day.
Day 4
Forage: 2 Rations (7).
UD4: 2, Embered Catacombs found! (Shadow is guiding me, increasing the success by 1)
Not rolling for anything else, beginning the exploration.
Area 1
The passage into the Embered Catacombs spiraled downward in ringed levels that vanished into darkness. Tombs and stone sarcophagi lined the walls of the narrow corridors.
Footsteps came from below. Aquilia leaned on the stairway guardrail to look. Three bandits huffed their way up, straining beneath the weight of two undead hounds bound and tied to a pole on their shoulders. One barked and bit at its captors, receiving a vicious kick that sent it whimpering.
Aquilia’s brow furrowed. She drew her longsword. She stepped from the shadows to stand on their way.
The trio stopped, brows furrowed. “What do you want?” one of them asked.
Aquilia questioned them about the animals. The bandits let out a harsh laugh. “Maybe you wanna join them? Can violence be beaten into you as well, or will you break? Cause these mutts make good biters with enough flogging.”
Shadow winced, cowering behind Aquilia. The bandits dropped the pole. The hounds crashed to the floor, yelping in pain. Nasty dirks flashed in the bandits’ hands.
They rushed forward.
Aquilia held no grudge or hatred. Even with their animosity, she would forgive them and grant them the blessing of death.
Master Ariadne’s training kicked in immediately. A blade drawn is a blade with purpose, the swordswoman used to say. No hesitation.
As the first bandit inched closer, Aquilia lunged into his reach. Her longsword swiped up, opening him from hip to shoulder, painting the walls and ceiling with crimson.
The Darkflame wisp followed suit, burning the arm of a bandit. The bubblefish charged with surprising determination, but bounced harmlessly off a bandit’s shoulder. Dizzy, it wobbled through the air, its dozens of eyes blinking in embarrassment.
The wisp then burned a bandit to a crisp, her screams echoing down the catacombs, making skeletons clatter. The bubblefish, even dizzied, recovered to glare with fury and shatter the remaining bandit’s skull with a tackle.
Aquilia forgave them. May darkness hold them.
Sheathing her longsword, she approached the terrified undead hounds. They struggled desperately against their bonds, too shaken by cruelty to understand that she wanted to help.
Shadow heeled at her side, whimpering. The dogs calmed a bit. She cut them free and guided them toward the exit. They stopped for a moment, licking her hand, then ran free into the open.
And some people called them beasts.
Embered Catacombs entrance, Area 1
UD8: 7, no change
Exits: 2
Type: Encounter > 3 Ashen Bandits
I decided to roll Reactions with disadvantage (3 dice, exclude the highest) inside Sites. I think it makes sense that everyone is more hostile than usual.
Reaction: Death
Sparks: Move, Tower, Important
They’re coming from further inside. I’m interpreting Tower as the site itself. Maybe the catacombs are tower-like. The bandits carry something heavy and concealed.
Is it treasure? No.
Is it someone? Yes, but... it’s a creature.
Let’s say it’s a couple of undead hounds, also found here. They capture them and turn them into vicious beasts through violence. Aquilia inquires about it.
Do they answer? No, and… they attack.
Battle rolls
Not much to write. Aquilia dealt 5 damage with her first hit. The bubblefish fumbled with a 1+1, becoming Impaired (all checks at disadvantage). I asked if the bandits would attack it and got a No, and… making them pile on Aquilia. She took 2 stabs for 1 damage each.
Even Impaired, the bubblefish managed to deal 5 damage and kill a bandit on the next round. The wisp also caused 5 damage, ending the combat.
1 Vigor healed (13)
Spoils: 50 sp
Aquilia frees the dogs and takes them to the exit. Do they run away (likely) Yes.
Note: I finished a session here, getting 1 XP (1).
Area 2
A half-collapsed passage branched from the main corridor.. Nestled among the rubble bloomed a cluster of glowing ember flowers.
Aquilia knelt to admire them when a guttural croak shattered the silence.
From beneath the fallen stones lumbered an enormous ash toad, its wide maw opening in a furious hiss. Through the creature’s rage, Aquilia detected echoes of abandonment. Once, it had served a necromancer faithfully. As its master grew in power, the old familiar had been discarded.
The toad leapt.
Aquilia slipped aside as its jaws slammed shut. Her blade slashed its flank. The Darkflame wisp darted forward but misjudged the attack, tumbling away in a shower of black embers. Before the toad could recover, the Bubblefish surged ahead, tackling the beast with force.
The toad had been blessed.
Aquilia held the Dark Taper. May your faithful service be remembered. May darkness grant you peace long denied.
Leaving the corpse, she gathered the ember flowers, a warm reminder that life and death walked the same path.
UD8: 3, no change
Exits: 1
Description: Partial, Rare
Is it a treasure? No, but… it’s something valuable. A rare flower growing in a half-collapsed passage. d3 (2) Ember Flowers (reduce Inner Fires Degree by 1).
Type: Encounter > Widemouthed Ash Toad.
Reaction: Angered/Hostile
Sparks: Train, Necromancer
It’s angry because it used to be a necromancer’s familiar. As it got older and the necromancer grew more powerful, it was abandoned.
Would it like to follow and become Aquilia’s familiar (unlikely): No. It wants to lash out.
It attacks, but Aquilia dodges. Aquilia hits. The wisp fumbles, becoming Impaired. The bubblefish kills it.
Aquilia says a quick prayer for the toad after blessing it with death.
She picks up the Ember Flowers.
Area 3
Aquilia discovered a narrow tunnel hidden behind a collapsed wall, just wide enough to crawl through.
She squeezed into the cramped passage, her armor scraping against the stone in the darkness.
After what felt like an eternity, she emerged into an untouched chamber, leaving a good stretch of the catacombs behind.
UD8: 3, no change
Exits: 2
Type: Mystery > Expedite, Tunnel
A shortcut! Is the tunnel big enough for Aquilia to walk? No. She will have to crawl through.
Dexterity check: 10, success! She safely crawls through the passage and come up somewhere new.
UD8 down to UD6.
End of Session
+1 XP (2). Aquilia increases to Level 2!
Increasing Dex to 2.
Notes
Quick sessions, really. Exploring a site is a lot of fun, I have to say. I think the procedure was perfected in Under the Fourth Kingdom, as it’s the whole point in that game, but I like how quick and easy it is here.
The oracle and sparks are still great!
By this point, I decided to scale the enemies a bit due to the companions making the game considerably easier, even if I think Kerova accounted for that. I’m giving them +2 Vigor for each companion (+4 right now), and -1 Defense total for us for fighting with a group. Enemies don’t suffer the penalty because they don’t care about being careless.
And that’s it for today.
Thanks for reading, and until next time.
Tome of the Pyromancer is available on Itch.