Session 2025-02-22

Narrative Summary

The session opened with the party discovering the ruins of previous civilizations within the vault's armory—figurines and Hellknight memorabilia left behind, worth twenty gold pieces in total. As the party pressed deeper, they found an additional silver-quality scimitar, which would serve Nadira far better than its current form. The party elected to change it to a +1 Scimitar, a proper upgrade worthy of Sarenrae's holy warrior.

Exploring the western armory, the party encountered a makeshift barricade fashioned from rope and leather—a crude shelter erected by inhabitants or refugees. The room bore signs of abandonment and disrepair, the remnants of weaponry and repair equipment scattered across the floor in complete disorder. This area, once dedicated to the maintenance of Hellknight martial prowess, had become a hovel.

Pressing further north, the party encountered their first true test of courage and negotiation: two starving kobolds, Pib and Zarf, who emerged from the darkness with claims of draconic might and desperate hunger. The pair had been left behind when the Cinderclaws took over, mocked and dismissed by the cultists who worshipped dragons but refused to acknowledge the small dragonkin as worthy of respect. Initially hostile, the kobolds charged with rusted weapons and frantic energy, their pride far outweighing their strength.

Rather than slaughter the creatures outright, William issued a clear ultimatum: surrender or face death. Alak Stagram, standing beside the party, quickly subdued Pib with a non-lethal strike. The kobolds, faced with overwhelming odds and the reality of their weakness, capitulated immediately. Nadira's compassion proved decisive. She offered food to the starving creatures, her warmth and genuine concern breaking through their desperation. When she cast Word of Truth—a divine spell channeling Sarenrae's grace—to guarantee her sincerity about cooperation, both Pib and Zarf accepted her offer without reservation.

Over shared rations, the party learned invaluable intelligence: there were ten Cinderclaws in the northern passages, some capable of magic. More critically, the kobolds revealed they would gladly assist the party in fighting their mockers, provided no unnecessary killing occurred. Trisiel sweetened the offer by framing it as heroic—mighty dragons defending the keep from invaders. Nadira sealed the alliance with promises of a victory feast.

The party gathered four silver pieces to gift the kobolds (who, true to dragon stereotypes, were delighted at the prospect of hoarding treasure), then pushed north toward the cultists' encampment. The narrow corridors made maneuvering difficult; Alak Stagram noted that his greatsword would be a liability in such tight quarters. The party split their forces strategically: William pushing through one narrow passage with Pib and Zarf supporting from range, while Theo, Trisiel, and Nadira entered through alternate doorways.

Combat erupted across multiple chambers simultaneously. The Cinderclaws fought with fanatical fervor, their leader Werrt—a boggard priest—invoking the name of Dahak and proclaiming their coming invasion. Charau-ka (demonic ape-like creatures from the Mwangi Expanse) fought with brutal ferocity alongside human cultists. The party, outnumbered but experienced, fought with calculated precision. William held a chokepoint, surviving coordinated attacks that landed despite his armor. Nadira's healing kept the party mobile and functional. Theo's spellcasting, enhanced by his sorcerous bloodline, eliminated threats with surgical precision. Trisiel's protective trees and melee strikes contributed essential damage. Pib and Zarf, emboldened by their new allies, harassed the cultists with stone throws and taunts.

The battle raged across multiple rooms. Alak, fighting in his element despite the cramped conditions, proved invaluable as a second heavy melee threat. The cultists fell one by one, their fanaticism no match for the party's coordination. When the final cultist dropped, the vaults fell silent. Pib and Zarf cheered their victory, finally earning the respect they had so desperately craved.

The party looted the chamber, recovering an onyx dog (a magical component worth investigating) and a lesser comprehension elixir. They found nineteen silver pieces among the cultists' meager possessions. Most importantly, they received confirmation: all Cinderclaws on this level were dead. No reinforcements would come from above.

However, exploration revealed new mysteries. The barricaded door to the north held something dangerous—the party heard references to a bear, though whether it was a natural animal, a magical creation, or something far worse remained unclear. The cultists had kept it confined, suggesting it posed a significant threat. Alak urged caution, and the party decided to explore alternative passages rather than immediately confront the unknown threat.

As Trisiel and William investigated the Hall of Graves—a funerary chamber dedicated to fallen Hellknight officers—their footsteps echoed against stone. The floor itself was composed of headstones marking the graves of the Order's dead. More disturbing: six of these graves had been pried open. Empty.

As the party entered, skeletal figures rose from the opened sepulchers. Five skeletons in rusted Hellknight armor formed tight military ranks, shields locked and weapons ready. A sixth, taller and more imposing, wore blackened Hellknight plate and wielded a long, ritually sharpened blade. The skeletal Hellknight commander raised one gauntleted hand, and the formation held—waiting, assessing, not immediately attacking.

The session ended with the party facing an undead Hellknight commander and five skeletal guards, their intentions unknown. The vault had revealed deeper secrets than anticipated: a creature locked behind barricaded doors, an emptied grave-vault, and what might be the remains of the Hellknights themselves, somehow preserved or animated within the citadel.

Session Notes

Key events:

• Party discovers looted Hellknight memorabilia; acquires +1 Scimitar for Nadira
• Encounters Pib and Zarf—two starving kobolds; recruits them through negotiation and compassion
• Kobolds provide intelligence about Cinderclaws (10 cultists, some with magic)
• Party splits forces and engages Cinderclaws in multi-chamber combat
• All surface-level Cinderclaws defeated; no reinforcements anticipated
• Party discovers skeletal Hellknight commander and five guards in the Hall of Graves
• Graves have been pried open; source of skeletal animation unclear
• Barricaded door to north contains unknown threat (possibly a bear or greater creature)

NPCs encountered:

• Pib and Zarf (kobold allies)—starving, mocked by cultists, now part of the party
• Werrt (boggard priest; deceased)—Cinderclaw leader, invoked Dahak
• Multiple Cinderclaws (charau-ka, humans; all defeated)
• Skeletal Hellknight commander and five guards—encountered at session end, combat not joined

Combat:

• Multi-chamber battle against ~10 Cinderclaws and their allies
  • Outcome: All cultists eliminated
  • Pib and Zarf contributed ranged harassment
  • Party took moderate damage; all survived
  • Alak Stagram proved invaluable in tight quarters combat
• Skeletal undead encountered but combat deferred to next session

Party decisions:

• Recruited Pib and Zarf through compassion rather than elimination
• Split party forces to engage cultists from multiple angles
• Gifted 4 silver pieces to kobold allies (satisfied dragon hoarding impulse)
• Chose exploration over immediate confrontation with unknown threat
• Did not pursue investigation of barricaded door (bear/creature unknown)

Unresolved threads:

• What is behind the barricaded door? (Possibly a bear or summoned creature)
• What is the skeletal Hellknight commander and why does it rise now?
• Why have six graves been emptied? Are all six animated as the guards?
• What is the lesser comprehension elixir and onyx dog's purpose?
• Where is the portal the Cinderclaws used to bring creatures through?
• How many more chambers exist in the vault system?
• Is there a leader or coordinator behind the Cinderclaws' operation?

Rewards/loot:

• +1 Scimitar (given to Nadira; replaced battle axe)
• 19 silver pieces from cultist bodies
• Onyx dog (magical component; purpose unclear)
• Lesser comprehension elixir
• Combat experience from Cinderclaw battle
• Pib and Zarf as permanent allies/companions

Post-session notes:

• Party expressed frustration with consistent poor damage rolls and enemy high rolls
• Discussed PF2e armor mechanics (AC represents avoiding crits rather than negating damage)
• Noted the importance of healing and healing reserves in PF2e
• Trisiel's protective trees repeatedly identified as MVP in combat
• Party reached level 2 cap on hero points; discussed using them more liberally