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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 3287393" data-attributes="member: 2012">THE HEARTHLESS FIRESTORMThe Heartless Firestorm is a new group that formed out of the ashes of the ex-Alleybashers that were working for the cultists in the Kopru Ruins. They are now lead by the trio known collectively as the Heartless Rogues. Alberich is the de facto leader of these three rogues that would become bandit kings and gang bosses.The group took their name from the cleric of Jalivier known as Argo Flameheart. They wish to corrupt the radiant servant’s good name, so they use a mockery of his personal family seal as their groups new symbol. It is basically a steel heart lying in an open flame. The heart appears to be both clockwork and infernal in design.The Heartless Firestorm has also recruited a disillusioned elven ex-cleric of Olidammara, named Faragel Duskhaven, who wishes to lay waste to the followers of the North Gods. Faragel has begun to venerate the dead god known as Vespin, who was the Sword God of Thieves and Assassins. Olidammara no longer grants Faragel his spells; instead he now gains his spells as generalist cleric who follows the vile teachings of the Sword Gods.Alberich, Iteyl and Samus, Ex-Alleybashers, The Heartless Rogues, Male Human, Rog8/Duelist4 (3): CR 12 each; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 8d6+8 plus 4d10+4; 75, 71, 68 hp; Init +6; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares); AC 20 (+6 Dex, +2 natural, +2 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +10; Grp +11; Atk +16 melee (1d6+2 plus 1d6 fire/18–20, +1 flaming rapier) or +15 ranged (1d8+1/×3, mw comp. longbow [+1 Str]); Full Atk +16/+11 melee (1d6+2 plus 1d6 fire/18–20, +1 flaming rapier) or +15/+10 ranged (1d8+1/×3, mw comp. longbow [+1 Str]); SA sneak attack +4d6; SQ canny defense, disguise self, enhanced mobility, evasion, grace, improved reaction +2, improved uncanny dodge (12th-level or higher for a rogue to be able to flank), trapfinding, trap sense +2, undetectable alignment; AL LE; SV Fort +4, Ref +15, Will +3; Str 13 (+1), Dex 18 (+4), Con 13 (+1), Int 15 (+2), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 14 (+2).Skills and Feats: Appraise +9, Balance +13, Bluff +18, Climb +8, Craft (any one) +4, Decipher Script +9, Diplomacy +12, Disable Device +9, Disguise +4 (+6 to act in character), Escape Artist +15, Gather Information +4, Hide +11, Intimidate +4, Jump +12, Knowledge (local) +8, Listen +9, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +10, Perform (oratory) +8, Search +9, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hands +7, Spot +13, Tumble +10, Use Rope +4 (+6 involving ropes); Alertness, Dodge, Leadership, Mobility, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (rapier).Languages: Common, Halfling, and one regional language each.Possessions: +1 flaming rapier, amulet of natural armor +2, mask of lies (Complete Adventurer, pg. 134), masterwork composite longbow [+1 Str] w/20 arrows, ring of misdirection, ring of protection +2, 1 potion of cat’s grace each, 2 potions of cure serious wounds each, and a belt pouch (200 to 500 gp and 100 to 200 sp each). Belt pouch has a 25% chance to include 1d6+1 gems (mid-value).Special AC Bonuses: AC 21 with Dodge feat and AC 29 with Dodge and Mobility feats and Enhanced Mobility ability vs. AoO.While Alberich is the named ruler of the Heartless Firestorm, the truth is that all three of the Heartless Rogues share leadership of the group. The trio has become very secretive and they always wear their masks of lies when giving orders to the other members of the Heartless. Alberich is the one that the other members of the group fears the most, and he is the one most obsessed with the Order of the Silver Hand. He will fight to death, while his fellow rogues run for it.Alberich has put together a plan to ambush the Order at the most inopportune time. His spies have been following the Order around Cauldron City for days, staying well out of sight, by traveling from rooftop to rooftop (Spot check, DC 30). He won’t issue the order to attack until he’s sure the PCs are under severe distress. His spies witnessed the attack on the Temple of the Cat, and they quickly reported what happened to their masters. Will the Heartless Firestorm be the next “problem” the Order must deal with?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> Adjar and Xothia, Heartless Thugs, Male and Female Human, Ftr10 (2): CR 10 each; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 10d10+20; 77, 79 hp; Init +2; Spd 20 ft. (4 squares), base 30 ft.; AC 20 (+3 Dex, +5 armor, +2 shield), touch 13, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +10/+5; Grp +13; Atk +16 melee (1d8+6/17–20/x2, +1 longsword); Full Atk +16/+11 melee (1d8+5/17–20/x2, +1 longsword); AL NE; SV Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 16 (+3), Dex 16 (+3), Con 14 (+2), Int 10 (+0), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 10 (+0).Skills and Feats: Climb +7*, Jump +7*, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +8*; Alertness, Diehard, Great Fortitude, Greater Weapon Focus (longsword), Improved Critical (longsword), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword). *Includes -3 armor check penalty, -6 for Swim.Languages: Common.Possessions: +1 longsword, gloves of Dexterity +2, masterwork lamellar, masterwork large steel shield, one dose each of devilweed (Initial -1 Wis; Secondary +2 Str for 1d3 hours; BOVD, pg. 42), and 2 potions of cure serious wounds each.Special AC Bonuses: AC 21 with Dodge feat and AC 25 with Dodge and Mobility feats vs. AoO.These two thugs were once in the employ of Triel Eldurast, and they fought the Order in the Kopru Ruins. Losing and being humiliated by the PCs has left them with a burning desire for revenge. Adjar and Xothia act as Alberich’s personal guards, and they will quickly abandon him if they get a chance to duel it out with one of the Order’s members.Blare and Klarkus, Ex-Alleybashers, Heartless Assassins, Female and Male Human, Rog5/Asn5 (2): CR 10 each; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 5d6+5 plus 5d6+5; 61, 56 hp; Init +8; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares); AC 17 (+4 Dex, +3 armor), touch 14, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +6; Grp +7; Atk +11 melee (1d6+1/19–20, mw short sword) or +11 ranged (1d6/×3, shortbow w/ mw arrows); Full Atk +11/+6 melee (1d6+1/19–20, mw short sword) or +11/+6 ranged (1d6/×3, shortbow w/mw arrows); SA arcane spells, death attack, sneak attack +6d6; SQ +2 save against poison, evasion, poison use, improved uncanny dodge (14th-level or higher for a rogue to be able to flank), trapfinding, trap sense +1; AL LE; SV Fort +3, Ref +11, Will +5; Str 12 (+1), Dex 18 (+4), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 9 (-1).Skills and Feats: Balance +13, Bluff +9, Climb +11 (+13 involving ropes), Concentration +8, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +11 (+13 involving ropes), Hide +11, Jump +9, Listen +8, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +11, Search +9, Spot +8, Tumble +13, Use Rope +9 (+11 involving bindings); Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Finesse.Assassin Spells (cast 0/4/3/0): 1st — disguise self, feather fall, jump, true strike; 2nd — cat’s grace, invisibility.Languages: Common, Dwarven, and Infernal.Possessions: Studded leather, masterwork short sword, and shortbow (with 20 mw arrows).Special AC Bonuses: AC 18 with Dodge feat, AC 20 with Dodge feat and cat’s grace, and AC 24 with Dodge and Mobility feats and cat’s grace vs. AoO.Blare and Klarkus were also in the employ of Triel Eldurast, and they are ex-Alleybashers. They have undergone training to become assassins and hope to use their new abilities to kill at least one member of the Order of the Silver Hand. Both will have cast true strike just before the attack on the PCs and will spend three rounds studying their opponents in order to use their death strike ability.Dom, Kylar, Sinjin and Travers, Firestorm Soldiers, Male Half-Fire Elemental Human, Ftr13 (4): CR 15 each; Medium Outsider (augmented humanoid, fire, native); HD 13d10+26; 97 hp each; Init +8; Spd 20 ft. (base 30 ft.); AC 21 (+3 Dex, +1 natural, +5 armor, +2 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 18; Base Atk +13; Grp +17; Atk +20 melee (2d6+6/19-20/x2, mw greatsword); Full Atk +20/+15/+10 melee (2d6+6/19-20/x2, mw greatsword); SA spell-like abilities; SQ +2 bonus to saves against fire-based spells, fire resistance 5; AL CE; SV Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 18 (+4), Dex 17 (+3), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 10 (+0); LA +3.Skills and Feats: Climb +16, Intimidate +6, Jump +16, Listen +8, Ride +9, Spot +8; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Die Hard (-14 hp), Endurance [sup]B[/sup], Fire Heritage, Greater Weapon Focus (greatsword), Greater Weapon Specialization (greatsword), Improved Elemental Heritage, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword).Languages: Common and Ignan.Spell-like Abilities: 1/day — burning hands (DC 11), fire shield, firestorm (DC 18), flaming sphere (DC 12), produce flame, wall of fire. Caster Level: 13th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.Possessions: Masterwork breastplate, masterwork greatsword, potion of cure critical wounds (x2), and ring of protection +2.These four members of the Heartless Firestorm have never met the members of the Order. They were recently recruited by Samus too give the group some much needed muscle. These four men are all brothers and are half-elementals. They are as evil as they come, and are a serious threat to the Order of the Silver Hand.Their father was an infamous bandit who lived by his wits throughout the Great Expanse, while their mother was an exiled princess from the Elemental Plane of Fire. Their youth was harsh to say the least, as their father refused to accept them and their mother abandoned them.This has made them vicious, and they take great pleasure in killing, anything. The four brothers secretly wish to supplant the Heartless Rogues as leaders of the Heartless Firestorm, and they’ll betray them to the Order, if it looks like they’re in danger of being killed. Either that or they will simply retreat and rebuild the organization, their way.They will not take the PCs actions personally unless one or more of them dies. The remaining brothers will swear a blood oath against the Order and quietly work towards another encounter with them. They will recruit the worst of the worst, which may included the remnants of the Alleybashers, Last Laugh Thieves’ Guild, and the Cagewrights (if the PCs wipe most of these groups out).Faragel Duskhaven, Male Elf (urbanite), Clr10 (Sword Gods): CR 10; Medium Humanoid (elf); HD 8d8+8; 42 hp; Init +4; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares); AC 21 (+4 Dex, +5 armor, +2 shield), touch 14, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +7; Grp +8; Atk +10 melee (1d8+3/x2, +2 heavy mace) or +11 melee (1d4+1/x3, punching dagger); Full Atk +10/+5 melee (1d8+3/x2, +2 heavy mace) or +11/+6 melee (1d4+1/x3, punching dagger); SA divine spells, rebuke undead 5/day; SQ divine spells, elf traits; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10; Str 12 (+1), Dex 18 (+4), Con 12 (+1), Int 12 (+1), Wis 17 (+3), Cha 14 (+2).Skills and Feats: Concentration +9, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Hide +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Search +3, Spellcraft +9, Spot +7; Alertness, Combat Casting, Domain Spontaneity (Shadow), Weapon Finesse.Cleric Spells Prepared (cast 6/5+1/5+1/4+1/3+1/2+1; base DC = 13 + spell level): 0th — cure minor wounds, detect magic, guidance, read magic, resistance, virtue; 1st — bane, divine favor, doom, magic weapon, protection from good, shield of faith *; 2nd — curse of ill fortune ~, darkness, darkvision *, deific vengeance ~, hold person, wave of grief ~; 3rd — deeper darkness, dispel magic, flame of faith ~, shadow form *, wrack ~; 4th — cure critical wounds, doomtide ~, energy vortex ~, fire shield *; 5th — flame strike, greater shadow conjuration *, greater vigor ~.*Domain spell. Domains: Retribution (strike of vengeance 1/day), Shadow (add Move Silently and Hide to class skills). ~ See D&D Complete Divine.Languages: Elven, Common, and Draconic.Possessions: +2 heavy mace, punching dagger, masterwork breastplate, masterwork heavy wooden shield, defiled symbol of Olidammara.Faragel Duskhaven was once a rising star in the church of Olidammara. He was a good-hearted scoundrel that had the potential to lead the followers of Olidammara, in Cauldron City, towards a batter future, which didn’t include the Last Laugh Thieves’ Guild or its vile leadership.However, this was not meant to be, as the Last Laugh came to see him as a troublemaker and had the young urbanite elf kidnapped. He soon found himself in the vicious hands of Jil and her torturous ways. The assassin stripped away the good in Faragel and shattered his soul and his faith in Olidammara.How could the Laughing God permit such things? How had he failed his deity? These are the questions that Faragel asked himself over and over. He turned from his god in a fit of rage and began worshipping the Sword Gods. He has become twisted and evil, and hates anyone with a good soul. Thus, when Iteyl approached him to help bring down the Order of the Silver Hand, he eagerly agreed to help.</blockquote>

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