Altar of the Deathless Flame

Area 1-5 – Altar of the Deathless Flame

The pools of staid, brackish water are covered in a skim of oil, but not all the flames licking along the walls are natural. Eight are fulgurates – intelligent fire elementals, indistinguishable from large, dancing flames. The elementals move freely about the room, and are not confined to the pools.

As the PCs enter the chamber, the fulgurates move to surround the party. Cruel and mischievous in nature, they delight in “pinching” PCs with flame-tongues, and setting cloth alight with small flames.

The elementals are readily appeased by flammable offerings placed upon the makeshift altar, but their goodwill lasts only as long as the object burns. The elementals withhold their attacks so long as a tribute is burning at the altar.

If the PCs attempt to pass to the far side of the chamber without making an offering or if the party dawdles for more than three rounds, the fulgurates decide that the PCs are the offering.

Stats of combined fulgurates

2 combined Atk flame +2 melee (1d4); Act 1d12; HD 2d3+6.

3 combined Atk flame +3 melee (1d5); Act 1d14; HD 3d3+9.

4 combined Atk flame +4 melee (1d6); Act 1d16; HD 4d3+12.

5 combined Atk flame +5 melee (1d7); Act 1d20; HD 5d3+15.

6 combined Atk flame +6 melee (1d8); Act 2d20; HD 6d3+18.

7 combined Atk flame +7 melee (1d10); Act 2d24; HD 7d3+21.

8 combined Atk flame +8 melee (1d12); Act 3d24; HD 8d3+24.

Use the following list of 0-level trade goods to help determine how long an object satisfies the elementals. Non-flammable and flame-resistant objects do nothing to appease the fulgurates.

1 round: parchment; 1 candle; pair of gloves

1d2 rounds: flask of oil; tarot deck; 1 lb. wood

1d3 rounds: sack; crutches; barrel; small chest

1d4 rounds: 1 yard of linen, fabric or sailcloth; a fine suit; deer pelt; quality cloak

1d7 rounds: black grimoire (hissing and spitting obscene incantations all the while)

Combat: Individually, the flame-like fulgurates are agile and fleeting – darting about the chamber – but posing little threat to the PCs. Angered, the flames can combine to form a roaring conflagration, searing flesh from bone.

An individual fulgurate attacks with a mere d10 action die, dealing 1d3 damage. However, two or more elementals can join together to form a single, larger flame, increasing their attacks, damage, and hit points, as in the table below.

Initially there are eight flames in all, that can join together in any combination (four flames composed of two fulgurates each; one single conflagration of all eight fulgurates, and so on). The fulgurates are reactive and chaotic in their tactics, combining a handful of flames to make an attack, before breaking up again. However, if a particular foe proves especially dangerous, the fulgurates combine to a towering coflagration and incinerate the threat.

Fighting the fulgurates is akin to a puzzle. Sharp blades pass directly through the elementals, inflicting only one quarter damage, and blunt weapons deal only half. The judge should adjudicate creative attacks by their effectiveness extinguishing a fire: e.g., a deer pelt or cloak soaked in water immediately slays a fulgurate.

Base fulgurate (8 total): Init +0; Atk flame +1 melee (1d3); AC 15; HD 1d3+3; hp 5 each; MV 30’; Act 1d10; SP immune to fire or heat attacks, quarter damage from bladed attacks, half damage from blunt weapons, double damage (or more) from water or cold attacks, combine to form larger flame; SV Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +8; AL C.

hp 10

hp 15

hp 20

hp 25

hp 30

hp 35

hp 40