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Flames of the Faithful | 4th-Level Heliana's Monster Hunt

Added 2022-12-09 18:41:38 +0000 UTC

Hey, everyone! Today we have the next installment of the Motes of the Divine series that I have been writing for Heliana's Monster Hunts! Just as a reminder, these are multi-level adventures and the vrsion I can share with all of you includes everything you need to play at 4th level. To get the the entire adventure with the additional monster stat blocks, spells, and magic items, head over to Loot Tavern!

Hope you all enjoy and have a great weekend!

~ TJ

Introduction

This hunt, Flames of the Faithful is a 5th edition adventure for three to seven characters and is optimized for a party of four characters with an average party level (APL) of 4, 9, or 14. Characters who complete this adventure should earn enough experience to progress one-quarter of the way to 5th, 10th, or 15th level. A maniacal wax elemental infused with divine power and misguided faith has absorbed a celebrated archbishop and is secretly burning members of its congregation alive.

After meeting an overly eager priest from the Church of the Empyreal Solar, the characters find their way to the town of Cresthill. A celebration is underway and the festivities extend through the night in honor of the recent divine revelation of the church’s leader. It becomes clear to the party that something odd is going on that the townsfolk refuse to admit. When they are invited to a private service with the Pontiff, the characters instead come face to face with a powerful wax creature pretending to be the Pontiff and igniting parishioners aflame to “enlighten” them.

Background

The clergy of the Church of the Empyreal Solar has provided spiritual guidance to the town of Cresthill for generations. The priests are widely known for their generosity and are considered community leaders. In the past two decades, Archbishop Cyril the Kindhearted has exemplified the lineage of this church by being a man of extraordinary character and devotion to his congregation. His generosity knows no bounds, and he has helped hundreds of people better their lives.

The Empyreal Solar used a wax elemental to maintain the many candles and lanterns that kept their cathedral brightly lit at all times. The simple creature had served the church longer than any current priest has even been alive, and most ignored its presence. Over time and after generations of exposure to divine rituals, the wax elemental eventually gained a spark of self-awareness and began questioning its existence and place within the cosmos. It secretly approached Archbishop Cyril with these questions, and the enthused spiritual leader attempted to enlighten the elemental with guidance like any other member of his flock.

Teaching the elemental proved a mistake, as it lacked the emotional capability to fully comprehend Cyril’s teachings. The lessons became twisted in its mind, and the creature began to believe it had the divine responsibility to “enlighten others” by literally lighting them on fire. The Archbishop realized his mistake too late and became the first to be purified and absorbed.

The wax elemental used its power to mimic the archbishop’s appearance and convince the Empyreal Solar’s priests that it knew of a new, secret path to enlightenment, declaring itself a prophet and taking the title of Pontiff. The priests eagerly spread word to Cresthill’s residents of the Archbishop's discovery, convincing them that a new era of enlightenment was soon to come. Instead, the Pontiff began melting the members of his congregation, growing stronger with each “enlightenment” as it added their molten fat to its waxy form.

This adventure is Part 2 of a 5 part story arc with all parts able to be played individually. These hunts are connected to Heliana's Guide to Monster Hunting by the awesome folks over at Loot Tavern! Each hunt is designed to be played across 3 different levels of play, and include new mythic monsters, spells, and magic items!

NOTE: This hunt has been edited down to include everything needed to play at 4th level. To get the full adventure with all the monster stat blocks, spells, and magic items, head over to Loot Tavern and become a patron!

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