The Flamebound

Escape from the Cathedral

4 min read

Phase 1: The Witness

The session opens with the templar dead on the floor and the civilian neighbor staring in horror. The first and most critical question you should ask the player is: “The man is about to scream. What do you do?”

This forces an immediate, instinctual decision. His options likely fall into three categories:

  • The Threat (Intimidation): Sarodan threatens him into silence. A successful Charisma (Intimidation) check buys him a precious minute or two to make his escape before the man eventually panics. On a failure, the man screams immediately.

  • The Plea (Persuasion/Deception): Sarodan tries to calm him down, perhaps claiming to be from the “true” Silver Flame. A successful Charisma (Persuasion) check might convince the man to stay quiet out of hope or fear.

  • The Spell (Magic): The quickest and cleanest option. A spell like Suggestion (“Go back to your seat and forget you saw me”) or Charm Person can neutralize the witness instantly, but at the cost of a spell slot.

Pacing Tip: Resolve this in a single roll. Success means the witness is handled for now. Failure means he screams, the guard outside bursts in, and we immediately jump to the “Worst-Case Scenario” below.

Phase 2: The Escape

Assuming the witness is silenced, the next question is: “The guard outside the door is still there. How do you get out of the Cathedral?”

  • The Stealthy Path (Skill Challenge): If he tries to sneak out the way he came, run it as a quick skill challenge to keep the pace up. For example: “You need two successes before you get two failures.” A success could be a Dexterity (Stealth) check to slip past a guard or a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to navigate a precarious ledge. Success means he gets out cleanly. Failure means he’s spotted.

  • The Magical Path (The Quickest Way): If Sarodan uses Invisibility or Misty Step, the escape becomes much simpler. The main challenge would be a single Dexterity (Stealth) check to get past the guard directly outside the door without being heard. This is the fastest way to resolve the escape.

  • The Creative Path (Diversion): If he uses a spell like Minor Illusion to create a distraction down the hall, give him advantage on his Stealth check to slip away in the opposite direction. This rewards clever thinking.

The Worst-Case Scenario: The Alarm is Raised

This is how you honor the “no plot armor” rule. If Sarodan fails a key check, is discovered, or the witness screams:

  • The Goal Changes: The mission is no longer about a clean escape; it’s a Chase Scene. The objective is simply to get out of the Cathedral alive as bells start ringing and patrols converge on his position.

  • Running the Chase: Don’t run this as a full combat. Run it as a fast-paced “chase sequence” using contested skill checks. It’s his Dexterity (Stealth) or Athletics vs. the guards’ Wisdom (Perception). Each round he succeeds, he gets further away. If he fails, a complication occurs (he runs into another patrol, a portcullis drops, etc.).

  • Capture, Not Just Death: If he is cornered, Lira’s forces would likely try to capture him alive. As we discussed, a public trial of a “traitor” is more valuable to her than a dead body. Capture is a dire consequence that doesn’t end the character or the campaign.

Once Sarodan has either escaped, been captured, or is in the middle of a desperate chase, you can cut back to the rest of the party. This whole sequence can be resolved in 20-30 minutes, creating a massive new problem for the entire group to deal with.

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