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"She may very well know something that would be of use to us, Grall, but I highly doubt that she would divulge such information baring tactics that we simply would not use." the inquisitor says.
"As you have said, ending this should fall to you, friend." Khalid concedes has he walks away, leaving Grall to his task.
The stricken sorceress looks up at Grall.
.. do it, nephew! But know that the Carrrion King will have his ... rrevenge yet. You will ... sufferr and burrn in firre, I forresee it!
End ... it!
Grall nods his head. He makes it quick and as painless as possible, ending the fate of another of his misguided family. He then covers her with sand and hides any sign around the un-marked grave.
Grall walks to the edge of the Oasis, the sun bearing down on his red fur. He just needed to be away from the others...those that are not his people, but are his friends.
The heat of the day beats down on the sand, but he no longer feels it, Sarenrae's kiss protecting him. Holding onto his holy symbol Grall whispers a few soft words of prayer to help bolster him in the coming days and stares out into the desert.
Haleen seems to realise that Grall needs some space but right at the end of his prayer the barbarian feels a small hand interweave with his...
Aside from the sorceress, the group quickly handles the remaining archers, still stuck in their pit when the magic expires. Over the hill you find the bodies of the few other raiders who tried to flee, clearly slain by the gnolls who were standing by. That leaves only the Guard Captain and his hyenadon as the sole survivors of the Sons of Carrion.
Gathering and searching the bodies of the dead is a time consuming process given the carnage but you have time. On the gnolls you find only a handful of coins each. The raiders are a different story, each bears stacks of disparate gold coins, clearly their wages for the bloody affair. All together you rake in 1,800 gp worth.
Each of the Carrion Guard (11 killed) was wearing enchanted studded leather and carried an expensive masterwork composite longbow (+4 to strength) and masterwork scimitar.
The giant carried two large masterwork flails.
Shiz wore an enchanted ring, bracers and cloak and carried a magical longspear.
The jann reappears after the battle is over, his plate and mail turning back to fine clothing.
If Zayifid had a part to play here today he did not come himself.
Or at least my true-sight detected no sign of him.
I highly doubt these events have led you to change your mind about the Scroll. Unless I am wrong I will return to my Mistress and tell her your answer.
Too proud to take interest in a prize from a foe she did not kill, Nuveril glares at the horizon until her breathing slows and her pounding heart returns to normal from the frenzy of battle.
Zeladiel points out the magic items on Shiz.
"She may not help us, but these may."
He removes the items, if Grall lets him, and returns to Pazhvann.
Zeladiel shows no emotion at Khalid's decree but adds, "It has been... an honour... to meet another Templar who has resisted corruption. Is there any way for us to contact you?"
I will convey your message to my Mistress, Khalid. I sincerely hope that we will continue to meet as friends if not allies.
To Zeladiel he says. I am afraid not but I will keep my eye out and continue to search for Zayifid.
He turns as if to go then pauses and speaks seemingly reluctantly. I was mortal, human once as were my brothers and sister. Nefeshti promised to make us immortal for as long as we served her. All bar me lost their way after Vardishal died and all have sought alternative routes to make up for what they lost. I fear dark routes in some cases.
Kardswann and Zayifid were gone the longest and became the weakest. For Davashuum it has not been long and she was ever the strongest of us, except perhaps for Vardishal. You fought well today and bravely but I fear you are not yet her match should she come for the Scroll.
Good luck.
Suddenly there is a hole in the air and beyond it a sky full of clouds. The jann steps through and is gone, the hole closing behind him.
Grall walks up as the Jann says his piece... and snorts after the Jann leaves, Sarrrenrrrae champions ourrr cause, if we can be defeated then so can he. Betterrr with us.
Anything useful from ourrr foes?
He seems to have gathered himself.
Zeladiel sighs and takes a seat where he is, idly turning the items and assessing them.
You build a giant pyre for the bodies, adding fallen timber from the many spells thrown around. Black smoke spirals away into a grey sky that turns to black as evening falls.
Tomorrow you will arrive at Katapesh and the next stage of your journey, Zeladiel's master Rayhan.
Maybe we should at least heal our wounds...in case anything else tries to surrrprrrise us?
I know I am frrree, but the people of Katapesh will still likely not welcome me. I should stay hidden.
If we arrre to go to Zeladiels masterrr, should we not be as best prrreparrred as we can?
Zeladiel looms nearby.
"That attack was their last attempt before Katapesh. The caravan is safe now. The real danger will be when we get to Katapesh."
Zeladiel talks past Grall, addressing Khalid. "Grall's appearance will be less of a problem than you think. His attitude will be the problem. There are two types of Gnolls in Katapesh and he will not pass as a slaver. If we are seen to be treating him with anything less than contempt, it will draw notice. And we will always be watched."
Zeladiel's eyes dart towards Nuveril. "While the rest of us are less likely to be spat upon for our appearance, a wrong word to the wrong fat, pompous merchant and we could be arrested and locked up on charges that may as well be real. We can trust no one (which I suppose will be easy for some). Not even Almah or my master Rayhan."
Zeladiel looks back to Khalid. "I'm sure they'll try to help. Master Rayhan is a master of divination magic, which serves him almost as well as his own wisdom. But they have their own agendas. And they will almost certainly not want their enemies to see them helping us."
"Whatever it is we are doing in this place," Nuveril complains, "let us do it quickly and get out again. You were less grim entering the Pale Mountain than this place you call your home, elf."
Zeladiel seems to notice Nuveril and looks down his nose at her.
"In Pale Mountain, we knew our enemies. They attacked us and we defeated them using strength and skill. In Katapesh we will be attacked with lies and deception. Friends will be tricked into harming us. Our enemies will hide behind the weak and the innocent. They will be... like gnomes... that we cannot see."
Zeladiel shakes his head.
"In Pale Mountain, I could respect you. I could call Grall my friend. If I do these things in Katapesh, our enemies will use it to drive others against us."
Zeladiel sighs.
"If I liked my home, I would have stayed there."
No use worrrrying about things we can't contrrrol Zel. I was a slave herrre beforrre you knew me. I know some of the rrrole I need to play when I have to. I will just keep in the backgrrround until my skills, that I have, arrre needed.
"In Pale Mountain, we knew our enemies. They attacked us and we defeated them using strength and skill. In Katapesh we will be attacked with lies and deception. Friends will be tricked into harming us. Our enemies will hide behind the weak and the innocent. They will be... like gnomes... that we cannot see."
At the mention of Gnomes, Nuveril shudders with distaste, touching her lips with crooked fingers and spitting into the sand.
Linah channels several times that evening and again the next morning, restoring everyone to full health.
You store as much of the loot as possible within Khalid's haversack while those items that won't fit (mostly armour and bows) are stowed onto the wagon with the merchant's goods. If Radi Hamdi was somewhat cowed before the battle he appears entirely subservient afterwards and the merchant seems almost pathologically eager to assist.
Thankfully, your final day's travel is without incident.
By mid-morning the top parts of the cities great sandstone towers are in view and by noon blue glimpses of the Obari Ocean, stretching endlessly to the east.
Katapesh sits within a narrow fertile crescent and by afternoon you have made it. Pesh fields are the first things you see, well-worked and well guarded. But other fields as well, barley, sorghum and even wheat, a very small part of the vast network required to feed over 200,000 souls.
Zeladiel leads you south toward the city itself and the trail becomes a wide hard-packed road heading for the Dawn Gate in the cities northern wall: not the busiest of Katapesh's portals perhaps but busy for Katapesh is a horde for anywhere else and you soon find yourself part of a great stream of wagons and travelers, farmers, workers, soldiers and others.
Sitting directly outside of the Dawn Gate is Dog Town, easily the dirtiest, most rundown area of Katapesh. Home to the largest portion of Katapesh’s gnoll population, the community is also home to many of the city’s indigent citizens, ne’er-do-wells and small-time business owners, all attracted to its low-income housing despite the high crime rate.
Neatly bisected by the northern road, Dog Town squats almost all the way along the wall, a mass of tents and more permanent dwellings. A hundred eyes seem to follow you from a hundred alley ways as you walk.
You arrive at the Gate (which in reality is more like five separate passages) where the traffic divides by purpose and method of conveyance. Things move efficiently and its only half an hour until you are facing a dour looking official dressed in blue and grey.
He bows low to Linah.
Sun's blessings Priestess.
And looks to the rest of you.
Before you may enter the City, I am to assess any dutiable items you are holding in your possession. Under Katapashi law, you must declare any class 1, 2 or 3 items. That is to say any poisons, drugs or slaves. Anything else is your own business.
Do you have anything to declare? The man looks sideways at Grall.
Grall is sure to have his cloak over his head and he draws in on himself to appear closer to 6 get tall.
He is also sure to give Khalid his freedom papers in case he is challenged.
Before you may enter the City, I am to assess any dutiable items you are holding in your possession. Under Katapashi law, you must declare any class 1, 2 or 3 items. That is to say any poisons, drugs or slaves. Anything else is your own business.
Nuveril frowns fiercely, trying to follow the watchman's strange words. As he gets to the end, she relaxes. "I have none of those things," she says dismissively. "The Lions of the Savannah do not deal in such shameful wares."
Zeladiel looks blankly ahead, waiting patiently.
The official opens his mouth as if to say something but takes another look at Linah and closes it again. He pauses and begins again with the tone of someone who repeats something a hundred times a day.
As you say. Please note that entry into the City is deemed acceptance of all of its laws and lesser regulations. Ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse. Of particular note, assault of a guild member, Zephyr Guard, or government official is a crime punishable by one year imprisonment. Murder of the same is punishable by execution. Stealing is punishable by branding and loss of a hand.
Do you understand these laws?
The last is perfunctory and he starts waving you along before you can answer.
You pass through the gate and walk between two giant man-like statutes of stone and metal. Over 14 feet tall and resembling a thin spindly man, rune-covered bracers encircle their forearms and a long tabard bearing the coat of arms of Katapesh covers the rest of their two ton frames.
Aluum golems, powered by the souls of Katapeshi slaves and prisoners bound into glowing gems in their chests. Where ever you are in Katapesh it is never far from one of the constructs.
The merchant hails you, the goods on his wagon still being assessed by a trio of blue and grey garbed officials.
He gives you details of his accommodations in the Lower City before speaking humbly to Grall.
Master Grall. Do you still wish me to procure sale of your enchanted blade? I will need the weapon you understand? To show buyers.
To Zeladiel he hands a fat pouch of gold and gems, the agreed thousand gold pieces fee for guarding the wagon as agreed.
I thank you Master Elf. I take it I can find you at the villa of Master Rayhan?
That is not my decision alone...the blade is rrrarrre and dangerrrous.
He turns to the rest of the group and motions them away from the masses, This should be a decision made by all. He draws forth the blade won from the Carrion King.
To Zeladiel he hands a fat pouch of gold and gems, the agreed thousand gold pieces fee for guarding the wagon as agreed.
I thank you Master Elf. I take it I can find you at the villa of Master Rayhan?
"I shall be taking my own accommodation, but a message can be left for me at the Master's house and it will reach me."
Zeladiel takes the pay given him and nods."Perhaps we may return together also, God's permitting."
Zeladiel joins the others. "The man has witnessed our power and is unlikely to betray us for mere gold. Master Rayhan may have better contacts though. Here is our pay. I suggest you each take a share. You can buy anything in Katapesh, and if you desire nothing, at least take it to bribe the guards and officials when they start making demands."
Nuveril shrugs, too distracted by the men built of metal and stone to pay much attention. "The weapon is too large. What becomes of it is irrelevant. Are those giants in armor," she asks Zeladiel of the constructs, "or statues? Do they live?"
You know the constructs are golems each made with the souls of multiple slaves or capital prisoners. They can be commanded by the zephyr guard with an appropriate talisman in times of extremis.
"They are statues. But yes, they live. They are powered by the souls of the condemned and obey the guards. Another reason to avoid drawing attention. This way to our destination."
Zeladiel gestures into the city throng.
Nuveril recoils from the living statues, touching crooked fingers to her lips and spitting on the road. "Your people enslave the dead?" she asks, her disgust apparent in her tone. "Do you sell their flesh in the marketplace as well?"
"For the right price, you can buy anything in Katapesh," Zeladiel reiterates.
"I told you to prepare yourself. There will be far worse to come. And they're not exactly my people, either."
Lives matterrr little herrre Nuverrril. This is wherrre I grrrew up, in the pits forrr theirrr enterrrtainment.
To Zelediel, Khalid, and the others, I have one morrre piece of business frrrom my old life here. I made a prrromise severrral yearrrs ago when this all starrrted to Haleens uncle to brrring herrr back to him alive, and plan to keep it. Would you be willing to accompany me therrre? All of you, my frrriends???
Zeladiel arranges for porters to deliver the other goods you had stored on the merchant's wagon and leads you deeper into the district. Where the horde of people becomes a vast, rapidly moving flood. While Keleshites dominant obviously, practically all of the races are Golarian are present in some measure.
You pass a trio of Ulfen mercenaries following at least a dozen Garundi pilgrims to Gozreh. A quartet of Vudrani merchants argue with an even number of Katapeshi ones. Two Chelish nobles make their way gingerly, skirted by a squad of guards. Human, dwarf, half-orc, elf,cat-folk, halfling. The halflings seem to come in two varieties; the first elaborately dressed and conspicuously ignoring the second, men and women in slave smocks rushing at one task or another. Halflings in total make up about 3% of the population but at least two-thirds are slaves.
The smell of pesh is everywhere although even the sweet scent is insufficient to mask ranker smells.
To the south the ground rises steeply toward the Inner City, itself surrounded by pale sandstone walls. Many ancient marvels dating back to the city’s earliest existence two thousand years ago rival each other in their size, grandeur, and mystique. From the Grand Coliseum, the Marble Sphinx, and the Golden Oasis to the Glass Pyramids and the Screaming Obelisk, all of these and more can be found in the Inner City. The Inner City is also home to the walled palace of the Pactmasters, its soaring towers easily seen from anywhere in the city.
Nonplussed, Zeladiel leads you east instead into the Lower City. Sandwiched between the Inner City and the Docks, this is easily the largest section of Katapesh, and the most densely populated. The Lower City contains possibly the world’s largest bazaar — a collection of kiosks, tents, huts, carts, or simply rugs on open spaces of ground displaying a few odds and ends. The Lower City Bazaar stretches the entire length of the city, and nearly anything can be bought or sold here.
You pass the stepped, pyramid-like temple of Nethys the building towering over every nearby structure like a brooding giant. A multicolored flame that burns endlessly without fuel hovers over the topmost tier, marking this as a house of the god of magic.
Nuveril's visceral discomfort at being surrounded by so great a crowd is overshadowed by her amazement at the different kinds of "people" of which it consists. "What is that? What is that?" she hisses, over and over, to Linah and Khalid and Zeladiel, her small jutting finger fortunately not the noticeable affront in the teeming streets that it would be inside.
More than the Ulfen and half-orcs and catfolk, however, the halflings draw her attention. She has no more or less fascination or disgust for the free than the slaves but peers at each face eagerly, as if expected to recognize someone -- or expecting someone to recognize her.
Somewhere near here is the great Slave Block but politely or not Zeladiel avoids that route taking you further south into the Lower City until you find the Jackal's Gate, a newer piece of construction that leads to the Twilight Gate District which forms the south west part of the City. The outer walls that ring the southern portion of Twilight Gate date back to 3725 AR when the Pactmasters reshaped Katapesh to their own vision.
Today Twilight Gate is a mixture of ancient and modern architecture and the site of many ruins that have become tourist attractions.
You pass the Pathfinder Society Lodge, an elegant three-tiered building which is the local base of operations for the world-spanning Pathfinder Society. Zeladiel explains that it also serves double duty as headquarters for Katapesh’s local Explorers’ Guild (mainly due to city ordinances that require Pathfinder Society members to also be members of a city guild).
Then the Grand Alchemist’s Tower. This soaring crenellated tower is home to Katapesh’s most accomplished alchemist and the guildmaster of the Order of Alchemists and Potion Makers.
Finally you arrive at the Twilight Gate itself, the smallest of the cities portals but still a large entrance to the suburb that lie directly outside the cities southern wall. Named after Castle Clarion, the home of the powerful Clarion family, the area features a collection of wealthy villas and eateries perched at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Inner Sea. Zeladiel explains that it is here that Rayhan's villa lies, no more than half an hour from the Twilight Gate, close enough to the city to enjoy its conveniences but far enough to grant some relief from the bustle.
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Khalid does his best to answer Nuveril's numerous questions about the different races and ethnicities that she is encountering, apparently for the first time.
"The larger the settlement, the more diversity you will see. Though I have never been there, I can only imagine the variety seen in Absalom." the inquisitor explains to Nuveril as the group slowly but surely makes their way to the Twilight Gate.
Nuveril's astonishment can only grow with her first real glimpse of the sea. "Is that all water? Does it come from a spring, or does it rain so much here?"
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Khalid does his best to hold back a chuckle, not wanting to offend Nuveril. Certainly it was not the halfling's fault she had never seen the sea before.
"Indeed it is all water. That is the Obari Ocean, one of many such bodies of water that cover much of the surface of Golarion. Sadly, not all of it is drinkable. The oceans are very salt laden. As to the source, other than the gods, I can not say." the inquisitor says, trying to answer Nuveril's questions.
Grall suppresses a snarl, he doesn't really trust such bodies of large water.
Despite his even voice and ongoing monologue, some of Zeladiel's hostility seems to fade as he points out the various buildings and markets. His long winded overview of each is soon interrupted by the next spectacle, which he begins to describe anew until the next, and so on.
When he pauses, it is usually to remind his companions to check their pouches and pockets regularly and to not look like newcomers. His eyes focus on Nuveril as he says this.
"It is best we seek out Master Rayhan at once and hear what guidance he may give us. Nothing changes in Katapesh except the details. We should avail ourselves of them quickly if we are to survive."
Passing through the Twilight Gate is much easier than the Dawn Gate as the only possible new traffic (unless it can fly) is from the few docks at Castle Clarion. On the way out you are simply waved through with a few more hard looks at Grall.
As you ascend the cliffs the Obari Ocean stretches out even more clearly to the east, blue-green water spreading out endlessly.
From here though you can see the great main City docks, over a dozen long, maze-like piers jut out from the cities sandy eastern shore each of them capable of holding numerous seagoing vessels. Of the boats themselves there could easily be a thousand vessels in view from great trading caravels to simple fishing boats. Some are at rest while others form a constant stream in and out of the docks like a horde of ants.
Rising from the shoreline, a massive copper statue of a horned giant stares menacingly out to sea as if to ward away enemies. Huge crenellated towers flank the Docks, the city walls spreading out from them in either direction to surround the city.
Zeladiel leads you up until the ground levels out. It is much quieter here, tasteful villas with the occasional eatery taking up both sides of the path. Zeladiel heads toward the cliff edge and with a nod at a modest three-story brick structure overlooking the ocean you are finally there: Rayhan’s villa.
A head-high brick wall surrounds the structure and Zeladiel leads you through a gate. It is not perhaps the extravagant affair one might expect such a successful wizard to own. The villa itself consists of a main house, a few outbuildings and a well-kept garden. Grass grows thick on the villa grounds.
The door to the main house opens and a very tall bald-headed man steps through. Wearing a simple grey robe, a black raven perches on one shoulder. Perhaps sixty, the man looks still spry and fixes you with a piercing but friendly gaze.
So rumor has it that you have the Scroll of Kakishon. Come in and we'll take a look. He sounds skeptical.