Yazi's axe bit deep into the flicking thug, killing him. Beside her, Nasir did the same, first slashing the thug, then burning and freezing him.
Gone
Survives
Gone
pieces found
Khayal the fighter swung his legs over and hit the stone floor on the other side of the wall of force.
Inside the chamber, the spiritual scimitar hit an unseen object, two clangs of metal against lacquered wood.
ROUND SEVEN
Init:
The Rough Seed, with the remains of Father Jackal inside, closed its' amorphous shell and retracted its' tentacles. The Captain of the Sunset Ship took out a black-circle medallion from his robes and told Hajar as he raced by "Such feeble actions by you and your compatriots, blinded paladin. Kakishon will tear itself apart now, yet still you have provided me a service. I have been upon Kakishon's secret shores before, for I knew the way when Nex still walked them. Yet know this — what you seek in Kakishon is what you need, yet what you need is not what you seek.”
With those words, the being reached out to the Rough Seed, and both creatures vanished in a flash of light. The mummy fled through the opened doors nearby.
At the statue of the spider, Tamir cursed loudly and shouted "You will open!" He grabbed all the strings to his apparatus in both hands, pulling upwards as he spread his arms wide. "Serpent Isles, Khosravi, Khandelwal, Ismaizade, Aliskiren, Isles of Night, Kakishon! Bring me those within!” he commanded. All seven of the suspended mummified human hands touched the Scroll of Kakishon at once, and the glow from the Scroll became blinding. Tasir looked down at where he was standing, and noticed his feet had scattered several inches of the protective magic circle silver dust that had been carefully placed upon the floor. "Uh-oh." he muttered.
The Scroll lifted up into the air above the table, and with an incredible blast of fire and smoke, the map exploded. Fire rolled out, engulfing the halfling wizard, the treasure and slaves behind him, the floating scimitar, then Khayal as he outran the black-clad humans behind him. The flames continued on, hitting the invisible walls of force at the outer pillars, dissolving them, and Yazi and Nasir were engulfed in fire. Bartan and Rayhan as well were immolated by the flames going through the emplaced magical walls. Hajar was caught in mid-sprint, Tempest before him in his hands. Above Tamir, the outpouring blasted through the stone ceiling, a torrent of wind being met by a similar vortex from above, the rock becoming so much dust blown violently away.
For each person, the experience was the same: The ground itself seems to give way, and suddenly you are falling, falling through a vortex of fire, plummeting into the throat of a volcano. The pain tears through your flesh, yet still is strangely less overwhelming than what one might expect of a cataclysm this all - encompassing. A sense of vertigo overwhelms even the fire and noise, and the sensation of falling grows into a tempest of burning wind.
And then, in the flaming clouds and firestorm around you, shapes begin to emerge. Men and women made of fire and smoke — adorned with glittering jewelry and wielding scimitars made of fire, their faces twisted masks of glory and cruelty — rise up through the firestorm just as you are falling. Some of them seem to notice and mock you as you fall before they surge upward and out of sight. And then comes the last of them, a towering, burning warrior with great horns and a cruel, curved sword. This immense figure notices the adventurers as well, and even takes the time to smile sardonically as he bows in mockery, as if thanking you for a service you provided.
The explosion from the Scroll inverts with a loud -bang-. The underground stone chamber vanishes from your sight as you are pulled past Tamir and down a very long hole in the air, your last sight being the halfling looking up at the efreeti and other figures paying attention to the one who freed them from their prison...
Inside you, the spirit of the janni Templar Vardishal recognizes the leader of the rescued genies, and a wrenching cry goes through you as he shouts "Jhavhul!"
Meanwhile, above in Katapesh, the storm continues to lash the city, but a whirl of energy now accompanies natures wrath. A hole torn in the fabric of reality sucks bricks, stalls and anything not nailed down into it, whilst from somewhere within its heart a rush of magic and power that hasn't been seen in countless centuries spews forth an army of raging furious djinns... and in their wake something yet larger and more powerful still, his voice causing a shockwave to ripple through the air that blows the rain back into the heavens, and clears a clean hole through the storm above. A thing of ancient power once more walks the world, bestriding Katapesh in an anger that has waited for an age.
Windows rattle and buildings tremble as rows of streets are turned to rubble, magic ripping through thoroughfares causing somethings to disappear without trace, whilst at the same time spontaneously creating twisted monsters of form, multi armed, and bloated on unnatural wish magic that newly born rampage through Katapesh. Blood and smoke mingle with the fury of the storm and the swirling energies - the realm of chaos and terror brought to the jewel of Katapesh.
---------------------------------END BOOK THREE OF THE LEGACY OF FIRE--------------------
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END BOOK FOUR OF THE LEGACY OF FIRE
And then, in the flaming clouds and firestorm around you, shapes begin to emerge. Men and women made of fire and smoke — adorned with glittering jewelry and wielding scimitars made of fire, their faces twisted masks of glory and cruelty — rise up through the firestorm just as you are falling. Some of them seem to notice and mock you as you fall before they surge upward and out of sight. And then comes the last of them, a towering, burning warrior with great horns and a cruel, curved sword. This immense figure notices the adventurers as well, and even takes the time to smile sardonically as he bows in mockery, as if thanking you for a service you provided.
Oh wow he's hot, an errant thought slips into Yazi's mind among the turbulent experience.
Khayal shows fear for the first time in his life, not for his own safety, but for Shirin's. She had been staying at the villa on the outskirts of the city. He can only hope that she is far enough away from this catastrophe. And that similar thoughts must plague her mind.
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Bartan, unlike Khayal, has felt fear many times in his life, and this is no exception. He cries out to his goddess as he plummets, and out of instinct pulls out his Knucklebone, letting it drop from his hand and fall next to him as it spins and spins, and lands... on...
Roll it thrice more, my dear... Bartan's eyes bulge as he hears the voice of Lady Irez, and he grabs for the Knucklebone to roll it again.
and again...
and again...
His fear magically dispelled, Bartan calmly falls through the air, feeling a cold he has never felt, but knowing that everything will be alright, as he's falling into the arms of Lady Luck herself.
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--------------Begin The End of Eternity------------------------
The vortex you are all inside changes, and all of you are suspended as if falling from a great height. Strange things happen as you "fall without moving" - Yazi's greataxe disappears, only to reappear sheathed and clean. Rayhan's spellbook and additional gear comes out of thin air as if he was already carrying them. Khayal feels his left-handed kukri change into a sickle, then a shortsword, before changing back. Nasir's clothing changes color twice - once to the reds and browns of an entirely different family than what she grew up in, and then to forest green, canard yellow, and sky blues before going back to her usual colors. Hajar feels the weight of a heavy steel shield on his back, but then the object scatters into a hundred points of light that fly away. Hajar and Khayal see one of the thugs from the underground chamber also flying with them - the man flickers and becomes six people, then one again. The look of horror on the man's face is part of his silent screams.
Beneath all of you a series of islands completely surrounded by water come into view. Bartan realizes that the islands match the runes of the Scroll of Kakishon, and Rayhan realizes that the islands match one of the paintings in his study, and that, indeed, is Kakishon. All of you are are descending straight down to the geographical center of the map, or demiplane, where a long mountain range going North to South starts coming into view. Just a few miles to the North of that center, a magnificent palace of stone and brass rises up, a domicile fit for a king - or an archwizard.
But with a sound like ripping cloth, the view changes, even as you descend lower. The portal beneath you all swirls at its' borders, and red flames mixed with purple lighting crackles disturbingly. The portal lurches like a drunken man to the East, and then to the Northeast, flying across the ocean waters faster than a bird can soar, and you see a series of smaller islands arranged in a sickle shape coming up. The portal keeps descending at an angle, even as it speeds up, and the forests and jungles of the new islands fly past your sight.
A second island comes into view, and now you are close enough to make out the individual trees, the covered jungle - was that a gnoll encampment just then? The circling fire and the lightning begin to make the portal close in on itself, and a lighting tendril reaches up to strike at the black-clothed man that accompanied all of you, tearing off an arm and a leg as quick as a scythe through wheat. The dead bodies of the two thugs Nasir and Yazi defeated get similar treatment, the limbs floating away without a spray of red blood. A knight in steel armor becomes visible, the lightning attacking him and his wooden tower shield, ripping off chunks of metal and flesh, leaving the armor scorched.
Khayal near the center of the vortex disappears first as the portal shows a long cove beneath you, a sandy beach with clear blue waters and palm trees. A small building made of stone watches over the waves.
Unfortunately the portal keeps flying Northeast faster and faster. Yazi and Nasir disappear from sight, as well as the unknown thugs.
With a sound like thunder, the portal grows smaller and smaller as it flies over the tops of the ocean waves, and finally Hajar, Rayhan, and Bartan are ejected from their stasis back into reality.
You land in the waters at the end of the cove as seen on the second picture on the Encounter Map. You will have to make DC 10 Swim checks to go to the edge of the cove on either side (North-South), or down its' Southwestern length to the building you saw. But the sea is calm, and the tide is with you - you only need to make six good checks.
You do not see the others at all. Pieces of flesh-filled armor land next to you in the waves. You can make a DC 10 Reflex save to grab the only item that doesn't sink immediately - a beaten wooden tower shield.
You land in the waters in the ocean. You will need to make a DC 20 Perception check to see the island to the Southwest, and make for the beach. A DC 20 will also let you see the guys that fall out of the portal almost three hundred yards behind you.
No Perception check is needed as various human body parts fall all around you into the water - the remains of the thugs in the underground chamber. You can make a DC 10 Reflex save to grab the only item still floating within range on the waters - a dark cloak.
You will have to make DC 10 Swim checks to go to the edge of the cove on either side (North-South), or down its' Southwestern length to the building you saw. Due to the distance you will have to make ten good checks if you go straightaway - or three more if you go back for the guys. But the sea is calm.
You land in the waters of the ocean. All around you is waves and waves of water. You'll need to start making DC 10 swim checks. If you can make a DC 25 Perception check, you'll see or hear Nasir and Yazi - if they make noise.
To your East are dark clouds going down to the horizon. To your West is clear and sunny. The island you saw in the portal might be that way. You'll need to make fourteen good Swim checks until you reach solid ground.
Bartan flails in the water, attempting to stay above the surface.
Surprisingly he is able to heave himself to the surface, sputtering. He looks around, and determines the direction to go based on their previous trajectory.
The seas seem strangely quiet.
Progress toward shore 1
Progress toward shore 2
FAIL (1), slip under the surface
FAIL (1), sink deeper, breath held 1/28
Move toward the surface, breath held 2/28
FAIL (1), sink deeper, breath held 3/28
Move toward the surface, breath held 4/28
Move toward the surface, breath held 5/28
Break surface.
Progress toward shore 3
Progress toward shore 4
FAIL (1), slip under the surface
FAIL, no progress toward surface, breath held 1/28
Break surface.
Progress toward shore 5
Progress toward shore 6
No progress.
Progress toward shore 7
Progress toward shore 8
Progress toward shore 9
No progress.
Progress toward shore 10
Progress toward shore 11
Progress toward shore 12
Fail (1), slip under the surface.
Break surface.
Progress toward shore 13
Progress toward shore 14. HIT THE SHORE
Bartan finally drags himself ashore, sputtering and heaving up gulps he had taken of water. He lies on the beach for several minutes breathing hard, the strain clear on his face.
fail
fail
fail
fail
pass 1
fail
pass 2
pass 3
pass 4
pass 5
pass 6
pass 7
fail
fail
fail
pass 8
pass 9
pass 10
fail
fail
fail
pass 11
fail
fail
fail
pass 12
fail
pass 13
fail
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Rayhan hits the water spluttering...
Rayhan sinks and flails around, then manages to keep his composure and cast a spell allowing him to levitate out of the water!
Hajar, is that you youngling? he says to himself, spotting the flailing and failing badly at swimming paladin.
Rayhan casts Fly on himself, and scoots over to help Hajar.
Quick! Grab my hand before you drown yourself. Wearing all that armor is dangerous in the Ocean no?
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Only wincing slightly for a moment at the impact of the water, Nasir laughs as she sees Yazi's trademark enthusiasm, one of the many things she enjoyed about her. "Well I guess swimming it is,"
Though she tires a bit, years of conditioning brought on by her dancing have rendered the Pathfinder's body up to the task.
Yazi and Nasir both grab for the same cloak, but Yazi prevailed in securing the fabric.
Bartan took off like a dedicated canine, finally making it to shore.
Hajar seemed to be in trouble...and was quickly helped by the retired wizard.
Hajar feels a hard surface under his feet, and he is bodily lifted to the surface of the salty waves as a gigantic sea turtle. Accompanied by almost a dozen smaller, normal-sized amphibians, the sea turtle begins swimming hard for the cove's shoreline.
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"Oh you say that like it's a bad thing, ya'know it's always better when you're wetter." Yazi quips to the dancer while happily swimming, using the cloak to helpfully tug her friend along.
At first worried about how the others were doing that fear dissipates once she sees the friendly shelled creatures pushing everyone towards the beach.
Khayal lands with an ungraceful belly flopper.
While he is more at home in the desert, swimming comes naturally to the strong man. He grabs the shield that lands near him and slings it on his back.
Upon arrival ashore, Khayal starts looking about for food sources and shelter, or at least an ideal place to set up a camp.
Behind you rises a hilly junglescape rife with bird life and snakes and strange flowers. Across a shallow inlet, more of the island rises, its slopes covered with jungle as well. Above, the sky is cloudless and blue. Some distance down the beach stands a wooden pier and a small stone hut.
Most of the turtles suddenly turn back, swimming back out to open waters as fast as they can. The largest turtle turns its' head toward the pier as if hearing something.
Out of the surf an immense six-headed monster surges up. Four of the six heads have leftover pieces of One Source Guild thug in their jaws, and they noisily chew and swallow the bits. Two of the heads look around, sniffing for more. They see the adventurers on the beach, and all six heads whip around to point at the new prey. The huge beast lumbered out of the shallow waves to attack the newcomers.
ROUND ONE
Init:
Khayal's blade comes a little loose in his hand as he strikes, but his hands know his blade well and he regrips it at the last second, delivering a deep blow.
Rayhan, already flying due to the arcane spell he used earlier, deposits Hajar in the surf and shouts Friends! It is a Hydra! Beware it's heads, chop them off but be quick about it, they regrow Rayhan ensures that he is not anywhere near danger before drawing his trusty Wand.
Rayhan rolls his eyes It will die if it has no heads. But, you must be quick! Nevermind! Just hit it with your axe!
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Nasir begins to dance in an deceptively complex pattern of movements that makes it almost impossible to guage exactly where she was even when right beside her, the dancer seeming closer in one moment and more distant in the next. Drawing Shiver, she picks up speed, a flurry of whirling life and deadly beauty.
Khayal charged through the surf, drawing first blood on the multi-headed creature. The hydra heads, hissing, all went for the fighter.
Even as Khayal's armor prevented most of the fangs from sinking into his flesh, the hydra's wounds started to slowly close, the blood flow ceasing.
The large turtle watched the adventurers passively from its' position on the beach.
Nasir started dancing.
Hajar moves forward, limping as he does.
Bartan touches his cards and chants a quick incantation and the pack of cards glows green.
He then turns his attention to the hydra. He casts an Intensified shocking grasp spell, and attempts to deliver the spell on the monster .
He tosses the first card at the stump where the head used to be, and the other cards as well if that first one does not hit.
He focuses all three attacks on the body of the monster.
plus plus
plus
plus
Yazi clipped off a hydra head, the cut splitting the neck so cleanly it might have killed the beast if she had been aiming for the main body. A barrage of playing cards hit the stump of a neck afterwards, and the other heads roared as electricity went all over the hydra half-standing in the surf. The beast slumped onto the sand and seawater.
The heads still twitched after the electrical charge faded.
ROUND TWO
Init:
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Khayal turns into a whirl of blades. Trying to ensure that the monster does not have a chance to heal.
Khayal hit the main body, while Yazi cut off the hydra heads. They did so much damage to the beast that it finally stopped twitching. The remainder was rinsed by the incoming waves on the beach.