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Hazreem and Pae hear the ghostly whispers turned to screams of a terrified female voice, making their skin crawl. Pae shudders at the thought of what may be coming, but the halfling bravely steps up with Hazreem.
A moment later, the silence is broken by a feminine scream, clearly in agony from violence. Other voices chime in, "<shocked gasps> Master, no! Why? What have we do... further screams of violence amid a loud rumbling sound, almost like thunder ...", and for a brief moment everyone but Efreat sees a violent windstorm crackling with electricity tearing about the room.
While the screams are audible to all, the scream in Hazreem's head wracks his skull with a pain that cuts like a dull knife.
Another moment later, all visual and audible manifestations of the haunt disperse and the room returns to its dark, quiet state.
"'Ware yourselves, another haunt is about to mani--" Hazreem's words are cuts off as he moans in pain, "GAAAAAAAHHH!" Once the screams have subsided he again looks around for any other dangers.
"I think it is safe for the moment. Mah'ysa we need to find where the haunt is triggered at..." He exclaims, flying around the room looking for any signs of bones or other clues.
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Hazreem searches about and clearly sees dozens of elegant beds, though the once lavish sheets and bedding have been worn with time, ravaged from struggle, or are covered in blood. The walls in each of the chamber alcoves are adorned with paintings, statues, chimes, or other art objects that likely were desired by the occupant.
However, amid the once beautiful harem sleep chambers, the gruesome scene of death is apparent as well. A number of skeletal remains lie about near the beds or piled in corners. Most of the bodies show signs of dismemberment while some bones seems like they've been chewed upon by a large creature. Between the remains strewn about and the terrifying scene portrayed by the haunt here, you know without a doubt these maidens met their end in a horrific manner.
A single door leads to a chamber within this area and the sleeping quarters appear to wrap back around towards what would have been the northeast alcoves from the main room. A number of valuables could be collected from these sleeping alcove chambers if you wish.
Mah'ysa, glowing with light, made sure her companions were undamaged by the Haunt...
... before continuing forward looking for any clues at all about the origins of the catastrophe that had occurred long ago.
Hazreem flies over to the first brass door north of his position and examines it carefully, before opening it.
Pae follows close behind Hazreem, saying nothing as he fears the next ghostly manifestation.
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Hazreem cracks open the brass door and is immediately greeted by a super-hot steaming mist. Curiously, even as the steaming mist pours out of the room it seems to continuously refresh within it. Every so often, the steaming mist clears enough to see a row of benches lining the walls.
The group stands ready to deal with whatever haunt or creature that would come, but after 30 seconds or so nothing happens.
Mah'ysa is trying to explore everywhere, so she'll go through the sauna then the sleeping alcoves.
Hazreem pauses as he looks deeper into the sauna, before shaking his head slightly. "We should move on here. This looks empty to me."
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Mah’ysa enters into the sauna and gropes around a bit as even inside it is very difficult to see anything. She doesn’t find any remains and there doesn’t appear to be anything interesting within the sauna room. She does find a number of vents in the floor of the room that seem to be feeding the endless supply of steam.
After spending some time in the room, Mah’ysa (and anyone else) does feel oddly refreshed. Sore muscles feel better, your battle bruises throb less, your skin gets some needs relief from the dry inferno of an atmosphere around you.
Efreat tenses as he hears his companions scream. "Is it over?" he calls to them but does not enter the room.
Mah'ysa nodded sadly at Bahir's comment.
"There must be some kind of clue about what happened, and why the Haunt is here. Something we can use to lay it to rest..." She said, continuing to look around.
Hazreem flies off behind Mah'ysa keeping a sharp eye out for threats. "I hope you are right. I don't want to disturb these spirits any more than we already have."
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As you all makes your way through all of the sleeping chambers, nothing further stands out to you. There is a lot of beauty, death, and sadness throughout the various rooms. You eventually wrap your way around back to where you can go back into the fountain chamber or explore through another large brass door. Hazreem and Mah'ysa gives the brass door a cursory inspection and it does not appear to be trapped.
Mah'ysa looked at the door thoughtfully.
"Let's try this door next." She said.
Pae checks the door visually, but puts his hands over ears in case the spirits want to make more dreadful noises.
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Pae doesn't notice any traps on the door and motions Bahir over to open the door, given the paladin's gift of fearlessness.
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The large room is dimly aglow from a number of torches spread throughout. Four sets of beds, wardrobes, and vanities are arranged in what seems like a common sleeping area of some sort. There is an open doorway to another chamber on the other side of this one. It looks to be much darker in the far room and you cannot see much of anything.
As the door is opened a slender female janni stands up from the vanity, setting down a hairbrush and turning around. "Oh my, guests, how delightful. Yes, come in.", she beckons to the group. The janni has long, jet black hair is is wearing loose, colorful clothing.
Hazreem cannot hide the look of surprise upon his face as the attractive janni greets them.
Was she behind the slaughter of the other harem members? I know she looks friendly but looks can be deceiving...
He gives his friends a warning glance but stays silent for the moment.
This would be handled best by Bahir and Mah'ysa...perhaps she will think of me as an elemental ally, not worthy of notice.
Startled at finding something alive, Mah'ysa stopped inside the room.
"Ah! I beg your pardon at the intrusion madame. I had not expected to actually meet someone still alive here." She said, still glowing as she executed a formal bow.
Taken aback by the beautiful janni's words, Bahir casts detect evil on her. "Caution friends, whatever this is ... she is evil."
Efreat flies down to the door for a better look at this "janni" and scans the room with his enhanced vision.
Pae hangs back outside the door, wary of the janni's invitation. "I'll just, uh...make sure we're not being followed."
Mah'ysa is taken aback.
"Ah, well then. Would you have anything to do with the haunting back in the other room?" She asked curiously.
"Just what happened to make you so, and those outside... that?" Inquired Mah'ysa cautiously.
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She tenses up, momentarily appearing as though she is debating something internally, and then she eases back down and sighs again,
"Some time ago I was a guest here. The al-Bazan palace was once a place that many genie sought invitation. There was much to see and great festivals were held here, seemingly weekly. The harem wing was ... certainly another delightful experience. I don't know quite what happened, it was so fast. There was great sounds of battle, metal clinking on metal, spells blasting about and such. It looked like an army of Marid, Djinn, and Janni were fighting the Efreet and rest of the guards here, but I have no idea why. I fled back into the guest quarters here and hid, hoping I would not be a target."
"After some time, the battle died down and I thought all was well. After some hours passed, the door to the other chamber crashed open. That is when the former master, now a horrific black djinn came through and mercilessly slaughtered the guard who had survived the battle and rested in the room. He had become a twisted, vile, shell of what he once was and only sought death. "
"He stood over me next. The violent wind and sand flying about was nearly choking me and then he just pounded me with his great fists and claws until I felt no more. My eyes later opened and I rose again as the monster I now am."
Hazreem nods silently in response to the story told by the janni, "So you claim to be a monster yet you have...chosen your original form to appear to us as. What sort of monster are you?" He speaks up in a questioning tone.
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She laughs grimly. "Yes, would you care to see me, false elemental?"
Her body quickly melds into a new, less pleasant form. Her fine clothing becomes tattered. He skin and body looks to be some gruesome mix of leathery flesh, bone, and blood red smoke.
"I am the sort of monster that isn't desperate with hunger ... at the moment. I am the sort of monster that once remembered the beauty of life. I am the sort of monster that is tired of being an eternal prisoner both in this body and this palace."
Her tone begins to shift a little to anger, "What sort of monsters are you? Why are you here?
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You are pretty confident this janni is now some type of ghul, though one who still seemingly hasn't embraced her undeath. Under certain conditions, Jann will rise as ghuls when slain, commonly speculated to be the result of the displeasure of Ahriman, Lord of the Divs, who brings the curse of undeath upon the janni.
It is clear that it is undead and a shapechanger.
You recall that is possess some amount of fire resistance as well.
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"Ahriman? who cares about a disgusting div lord", she spits, though she does calm down. "Why would you even bring that name up and why would I want to be redeemed by him?" she says eyeing Bahir warily.
"My master was once called Shabendeh, and yes he is now the black djinn as you called it. He was once a mighty efreeti imam of this palace, strong in the faith of Ymeri, Queen of Inferno. He is now just this vile creature, seeking revelry in slaughter and gluttony. I presume he made me into ... this ... somehow." She shifts her form back to the more pleasing janni.
"I ask again, who are you and why are you here? I'm sure you're no friends of Jhavhul or anything else once here. Foolish treasure hunters? Runaway slaves? Prisoners? What?"
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Div refresher: the foul beings known as divs strive to ruin and despoil all things created by mortals. Spawned from corrupted genies exiled to the accursed depths of Abaddon, divs harbor an ancient hatred against all mortalkind, doing all in their power not simply to destroy but also to torment all that lives.
The creature you fought in the library was a sepid div, one of the most feared div.
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Bahir rubs his chin and frowns in thought momentarily but then realization hits him, "Ah, to answer your question first. We escaped one trap and prison set by Jhavhul only to end up here in a second prison. We are no friends of his and seek a way out of this place. After that we will hunt him down. As to Ahriman....well it is suspected that curses such as yours originate from him. I only asked to determine whether you knowably displeased him in someway. It is good to hear that you loath him as much as we. We recently destroyed one of his most feared servants, a sepid div, in the library. Perhaps he is just trying to corrupt that which is beautiful and pure and has cursed you for such. What brought you to serve one such as the efreeti imam Shabendeh?" His look is one of benign curiosity not suspicion.
Hazreem ponders the situation for a moment, "I do believe the wish magick would be enough to break the curse, but would it be wise to risk expending its power here? Perhaps slaying Shabendeh would be enough to reverse the curse?"
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"Killing the black djinn will release me from his control. That would be at least one good step. That won't help with the hunger though. Each time I give into it I lose myself more; I do have to admit that Fire Giant was a little tasty."
You believe wish or miracle or some other powerful resurrection magic should work. This isn't a curse, per se.
Mah'ysa nodded slowly.
"Yes... I am confident a Wish would work to do that. A Miracle would certainly do it. Both are beyond my power though.
But a Ressurection? That is just possible for me to do with the grace of the Dawnflower, a place of Holy Ground and the Ceremony itself. "Yes, just possible.
"It will take time to assemble though." Said Mah'ysa, thinking aloud.
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If you believe those would work, I ... I can't imagine ... I would be forever indebted to you. I am no fan of any of the al-Bazan family after all this, though I am surprised to hear that Jhavhul still lives. I just came here on an invitation to a feast and look at all the trouble that brought upon me.
Hazreem nods, "Do you have any idea where we may find this...Black Genie?"
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"He usually stays upstairs in the banquet hall with the others ... like me ... near constantly engorging on the feast. He and the ghost of the Qilzar don't generally see eye to eye and he lets the annoyingly indestructible ghost do whatever he wants down here.", she smirks, "Not that he has much choice in the matter"
"Ghost of the Quilzar? What's that?" Asked Mah'ysa curiously.
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She kind of tilts her head curiously, "Did you not fight the ghost, or whatever it is, of the little dwarf out in the throne room? Or ... I guess you just didn't know his name maybe. That was the Qilzar , Bagoas. He was slain in the marid and djinn raid as well and is now content to sit on the throne and demand fealty from guests of "his" palace. Of course, if you keep coming back every time someone kills you, you can demand whatever you want."