Kzrira looks to the others:
Perhaps a priestess of the Dawnflower could provide services. With all that we have done in Kelmarane, I think we should be able to gain some goodwill.
"Certainly," the acolyte obliges. "If you can find one. She is not as popular here as in the western wastes and Osirion. I don't know of any temples here nor high priests outside of Solku."
"I think that we can accommodate you in our guest quarters, but there is little anyone here can do for your friend until the Master returns. You do not think your friend will continue to devolve into something like a snail?" he asks with genuine concern.
Amir barks at the suggestion of turning into a snail but otherwise contents himself with padding about in the temple, somewhat bemused that he might roam more freely as a jackal than as a person.
Varkata says, insistantly, "Restoration, please."
The acolyte pulls his attention away from the straying jackal to look at Varkata. "Yes, I think Kazim could help you better than myself. Um, I will get her." With another nervous glance at the jackal, the acolyte walks off deeper into the temple.
Kzrira looks to the others.
Do you all know any spells that might help to identify where the Dean is? I know that we are running out of resources, and puppy chow, so there is not much more we can do now.
She pauses. I suppose we could charter a vessel to chase after those who took the Dean, then we would be closer in the morning. Of course if we chase the wrong way, we may be farther away.
After saying this, she scratches her head trying to figure out the best resolution to this dilemma.
The heroes quickly confer while the acolyte summons Kazim. It is decided that more resources will be needed to rescue Xiobhadi and they may as well take the temple up on the offer. Kazim agrees when she arrives and even reduces the normal quartering fees to a token copper. She also agrees to let you know as soon as the Master of the Vault is available.
You fall asleep quickly in the comfortably furnished guest quarters. Thankfully, the Abadarians aren't ones to eschew the benefits of civilization.
Despite the comfortable quarters, neither Karethas nor Amir sleep particularly well. Karethas feels a feminine presence near him, but not the div. It is not malevolent, but he cannot pin down what it is. She is near, but they both seem only half aware of each other as they both sleep.
Amir curled up on the bed starts awake several times uncertain and confused whether he is a man dreaming that he is a jackal or jackal dreaming that he was once a man...
A knock comes early at your chamber doors and Kazim tells you that the Master of the Vault will see you immediately. You keep him waiting a bit though. At least until Varkata has prayed and Karethas had a chance to study his books. Both find that they have deepened their understanding of their faith and magical art respectively through the hardship and duress they have endured.
Karethas has a breakthrough in his comprehension of the scrying spell, but finds himself unprepared without the required focus. Sighing, he follows the others back out to the nave led by a slightly impatient acolyte.
The richly robed Master of the Vault awaits along with Kazim, who you notice is holding the scroll of Kakishon. Master Abdul-Abadar holds up a hand to quiet any outbursts. "Please, I am afraid that we can no longer keep the relic in our vaults. Much has happened recently to put us in a difficult position. I met with the Pactmasters last night and they fear the recent kidnapping of your friend, the dean, may be tied to the appearance of an ancient enemy of theirs. Certainly, the markets abound with stories of a weird alien ship appearing beside an Okeno slave galley at sunset yesterday and remaining through the night."
"The Pactmasters are outside, they demand you name your price so they may purchase the relic and prevent it from falling into the hands of the others. Again, I apologize for such a disorderly situation and you may comply or not as you see fit, but I cannot put the Church in the middle of this. I hope that you understand."
Karethas grimaces at the Master's pronouncement, but nods and takes the scroll. "This has become much more complex than we had anticipated. We appreciate your services. If you would be able to restore Amir, then we can be on our way." He nods at Amir, "As you may remember, he is a devout follower of the god of the First Vault and has been cursed by a less than honest member of the slave market. Obviously, we will pay for the service."
Once the restoration has been achieved, Karethas goes outside with the others. In a low voice he mentions to Amir, "I will need a high quality mirror to find Xobhadi, do you know of a place relatively nearby where I can buy one."
Varkata nods, "We get it. It hard when pulled in two directions when both are right in the eyes of your god. Honor the contract to keep item... Or follow Pactmasters... Not any easier when any fool can see doing what Pactmasters want will only make things worse."
She sighs frustratedly as she tries to put what she can see so clearly into words, then growls, "Fix Amir, fix me, then we go and take our troubles with us. "
The Master of the Vault looks over the jackal. "Yes, I had heard. It is no less difficult task than raising the dead, but I believe it can be done. And the priestess' disability as well." Kazim walks over to hand Karethas the scroll when there is a popping sound and a new figure is in your midst. It is a tall thin figure of quite alien appearance dressed in garb made of wide tan strips of cloth and pieces of metal. The man wears a turban with a large pointed ornament at the front and only dark pupiless eyes and sallow skin are seen above the veil that covers the rest of his face. His delicate fingers end in long claws.
A deep weirdly modulated voice comes from the stranger. You can hardly believe he has a mouth or larynx even that is human. "And so you are the ones that have vexed my puppets so. Do not worry, I bear you no ill will. They are nothing, but at least have led me aright. I see you still have the scroll. May I make you an offer?"
There is a strange hissing sound beneath the creatures' robes. It seems almost to be chanting...
Karethas is almost speechless from the sudden appearance of what must be a Pactmaster. Not wanting to give Kzrira a chance to say something offensive he quickly gives the figure a bow, "We would welcome an offer from such an august personage such as yourself Pactmaster. It is a honor to even have drawn your attention. Unfortunately, currently two of our party are unable to give reasoned consent to any offer. We were just going to have the Master of Vaults restore them to their full faculties so that we could talk to your representatives. I understand that your time is valuable beyond compare, but we must have our full party to give you a response to what I am sure will be a very generous offer."
Varkata snarls and says, "Not think it a Pactmaster. Think it halfling's boss.". She turns to the Master of the Vaults, her tone slightly harsh, "Temple not protected from teleports? Maybe magic circle be helpful?"
Amir jackal barks after Varkata.
Karethas realizes his mistake a moment later. Although they rarely leave their palace, the Patmasters are rumored to be totally concealed in voluminous robes with their heads entirely encased in alien masks. The exotic currently in your presence gives a clicking sound not unlike an unnerving chuckle. "No, I am not they that call themselves Pactmasters on this world. I come from even farther away."
The Master of Vaults stammers in response to Varkata, "The vaults are warded, of course, but it would be prohibitively expensive..." He stops and listens.
The whispering from beneath the strangers' cloak grows more audible, "Aliskiren, Andakami, Ismaizade, Isle of the Dead, Isle of Night..."
"What are you..." the Stranger asks and pulls forth a fat, squat metal cylinder hanging from a tether hung over his shoulder.
There is a transparent side where you see a bearded face inside. You recognize with horror that it is the Dean's head within! His mouth still moves forming the words you hear, "...Kakishon, Kandelwal, Khosravi..."
"Silence!" the Stranger commands, but it is too late. The Scroll of Kakishon leaps from its cylinder and stretch open in a radiant burst as it floats in mid-air spinning and sending ripples of energy through the air. Kazim shriek and runs away along with the Master of Vaults.
Kzrira's bow is in her hands within seconds of the mysterious man's arrival.
As the discussion begins, she becomes more and more distrusting of this thing. When the Dean's head appears, and arrow is already nocked and ready to fire.
STOP!! You are stealing from the vaults of the temple of Abadar. Drop the scroll or I will see that all the resources of Master of the First Vault and the Dawnflower are called on and brought against you and whatever ill power you serve.
Karethas stares at the Xobhadi's head in disbelief. "What did you do to him!" His mind reels, but as the scroll bursts out of it's case he realizes what must be happening. "What's left of the Dean is activating the Scroll." Not sure of what is going to happen when it activates, Karethas yells out some directions. "Varakata, can you silence the head?! Can someone fetch it?!" Knowing better than to get into a wrestling match himself, Karethas begins a summoning spell, desperately hoping to finish it in time.
The Stranger's voice raises slightly in response to Kzrira's commands. "I am not doing it, idiot."
Karethas thinks frantically, the Stranger he realizes, is a being he has only heard dark rumors about: a denizen of Leng. It is never clear where or what Leng is, but they are known to use strange magics and methods that would drive most mad.
Varkata's brain is yet fuzzy itself and slow to grasp what is happening. Amir yips at her, but before she can recall a spell, Dean Xobhadi's head completes its chanting list: "...the SERPENT ISLES!"
The room seems to grow around you and you are stretched out toward the whirling map that becomes a circle of flame through which you fly!
There is an explosion of light and sound and the world becomes engulfed in fire. The ground itself seems to give way and you are falling, falling through a vortex of fire, plummeting through the throat of a volcano. A sense of vertigo overwhelms even the fire and noise and the sense 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 you as well, and even takes the time to smile sardonically as he bows in mockery, as if thanking you for a service you provided. And then, with a flash, he is gone as well, trailing behind him a noxious plume of burning ash and searing cinders.
Karethas identifies the fiery host as efreet and the great warrior likely some lord of the genie, but he has little time to ponder as the fall continues and...
As suddenly as it began, the vortex of fire is no more. For a moment, you can see nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing. But then, sensation slowly returns. The wind whistles past your ears and light is reflected off the water beneath you a moment before you splash into salty water off the end of a scorched pier. There is a shrieking sound and then the metal cylinder clangs off the pier and into the water nearby.
Karethas paddles water ineffectually, his head barely staying above water. He begins to move slowly towards the shore. "Someone grab the cylinder! Hurry!"
Am I still a dog? Probably. If I can I will jump after the cylinder...
Varkata closes her eyes and tries to shut out the change, Not happening.... Not... Bad dream..., though her denials stop as she splashes into salt water. "S'posed to kill Vampires... and Radi. Not supposed to be here," she complains, then stupid and looks at Karethas for a moment before his word and tone completely pierce the fog of her mind. Cylinder... Way home..?!. With that thought she grabs the tankard hanging from her ear and speaks the words which would enable her to fly.
For the second time in as many days, Karethas finds himself in the unfamiliar element. Fortunately, he manages to flail in the right direction. Amir hears and dives after the canister and grabs the leather strap in his teeth, but it will be a struggle for him to drag it to shore. Varkata casts a spell which causes her to float most effortlessly.
Swim:
Although she has spent most of her time in the desert, for a time Kzrira served as a guard aboard ships plying the waters of the Inner Sea. Recalling her time on the ships, and having been forced to learn to swim to assist with repairs and general bathing, she quickly regains her bearings. Upon hearing Karethas' call, she looks about and swims toward Amir-puppy to aid in carrying the cylinder, or at least get it to the flying priestess of brew.
Kzrira easily catches up to the dog-paddling Amir and takes the load easily moving through the still water. She glances at the case seeing that the clear panel has been cracked. The dean's eyes meet hers and he looks dazed as he repeats in a quiet tone, "Serpent Islesss..."
Suddenly, a half dozen great snake-like heads erupt from the water between you and the nearby pier!
Karethas
Kzrira
Varkata
foe
Karethas keeps struggling towards shore.
um should I use the base stats of a jackal and add class bonuses for BAB? How am I handling this?
Seeing the snakes, but knowing that her sword is unlikely to be particularly effective, Kzrira draws her bow, and then turns it sideways so that she can fire from above the water without substantially effecting the string.
Attack-bow:
Damage:
The shot hits, but with five snakes, Kzrira is more than a little concerned.
Karethas takes a cue from Amir and paddles along in the water like a dog. He angles away from the snakes and around to the opposite side of the burnt pier from them and toward the beach. Kzrira kicks up and manages to get a shot into one of the snakes, but the arrow is quickly pushed out of the wound as it heals swiftly. All the snakes lunge forward as one and Kzrira can see they in fact, all end in one huge tail that propels them forward as one body.
The six heads converge on the archer, but her unbelievably light and strong mithril chainmail protects her from all but two bites.
Amir follows Karethas in an effort to get out of the water...
-Posted with Wayfinder
Cursing that they misjudged the creature, Kzrira calls out.
Varkata, get Amir and Karethas out of the water, I will draw its attacks.
Kzrira goes to total defense and begins to swim around the creature, drawing any attacks of opportunity.
Standard: Total Defense
Move (as far as she can swim) toward the shore.
AC: 31 (not sure if she can use her shield, 34 w/shield)
AC vs AoO from movement: 35 (+4 from Mobility) (38 w/shield)
Varkata nods, "Ok... But I'm the one that can fight without drowning and keep its attention."
She swoops down and grabs Karethas' hand, and starts towing him toward the pier, lifting at a slight angle as she does.
Amir retreats out and around trying to avoid the many headed monster. Varkata grabs the floundering and bedraggled wizard and lifts him out of the sea moving toward the pier. That leaves Kzrira to face the strange sea monster. She swims sidestroke and bats away the continual assault of hissing snapping heads as she slowly makes her way to shore. One lucky head nabs her leg leaving a bloody wound which trails blood as the archer slowly swims toward shore.
Round 2
Kzrira grimaces as the teeth rake her. Realizing that the wounds are starting to pile up, she nonetheless renews her resolve and slowly paddles toward the shore to allow her companions to get to shore.
It is not about drowning, it is about dying and Karethas and Amir are in no shape to fight this in the water.
With that, she continues to slowly paddle backwards trying to draw the creatures attacks and giving her companions the ability to get to shore.
Standard: Total Defense -- AC31
Move (as far as she can) toward the shore: AC35 for any AoO
She then adds at the last moment: I . . . I could use a little healing once you get Karethas to shore.
Varkata grumbles, frustrated at her inability to put her intuitions into clear words that the others can understand, "Can fly circles around it rather than ferrying. Unless archer liked being dead that much?" She looks at the pier hopefully, trying to figure out if she let go of Karethas if he could reach and haul himself up...
The flying nun?! drops off Karethas on the pier and turns back.
Karethas stares at the creature, trying to determine what it is. He begins the familiar gestures of a summoning spell.
Starting Summon Monster III.
Kzrira continues her slow stroke toward the beach diving under a bite and then trying to avoid all six heads at once as the thing pursues. She very nearly does so, but one of the heads scores a nip. The ugly jackal continues paddling beyond the reach of the serpent heads and then turns toward pier.
No longer consumed with trying not to drown, Karethas turns his attention to the magical beast.
I'm just swimming and then sticking with karethas
-Posted with Wayfinder
Kzrira growls as another head manages to nip her.
Damn fish. I hate fish.
She then continues to do her best example of the defensive backstroke.
Total Defense: AC31, AC35 vs AoO
Move 5' more toward the shore (pretty sure she can only move 5' on a normal move).
Varkata turns and heads back, "Fight or move Amirdog?"