Injured by the giant priestess and gravely outnumbered, the Janni retreats to the shaft and launches himself upward and out of sight.
The kitchen slaves reappear with a couple small bundles and stare wide-eyes at the dead Janni. "Please, help us escape quickly!"
Amir cocks his head at the archer, [b]Varkata can you help her not die so we can escort these two with confidence?[b]
Varkata releases the energies within her, the storm passing from her eyes, then nods, "I can heal her. Preventing others from wanting to kill her is much more of a challenge."
Kzrira nods her thanks to the drunken priestess.
Thank you. Still a few scrapes, but I can shoot. I doubt that I could take another hit like the last one though.
Varkata eyes Kzrira's remaining wounds, then draws the wand, "Let's try to steel you against another sudden attack."
WIth Kzira patched up, the Heroes safely transport the two women back to the ground floor. The younger one gushes her thanks. Madra expresses her gratitude as well if less emotionally.
Having had more than enough deceit and treachery, Kzrira decides to play a test. As the group gets to the bottom, Kzrira takes out a few cold-iron tipped arrows and hands one to Madra.
Can you hold these for me for a second, I need to test something.
When Madra reaches for the arrows, Kzrira makes sure that the cold-iron heads brush against Madra's skin.
Madra flinches from the sharp arrow tips that are jabbed at her and gives Kzrira a strange look.
Karethas frowns slightly, trying not to overreact. He looks up the central passageway, and casually casts Prestidigitation and turns Amir's cap red.
Varkata says, "Apologies, Madra. Kzrira needs to be a little more careful with her sharp toys. I hope she didn't break the skin?"
Madra seems unaffected by the red cap. The well-born young woman takes Varkata's apology philosophically. "The one that the gnolls call the Lioness should mind that her claws not injure friend as well as foe," she notes as she ushers her awestruck companion out of the tower to safety.
Kzrira takes back the arrows and returns them to her quiver.
My apologies. We have met one skilled in deception, but one who does not like some things. It was a test. In out adventures, we have encountered many who would do us, and Kelmarane, and all of Katapesh, great harm. I have become slightly wary of those I meet.
Karethas motions for the others to proceed upwards.
The Heroes quickly fly up the central shaft again stopping only the opposite side of the passage from the kitchen which turns out to be a barracks. Arrow slits line the long curving exterior wall. There are tables and chairs and couches for reclining upon. The southern end has a pair of wardrobes, basins, and a desk. Tapestries embroidered with an abstract flame pattern hang on the walls between the arrow slits.
Still bruised an beaten, Kzrira carefully makes her way over toward the wardrobes and the desk, investigating to see what might be found within. As she does so, she speaks to Spooky on her shoulder to grant her the gift of being able to see any magical auras that might be apparent.
Cast Detect Magic
Perception: <-- she is being really perceptive today apparently
Karethas pulls the others close, "If we think anyone is waiting behind those slits, I can cast a spell that will get us by them probably unharmed, although they will know we are coming."
Kzrira finds that the basins have mild conjurations on them to produce water upon command and that a battered old wooden shield mounted on the wall is a +1 caster shield. The spell scribed on the leather strap on the back is Eagles Splendor. There is also a small locked iron box well hidden in a wardrobe.
Varkata asks, "Can you keep it ready and cast it as soon as someone takes a shot? That way we don't give up our surprise, if we have it."
The party realizes that the arrow slits look out into the night and are for defending the tower. No ambush awaits, here anyway.
Varkata says, "That Jann has probably alerted everyone up there, such that they're waiting for us.. To be honest, I'd almost suggest setting an ambush and having them come to us.. but, given what we did to their forces and the beasts out there, I worry that we may not be able to exploit their arrogance that way... I think e need to go up.. but let's be careful."
She offers, "I can make someone completely immune to fireball or scorching ray.. or some other effect, for that matter... Thanks to my wish, I don't need that protection."
"I believe I would be the one who would weather a fireball the most poorly." Karethas shrugs, "Of course, I'm not likely to be the target of a directed spell." As he considers, Karethas pulls out his Pearls of Power and recalls Vanish and Magic Missle.
As the party discusses options Amir takes the shield down and straps it to his back. If the basins are easily moved and are not very heavy, he stashes those in his haversack.
Karethas rubs his bearded chin, "Well, if we are talking about Spell Immunity, I'm not sure that we have any specific spells that Jann are likely to be able to cast. Scorching Ray or Fireball would be something related to the Plane of Fire could have, but Jann are like humans, only some can cast spells. Maybe we should just save the spell until we run into something that challenges us."
Amir's plans at profit are foiled as the basins are built into the structure of the tower. The Heroes of Kelmarane fly up through the central shaft through an opening to the next level. The opening leads to a large chamber which takes up the northern half of the tower. A heavy black curtain divides the chamber to the east and a brass wall to the west. Arrow slits pierce the outer wall in all directions, scenes of efreet, fiery dwarves, and salamanders are etched into the brass walls between engraved maps and charts. A huge sand table sits in the western quarter depicting the town of Kelmerane and its surroundings in great detail, burning braziers flank it on either side.
Varkata nods, "I was thinking more about the Efreet we're expecting."
A chagrined Karethas admits, "Well yes, it would be quite effective against their Scorching Rays"
Kzrira looks to her casting companions.
I prefer to not get burned, so any protection will be appreciated.
Varkata whispers the words to the powerful magic, the holy symbol dangling from her ear glowing, then the glow moves down, spiralling around her arms to her hands, then surrounding Kzrira.
She nods at her handiwork, "No scorching rays. Should make it hard for an Efreet to return fire.... Literally."
After a tedious discussion on who gets fire-proofed. The Heroes fly up the shaft to the next level. Karethas joins Amir on his carpet and the griffin is unhappily taxed carrying the women doubled up. The party reaches the apparently unattended war room.
All is not as it seems, however. There is a blur and you are surrounded by a trio of giant Jann: the injured assassin, another of his ilk and a third that you almost mistake for a Shaitan. This one is not armed and armored as the others, but bound only in crimson wrappings something like a mummy and his skin gleams like polished iron.
The first giant takes his revenge on Varkata now that their positions are reversed. The scimitar cuts painfully. His companion jabs at Kzrira's heart narrowly missing, but leaving a grievous wound. The leader bears no weapons, but instead hits with fists hard as steel. If only Karethas's staff had not twitched alerting the wizard just in time!
Karethas
Kzrira
Varkata
foe
Groaning as she gets sliced once more by these annoying extra-planar creatures, Kzrira does all she really can, stepping back and firing several arrows at the leader of the group.
5-foot step to get out of AoO range hopefully
Attack-rapid shot:
Damage:
Attack-rapid shot:
Damage:
Attack-rapid shot:
Damage:
Kzrira's hasty shots are all over the place, but the first gets close enough to be knocked away by the metal monk. The giant Jann on her swings his lethal scimitar again hitting a vulnerable spot and critically wounding her. Varkata also takes a telling wound before she can react.
The towering wrapped Jann strikes at Karethas with a flurry of punches two of which hit hard.
Karethas spins with the momentum of blows, barely able to keep his feet and his wits about him. Desperate to escape the onslaught he touches Kzrira with one hand, clenches his eyes, and suddenly with two small pops and woosh of wind they both disappear. Across the room they immediately appear, each taking a staggering step forward. Karethas crouches down using the sand table as cover.
Varkata winces from the two strkes, "I guess the ones we dealt with outside weren't part of the count after all..."
She glares at the giant Janni, feeling the crackling power of her rage rising within her as she anticipates cutting him down with Ebon Flame, until she sees the cursed things strike Karethas and Kzrira. That can't be good... Instead, she reaches within herself and draws upon a different power source, feeling the warmth and headiness filling her until she releases it in a burst, mentally walling off Kzrira's target and her aggressor from the energy.