Smoking an herbal cigarillo, Sara steps between Maria and the action and breathes smoke over Thousand Names and the axiomite beside him.
Zileska calls down a flame strike, burning both axiomites, one more so than the other. Thousand Names' spell resistance protects him from harm. While Zhi hastes the party and Maria drinks her extract, Sara moves in and temporarily blinds Thousand Names, though the other axiomite is unaffected by her trick.
Safina challenges the more wounded axiomite and scores several good hits with her crossbow, badly damaging it.
Thousand Names spends a few seconds wiping the smoke of out of his eyes to regain his sight. He holds out his hand, and the harpoon teleports into his grasp. He steps to flank Sara with one of the axiomites, and both attack the brawler, leaving her terribly injured!
From the wall beside Melodie, a lanky humanoid shadow emerges, twin pinpoints of blue light in its eyes the only features on the inky silhouette. It lunges at the changeling with a dagger of darkness, driving it into her heart and sapping her strength!
"In my experience," Zhi quips as she moves to keep Thousand Names between her and Maria. "A man with a big long weapon like that is compensating for something." Her blades flash and stab at him.
Melodie collapses to the floor like a puppet with her strings cut as the creature drains her already weakened body of power.
"Stop there!" She commands, her voice weak but still magically compelling.
Sparing a bit of attention to look up to see her wife fall to the ground, Zhi pales.
Hearing someone collapse behind her, and the beating Sara took, Maria concentrated on finishing off Thousand Names quickly.
Badly injured, Sara spits in one of her assaulter's faces before turning around and kicking Thousand Names in the groin. With a quick spin, she kicks the blinded axiomite and pantses him, before turning on her remaining assailant.
Zhi stabs Thousand Names repeatedly, badly wounding him. Sara kicks the petitioner in the groin before blinding and pantsing the wounded axiomite and kicking the second one for good measure!
Maria's first attack takes down Thousand Names, then she steps to finish off the debilitated axiomite and further injure the last one!
Melodie casts her spell, and the Shade suddenly seizes up, paralyzed!
Safina declares another challenge on the axiomite and takes it down with several well-placed shots! It crumbles to dust!
The shadow hovers in place, unable to move for now...
Zileska drops a bit of healing power, then gifts Sara with uncanny ability to evade the enemy’s attacks.
Seeing that the shadowy figure is magically held, Zhi moves quickly to her wife's side. "Finish him off," she calls to Sara. Gently taking Melodie in her arms, she whispers, "You're ok. I've got you, Printesa Mea, and I'm not letting anything happen to you."
She carries her a few steps away and stands with her back to the wall, watching as Sara attempts to finish off the shade.
The shadow breaks free of the paralysis!
Barely able to speak Melodie breathes something, but her magic still carries weight and assails the shade's mind once again.
Melodie's spell takes hold but the shadow is unaffected for the moment...
Sara kicks at the shadow's face and legs, destroying the bricks behind it, and obscuring its vision, hampering its movement.
"Zhi, Maria, hit it!" she shouts, worried for Melodie.
As Zhi stands there holding Melodie in her arms, she seems conflicted. One part wants to hold her even closer, while the other desires to put her down and drive as much adamantine as she can through the shades form.
With the greater threats dealt with, Maria focused on the last one.
Sara and Maria score some hits on the shadow, the brawler managing to temporarily blind it. It weathers their attacks, though, and quickly withdraws from combat, melding into the wall as it flees. After a few moments, it becomes apparent that it doesn't plan on coming back any time soon. You're safe from its wrath, for now.
When you get a chance to peer into the cells, you can see that three contain prisoners. One is a male petitioner. The second is a bizarre creature that has a conical body topped with four tentacles tipped with pincers, tubes, and a tentacled, spherical head. The third is a regal inevitable made of metal and wood that sits patiently in the center of its cell. You recognize him from your visions, and there can be no mistake as to his identity. This, at last, is the subject of your quest--the legendary First Emperor Taldaris himself!
Zhi doesn't seem to be as excited as she should be, but perhaps carrying her physically drained wife is distracting her.
"We're here to rescue you, Your Highness," she states in a curt voice. "If you would come with us, we'll get you out of here and back to Sayashto."
"Are you, now?" Taldaris says in a strong but soft voice. "Why do you wish to rescue me? And who are you, exactly? I believe introductions are in order."
Zhi stands and blinks for a moment. She seriously, seriously, considers telling the erstwhile emperor to 'Get-F+&#ed', but knowing that would only satisfy in the short term, she bites her tongue.
"My name is d'Valois Mai Zhi. This is my wife, the Lady Melodie d'Valois," she says, indicating with a nod the woman in her arms. "That is Sara Burke, Zileska Vestalina, Maria Greyson and her friend Safina." She turns back to face Taldaris. "We're representatives of Princess Eutropia, the heir-apparent of Taldor."
"Our task was originally to utilize your mantle to demonstrate her fitness for the throne, but it brought us to your home in Sayashto. We've followed various clues to find and rescue you here. Now would you please come with us."
"A princess aspires to the throne of Taldor?" Taldaris says dumbfoundedly. "What transpires in my empire of old? What of the law of primogeniture? In all of history, there has never been a... woman emperor before."
Sara, astounded by being in the presence of the First Emperor, quickly loses all interest as he reveals himself to be bothered by this concept.
"Yeah, well there's gonna be one, so get used to it," she says curtly, looking over the other prisoners. "The commoners are uprising too, but they just want fair representation. Lots changed buddy boy."
Taldaris stares at Sara for a few moments, and you can almost see the wheels in his head turning. As an inevitable, that expression might actually be literal. At length, he nods. "Very well. Since elevating myself to this new form, I have met many leaders of myriad genders. Aside from antiquated tradition, I suppose there is no reason that a woman cannot be emperor--apologies, empress."
The First Emperor looks at each of you in turn. "I shall accompany you out of this place, but only so long as you agree to bring those who captured and imprisoned me to justice. You have already defeated Thousand Names, but the Secret Shade has slipped your grasp. Beyond the shadow, there is a third being--Hamal Kai, a hyrakume whose many eyes make her an impeccable spymaster. You must also recover my halberd from wherever they have stashed it. The agents of Norgorber must be made to see the consequences for disrupting the order of Sayashto. Compromising now would only embolden our enemies."
Zhi rolls her eyes at Taldaris' request, but doesn't comment other than a curt, "Fine."
She turns to Zileska. "Do you have any magic that can help her?" she asks, plaintively.
Melodie follows the conversation, but only her eyes and her laboured breathing give any hint that she's actually alive. Fortunately she doesn't wear proper armor else she'd likely be suffocating under her own defenses right now.
Sara nods at Taldaris' words, assenting, and turns to Phlagomi, Wyssilka and the other two prisoners. "Anyone here know how we can draw out this Secret Shade and kill it?"
Zhi looks down at the woman in her arms.
"We're not drawing anything out until we can get Mel's strength back," Zhi snaps.
"Yes, but we need to prepare. The more we know, the better we can defend ourselves, the better we can strike back. I think it's useless to concern ourselves with going back to the inn; let us make safe this room, it already has meager bedding. We can rest here, that's my vote."
Zhi takes a moment to put Mel down on one of the bunks in one of the open cells before continuing the conversation.
"This room isn't safe," Zhi says simply. "Without filling it with sunlight, we can't make it safe. The shade is moving through the shadows. If there's any shadow at all, then barring the doors is useless." She looks around apprehensively. "I know his magic. He can strike when and where he wants. And if he manages to hit her again ..." Her voice catches. "I'm not going to let that happen."
Taldaris shakes his head. "Not here. If you mean to rest, doing so in the heart of an enemy's stronghold is a terrible tactic. I will grant you leave to fall back to a safe place and recover before we launch another sortie against our foes. Just keep in mind that the longer we wait, the more time the Secret Shade has to bolster its defenses and summon reinforcements."
Zileska replies to Zhi with an unhappy expression, saying, "Nothing at the moment - I've exhausted much of the blessings available to me; I need a chance to rededicate my devotions and seek Calistria's power once more."
She curtsies to Taldaris and says, "The world has moved on since your time, and the Empire must advance. If it is to be a shining beacon to the world, it must also set an example in showing that the best leadership will look after the interests of the people. There is little value in tradition if it allows the Empire to succumb to corruption and civil war."
To Sara she says, "I rather agree with Zhi that this cell is probably not very safe, but I'm not sure where we can go that is safe here. These otherworldly agents have a great deal of mobility and hidden influence. The shade could arrive at any time to trouble us once more. I just don't know where we could go that would be out of reach."
Melodie agrees with Taldaris, not that she can make her opinion known.
Taldaris bows to Zileska. "Truly, you speak words of wisdom. I am impressed by your perspicacity and your respect. Please, accept my boon."
If Zileska consents, Taldaris touches her shoulder and imparts some of his power to her.
Sara gestures at the accompanying spirits, first to the two still in their cages. "What are your names and why are you in here?" And second, she turns to Phalagomi and Wyssilka, who seem more familiar with the lay of the land than she. "Where in this realm could we make a safe space?"
"I am Imaro," the petitioner says. "I made the mistake of delving too deeply into knowledge that was not meant to be known. They are trying to extract that knowledge from me now. I just want to get out of here."
The strange conical creature speaks in a buzzing voice. "My name is Alzem, and this is not my body! I'm really a tiefling, honest! I got too close to this thing's cell and somehow it swapped minds with me and fled with my body! I need to escape and get my body back!"
Wyssilka shakes her head at Sara's question, but Phlagomi grins. "I happen to know of a great location nearby where you can lay low, safe from prying eyes. Pay me 1,000 gp and the information is yours."
Sara spritzes herself with perfume and bats her eyelashes at Phlagomi.
"How about, all of my money, a bottle of fine wine and a kiss?"
She nods at the prisoners, believing both their stories.
"It's either come with us or rot in those cages. Ladies, how we feeling on letting them out?"
The contract devil's nostrils flare as she breathes in the heady perfume. Her smile widens. "Now, that sounds like an offer I can't refuse. Come closer and let us seal the compact." She crooks a finger at Sara and puckers her lips.
"Fine. Kiss, grope, whatever gets us out of here right now," Zhi says, picking Mel up from the bunk where rests.
Phlagomi acquiesces to Zhi's request, kissing, groping, and embracing Sara. The devil's lips burn hot, though not quite enough to scald the brawler.
Eventually, she pulls away with a satisfied smile. "Taldaris, I've sent you some mental coordinates. If you'd be so kind as to take a few of our companions there via dimension door, I will do likewise, and we can depart this outpost without further complications."
Taldaris nods and follows Phlagomi's lead. In two groups, you teleport to a sewer tunnel outside of Lost Silhouette. The contract devil directs you via twisting passageways to a hidden bolthole about an hour away. The small hiding place has a suite of rooms that, while they lack in creature comfort, should be safe for you to rest in.
"Here you are, and here is where I take my leave," Phlagomi says with a grand curtsy. "It's been a lark. Sara, dear, if you ever find yourself in the Iron City of Dis, I would very much enjoy if you called upon me. Ta for now!"
There is a puff of brimstone and the devil vanishes.
Zhi makes sure that Melodie is as comfortable and warm as she can make her. When the curious and delicate presence makes itself known in her mind, she attempts to reassure it.
Mommy will be ok, Little One. She's just feeling very tired and needs to rest. You rest as well.
She leans down and kisses the woman's temple and then takes a seat in a nearby chair, her hands on her weapons, and watches.
Before the devil leaves, Sara makes good on her word and hands Phlagomi what is admittedly quite a weighty bag of coinage and a bottle of fine Chelish wine dating quite a ways back.
"We made out quite nice on that deal," says Sara, wiping her mouth. "That was mostly coppers."
She sits with their three new tagalongs, trying to find out more about them.
Taldaris interests her most, of course, but in her nerves, she turns first to Imaro, the petitioner.
"You say you found forbidden knowledge. Did your torturers ever find that knowledge? And are you willing to share it here, with allies?"
"There is much I can share with you, though I fear it might make you a target as well."
Zileska pauses for a moment as she absorbs the glory of Taldaris and it opens her awareness in new ways.
"Thank you, Grand Lord," she says, slightly gobsmacked.
~~~~~
"I'm a little leery of tentacle-cone there, but if it's telling the truth then I guess we should find the humanoid body before it runs off and hurts someone," says Zileska.
She rubs Sara's shoulder and whispers to her.
Melodie reaches out for Zhi, a very slow motion that takes nearly a minute for her hand to cross the small intervening space and make skin to skin contact.
{"You have to rest too. Harmony needs you to be rested just as much as I do."} She responds, to Zhi this time. {"There's room for two on here and I won't be moving much..."}