Aldebert tears himself away from the overlook, to peek behind the Bayt's curtain. This chamber is centered between a set of elegantly etched brass doors and shimmering curtains of gold, platinum, and copper thread woven with patterns that ripple like waterfalls of liquid metal. The walls, floor, and ceiling are of brilliantly polished brass. A single ornate chair sits in each corner of the room, while at the room’s center a patch of air shimmers and wavers as if radiating intense heat.
Otah admires the doors as he walks into the room. "Brilliant."
He is less enamored with the nature of the room, however. "Are we taking wagers on how bad an idea this is going to be?"
"What do we do here? Sit down?"
Ami appreciated the view and smiles at the sights and temporary calm therein. He wants to appreciate it more, but also fears that he is dawdling in fixing the mess that they had made with tha map.
He joins his brother behind the curtain, looking around.
Perception w/Detect Magic
Aldebert waits for his brothers assessment of the chamber before striding in on Gretiem. "Just looks like a sitting room to me. Let's try this door, I bet it meets up with the other in the next chamber. Then maybe the curtain. Watch the hot spot, who knows what that might be!"
If nothing happens when he moves into the room, he'll go to the door and open it, peering into the next chamber.
The Intrepid Bayt Boys step forward, passing through the curtain.
As you pass through the curtain with the others, the Glass Orb containing Ymeri's Breath heats up greatly, as you close the distance between you and the shimmer of air in the center of the room.
The two doors in the room detect with magical auras. Mahdi knows the auras to be abjuration, and the effect in place to be Arcane Locks.
Aldebert finds the first door locked. Second door, as well. The curtain on the other side of the room appears to be unlocked.
"Are we taking wagers on how bad an idea this is going to be?"
Pent drifts above the shimmer in the middle of the room, before returning to the vicinity of the others. He tries to catch the thermals that should be rising from the weird warp.
"I'm always up for a reasonable wager, Odie. What's your scale? How do you measure the 'badness' 'bout to be? 'Singe my Beard', up to 'Burnt out my Soul"? I don't know enough of the Garundi to predict how predictable he will be, once we figure out how to release him, so he can release us. At least, that's as much as I'm figuring is at stake here, at the pinnacle of this palace. Seems like our story was written to conclude this chapter on the peak of a mountain, like epic ancient battles between good and evil incarnations. Or we just plant a flag, and consider the mountain conquered." The gnome shrugs, and waits to see what is revealed to him and his.
"Well, all these are locked, so we might as well press on through the curtains and come back if we need to and beat 'em down." he grins as he moves to the next curtain and opens it when the others are ready.
"Pent, I bet it's the epic battle rather than the flag. Besides, I didn't think to bring one." he laughs as he moves the curtain aside.
The halfling and gecko press through the second curtain, revealing an equally impressive vista to the northeast. This panorama looks out over the Sea of Fire, an endless burning ocean that leads out into the wilds of the Plane of Fire.
There is a door in the wall to your left/west.
Mahdi cradles the sphere to his chest, moving semi-consciously towards the heat shimmer in the center of the room. The warmth feels good to him on a bone-deep level.
"So much magic here," he murmurs, absently looking around, one hand still stroking the heated glass of the sphere. "So much fire. It's like.... I suppose it's like what those of you who've sworn yourself to your various gods must feel, in your worship of them. Being so close to that... that... spark of pure essence..."
He doesn't deign to investigate the doors. He is drawn towards the heat, to the shimmer, to seeing how warm the orb will get.
”Those doors are magicked.” Ami points to the doors.
Ami moves forward with his brother, crossing the room to the caddycorner wall. He will leave Mahdi alone with his flame if the man needs some privacy behind the curtain.
Contiunuing to concentrate on magic, Ami looks around.
Perception
Mahdi approaches the center of the room, drawn to the Shimmer. Ymeri's Breath brightens, its flickers wonderfully life-like, energy increasing in intensity. Mahdi's eyes are lit like a madman, for the reflections.
As the fire mage brings the Glass Orb into the immediate vicinity of the Shimmer, the Shimmer begins to change, sensing the presence of Ymeri's Breath. Its ripples quiver more rapidly, anticipating.
Mahdi waves the Orb through the Shimmer, and it shifts instantly into a 10' opening, which looks into a spherical chamber 30' in diameter, all made of polished brass.
Sitting in the center of the room, a mirror, crafted of obsidian, glass, and brass.
Aldebert looks back from the curtain he was about to open to see Mahdi in all his glory. He whistles low, "What'd you find there Mahdi?"
He moves back to the group around the entrance. If Mahdi gives the go-ahead, he'll enter and look around to make sure there aren't any imminent threats before nodding to Mahdi to join him.
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Pent looks down and over Mahdi's shoulder, not just a little impressed that there's a room within a room, almost as equally crafted. When the gnome turns his eyes to the strange-looking mirror, his ears twitch in curiosity, and he casts his own exploration of magic.
Suddenly, Pent calls for the Carpet to rise quickly, and all that can be heard for a minute is snort after violent snort, as the gnome tries desperately to clear something from his nasal passages. Quite possibly, he's been victimized by a rogue fly that found one of his nostrils, and refuses to abandon its hairy cave, though one might assume the gnome would try to inhale as much as he's exhaling, in hopes of swallowing the fly and sentencing it to a fatal bath in stomach acid.
Eventually, the gnome returns to view, eyes watery, and stache damp from vacating repeatedly.
"That is not something I care to experience again, anytime soon!!"
Pent recounts what he's experienced, if only to assist Mahdi in understanding what sits before them.
Otah's glaive comes up defensively, reacting to Pent's sudden fit. "What in the hells?"
Stepping from side to side to better understand the interior, he peers into the chamber. "Hello?"
Barely conscious he's casting a spell, Mahdi murmurs the words to detect magic, wanting on a bone-deep level to understand the power roiling around him.
The resultant look on his face is half stricken, yet with a note of ecstasy to it as well.
"I.... I can't see..." Mahdi whispers, but he sounds just as entranced as he does horrified.
"But I can see the mirror. Its signature, its power, hanging before me... tell me your secrets!" Mahdi exclaims.
Ami staggers on Yeen’s back, his tiny hands going to his tiny head in pain.
”BROTHER! IT HURTS!!” Ami cries, immediately cutting off his concentrations as the magics brought together unleash auras that his tiny mind is not prepared for. He weeps for a few moments, blinking away tears and snuffling unhappily. ”Brother, that hurt!”
Ami and Yeen turn away from the artifact, and move back away from the artifact of hurtiness.
”Be careful Mah-DEE!”
Those who approach the Mirror gain the vantage into its surface, where the familiar face of the garundi man looks out, expectantly.
"You've done it! You are here, finally, and we are so close to releasing ourselves from the Palace! First, you need to rinse your hands with holy water, then the Eye, this mirror, then place the mirror between your cleansed hands. Lastly, you must desire to see me released, while you hold the Mirror. Hurry! The eyes of the Grand Vizier have begun to look for you, even now!!"
Aldebert goes to his brother and consoles him, "Too much magic 'eh brother?"
When he hears the voice list the things they needed to do, he wonders, "Good thing you're here to tell us that. Dunno that folks would think to do all that any other way really."
He fishes through his gear a moment before shrugging his shoulders, "Well, I don't have any holy water. Holy symbol yes. Water no. Ami, you or Pent packing any? Boy, it would be a shame coming all this way and being unable to get out for a splash of water!"
He says it jokingly, sure that someone has some holy water around.
"I've got nothing, but I could have something if we weren't rushing, because something's coming." Pent rubs his nose, looking the mirror over warily.
"What's the Grand Vizier got to do with this? Oh... He's the trapmaker, and we're the rats trying to gnaw our way out. Got it."
The gnome waits to witness what the water bearer(s) will do.
"I have holy water," Mahdi offers, amused more than he can say that with all the godly and devout around him, he is the one carrying the blessed liquid. Still, he makes no immediate move to get it out, cradling the orb close to his chest and studying the old man through narrowed eyes.
"Before we do anything, it's time you provided some answers, now that you're not likely to be flitting off into nothingness again. Who are you? What will you do when you're freed?"
The wild-eyed Garundi man looks out, clearly anxious. When Mahdi demands to know more of the prisoner, the prisoner relents.
"My name is Ezer. Ezer Hazzebaim, a mage-priest of no little power. I was invited to the City of Brass to assist Al-Hassan, brother to Jhavhul, and found myself betrayed, trapped in this artifact. I was unschooled in the true power of the Grand Vizier, and too trusting of the lesser efreeti prince."
The mirror-imprisoned man is choosing his words very carefully, none of his words ring false, though he guards himself. Under the circumstances, he acts as an accused man trying to point to his innocence, when it may not be black and white.
’Brother, what do we do? Do you trust him?” Amiamble asks, because he knows his brother has a better sense of people than he does. Amiamble trusts very few, and this Garundi mirror man is not among that number.
”Brother, we have made so many mistakes in getting here. Is this another one? Are we unleashing another evil into the world?” Ami has doubts about all this.
"I don't know if we can trust him brother, but I imagine anyone trapped in here is likely a good guy - or at least less evil than his counterparts."
"He worked with them, so he is somewhat suspect, but I don't think he's necessarily evil. We'll know soon enough if we free him however - so I suggest we do exactly that. If he's an innocent, and we leave him here, we're no better than his jailers!"
"I couldn't agree more! I would rather be gone by the time the mad efreeti arrives!! Please, release me, and we can continue this conversation far from here!" Ezer's face nods expectantly from the other side of the mirror's surface.
"Well, I suppose single-trapped is better than double-trapped. Even if he manages to escape, without bringing us with him, Mahdi'll be able to see how he did it, right? I don't like the sound of a mad efreeti hunting us down, given his Grand title. Means he's likely got sharper teeth, eh?"
"...very well," Mahdi sighs, supposing he is simply being paranoid. He shifts the orb to the crook of one arm, holding it as a mother would a babe, and fishes out a flask of holy water with the other. He dribbles first one hand than the other with the water.... and then the Eye... and finally the mirror. Gripping the mirror with both hands, he flicks one last glance at at Ezer, and then into the reflective surface.
"I warn you only the once against betraying us," he says grimly. "What will happen once I release you? Will a portal open immediately? We have azer here, and the kobolds, who I would like to see freed if possible. It would repay them poorly to leave them to bear the wrath of this Vizier."
Ezer speaks as Mahdi continues his preparations. "I expect that reversing my imprisonment will be the start of the unweaving. Once I have my bearings, I will seek out the weakest part of barrier, and leverage my magics to shatter it, once and for all. After that, anyone trapped within the Bayt should be able to depart of their own free will!!"
"Now quickly!! Will the mirror to release me!!"
"...very well...."
Mahdi purses his lips, and completes the instructions as Ezer has given them: focusing mentally on the Garundi, willing the release to work... envisioning him free....
A sudden burst of light, swirling around Mahdi at first, swiftly pulls into the Mirror, then explodes outwardly, striking all witnessing eyes.
As the momentary blindness fades, you are newly aware of a large humanoid standing in your presence. A beautiful, dark-skinned complexion, framed in long white hair, this individual is not the wild-eyed garundi man who has kept you sporadic company throughout the Bayt's exploration. At his side, in hand, is a cold iron greataxe. Around his neck, a silver holy symbol that appears quite spider-like.
Ezer bears the holy symbol of Rovagug, The Rough Beast, The Destroyer, Enemy of the Gods...
This creature is Nephilim, a race of Neutral Outsiders. The Nephilim are the misbegotten offspring of unions between the earliest humans and certain primordial deities and semi-divine demigods. These unions were forbidden and the offspring cursed by both men and gods, as they span the sacred lines between the mortal and immortal realms, though the giant children proved hardy and capable of survival on their own, living even into modern times. Nephilim typically stand 11 feet tall and weigh approximately 1,100 pounds, being gigantic humanoids of great physical prowess and possessing unnaturally noble bearings. Their immortal ancestry makes them extremely long lived, reaching ages of up to 600 years.
Nephilim are usually Neutral. Ezer has claimed specialty as 'mage-priest', which is a more specialized class than the typical warrior class.
He looks down upon you all, and smiles. "I am in your debt. You have been true saviors." He looks about, through the curtains, and into the extradimensional room, before returning his attention to you. "Yes, I disguised myself as best I could, for fear that my size might intimidate you when I first introduced myself to you."
"Now, please hand me the Impossible Eye."
The gnome hoarsely barks out words in the tongue of the halfs.
"To je simbol Grube zvijeri na prsima tamo, vas dvoje. Niste sigurni što želite učiniti sljedeće."
"That's a symbol of the Rough Beast on his chest there, you two. Not sure what you want to do next."
"Yes, I disguised myself as best I could, for fear that my size might intimidate you when I first introduced myself to you."
"No kidding." the dwarf mutters as he sees the true nature of their supposed ally.
"Will this unraveling release the marid from her bonds as well?" he asks, concerned that freeing one prisoner might keep another bound longer.
"I expect the unraveling to be all-encompassing. That marid you speak of should benefit as we all will. Now, please, hand me the Impossible Eye. We mustn't wait."
Know (Religion)
Know (Planes)
Amiamble stares in horror at the holy symbol around Ezer's neck.
"Brother, NO! He is one with the Rough Beast! He cannot be trusted!" Ami yells as both ready to spring upon the Servant of Rovagug, echoing Pent's warning.
"Brother! Do not allow it to have the Eye! We cannot allow the Unmaker to have its way!"
Ami and Yeen pause ever so briefly before stopping any handing over of the Eye to Ezer.
Mahdi gets a very tired, oh-great face on recognizing the symbol. "Oh, you fool," he says with a headshake at Ezer. "You've been watching us all this time, and you couldn't grasp that would set someone off? In any case, I don't appreciate being lied to, whatever your reasons!"
Mahdi snaps off the words for a spell of speed in the next second...
"A NEPHILIM?" Mahdi exclaims. "What does an offspring of the gods have to do with damnable Rovagug?!
Aldebert draws his great sword to punctuate his point. "You worship the Rough Beast and expected succor from us?!"
He scans him for evil with Detect Evil.
Otah grips Zenzirad defensively as the party calls out the nephilim for what it is and who it worships.
"Damn."
Ezer looks back and forth between those gathered, as the conversation begins to take a more fevered tone. "Well, I am grateful to you. Who knows how long I would have been bound within the Eye. I will not tolerate your refusal to hand over what is mine."
Nephilim are renown for their brute strength. They can administer a Crushing Blow(Ex), that may not only smart, but also induce Staggering. They also may offer a Mortal Challenge(Su), which could cause a lengthy panic in all who hear it.
Oh, the big boy is well and truly evil. Overwhelmingly evil.
Ezer allows Mahdi his little magics, while also looking down on Aldebert, sensing the halfling's perusal. "You ask your questions, but you don't really seem interested in learning complex truths. You've already passed judgment. So I will pass mine."
Ezer no longer speaks, only readjusts his grip on his greataxe. He looks down on Mahdi, Manager of the Mirror, mainly. "Well, come on, then. Destroy the only means you have of escaping your prison. If you can."
Round 1, Init 11
Ami and Yeen 5' step to get a bit closer to Ezer, Ami casting Divine Favor into Yeen while urging the cat to lunge and Yeen attacking with hasted fury.
to hit; (+feast,+haste,+DF,+flank)
damage.
to hit; (+feast,+haste,+DF,+flank)
damage.
grab
to hit; (+feast,+haste,+DF,+flank)
damage.
to hit; (+feast,+haste,+DF,+flank)
damage.
ACs: Ami: 27. Yeen: 28+5+4=37 (barkskin, mage armor)
HP: Ami: 91/91+0 temp; Yeen: 132/132
Ami:
[ dice]1d20+12+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee, feast)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+7+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee, feast)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
Yeen:
[ dice]1d20+18+1[/dice] to hit; (bite,feast)
[ dice]1d6+9[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+19[/dice] CMB to grab
[ dice]1d20+19+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,feast)
[ dice]1d4+9[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+19+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,feast)
[ dice]1d4+9[/dice] damage.
Lvl 1: 4/8 used (DF*2,EE*2,AibBub*0,LibCom*0)
Lvl 2: 5/7 used (barkskin*2,CMW*1,Bull*1,RE*1,Grace*0)
Lvl 3: 5/7 used (mag vest*2,MCaE*1,InvisPurge*2)
Lvl 4: 4/7 used (AirWalk*2,DivPower*2,Grove,FoM)
Lvl 5: 2/6 used (CLWmass*1,FlameStrike*1,DispEvil*0)
Lvl 6: 1/3 used (ColdIce*1,StoneTell,MassCMW)
Extend Rod: 3/3 used (mag vest*2, barkskin)
Yeen.: Mage Armor,Barkskin,Resist Fire 30. MCvEvil. Airwalk.
Ami:
Mahdi hisses as he recognizes the creature's abilities... "Stay near Aldebert!" he shouts. "Saranrae should protect you some from the fear he can call forth! As for me... give me a moment."
He gestures, and chants, and abruptly disappears from sight.
The dwarf steps back through the door, the better to leverage his reach weapon against the nephilim.
for
for
for
for
Round 1, Init 16
AC = 13
HP = 91/91
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = None
"You shouldn't have insisted on taking back the Mirror, false mate. We might have lent a little trust to someone who might have shown us the way out of here. Now, you've reduced yourself to antagonist, and we usually beat those down. Have before, will continue to do so until we beat feet from the Bayt."
Pent uses the last of Sarah's Fervent Blessing to annoint his compadres, expecting this to be a rather difficult opponent, newly unleashed to the unsuspecting City of Brass.
6th—find the path[D],
5th—communal air walk, breath of life[D] (DC 21),
4th—
3rd—create food and water, fly[D], invisibility purge, prayer (2), searing light
2nd—bull's strength,
1st—
0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, light, stabilize
Otah unleashes the fearsome Zenzirad, connecting three times! The nephilim doesn't seem to take any damage from the cold of the metal, however.
Pent makes sure to steel his companions with Sarenrae's fervor. Mahdi absconds, but not before informing those he's soon to leave behind to remain close to Abadar's Chosen.
Amiamble fortifies Yeen, who proceeds to bleed Ezer, though he fails to Grab the larger and much stronger foe.
Ezer looks disappointed, as Mahdi disappears. "I thought you were more than mere thieves. You seemed to act with greater purpose. You are nothing but worms, meant to be ground underfoot. I will find your friend, and he will suffer more than you for his insolence."
The nephilim steps back, and disappears, as well.
Ezer has cast Dimension Door.
You arrive safely enough in the Kitchen. Nothing new has wandered into the room.
...
Once done, he flies as fast as possible back towards the battle...
Round: 2, Initiative: 5
AC: 31 (F28/T13) (included: magic vestment +3, barkskin +5)(not included: +4 to AC vs Ezer from smite)
Conditions: Endure Elements (24h), Magic Vestment (1/12h), Hero’s feast (1/12h, +1 attacks/will & +4 poison (morale)), Barkskin (+5), Resist Energy Fire (30, 20/40m), Hasted, Smite (Ezer)
Weapon Equipped: Greatsword
GreatSword Attack BAB +12/+7/+2, Str +2, Focus +1, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -3) Damage Str +3 (1.5x), Magic +1, (Power Attack +9 (1.5x)) (Crit 17-20)
Summon Mount: 2/2 (Full round)
Smite Evil: 1/4 (Swift, +4 attack, +12 damage, +4 AC)
Lay on Hands: 6/10 (Swift, 6d6 healing +1d6 if not blinded, fatigued, diseased, or poisoned)
Pearl of Power (first) 2/2
Spells (caster level 9, concentration +13, DC 14+)
1) Bed of Iron, Hero’s Defiance,
2)
3) Angelic Aspect, Good Hope
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 63/65 (DR 5/evil) AC: 29 (F24/T15) (included: mage armor +4, shield companion +1)
Fort: 10 Reflex: 10 Will: 6 (SR 15, Resist Cold, Acid, Electricity 10) CMB: 13 CMD: 26 Move: 40’
Conditions: Mage Armor (1/12h), Hero’s feast (1/12h, +1 attacks/will & +4 poison (morale)), Resist Energy Fire (30, 1/40m), Shield Companion (+1 AC, +1 saves included)(1/9h)
Smite evil (swift, +0 att +10 dam) (1/1d)
Tricks: Aid, Air Walk, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heel, Hunt, Menace, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +7, Str +5, Amulet +1 Damage Str +7 (1.5x), Amulet +1
He stops and thinks a moment, ”Well, Madhi would have gone back somewhere we’ve already been! So let’s backtrack and see if we can find him before the nephilim does!”
”Or do we wait here, assuming he’ll dimension door back? Damn!” he hesitates in his uncertainty before finally heading down the stairs. After all he’s a man of action. He’ll not just sit here idly by.
Round 2
Without a lick of spellcraft, Ami is unsure what to do. He pauses for a moment, then follows his brother.
"Yes, Brother, you're right. That's why you're the leader."