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You did a good thing Yazi. Khayal says giving her a slight nod.
At the paladin's request, the boatman silently nods, and the Nexian galley pulls away from the worn pier. It quickly leaves the smaller island behind, traveling South.
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I suppose endless worry is pointless, but that does not make it go away. I can not let it effect my getting back to her. It is something I will have to deal with while we are here."Well that's just it, you don't know what's all going on, so pointlessly thinking about all the things that can go wrong will do nothing but make yourself sick from worry. Just focus on getting back to her. She's thinking the same thing."You guys keep saying that, but there is no saying what the escaped efreetis are doing. I wish I had a way of knowing that she was safe, and for her to know I am.Khayal will help fish a bit on the trip, something to help pass the time. He seems a bit distant, as if his mind is on something else."Don't worry, Lil'Killa. She's safe in Ray-Ray's place." Yazi nonchalantly says as she plops herself down next to the forlorn fisherman, seemingly more interested in whatever pretty treats he might be able to catch.
"Just focus on what all you and Cherry will do when you get back. Focus on the happy. You can be worried, just don't let it be the only thing you think about. You're no good to Cherry like that. You want to get back to her, because you love her. If you worry about her, you'll want to get back to her. If you love her and want to see her again, you'll want to get back to her all the same."
Hugging the larger island to your right, the Nexian galley curves around the leading edge, heading North. The next morning a string of tiny islands pop up on your right side. The islands are far too small to support more than a handful of people, and you see no Waypoint station on any of them. This is probably the reason the gnolls settled the other side of the main island, rather than here.
The Turtle King is nowhere to be seen.
Porpoises come out at the sight of these tiny islands, racing with the galley. You see another island to the East, this one large with only scrub on its' beaches. After the playful porpoises leave, you see on your left to the West a new small island, one mysteriously still and foreboding.
In the afternoon a much larger island emerges as the Nexian galley threads between it and the main Kakishon island. The temperature on the wooden deck drops quickly, and you see snow covering the Western island. Snow, in a tropical setting! Snow-capped mountains in the middle of the island topped with dark clouds complete the image of a frozen challenge in Nex's demiplane.
Soon the galley begins tacking to the East, and directly across from the center of the snow-covered island is a cove with a now-familiar pier and domed building. Unlike the other islands with Waypoint stations, this one has a wide road made of white marble to its' right. The road leads to the central mountains, where the angry, dark cloud writhes above a large palace of white and gold.
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On the edge of the road next to the Waypoint station, as the Nexian galley pulls into the damaged pier you see people waiting on the white road. The foremost is a beautiful young woman wearing expensive robes and jewelry. Four dark-haired men, plump but each over six feet tall, clad in pants and jackets better suited for desert climates, stand behind her.
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As they passed the snow covered island Yazi's eyes go wide. "HOLY. CRAP. THERE'S AN ENTIRE ISLAND OF THAT STUFF DEALER THROWS AROUND! Maybe there's a bunch of Dealers living there? Hey, Dealer, does where you come from look like that? What's it like? Can we go over there?" she says excitedly.
When the galley inevitably pulls into the damaged pier Yazi spies the retinue sent to greet them and their leader. "Helloooo..." she coos.
Khayal looks at those waiting for him and keeps his Kukris sheathed, feeling at least for the moment that they do not pose a large threat. As the boat pulls into the dock he gets ready to disembark. He intends to let his brother or Yazi do the talking. He is not usually one for many words.
Hajar exits the Galley and approaches the retinue
Good Morning. I am Hajar nar Jundi, Abbott Protector of Kelmerane and Servant of the Dawnflower. My friends and I were trapped here by wicked magics. Hajar will introduce his allies in turn.
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Khayal nods his head at the mention of his name. Its good to meet you. Khayal states with the most grace he can muster. Stepping off the boat his slips as he is speaking and face plants rolling down the brow in a comical display. Not at all what he was trying to portray.
Standing back up Khayal simply nods his head and let's the others do the talking.
"While I have seen snow in my lifetime besides that which I conjure, I am not from a particularly snowy, climate, my lady."
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Bartan lets Hajar handle the diplomancy.
The young woman looks over the assembled adventurers. She hears Hajar's introduction, and then watches the antics from the others. Turning back to Hajar, she says "Greetings. My name is Neshari. My Mistress in the Brass Dome would speak to you, if you would hear what she has to say.” The woman looks over everyone as she speaks. “She is curious about you, and suspects you are curious about her and this world you find yourselves in. If you are willing to help her, she can help you — you will not leave Kakishon without her aid," she assures you,"and should this be your desire, you would do best to accompany me back to the Pleasure Palace of Nex.”
Your arm itches as you feel Vardishal take a marked interest in the young woman and her guards. Take care, paladin, he warns, these are genie-kin, and the woman is a genie for certain. Appeal to their pride, and do not insult them. You need allies, not enemies. But do not forget, if they are here, then they were part of Jhavhul's army...originally.
You also notice Neshari warily looking you over, unlike her appraisal of your friends.
"It would seem we have no other choice, though I am not averse to learning more from you and your people. Genie-kin are known to have luck on their side, which suggests you are blessed by my lady Irez. Perhaps we can learn from each other."
Neshari only smiles at Bartan's words. To Yazi she replied, "Your questions will be answered by my Mistress."
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"It would most definitely be our pleasure to accompany you." Nasir says with an elegant bow and the sort of coy smile that set most people's imaginations ablaze.
Every subtle little movement was designed to make both the woman and her guards feel as if they were the sole focus of her full attention.
Hajar nods at the woman Neshari Indeed Mistress, we will gladly follow. he makes a gesture for Neshari to lead the group and follows.
Neshari leads all of you up the marble road, which winds its' way slightly north by northeast into the mountains. It is obvious you are making your way to the building that sits below the angry red-and-grey cloud swirling above. Her four guards keep themselves between their ward and the adventurers.
The Brass Dome actually looks like a multi-story castle that has been besieged and destroyed. A large plaza with garden basins and still-sparkling fountains spills out in the front, but the large domed mansion in the back has been partially collapsed. Almost as if something extremely hot blasted from inside the Dome, and the structure lost its' cohesion and fell inwards immediately afterwards. A large balcony going around the sides and back looks out over the mountain range and jungles to the North of the Pleasure Palace.
Neshari leads you up a side staircase to the balcony, where a beautiful Human woman dressed in extravagant robes and jewels sits on a couch next to the railing. She rises as you approach, and Neshari and her guards all bow to the woman and move away.
"Welcome, honored adventurers!" the woman calls out. "I am Dilix, and I welcome you to Archwizard Nex's Pleasure Palace. It has seen better days, I assure you, but let me congratulate your success! You have found the Scroll of Kakishon, and gone to a realm none have seen for hundreds of years! And without Archwizard Nex's personal invitation. He designed this realm as his personal paradise and demise, but Nex has not returned, and we live with his largess."
The woman claps her hands, and announces "But tonight, we shall have a feast in your honor! Despite its' outward condition, the Pleasure Palace still has rooms intact after all these years, including the banquet hall. There are multiple rooms for guests to refresh themselves as well." Dilix's attitude becomes more serious as she adds "Save your tale until then, please. And we can discuss ways to escape the Archwizard's personal prison."
Hajar's arm itches almost uncontrollably upon sighting the bejeweled woman.
Neshari and three similar women lead you to rooms underground that are just as opulent as the settings above, with magical lights, cushioned beds, and ever-pouring fountains leading to personal marble baths. The central portion of the Pleasure Palace may have been destroyed, but the outer edges are still more than adequate to house several dozen guests.
An hour after sunset, the outside lit by self-activating torches in the garden plaza, you are led by silent women to the wide balcony on the backside of the Brass Dome again. There a long table is overburdened with a variety of foods, from smoked fish to roasted fowl and beef. Dates, pomegranates, grapes, and citrus are also offered. Wines of every color lie ready in pitchers. A sharp eye would notice that the feast is desert-based, with many delicacies easily found in Katapesh and the surrounding nations.
Dilix invites everyone to eat and drink without reservation. It is not until after the meal is consumed that she gets your attention again.
"While I am certain you have questions," Dilix offers, "indulge me by answering mine first. While Kakishon is a paradise, it is also closed off to the Planes and the Prime Material world. So, how did you come to arrive here? Did you come across the Scroll of Kakishon by accident, or are you sent by the Archwizard to test his former playground, or did someone else send you here? The affairs of the world have been closed to us, here in this far-away land."
Although the bejeweled woman's voice is cheerful and light, there is an undertone of seriousness to her request. Her servant's offer of help previously came with a warning of needing Dilix's help to escape Kakishon.
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"Wow, yeah, I guess it would suck to be trapped here, as nice as it is. As for us? We were trying to get the scroll back when a stupid halfling messed with it and dropped us all here. So we need to get back and stop him and the Fire guys, and get you out if you want." Yazi lets out as she lounges in her chair, still sipping leftover wine.
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The complete and utter opulence sets Nasir very much at ease despite herself, her inner hedonist gleefully indulging in every amenity, completely casting aside any earlier misgivings.
"It's true. The scroll was stolen and misused by one who obviously had no idea what he was doing, and in the process landed us here. As beautiful as things are here, we do have a responsibility to stop the reckless use of something that powerful, and to protect those we left behind from the dangers unleashed. We would gladly welcome your aid as we do your magnificent hospitality Mistress Dilix."
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It is as my two beautiful companions have stated. We wish to stop the reckless use of the Scroll. It is a powerful Artifact, and not something to be trifled with.
Rayhan studies his surroundings, preferring to take in the Pleasures of Nex, and secretly wishing for a chance to study this awesome place.
Rayhan recants some of the basic knowledge he knows regarding the Scroll and its History.
Khayal eats some of the food, he had never lived in such luxury and feels a little out of place with it. He keeps his wine drinking to a minimum and sips mostly water from his canteen. It is not that he believes there is anything wrong with the feast, he just does not want it be lulled into drunkenness. For now he simply listens and watches.
Bartan dutifully eats the food, enjoying the luxury even while his friends seem stiff and uncomfortable.
"I like to think that we are but humble servants of the common man, trying to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of tyrants and vagabonds. I'm sure you understand. Personally, this place seems marvelous, and I'm sure there are vast amounts of knowledge that you could dole upon us if we had time (and believe me, I wish wholeheartedly that I could spend more time with you, my radiant lady), but we do have obligations to those we left outside this scroll-realm, and would like to get back and make sure they are safe."
Despite his charming words, Bartan seems spooked by something, and his words seem to lack sincerity.
You get the feeling your host is actually indifferent to you personally, she is more interested in the tale behind the Scroll of Kakishon. Hajar has her interest, but so does Rayhan's knowledge about the Scroll. She passes over Bartan, much like a tutor dismissing a younger child in favor of the already-trained Rayhan who would show more understanding for the higher arcane arts.
Dilix, if she is a genie, fits the "boastful and proud" description of shaitan, or earth genies. You would certainly find an earth genie here, rather than a fire or water or even an air genie.
Rumor has it that noble genies can grant wishes, but if Dilix could do that, she wouldn't be here...
The Pleasure Palace was blasted from the center court straight up into the Brass Dome and beyond. The resulting heat certainly destroyed the central chambers, but if the foundations were deep enough under the topsoil, they should still be sound. Which means everything below the surface should still be undamaged.
Now to find a trapdoor or sliding wall leading to any hidden passages.
Apart from the obvious creation magic in the rooms for the cushions and water, the food itself is much more recent. A different "feel" than the types of creation magic in the Waystations, if you will. Legend has it that certain genies have creation magic in addition to resistance on the other Planes, and you've seen plenty of genie-kin guards here.
But since the Waystations' paint and plaster has faded, and the Brass Dome has not repaired itself, it means Nex did not intend for this place to be self-repairing. He would still need to visit once in a while, and fix whatever was broken. If he did not appoint some magical creature to do the same in his stead. Hard to believe an Archwizard would make a demi-plane that would self-destruct without his constant attention, however.
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Dilix focuses her attention on the elderly Rayhan, expecting the aged spellcaster to be the most powerful person, if not the leader, of the group. She tells you all of some of the names of the islands in Kakishon - the main island here with the Pleasure Palace of Nex called Kakishon as well, the Serpent Isles, the Isles of Night, the winterland of Aliskiren, the Isle of Sand Rivers known as Khandelwal, the Isle of Flint or Khosravi, and the smaller islands around the demiplane.
Dilix also says "I can also smell the weapons of fallen genies on two of you. Oh, do not deny it, I am not vengeful for those who kill my kind. You would not be here, if your prowess did not include defeating those who inhabit Earth, Wind, Air, and Fire. To think the Scroll of Kakishon was lost to time by chance, rather than by battle and conquest!"
The bejeweled woman broods, however, and says "But winning against a few isolated genies will not get you out of this place. You have yet to face a true genie army. Or one combined with different genies under one ruler. Until then, your rewards are as much luck as they are skill and determination."
Vardishal whispers to you Something is wrong. Why would Jhavhul leave this one behind? Were other true genies and genie-kin left behind as well? You could appeal to her sense of pride, paladin, at being discarded by her fire-genie general, or bribe her to get her attention. Perhaps if you used Jhavhul's name against her, or the human Andrathi who used the Scroll as a trap, you would enrage her enough to tell the truth.
Would that we could face a mighty genie, such as Jhavhul the Efreet. Hajar says, looking grim. We've heard tales of his prowess. Rayhan has spoken of him often, always in the story of the Scroll is Jhavhul, the Crimson Butcher.
Khayal has the sense that he should remain silent. He continues to listen closely to the woman's words. Trying to pry any extra meaning from them. But no further meanings make them self clear.
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"Indeed, while we have fought hard, it is true that we have had fortune's favor. Though I'm sure that were we to have the aid of such a wise and powerful one such as yourself.....one who I would have chosen to take with me if I were the leader of those who escaped....though we are lucky to have you here to greet us, and honored to be in your presence." Nasir says with a honeyed smile.
"Jhavhul!" Dilix spat, standing from her chair at the table. She slammed her goblet down on the wooden surface, spilling her wine. "That besotted fool! He would tear open any world, just for his desire. He killed the human who brought us here, because the man would not bow down to him in defeat, and now look at us!"
Nasir's words calm the bejeweled woman, and she retook her chair. "Jhavhul showed his true colors when you adventurers reopened the portal to the outside world." she tells you. "It was not a sudden thing, you must understand. We saw the gateway opening for several minutes, long enough for the General to call his forces together. But when I and my followers joined him, he snidely remarked he had no need for our 'treacherous race', the smoke-smelling efreeti. He left us behind, as he flew upwards to the portal, and away from this limited land."
Dilix paused, and Neshari came to stand by her side. "Let me tell you a tale." your host says, looking at the adventurers at her table.
Jhavhul craves a singular goal - the respect and love of Ymiri, the Queen of the Inferno on the Plane of Fire. She has scorned the prince efretti as too inexperienced, too lowly for her consideration. So Jhavhul turned to worship of Rovagug and heard of Rovagug’s spawn, Xotani the Firebleeder. On your world the abomination was defeated hundreds of years ago.
But Jhavhul is using his wishcraft to raise the creature. With such a monstrosity at his command, he could level entire continents - or wreak havoc on the Plane of Fire until Ymiri comes on her knees. Other genies oppose such a plan, of course. Because Jhavhul will need 1,000 wishes to accomplish his goal. Even wishes from the mouths of mortals cannot resurrect a god's spawn so easily. And Jhavhul is selfish beyond measure, for he would force a human to waste two wishes on what Jhavhul wants, while giving mortal only one. And the efreeti is a master at twisting wishes to his own desires.
But wishcraft puts out ripples in creation that other genies, even low-level ones, can feel. Djinni princess Nefeshti and her Templars of the Five Winds, who opposed anything coming out of the City of Brass on the Plane of Fire, learned of Jhavhul's wishes, and directly opposed him. They were the only serious enemy to Jhavhul from the mortal world.
We fought the Templars and their allies for years, but Jhavhul could tempt anyone with a wish, and he made sure those wishes and even the mortals using them benefited him and him only. It was not until the human lover of Nefeshti, a wizard named Andrathi, found the Scroll of Kakishon that their tactics changed from defeating Jhavhul, which they were losing, to capturing him.
Andrathi met our army, and had the Templars and their allies attack us - only to open the Scroll of Kakishon in our midst as the Templars retreated. Jhavhul lost the majority of his army to the vortex that erupted, and we found ourselves here. And Jhavhul was cut off from his wishes benefiting his goal of resurrecting the Firebleeder.
Jhavhul found his wishes would not get him out of Kakishon - the Archwizard Nex has placed wards about the demiplane to prevent anyone coming or going without his permission. And when the wishcraft started rippling through the islands, proteans from Limbo came to oppose him. Creatures of pure chaos, they called themselves enslaved caretakers of this demiplane, but stopped Jhavhul from using mortals and wishes.
Enraged beyond belief, Jhavhul pursued the wizard Andrathi all over the islands, finally cornering him on the Isle of the Dead - Archwizard Nex's future memorial. But the human refused to admit defeat, and Jhavhul killed the human in his anger. That broke the ranks of his generals, and Obherak, a Shaitan genie more powerful than I - left with his followers. Others left as well. That is what made Jhavhul turn against me and cast me aside, for which I vow he will pay some day!
Dilix continued. "You should seek out the azer smith Artel on the island of Khosravi, as the azer was no friend of Jhavhul and, if you humans can secure his friendship, the azer might offer you advice or a gift in your inevitable conflict with Jhavhul. There is also the Isle of the Dead, for it was there that Jhavhul fnally confronted and slew Andrathi. I have heard persistent rumors that Andrathi’s spirit haunts the island now, and who knows? You might be able to learn something from his ghost."
The bejeweled woman tells you in a serious tone, however, "Jhavhul is now free. You freed him, as foolish mortals often do that which they cannot know. Now Jhavhul is open to find Xotani the Firebleeder again and continue his count to a thousand wishes to resurrect the godspawn. I daresay anything in the land for hundreds of leagues when that creature awakens will be destroyed in fire and catastrophe."
"Jhavhul never trusted anyone else with exact location of the Firebleeder's corpse." she says. "But Jhavhul had his army headquartered at the House of the Beast under Pale Mountain in the Brazen Peaks of Katapesh. He always took the gnolls, humans, and others desiring wishes with him, alone, to 'Xotani’s Grave'. So it had to be nearby. Jhavhul will certain scour the nearby lands for humans and other mortals to mouth his wishes when he returns."
Hajar listens to the story, his righteous anger building. We will defeat the vile Efreet known as Jhavhul. We will destroy his wishcraft and unravel his evil on the Mortal Plane. The Dawnflower will not allow the Spawn of the Rough Beast to awaken unchallenged. We thank you, Shaitan, for your words and your counsel. It was told to me that those if your race have much honor, this you have proven to us.
To his friends Hajar says We have the Galley, we must only make a choice. The Azer, or the Ghost?