Rayhan will indeed copy a few spells.
Rayhan copies Mass Enlarge Person, Shrink Item, Nondetection, and Spider Climb.
The presence you felt watching all of you goes away during your rest period.
When Bartan pulled out the diamond and his crafting tools, the azer in the room grew very interested, first at the size of the diamond, then at Bartan's efforts at grinding it down to dust. Many of the fire-dwarves offered professional suggestions in Ignan, following in broken Common about calving the diamond first instead of trying to grind down the entire item.
As Bartan ground down the diamond, when he had enough dust for a spell, he let Hajar have the particles to cast his restoration spells.
Bartan, Hajar, Rayhan, Khayal, Yazi, Nasir
Around hour four of the rest period, you get a sending in your mind. The sender is one of the various Pathfinders you remember meeting in Katapesh's chapterhouse. Nasir al' Shahaadi the sending begins in a bored voice, almost as if the person is doing this by rote, and 'Protectors of Kelmarane'. Report. It has been twenty days since your disappearance. Efreeti army has left Katapesh for Brazen Peaks. Over.
You dream through someone else's eyes, taking a few moments to realize it is Vardishal. The dead Templar is fighting efreeti on the sands, an army of red-skinned genies as far as the eye can see. Your falchion swings again and again, efreeti turning into smoke at its' touch. No matter where you face, you see nothing but a sea of enemies in front of you...
The scene changes to your current location in Jhavhul's own palace, and as Vardishal you are impatient to go home to your mistress, yet you know the importance of learning more about Jhavhul here. But a song whispers on the wind, a strange song of loneliness and cool, clear water. An oasis in the middle of a fiery desert. Where have you heard that song before? Why is is familiar?
You wake up with an exceptionally parched throat.
It is now 23 days since you left Katapesh.
One day in Bayt al-Bazan.
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Nasir's eyes light up as she receives the message with a start. No stranger to sending, she takes a moment to frame her response in her mind before sending it.
Rayhan prepares his new spells in the morning, and then promptly casts Nondetection on everyone. Saving Extended Nondetection for himself and Hajar.
We were being Scryed earlier. I have reasons to suspect that this wasn't a friendly action. I've taken steps to protect us now.
Hajar wakes and checks everyone's wounds, ensuring that the magical healing was successful.
Indeed. We should get going. Hajar casts Resist Energy on Yazi, Rayhan, Bartan and Nasir. The Fires of this place should not harm you now.
Khayal cooks some of his trail rations, though cook may be used lightly. He does loosen the jerky up a bit by boiling it, something not too hard to do in his current location. He is happy for the nourishment, but yearns to cook a real meal for Shirin.
Coldtooth speaks up. "Give us back our armor and weapons." he asks. "Would you have us fight the enemies we find with our bare hands?" The other azer nod and mutter in agreement.
Bartan nods, having no problem returning their weapons given their reasonable nature despite our group almost decimating them.
Khayal will move forward, his hands tight on his kukris. Let’s get moving.
He is a little nervous about rearming the Azers, but he trusts that his friends will have his back as he steps into the next room.
The next room is a dome-shaped chamber, much like the first two. The walls of this chamber bear frescoes of a dismal river running through a cavern. A boat made of reeds and loaded with treasures floats down this subterranean channel bearing the same sarcophagus as pictured in the previous chamber. All manner of spirits, only faintly seen, look upon the funeral barge from behind stalagmites and from the frothing current itself. In the distance, the river flows through an opening that glows with light.
Khayal and Yazi proceed to the East, finding a long passageway. The azer following them stoically grow silent as soon as they enter the straight hallway. Brass steps rise in a forlorn spiral into darkness overhead. The center of the spiral is an open pit whose depths are lost in shadow. Suspicious brown stains and bits of battered armor and equipment warn of danger ahead. Strangely, a cool breeze carries the smell of death from the central pit’s depths.
Khayal walks to the railing and peers down into the depths of the pit. He twirls his blades in both of his hands a few times before stepping back.
I do not like these pits, especially their stench of death. Yazi, are you able to see into its depths?
Yazi cannot see into the darkness, even with her elven eyes.
uh-oh
You both hear an animal's high-pitched roar from below, as well as the chittering of many claws on stone. Rising up. A rush of putrid air from beneath flows over both of you and all around you in the staircase.
SURPRISE ROUND
Hajar and Rayhan move closer. Hajar wouldn't let his Brother go into danger without be around to back him up.
Bartan moves up, and takes a moment to enhance his harrow deck with frost.
Nasir quicky runs closer to fight whatever threat arises.
Rayhan always casts Mage Armor. He also cast Nondetection today
Hearing the screech, Khayal gets ready for the pending fight.
The azer move to the far wall, throwing spears at the ready.
An enormous, wormlike being burst up from the darkness below. Unspeakable pallid flesh twitches and quivers across the grotesque bulk of this vaguely insectile monstrosity. Behind a ravening maw of needle-sharp teeth twists a bulbous, eyeless head covered in a veined membrane. Beyond this amorphous mass coils a long, segmented body bearing dozens of scuttling legs covered in chitinous armor The foremost legs are oversized and folded back like those of a mantis, but with jagged, metallic growths along its clawed edges.
It strikes with its' mouth at the first being on the stairs.
The creature gets a good maw full of Khayal, clamping down on his chest and an arm with its' circular mouth, multiple tendril-like tongues whipping at him.
ROUND ONE
Init:
Bartan heads toward his friends, hoping he can get there and help before it's too late.
Realing in pain, Khayal begins to slice with his blades,
Not all of Khayal's kukri's hit, and those that do cause a brown liquid to come out. But even as Yazi cut, the other wounds started to close back up.
Bigger than huge, the creature came over the stairs, turning and pushing Khayal back to the wall.
CMB=11+13+4+2=30
The elongated wormlike creature still continued to come out of the central pit of the stairwell.
Hajar moves next to his Brother (double move, it was 30').
Stand Firm Brother! he calls out.
Rayhan, seeing the size of the thing, knows his allies might have need of his spells. He casts Haste as soon as they are close enough.
"Dear Gods, what did you find??"
Bartan casts haste, then tosses several cards at the creature.
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