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As Yazi and the others come up with a plan regarding the “Eye”, Khayal packs up the camp, taking special care to balance his pack just so. Where Yazi is a blunt force, Khayal has tried to be more about precision, an effort that is finding its way into more aspects of his life.
Rayhan says The South. Something lies to the South. I do not know if it is the Eye, or some other item.
Packing up, leaving the patient kobolds behind with a few commanded words from the azer, the adventurers look out at the main palace's courtyard again. Coldtooth mentioned how two fire-dwarves were left behind to guard the wine and food.
Winding your way down South, following the brass walls, you come to a normal Large-sized door, but Broadbeard shakes his head and directs you all to a set of very Large double doors opposite the ziggurat.
"This is palace portion of the palace." Broadbeard says with certainty. "We were never allowed here. Guardians of the Forbidden Gate usually kept us away - the two fire-giants you killed. The Flickering Candle people never made it this far. But if you wanted an audience with the old padisah of Bayt al-Bazan, well, the 'audience room' would be...here."
Khayal takes a deep breath and leans heavily into the gigantic door with his shoulder. His hands wrapped, ready around the hilts of his blades.
Bartan would help push, but he knows very well that Lady Yazi is better at helping with such things, so he instead stands back and offers his guidance on the best place to push.
The doors open surprisingly easily, and you all see:
A covered pavilion composed of twisting brass columns inset with ivory and precious stones encloses a cushioned throne at the center of this huge circular audience chamber. Less ornate chairs sit on smaller extensions of the central pavilion to each side, while giant curtains composed of fine brass links cover passageways on either flank, with a third, smaller one to the east. Fire pits shimmer with barely contained heat, and a deep pit is visible beyond the throne.
Seated upon the central throne is a short, translucent being clad in expensive robes, eyes aglow with a hellish light.
The figure on the central dais stands (you see that he is not much taller than the fire-dwarves behind you; an elaborate furred hat making up much of that height) and declares in a high-pitched nasal tone "New arrivals. Excellent! Come and bow before the Master of the Haunted Palace before the start of your indentured service."
Bartan takes a moment to try to determine what kind of creature this might be.
Hajar sighs
Please dear creature. Do not misunderstand us. We serve none but the Dawnflower. We seek not but to leave this place in peace. Do not harry us, or retard our exit. We will go in peace if we are shown the way to exit.
Hajar holds his hands in a nonthreatening manner, his voice is beseeching.
Rayhan studies the proceedings, a spell on his lips as he seeks to understand.
Khayal awaits the creature’s response. He is not impressed by its demeanor. Nor is he impressed by its words. A flare of anger can be seen in Khayal’s eyes but he holds his hands as well as his lips. Khayal’s frustrations are bumping up against his patience. Only his trust in his brother keeps him from action.
K:Arcana: nothing
K:Planes: you have a suspicion that the creature is no longer of this plane, nor the Material Plane. It looks too...ethereal.
Spellcraft: you cannot see any magical items on the person
K: The Planes: the creature has the stink of the Negative Energy Plane, the home of undead, on it. Its' body has the translucency of a ghost, to your trained eyes. Ghosts are notoriously hard to kill, and are usually rooted to one location, even returning after being defeated.
K: Arcana: given the height of the creature, it is most likely a dwarf. But the hellish red glow of his eyes has you remember an ancient tome mentioning darnocs, restless spirits of oppressive, cruel, and power hungry individuals cursed forever to a life of monotony. When distracted from its reverie of its remembered past life, the creature flies into an inconsolable rage, often lashing out without warning or provocation at the first individual who attempts to speak to it. Darnocs cannot be destroyed until whatever is keeping them tied to this plane - a symbol of their slavery, a master's letter of reprimand or dismissal, or being rebuked by a bloodline descendant or deed to their mansion - is shown to them.
"Dawnflower? the short creature sneered. "I rule this palace, and my word is law! Not even the Grand Vizier himself, unless invited... Wait." the dwarf-like creature shifted in his chair. "Where are your guards? Fire-giants! Your Master calls!"
"Oh, I don't like the look of this." Broadbeard muttered from the door.
The creature shifts in his chair, agitated. "Aha! I know - you are interlopers! Infidels! You dare to sully the pristine halls of my Haunted Palace with your unclean presences? You think to defy me? I will take care of you - myself! FOR. I. AM. BAGOAS THE MASTER!" the last is a nasal shout of rage. The man with the furred hat launched himself off of his chair towards you all, his skin blue-colored as his feet floated above the ground.
ROUND ONE
Init: (check your Initative, in case it has changed with the level bump-ups)
Khayal channels his cold frustration into his blackspire kukri, something within him activates something within it. The blade becomes covered in a frost and it seems even more familiar in his hands.
It is a creature of death, tied to negative energies. Whatever is keeping it tied here, it must be presented with it. A symbol of their slavery, a master's letter of reprimand or dismissal, or being rebuked by a bloodline descendant or deed to their mansion. Do we know what keeps this being here? Rayhan calls out.
Hajar draws Tempest
AS you wish foul thing.
Hajar calls on the Dawnflower for aid
Hajar moves forward on his lame leg not covering much ground.
Status:
Smite Evil on the Ghost +5 to hit +3 damage +5AC
Divine Favor +3 to hit +3 damage
HP 86
Khayal takes a stance, his kukuris glistening. Hajar rushed forward towards the bluish dwarf coming at the adventurers. Nasir began dancing.
Bagoas floated closer, skirting the massive fire pit inbetween him and the humanlike outsiders. "Infidels!" he shouted in a high-pitched voice. "My palace has a long and fruitful heritage; denizens from all across the Planes come to-aaahhhh!" The figure stopped, his head thrown back in a shout of pain, even as Hajar's helm of brillance began glowing the same bluish color as the dwarf's skin.
"That's a nice trick, master!" Coldtooth called out. Nodding at Broadbeard, the azer moved forward as well, two staying at the double doors as lookouts.
Bartan casts greater invisibility on himself and moves along the wall a bit, expecting the lich to cast area spells and wanting to not be within them.
Rayhan casts Haste centered on Khayal, it should haste everyone for 10 rounds.
Yazi charged in, only to feel a shiver go over her as she got a close-up view of the translucent, no, transparent short person in front of her.
Yazi noticed her greataxe slipping right through Bagoas, meeting almost no resistance, even from the clothing. The frost was having no effect, either. The dwarflike being dodged her third attack. "Infidel! You dare to touch my person?" the character raged.
Bartan disappeared from view.
Rayhan cast a spell.
ROUND TWO
Init:
Sensing his muscles twitch faster as Rayhan’s magic washes over him, Khayal rushes forward with preternatural speed. He brings his Khukri down upon the apparition.
If the crit confirmed then it is a DC 15 fort save or be stunned for a round.
Despite the slight fear he's feeling at the ghost, Bartan steadies himself, then casts intensified shocking grasp and tosses a card at the ghost.
plus plus
Nasir's weapon slices through the dwarf with the tall hat all too easily. The frost has no effect.
Bartan's card flew true, slicing against their opponent.
Khayal's blades also sliced easily, too easily, through the dwarf.
Bagoas screamed as all the blades, Yazi's axe at the last, kept going through his body and form again and again. You get the impression that this is a person who is not used to experiencing pain.
The Azer kept their posts near the door, ready for a retreat.
Bartan's card, although hitting the target, appeared to fizzle out.
"I have never been treated with such impertinence!" declared the dwarf-like person. He stepped away from the crowd around him , floating upwards from the edge of the fire-pit. .
The little man with the hat began drawing a symbol in the air with both hands.
Hajar gestures at the ghost and a flaming scimitar of shimmering energy appears and attacks it!
Status:
Smite Evil on the Ghost +5 to hit +3 damage +5AC
Divine Favor +3 to hit +3 damage
HP 86
Haste 10/11
Spiritual Weapon 11/12
The scimitar touches Bagoas - and fades away, ineffective.
ROUND TWO
Init:
nat crit!
Khayal continues to hack at the ethereal being before him. Eventually his magical blades will have some effect.
Khayal, missing the fact that the ghost of the old dwarf is now in the air, slashes gracefully though fruitlessly at the air.