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Well. Let's go say hello. Hajar says with his own, much less cruel, grin
and he keeps climbing up the stairs, Tempest resting lightly on his shoulder.
Climbing the stairs , you arrive at the next level. This huge chamber is relatively empty, save for a few enormous bunks pushed against the walls in the Eastern portion of the room. Several banks of murder holes decorate the floor to the West and South.
The room appears empty at the moment.
Hajar surveys the area and begins moving around, looking for clues.
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Khayal keeps his eyes out as he makes his way side by side with his brother Hajar.
As the adrenaline begins to wear off the bruises and cuts of the day begin to make their presence uncomfortably know. Leaning over to his brother he whispers Do you think I could get a little healing, I got hit a bit harder than I thought.
As the adventurers spread out South and North, Broadbeard's attention is drawn to a door to the NorthWest. "Oho! A gardenrobe. Pardon me, masters," the fire-dwarf said, "it's been a long day and I need to 'haul some coal'." The azer moved to the wooden door, closing it behind him.
A similar door to the NorthEast slammed open, and a fire giant strode out, still adjusting his breeches. Eyeing the adventurers in front of him, the giant uttered a potent oath in Ignan, adding "Can't a person even take a $&!% in peace?" The fire giant drew his greatsword.
SURPRISE ROUND
Init:
Typical
Hajar hustles forward
Hajar calls out in common
Master Giant! Please help us!
Rayhan scrambles away
he shouts at Hajar
You fool! He'll "help" by smashing us to goo.
Bartan, almost fully tapped out of magic, moves toward the toilet area and gets ready to blast the firey guy with cards.
Thankful for the healing, Khayal sticks close to his brother as he hustles forward.
Confident in his ability to keep out of the way of the giant’s swings, Khayal is content to wait and see if his brother’s attempt at diplomacy is heeded.
that's a "no"
"Outsiders to the Home Plane are automatically slaves." the fire giant states, by rote, staring at the intruders.
You remember that the standard attitude of not just the efreeti rulers of the City of Brass, but that of nearly every inhabitant of the Plane of Fire, is that outsiders are slaves. Prey. To be enslaved, and exploited. Unless strangers can prove their strength. Only the strong survive.
The fire giant stomped at full speed towards the paladin, his greatsword raised, his armor clinking as he approached.
Rayhan rolls his eyes and shouts He's going to smash you Hajar you lightblinded idiot.
The elvish woman came out of the giant's blind area due to the stairs, hitting him down his right side with a long arc from her overly-large axe. The giant roared an oath in Ignan as frost followed the cut, flames igniting from his skin, only to be snuffed out.
ROUND ONE
Init:
natch
that's a long time
Rayhan moves forward and uses his wand of magic missiles on the giant
Hajar moves into melee with the giant and slashes with Tempest.
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The giant took the magic missiles to his chest with a snarl, but successfully parried the paladin's falchion.
A certain woman with a certain greataxe dove into the fray, and the giant tried using his sword, but the axe cut again and again, until the giant fell, his flames winking out.
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Lady Yazi, you once again dazzle us with your prowess. I look forward to returning home for some relaxation in your glowing presence." Bartan bows to Yazi, sheathing the card he was ready to throw at the now-dead giant.
The door to the other garderobe opened and Broadbeard sauntered out. Seeing the large corpse cooling on the brass floor, the azer muttered "Er, anything happen while I was occupied, masters?"
Not much happened, Broadbeard, not much. Khayal says shaking his head. Gave him an honest chance and he did not take it.
Rayhan shakes his head Gave him a chance to kill one of us maybe. These creatures are bound to serve a hateful vile master, they have no mercy or thought than to destroy and subjugate.
Hajar shrugs The Most Beautiful Yazi does not seem so subjugated right at this moment yes? I see no harm in trying to reach the better natures of these creatures.
Rayhan mutters Meh. Could have been my skull they cracked. Stupid man.
Broadbeard looked south at the holes in the floor. "Pyrohydra is still playing with those boulders." he commentated, looking through one of the holes.
"Haven't been here before - this is Guardians of the Forbidden Gate territory." the azer mused, looking around. He pointed to the door to the East, and said "There were more Hellhounds that way, outside in the open space."
Might as well give this place a look around before heading to the East. Hellhounds don’t sound too tough after fire giants and pyrohydras.
Khayal tries to be disciplined and thorough in his search but as he looks through the room he can’t help thinking about his wife and the home he hopes they can make together someday.
Giant: you find only common half-plate, a common but Large greatsword, and copper pieces.
Under each bed is a Large box.
#1 - strips of Salamander jerky, preserved in salt
#2 - various oils and strips of linen to clean armor and weapons
#3 - a thin plate of beaten brass that someone has crudely written upon in both Ignan and broken Common. If not for the size of the letters, you would need someone to decipher the script for you. As it is, the brass plate reads:
"The chief eunuch of old sits upon a throne that is not his own, but his old master’s covetousness has taken hold of his soul. If his claim upon his master’s holdings can be disproved, he is without his immortal anchor and can be slain."
WHERE?
WHERE?
WHERE?
"An eye of brass was forged of old to grace the grand sultan’s court. This eye could pierce the veils of secrecy, distance, and time with its impossible gaze to bring the grand vizier of the grand sultan tidings for his master’s ear. This Impossible Eye is that which binds us even now, but it was stolen and now lies within these very walls, the cause of our imprisonment and the means of our escape."
HOW?
HOW?
HOW?
"Bassadoum knows! Capture him! The leader of the Cult of Incarnate Flame! The lizardfolk!"
To the west, a series of boxes seem to be piled on top of something...
You hear nothing listening to the door to the East.
You hear labored breathing coming from under the boxes to the West.
The boxes to the West have one slightly higher than the other. Looking closely, you can tell there's a trapdoor under this box in the center.
You hear a slow pounding getting closer, like many footsteps. But they're clearly far away. A hundred feet away, or more.
Bartan pulls out his cards and shuffles them idly, wondering when he'll get the chance to go home to his gambling hall. It's been such a long trip, and though he doesn't have "loved ones" waiting, he does have beloved gambling...
What do you make of this?
Khayal runs his hands across the letters as he speaks the words out loud.
"The chief eunuch of old sits upon a throne that is not his own, but his old master’s covetousness has taken hold of his soul. If his claim upon his master’s holdings can be disproved, he is without his immortal anchor and can be slain."
WHERE?
WHERE?
WHERE?
"An eye of brass was forged of old to grace the grand sultan’s court. This eye could pierce the veils of secrecy, distance, and time with its impossible gaze to bring the grand vizier of the grand sultan tidings for his master’s ear. This Impossible Eye is that which binds us even now, but it was stolen and now lies within these very walls, the cause of our imprisonment and the means of our escape."
HOW?
HOW?
HOW?
"Bassadoum knows! Capture him! The leader of the Cult of Incarnate Flame! The lizardfolk!"
Finishing, he looks up.
Bassadoum, whomever he is seems to be the key in getting out.
Rayhan thinks about what Khayal has said, and reads the letter for himself
Hajar whirls with Tempest raised to confront whatever might be hiding under the boxes.
You there! Come out and speak with us, if you mean us no harm, we mean you no harm. By the Grace of the Sunflower I swear it.
Rayhan looks up from reading and rolls his eyes at Hajar.
Foolish man
The first "verse" Khayal found is obviously the ghost-dwarf you all battled earlier. It confirms what you suspected before: present the dwarf with proof that he is not a 'master' of the Palace, or has abused his office by acting against his 'master' (past or present), and the ghost will disappear.
Wait - that apparition that you saw in the brass walls - it has contacted someone else? How many people has this "ghost" tried to contact over the years?
You have heard that the Grand Sultan of the City of Brass in the Plane of Fire has many artifact-level magical items, some made thousands of years ago. But such an artifact would be covered in security spells and even wishes by the Grand Sultan to protect them from theft. A superior wish or set of wishes could explain the "curse" that this Palace is under, and why the water genie could sense it in her imprisonment below.
The last "verse" - you haven't come across anyone saying that they were part of this Cult of Incarnate Flame. Broadbeard and his azer-dwarves were part of the Flickering Candle thieves, the efreeti and fire-giants were part of the Guardians of the Forbidden Gate, and Coldtooth and his fire-dwarves were a new element not yet named.
But if anyone knows about the factions of this Palace, it would be Broadbeard, who has fought them all with his fellow slaves all these decades.
Broadbeard the fire-dwarf, and former mercenary slave of one of the factions that used to fight each other weekly, if not daily, in this efreeti Palace, flinched when he heard Khayal say "Bassadoum". He also shifted his spear from one hand to another, nervously.
At Hajar's urging, a weak, but booming, voice is heard from below the boxes. "Would that I could, intruder. But I am presently not able to 'come out', as you demand. Ha!" The voice coughs several times, a dry, hoarse, sound.
"Uh, sure, masters!" Broadbeard said all too quickly. The azer pointed with his spear. "Sounds like a Fire Giant, down below."
Master Giant. If we free you, do we have your solemn vow that you will not attack us? We wish only to leave this place. Hajar calls out He holds up his hand for Rayhan to stay quiet, knowing the old man would have sharp words for such a plan.
A rumbling laughter is the unseen voice's first reply to the paladin's offer. "My vow? I only hoped to broker an alliance with the lizardfolk of the Cult of Incarnate Flame. To fight the Flickering Candle thieves. Instead, I was attacked by my brethren, my body beaten, and left for dead here. So, a vow?" A long breath is heard, followed by "On my flame, I, Gilbans, vow to help those who will help me and keep me from perishing here. I care not for any former alliance in this cursed Palace! Let me join you, adventurers!"
Khayal looks for a way to help the giant out from under the boxes.
He takes his backpack off and pulls out his crowbar. . The crowbar slips on the old wood and Khayal breaths heavy in frustration, before trying to simply push the boxes free.