Alton casts anti-magic field on the mummy then quickly moves out of the field and commands his familiar to teleport him one hundred feat away and then teleport himself into the room.
Bertram assesses the situation/ "Baris, are you alive?"
You don't see Baris any where, just the two black figures.
Zaindari makes no hostile movements....
Landing he asks where is the Lord?
Tinkerer observes Zaindari's questioning, eager to see where it will lead.
"'the Lord'?" The large black one says, cocking its head at you in confusion. You can see that there are lightning bolts of yellow on its arms and legs accenting the luster of its skin.
The woman seems to materialize better, as if the smoke or shadows dissipate. She appears to be wearing skin tight clothing and has a blade on her back. She wears a mask and her hair looks to be made of shadow shifting as if of its own choice like a flame. She does not say anything nor can you see her features due to the mask.
Some where between this and this for the large masculine black demon with lightning motes.
Yes, Baris, The Lord of Lightning, Do you know where he is? Zaindari explains carefully, not trying to be condescending
"Do you know the Lord of Lightning?" The large demon stretches to his full height and electricity snaps off of him. He steps forward squinting at the man before him.
"I assume not, for then you would not be asking. What do you need of me?" It continues.
"Your name is not Baris? Was Baris an avatar of yours?"
"Baris is a form that I use to make myself less... threatening. I was once trapped in that form before, but adventurers rescued me and took me in, I learned a new way, since all my memories were stripped from me... Well that is a long story, it seems you have a question on your mind." The large black humanoid deamon says (Baris).
His posture noticably easing, he says, "Hmm, I guess if i had a question it would be... what is your purpose? And your designs on bringing the castle back into the world of man? Are you truly a deity, or just a being of great power?"
"My purpose... HA! HA! HA!" The deamon begins to laugh a deep belly roar of sorts. Will Save DC 35 vs. fear (panic).
After stopping his laughing and composing himself, the deamon says, "So sorry that was a good one. I am a deamon and can choose what my purpose is. Though I have claimed the title of Lord of Lightning and allow worshipers to use my domain. That castle like other artifacts and locations are a key point to determine the fate of the world, the planes, and all those who dwell within. I wanted to find a companion that can keep up with my speed and it looks like I have found many! Some would say I have a divine spark, perhaps my degree would be a demigod, but those on the celestial planes seem to only care if you are a Demon Prince or a reigning Devil, the rest of us are too many to classify." He seems to have a chip on his shoulder about those he just spoke of.
"Zaindari, you search for me, why do you search for me?" The Lightning Lord questions.
The woman backs aways and cowers, perhaps like the others around?
Lord, we wish to travel the lightning path again.
Zaindari and his jackal are uneffected by the fearful laugh
Bertram shrinks in fear at the bellowing demon.
Azulth continues looking over the edge, unsure if he just heard... Laughing? Wish I knew what was going on down there.
Baleful Wish Azulth you are teleported down just as the laughing happens you automatically fail the save and are panicked. Going invisible first then cowering.
"What? You wish to go back to the time that we just came from of fire and such?" The Lord of Lightning asks.
"I dunno about any of that, I do wonder about the castle though..."
"What are your questions Bertram, I will try to help with what little knowledge I have. When in this form I am used to being called Zanthias, but if you want to deal with my halfling avatar, I should be able to burn off enough energy to revert to him." The large black deamon says.
"Ah, it was your form i had seen superimposed over him when our day first began."
"Regarding my questions, I asked you of purpose. I didn't mean to suggest that a purpose was chosen for you, i merely wondered what your purpose was. What purpose you have chosen, as you would say. As for the castle, i wondered what its purpose is, what its utility is besides the obvious."
"Besides the obvious and that which I have already spoken. Well any other purposes you make of your own at that point."
WhatthehellWhatthehellWhatthehellWhatthehell
Azulth remains very still in his invisibility, wondering what just happened. Okay, okay... I wished to know what was going on, and I ended up here. Cool. So... I wish I had a ton of gold. Just, a lot of gold. And a codpiece. Never had one of those, it'd be cool to have one.
damage, from all the gold dropping on you.
A massive pile of gold about 30 feet in diameter appears to drop from the sky, most of it lands off to the side of most of you. Some of the coins rain down inflicting some damage on those nearby.
Reflex DC 18 or 2d6 damage.
"Azulth! You out there or did you get squished by the gold? Better speak up..." Zanthias says waiting for Azulth to respond or for someone to act.
Bertram will quickly land, and hold his buckler in front of him. He braces his shield arm with his main hand, and the shield grows in size and sprouts scoops as it starts to spin. Walking forward, the gold coins are pushed aside as Bertram burrows towards the center of the pile.
Bertram digs through the coins, displacing them to soon come to the center where Azulth is locked to the ground. If you can't see invisible creatures, then you can see an empty pocket of space under the coins.
I'm sure one of my myriad forms of detection or senses will tell me it's him. I will help him out.
Azulth looks up as the gold falls, and tries to leap to the side when he is manacled to the ground. He holds his breath and drops, feeling a heap of money fall onto his body. It's so beautiful, and so painful... Just like me...
As the coins are thrown aside, Azulth pauses, especially considering he just heard a voice he doesn't recognize call him by name, coming from the direction of the big black thing. When Bertram appears, though, Azulth blinks into visibility. "Tinkerer! Good to see you. I see that you've seen my newfound wealth? It's... let's see... assuming it's the ton I wished for, it's a hundred thousand gold coins. And that's not too shabby for a day's not work, huh?" He stands after Bertram helps him up and brushes off some of the dust and gold on his clothing. "I'd have liked it to be, well, not on top of me, but still."
He looks over to the large black form. "And who are you, by the way? Saying my name like we've gone out to diner or something."
"Yes, it is a rather nice sum of wealth, assuming it is real."
"I am Zanthias Lord of Lightning, though you know me by one of my avatars, the halfling form called 'Baris'. Zaindari you were looking for me?" The large black deamon says and asks.
"Teach me to travel the lightning road.
"Teach you, teach you, what would make you worthy of knowing that knowledge and why?" The Deamon scoffs at you, but waits for your response.
"Teach you, teach you, what would make you worthy of knowing that knowledge and why?" The Deamon scoffs at you, but waits for your response.
"Because out of every mortal who asks for this power. I ask not for myself....but instead to allow the world to escape grievous harm. he bows deeply
"Tell us of this grievous harm. Show me your truth and I will think on teaching you." Zanthias offers.
Zaidari twirls his staff. Catching it upside down....
"The prophecy."
He kisses the end of the staff and unscrews it... revealing an old, old piece of paper .....
He holds it out to one of the attendants of the demon lord.
The lady in the mask takes it. She reads it out loud...
Only through the power of those who are missed can the balance be restored, through the eye of the Lord of Lightning may the path be seen right.
"By what powers did you get this prophecy? Those missed would be those I took to the future. It must be."
All of a sudden a great shadow covers the light. You all look up to see a torso that is shadowy, and a head with a fire halo above it.
Zanthias yells to take cover as the gargantuan thing begins to blow fire from its mouth over the castle and in our direction.
You can all feel immense magic explode around you. Then time slows down. Then a massive explosion, one that rocks the world, time, and reality.
_________________________________________________________________________
You all awaken from a horrible dream, you can only remember parts of it and that huge thing with it burning you. It is strange that as you look around each of you have awoken and you can all see the sweat on each other.
You are a mercenary heading out into the northern scrublands of Katapesh on the camels of a patron named Garavel, the major domo of a merchant princess named Almah.
Perhaps you are a runaway slave seeking a better tomorrow and the freedom a woman of Almah’s station can grant. Or you might be a traveling merchant looking to make a powerful ally, a criminal forced into a service to Garavel as punishment, or simple desert scum in search of adventure.
You have been out for more than a week on a dreary camel caravan from the town of Solku to an unknown location in the northern scrublands of Katapesh. Garavel, the no-nonsense major-domo of a merchant princess awaiting them at their destination. Everyone has had a few days to get to know one another please describe your character, what he/she looks like, how he/she acts and so forth.
"Wow, what a rush, a freightening one but the heat from that dream was so intense! Hey, did you guys have the same dream?! So vivid, soooo..." She visibly has a shiver go up her spine.
Jelissa is a rogue of sorts, but most of her skills helps her get on in the wilderness. She is brash and bold when tipsy, but normally she is quietly scouting ahead or watching the rear of the caravan. She likes her gems, she has five decent sized ones on a black cord around her neck. Her skin is bronzed with the sun, but at night her skin seems to pale with the moon light. Her slightly unkempt shoulder length black hair, with a white streak in it, covers her emeral green eyes that become luminescent at night. Her form is tight like a cord with some slight feminine curves, strong but much more graceful.
Azulth is lithe and lean, all corded muscle and thin frame under his thin desert robes. He has finely oiled leather armor on under the upper robe, with small studs of light steel set in the light brown leather. At his side is a sheathed scimitar, not as deeply curved as some blades of its kind, but when he does his dances in the mornings and evenings, you can tell its thin blade is wickedly sharp.
Azulth rides the camel well, though it's obvious he's relying on natural agility than any real training. He chatters away the hours, often talking to himself if no one is riding close-by. He also sharpens his scimitar on occasion, and checks the tautness of his bow.
"uugh my head, what did I drink last night uugh from the way my head feels maybe the better question is what didn't I drink" Alton is a tall elf with a greyish tint to his skin which is oddly reflective,he has mussels not typical in an elf, his shoulders are broad for an elf, but his jaw is angular as one would expect, he appears to be wearing fine silk but it's filthy
Arasmes is a human male with black hair, his tanned skin of an almost almond tone covering the angular bone structure of his face, giving him a dignified, if severe, countenance. As the group travels, however, his hair and face are covered by a white kiffiyeh, and his body is covered in a cloak that only parts in a stiff breeze to the glint of metal armor beneath. The only thing that separates Arasmes from the common traveler now is his heterochromia iridum - one eye almond-colored, the other a pale blue.
Arasmes is more the cosmopolitan sort, and being away from the city has dulled his demeanor. The once affable fellow now saves conversation for when necessary, having already expended his jokes during the travel from the glorious walls of Katapesh.
She gets up from her bed roll and walks around the perimeter of the camp once. She is happy to not see any threats and begins to stretch. She keeps one eye watching outward and her ears for any movement. If anyone comes over to talk with her she stops stretching and just balances on one foot while she interacts with them.
Alton gets up stretches some himself and goes over to where the cups are stored, casts a cantrip and drinks the water in an attempt to fix the headache. It works in part and next his cantrips are used to clean his clothing. Once he finishes with this he notices jellisia stretching and so he waves to her
A dream.... I have not had a dream in nearly a hundred years... this is an ill omen indeed. Floating up, into a standing position, the vampire gazes through the night, his powerful eyes cutting through the gloom with ease...
The pale skinned being is unnaturally tall and thin, graceful to the point that it sets normal beings ill at ease. Wearing only dark armor his form is a shadow next to the fire...
I could feel the sun, and the heat... instead of the call of the night, and feel no warmth except when I must slake my thirst....
Sense Motive: 22
Sensing the general unease of his colleagues, Arasmes cuts the silence by asking, "So, I take it you all had vivid and fiery dreams as well?"
"metal men everywhere it was strange but intriguing there was also fire, I guess"
"Ah, I saw no metal men but a giant shadowy creature that destroyed all i could see with flame. Perhaps it was merely a psychosomatic trick, the dream ending in flame to find myself waking up in the hot desert."