Karethas spits, his frustration showing. Some pocket dimension where I can not summon help, how fortuitous! He looks up at Varkata, "Keep Kzrira alive, we need to get away from it. It has mythical healing abilities and taking it down would be very difficult. Hopefully, leaving the water will calm it down."
Kzrira yells back to Karethas:
Is there a way to hurt this thing?
Varkata should know by now that Kzrira spares little thought for anything other than vanquishing her foes. Amir is likely more vulnerable anyway and so the flying priestess glides over to rescue the doggy. Meanwhile, Kzrira continues her slow progress toward the beach. Again, she does a good job protecting herself from the onslaught, but one head manages to get through spilling more blood in the water.
This thing really bites. Any chance Caiden could suds me up.
Kzrira continues to slowly backpedal toward the beach while attempting to avoid any more snake bites.
Total Defense: AC31 -- AC35 vs AoO
Move 5' more toward the beach.
Any chance Caiden could suds me up?
Amirdog whine at the airlift but otherwise cooperates, getting over to Karethas as soon as he is land bound.
"You're hurting it every time you stick it with your arrows, it just heals VERY fast! Get away from the dumb beast and let it settle down."
Varkata drops off the old jackal and swoops around for Kzrira who continues to be nipped. Even offering a solid defense, she is certainly out of her element. The great serpent heads can't seem to decide which tasty morsel to go for and the huge hydra gets in its own way allowing Varkata to grab the archer and drag her to the relative safety of the pier.
The reunited band quickly move away from the burned and exposed end of the jetty and onto the beach. Fortunately, the hydra turns its attention to a few sharks that have been attracted by the spilled blood. There is a white marble gazebo at the base of the pier that provides a roof for shelter and a basin in the middle that directs the guest to ask for any accommodations that they may need during their stay.
Kzrira retrieves the dean's head for inspection as Karethas notes that not only has he been deprived of his summoning spells, but the Tempest Staff has disappeared in all the chaos as well.
Karethas, tired from his attempt at swimming seats himself heavily and holds his hand out to Kzrira, "May I see the cylinder?" As he is studying it he begins speaking, seemingly distracted. "Did the rest of you notice the figures we passed during our passage to this place? I would bet they were efreeti, and if so I believe we have solved definitely the mystery of where Jhavhul and his army went after their confrontation with Andrathi and Nefeshti. The Dean was right, and now he's a head in box." Karethas shakes his head sadly. "Remember that efreet that we met in the temple of Nethys? It was looking for a scroll...the scroll of Nex perhaps? Maybe because an army of his people were trapped within? Hah! We have been circling this central mystery for most of our travels! And the fools that we are, we have not even been aware of the stakes of our actions. And now, trapped in this place where we can tell no one, finally we have a clearer understanding."
Finally, Karethas looks up from the cylinder, his eyes distant, as if looking upon a distant memory, "And worst yet, who knows what destruction those efeeti are inflicting upon Katapesh? I have seen what a single angry genie can do in a short period of time, but an army? He just shakes his head again and looks down at the cylinder.
Kzrira first checks on her bow to make sure that the string is dry and properly strung. At the same time she continues to squeeze the water from her hair and ring out her soaking clothes as she listens to Karethas.
Are you saying that an efreeti army is attacking Katapesh? Or that some army has been trapped somewhere for centuries?
To say that she is confused is an understatement. However, she also keeps an eye on the hydra playing with the sharks in the water.
Karethas casually uses Prestidigitation to dry everyone off, especially the wet dog. "Don't you remember what Xobhadi said? The last person known to have the scroll was Andrathi, who attacked Jhavhul with Nefeshti. Jhavhul or his army were not seen after that. It makes sense that Andrathi used the scroll on them. He trapped them here! Just like we are trapped here! If they were not trapped, they would have been seen again. Since the scroll brought us here, I can only assume that it teleported them to where we were...Katapesh. What would a newly freed army of VERY upset efreeti do in Katapesh?...I don't think they would go shopping in the Night Stalls."
Varkata sighs, trying to keep up with Karethas' story, finally saying, "Why not? There are lovely tapestries there. ", then laughing a little to loudly at her joke.
She sighs, "I'm in no shape to help figure this out until the fog in my head is gone. Unless someone happens to have a handful of djinn in a sack, I suppose."
Kzrira shakes her head:
Look at the positive side. We do not have to fight the efreeti as we are not in Katapesh. If we were there, I am sure that we would be fighting them right about now if Karethas is right about this.
She looks down at the no longer sopping wet Amirpuppy.
So, were are we master mage? What can we do here, and how do we get back home?
Amirdog yaps after Kzrira's statement...
Karethas shrugs, "I think we are in some sort of demiplane, just as Xobhadi said. I don't know if there even IS a way home. If those fiery figures were the efreeti army, then it is probably not going to be at all easy. Perhaps it once was easier, but with the scroll damaged, who knows." Karethas shrugs. He looks back down at the cylinder, "This may be the answer. The dean's....head...seemed to have activated the scroll. So maybe we might be able to access more of his knowledge." He looks around, "Speaking of the scroll's activation, where is the stranger who had the head before?"
As Karethas ponders the cylinder and its apparent maker, the dean's eyes flutter open and roll back and forth and a wild smile appears on his lips. "Kakishon!" he hisses in a weird buzzing tone. "You did it, my boy. We're in Kakishon." The fluid that was inside has mainly leaked out through the cracks that spiderweb across the transparent side, but the dean gives a gargling laugh and then his eyes focus once more on his wayward pupil. "Is that a zhyen on your shoulder?" he asks.
Varkata shrugs, then sighs again, frustrated at trying to hammer her feelings into stupid, complicated words, finally all-but-snarling, "Sometimes, need to use specific traps to make powerful prisons. Not being janni might mean prison not meant to hold us and make escape easier. And, not sure, but thought we being visited by Aspix boss. Didn't catch a name."
Karethas tips the cylinder, trying to keep the liquid inside, he looks at his shoulder though he thinks the head is probably not totally coherent. Xobahadi, it is remarkable that we made it here, but eventually we will want to leave. Do you have any idea how we would do that?
[b]"I don't think this place was designed as a prison Varkata, but it may have become one."
The dean's eyes keep staring, but it is clear that now all they can see is Pharasma's Boneyard if indeed even his soul can escape from this prison.
And Karethas does feel a light breeze caress his cheek and turns to see a tiny female form. Only a foot high, the little woman has wind tossed platinum hair and vivid sky blue eyes. Her mouth is seen to smile behind a diaphanous blue veil. Only slightly more opaque fabric drapes over her torso to the waist, where she trails away in a whirl of vapor.
Karethas stares sadly for a moment at the silent head before quietly stating, "Sorry we got you into this, sir." The breeze on his cheek draws him away from his ruminations. He looks at the small creature on his shoulder and greets her somewhat somberly
The small air creature bows and frowns slightly.
Karethas thinks for a moment and smiles,
Karethas and the little woman continue their whispered discussion.
Varkata watches the discourse, slightly confused, finally saying, "Who's your new friend?"
"Bow wow, yip yap"
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Yes, this is Gen. She is what is known as a Zhyen, which is a type of Genie. It seems that she was the spirit that was inhabiting Tempest. Something about our shift to this plane seems to have freed her from that physical form."
"Gen, these are my friends. You already know Kzrira. The large greenish woman is Varkata Steeleye, a cleric of Cayden Cailean. The jackal there is Amir Awad Hajjir, a rather overly-formal name for a jackal, but he was formerly an old man and may be so again someday so we will keep the name for now.
Gen flits to each of Karethas' companions as they are introduced to circle and inspect. Kzrira earns a disapproving scowl and she giggles at poor Amir's introduction and pauses to pat his furry head before dodging back to hover over Karethas shoulder once again.
She looks deep in thought. "I believe it was the efreet flames that awoke me once again. I heard you speaking earlier, Master. You are quite correct. I am afraid Jhavhul's host has been released and it is we that are trapped now..." she says with a sad little shake of her head.
Kzrira scowls back at Gen:
What did I do to you? I treated you with great reverence. You were the most beautiful bow I had ever seen, and will probably ever see. At least I did not use you like a walking stick as the grumpy mage usually does.
She then turns back to Karethas:
So, we are trapped here. How do we get out? Just because a bunch of powerful firemen could not get out does not mean that we are not smart and resourceful enough to accomplish this. Perhaps they were trapped because they were fire creatures and all we need is the opposite force, like the ice arrows Tempest . . .she pauses and looks at the fey creature . . .I mean Gen used to fire. Kzrira cracks up at this. I mean used to shoot.
Varkata says, "Might work... plus, we still have the scroll? Maybe we have lock and key?"
Karethas shakes his head, "No, we don't have the scroll. We have the dean's head, which looks like it is only going to be useful as a way to lay him to rest if we ever get back to Katapesh." He looks at Kzrira, "I think you may be a little rough-humored for a delicate creature like Gen here, Kzrira. He gives her a wide and genuine smile. "I hope that you will agree to continue to travel with us little Gen. Perhaps we can still honor Vardishal's memory by somehow opposing Jhavul's army.
Turning back to Kzrira,"And I think that the fact that the army was fire based had very little to do with the fact that they were trapped. To my knowledge, Nex had little animosity with flame based beings especially since he was quite a traveler of the planes. If anything he hated the necromancy of Geb. So I don't think his demiplane would have a particular strength against igneous creatures. I posit that the reason no one knows much about this demiplane is that few have returned from it. I'm not saying that it is definitely impossible to leave, but it is not going to be simple and it may not be possible other than the way the efreeti left." He sighs deeply and collects himself, "But that is no reason to sit here and give up. No, let's get our bearings and start exploring!"
The little genie's complexion grows virtually violet at Kzrira's defense. "You used me in the form that was only for my Lord Vardishal's use and even worse invaded my sanctuary while I was helpless. I cannot even...!" she sputters as the winds grow around her blowing up beach sand and she stops abruptly out of deference to her new master.
Then she giggles. "It is good that my new Master has some sense or you would all be quite lost. Of course, the only thing that the rude woman can think of is shooting something. And dear green woman, we do not possess Kakishon; it possesses US! We are inside it right now. I was by my Lord Vardishal's side when he planned the trap with beautiful Nefeshti and her clever consort Andrathi."
"Once it was simple to leave Kakishon. Just stand at the end of a pier and wish yourself out. But Andrathi destroyed the pier gates to trap the efreet here. I know something of this place, but I do not know any other way out."
Karethas smiles widely when Gen refers to him as her "new Master". Then he points his hand toward Gen in a "see I told you gesture" when she speaks of the former way out of the plane. "So the standard method of exit is not open to us, so we must look for some other method."
Amir growls and whines and then makes to look for anything resembling a a path or tracks.
Kzrira also begins to search to see whether there is anything of note that might direct the party on its hunt for an exit.
Perception:
Survival:
Due to her former bow's snarky comments, Kzrira is not paying a great deal of attention to what she is doing.
Varkata says, "Piers too damaged to make whole? Not a Torag-follower, but can ask Cayden for help. Trap likely not proofed against divine magic, based on who it was built to hold. "
She then starts to laugh as she sees the souring expression on Kzrira's face, She liked Karethas' little friend way more when it was a bow...
She suggests," Unless you think Master of Vault got sucked in here too, maybe find safe spot to camp, can try to fix self... And since you think Amir cursed and not enchanted, try that too. Amir-dog likely less good at dealing with traps, and I'll be more useful without this fog in my head."
Gen rolls her bright blue eyes at the thick-headed priestess. "As my master was trying to tell you, merely repairing the piers will not restore their magic. We will have to look elsewhere and trust my master's brilliance to find a way home." She beams on Karethas from behind her veil.
"There might still be magic in this shelter though. I remember hearing that they could provide food water and bedding as well as healing to injured travelers. Magical ships would visit the piers to take guests from island to island as well."
"We must be on the Serpent Islands. Those were certainly big snakes earlier. Hopefully they have eaten enough sharks that they will not be hungry soon." She looks out into the water to see that indeed, the hydra has gone away for the moment.
Kzrira quickly locates a few old gnoll bones and arrowheads in the sand. Amir sniffs around and finds that his new nose works great: there are a myriad of smells, a strong reptilian musk and a whiff of gnoll and something beefy and metallic at the same time....
Amir follows up on the "beefy and metallic" smell. Is there more of it nearby? Is it "new"?
Kzrira turns to Varkata and whispers with a grin, loud enough that everyone can hear.
Karethas has a groupie girl friend.
Varkata says, "There's a joke about how much he likes his staff in there..."
Gen evidently speaks Kelish and addresses the group in the common tongue. Amir sniffs around some more, but the trail is old and he is unable to track it.
Karethas smirks at Kzrira's obvious jealousy, "At least my brilliance is finally getting recognized. In any case, Gen here seems much more informed about this place than any of us. My conjectures, although correct, are still just educated guesses. She seems to have first hand knowledge of this plane.[b] He turns to her, [b]"Gen, any knowledge of this plane's geography is going to be particularly useful. It is great to have you along! Now, let's see about the healing abilities of this shelter." He casts Detect Magic and begins to examine the gazebo, trying to discern it's abilities and use.
The tiny genie looks very serious. "Certainly, master. It was long ago, but I marked the words carefully and my memory is good."
Karethas find various conjurative magics worked into the structure. There are restorative magics that will double the rate of recovery for the wounded or sick that spend a night within the pavilion (as a successful long term care heal check). The magical font has a much stronger dweomer and will provide simple food and water as well as bedding when asked.
Karethas tries it and a chalice of cool clear water appears as well as a rolled scroll. Obviously, not all conjuration magic is prevented here. Only those that reach across the planes. Somehow the demi-plane or something on the plane must be able to provide for simpler elements and materials.
Thinking of the smells and tastes of the bazars and eateries that they so recently left in Katapesh, Kzrira goes over to the font and sees what food and drink the magic is able to produce.
Looking to Karethas:
If this place improves healing, then it is definitely something that we should use to get you and Varkata back up to speed. Do you think that it could aid in returning Amir to his old self?
Varkata adds, "That'd be great. Also -- what's on the scroll? Can it make magic items?"