Are they trapped in any manner? I have seen far too many simple things turn deadly on this expedition so far.
I look at the gems as Karethas points me to them, but I look puzzled. "They are gems and magical, as you said, but I cannot tell what abilities they may have, I never learnt that unfortunately. That would be something rather interesting to learn though."
When Karethas asks if he could have the bracers I simply nod, try to think more about what to do with the large vessel.
"They don't seem magically trapped and Amir already cleared the room." After retrieving the bracers, Karethas moves back to the papers and begins to gently pack them up, placing them in between the pages of Slow Idi's spellbook. He nods at the gems, "Someone should grab those and we should get out of this accursed mist." Finally, after brushing off the bracers and rinsing them with water, he places them on his own wrists.
Amir will pull a sack, turn in inside out and move to scoop the gems up, trying to be careful not to touch them.
As soon as the gems are moved from their positions, the lamp above the table flares sending blinding streaks of brilliant colored lights rocketing around the room. A deep laugh echoes and scorching heat radiates from before you.
Will:
Fortunately not only was Kzrira suspiciously looking outside the room as Amir sought to lift the gem, but she also just happened to blink as the light flared.
What the heck was that?
Karethas presses his palms to his eyes and screams.
Amir, wary to not be touching the gems is front and center as a bright light flares throughout the room. By the vault!
Will
"Agh!"
I watch Karethas carefully store the papers, I watch intently and with excitement. I barely notice Amir pick the gems up, until the brilliant colours fill the room, at which point I look to Amir and then around the rest of the room in fascination.
"Oh wow, that is truly beautiful. How I would love to be able to paint, as this would be such a piece."
Auri
Amir
Karethas
Faelar
Kzrira
Flashy
The burst of multicolor lights leaves the old rogue, dragonette, and wizard momentarily blinded as a blast of dry heat billows through the cabin. Kzrira recovers quickly, but Faelar is lost in wonder at the fantastic pyrotechnic display.
The stranger muses, "Ha! Free at last. I am most grateful, thieves. Perhaps I will even let you live a few moments more before I boil you eyes in your skulls. But first tell me if you have not found an ancient scroll in your pilfering. Then I might even spare your lives."
I hear the voice of the man and turn around to face him, "My apologies Sir, I did not see you there. My name is Faelar, who may you be? We have found a scroll with details pertaining the vessel here, but they appear to be incomplete and the vessel appears to be lacking the most important parts to make it function. Is this the scroll you are speaking of?"
Despite Faelar's helpful demeanor, the powerful being is not placated. "This little boat?! It is nothing. Jhavhul would not have been held for a moment in a paper boat. He would have burned it. Like this!"
The walls of the room suddenly turn to violet flame transforming the small cabin into an oven.
Karethas lets out a scream at the pain, but quickly tries to catch his breath. "I found a scroll earlier, but I left it, hoping to come back and get it later without these others knowing of it." He steels himself against the burns across his body, "I could lead you to it...if I had reason to." As he waits for an answer he thinks, This all seems VERY dramatic, is something not what it seems here?
The booming voice growls, "Is your life a good enough reason? The others shall burn, but you will be spared if you can produce what I seek."
I step back out of the room and the blaze and aim an arrow at the creature.
Everyone get out before you all get fried.
Standard Action: Fire at the man if he approaches.
Auri follows Kz's voice out of the room, aparently unperturbed by the flames.
Kzrira and Aurichalcum retreat from the inferno though passing through the wall of opaque blue flame leaves even the dragonnette scorched. . On the far side of the wall however, no trace of the heat remains though Kzrira can no longer see what is happening within.
Karethas' eyes begin to clear, Just a few more seconds. "I will need them to help me retrieve the scroll. There have been creatures that we have bypassed between there and here. If you burn them, then you will not get your scroll."
Unable to see and sensing flames all about him Amir does his best to stay out of the way while Karethas talks.
"I do not think you are in a position to bargain, feeble mortal," the voice mocks as a burning hand grabs the back of Karethas' neck . "I will deal with any obstacles."
Kzrira suddenly realizes that she is very burned.
Auri - you have any healing magic? I cannot go into that inferno again and do not know how to help the others. Can you use your mind voice to tell them to get the hell out of there?
Yeh - figured it was a Wall of Fire of some sort when I took the damage, but felt no heat on the other side. By I, I mean the player, not Kzrira.
Auri zips over to tend Kz's burns
CMW
Before touching up his own...
CLW
Amir takes a defensive stance and blinks waiting for his vision to be restored. Although he is uncomfortably hot, he is not burned by the flames. Faelar, however, is less fortunate and as his smoldering clothes suddenly bring him back from reflecting on the beauty of the recent fireworks display he runs screaming from the cabin. Outside, Aurichalcum is curing Kzrira's burns with divine energy as the flaming elf rushes out of the fire.
Karethas struggles against the burning grip of his unseen tormentor as he feels himself lifted through the roof. Strangely, the creature's laughter stops once they are above the ship and it says, "Ah, you are very wise to tell me where the scroll is. I will honor my word and spare you your life."
Suddenly its burning grip releases the battered wizard and he plummets 20 feet to the deck of the ancient barge as the red man disappears into the amber myst.
Did the wall of fire disappear?
No sooner has the diabolical form disappeared and the wall of fire subsided then a strange sight resolves out of the myst causing you to wonder if your so recently bedazzled eyes are yet working correctly. A shaggy bearlike creature with the head of an elephant slowly floats down from the myst to hover over Karethas. In a slow sleepy voice, it asks the wizard if he is well enough to walk.
Karethas hits the deck with a great "Umphhh!" He lies there for a moment trying to get his breath back. When the creature appears he looks up at it with a look of bewilderment. He finally responds, "Hurt, but not seriously, thank you. Hello, by the way. I thought I imagined you yesterday."
The creature notices Karethas' look of bewilderment and explains in a groggy voice, "My name is Aribu. I am a baku. I will not harm you. We subsist only on the dreams of humanoids and prefer to stay hidden. I found that the dreams of creatures affected by this myst were quite varied and delicious so I have remained. I have altered the efreeti's memories so that he thinks you told him what he wished to know, but he will soon return. You should leave."
"I wondered why he let me go! Thank you for your help." He rises and turns to the others, "We should follow his advice. That efreeti was much too power for us to challenge as we are." As he turns toward the passageway out of the area he asks the baku, [b]"Aribu, is there anything we can do for you to repay you for your assistance."
The shaggy floating creature curls up her trunk and shrugs, "I should find a new place to live. This old shrine is rarely visited. If you know of a place where dreams are more abundant, I would be grateful."
"Then it is time to leave, and leave quickly... there is nothing to be learned in this strange place"
Kzrira looks at the baku. I do not know what type of dreams you seek, but humans are hoping to resettle the town of Kelmarane. Perhaps you might find the dreams you seek there.
If there is nothing else found, we can head out.
Karethas smiles at Auri as they walk, "Nothing new to learn, because we have learned a lot in here." At Kzrira's words Kararthas glances at the Baku. "Does feeding off a person's dreams cause them any harm?"
The baku leaves Karethas' question hanging as she waves her trunk goodbye and fades away from sight once again. You rush from the burning boat and the flames. The punky old wood resisted the fire for a while, but finally the supernatural flame proves stronger and the cave fills with thick gray smoke. Guided by Faelar's light, you duck down the corridor with the eery statues and are once again through the arcane doorway which seals behind you leaving you in the stale, but breathable air of the lower shrine.
Up the narrow stairs and you are back in the statue room where you left a rope to climb to the upper ruins. The more ominous passage was never explored, but you are uncertain how long you have before an angry efreeti returns.
I look at the others. If we want to check that other passage, we need to do it fast. And we need to make sure that we are all healed. Otherwise, perhaps we should call it a day and head out before the fiery one returns.
"Maybe some other time"
Auri flits about as though he's keen on leaving.
Kzrira nods in agreement: The lets head back to Kelmarane. We have some loose ends to tie up there and we need to get the princess back to her palace.
Kzrira says this rather sarcastically.
With an angry efreeti due back at any moment, it seems further exploration can wait. At least you feel confident that you have charted the region surrounding Kelmarane. You make your way out of the ruins and find the day passing quickly. You will not likely make it back to civilization today.
Back to the monastery since I do not think that we told the princess that we freed the town. Also, all that we have left is the Shrine to Sarenrae.
Perhaps we should return to the waterfall. I do not know whether the water spirit could help us, but mad efreet are not usually viewed as good in any place I know.
"Yes, a speedy exit is certainly in order, and lets use that wand once we are out to heal up. I think where depends on the time of day when we exit, since I have totally lost track of time while we have been inside for so long. If it's early enough to make it to the monastery, then I say go there, otherwise I agree that the waterfall would be a good place to go in case the efreet chooses to pursue us."
It is a weary march, but you reach the Twin Falls before the middle of the night and rest well. Though the guardian does not reveal herself, you know that you are watched.
The next day, you climb to the monastery and find all quiet, too quiet. As you enter the ruined nave, you immediately see that Zataran and all the wagons are gone. Small odds and ends are scattered here and there giving evidence of a hasty departure.
I hope that they are okay. Lets head to the town and see if they went that direction. Otherwise, they took their lives into their own hands. We are not their protectors.
All the same we might take a moment or two to ascertain their destination. Our other efforts may be hampered by their movements and while we are not their protectors there are many in that group I would not see suffer if it is the difference of some trivial effort on our part.
I follow everyone out of the shrine, back to the waterfalls and then back to the monastery, whistling and humming to myself quietly. But upon noticing that the monastery is abandoned yet again I cease my whistling and humming to look around briefly to see where everyone is. "To Kelmarane then, let us hope that they have just gone on ahead after hearing some news from someone."
I am down 11.