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It seems Mr Peppers wasn't even listening to the opening briefing, focusing instead on a last look at his spellbook. "What's that you say? A genie in bottle? Oh, an iron lamp. I see. And we're to rescue the woman? Oh its Zahra, I remember her. Sounds like its going to be hot, we should be sure to bring that dreaded cold mold bottle."
He turns slightly to face Stali "Nice to see you've decided to join us again Stali." He nods slightly. "A word of advice if I may: Don't try to understand women, you'll merely give yourself a headache."
He taps his chin lightly, focusing a bit more on the information he's been given by Sirettis and Gallix? "Gallix? Was it you I saw in the library? What's going on here... Oh and if this genie is fathering undines then I'm going to assume we'll need to prepare to face water creatures."
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"Zahra has blue skin, Mister One-Penny." Sirettis gently reminds him- before realizing he never travelled there with the other Red Arm members. "I suspect she is an undine. Perhaps she took this opportunity to discover her heritage. I do have many questions of my life before I was owned."
She pauses. "I do question the wisdom in going alone to an abandoned city known to be the prison for a powerful tyrant. But knowledge is a strong lure."
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He taps his chin lightly, focusing a bit more on the information he's been given by Sirettis and Gallix? "Gallix? Was it you I saw in the library? What's going on here... Oh and if this genie is fathering undines then I'm going to assume we'll need to prepare to face water creatures."
"Oh. Yeah, that was me. Heheh! Guess I forgot to tell you--I've picked up some new tricks since our last mission." Gallix waves his hand and clumsily utters an incantation. Across the room, one of Zahra's books begins to levitate off the table. "See? Now I'm a magic guy too!"
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Venture-Captain Osretia cocks her head at Stali's question. "A fair point. I’d like to believe Zahrah intends to return the lamp - a powerful artifact - to the Society, but her singular obsession with genies—and marids specifically—gives me pause. She could very well want the lamp for her own purposes; that’s why we want you to find her and ensure she doesn’t get in over her head."
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Mr. Peppers knows that Koor, as a ruined forge city of Qadira, is likely to be unbearably hot. Traveling into the untouched steel vault in the ruins there even moreso.
After completing your purchases, you depart Katheer and travel due east through the desert. Perhaps with camels? Or perhaps by foot. Either way, you make it there in a few hours thanks to the Pathfinder Society's infallible means of travel.
A multi-hued pavilion tent bristles against the wind as its unsecured flap whips wildly in the sandblasted desert. Ahead, a large white-washed causeway slants skyward toward a shattered citadel capped with a gleaming bronze dome. Behind the citadel, several minarets stretch their worn brass and bronze exteriors toward the sky. Even more impressive is the huge clay wall that encases the crumbling city of Koor.
As the sun crest the horizon, the first unbearable rays of heat reflect off Koor’s long-baked earthen fortifications, staining them a blood red—an eerie sight, regardless of whether it’s a tribute to the fallen defenders of the once-great forge-city, or merely a trick of light.
A simple base camp rests outside Koor, flanking the road leading north to Omash. Two small tents and one larger pavilion tent are here. Which one will you enter/how will you approach?
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Mr Peppers casually relays what he knows about Koor on the trip there, it becoming pretty quickly obvious that its going to be hot. "Hrm, I see why they wanted to imprison a water genie here... this is unpleasant to say the least." He clutches his cold bottle of mold closely, being particularly averse to sweating.
"I've gone and prepared your favorite spell my friends, especially considering Stali is accompanying us again." He waves a dried up piece of root around for everyone to pick up on what he's talking about (obviously).
"The last time we dealt with tents in the desert it was an unwelcome occasion. Be wary." Tall, dark and wary draws out his iron wand and summons in his favorite shimmering shirt of chain.
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"I am not certain if you are pessimistic... or cautious." Sirettis prepares Mage Armor for herself.
She then casts Perceive Cues and looks into one of the small tents.
She also scans the area for magical auras.
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D. had been quiet for the entire time.
Though at Sirettis' comment towards Mr. Peppers..
"Perhaps paranoid that every abode hides potential death, every corner we may turn hides more death."
Though Mr. Peppers can spot a slight hint of amusement, since
D.'s just messing with his elven comrade.
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Knowing that his newly discovered magical skills pale in comparison to those of Mr. Peppers and Sirettis, Gallix decides he may have to rely on wands and scrolls for his travels through the dessert. He makes sure to pick up something for any unfamiliar languages, as well as something to deal with fear in case the group runs into any demons like last time. Finally he buys a wand to help him keep his wits about him, so he's ready to spring into battle at the first sign of trouble.
When the Red Arm gang rolls up to the base camp, Gallix uses his newly acquired wand to sharpen his senses. He keeps an eye out for danger not only around the tents themselves, but out in the dessert as well. Never know what can come up out of the dessert, after all.
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The smaller supply tents contain all manner of surveying gear: ropes, plumb-bobs, stakes, and levels. The crates hold pickaxes, awls, hammers, chisels, crowbars, and shovels. It's obvious that whoever brought an expedition here was well-prepared.
The larger tent is more elaborate and interesting. Rich carpets soften the earthen floor of this lavish pavilion, and time-weathered maps envelop a desk and table. Opposite the map-buried surfaces rest lavish pillows and a plush bed that beckon to road-weary travelers. Several crates stand stacked along the tent’s southern fold. Its northern flap contain an armor stand and two tables covered in equipment.
Given that the incense has long burned to ash, the oil pots have burned dry, and a layer of desert sand dusts the surfaces of the desk and table, Stali's sure that the pavilion was last inhabited nearly a month ago.
Examining the main tent, Gallix finds a journal half-tucked under a rug beneath the bed.
Today finds me in a wonderful mood, as I am once again in Koor. Something about its clay streets comforts me. I am quite busy planning my explorations. I have identified several promising locations and am confident I shall find the vault.
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Yesterday was very productive. I thoroughly searched several buildings, and discovered a few simple relics. But I am no closer to finding the Forbidden Furnace. Still, I quiver with excitement. What a brilliant day! I located the smelting house, and confirmed that the symbol from my research matches the markings etched on the building’s ruined walls.
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I saw it! It was only a flash of brilliant scales, but I am sure I had my first encounter with the legendary naga of Koor. I shall wake early and try to establish contact.
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Stupid day! I followed that ignorant beast into the vault, but it is as if it just vanished. Still, I made the initial penetration into the furnace. Blast this awful heat! I find the desert grating, and the stinging insects that assault me during the night are terrible. The furnace contained strange ethers, including a tangible blue mist—something about it was bizarre. I shall head back in the morning, and perhaps check other parts of the city for ingress into the vault. Surely the Forbidden Furnace has a back door.
Sirettis - and obviously Mr. Peppers - sense an abjuration aura from the breast plate on the armor stand.
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Mr Peppers raises an eyebrow at D before cracking the faintest smile. "I know to be wary of danger when I'm hanging out with the likes of you my friend. Not to mention Gallix keeps me on my toes lest he soak me in some fermented swill."
He heads inside the tent and quickly scans the room for the only thing that matters.. magic. "A magical breastplate... let's have a look.. or perhaps it is just a lure?" He concentrates to see what's what.
After the work with the armor he again calls upon his magic to clean the corner of the bed and have a seat while they read through the journal. "Biting insects at night, good to know..."
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Among other clues inside the main tent, Stali finds a marked map. Many maps lay on the table, but on one of the more ancient — depicting Koor in its halcyon days—someone has circled the smelting house in ink.
Searching among the pots and plates on the makeshift kitchen in the tent’s northeast corner, Gallix finds a set of broken, rusted ingot molds. The relics have recently been sanded and deoxidized to reveal the insignia of Koor’s smelting house.
Sirettis and Mr. Peppers identify the breastplate as a +1 energy resistance (fire) breast plate. It's adorned with some sort of iconography.
Closer inspection of the armor reveals a depiction of a stern-looking priest forcing a marid into a lamp.
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Mr Peppers raises his finely manicured eyebrow as he identifies the breastplate. He leans in for a closer look and mentions a few more added nuggets. "Ahh Toragdan iconography blended with Qadiran motifs. This armor is engraved with the entire tale of the battle between Ahmad of the North and the Mad Marid. Intricate Keleshite script etched into the armor’s inner surface recounts the high priest’s victory in intricate detail. You also uncover a series of slightly larger letters among the text that, when pulled from the prose and arranged in order, describe the following..."
He clears his throat, reading them, emphasizing the highlighted letters. "A hidden message... WHEN I LOOKED, SIX IS SAFE AND SOUND. FOUR MAY FIND YOU BURIED UNDERGROUND." He looks up up the rest of the group "Sounds like a bit of info to pass by a trap maybe?"
He turns to admonish Gallix as he goes through the kitchen "Are you really hunting for food? This tent has been empty for weeks, the food is likely spoiled."
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Gallix comes up short on his religious knowledge and can't help but to think all that studying he did before this most recent mission must not've stuck very well. He shrugs it off, however, as he begins to translate the inscription.
Before he can even open his mouth to share the knowledge, however, mister tall, dark, and brainy tells the whole tale. Gallix simply stares at Mr. Peppers and mutters under his breath. "Stupid, know-it-all elf. Been alive for hundreds of years probably and still can't get enough of himself. *grumblegrumble*"
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Uesugi shakes his head. "Thank you Spirit but my own tatami-do will suffice. The barbarian could benefit if he could use but I think it would slow him down."
Always intrigued with art he looks at the breastplate as Spirit lifts it.
"The armor is a blend of Toragdan iconography and Qadiran motifs.
It also depicts an image some stern-looking priest forcing a marid into a lamp. Does that mean anything to any of you?"
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Mr Peppers raises a brow, being pretty sure he just said that. "Being able to resist fire could be pretty helpful, but now I'm starting to think my fire spells won't be particularly useful here. A pity." He looks towards the floor and bounces a slight bit on the bed to test its comfort level.
"Shall we check out the smaller tents now?" He rises to his feet and adjusts his backpack straps.
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Mr Peppers' hands quickly become available as scrolls are produced. "Here, let me take those off your hands..." He quickly waves a practiced hand over them and takes a closer look.
"Oh, very nice. I do not have these in my spellbook..." He quickly hands one off to Sirettis. "This one is restoration. Its a shame we haven't found the ability to convert it to an arcane version." His lips curl in annoyance briefly before describing the remaining two scrolls.
"Arcane eye and locate creature. Both very helpful tools in exploring and finding lost individuals. I could copy it into my spellbook to be used as needed, but it would take 5 hours. A very long time in your lifespans." He greedily reads through the magic a bit. Perhaps they won't be needed and I can copy them at my leisure... what the society doesn't know doesn't hurt them when it comes to my 'acquired' spells...
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“What do you need in order to use the one called Locate Creature? Can it find our missing Pathfinder?”
“We know where to start looking, but sometimes people aren’t where you expect them to be!”
As he says this, he goes over to help Gallix with the armor. “You sure this will be alright? Seems rather restrictive!”
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“What do you need in order to use the one called Locate Creature? Can it find our missing Pathfinder?”
“We know where to start looking, but sometimes people aren’t where you expect them to be!”
"Yes. We've met this woman before on the plane of water on a previous mission." He looks back at Sirettis I've honestly have no idea what sort of spells she can cast, but I know I can't cast it reliably.
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With all signs, including a marked map, pointing you to Koor's smelting house, you depart the camp and begin your walk towards there. Travel to the smelting house takes about 30 minutes, and on your way there, you encounter a series of brightly colored flags roped off with surveyor's string that lead to your destination.
Inside the smelting house, a secret passage stands open that descends down into the earth. The warmth below the smelting house becomes increasingly unbearable as you descend 50 feet below the city streets.
Black iron girds the lower half of this grand hall’s walls, while a vibrant mosaic covers the upper half. The mural depicts a greedy man risking his life for a golden trinket. On the hall’s east wall, an ornamental door seems incomplete; its center is devoid of decorations in a six-foot-diameter circle. Flanking this door are six additional cast iron doors, three on the north wall and three on the south. On the chamber’s west wall is the staircase you descended from.
A character in very hot conditions (above 90° F) must make a Fortitude saving throw each hour (DC 15, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. Characters wearing heavy clothing or armor of any sort take a –4 penalty on their saves. A character with the Survival skill may receive a bonus on this saving throw and might be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well (see the skill description). Characters reduced to unconsciousness begin taking lethal damage (1d4 points per hour).
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Mr Peppers nods in agreement with Sirettis, keeping his brown mold bottle outside of his haversack, enjoying the cooling effect. "Most of you have these bottles still correct? Now is a good time to put them to use." He turns to Stali "If you feel like the heat is too much then I can protect you from the elements with a spell. I believe Gallix has a wand that can as well."
As they begin eyeballing the corridor and its ample choice of rooms, Mr Peppers pauses Uesugi to offer him a protection of his own. He traces a sigil of flames on his chest plate and intones the words. "Fire will not burn you for the next 80 minutes my friend."