Paritosh pauses mid-bite of a handful of nuts, the morsels almost spilling from his fingers as he considers Fadilah's question. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, his brow furrowing in contemplation.
"Ah, the question of wives! It is not a matter to be taken lightly," he replies, his tone serious. "One must ensure that domestic tranquility reigns supreme in the household. After all, what is wealth without peace?"
He takes another small handful, chewing thoughtfully before continuing, "I have indeed given this considerable thought, my friend. I want to make certain that any additional wives I choose are not only agreeable to me but also to you and Zairiah."
Paritosh gestures with his free hand, as if painting a picture in the air. "Picture this: a home filled with laughter, not quarrels. If my chosen wives cannot coexist peacefully with you both, then what joy can they bring us?"
He leans back, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Besides, it would be a disservice to my own happiness to invite discord into the fold. We would have to share everything—meal times, stories, and even the camels!"
With a chuckle, he adds, "Thus, I have decided to consult with you both before making any choices. Your approval means more to me than the finest gold, for it ensures harmony in our humble abode!"
Finishing his handful of nuts, he smiles warmly, "So, my dears Fadilah and Zairiah, what say you? Who do you think would make a worthy addition to our merry family, and which of you is to be First Wife, and which is Second?"
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Fadilah watches Paritosh stuff his mouth with some nuts and then provide his response, then she scoots slightly closer to Zairiah and says, "But if I wanted be roommates with Zairiah, why not just cut out the middleman?"
Frackit sighs." So one has multiple woves the other multiple husbands. Oh by the gods does that make you all wrapping up as a giant ball of snakes in heat!!!" Frackit says giving an illustration he had seen about snakes and mating.
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Zairiah maintains a smooth face and puts her arm around Fadilah.
Paritosh, still savoring the last of the nuts, nearly chokes at Frackit's unexpected commentary. He coughs lightly, wiping crumbs from his mouth as he raises an eyebrow at the absurd imagery.
"A ball of snakes, you say?" he exclaims, unable to contain a chuckle. "I assure you, my friends, my intentions are far more noble than that! Domestic harmony is my aim, not a writhing mass of chaos!"
He leans forward, a twinkle in his eye as he glances between Fadilah and Zairiah. "If we were to form such a tangled web of relationships, it would be one of laughter and joy, not a frenzy of hissing and biting!"
Paritosh gestures animatedly, envisioning the scenario. "Imagine a gathering—everyone contributing their talents. Fadilah with her grace, Zairiah with her calmness, and I with my… well, let's say my charming company!"
He leans back, crossing his arms with a grin. "But really, my dear Fadilah, if you prefer to room with Zairiah, who am I to stand in your way? Perhaps I should just set up camp outside and let you two have your space. After all, I can share a tent with Jamal!"
He gives a wink to Zairiah, "Just promise not to let the two of you start your own snake ball without me—I'd hate to miss the spectacle!"
Diliram says, "Why haven't you asked Mistress Nura?
Fadilah adds, "You haven't given us much inducement... remember, we are not beholden to fathers or family who will take a hefty dowry in exchange for our hands. We are our own independent women and if we marry it will be because we have been suitably convinced!"
"Not that I would necessarily mind having a partner for canoodling like our wonderful compatriots here. But one cannot simply assume!"
Diliram flashes a coy wink at Paritosh and says, "Hissing and biting is not always a bad thing. Young man, you need to become more acquainted with the joys of love."
Namered starts to bellow a loud laugh "Ho, Ho, Ho, my angel is always so flirtatious." and the two genies embrace.
"That's true Nura is I assume eligible as well and a comrade in arms, though as a Captain of the sea, is she married to the sea?" he pauses then strokes his mustache.
"I should find a nice gnome lass too. though maybe after we see the King, Emperor? Who is in charge of this land again?"
"I will not marry anytime soon. I'm far too much of a free spirit, but I do appreciate the invitation, and if it's just a roll in the sheets that you are thinking of, then maybe we can work something out. I'm not shy." She blows a kiss to Frackit and winks at Fadilah.
Zairiah gets up to help herself to some food, leaving the others to their conversation.
She eats quickly. She then brushes her camels, speaks to a few people in the larger caravan to make sure they are taken care of, cleans her hands and teeth, and retires to her bedroll to get some rest.
Paritosh looks around at his companions, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"You know," he begins, scratching his chin as he considers the notion of gathering wives, "after much contemplation, I find myself rather unprepared for such an endeavor."
He leans against Jamal, his loyal camel, with a sigh. "The idea of managing not just one, but multiple wives is a weighty thought indeed. The balance of harmony and happiness is no small task!"
Paritosh shakes his head lightly, a hint of humor creeping into his voice. "While the prospect of sharing my life with wonderful women is appealing, I would need to ensure that everyone is agreeable and that tranquility reigns in our humble abode."
He gestures to the group, "For now, I shall focus on the camaraderie we share and leave the complex matters of love and marriage for another day. Besides, one must not rush into such things!"
With a playful grin, he adds, "Perhaps I will simply collect more nuts and stories for the time being. Those are far easier to manage!"
Diliram smiles and says, "Young man, that is good to hear."
You spend the evening catching the genies up on your adventures for the past week or so while they were meeting up with the Grand Caliph of the plane of Air.
GM Rolls
Your caravan camps for the night and each of you take your shift on guard duty and the night goes by without anything of import. The next day you continue on your way to Muluk, it is much easier to get your bearings in the area the valleys of the Furrowed Mountains.
GM rolls
In the mid afternoon, as your party traverses a sand dune and you are carefully trying to descend it without losing the footing of your camels, you see a destroyed, abandoned caravan, half covered in sand.
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"Mayhap we should check it out, but let's be wary. It could be a trap."
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"Of course it's a trap! We should assume that, and head on over, right?"
"So not used to all this heat, ugh" he says as he sits back on the camel he is riding with and then sees the smoke.
"We should see if there are survivors, or at least perform last rights. Though I would warrant caution."
"Oh that reminds me what sort of trap could this be, I mean how do they operate out here. I'm used to hills, forests and crags with fields" he looks around and then looks at the others.
"Deserts are still new too me. In fact I almost died there multiple times. Wait!!!! They might be hiding under the sands and in the smoldering wreckage!"
Well, our caravan should stay back, but let's definitely go over and see if they were carrying anything of interest or high value.
She starts walking over there.
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Fadilah says, "One moment."
rounds
After a few minutes' wait, Fadilah casts an unseen servant and directs it forward to start sorting through the wreckage and placing pieces in a wide circle around the broken caravan.
As you walk closer you can better see the grisly seen before you. There is a wooden cart in the middle of the caravan, that looks like it has burst outwards in a most violent matter. There are rotten corpses strewn about in increasingly more disgusting and horrifying states of disrepair. The stench is gruesome. You also see tattered shrouds amongst the bodies.
Success, I believe.
GM Rolls
Fadilah
Zairiah
The rotten bodies animate and come towards you to attack.
Initiative: Enemy , Party
Round 1
Party
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Nura sighs with exasperation. "Why is everything I meet trying to kill me?!" She attacks the nearest zombie.
Zairiah screams and cowers in fear.
"Maybe you give off that vibe, one that screams 'Fight Me', Personally I would not want to cross blades with you!" Frackit says drawing his Battle Axe and going to attack the corpse.
As the foul stench of rotting flesh wafts through the air, Paritosh feels a surge of determination. He steps forward, positioning himself between his frightened companions and the oncoming animated corpses, his heart racing but his resolve unyielding.
"Fear not, my friends!" he calls out, his voice steady despite the grotesque sight before them. "These creatures may be but shadows of their former selves, yet they shall not pass without a fight!"
With a swift motion, he draws his khopesh, the blade gleaming ominously in the dim light. "Stand behind me, and I shall hold them at bay! We will not let these wretched beings rob us of our lives or our spirits!"
As the nearest corpse lunges, Paritosh grips the khopesh tightly and strikes with precision.
He leans into the attack, channeling his energy into the swing.
"Now, let us send these wretches back to the ground from whence they came!" he declares, his eyes gleaming with determination as he prepares to face whatever horrors lie ahead.
GM rolls
Nura and Frackit miss their attacks but Paritosh gashes the living corpse deeply.
Corpse 1 attacks Nura trying to grab her throat but he misses
Corpse 2 attacks Zariah trying to grab her throat but he misses
Corpse 3 attacks Frackit trying to grab his throat but he misses
Corpse 4 attacks Paritosh hit trying to grab his throat doing choking damage.
Corpse 5 attacks Fadilah trying to grab her throat but he misses
Corpse 6 attacks Nura trying to grab her throat but he misses
Initiative: Party Enemy
Round 2
Corpse 1 attacks Nura trying to grab her throat but he misses
Corpse 2 attacks Zariah trying to grab her throat but he misses
Corpse 3 attacks Frackit trying to grab his throat but he misses
Corpse 4 attacks Paritosh hit trying to grab him but misses
Corpse 5 attacks Fadilah trying to grab her throat doing damage
Corpse 6 attacks Nura trying to grab her throat doing damage
Party
Zairiah, still shaking from the strange fear that overtook her, forces herself to attack in order to help her comrades. She slices at Corpse 2.
Frackit laughs as he then winces.
"Ew, Their like over done chicken"he says in jest as he goes to attack again.
As Paritosh stands resolute against the approaching animated corpses, his confidence quickly turns to shock as one of the foul creatures lunges forward, its decaying hand closing around his throat.
He gasps, struggling to breathe as panic flickers in his eyes. "By Najm, no!" he manages to choke out, grappling with the corpse's grasp.
Summoning his strength, Paritosh fights against the panic, his khopesh still clutched tightly in his hand. "You shall not claim me so easily!" he growls, regaining his composure.
With a sudden burst of energy, he brings the khopesh down in a fierce arc toward the creature's arm, aiming to sever its grasp.
With the first attack, he feels the blade bite into rotting flesh. Not giving the creature a moment to recover, he swings again, determined to free himself from its clutches.
"Release me, you abomination!" Paritosh shouts, his resolve strengthened by the fight. With each strike, he feels the grip loosening, the adrenaline coursing through him, fueling his determination to prevail against the undead menace.
Nura and Fadilah
Nura blanches as the creature's hand closes around her throat, but she fights back the fear. She slashes at the offending limb with her scimitar.
Fadilah tries to back up, discovers that the thing is still clinging to her, and lashes out in panic with her staff of the sea.
Paritosh attacks and the undead creature falls to the ground, letting go just enough for him to go free.
Zairiah and Nura also hit whereas Frackit misses his attack.
Fadilah hits the corpse on her and it crumbles to the ground.
Initiative: Party , Enemy
Round 3
Party
Zairiah attacks again.
Frackit takes another swing hoping to hit the thing..
Nura savagely slices again at the corpse holding fast to her.
Paritosh, fueled by the adrenaline of battle, takes a quick glance around at the chaos unfolding. Spotting the nearest injured undead, he grips his khopesh tightly and darts forward, determination etched across his face.
"You shall not haunt the living any longer!" he declares, his voice steady as he closes the distance.
With a swift motion, he brings the khopesh up and lunges at the wounded creature, aiming for a decisive strike.
Fadilah
Fadilah takes a moment looking back and forth, getting a handle on the battlefield, then moves up near Paritosh to help him against the oncoming horde.
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Zairiah, Fadilah and Frackit attack and miss their targets.
Nura and Paritosh destroy the corpses on them and Nura damages the second one attacking her.
Corpse 2 attacks Zariah trying to grab her throat but he misses
Corpse 3 attacks Frackit trying to grab his throat but he misses
Corpse 6 attacks Nura hit trying to grab him and does damage
Initiative Party , Enemy
Round 4
Party
Zairiah swings again.