Lahapraset does not show up. Looks like you have another sea journey ahead of you.
Looking back the way they came, then at the unconscious enemies, Gnasher wonders aloud, "Maybe tribe leave wounded with, Zulfiqar if Sphinx still here."
Not sure if they should just leave the shaitan there, or drag them back to the boat, Gnasher looks towards Seif-al-Din and Malgrim and asks. "Leave Shaitan or take?" He shrugs, "Maybe wake Shaitan up and make walk."
Seif-al-Din shakes his head.
"I am not keen on letting them wake up. That could prove to be a hassle. We don't really have a way to restrain them, after all. If they try to run away, there isn't much we can do to stop them, after all - they can just sink into the ground...
Either we finish them off here, or drag them back with us."
"This whole plane is falling apart. Either they wise up and come begging to work with us later or they die here of their own poor decisions. I say we just leave them and go get on the boat." Malgrim says as he turns to head out.
"As long as there are intruders that are alive and unwilling to leave, we cannot leave, any of us. Two tasks I give you. First to rescue one of our own, Magiyawalla. With the loss of our previous leader, Thaiyanathan, we will need Magiyawalla to accomplish the escape. The second is to either convince the shaitan genies to willingly leave, or slay them."
Seif-al-Din shakes his head.
"We were tasked with either convincing them to leave, or killing them."
"Hmm...I thought Obherak was the only one who mattered. We could wake one and try and convince them to come with us and then get his friends on board. But they are unlikely to listen to anything I say." Malgrim says.
Shaking his muzzled head Gnasher wasn't sure what to do, wake them, not wake them, butcher them in their sleep. Moving from Shaitan to shaitan, he grabs them by a collar, or foot, or loose hand, piling them one on top of the other, he begins dragging them back the way they came. "While tribe consider options, no reason not to move towards boat."
Malgrim shrugs and follows along.
It is slow and frustrating going. Remember that you had to travel a ways from the shore before you got to this temple. Oh for a floating disk spell! OR seven of them considering the size of these things.
Growling at his own inability, Gnasher releases the collar of the shaitan he' attempted to drag. Turning to the others gnasher point the way they came, "Tribe leave Iqilma alive with Zulfiqar. Tribe wake Iquima up and tell her to rule shaitan someplace else. Make her responsibility."
As he moves back towards the sphynx lair Gnasher considers the best way to 'wake' the second in command.
You tie up and wake Iqilma. With Iqilma trussed up and held, she is unable to do the whole earth glide thing and is limited to glaring.
"This plane is about to die. We are breaking out. Obherak is gone. If you and the rest of the Shaitan wish to leave with us, you need to agree now." Malgrim says to Iqilma.
Seif-al-Din nods.
"I don't enjoy taking life - as long as you all remain sensible, we can *all* get out of here alive."
"Obherak, will stop you!"
Remember she has been out cold for a while.
Seif-al-Din shrugs.
"Obherak is dead. I can go and grab his head to prove it, if you really want, but I find desecrating the corpses of the dead distasteful; he had a warrior's death, and I would prefer to honor him as such."
He gives you a disbelieving look and snorts in derision.
Seif-al-Din shrugs, then turns to Shadow.
"Kivuli, leta kichwa cha shaitan chenye nguvu zaidi - kile ambacho kilikuwa kinampa Gnasher shida kubwa."
When the tiger brings back the (partially gnawed) head of the shaitans' leader, he shakes his head sadly.
"I tried to be reasonable, and spare both you and him this. This horror is on you."
She does a double take, examining the head and squinting at it like it might be an illusion. In the end, though, she shrugs.
"It looks like you bested him. So why am I still alive? Wait, did you say get us out of here? What do you mean by that? Where would we go?"
Joining the conversation, Gnasher adds "Lahapraset tell tribe no one leave unless everyone leave. So to leave, tribe need to convince shaitan to leave or slay them." He shakes his head in response to the last question. "Go wherever shaitan want, just can't stay here." He gestures towards the others, "Tribe go to hunt Jhavhul."
He looks thoughtful for a moment, thn agrees. "With Obherak gone, I think the others would be fine with escaping our luxury prison."
"Alright then. Let's do exactly that."
I'm going to cut to the chase. You return to the island and the proteans perform a ritual on you as you collect in a pool. You are forcibly ejected from the realm and are taken through a raging vortex of wind and fire into an odd room. The walls of this high-ceilinged room are made of of shining brass. Arched passageways obscured by curtains of orange fire lead out in the center of each wall—above each arch, a large rune is inscribed, each different from the others. An oppressive heat covers the room like a blanket, something more than what could be provided by the four curtains of flame. A jumble of open chests, overturned amphorae, and and scattered mounds of coins and gems lie scattered on the floor against the walls. A single phrase in florid script is inscribed along the domed ceiling above in runes similar to those that mark the arches, under which is a stylized rune that resembles an animal.
As you are deposited in the room, you recognize the scroll that started all this mess start to smolder and burn and quickly turn to ashes. It seems that it has had enough, or perhaps the proteans were successful and this is the sign. There is no sign of the shaitan's though. For whatever reason, they were not sent to the same location as you were, if they even survived!
As the ritual begins Gnasher looks around the pool, wondering about the others they'd met there on the 'islands.' His thoughts quickly change to survival as they are sent through the raging vortex and wind and fire. Glancing around the brass room he notes the scroll burning, wondering what has happened to the proteans and others. Quickly turning his attention back to the room, he shakes his head, not understanding the runes on the wall. Ignoring the treasure scattered around the room, Gnasher turns to the others, "Gnasher believe Tribe in City of Brass, capital of earth elemental plane." Nodding towards the runes, "Can anyone read runes?"
"I don't have a clue what those runes mean. Assuming they mean anything. Have you been to this City of Brass before?" Malgrim says as he looks around at the different doors.
Before the ritual, Urah wisely casts mage armor, shield of faith, and invisibility. At least he thinks it wise.
No, you do not. It is very hot here though. Like 100 degrees F.
No, you do not. It is very hot here though. Like 100 degrees F.
Shaking his head at Malgrim's question, "Gnasher never out of Katapesh before." Gnasher looks towards Seif-al-Din hoping he can translate the odd writing.
Wordlessly, Seif-al-Din casts Life Bubble on every member of the party (including Urah).
Malgrim points and says, "If we can't read the sigils, then we might as well just pick a direction and try to go that way. This one looks as good as any other to me. I can attempt to manipulate whatever magic is holding these fires in place to let us through."
"The runes on the ceiling and above the archways are numbers in Ignan. Those above the doors are the numerals 1 through 4. The ceiling inscription simply states, “Half or Triple plus One.”
Perhaps we have to go through the doors in a certain order?"
Nodding to Seif-al-Din as the Samasran casts 'air bubble' "Thank you."
Unable to read the numbers, Gnasher looks towards the doorway Malgrim points at. Hearing Sief-al-Din read the numbers and inscription, the gnoll slowly nods, "Another riddle, but which door?"
As Gnasher tries to apply what little he knows about riddles and math his eyes begin to glaze over. Eventually, hoping his friends have a better understanding than himself, he asks, "Maybe tribe just start with one?"
"There are four, so half would be door 2. Triple plus 1 seems to point to 4. Maybe we just avoid the odd numbered doors." Malgrim says before asking, "Which doors are listed as 2 and 4?"
See link above for current map.
Soon after you appear, 4 brass constructs appear out of the curtains of fire and launch an attack on you!
knowledge (arcana) for more information.
Please update your rolls (particularly init which probably has not changed) on the party info slides/link.
Seif-al-Din attempts to ID the constructs.
Seif-al-Din attempts to ID the constructs.
Knowledge(Arcana): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32.
Realizing the copper creatures were attacking them, Gnasher begins to rage. As he begins to enlarge His paws grow into overly large claws, his eyes glow red, his fangs enlarge and he begins to froth at the mouth. While his brown hide takes on a red-orange cast to it, giving a peculiar laugh. Clicking his heels together to activate his boots of speed, he steps to the east and lifts his adamantine bardiche, chopping repeatedly at the southern construct.
Everyone except Malgrim can go (and Gnashr who just went).
Gnasher smacks it twice and it take 62 damage. It ignores his worthless threats. Constructs are never intimidated.
Seif-al-Din casts Bless, and then Shadow pounces on Yellow!
Shadow does some damage (9) but not a lot since the holy bonuses do not apply, it has significant DR, and she seems a bit off balance (those nat 1s did not help).
Yellow: -71 HP.
Should I have Urah pass? Remember he is currently invisible and would rather remain that way. Then again he does have some snowball spells. And you could request that he learn some defensive spells he could cast while being a coward (remember I gave you the option of picking spells for him).
Ongoing effects not mentioned below:
Bold may go.
Urah (-0 HP)
Yellow Brass Man (-71 HP)
Green Brass Man (-0 HP)
Red Brass Man (-0 HP)
Black Brass Man (-0 HP)
Malgrim Gryh (-0 HP)
❖❖❖ Round 2 ❖❖❖
Seif (-0 HP)
Shadow (-0 HP)
Gnasher (-0 HP)
Urah hides himself... somewhere.
The brass men move forward to attack.
Malgrim's armor saves him.
Since yellow is grabbed, it will use its fists.
Shadow gets thwacked for 48
And Gnasher takes 49 damage too.
Ongoing effects not mentioned below:
Bold may go.
Malgrim Gryh (-0 HP)
❖❖❖ Round 2 ❖❖❖
Seif (-0 HP)
Shadow (-48 HP)
Gnasher (-49 HP)
Urah (-0 HP)
Yellow Brass Man (-71 HP)
Green Brass Man (-0 HP)
Red Brass Man (-0 HP)
Black Brass Man (-0 HP)
Shadow scrabbles fruitlessly at Yellow.
AS the copper constructs close in, Gnasher is unable to step back to strike the southern construct. Taking the blows in stride, Gnasher leaves the southern construct to the tiger. Turning he clicks his heels again, lifting the bardiche he chops repeatedly at the northern copper construct.