During the dawn watch, Omari prays to the Horned Lord,
L0 (4) : Guidance, Detect Magic, Stabilize, Light
L1 (4+1D+1W) Bless(domain), Divine Favor, Divine Favor, Murderous Command, Liberating Command, ***
L2 (4+1D+1W) Featherfall (domain), Burst of Radiance, Burst of Radiance, Lesser Restoration, Protection From Evil (Communal), ***
L3 (4+1D+1W) Fly (domain), Dark-Light, Resist Energy (Communal), Dispel Magic, Invisibility Purge, ***
L4 (3+1D+1W) Summon Monster IV (domain), Freedom of Movement, Blessings of Fervor, Hallucinogenic Smoke, ***
L5 (2+1D) Beast Shape III (Domain), Hunter’s Blessing, Forbid Action (greater),
L6 (1+1D)
and he prepares breakfast (Heroes Feast; if you are wondering, everyday will start with the breakfast of champions from now on. It's either that or Mass Fly in my 6th level domain slot.)
Ohrmizd puts his hand over Heshan's shoulder "Omari is right. Let's just use mundane objects to alert ourselves shall a door be opened "
---
The next day, the Keleshite enjoys the heroes breakfast "Rayhan, were you expecting this kind of trip when we reached you with the scroll of Kakoshon?"
During the morning preparations, Ohrmizd will profit his time to study the brazier in the other room, as well as examine the frescoes.
Also, detecting magic, evilness and chaos in the room.
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"For sure not. I like books to satisfy my curiosity. I'm beyond the point where I crave first hand experiences. And now all that curiosity destroyed the object of interest. We had the Scroll of Kakishon, travelled there and have nothing to show for it." Rayhan throws his hands into the air.
"Maybe I'll write a book about it later. So it isn't forgotten"
"I am sorry for that man" Ohrmizd recognizes the lost of purpose for a life of dedication in Rayhan's words and genuinely feels bad for him "At least we got out of there alive to tell about the marvels of Kakishon. I think you should write that book. And you should write about your first-hand adventure A Last Trip through Kakishon"
The Keleshite returns from his foray into the other room with a carpet and a bag "Look what I found. It seems your blessings are well put on the food rather than flying" he unrolls the carpet into the floor and tries to fly with it a bit.
Also he offers the bag, a bag of holding and the spell component pouch and platinum coins within.
...
The Keleshite returns from his foray into the other room with a carpet and a bag "Look what I found. It seems your blessings are well put on the food rather than flying" he unrolls the carpet into the floor and tries to fly with it a bit.Also he offers the bag, a bag of holding and the spell component pouch and platinum coins within.
"Good job Ohrmizd."
After breakfast, Omari calls the others close "Gather Round, and receive Erastil's blessing!" Once the rest of the party has come to him, he casts Hunter's Blessing on the assembled...
"Now, we are ready to continue to explore this palace of Javhul's." He gestures to the secret door and says "After you" to Ohrmizd.
Heshan shrugs in response. "Suit yourself then."
----------------
Heshan spends his time casting Mage Armor, Overland Flight and Protection From Arrows on himself.
He also receives the blessings Omari provided to the party.
He does add one more thing to Rayhan. "I do ask to go a bit easy on the diplomacy mishaps we had."
Leaving the hiding spot the group moves on where they stopped the last day. The next chamber is dark, save for a single flickering lamp on the
north wall. All of the room’s other lamps have gone out. A scattering of debris covers the floor. The brass walls are decorated with imprints of humanoids wreathed in flame, sitting upon prayer mats and bowing toward the exit to the west.
Before continuing the exploration, Ohrmizd empowers his shield with magic vestment and prepares some additional long running magics: bloodhound, keen edge, clay skin, heroism and heightened awareness.
On the next room, he does examine carefully the lamp, then the debris, and finally the brass humanoids.
Also, using detect magic and detect evil in the room.
"I wonder who the beings were worshiping here?" Heshan mused as he took a look at the place himself. "Given their warm reception of us yesterday, it could not have been of a good deity."
Among the rubble are a suit of scale mail, a masterwork heavy steel shield, a masterwork warhammer, and 3 shortspears. The most interested thing though is a half-melted crown of adamantine [ooc](worth 500 gp)]/ooc]
The lamps are just that. All but the one lit have run out of oil. The brass art shows worship, but it is not clear what.
"Ohrmizd, you are our best tracker, two questions. First, where did the Azers and the Bodak go? We did not see them after we exited our camp, and presumably they did not come here, as they did not take the crown... Second, are there any other tracks in this room? They implied that Javhul and his servants had abandoned this palace, but I would have expected all the oil lamps to run out of fuel at roughly the same time - which implies that someone refilled the one that is still burning... and that we have company in here."
Omari examines the oil lamps carefully, assessing how big their oil reservoir is, and thus how long it can have been since this oil lamp was re-filled.
Then he stops cold - something new has occured to him "Rayhan, why would there be oil lamps in an elemental plane of fire, where presumably, you could just find a piece of elemental fire and just put in a holder for light that would last forever?"
"Or they already sacked the place and left us the crumbs. How to know?" Ohrmizd points the exit "The Bodak and the azers left after our fight. They seemed hesitant about what to do next with their contractor dead. As they do not seem to have came back, I guess they just left"
He does though look at the signs of activity in the room to check if someone has been around recently.
If nothing relevant is found, Ohrmizd casts shield of faith and moves forward into the fountain room.
Heshan shrugged. "I may not be an expert in the Plane of Fire, but I do know that people like convenience. Even if a lantern would only shave off a minute or two, but it does save some time."
He then turned towards Ohrmizd. "For once, I am glad we did not have to fight that undead. I have never seen anything that could render someone dead just by looking at them."
Ohrmizd finds nothing magic in the room. To tell where the bodak and the mamliks went is hardly possible but Ohrmizd notices every little detail and can tell even though the fight left a mess in the previous room and th eintentionally scattered stuff with many tracks of those who did doesn't help, he can tell that the bodak wasn't here.
Omari finds that the reservoir of oil has probably to be refilled once a day.
"I don't know. Depending on who lit them it might have sentimental reasons."
"The more interesting question would be who lit it? The bodak wouldn't, neither would the fire elementals. They all see in the dark, or make their own light."
"Well it will be hard to tell anything more just standing here, unless you want to spend your divinations on such a thing" Ohrmizd leaves the debris and lamp after a detailed check.
"Let's keep exploring, and we might answer some of the questions" he then casts his shield of faith and moves forward into the next room.
"Well it will be hard to tell anything more just standing here, unless you want to spend your divinations on such a thing" Ohrmizd leaves the debris and lamp after a detailed check.
"Let's keep exploring, and we might answer some of the questions" he then casts his shield of faith and moves forward into the next room.
"You're right about that, but keep sharp, there's clearly somebody about..."
Omari (and Khedron) follow Ohrmzid into the next room.
"So you are saying that there is another figure who has yet to make their presence known. That sounds ominous. Or interesting." The only way to find out was to keep moving as the inquisitor, and that's what he did as he followed the others.
The tinkling sound of falling water and a cool spray of refreshing mist are surprising features of this chamber. At its center stands a large fountain, its basin composed of fire-glazed porcelain inset with lapis lazuli and its central font constructed of marble of the purest white. A jet of cool water gushes into the air and falls back into the basin where it slowly drains away, causing the gas lamps to flicker in the moisture-laden air.
"On the elemental plane of fire... That's got to be magical"
Omari mutters a quick cantrip and takes his time studying the fountain...
11 rank +3 trained
Ohrmizd closes his eyes and extends his arms enjoying the moisture covering his body "This feels good after so much heat"
He tries to make his own judgement on the fountain, but he is also not an specialist.
"Maybe this is just a kind of oasis in the plane. Perhaps it is even the reason they made this fortress around the place" he theorizes, a bit more knowledgeable on this kind of stuff after so many plane hops.
"It is definitely magical, though it is a bit difficult to tell what its properties are," Heshan surmised.
To Orhmizd, he shrugged. Perhaps, but if that was the case, we should expect to have more people guarding the area."
Rayhan is stunned looking at the fountain in the magic spectrum. "This is powerful magic. For sure an artifact. It is - besides obviously being a magical fountain - a prison for an outsider."
"What kind of outsider? A demon? A devil? Or just another fire elmental?" Ohrmizd looks straight at the running waters "Or maybe it is some kind of water elemental? That would explain why they hold him prisoner here... perhaps its an enemy of Javhul"
"Well, if we don't know what is imprisoned, I would suggest we should not release it. Magical studies are not my forte, but my limited education suggests, however, that if there is a outsider imprisoned in there, it should radiate an aura associated with the imprisoned one's alignment..."
After a moments consideration, another thought occurs to him: "The architecture seems odd. You can march your way through the dungeon and so forth to get here, but that's a long and complicated trip. How would the owners of the fortress come to see their prize, not to mention use the rooms where we rested? Where there is one secret door , there may be more; we should look for such."
Omari starts searching for secret doors, starting here in the fountain room and working his way back to the stairs, while Khedron watches his back...
11 rank +4 wis+5 racial+2 Hunter's Blessing
"Good point... let me see..." Ohrmizd asks Sarenrae for the look of the Dawnflower, scanning the fountain with detect evil then chaos, good and law.
Then, he also will help with secret doors searching "Indeed, it is weird the way ends here"
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Out of the water rises a stunnignly beautiful woman whose skin, hair and everything of her is the color of the sea. Her clothes are made of the finest silk enbroidered with gold.
"You are quite knowledgeable. But your concerns are unfounded. As I'm neither a devil nor a demon."
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"If you may, you could enlighten us on exactly who you are. There is a wide variety of outsiders outside of the Material Planes." Unless Ohrmizd said otherwise, he would maintain a friendly tone towards the outsider.
"I am a daughter of a line of rulers long gone from the Realm of Water. I am Shazathared. Many of your lifetimes ago was I tricked and abducted by the efreeti prince who would now be consort to Ymeri, Queen of the Inferno. Jhavhul was his name, and he called upon mighty magic of the ancients to imprison me within this fountain. He wanted me first to entertain him, but as his lust for Ymeri grew, his interest in me waned until, finally, he ceased his visits to me altogether. I know not what occurred, but Jhavhul has not returned in these many centuries, and I long for the companionship of my kin."
“I am glad you have come, children of the Mortal Realms. Long have I languished in this place. While I know little of this palace of brass, I do know that somewhere within it lies a source of immeasurable power — a potent artifact hidden somewhere in the palace above our heads whose theft has brought down the curse that traps us all here. What it is I cannot say, other than that its presence feels like a malignant, choking algae on the surface of a spring pool. Find this source and either destroy it or have it taken from this place, and I feel that the curse upon this realm will be lifted. And with it, my prison shall be weakened. Free me, and you shall be richly rewarded and gain the eternal friendship of the Marid Court.”
Feeling the good nature of the creature that emerges from the fountain, Ohrmizd kind of relaxes, sheathing his scimitar "The Dawnflower shows me chaos but goodness here"
"Well met good Shazathared. Thanks for letting us know about your story. I am Ohrmizd, a survivor of the hardships of Katapesh's dunes, server of Sarenrae whose redeeming hands offered me a second chance in life helping Garavel and the Princess to expel from the sands of our deserts the very same foe that has long tormented you. Javhul." the Keleshite shows the holy symbol in his mithral shield.
"I would be pleased to help you remove this curse, not only are we trapped here as much as you are, but we seek to stop Jahvul, for we have heard he wants to become a creature of legend called the Firebeeder" he explains and elaborates "We are kind of stuck right now though, so anything you can explain us to keep going in our quest would help us free you from this curse. Despite this might be hurting, anything about your encounters with Javhul, or about this Ymeri, Queen of the Inferno, we have not heard about before, might be of help"
"As well as any clue on how to reach the upper levels of the fortress"
"I'm bound here until I'm done telling him 10000 tales he doesn't know yet. But with him no longer visiting this can't be done."
"About Ymeri I know mostly what Jhavhul told while fawning over her. But she is one of the four elemental Lord of the plane of fire."
"As I'm sitting here in this prison, and didn't get a tour of the place first, I can't help with navigation. But you look like a good guy, maybe I could help you otherwise." Shazathared tells fluttering her eyelashes at Ohrmizd.
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"That sounds like something we are more than capable of handling." Heshan grins. "As my friend said, any bit of help in finding a way out of this realm will be immensely helpful for us."
Ohrmizd grins back at the elemental "Fortunately, rejecting comely help is not among my personal tenets"
While remaining open to what Shazathared might propose "A tale telling punishment... I would never have Javhul for such an imaginative and lover of good stories."
"Perhaps you learned any hint about Javhul's personality or weaknesses during your encounters, something we might use now to defeat him or coerce him to stop his war..." the Keleshite gives some time for her to fill out details, if she has any, before continuing "...but I can at the very least help you explain why he has been disappeared for such a long time. The eefrit has been held prisoner as much as you here, but in a different plane of existence known as Kakishon. A paradise of water and islands... such an irony now that I think about it, that happened after imprisoning you in the plane of fire..."
"The thing is, he has been recently released by" Ohrmizd coughs quickly looking at Rayhan "a group of unaware subjects. Now he has traveled to Katapesh we think, though we are not sure why or how this relates to his goals of becoming the Firebeeder. And while we tried to teleport to the scroll of Kakishon, we ended trapped here, in his fortress, and we were hoping we can find him, or his lieutenants, or something we can use to defeat him"
"Jhavhul really liked to hear stories, and I told him 7988 he didn't know yet. But he didn't make it a habit telling about himself. Beyond telling of Ymeri."
"But as you're not opposed to getting helped, what would you wish for?"
Omari listens to prisoners tale, paying close attention to her as she tells it:
11 rank +3 Trained+4 Wis
When she starts asking "what would you wish for?", he interjects, "Ohrmzid, everyone, gather for a second", and takes everyone into a huddle for a whispered conversation. "Ok, everyone remember, all that glitters is not gold! We've all heard enough tales of genie wishes not ending very poorly indeed... So think carefully before taking her up on it."
"I admit though, I sense no deception in her words..."
"Not even for a new ally?" Heshan whines, though only half-jokingly. "Alright, you are correct in that respect. We can save that wish for a reward if we succeed in freeing her."
"She can't get out probably not even with a wish. That is some serious magic binding us all here in this place."
"Question is, what would help us to break this. Hard to tell. Either something general, like a more permanent solution to resist the flames found everywhere on the plane of fire. Or something more specific, like the ability to find a way to that artefact. Or am I thinking too narrow? You could always wish for world peace."
"I wish Haleen was here, she would know what to do, or at least we could have some drinks while listening to Shazathared tales" Ohrmizd sighs while listening to the others train of thought "But I guess what Rayhan says about permanent flight and permanent immunity to fire would be great help to navigate that labyrinth."
Ohrmizd stands up to look at Shazathared "Do you have a sense of where the artifact might be? If you had a name of a place, things would be easier for our quest here..."
Shazathared shrugs. "Only a general sense of direction of the power. You should be able to get that sense too with some magic help."
"I suppose that is where Detect Magic will help us out," Heshan added. "Unless anyone else has any magic that can find it faster."
"A question, O lovely Shazathared, have you seen anyone else about recently? Someone filled the oil lamp in the outer chamber, and I expect they would have peeked in here..."
"Those crazy fire elementals you surely met are using this as a trap for whoever might come through. I don't know why, because there weren't visitors for a really long time. But then on short succession this unlucky efreet and now you."
"That has sense I guess... can we do something about that bit of magic needed..." Ohrmizd looks confident at the group for if anything they have are casters and magic specialists "If you cannot guide us, is there anything you could do to protect us from the dangers of the plane of fire Shazathared? As a genie of water, you sure have control on that domain, don't you?"
The Keleshite looks helpful.
"Finding objects with magic is not something that I am capable right now," Heshan shook his head. "To those who can prepare spells, do either of you have anything that could help us find what we are looking for?"
"Finding objects with magic is not something that I am capable right now," Heshan shook his head. "To those who can prepare spells, do either of you have anything that could help us find what we are looking for?"
Omari shakes his head "Without a more precise description of this artifact, such magics that I can think of will not be usable. I suppose it's time to get back to looking for secret doors..." Omari will resume his interrupted search.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 + 4 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 4 + 5 + 2 = 31
11 rank +4 wis+5 racial+2 Hunter's Blessing
On the opposite side of where the fire elementals came out of hiding Omari finds another secret door. The chamber behind is bare, save for a few sitting rugs on the floor and the slumped, mummified form of a long-dead humanoid wearing shreds of decayed leather armor and silk scarves. It clutches a thin silver wand in one hand.
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"If you wish for it, I can grant you immunity to fire." Shazathared offers Ohrmizd.