Omari warns"The carpets enchanted somehow! Evocation and Divination. A trap maybe???", even as he motions Khedron not to step on it...
"Maybe I can see if there is a way to disable it." Heshan tries to recall anything that may help better understand the enchanted carpet.
"Oh, maybe an evocator of wishes?" Ohrmizd does conjecture "Perhaps we should just move it away and reveal what is below it"
He raises an eyebrow waiting for Omari's and Heshan's magical inquiries.
Seeing what may help, Heshan proceeds to try and dispel the magic in the carpet.
A quick check finds that Heshan's dispel didn't have the desired effect.
"Ok, well, Khedron didn't trigger whatever it is by air walking over it. So no one touch the carpet. Ohmrizd, use your carpet to check that small door on the side of the room ."
Ohrmizd flies over to the small door and opens it. This unlit, spartan room contains a narrow bed, along with a desk and wardrobe.
"Let's not overthink it and keep it safe. We can just avoid the carpet" Ohrmizd floats over to check the room at the other side "This place is well empty of anything of interest"
He does though carefully open the wardrobe and desk cupboards before leaving the room.
Then, if nothing dangerous found, he floats over to the eastern tower , opening the doors as he goes. He will help the others float over the carpet if they cannot just simply walk around it.
Omari whistles to call Khedron to him, and then takes a ride on the air walking elk, moving to back up Ohrmizd.
Ten-foot-diameter holes yawn in the center of the floor and ceiling of this room. Simple bunks line the walls, with arrow slits between each of the beds. A small wooden table and four chairs fill the remainder of the space.
Heshan stays at the enge of the room for the time being. "This looks like another room with a trap," Heshan said. Nevertheless, he tried to see if there's anything that would trigger it.
"Mmmm... you sure? It just looks pretty empty as most of this tower" Ohrmizd answers just doing a quick search around before leaving "I guess they have had no time to fully pack this over"
"To the other side now, I guess" the Kheleshite chooses to push west next.
Omari continues to ride Khedron, following Ohrmizd in case he encounters trouble...
The room in the western side tower looks the same as the eastern one. Also no one is there too. A footlocker beneath one of the beds holds a chess set with pieces carved from moonstone and carnelian to resemble djinn and efreet.
"I don't think these side-towers connect to the main tower except by these passageways..." says Omari, as he gestures over his shoulders back whence we came. He proposes "Check the room below first, then we'll check above."
"OK I will watch our backs while you finish exploring," Hazreem nods as he hovers silently in the shaft watching for any activity from above or below.
Ohrmizd takes up the chess pieces "Interesting, I have seen some people playing this in the bazaar before, but have never tried myself. Does anyone of you know the rules?"
"Ok, let's do it" the Kheleshite follows Omari's plan, descending first one through the shaft.
Shelves line the walls of this circular room and hold a variety of foodstuffs, spices, and fresh vegetables, as well as mundane supplies such as cleaning agents and linens. Ten-foot-diameter holes pierce both the ceiling and the floor also here. The room is only half the height of the rooms in the center tower.
Now this was something interesting. "Either the ifrits ignored this due to lack of money, or it could be another way of traveling around this place," Heshan said as he looked up and down the hole. "Could this be our way in?"
Omari (mounted on Khedron) descends into the pantry area, and he looks around, searching
13 rank +4 wis+6 racial+2 Favored Terrain (Urban) (Hunter's Blessing)
"So it's a pantry. I'm guessing that the next level down will be the end of it, no underground levels in this kind of magic construction... Ohrmzid, take a peek and see what's what."
]
A ten-foot-diameter hole yawns in the ceiling of this kitchen. A brass oven sits against the northern wall next to a brass sink. Wooden shelves and tables stacked with various foodstuffs and eating utensils line the room’s vacant walls. A large fire pit smolders merrily in the middle of the floor, directly under the hole in the ceiling above. Working in this kitchen is a young human woman.
"Sounds like she is a slave to the janni here," Hazreem replies, "We should talk with her."
Ohrmizd takes a deep breath and proceeds down the hole to the kitchen below. As he descends, he catches sight of the young human woman working in the kitchen. His eyes narrow in suspicion, and he approaches cautiously.
"Be the peace of Sarenrae upon you," he says in a calm, steady voice "We mean no harm. Can you tell us your name and what you are doing here?"
He glances back at his companions, signaling them to be ready for anything "Stay alert, everyone. This could be a ruse."
Turning his attention back to the woman, Ohrmizd watches her closely, trying to discern if there is more to her than meets the eye "We are travelers seeking answers. Perhaps you can help us understand this place."
With an inquisitory stare, he pierces through lies and disguises of the woman.
Heshan slowly approached the human woman with a friendly smile. "Greetings. We were dropping by and would like to know if you are in need of any help."
"I'm Madra bint Ahmad and I'm in charge of cooking here in the service of Davashuum. And no, I need no help."
"And I'm too busy to be a your guide."
Ohrmizd steps forward, giving Madra a respectful nod "Peace be upon you, Madra bint Ahmad. We understand you are busy, and we do not wish to intrude" He glances around the room, taking note of the surroundings and ensuring there are no immediate threats.
"We are looking for Davashuum ourselves" he continues "We have... important matters to discuss with him. Can you tell us where we might find him?" the Kheleshite's tone is polite but firm.
"We appreciate any assistance you can provide" he adds, hoping to appeal to her sense of duty "If there is anything we can do to ease your burden, please let us know"
Omari listens from above, where he is covering the route up to the fourth floor...
"Davashum resides in this tower for sure, but where I don't know. As I'm only a maid I didn't get introduced to the other floors where those I serve reside."
"It seems you are here under less than ideal circumstances. If you wish, we can escort you back to town. You don't have to remain here if you don't want to" Ohrmizd glances at his companions to gauge their support before continuing "We are more than capable of ensuring your safe passage"
Then adds pointing back up "It seems we must search each floor methodically. Let's proceed carefully to the floors above."
"NO! I'm serving here for my father to get a better standing with the new masters in Kelmarane! I'm not going anywhere!"
On this side tower only the top floor is left to investigate. Through the arches that surround this open-air gallery sprawls the striking panorama of Kelmarane. Wooden beams supporting a brass-clad onion dome crisscross the open ceiling. A ten-foot-diameter hole fills the center of the floor. No one is in this area.
"Charming lass," Hazreem comments wryly, "We should leave her be."
...
On this side tower only the top floor is left to investigate. Through the arches that surround this open-air gallery sprawls the striking panorama of Kelmarane. Wooden beams supporting a brass-clad onion dome crisscross the open ceiling. A ten-foot-diameter hole fills the center of the floor. No one is in this area.
Omari sweeps the room with detect magic active:
13 rank +4 wis+6 racial+2 Favored Terrain (Urban) (Hunter's Blessing)
"Nothing up here... Back down and we'll check the other side tower; then we can go back up the central shaft...
The bronze-bound door to this chamber is locked.
A battered wooden shield with an unrecognizable heraldic blazon hangs on the wall above the desk . A locked iron coffer (Open Lock DC 40) in the wardrobe holds some of the general’s treasure, consisting of three golden pearls worth 150 gp each, a violet garnet and a black pearl worth 700 gp each, and a black opal worth 1,100 gp.
"We'll check the other side tower and work our way back up the central shaft" Ohrmizd says, leading the way "Keep your eyes open. We're getting closer."
When the closed door is found, he extends his hand towards the lock, murmuring an incantation under his breath "By the grace of Sarenrae, let this barrier yield."
A resounding click echoes through the room as the spell takes effect, and the door swings open.
"There we go," Ohrmizd says with a satisfied smile, stepping inside cautiously "This shield could be of some use. It appears to have some enchantment on it."
"No Davashuum, no enemies, we can loot it later... Let's keep going to the other side tower."
The other side tower is mostly the same. Starting with barraks, then the pantry below, and at the bottom a kitchen with a woman inside. The one on this side seems to be a bit older and red haired. "Who are you and what do you want?" she snarls at Ohrmizd when he floats in on his magic carpet.
Omari rides Khedron down to chat:
"My name is Omari, these are Ohrmzid, Heshan and Hazreem. We're here settling scores with the people who thought conquering our hometown was a good idea. I have a couple of questions. First, where's Davashuum? Second, who else lives in this tower besides Davashuum? Third, by any chance do you know where prisoners are held, specifically, Princess Almah and her court?"
2 ranks + 3 trained
Heshan performed a small wave to the red-haired woman. Maybe a friendly smile would make her more calm.
"We will strive to make your life better for you and those you know if you could help us."
"Oh, you are Kelmarane's heroes! I'm Qura. Please get me out of here. I don't know where they brought the princess and I only know that Davashum has to live somewhere in this tower."
"But I could cook a horrible meal, and Davashum would for sure come personally down here to complain."
Ohrmizd nods at Qura's suggestion, appreciating her willingness to help "Thank you, Qura. We can certainly use that plan. But before we proceed, I want to make sure you're safe. If you wish to leave, we can escort you back to town or at least get you to a safer place in the tower."
He turns to the rest of the party "We need to prepare for Davashum's arrival. Let's set up an ambush here in the kitchen. Qura, if you're willing, your bad meal idea might just be the bait we need.
"Qura, how do the meal you cook get to Davashuum? Because if some janni is flying between the levels in this place, delivering meals. I'd put good money on him not around to deliver any more... which puts paid to that scheme."
"Maybe they just use magic to move the meal to where Davashuum dines," Hazreem suggests, "Or maybe Madra delivers the meals herself."
"Good points. Maybe Qura can clue us in on how the process works." Heshan waits in anticipation of her answer.
"Well, I can't leave this place. I can't fly." Qura states the obvious. "Some Jann tell me what to cook and pick it up when it is done."
"Well, in that case, let's move you out of here and keep exploring" Ohrmizd proposes and looks at Qura once more "If you know how to open the entry door to the tower, we can bring you out of here. Otherwise, you will have to wait here for our return and hope we are able to defeat Davashum"
"For Davashum the door simply opened when he approached it. So I guess you have tokill him first and hope that this works with his corpse too." Qura comments.