"There is that as well," Heshan nodded in reply.
"So you're saying, that there is no current threat and no urgency to go back there?" Almah inquires further.
"So you're saying, that there is no current threat and no urgency to go back there?" Almah inquires further.
"I don't see such a threat, that's why we came back. I think further investigation is needed, and possibly a thorough cleansing of the temple though. There is clearly so power in the place; what was allowing the creation of giant gnolls?"
"We cannot say there is no current threat" - Roryx adds - "Though most of us are inclined to believe there is not"
"Then please elaborate why you see it different." Almah addresses Roryx.
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"As far as we know, we did indeed take out the Carrion King, and I do agree we may have delayed the threat of the unified tribes" - Roryx pointed out - "However, we did not thoroughly scout the structure within that mountain, and we did not discover how and where exactly those massive gnoll like brutes were coming from for example, or how many more there may be" - he added.
"But worse than that - like Omari very wisely pointed out, we learned that 'someone' seems to have murdered and replaced the Carrion King's advisor, Rokova, and that impostor was apparently egging the king on to war. We failed to capture or kill that advisor, or whatever impostor may be in its place. That is my main concern"
"So the beast may have had more than one head, and at least one is left. We don't know where they get giant gnolls, how many they have and how fast they can get more. About the motives or the actual planning against Kelmarane we still know nothing beyond the rumors the visitor told us."
"But with killing the Carrion King we probably managed to establish ourselves as an enemy and a serious threat to the gnolls. If we weren't already considered as such."
"Is that a correct assessment of the situation?"
"It is"
"I'd say that settles it. There is no time to lose, and you need to return to the house of the beast immediately. There is no time for long travels to Katapesh or wherever you planned to find someone to bring Ohrmizd back. Therefore..."
"I strongly object to that! There is no emergency here and it was clearly procured for an emergency. It is imprudent to use it in such a situation that is clearly no emergency!" Father Zastoran interrupts.
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"Therefore, ..." Almah repeats glaring at Zastoran "Father Zastoran will provide a scroll to raise Ohrmizd from the dead."
"That is no gift, you'll have to acquire such a scroll afterwards so we're prepared for another emergency. But for now it is a fast solution for the issue at hand."
"Of course there will be a subsidy from the treasury for the scroll. I'm not aware what the price of such things is, we'll clarify that later. Anything else we need to talk about?"
"That is amazing Princess Roveshki" - Roryx bows - "We are indeed in your debt. Thank you"
"Thank you princess, I will send an immediate courier to the temple of Erastil to procure a replacement. We will spend the day refitting for further exploration at the House of the Beast, and resume our expedition in the morning."
Heshan smiles brightly at the revelation and performs a bow of his own. "Thank you heartily for this gift."
Father Zastoran gets up and leaves wordlessly. A few minutes later he returns with a scroll case and hands it to Omari. "Don't screw it up. You only have that one try."
Casting read magic on it, verifies that it is indeed a Raise Dead spell.
Father Zastoran gets up and leaves wordlessly. A few minutes later he returns with a scroll case and hands it to Omari. "Don't screw it up. You only have that one try."
** spoiler omitted **
"Do you wish to observe the rite Father? I will pray to Erastil for success and then go directly to the Sarenite's temple to attempt the raising."
***
vs DC 10
+4 wis (due to the enhancement from Owl's wisdom)
vs DC 10
+4 wis (due to the enhancement from Owl's wisdom)
vs DC 10
+4 wis (due to the enhancement from Owl's wisdom)
Omari is dead set on bringing Ohrmizd back at this instant. With the scroll case in hand he marches over to the temple with long strides, followed by his companions and a grumpy Father Zastoran.
At the temple he pushes open the doors and enters with an urgency that allows no one to stand in his way. He comes to an halt in front of the body of his friend. Omari takes out the scroll and drops the case. Looking the scroll over he deciphers the magic easily.
But the tension prevents him from properly pronouncing the words. He reads them out aloud once and nothing happens. Father Zastoran chews on his fingers fearing the worst. Omari reads the words a second time, but again nothing happens. With the artery on his forehead pulsing angrily he shouts the words a third time, and finally, the scroll starts glowing in golden light that is sucked up by Ohrmizd's body. The paper crumbles into golden glitter that burns up on the way to the ground, leaving Omari empty handed.
As the scroll crumbles and you ask your question to Ohrmizd's soul, you hear a voice answering back your call "Yes, I cannot wait to come back!"
There is a tense silence for a long uncomfortable time when it seems the scroll is gone and nothing is going to happen. But then, when everyone starts looking each other the bodies injuries start to heal, the neck connects the body with the head once more, and there is a deep breath coming from the fallen corpse.
Ohrmizd's hand, grasping his scimitar and shield suffers a spasm and all of a sudden he stands sit on the ritual altar and starts throwing up shield and scimitar to the side and removing his coat "Holy s+#@! Are you burning all the gnolls in a pyre or what? It is too hot here!"
The Keleshite turns and smiles with sadness at the others. As he tries to stand up, he shivers and almost faints down to the ground. Looking at the group he nods happily "I have never been this happy to see those dark eyes" he taps Omari's back "Thanks bro"
"I am sorry I could not stop the Carrion King. I guess if we are here that means you managed to escape at the least. Thank you for not leaving my body behind, I am sure it has been a high distress to bring me back. I ought my life to all of you" he also looks at Father Zastoran and nods towards him, also to the princess if she is still there.
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"Oh. I did not know you could do that," Heshan responded to Omari's request. Sure it was a risk, but it would sure beat having to spend days traveling to another city. So it was a risk he was willing to take.
And it was a risk that nearly blew up in their faces. When the scroll burned up, he blinked a few times. "...is that supposed to happen?"
The blank expression grew more worrisome over time... that is until he began to see the effects take place.
By the time he came back, he was already all over the inquisitor with a tight hug. "We would move Heaven itself to meet you. It was no problem for us at all."
Ohrmizd smiles wide comforted by Heshan's words. The inquisitor taps the man's back "With friends like you one feels save even on Hell"
"So... how did things end? Did you solve the gnolls problem? Is Kelmerane now safe?" the Keleshite looks from one to another at his friends feeling things are not as good as he would hope "Did something went wrong? If there is another war looming over our heads, I am eager to add my scimitar to your strength once more to keep fighting"
"At least it worked." Zastoran mumbles. But his face betrays his grumpy facade. After all it isn't any day that you see powerful magic bring the dead back.
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"Good to have you back brother" - Roryx clapped Ohrmizd hard on his shoulder, and even Swiper wagged her tail at the returned companion - "We were missing our crazy 'first through the door' zealot" - he laughs.
"And no, things are not solved. We had to drop everything and come back to ressuscitate you - everyone was in tears blablabla, mainly Manuun, that baby..." - the half-orc added - "So we took out the Carrion King, and got the hell out of there"
"Once you get your bearings, we need to go back there. But before we do, you will have to tells us how is the... Other side? Over drinks if possible" - the magus continued - "Even more important than that, you need to go to Haleen, and tell her you are back from the dead"
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"Give me some working room you two, there's more doctoring to be done here." Omari grumps at Heshan and Roryx.
Coming back from the dead is an ordeal. The subject of the spell gains two permanent negative levels when it is raised, just as if it had been hit by an energy-draining creature. If the subject is 1st level, it takes 2 points of Constitution drain instead (if this would reduce its Con to 0 or less, it can't be raised). A character who died with spells prepared has a 50% chance of losing any given spell upon being raised. A spellcasting creature that doesn't prepare spells (such as a sorcerer) has a 50% chance of losing any given unused spell slot as if it had been used to cast a spell.
A raised creature has a number of hit points equal to its current HD...
Omari begins calling on Erastil's power to restore Ohrmizd to a much healthier condition .
After ministering, he continues "Welcome back Ohrmizd, my brother from another mother", and pulls both Ohrmizd and Roryx into a hug, continuing in a whisper "Don't you ever do that again!"
Ohrmizd gives a look at Manuun and smiles nodding thankful "So you killed the King, thanks to do that job bro!" he taps back Roryx.
"Well, I did not see that much a lot, after crossing the River of Spirits I got entangled in an argument with the guard of the doors to the Boneyard to go the way back and never made the way through!" the Keleshite laughs and points towards the bar "But let's have some drinks so you can update me about the finer details and... perhaps see Haleen"
"I am eager to profit this second opportunity and go back to finish the job as soon as possible"
Ohrmizd smiles and thanks Omari as he restores part of the dead penalties "Ah, the muscles and tendons feel much better, thanks for that restoration Omari, brother of another mother!"
...very well." Heshan reluctantly moved back to let Omari bring his risen friend to a healthier state. And prompted to get back in when Omari got in on the hugging action.
"Who said I was done?"
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Worried Manunn followed Omari and the others towards the temple. This sudden development had caught him by surprise and he was worried what might go wrong. Father Zastoran was visibly not pleased with the events so maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.
seeing Omari struggle with the reading of the scroll doesn't do anything to alleviate his bad feeling and he turns away for fear of what might happen.
ONly when he hears Ohrmizd deep voice calling them out he dares to look again, joining his friends in the celebration.
"You stupid Oaf. Didn't we agree you want be such a brave fool? What are we supposed to do out here without your protection?"
Ohrmizd smiles and taps Manuun's head "You really thought I would let you take that axe for yourself?"
The Keleshite listens to his companions explanations about what else happened in the temple and the situation left there.
"If that Rovenka, or the one who says to be Rovenka, is still alive, then we are not safe still" Ohrmizd takes the cup of gin the waiter just filled for him and gives it a good shot "Ah! This truly makes me feel alive again"
Then looking with concern "We need to go back, unmask this Rovenka and bring an end to this war"
As Haleen hears the strong voice of Ohrmizd over the murmur in the battle market she comes over to the bar. "Ohrmizd! You're back with the living! I'm so glad." she greets him and goes for a hug.
Ohrmizd turns back his attention called by the voice of Haleen. With a broad smile he embraces the woman "You really thought you would get rid of me that easily?"
"How are things going in Kalmerane?" after a few minutes of conversation, the Keleshite sentences "We are leaving Haleen. We need to finish the work at the Temple of the Beast"
"It's busy. Nothing out of the ordinary." Haleen relates what little went on in the few days the group was gone.
On the news that they are leaving again already she becomes serious. "But you'll be more careful this time, right?"
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"Fat chance of that. You are better of hoping a bear gives up honey."
"So any suggestions what we should take? We probably need to fight that ugly centipede, but I didn't spot any obvious weaknesses."
"But that Rokova fellow sound like he has some disguise or control magic. Maybe we should get a way to dispel his magic. It might bring the Gnolls on our side too."
Dispelling is not something I have available at the moment," Heshan admitted, yet turned towards Omari with a smile. "But I bet you could do such a thing."
Ohrmizd looks down peacefully "I have learnt my lesson Haleen. You shall not fear. I will soon be back to help you administrating the place as before"
To Heshan and Manuun, he smiles showing his scimitar "What about this dispelling tool?"
Dispelling is not something I have available at the moment," Heshan admitted, yet turned towards Omari with a smile. "But I bet you could do such a thing."
"Erastil could give me such a spell, yes. However, I would not hinge our plans on that; it is not the most reliable of spells." , he turns pensive as he speaks, "Further, I would not assume the gnolls would not rather kill us and settle with 'Rokova' afterwards..."
"I agree with Omari. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. As long as there is no doubt that you and this Rokova are enemies, your chances of the gnolls turning on him are tiny."
"And the gnolls here in Kelmarane accepted Kardswann as leader. So even if you expose him as an imposter it doesn't have to be a compelling reason for the gnolls to turn on him. If he seems powerful enough that no gnoll challenges his rule..."
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"Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?" Heshan would stand fully on his feet. "Because I am ready to continue our mission."
Ohrmizd nods "I think Haleen is right. But if we challenge Rokova and defeat it. Well, I hope the gnolls are impressed enough to stand away from Kelmerane."
The Keleshite smiles at Hehan's impatience "We should buy some supplies. But aside from that, I think we can start our trip back tomorrow"
"You have the clearest mind of us, Omari. Where from shall we enter the temple this time and how do we proceed from there on?"
After some shopping and a night's rest the group is off to finish the job at the house of the beast. The travel there is uneventful, as no creature along the way is strong or stupid enough to attack a group of adventurers.
As you approach the house of the beast before noon on the second day, you notice that nothing has changed on the outside. As you step onto the premises though you find that the gnolls guarding the main entrance immediately retreat into their lair as they notice you.
...
"You have the clearest mind of us, Omari. Where from shall we enter the temple this time and how do we proceed from there on?"
Replying to Ohrmizd "I would not counsel a frontal assault - hit and run has been working well for us so far. I would like more information on what has happened in the gnoll tribe after the fall of the carrion king. Has another leader seized power? Is there infighting? We could either parley with the troglodytes again, or perhaps capture and interrogate a gnoll or two?"
"Looks like they are expecting us. We shoudl try the other entrances we know, althoug I fear they have found these by now and closed them up. "
...
"We have been spotted aye. We could try the tunnel the slave used to escape, we do not have to worry about the gnolls back tracking to their hideaway now."
Ohrmizd nods in agreement "Let's do that. It seems the most prudent right now. We use the slave tunnel, we sneak through and try to calmly find out what is the current state of affairs in the area"
Assuming there is enough agreement on this, Ohrmizd leads the way that leads to the slaves tunnel.
The stairs in the building where the slaves hid, are still a challenge, as the end halfway and only a rope leads down. To where is not exactly clear.
But the cleared stairs in the gatehouse with the gargoyles are still open and lead down into the gnoll lair. This part though is still blocked off the main area of the underground temple, with the only connection between both beeing the tunnel into the bone pit.
After some stumbling around in this cave Manuun finds a hole in the ground that leads to the same area of rooms as the intact stairs in the other building.