In the evening, Omari will say goodbye to Roryx, as he will presumably be leaving us in Katapesh...
In the morning, Omari will prepare his spells and help set up the disguises...
vs dc 10
+1 guidance
vs DC 10
+1 guidance
And then he will try to disguise himself, soliciting input from Heshan and Samuel about if he has got it right.
and possibly more aid another from Heshan and Jafar
+1 guidance +2 aid another from Ohrmizd
"Hold still, Omari. Let me help you with that....there. Much better."
"Here, Heshan."
With the theme set all go to work. Scroll cases are distributed, and notebooks are bound to backpacks. The packs filled with everything that would make the group look like adventurers. Like armor and large weapons.
With the information from Princess Almah it should be possible to get at least an idea where to look for Rayhan Xobhadi's home. Though the information given was more like it's at the river close to the sea, was intended only in addition to 'ask around, he's well known'.
[B]"This should be fun."[/dice] Magic can solve many issues, but he was still interested in mundane methods. Case in point, trying on his disguise.
His enthusiasm wasn't enough to gain him much fashion sense as to what to wear, unfortunately. And none of his colleagues were able to help fix his outfit.
"I have no idea where this Rayhan Xobhadi might be..." Ohrmizd explains frustrated as they make it into the city and he starts to sweat by the crowds and the many scrolls he is carrying around "...any idea you have?"
In the likely case others also do not know, Ohrmizd will start asking directions to merchants in the area and might even visit a tavern or two "We are scholars looking for a known researcher known as Rayhan. Do you happen to know where is his home?"
"Shh. Not here, this way." Samuel leads the way to Castle Clarion.
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Thanks to Samuel's knowledge of the area, the group can avoid entering the town at one of the gates, but simply circumvent it.
And so a group of three scholars and one guy who looks disarranged walk around town to the south east end where the rich people's villa's are placed. As there are no street names, and no signs at the houses who lives in, it becomes necessary to inquire at which door to knock.
But finally the group arrives at their destination. Rayhan’s villa is a modest three-story structure built from heavy clay bricks perched on a cliff overlooking the Obari Ocean. The villa is certainly not the extravagant affair one might expect such a successful merchant to own. The villa itself consists of the main house, a few outbuildings, and a well-kept garden. Grass grows thick on the villa grounds. A gated brick wall surrounds the entire cluster of buildings.
And so a group of three scholars and one guy who looks disarranged
"Heshan, take up the rear."Samuel chuckles at Heshan's appearance. "Disguise is not my thing either."
"You are most well informed Sir Jafar" Ohrmizd compliments the mage as they arrive to the villa.
After a quick look around, he indeed knocks at the gate, announcing the group's desire to enter.
A man approaches the gate from the inside and looks at the group.
"I still think I look good with it." Heshan is at least in good spirits and take up the position Samuel suggests. Given his current state, he let's the others chime in on the man.
"Hello man" Ohrmizd greets the man and assumes he is just some attendant of sorts due to his not highlighting and common appearance "We are scholars from beyond the deserts. Researchers of old scrolls from abroad. We heard Rayhan is an expert and knows troves about Nex. We would love to have a meeting with him if possible."
The man nods and walks away. A few minutes later another man comes to the door. An imposing figure, even though his best years are already behind him. He opens the gate. "Greetings. I'm Rayhan Xobhadi. How can I help you?"
Omari let's Ohrmizd take the lead on the talking, but is watching carefully...
7 rank +3 Trained+4 Wis
7 rank +3 Trained+4 Wis
Assuming Omari is convinced that 'Rayhan' is indeed Rayhan, Omari will pass Rayhan Princess Almah's letter of introduction to read and then suggest: "Perhaps we should have this discussion somewhere more private than the front gate..."
Rayhan opens the letter. His face brightens while reading it. Then it darkens and he looks in detail who is standing in front of his door. "We'll see. Come in, you're my guests."
He leads into the house into his study . This room is filled with comfortable seating, several small tables, an expensive silk carpet, and a large overstuffed couch. Paintings on the wall depict all manner of strange and exotic locations, including a huge dead creature in a swamp whose body has been turned into a fly-shrouded throne, a vast graveyard with a skull-shaped moon in the night sky, an idyllic woodland around crumbling stone ruins inhabited by animals who walk like men, and a gold and silver palace at the edge of a mirror-like lake above which flying women with the lower bodies of snakes play. The largest of these paintings hangs on the northern wall and depicts a jungle-covered island with a strange ship moored at a short stone pier on the closest beach.
"Please take a seat. How is Princess Almah doing? I hope all is well?"
After some chit chat about the Princess and Kelmarane Rayhan addresses the elephant in the room. "The letter tells, that you have the Scroll of Kakishon? I'm very skeptical about that. I've seen many wrong claims about that. May I see it?"
"Nice stuff" Ohrmizd follows into the manor and observes the bright pictures then follows with some chat about the Princess.
The Keleshite checks with Omari if Rayhan really seems to be who he tells to be.
As the scholar ask them about the scroll, Ohrmizd looks at Omari, Heshan and Jafar, with a query in his eyes. If the group seems to agree, he hands out the scroll of Kakishon for inspection "Is it safe here? We have been ambushed all the way from Kelmarane."
In return to Ohrmizd's usage of magic Rayhan cast a spell too.
"So far it was. I hope you don't bring the trouble with you."
Replying to the unspoken question, Omari says "Let him see it Ohrmizd.". While Ohrmizd is digging out the scroll, he turns to Rayhan "In terms of what trouble dogs our heels, the One Source guild has apparently heard rumors of what we have found and set a spy on us. That one will not report back to them. Yet that may make them more enthusiastic in pursuit, not less..."
Ohrmizd smiles at the magical response, exposing his thoughts to the man We have been ambushed and mislead before, no ill intentions about it "Sorry Rayhan, there are criminals after this scroll, all measure is little to keep it protected."
The Keleshite nods to Omari and puts the scroll over a table, extending it for Rayhan to examine it "Be careful with the magical aura, it is overwhelming."
Rayhan takes a look at the scroll and then casts a cantrip on it, to verify the strength of the magic.
"That is,... indeed something else." he comments after he shakes off the stunning effect. Then he casts another cantrip at the map.
"Ohoooh. That is interesting. It is for sure worth further investigation. It is no obvious forgery."
Looking at the group he suggests "You can stay at my house if you wish. But I only have three guest rooms. Do you have any plans for your stay in Katapesh?"
"I am Samuel Jafar, master Rayhan. It was recent that I joined these men. My impression of the scroll seems identical to yours. May I be of aid in your investigation? Knowledge is one of my greater pursuits. Planes, arcana, most everything for that matter. Your offer of quarter is gracious. What safeguards do you have in place that you can safely share with us?"
"I have a lock on the door. But that is about all. What did you have in mind?"
"We... cannot guarantee that about trouble, but we will do our best to be good guests in your house." Heshan nodded with a smile. At the suggestion, he turned towards the inquisitor. "If you think that is a good idea I am fine with it. It would be cheaper and we will not have to worry about nosy tenants."
"Of course any support in the investigation is appreciated. I suggest we move to my library later to take a look into the details of the map and see what that references to."
"For now, I suggest you settle in and I have some tea and snacks prepared."
Rayhan gives you a tour through the house starting on the ground floor with the guest room and up to the library at the second floor.
The Guest Rooms - Each of these rooms contain a large bed and a variety of tables, chairs, and shelves to serve as guest rooms for Rayhan’s visitors. Each room is equipped with a chamber pot under the bed and a footlocker and key for the storage of valuables.
The Dining Room - This room contains a long dining table and several chairs. A wine rack stocked with several bottles lies along the west wall. Along the east wall is an ornate cabinet that displays a set of china with a gold-inlaid pattern that evokes an ancient Osirian feel.
The Bath - The walls, ceiling, and floor of this room are decorated with white porcelain tiles, with other ornate adornments that make the place seem to be more of a royal bath chamber than anything else. A large, two-foot-deep pool in the room’s center and several braziers and bins for heating polished oval rocks complete the image.
The Library - This entire floor of the building consists of a single, vast library. Wooden shelves heavy with books, scrolls, bits of statuary, and stone tablets covered with runes line the walls. Additional shelves stand in the middle of each wing, further increasing shelf space. A round table heaped with books and papers sits in the middle of the room, attended by a few padded chairs. Two opaque skylights in the ceiling help somewhat to open up the room’s otherwise claustrophobic feel.
This flat-topped roof is strewn with gravel to aid in footing during rain. Two large glass skylights are set into the floor, opening up to the floor below. A six-inch-high rim runs along the roof edge, and shallow gutters run away from the skylights to funnel water through several tiny gargoyles perched along the edge.
"We do not want to bother you with our presence, but I agree with Heshan that we are grateful to accept your invitation." Ohrmizd follows Rayhan on the tour along the nice manor of the scholar and once back at the lower level he drops his backpack into the guestroom closest to the entrance "I can share the room with Heshan. If you do not mind, we will keep the scroll with us while we are not studying."
After this Ohrmizd will take a bath enjoying the nice pool of the scholar and come out fresh with a blank towel "That felt good. Getting rid of the dust and blood of the desert."
"As for our plans in Katapesh... aside from the scroll, we wanted to buy a few supplies" the Keleshite adjusts the towel around his lower parts and legs leaving his well build torso on the sight while he looks for a snack "And once we are done with the scroll I plan to visit a couple old friends."
The man from earlier busies himself in the kitchen to prepare tea, coffee and baklava.
Rayhan invites Samuel and everyone else interested to join the study in his library. Of course without the food. There is a strict no eating and drinking rule in the library. Looking at the scroll with a read magic spell turns the rune into a map.
This allows the user to examine the map of Kakishon itself, a map that is frustratingly vague and, in places, apparently unfinished. Worse, comparing notes shows, that exact spellings of locations tend to appear differently depending on who examines the map, and any attempt to copy the map into another medium frustratingly results in maps that bear little to no resemblance to the source material.
But it is a start for further investigations.
"Interesting approach and result, Rayhan. Do you have any maps of Kakishon in your library that we might compare to this?"
"True Seeing. Can you cast that, Rayhan? It is beyond my ability." Samuel paces the library in concentration. What else might pierce these misdirections...
…
Looking at the group he suggests "You can stay at my house if you wish. But I only have three guest rooms. Do you have any plans for your stay in Katapesh?"
"I have a lock on the door. But that is about all. What did you have in mind?"
Omari runs a hand over his shaven pate and agrees with Ohrmizd: "I agree let us stay here with Rayhan. If our disguises worked there will be no trouble brought to your doorstep. If not, well, we are a capable bunch and can offer a little more protection than just a lock on the front door... We would be poor guests indeed to lead the One Source guild to your door and leave you hanging in the breeze."
”Let us keep a careful watch like we would in the wild lands; as Roryx, Ohrmizd and I learned from Haleen, Katapesh city is no safer than the Pale Mountains, just the dangers are more subtle.”
”Once Rayhan has told us what he can about the scroll, we make our plans and then leave here in disguise once again. Hopefully this will protect him from further inquiries by the One Source. Only after we have left here do we go purchase supplies and visit our old friends… “
"True Seeing. Can you cast that, Rayhan? ...
"No, that is beyond my abilities."
”Once Rayhan has told us what he can about the scroll, ...
"I hope you enjoy the peacefulness of this place and the view onto the sea as much as I do. Because this is no matter of hours. This will take time."
Ohrmizd enjoys the snacks, and he quickly eats the remaining baklava when he is alerted of no food on stepping by the Library.
"What do you mean everyone can see a different map?" the Keleshite follows the new approach with interest while still mulling in his mouth the sticky baklava "Can I try to see at it as well?"
Ohrmizd casts heroism and attempts to make his own copy of the map.
After drawing for a few minutes, he raises his work and exposes how it is advancing "What can you understand here? How does it differ from what you see on the scroll?"
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Samuel goes back to the scroll and studies it further.
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Heshan quickly makes sure to eat what he can before going into the forbidden areas. It is understandable, but he wasn't going to study on an empty stomach.
To Ohrmizd's reply, Heshan shrugged. "Some illusions come with some bit of knowledge on the person being affected, such as a Phantasmical Killer's fear spell. Maybe it works the same way, projecting our needs into that map."
"That doesn't work this way. I need time to ponder what is written here and where I have read of that before."
Rayhan takes his notes and wanders along the shelves. He takes out a book, flips through its pages and puts it back. This continues for a while until he finds the book he searched for. He puts the tome down on a table, sits down and reads the book starting from somewhere in the middle.
Samuel sits close taking in as much of this research as possible.
"Yeah, that has sense Heshan..." Ohrmizd is though interrupted by Rayhan's appreciation and shrugs.
As the researchers research he takes another look at the scroll. He looks at it from a very close distance, until his eyes start looking in different directions, then he moves back, looking at a distance "Interesting..." the Keleshite again puts his face back to the parchment and stays some seconds like that, then moving back "Yes, interesting..."
He looks at the researchers and waits. Patiently. But waits.
With that answered, Heshan would do his best to assist in researching for more information on the scroll.
[/dice=Knowledge (arcana)]1d20+9[/dice]
After four hours of reading in the book Rayhan closes it and concludes "No, that's not it."
He looks up to the windows. "It is late already. Shall we take dinner?"
Omari joins the others in the library. Somewhat familiar with the ways of scholars, he does not disturb the sage, instead working on his own project.
He is happy to join Rayhan for dinner, but makes sure we organize watches for the night...
Ohrmizd is not completely oblivious to research but he is an action man. After an hour or so checking some books on geography of the Mana Wastes, he turns to a few volumes detailing monsters of the Earth and Fire planes, pointing at the ones the group has found so far.
When it becomes clear the thing goes for long, he starts to look up through the windows in the ceiling and say some prayers to the Dawnflower. Then "You know, I am going to take watch."
When the group goes down for dinner, Ohrmizd is already there down "So, how is it going, have you found something of use already Rayhan?"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this is not a matter of hours. I'm researching this topic half of my life already. And now that I probably have the real artifact, I need to reflect all that I know in the light of this new reality."
"Most of the lore could only be verified if one enters Kakishon. But it helps to sort out reports that are pure fiction."
"I'd like to thoroughly study the scroll, to find out what the intended way to use it is. I assume it is a possibility to randomly try to activate the scroll, but that wouldn't lead to reproducible results."
"What if we just sell you the scroll so we can go on with our stuff? That way you have all the time of the world to carefully study it" Ohrmizd offers, looking at the others hopping he is not proposing something crazy.
"What price did you have in mind?" Rayhan inquires.
"We can better determine the price when we know what it is." Samuel looks at Ohrmizd and appears to quickly shake his head slightly once.
The conjurer looks down and speaks as if addressing the table but it becomes obvious he is talking to everyone. "I have a thought I must share with you. I know there is desire and maybe even need to gather supplies. I think it best we put that off until we are complete here. One trip doubles our chances of being discovered. The math continues to multiply with each excursion. If we were not detected on our one approach, staying here we are safe for the duration. Custom has it we gift our host. I wish to honor that. Perhaps one of Rayhan's attendants can make that purchase for us. And know that if you need anything of value, I can get it for you at a discount if I do the purchase for you in the nighstalls. It is my old stomping ground. I have many contacts of....well....various talents, goods, and services."
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"What if we just sell you the scroll so we can go on with our stuff? That way you have all the time of the world to carefully study it" Ohrmizd offers, looking at the others hopping he is not proposing something crazy.
Omari looks at Ohrmizd with a grin on his face "Patience is a virtue Orhmizd, cultivate it."
The conjurer looks down and speaks as if addressing the table but it becomes obvious he is talking to everyone. "I have a thought I must share with you. I know there is desire and maybe even need to gather supplies. I think it best we put that off until we are complete here. One trip doubles our chances of being discovered. The math continues to multiply with each excursion. If we were not detected on our one approach, staying here we are safe for the duration. Custom has it we gift our host. I wish to honor that. Perhaps one of Rayhan's attendants can make that purchase for us. And know that if you need anything of value, I can get it for you at a discount if I do the purchase for you in the nighstalls. It is my old stomping ground. I have many contacts of....well....various talents, goods, and services."
"You have the right of it Samuel, prudence and perseverance will carry the day here. No trips, no excursions, not until we have plumbed Rayhan's knowledge. Once we have that, we can make a plan and purchase supplies for it. But for now, we lay low, and watch carefully while Rayhan cogitates."
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After a night of sleep and some more studies Rayhan explains over lunch what he got so far.
"The legends say that Kakishon was created by the wizard-king Nex to serve him as a portable paradise and an impenetrable bolt-hole. Much as the more commonplace bag of holding opens into its own reality, the Scroll of Kakishon was said to contain this entire world inside of it—the scroll was not Kakishon, but the doorway by which Nex could enter and exit the realm. Kakishon was said to have been a paradise, a laboratory, a menagerie, a hunting ground, and even a tomb - most likely, it was all these things and more, with each island serving a different role."
"The legend of Kakishon falls into increasing obscurity after Nex’s war with Geb began. All signs point to the strong possibility that Nex had grown dissatisfied with Kakishon and had lost interest. When he vanished from the face of Garund in 576 AR, he left the Scroll of Kakishon behind. Eventually, it was stolen from his castle and the scroll passed through many hands. Some used it as a prison for their enemies, others as a place to impress allies or as a vault for their treasures, the stories say. The closer to the present day we get, the more obscure the rumors grow—no sign of the Scroll of Kakishon seems to have surfaced over the past several hundred years."
"The last person to own the scroll, I believe, was a Keleshite wizard named Andrathi. The accounts of his life are vague and fragmentary, but it would appear that he was the lover of a genie named Nefeshti, the leader of a group known as the Templars of the Five Winds. Legend holds that the Templars fought somewhere in the mountains against a cruel efreeti warlord named Jhavhul, and that while the Templars of the Five Winds managed to capture Jhavhul inside of Kakishon, the defeat was shadowed in loss. No sign of Andrathi or the Scroll of Kakishon remained after the battle. No sign… until today."
"There are protections placed upon it to prevent undesirables from being able to open it and travel to the world within. Yet in time, I feel that I will be able to decipher these writings. You see, before he vanished, the wizard Andrathi went through the same process—yet he obviously managed to discover the way to open the scroll, even if it meant his doom. Some of his writings have survived to this day, and as it happens, I own copies of these writings. By building upon the foundation he lays in his writings, I am sure that I will be able to duplicate his research and refine it. It may take days, even weeks, but if this is indeed the Scroll of Kakishon, I will find the key to open it."
"But once it is open, I will need your aid, should you be willing to provide it. The legends speak of great treasures kept safe in Kakishon, the greatest of which was Jhavhul’s own weapon, the legendary Firebleeder, said by some to be a falchion and others a living flame. Sadly, my adventuring days are behind me, but if I find the way, I would be honored to accompany you into Kakishon to find the truth!"