Davod runs, holding Lady Pharo's hand. "Carpet!" The suli shouts. The intelligent flying carpet wraps it's tassles around the thief's neck.
"Come on, everyone! LET'S GO!"
She trips, but instead of falling she flies up. Slower than the run but safer.
She smiles at Davod as he likely gets picked up by Carpet as she falters.
Soon enough you are down at the waypoint where your extras have collected more tokens to summon vessels.
The suli tries to activate the Nexian Galley Charm, but it appears inert. "By the Hells! Why won't this work?"
Davod offers the Galley Charm to anyone with the knowledge to find out why it's not working.
Before you is a Waypoint—a stone pier and small domed building crafted of polished yellow marble and alabaster. The end of the Waypoint pier is crumbling, blackened, and ruined, as if the last several feet of the pier had been burned away by an impossibly hot fire.
Each Waypoint is furnished with magical basins that produce food, water, and plush bedding upon command, though any items created dissolve into nothing if removed from the hostel. In addition, anyone with a special charm can call for a magical ship to ferry him from island to island.
These ships are a magical wonder—self-propelled galleys, each staffed by a single ram-headed helmsman of enchanted brass.
With a tap from her hand she says, "I guess it takes a woman's touch."
The charm then turns into water and soon a Nexian ferry arrives.
With everyone soon on the ship,
The suli smiled. "And what a touch it is."
Turning to the others, Davod suggests, "So, Isle of the Dead? If the visions are to be believed, we should find a clue to leave this planar prison."
"I think Davod just did. But to make sure..." She relays then walks over to the minotaur helmsman and politely states, "Please take us to the Isle of the Dead."
Isle of the Dead
The Waypoint on the Isle of the Dead is unusual in that it has no accompanying hostel. The small island comprises a single hill with a gentle, grassy slope on one side and a high, cliff-backed scarp at its eastern end, surmounted by a massive edifice of verdigris-encrusted brass: the Brass Mausoleum of Nex. Two small woodlands of dead trees cover much of the island’s eastern half, while the west is a gentle slope of dry grass covered with tombstones.
B1. The Plaza of Welcome
Two stone quays protrude from a small plaza at the lowest point of the small island. A flight of marble stairs leads up a gentle slope to the island interior to the north.This plaza is meant to exude a sense of welcome and serenity, and any creature touching the stones of the plaza is affected as by a calm emotions spell (Will DC 22 negates).
B2. The Stairs of Ascension
A massive stairway forty feet across, its treads and risers seemingly unscarred by the erosive hand of time and pristinely free of mark or debris, climbs the modest slope of the island toward the fields above. To either side of the stairs runs a row of columns of the same white stone, each column surmounted with a statue of golden marble that bears a mask of polished brass. All the statues bear the face of the archwizard Nex, but each displays him in the trappings of a different role: astrologer, explorer, scholar, teacher, poet, scribe, ruler, hunter, and warlord.
A familiar brown cat sits on the top step. As soon as he’s spotted, he turns and runs inland.
"Both friendly and unfriendly", Davod comments about the island. "I can imagine this place has many, many deterrents for grave robbers."
"Probably should", Davod reasons. "Other than us, it's the only living thing around. But I've heard too many stories of adventurers following cats to their doom. Oh well..."
A semicircle of four marble platforms stands off to the left but you follow the cat to the right.
At the top of The Stairs of Ascension you feel protected. False Life is cast upon you, you gain 1d10+20 temperary hit points.
B4. The Groves of Contemplation
An open wood of dead, leafless myrtle and olive trees gives the island here an ominious cast. The sound of rasping wood in the wind is all around, and the dry branches seem to twitch when viewed out of the corner of the eye.
Although sinister, the dead trees are a powerful ward against death. A character who enters the woods feels a compulsion to spend a few minutes contemplating death at the base of one of the trees.
As you enter this area, they catch glimpses of the cat scurrying ahead of you, up toward area B5.
B5. The Memorial Ground
This hilltop is covered with landscaped dirt and gravel, smooth swept earthen pathways winding among graveled expanses raked in curves, whorls, and intricate patterns, studded with larger boulders and artfully trimmed dwarf trees placed sparsely throughout. Surrounding all is a rim of naked rock, roughly hewn and surmounted by thick, imposing limestone columns carved in relief, each capped with a stone griffon, dragon, lammasu, shedu, or similar winged beast. To the southeast rises a towering brass mausoleum, its facade depicting scenes of a powerful wizard working strange magic upon the world, although the carvings appear partially melted. A pair of large brass doors stand ajar in the mausoleum’s northwest side, and embedded in the bronze are blasted and blackened fragments of a human skeleton.
check discerns that the figure depicted on the carvings of
the mausoleum’s facade are of the Wizard-King Nex.
The cat sits before the doors, and as they notice him he slips quietly through the doors into the mausoleum’s unseen interior—an instant later, the doors close.
As you approach within 30 feet of the mausoleum, a sudden wave of anger and menace seems to wash out over you. An instant later, a vision of a strange, half-formed humanoid composed of air, earth, fire, and water manifests before the mausoleum. In a booming voice, it bellows demands,
“Why do you come here? What do you seek? This place was made for those who are dead. Why do the living trouble the endless sleep, the final dream?”
He follows along with Kazko and Davod. The girls are likely trailing us. He takes time to stretch and do some exercises noticing the lack of life.
"Any idea what magic was blessed upon us as we got to the top of the stairs?"
"No idea", Davod says as he absentmindedly scratches his shoulder.
She states and offers, "I was impressed with the different columns of Nex. Ah yes, the spell was likely false Life. Likely a very powerful spell perhaps one made by Nex himself."
She continues to hang back and as the face bellows accusations at the group she does not feel the need to move forward.
At the mausoleum, as he likely was one of the first, he responds with putting both hands on his great sword. Then states, "We come here from the dreams of this place, of the cat, and such. To find answers."
She walks in front of Alexandria to get a better look at the depictions. She does not respond to the voice but continues to look.
Then with a sigh of relief she states, [b]"The figure depicted on the carvings of the mausoleum’s facade are of the Wizard-King Nex. As we likely could have surmised from the columns on the way up the stairs.
After a minute from the bellowing of the programmed image, you see the carving on the right wall states:
“Truth is the most terrifying thing in the world, and the most enchanting. Dare you face it? Dare you use it? Answer truthfully and enter.”
the 1-foot-thick gates of enchanted brass (Hardness 20, hp
200, Break DC 38) with a customized arcane lock (CL 20th)
that opens to anyone who speaks the password.
If PCs speak this word, the brazen portals sweep inward on
silent hinges, allowing access to the mausoleum interior.
The skeleton embedded in the brass before the door is
the mortal remains of Andrathi, magically preserved by
the powerful and strange magics that blasted the front of
the mausoleum during his final battle against Jhavhul.
Creatures: Of course, physical damage and spells like
knock or dispel magic can also cause the doors to open,
but doing so triggers one final defense. As soon as such
methods are attempted, the carvings seem to sigh in
disappointment—in actuality, they are each releasing an
invisible stalker to attack the PCs. These invisible stalkers fight to the death,
The suli reads and rereads the magical carvings.
"Truthfully?" Davod answers the wall.
The brazen portals sweep inward on silent hinges, allowing access to the mausoleum interior.
There is a skeleton embedded in the brass before the door is the mortal remains of a humanoid, magically preserved by the powerful and strange magics that blasted the front of the mausoleum.
The interior of the mausoleum dazzles the eye, almost overwhelming in its intricacy. The floor and ceiling are of polished golden marble tiles, each white-veined tile set off with a framing inlay of lapis lazuli. The cornices and joints of wall, ceiling, and floor inlaid with burnished brass glow in the light of heatless crystal lamps that hang from empty air. Within these brazen borders, each wall holds an enormous mosaic of enchanted tile that moves and flows like a living thing, replaying the triumphs and tragedies of Nex in an endless refrain.
In the center of the vast, silent chamber sits a bier of plain white limestone, simply carved, its lid unadorned but for a single rune. At the bier’s head is a large marble pedestal on which stands a curious statue of a man toppled over. The statue’s head is carved of gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly of bronze, its thighs of iron, and its shattered feet of clay. At the bier’s foot is a smaller platform upon which rests an equally strange trophy: a large reptilian skull as large as a grown man, crested and glinting golden in the lamplight.
This grand tomb is the mausoleum of Nex the archwizard.
The cat sits atop the sarcophagus, idly cleaning itself and ignoring you. As you enter the room he glances up at you, eyes wide and bright.
The brazen portals sweep inward on silent hinges, allowing access to the mausoleum interior.
Davod laughs at himself and Desna's luck that he opened the mausoleum.
The suli's rogue instincts kick in, and begins to search for traps.
Sasha points out, "The cat slipped in as we approached... speaking of the cat... it sure is a spooky cat. This place looks great but I don't see any loot that is easily collected."
Davod takes his time and looks for traps, not seeing any in the path up to the sarcophagus.
"Yes. The sarcophagus. Holding the remaining of one of the most feared wizards in history", Davod laments. "I don't see any other traps. Though, if we had the time, I'll strip the gold and gemstones out of this place. But that is likely at trap."
"Hey you! Little kittie! Did you call us here, godsdammit!"
The cat looks ready to bolt as it watches Davod yell at it.
The draconic skull rises from the ground with trails of fire and introduces herself, "I am Venema. Please stay your hands. The cat is but an extension of Andrathi. Like Andrathi before you, are prisoners here and that I might know how to escape."
Venema speaks to you in a strange, hollow voice as she floats above the sarcophagus.
“I have waited for Nex to come to rest here for more centuries than I care to count, yet this is no concern to me. I shall continue to wait. Yet not all who have come before me have shown the same respect as you. Certainly, the one whose spirit suffuses this place respected it—he was known as Andrathi in his day, and he came to this tomb pursued by the warlord Jhavhul. For many days, Andrathi hid here and we shared many conversations, but in the end, Jhavhul found him. It is to Andrathi’s credit that he did not drag the fight in here, that he confronted Jhavhul on the steps outside. It is there that he died, and in his rage to be gone from this place, Jhavhul did not linger, and thus I survive to continue my duties. And Andrathi lingers here as well—he is but a memory and a shade, though, his soul having long passed on from here. Yet enough lingers to advise me, and what lingers is curious—as am I. How is it you
have come to be in Kakishon?”
flares momentarily with anger at the discovery that Jhavhul
has escaped. She tells the PCs that he does not deserve
freedom, that he was a cruel and destructive element in
Kakishon, and that she shudders to think of what he may
be doing now that he has escaped to reality. Use Venema
to impress upon the PCs the need to defeat Jhavhul—as
with Dilix in Part Three, you can use Venema (speaking
from what she’s learned of the matter from Andrathi) to
fill in the PCs on much of the Legacy of Fire background,
including Jhavhul’s plan to awaken Xotani the Firebleeder
(although like Dilix, Venema does not know Jhavhul’s
reasons for wishing to do so).
If the PCs express an interest in opposing Jhavhul,
Venema tells them they should seek the azer Artel Norrin.
She explains that, before Andrathi came to her, he had
sheltered for a time with the azer, and during that time
learned that Artel resented the incursion of Jhavhul and
his army into Kakishon and was secretly working on a
weapon to be used against him, but whether he finished
the weapon or even still survives, Venema does not know.
If the PCs ask Venema for her advice on how to escape
Kakishon, she sadly admits she lacks that power, and even
Andrathi wasn’t sure on how best to escape. Yet Andrathi
remained convinced to the end that there was a method—
and that method, he said, lies with the proteans who built
this realm in the beginning. Venema suggests the PCs
seek out the proteans for answers, yet warns them that they
are creatures of primal chaos and one should take care in
trusting them.
Venema is willing to answer other questions the PCs
might have, such as the following.
How can the proteans help us escape? “You are not
natives to Kakishon, and as such you are impurities to the
chaos they desire. If they have their way, I suspect they will
unmake Kakishon and return it to the chaos from which it
formed, but as long as creatures not native to Kakishon are
found within, they cannot fully unmake what they have
created. I suspect they seek to slay the shaitans, and would
do the same to you if you weren’t so eager to leave. Obherak
and his followers seek to rule here—they have no wish to
leave, and thus the proteans wish them slain. Or at least
reduced in strength and number to a point where they can
finish them off without undue risk.”
Wouldn’t they need to destroy you too? “No, for I was
created here. If this place is to be taken apart, I welcome
the bliss of oblivion, and if Nex returns, I trust he can
remake me to serve him again. It is of no consequence to
me… although I doubt that the other denizens of these
isles would share my sentiment.”
Obherak says he can get us out too. Is he lying? “Partially,
yes. The genies lack the power to escape by themselves,
otherwise Jhavhul would have escaped himself long ago.
If the proteans are defeated, the mysteries of their lair
beyond the end of eternity will no longer be guarded. The
fundamental realities of Kakishon were damaged when
Andrathi first captured Jhavhul, and now, with his escape
and your arrival, that damage has increased—perhaps to a
point where a shaitan, or even yourselves, could engineer
an escape. I do not know how this might work, but the
shaitans are inventive—if Obherak believes he knows a
way to effect an exit from Kakishon now, I suspect he can…
although I suspect as well that his method would not be
without risk.”
There was rumored to be a great weapon called
Flameblood hidden in Kakishon; do you know anything
about it? “Alas, I believe the concept of a weapon called
Flameblood may merely be a metaphor for Jhavhul. After
all, he sought to resurrect and tame the Spawn of Rovagug
known as Xotani the Firebleeder—I suppose that is the
“Flameblood” of your legend. I know of no potent weapon
hidden here—unless, of course, the azer smith Artel
finished the one Andrathi believes he was working on.”
Venema will not leave the mausoleum and memorial
grounds, but is very grateful to PCs for conversing with her,
and she grants them leave to rest on the island as long as
they wish. With her blessing, the traps and guardians of the
Isle of the Dead no longer trouble the PCs. Furthermore,
once she has spoken to the PCs, and should the PCs vow to
defeat Jhavhul, Andrathi’s spirit can rest. Spooky approaches
the PC that was the kindest to him and rubs against his leg.
Although now nothing more than an ordinary cat in most
regards, as long as he lives and accompanies his chosen PC,
that character gains a +1 luck bonus on all attack rolls, skill
checks, saving throws, and level checks. Spooky can serve as
a familiar or animal companion, in which case his statistics
change as appropriate.
Level up!
The suli cautiously reaches out to pet the kitten.
"Hello, creepy kitty.."
The cat jumps away from Davod.
Aukan was with you ready for a fight. As the skull rises he gets ready even more. But 'her' words disarm him. He walks forward and states, "I am Aukan, Warlord of Kelmarane, leader of this fine group. Greetings Venema." He puts his blade tip first to rest upon the great sword before him.
As she finishes he looks to the others and then states, "Ah so those are his bones. Tell us more about Andrathi. Please. Let me tell you the tale then!"
He goes on to tell the tale of their journy. He tells of freeing Kelmarane and the demons they fought. Then going to the House of the Beast and clearing it of gnoll scum and worse. From there we found the Scroll of Kakishron. We took it to the nearest expert on said magic and found Rylan. We dealt with some interlopers and kept protection over his estate and our own. "Then Rylan opened the Scroll, we were sucked in. To our dismay as we descended Jafar and his crew escaped. We hunted down the golden ram and found some new friends. Then we met the Choas ones, primals or something after our vessel fell from the edge of Kakishron. We also have met Medveyd... I know I slaughtered that name. We have ventured in here for at least a week maybe two and come here to learn what we can. Looking for a way out..."
Sasha and Alexandria slowly walk around the room, circumventing the floating skull. They seem to be making sure there are no more surprises.
Sasha goes over and puts a ration on the sarcophagus leaving it for the cat. She tries to coax it over to her... saying soothing words hoping it will believe her.
---
She giggles and affectionately pets the cat.
The cat eats a few bites of the offered food then nearly jumps into her waiting hands. It purrs and snuggles into her arms.
She flares momentarily with anger at the discovery that Jhavhul has escaped. She tells you, "he does not deserve freedom, that he was a cruel and destructive element in Kakishon, and that I shudders to think of what he may be doing now that he has escaped to reality."
"You need to defeat Jhavhul—he was using wishes. Jhavhul’s plan is to awaken Xotani the Firebleeder."
If the PCs express an interest in opposing Jhavhul, Venema tells them they should seek the azer Artel Norrin. She explains that, before Andrathi came to her, he had sheltered for a time with the azer, and during that time learned that Artel resented the incursion of Jhavhul and his army into Kakishon and was secretly working on a weapon to be used against him, but whether he finished the weapon or even still survives, Venema does not know.
If the PCs ask Venema for her advice on how to escape Kakishon, she sadly admits she lacks that power, and even Andrathi wasn’t sure on how best to escape. Yet Andrathi remained convinced to the end that there was a method—and that method, he said, lies with the proteans who built this realm in the beginning. Venema suggests the PCs seek out the proteans for answers, yet warns them that they are creatures of primal chaos and one should take care in trusting them.
How can the proteans help us escape?
“You are not natives to Kakishon, and as such you are impurities to the chaos they desire. If they have their way, I suspect they will unmake Kakishon and return it to the chaos from which it formed, but as long as creatures not native to Kakishon are found within, they cannot fully unmake what they have created. I suspect they seek to slay the shaitans, and would do the same to you if you weren’t so eager to leave. Obherak and his followers seek to rule here—they have no wish to leave, and thus the proteans wish them slain. Or at least reduced in strength and number to a point where they can finish them off without undue risk.”
Wouldn’t they need to destroy you too?
“No, for I was created here. If this place is to be taken apart, I welcome the bliss of oblivion, and if Nex returns, I trust he can remake me to serve him again. It is of no consequence to me… although I doubt that the other denizens of these isles would share my sentiment.”
Venema is very grateful to you for conversing with her, and she grants you leave to rest on the island as long as you wish. With my blessing, the traps and guardians of the Isle of the Dead no longer trouble you.
Furthermore, should you vow to defeat Jhavhul, Andrathi’s spirit can rest.
Davod sits down and open the package. Inside the box is various coins and gems, along with a flat iron rod with a small button on the end. Davod checks that button for traps, and doesn't find any. Davod pushes the button, but nothing happens, except the rod is now immovable in space. Curious, Davod pushes just the button once again, and the rod makes a clanging noise on the ground. "Lady Pharos?" Davod called the efreeti over and held up the buttoned rod. "Do you know what this is?"
She begins to say a bit sheepishly, "It is a magical rod of some kind, not exactly sure more than that."
More confidently she states, "How many wishes left today? I think most of our problems are coming to a head. I propose to start the wishing to repair the seal on this place, which should start with a wish to know the scroll's percentage of repair and what actions need to be done to repair it."
She confidently walks up and offers, "It is a immovable rod. With a push of a button it cannot move!."
Aukan raises his sword stating, "I swear a vow upon my ancestors that Jafar will meet his end, violently. We just left Artel at his forge. He is alive and well! He did finish his masterpiece! Who has it show it off! Proteans, yes that is what they are called! We met them and are on good terms with them. Thank you, are there any special places we should visit?"
Venema goes through the list of possible locations, "Climb the stairs of ascent, the grove of dead trees rest under some of the trees, the well of tears. Those three places have magical qualities they can confer."
She speaks to Davod, "Rogue, go ahead and take a few gems."
"You will understand the bonuses they relay once you have visited them."
"You might be able to convince him to get his people out of here but he seems a little determined to keep his own kingdom as it is. But I only know what Andrathi told me. As I do not have spells to spy on him and are bound to this mausoleum." The feminine flaming skull relays.
She offers up her own unique view, "If what I have been realizing is that we could have been gone from this place on the first day. We just need a Gate spell or similar magic to leave. With a wish that can be done."
"My goal is to mend the magic that Andrathi tore so that when we leave we can keep this place as our own resort. I think most of our problems are coming to a head. I propose to start the wishing to repair the seal on this place, which should start with a wish to know the scroll's percentage of repair and what actions need to be done to repair it."
"Now Oberhak will likely need to be dealt with or persuaded to work with us. We need to get the captured protean and return her to the other proteans. Then I can use Gate to let them be free." She nods to Sasha.
Sasha then makes a wish, "I wish Pharos Alexandria would know Kakishron scroll's percentage of repair and what actions need to be done to repair it with no curses or negative ramifications to herself or those in our party."