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Ithuriel twists his ring as a portion of his halo's glow drifts down into it. He sends another small wave of holy missiles into Farah. "There is more where that came from." There was not more where that came from, but he believed Razmir would give him more if he deemed it necessary.
HP 39/44
AC 21 (+1 Mage Armor; +1 Shield)
Focus Point 0/1
Spells Used:
(1) Mage Armor
(2)
(3) Magic Missile
Staff Charges: 3/3
Wand of Heal (1st) 1/1
Healer's Gloves 1/1
Cloak of Repute 1/1
Lantern of Empty Light (Living) 0/1 | Incorporeal Undead 1/1
Drain Bonded Item 0/1
Hero Point 3/3
Farah is not intimidated by the giant poppet's glare, but that does not prevent Precious from ramming his lance into her thigh. Her grip still tight on the poppet's arm, it continues to burn (but flames don't hurt).
The efreet cuts Olov as he breaks away, the blade cauterizing the wound as it bites into his shoulder. However, the Sarenrite is able to restore the poppet's vital force.
Farah's armor then rebuffs every iron weapon thrown at her in the next second. She releases Precious and raises her arm to strike down at him once more, but just before the blow begins to fall, Razimir strikes her down.
The hellhound takes one last spiteful bite out of the poppet before you all cut it down.
Her planar projection flickering and fading translucently, Farah kneels on the ground glaring at Safa. "I will get revenge for my brother's suffering, Safa!" she spits and then finally fades from this plane. Her sword clatters to the ground beside the unconscious body of the salamander that she had possessed. Fire roils inside of the blade like flames reflected in a mirror. True to her agreement, however, Rayyan's seal also lies on the ground, undamaged.
"Rayyan! Where did he seal Rayyan?" Safa asks with worry in their voice.
Inside the central room, Olov and Precious can see pedestals displaying lifelike sculptures of different genies in poses of submission surround a large amphora filled with water. Fire-blackened images of flames and boiling seas loom around a cowering marid depicted on the jar. Gold, jewels, silks, and works of art lie carelessly scattered against the walls. Inscribed limestone tablets rest on top of the pile.
Hampton (50/56 hp)
Ithuriel (27/32 hp)
Olov (16/67 hp)
Unusk (55/77 hp)
Precious (26/108 hp)
+
+ +
Safa flits around the grand room while you tend to your wounds. They chew their lip and fret. "Rayyan is my dearest friend. A marid and true explorer of the vast oceans. Farah captured them, remember?" they explain, still pacing in the air. "They must be out of their mind to be trapped in one place. Find them and use the seal to free them."
Inside the central room, you can see pedestals displaying lifelike sculptures of different genies in poses of submission surround a large amphora filled with water. Gold, jewels, silks, and works of art lie carelessly scattered against the walls. Inscribed limestone tablets rest on top of the pile.
You move into the treasury and begin to search for signs of the marid, Rayyan. Safa disappears into their haath phool on Olov's hand. Hampton heads to the limestone tablets carelessly tossed onto a pile of silks. Turning one over, he finds a dense Osiriani script carved upon it. Olov begins to sort through the other scattered artwork on the ground, trying to determine what might hold a marid's essence.
Preciously, in his eagerness to help and see what is inside the amphora, climbs quickly past the glazed imagery on the side . Once he reaches the top and peers inside, he sees swirling water.
And the water is rising!
The water fills the amphora and then spills over the lip, which draws everyone's attention to the amphora. On its side, the image of a marid trapped in flames has changed and become animated. The marid now bears a frightened expression and is waving their arms as if warning someone away.
Rayyan! Safa says inside Olov's head. Do not break the amphora or it will destroy Rayyan!
Olov, having noticed what Hampton was handling, and Ithuriel--for different reasons--know that the water spilling out of the amphora could destroy the limestone tablets and whatever information is carved into them. Though, you all do have more pressing matters.
Before you can react, walls of water rise up and obstruct the two exits from this chamber. The speed at which water is pouring out of the amphora accelerates. The water pools at your feet and continues to rise.
It’s a Trap! Round 1. Bold may act.
Olov (67/67 hp)
Unusk (77/77 hp)
Precious (108/108 hp)
Amphora
Hampton (56/56 hp)
Ithuriel (32/32 hp)
Olov calls upon the Dawnflower. The water stops flowing from the amphora and the water walls blocking the two exits from the treasury fall to the ground as the solar power suppresses the magical trap. The mid-shin level water spills out into the much larger grand chamber.
Safa emerges from her haath phool. "Now! Use the seal and free Rayyan!" she urges you.
The marid disappears from the glazed decoration on the amphora as soon as Ithuriel touches the seal to the giant vase. They appear in the air next to the amphora. "Safa!" they cry out.
"Rayyan! You're safe!" Safa says and flies forward to embrace their dear friend. The two genies vanish, leaving you in silence.
Olov knows that the magical trap is only temporarily suppressed by his magic, and the danger will return if the trap is triggered again. For now, the soggy room is filled with various treasures as well as the rather mundane looking limestone tablets.
Back toward the stairs is the hall with several doors. There are two doors in the antechamber to the grand hall just past the balcony over the stairs. To the south is a swirling barrier of chaotic energy sealing the doorway there.
You grab what you can and make your way out of the treasury not knowing when the trapped amphora might start trying to drown you again. As you discuss the merits of searching the rest of the floor before trying to bypass the swirling vortex of energy, Safa and Rayyan pop back into existence. Safa brushes a dislodged lock of hair back behind their ear.
"You have my gratitude for freeing me," Rayyan says. "I am Rayyan, if Safa has not mentioned. I was tricked and trapped. Trapped in such a tiny place." They shudders. They then throw off the gloomy expression and smile again as they remove a glass decanter from thin air. "Take this endless decanter as my gift."
"The decanter's connection to the elemental plane of water will serve as the final focus to dispel the vortex," Safa says.
"Farewell, Pathfinders, and I will see you later, Safa," Rayyan says to the genie with a smile and a glance before they vanish.
"Well, now, who wants some tea?" Safa asks. "I'm sure you need a break!"
"But of course," Safa says to Precious. They snap their fingers and, suddenly, you find yourselves seated on brightly colored cushions--your weapons still awkwardly in hand--inside a magically illuminated and equally brightly colored grand pavilion. Silver platters with cakes, fruits, biscuits, crackers, jams, and cheeses as well as a silver tea kettle and matching tea cups float in the center. "Serve our guests," they say and clap their hands sharply.
While the invisible servers bring you tea and other refreshments, Safa asks Precious, "Do please tell me how you came to reside in this poppet."
If you peak under the rugs that cover the soft and spongy floor, you find the floor is made of clouds (or at least that is what it looks like).
Later, turning to Olov and Unusk, she asks a more somber question, "How does the Pathfinder Society deal with their prisoners? You must surely encounter quite a few beings set on doing you harm in the course of your business."
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While the invisible servers bring you tea and other refreshments, Safa asks Precious, "Do please tell me how you came to reside in this poppet."
I was a casualty of Lastwall! says Precious proudly. I don't remember who I was before, but I must have been a real knight. That's all that matters. I woke up lost in the Gravelands, and I was all alone and really scared. I didn't have anything but my two gauntlets. Which I can't even take off.
The tiny poppet holds aloft his oversized lance, tottering about. I found this on some dead guy. Knights have to use the tools they're given, even if they seem too big. It's a trial of knighthood, and a rule of Shivalry. So I picked it up and tried my best.
Pretty soon I was sticking all kinds of bad guys through the guts! The tiny knight does some wild practice moves. Pouk flinches involuntarily and covers his last good eye.
Anyways If you believe you're a knight, you're a knight. It's all about what's in your heart. And no one can ever take that away. And no one can ever give it to you either. That's how it is, Safa.
"How do you, as a Razimiran, deal with your enemies, Ithuriel," Safa asks the priest.
Later, to Hampton, she asks, "Tell me of your travels and adventures."
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Later, to Hampton, she asks, "Tell me of your travels and adventures."
Ah! Hampton says with a smile. I have been fortunate to see a great many places. The icy peaks of the Menador Mountains! The frigid Land of the Linnorm Kings! Why, even across the Arcadian Ocean to the frozen forests surrounding Port Valen! His smile does not fade, but does turn somewhat forced. The Society generously sends me to places far away — and far different — from my warm homeland of Osirion. They, ah...they could be less generous about that sometimes.
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Later, turning to Olov and Unusk, she asks a more somber question, "How does the Pathfinder Society deal with their prisoners? You must surely encounter quite a few beings set on doing you harm in the course of your business."
"Hm, that is true. Many if not most such encounters do not end with both parties breathing, unfortunately. When possible, I believe it is current Society policy to hand over captives to local authorities. I know we have kept captives in the past, but I believe that practice has fallen out of favor with the new Decemvirate."
"What do you do when your foe has broken no law but merely covets the same secret knowledge or lost lore as your Society and they surrender?" they follows up on Olov's answer.
They tip their head to the side as Hampton gets to the end of his answer. "You do not enjoy traveling across this fascinating plane of existence so far? Or you grow home sick?"
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"What do you do when your foe has broken no law but merely covets the same secret knowledge or lost lore as your Society and they surrender?" they follows up on Olov's answer.
"Well...I would hope if they have done nothing wrong aside from being faster than us to the prize, we would not have given them any reason to need to surrender to us" Olov says with a frown. "Perhaps I'm being naive, though."
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They tip their head to the side as Hampton gets to the end of his answer. "You do not enjoy traveling across this fascinating plane of existence so far? Or you grow home sick?"
Oh, please don't misunderstand, I do enjoy seeing different sights, Hampton responds, smiling in gratitude as his cup is refilled. It's just that, there are places on this globe that are not cold regions, and I'd be pleased to see more of those than the ones that are.
"I see," Safa says. "Thank you for indulging me. We should get back to the task at hand, I suppose, but please, do not feel rushed."
With a snap of their fingers, Safa transports you all back to the grand hall. The swirling vortex of elemental energy blocks the door to the south, but the unexplored hall still waits behind you.
Looking at the sun through the skylights, it seems as though hardly any time has passed since you were whisked away to Safa's refuge despite the few hours you spent there.
Precious boldly opens... a series of stalled privies.
Uninspired by the discovery of such, Hampton bravely opens the opposite door to reveal a lecture hall. Bludgeoned and smashed straw dolls of various Pathfinders, Safa, and the many others fill the seats of the hall. The podium and floor are scratched.
Heading to the back hall with the many doors, you find that each door opens into a small office. Dirty clothes, personal items, crumpled bedding, and loose sheets of notes are scattered about suggesting that these had been coopted to use as sleeping quarters for several people.
The loose notes appear to be notes about the city.
Finding nothing else that you believe to be important, you return to the swirling, chaotic barrier of elemental energy that blocks the entrance to the next room.
"Present each of the elemental tokens at the same time," Safa instructs you.
Four of step forward and present the four items infused with elemental energy: the folded paper bird, adamantine gaming pieces, the scimitar, and the decanter. Each item vibrates in your hand momentarily, and then the energy barrier vanishes.
Large sculptures in this room depict other elemental creatures geniebinders might summon, from mephits, to thoqqua, to an artist’s terrifying impression of an invisible stalker. A set of stairs curves along the outer wall, leading upwards.
"Fasiel lairs above," Safa warns you. "Be prepared."
The stairs arrive at a vast lounge, wide windows looking out onto the city below and tables laden with delicacies. Fasiel ibn Sazadin stands in the room’s center, admiring his reflection in the many mirrors along the walls. The first glass shows a triumphant Fasiel stomping on unconscious Pathfinders, the next berating a chained Safa, the next the city burning as his followers silently chant his name, and the last cowardly Pathfinders crawling up the stairs and pleading. He spins on seeing movement in the mirror, his eyes wide with shock and outrage, spittle flying from his mouth. "No, no, no, no! You Pathfinders ruin everything! This is my city! My future! I’ve seen it. And you meddling Pathfinders and that treacherous djinn won’t keep me from my ultimate destiny!"
Safa emerges from the haath phool and floats over the stairs. "Oh, Fasiel, you will spend the rest of your long life inside a prison cell where all you will have to command are the fleas in your bedding!"
They make a gesture and snap their fingers. A while aura momentarily surrounds Fasiel.
"Ai! What did you do you wicked djinn!?" the skelm shrieks. "I'll defeat you all and leave you in my prison until I decide how best to make you suffer!"
"Terribly unimaginative," Safa comments as the skelm rushes to attack.
The Inner Sanctum! Round 1. Bold may act.
Unusk (77/77 hp)
Precious (108/108 hp)
Hampton (56/56 hp)
Ithuriel (32/32 hp)
Fasiel (oo)
Olov (67/67 hp)