Thread for #3-08: Foundation's Price and #3-12: Fury's Toll

Game Master Eric Parker 82

Nic looks around the corner into the room.

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.

Not at all suspicious. Nic manages to keep from rolling his eyes before indicating the opening further to the west. He silently pads towards it, rapier in hand.

"Well... that looks like the type of place that our Marid-to-rescue might be ensconced." notes Slipp.

They cast their gaze around the room, expecting the genie binder to make their unpleasant presence known at any moment.

Surveying the room with the large statues (map left.)

Large sculptures in this room depict other elemental creatures genie binders might summon, from
mephits, to thoqqua, to an artist’s terrifying impression of an invisible stalker.

A chaotic barrier of elemental energy blocks the entrance to this room. You can see the barrier is a roiling mix of fire, electricity, cold, and acid.

"Well... we could try to hack a hole in the wall.." notes Slipp.

They peer closer... what are the walls actually made of?

"Or go up the other stairs, and then come down into that room from above?"

Or do the other stairs on this floor all go down, apart from the ones behind the barrier?

The other stairs on this floor go down instead of up.

Given the magical nature of what is going on, if you make a hole in the wall, you see the barrier extends around the room just inside the walls.

Luz takes some time to inspect the tablets to see if he can read them..

Junior walks around the outskirts of the barrier shaking his head "Looks like someone doesn't want us in there.. at least not yet. How about we check out these other stairs going down?" He points to the south.

The blackened room to the north of Slipp doesn't have an obvious doorway on this side of the barrier?

To access this floor, did we go up more than one flight of stairs?

Liz sees that the tablets are made of limestone, and they seem rather delicate. From what you can read on the top tablet, they contain information about the history of Sedeq.

I brought you up the stairs to the North, but the other stairs you can see that are not behind the barrier also go down to areas you have seen on the first floor.

Slipp looks around for a small object and then tries tossing it through the apparently warded entrances to the room, curious about what might happen to it.

The rock bounces back from the barrier with a blast of energy. It is somehow hot and cold, shocked and acid burned at the same time.

Martin will inspect the barrier and try to recall knowledge about the nature of the barrier and possibly means of disabling it.

"We could ask Safa for advice."

"I think we may need to. Maybe they can remove it... or get us past it?"

As Martin examines the barrier, they realize that this is the ward mentioned earlier. It was created using extracts from the various elementals Fasiel had available. Touching the barrier with the items you have collected from the elementals you have met so far (fire from the scimitar from Farah, an earth element-infused diamond from Chaliz, and an air element–infused paper bird from Mehryar) deactivates that element in the barrier. If you touch the barrier with those three items, the barrier remains with a blueish tinge.

Junior claps Martin on the back as he's figured out their predicament "Good eye, good eye. Now we just need to locate some water.." He'll pull out his waterskin and give it a squirt, just in case.

"It's most likely going to be linked to the water in the amphora in the room with the limestone tablets."

Martin nods his head at Nic's suggestion and turns to Junior. "Agreed. Though your efforts are appreciated, Junior." He then joins the others in the room with the tablets.

I guess I'm confused on just what is where. Rereading the GM posts has helped. I was thinking the amphora and things were behind the barrier.

Junior heads into the tablet room to look around more closely, especially the amphora.

As Junior looks around the room, he realizes the elaborate hazard Fasiel has constructed in this room.

Water splashes within an ornate 5-foot-tall amphora. The glossy exterior depicts images of a marid trapped in a cage of flames, the frightened creature waving their hands in warning.

If a creature touches an item in this room without Fasiel's permission, a barrier will form at the exit to the room and the amphora will start filling the room at a rate of five feet per action.

Disable: DC 26 Thievery (trained) to scrape the flames away from the marid’s image (requires three successes); two successful dispel magics (3rd level; counteract DC 25) to disrupt the magical prison, disabling the trap for 10 minutes; or touch the amphora with Rayyan’s seal to free the marid.

Did we get the seal from Farah?

Luz set the trapped room as the subject of his investigation, replacing the salamander.

Does Luz think that they could slip a noose around the amphora and dragged gently from the room without triggering the magic trap?

One of you have the magical seal from Farah.

Trying to drag the amphora from the room would undoubtedly damage it, and likely trigger the trap.

"Well.. if we have Rayyan's seal.. that should be enough to free the Marid, right?" checks Slipp.

"And touching the seal to the amphora would not mean touching it ourselves. If there is one thing I have learned recently it is about how literally things need to be taken with genie."

"Which one of us has the marid's seal? Just touch the amphora with it. Then the marid can undo the trap." One more creature freed!

"Well, maybe freeing the marid and disarming the trap aren't solved the same way. We could be setting the trap off by releasing them?" He hopes this isn't the case.

3 successes at dc 26 with my +11 is unlikely, unless the only penalty is for a crit failure.

You do have Rayyan's seal, and from what you can see touching the seal to the amphora won't set off the trap. It looks like Fasiel has set this up to force the Marid to flood the room, so freeing the Marid also disarms the trap.

With a sign Slipp takes the seal and advances into the room. Looking around carefully, they gently touch the seal to the amphora and look around, hoping that something dramatic is going to happen.

"It should be safe." He decides as Slipp tempts fate. He waits for the Marid to appear and offer up some insights.

"Does anyone have spells that protect against the elements? From the looks of all the scorch marks around this place I expect they would be useful when we face Fasiel."

As Slipp approaches, she can see that Rayyan is miserable at being stuck in one place, only able to communicate through the painting on the pottery, warning you all away. As Slipp touches the seal to the amphora, the painting on the amphora begins to move out of the frame. The picture gets larger and larger until . Rayyan appears next to Slipp and the amphora.

Safa runs up to Rayyan and they share a hug. Rayyan produces a drop of water in a small vial and presents it to Slipp. This is for getting me out of this horrible place. Please take this, with my thanks.

Safa and Rayyan vanish together, and Safa returns a few moments later.

Slipp realizes the vial contains a Perfect Droplet

Touching the vial with the droplet to the barrier disperses the last layer with a splash.

Nic gives a small smile as Rayyan is freed. "Let's see what's in the room behind the barrier."

"Oh, thanks!" says Slipp, slightly embarrassed by the genies shows of emotion.

"I suppose this will help us lower that barrier... and face off against the dreaded Fasiel... again. " They offer a shrug.

Turning to JR they nod "Good thinking. Once we are facing them... we want to be all aggression."

Then with a sad note adds in "I can restore burned flesh, but not stop it burning to begin with. "

Rapier in hand, Nic cautiously steps through where the barrier had been and looks around the room.

Sorry haven't posted for a bit. Partly 'cos busy, but also Hui Kong hadn't been much help.

With the barrier gone, Hui Kong grasps his staff and steps in on high alert.

"Great work. We should equip some of these useful items just in case we need them. That water droplet would come in handy if we fight something with water spells. Someone very crafty can attach it to a weapon or armor." He starts to catalog some of their other useful finds for the group to work with. Taking this to discussion.

Looking to do this before the barrier is brought down, just in case it unleashes unpleasantries.

Once the items are sorted out JR heads over to the barrier to begin the next leg of their mission.

If no one wants to use the droplet JR will attach it to his armor.