Exhausted by the previous day's efforts, Nowzai oversleeps uncharacteristically. When h finally gets out of his bedroll, he is sore, groggy and grumpy. After a half-moment of self-pity -- realizing the plight of thousands around him -- and a weak cup of tea, he gets to work.
His first priority is the disposition of the refugees. He locates Magma and the other city leaders, if possible, and offers whatever help he can in organizing their movement and protection. If leaders are unable or unwilling to do their job, Nowzai will take the lead himself. He will charge Magma and the remnants of the city guard to establish and enforce the peace, uphold laws where it makes sense, and protect the most vulnerable refugees. If Jenya and the other divines can help produce food and water, Nowzai will organize supply depots and distribution protocols.
To this task, he will apply all of his applicable knowledge (likely engineering, geography, nature and/or nobility).
If these things are in hand, Nowzai will take some time to research the massive portal and investigate the status of Occipitus. He will ask Tlanextic if the couatl has any insight to the problems.
Nowzai stumbles as his smoking eye dissipates and returns to normal. "Someone... someone has passed the tests and usurped control of Occipitus." He coughs from the smoke and shakes his head. "We will deal with that at a later point. For now, we must depart before the volcano consumes us. Tlanextic sees a path to safety." He relays directions to the rest of the group.
Amazingly, Nowzai somehow avoids the dragon's landing and scoffs its supposedly fearsome display. He sends a sonic lance and quickened orb of sound at the dragon, point blank.
If he can't see the dragon, Nowzai will have it appear directly overhead the building, as high as it can go. Once the dragon comes into range, it will close and attack.
"I am severely lacking in spell options," Nowzai calls out. "But I could telekinetically throw Epik at the beast. I cannot make you fly, but if you can grab hold, you may be able to land an strike or two before falling. What do you say?"
Tlanextic will telepathically ask the charmed slayer to politely leave the city for safety. He flies up and blasts the northwest foe with a scorching ray
Nowzai's stoneskin absorbs the impact from the arrow. Poison still work with 0 damage?
Nowzai flies upwards a few feet. Using his metamagic rod, he quickly conjures a wind wall across the length of the room, then he starts a longer summoning spell.
SMIV... hound archon
Tlanextic casts charm monster on the western archer. DC 17 Will save!
Nowzai will use one of his last remaining prepared summons to call a medium-sized water elemental (SMIV) and direct it to drench any fires it can. He will also make liberal use of the drench cantrip to keep the fires at bay as long as possible.
While doing so, he will keep an eye peeled for the volatile crates. If he finds one, he'll use Dimensional Steps to quickly evacuate it from the building (hoping that shaves off a round or two).
"Probably to corral slaves for future exploitation," Nowzai says, shaking his head. He directs the freed citizens towards the refugee escape then looks around for the next problem.
Finally, the massive forming portal in the center of the sky is impossible to miss. As your gaze is drawn to it, you spy smaller portals begin to appear in the sky as well. The difference here are creatures begin to rain down all over the city and the countryside ... a closer look shows they are demodands!
Nowzai glances up, weariness clear in his posture and eyes. "That one, most likely, is our culprit. I do not know how they opened it, nor how we could go about closing them." He shakes his head, confounded. "No, we must complete the evacuation and rejoin the others outside Cauldron's cursed walls. Perhaps later we will discover a way to fight back."
Nowzai will join Dalamus in trying to learn what the demodand was building. Knowledge check?
"Strange. It did not return to its plane of origin," Nowzai muses, moving up to examine the demodand closely. "That means it came to Cauldron through a gate." He rubs his scalp, pondering the implications.
Was the Cagewrights plan to open a gate in Cauldron? But we rescued some of the souls they were planning to use...
Nowzai will cast shield and stoneskin on himself, and sonic weapon on Epik and Dalamus's blades. Just before they move to attack, he will cast summon monster V to bring a bralani azata to the fight.
Remaining Spells Prepared:
1stfeather fall, lesser orb of sound (3), shield 2ndbaleful tranposition, darkvision (2) 3rddaylight, soundlance, summon monster III, wind wall 4thacid pit (2), black tentacles, control summoned creature, dimensional anchor, summon monster IV 5thmage's faithful hound, telekinesis 6thchains of light, disintegrate 7th
Nowzai regards the fiend dourly. "A kelubar demodand, or 'slimy' in the crude vernacular. They are shock troops and often in charge of collecting and tending slaves. They are strong, use acid, and resist fire and cold."
@Nowzai -- how do you intend to track Dalamus? Tlanextic's telepathy is good to 100 feet
Nevermind. I was thinking familiar.
Nowzai shakes his head, forestalling his own offer. "Indeed I cannot locate them without preparing a different spell or two. We could move in that general direction and hope to find them, or continue on our own way."
Nowzai concentrates for a moment, then replies. "Dalamus is with Tlanextic, to the south of here. They are well for the moment. I can lead us to them."
Nowzai partakes in the healing aura as he tells the rescued citizens where to evacuate. "Please, do not linger or go back for sentimental things. Time is of the essence and you must get to safety as quickly as possible."
When the crowd is on its way, he joins the others and continues on our rotation.
