20th of Saris: our heroes land near Huzuz, and gain entrance in disguise so not to attract attention to themselves. Ramanhi heads for the Grand Bazaar for much needed supplies as our heroes split to look for information. Ashira goes to barber, Farooq to the Grand Caliph's Palace and Saladin to Mad Haddad's. They are to meet after at the Home of the Happy Dolphin after their inquiries.
After securing the services of a dwarf guide by the name of Parok Mirani, Ashira is led to the best barbershop of Huzuz while Saladin is brought after to Mad Haddad's magic emporium for the Fool and the Simpleton. While Ashira learns more about Ascension Day, the city and about Ibtisam bint Latifa, a personal wardrobe deisgner. While she gets pampered at the barbershop, Saladin meets Mad Haddad, who looks at him from head to toe. After calling him a fool to follow instructions on a paper he can't read, Haddad challenged Saladin to a game of chess while Farooq meets with Grand Vizier Alyana al-Azzazi about offering the book of "evil" for the Caliph's private exotic collection. Wanting to analyze the book, she summons Farooq the next day after the morning prayer to research the book in his presence. Meanwhile, Saladin gets beaten at chess and earns the title of simpleton. Being the only supplier of reagents in the city, he tasks Saladin with finding a bottle buried in the Harbor.
While Saladin heads for the harbor and Farooq heads back to the inn discretely, Ashira meets up with Ibtisam for a new attire. While there, she learns of a plot to burn the business of Gundar Silvershine, a northerner that recently converted to the worship of Jauhar. Having learned all she can, she heads back to the inn. Saladin, with the help of Alya his gen, founds the location of the bottle but has no tools or license to dig. He marks the spot and returns to the inn. After sharing what each other learned over a meal, Farooq receives a note from Mad Haddad complimenting him on finding such a foolish and simpleton subject. Farooq makes a scene about Ashira not being in disguise, throwing and breaking stuff which ended with Ramanhi receiving a chair on his head.
21st of Saris: At day break, Farooq and Ashira head for the palace and Saladin heads to his family estate to use his family's influence to get his digging permit, assign protection to Silvershine and to catch up with his family. after asking his father for the above, he heads back to the harbor but one more difficulty arises as the ground was already dug up and the bottle, missing. While Ashira goes on to commune with Zann, Farooq meets up with the Vizier but seems reluctant to leave the book with her, fearing her corruption. Farooq heads to the Mosque of Jauhar where he meets with the high priest and communes with Jauhar. He and Ashira receive the same vision of fighting a genie on Ascension Day alongside the Grand Caliph. Trying to understand what the vision means, they head to Saladin's family estate while Saladin heads back to Mad Haddad to explain the situation. He enters the shop to witness Haddad teaching magic to... no one. After being scolded that he was tasked with bringing back the bottle, not just finding it, he sends Saladin back home to complete his task. Farooq entrusted the book to Ashira to bring to Saladin's dad for safekeeping while he tries to get in touch with someone in the court other than the vizier, he wants to meet Prince Tannous, the one who finances the "relic" expeditions. Using Ishooq's suggestion, Farooq and Ashira head to meet with Rayad al-Farif, which Farooq was told was quite fond of human maidens.
Meanwhile, Saladin uses the Hand of Fate ritual to try and locate the bottle and finds a location in the Warehouse district but wisely goes back home to get Ashira and Farooq as Ramanhi went back with the first run of supplies for the airship and, following Alya's suggestion, send his gen to search the harbor for clues. After meeting up with Rayad, which was all business to Faroooq's and Ashira's surprise, they headed back to the estate of Saladin's family where they get the news after sometime discussing with Saladin's dad to get an audience with the Prince that their appointment was the next morning before the morning prayer, the morning of Ascension Day. Asking for the book back, the heroes and Saladin's father realize that the book was stolen from the tower, Alya returns with Saladin's brother jannissary's earring. They head for Saladin brother's room in time for him to finish gathering his gear and the book. After a quick skirmish in which Khalid looses his sword and Farooq regains the book, Khalid transforms himself into a cloud of Vapor and flees the house. Plagued with questions, our heroes head for Mad Haddad for answers since all seems tied to the book and bottle.
After a quick flying carpet ride to Mad Haddad's magic emporium, they wake up the old wizard and confront him about the bottle. Ashira sees Haddad surrounded by the shape of a great winged serpent and, after recognizing Ishooq, which he identify as the thief of the bottle. Ishooq quickly vanishes and Haddad explains he his the dragon guardian of the bottle of Ibliss, the fusion of a demon and an efreet cinderlord who is devoted entirely to Efreet. His freedom would mean the end of the city but he cannot touch the bottle or battle Ibliss. Farooq tries to give the book to Haddad but Haddad declines stating that the book as binded already with Farooq's soul and should he part with it, he would die.
Our heroes think about their next move and prepare for Ascension Day.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Chronology - Drahira the Mad Djinn
16th of Saris: Our heroes are on their way to Huzuz when they notice that the root of Midnight Darkness is rotting away, they have no choice but to perform the ritual that day. Saladin researches the ritual, Farooq uses the ships gold to make gold paint, Ramanhi makes an inventory and Ashira helps around with repairs. As a strong storm draws near, Saladin and Ashira uses the last of the reagents to perform the ritual. As the weather grows stronger, Farooq and Ramanhi come and help with the ritual, all heroes investing energy in the ritual. As the ritual draws to an end, a lightning bolt hits the ring.
As the ritual took them well in the night, the glowing ring breaks apart, freeing a djinn that called herself Drahira. She declares herself the bride of Efreet and to thank our heroes of freeing her so she can have her revenge on the fools who trapped her 500 years ago, she summons several air elemental. Even in their weakened state, our heroes dispatch the elemental menace. They elect to wait the next day to follow the mad djinn.
17th of Saris: The heroes take of in pursuit of Drahira, Farooq orders Ishooq, Saladin and Ashira to cast spells at the core to boost the speed of the airship as they fly towards the Pillar of Kor. The group cast their spells with an unexpected result, they fly at incredible speeds, almost loosing control of the airship and shaving off two days travel in the span of a few seconds. As they arrive at the base of the Pillar of Kor, they notice nine graves, recently dug up. As lightning strikes the tall Pillar, destroying some parts of the feeble stairs, making their climb even more challenging.
After a trying climb, they reach the top of the Pillar only to find the nine cursed priest have been raised and murdered already by a vengeful Drahira, who summons her Storm Archons and attack our heroes. Using teamwork and covering each other, our heroes weaken Drahira enough to bind her to the helmet that al-Hanif's descendant forged and the party finally gain the Helmet of the Wind. Our heroes climb back on the airship and head once again towards Golden Huzuz, in dire need of supplies and information before heading for the Ruined Kingdoms, to look for the City of the Dead.
As the ritual took them well in the night, the glowing ring breaks apart, freeing a djinn that called herself Drahira. She declares herself the bride of Efreet and to thank our heroes of freeing her so she can have her revenge on the fools who trapped her 500 years ago, she summons several air elemental. Even in their weakened state, our heroes dispatch the elemental menace. They elect to wait the next day to follow the mad djinn.
17th of Saris: The heroes take of in pursuit of Drahira, Farooq orders Ishooq, Saladin and Ashira to cast spells at the core to boost the speed of the airship as they fly towards the Pillar of Kor. The group cast their spells with an unexpected result, they fly at incredible speeds, almost loosing control of the airship and shaving off two days travel in the span of a few seconds. As they arrive at the base of the Pillar of Kor, they notice nine graves, recently dug up. As lightning strikes the tall Pillar, destroying some parts of the feeble stairs, making their climb even more challenging.
After a trying climb, they reach the top of the Pillar only to find the nine cursed priest have been raised and murdered already by a vengeful Drahira, who summons her Storm Archons and attack our heroes. Using teamwork and covering each other, our heroes weaken Drahira enough to bind her to the helmet that al-Hanif's descendant forged and the party finally gain the Helmet of the Wind. Our heroes climb back on the airship and head once again towards Golden Huzuz, in dire need of supplies and information before heading for the Ruined Kingdoms, to look for the City of the Dead.
Chronology - Update
12th of Saris: (cont.) Our heroes manage to disable the second seal without much trouble
13th of Saris: As the night continues, our heroes push on toward the third tower. After figuring out to open the tower using the Mage Hand spell, our heroes are bombarded by magic turrets placed high enough that only ranged weapons can be used, they then use their know how to lift a rope up the 60 feet up the empty space. They fight off an ancient trap consisting of spectral hands that saps their strength. After a tricky fight, they destroy the trap and the seal, reclaiming the lower city of Moradask. After a brief meeting with the desert centaurs, the group take a long rest in order to tackle the catacombs.
As they find an entrance to the catacombs, they are ambushed by skeleton tomb guards, which the group makes quick work. As they are guided by the Sheik's compass to find the pieces of the Peacock throne, they avoid a poisoned dart trap to get into a crypt where they are attacked by flaming skulls and a mummy. Saladin gets infected with mummy rot but they obtain more pieces of the throne.
As they look for the remaining pieces, they stumble upon a group from the Shorn. They fight them, but the leader, Imam Jurash, left to warn the high priest, his father. They enter the temple of Ishistu, the place being pointed as the area holding the last pieces of the throne. They are greeted by a cohort of Shorn followers, leaded by Imam Jurash and Imam Sa'ib. Ishistu protected her followers as best she could but our heroes cut down the followers and the imams, the statue of Ishistu came to life and fought our heroes. As the heroes conquer the Eidolon, Ardrasir falls in the great pit in the middle of the worship room, never to return.
After the battle, they wonder why Ardrasir doesn't come back, they gather the remaining pieces of the Peacock Throne, gems and the second part of the key to open Ur. As they exit, they hear a loud noise, coming from the great pit. As they narrowly escape huge tentacles coming from the great pit, they navigate their way out of the catacombs, finding the root of Midnight Darkness.
As they get out of the catacombs, night had fallen and time was running out on the bond of salt. They asked the desert centaurs to rush them to the tent of the sheik where they explain the demise of Adrasir. Honoring the bond of salt, the group leaves and reach their airship and go on their quest.
13th of Saris: As the night continues, our heroes push on toward the third tower. After figuring out to open the tower using the Mage Hand spell, our heroes are bombarded by magic turrets placed high enough that only ranged weapons can be used, they then use their know how to lift a rope up the 60 feet up the empty space. They fight off an ancient trap consisting of spectral hands that saps their strength. After a tricky fight, they destroy the trap and the seal, reclaiming the lower city of Moradask. After a brief meeting with the desert centaurs, the group take a long rest in order to tackle the catacombs.
As they find an entrance to the catacombs, they are ambushed by skeleton tomb guards, which the group makes quick work. As they are guided by the Sheik's compass to find the pieces of the Peacock throne, they avoid a poisoned dart trap to get into a crypt where they are attacked by flaming skulls and a mummy. Saladin gets infected with mummy rot but they obtain more pieces of the throne.
As they look for the remaining pieces, they stumble upon a group from the Shorn. They fight them, but the leader, Imam Jurash, left to warn the high priest, his father. They enter the temple of Ishistu, the place being pointed as the area holding the last pieces of the throne. They are greeted by a cohort of Shorn followers, leaded by Imam Jurash and Imam Sa'ib. Ishistu protected her followers as best she could but our heroes cut down the followers and the imams, the statue of Ishistu came to life and fought our heroes. As the heroes conquer the Eidolon, Ardrasir falls in the great pit in the middle of the worship room, never to return.
After the battle, they wonder why Ardrasir doesn't come back, they gather the remaining pieces of the Peacock Throne, gems and the second part of the key to open Ur. As they exit, they hear a loud noise, coming from the great pit. As they narrowly escape huge tentacles coming from the great pit, they navigate their way out of the catacombs, finding the root of Midnight Darkness.
As they get out of the catacombs, night had fallen and time was running out on the bond of salt. They asked the desert centaurs to rush them to the tent of the sheik where they explain the demise of Adrasir. Honoring the bond of salt, the group leaves and reach their airship and go on their quest.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Chronology: The Usurpation of Al-Hanif
Indeed!!!
And although our heroes' part in this tales begins on the 7th of Saris, it is really rooted in the events of a misty dawn in Huzuz, the City of Delights, not so long ago. The sun had not yet risen, yet the sweltering smog had already dampened the golden domes of city in a pinkish haze. The muezzins of the city's many mosques dispute the first thought of the city's denizens with their homologues from rival faiths. Fate this morning draws its keen eye towards the Museum of Unenlightened Atrocities, where the night vigils warily cross the blinding sunbeams inundating the museum's main hall from the easternmost windows. Alas! For they do not notice in the recesses of the darkest corner of the room, the slitted ocular globes of the Cat-Eyed Lurker, He-Of-Dirty-Paws, now riveted towards its prey, in this case, the Eyes of the Leech, a cruel apparatus from a thankfully far-gone barbaric age, and though its thief is fell, his master is even more dire, as will our heroes learn in the tale that also goes under the title of:
In the Clutches of Jafar Al-Hanif!!!
In the morning of the 7th of Saris, our heroes' airship is hurtling at great speeds towards the Genie's Anvil, and the Pit of the Ghul, where they hope to find the accursed city of Moradask. On the bridge, Ramani is proudly captaining the vessel while his comrades tend to their leisurely duties, when an object hits the ship head-on! Fearful of further damage, Ramani immediately lands the ship, and the Seekers of the City of Brass, with the demonic lore master Ishuk in tow, enters once again the surrounding desert to investigate the cause of their delay.
They find buried in a dune a dank and wretched creature reminiscent of Farooq in size and shape, if nothing else, on whom Ashira quickly takes pity. The creature, who identifies himself with difficulty as "Barack", claims himself an emissary from the Church of Jahuar with an important missive for Farooq. The roguish priest is weary of the interloper, for it is naught other than a Dung Gnome, a squalid servitor race of lesser beings from his home city of Gana. The Dung Gnome comes bearing a message beaconing Farooq back to Gana at once. Indeed, his heretic cousin, the mad social revolutionary Farooq Al-Jahuar has, according to the Church, succeeded in creating with his followers a worker's utopia bereft of the blessings of currency in the desert outside of town. The Church wants Farooq to reign him in, before they send in the Holy Slayers to exterminate this blasphemy. And so, without further ado, Farooq excuses himself for a while to fly with Barack on the magic carpet that brought him thence, home to Gana in time to prevent a massacre. Pressed for time, the Company must carry on.
Soon after their ship takes once again to the air, its is assaulted by a monstrous sandstorm, black and terrible. While Ashira works with the crew to secure hull breaches, Ramani skillfully crashes the craft in a sand dune, avoiding the worst. Our heroes arise from the commotion lost, and bewildered, for the storm is no where in sight. At once, Ramani tests the engines, and when they fail to answer, he puts the crew to work in digging out the craft, while the Sha'ir instincts of Saladin Min Zann tell him sorcery of this magnitude could be nothing other than genie work. Indeed, no sooner does he exit the ship that he hears his stray familiar Alyiah beaconing him. Scouring the horizon for the wayward gen, or a source, at least, of the summons to Saladin, the seeress Ashira pinpoints its origins to a miniature version of the storm on the horizon. Saladin calls to it, but in vain, as he is taunted by the genie that crashed his ship. Faced with peril, Ramani recalls Saladin to help with the craft's restoration, while Ishuk and Ashira press the issue. The Whisperer on the Wind calls to them still, taunting them to follow him, bringing deeper and deeper in the desert until, even with Ashira's eyes, there is no discernible way for them to return to their companions. Refusing to be bested by a genie, of all things, Ishuk uses the portal on the ship to elude the genie's grasp and return himself and the seeress to safety. Feeling in their hearts that their captor will never let the ship free, even if it wasn't buried in sand, our heroes decide to brave the trap and the desert, and to venture forth to meet him.
For a whole day, the genie leads them on thus, until at last, they stop at night to rest. On Saladin's watch, trouble occurs, for he sees upon the dunes Alyiah, suffering, calling to him, pleading her former master for release from her woes. Indeed, when he comes up the dune to save, Saladin comes face-to-snout with He-Of-Dirty-Paws, who led a hunting party to claim the heroes in the night. A terrible battle ensues, with their foes working in terrifying concert and terrible efficiency.
First, as a vastly superior force in numbers, the Riders in the Dark isolate Ashira, and attempt in vain to rob her of her Sight using the Eyes of the Leech. Then, Ramani is covered in accursed beetles that gnaw away at the items of genie work he bears, and Ishuk stabbed with a demon-bane blade, leaving Saladin, deprived of his gen, to fend off for himself and his allies. Although their losses are terrible, the assailants succeed in felling some in the company and attempt to flee once they claim her Sacred Ring from Ashira and behold! On this the Seeress unleashed a vengeful wrath and cursed her enemies, and refused to yield. And her friend were bolstered by her anger, and all their enemies, slain.
At once, Saladin is reunited with Alyiah, and bid her to tell her tale. She was intercepted on her mission for the Dark Root, as bidden previously by her master, by a Sha'ir of great and terrible power, the master of the evil Djinn that stranded the companions in the desert. She fears her tormentor was none other than (Aziz) Al-Hanif himself, returned! come back to claim the heroes' mission as his own, but whereas they would defeat Efreet and bind him to the City of Brass, Al-Hanif would claim the Fiery Throne for himself!
And so, faced with the prospect of an enemy with an intimate knowledge of their persons and designs, the Companions decide to follow the mounts of the raiding party they decimated home (for unlike camels, they were not creatures of the desert) with the intent to find Al-Hanif and put an end to his evil, but they found him not.
Instead, on the morning of the 8th of Saris, they found where he had made his dwelling, in a long-abandoned Mamluk fort of old, dedicated to Vataqal, but the Sha'ir himself has fled, and in a hurry, for they also find there the tools with which he had planned to remake Ramani's garb in his own design. With these, under the watchful eye of Saladin and the weary eye of the demon Ishuk, Ramani set about crafting again all that he had lost. Meanwhile, the seeress Ashira's eyes and mind drifted in the sands of time, and therein, she sought counsel. She learned that their quarry was not Aziz Al-Hanif, but a descendant, a usurper, still of terrible, if lesser power, allegedly Jafar Al-Hanif. And upon this, their ship came down from the sky to claim them again.
Farooq, they found also, nearby, in tears, sitting on a flying carpet behind the Dung Gnome, at the very spot they had left them. It turns out that Barack, in his immense stupidity, had forgotten the magic word that would activate the carpet and whisk them to the rescue of Farooq Al-Jahuar and his followers before they were all slaughtered. But, for nearly two days, the Dung Gnome had been unable to remember what it was. Only at last it was too late, and Farooq's companions had come to claim him, did Barack remember and the carpet flew away on its own. But once again, Ashira took pity on him, and he would remain with the crew to plague them with his stupidity, and his stench, for many more a tale.
And although our heroes' part in this tales begins on the 7th of Saris, it is really rooted in the events of a misty dawn in Huzuz, the City of Delights, not so long ago. The sun had not yet risen, yet the sweltering smog had already dampened the golden domes of city in a pinkish haze. The muezzins of the city's many mosques dispute the first thought of the city's denizens with their homologues from rival faiths. Fate this morning draws its keen eye towards the Museum of Unenlightened Atrocities, where the night vigils warily cross the blinding sunbeams inundating the museum's main hall from the easternmost windows. Alas! For they do not notice in the recesses of the darkest corner of the room, the slitted ocular globes of the Cat-Eyed Lurker, He-Of-Dirty-Paws, now riveted towards its prey, in this case, the Eyes of the Leech, a cruel apparatus from a thankfully far-gone barbaric age, and though its thief is fell, his master is even more dire, as will our heroes learn in the tale that also goes under the title of:
In the Clutches of Jafar Al-Hanif!!!
In the morning of the 7th of Saris, our heroes' airship is hurtling at great speeds towards the Genie's Anvil, and the Pit of the Ghul, where they hope to find the accursed city of Moradask. On the bridge, Ramani is proudly captaining the vessel while his comrades tend to their leisurely duties, when an object hits the ship head-on! Fearful of further damage, Ramani immediately lands the ship, and the Seekers of the City of Brass, with the demonic lore master Ishuk in tow, enters once again the surrounding desert to investigate the cause of their delay.
They find buried in a dune a dank and wretched creature reminiscent of Farooq in size and shape, if nothing else, on whom Ashira quickly takes pity. The creature, who identifies himself with difficulty as "Barack", claims himself an emissary from the Church of Jahuar with an important missive for Farooq. The roguish priest is weary of the interloper, for it is naught other than a Dung Gnome, a squalid servitor race of lesser beings from his home city of Gana. The Dung Gnome comes bearing a message beaconing Farooq back to Gana at once. Indeed, his heretic cousin, the mad social revolutionary Farooq Al-Jahuar has, according to the Church, succeeded in creating with his followers a worker's utopia bereft of the blessings of currency in the desert outside of town. The Church wants Farooq to reign him in, before they send in the Holy Slayers to exterminate this blasphemy. And so, without further ado, Farooq excuses himself for a while to fly with Barack on the magic carpet that brought him thence, home to Gana in time to prevent a massacre. Pressed for time, the Company must carry on.
Soon after their ship takes once again to the air, its is assaulted by a monstrous sandstorm, black and terrible. While Ashira works with the crew to secure hull breaches, Ramani skillfully crashes the craft in a sand dune, avoiding the worst. Our heroes arise from the commotion lost, and bewildered, for the storm is no where in sight. At once, Ramani tests the engines, and when they fail to answer, he puts the crew to work in digging out the craft, while the Sha'ir instincts of Saladin Min Zann tell him sorcery of this magnitude could be nothing other than genie work. Indeed, no sooner does he exit the ship that he hears his stray familiar Alyiah beaconing him. Scouring the horizon for the wayward gen, or a source, at least, of the summons to Saladin, the seeress Ashira pinpoints its origins to a miniature version of the storm on the horizon. Saladin calls to it, but in vain, as he is taunted by the genie that crashed his ship. Faced with peril, Ramani recalls Saladin to help with the craft's restoration, while Ishuk and Ashira press the issue. The Whisperer on the Wind calls to them still, taunting them to follow him, bringing deeper and deeper in the desert until, even with Ashira's eyes, there is no discernible way for them to return to their companions. Refusing to be bested by a genie, of all things, Ishuk uses the portal on the ship to elude the genie's grasp and return himself and the seeress to safety. Feeling in their hearts that their captor will never let the ship free, even if it wasn't buried in sand, our heroes decide to brave the trap and the desert, and to venture forth to meet him.
For a whole day, the genie leads them on thus, until at last, they stop at night to rest. On Saladin's watch, trouble occurs, for he sees upon the dunes Alyiah, suffering, calling to him, pleading her former master for release from her woes. Indeed, when he comes up the dune to save, Saladin comes face-to-snout with He-Of-Dirty-Paws, who led a hunting party to claim the heroes in the night. A terrible battle ensues, with their foes working in terrifying concert and terrible efficiency.
First, as a vastly superior force in numbers, the Riders in the Dark isolate Ashira, and attempt in vain to rob her of her Sight using the Eyes of the Leech. Then, Ramani is covered in accursed beetles that gnaw away at the items of genie work he bears, and Ishuk stabbed with a demon-bane blade, leaving Saladin, deprived of his gen, to fend off for himself and his allies. Although their losses are terrible, the assailants succeed in felling some in the company and attempt to flee once they claim her Sacred Ring from Ashira and behold! On this the Seeress unleashed a vengeful wrath and cursed her enemies, and refused to yield. And her friend were bolstered by her anger, and all their enemies, slain.
At once, Saladin is reunited with Alyiah, and bid her to tell her tale. She was intercepted on her mission for the Dark Root, as bidden previously by her master, by a Sha'ir of great and terrible power, the master of the evil Djinn that stranded the companions in the desert. She fears her tormentor was none other than (Aziz) Al-Hanif himself, returned! come back to claim the heroes' mission as his own, but whereas they would defeat Efreet and bind him to the City of Brass, Al-Hanif would claim the Fiery Throne for himself!
And so, faced with the prospect of an enemy with an intimate knowledge of their persons and designs, the Companions decide to follow the mounts of the raiding party they decimated home (for unlike camels, they were not creatures of the desert) with the intent to find Al-Hanif and put an end to his evil, but they found him not.
Instead, on the morning of the 8th of Saris, they found where he had made his dwelling, in a long-abandoned Mamluk fort of old, dedicated to Vataqal, but the Sha'ir himself has fled, and in a hurry, for they also find there the tools with which he had planned to remake Ramani's garb in his own design. With these, under the watchful eye of Saladin and the weary eye of the demon Ishuk, Ramani set about crafting again all that he had lost. Meanwhile, the seeress Ashira's eyes and mind drifted in the sands of time, and therein, she sought counsel. She learned that their quarry was not Aziz Al-Hanif, but a descendant, a usurper, still of terrible, if lesser power, allegedly Jafar Al-Hanif. And upon this, their ship came down from the sky to claim them again.
Farooq, they found also, nearby, in tears, sitting on a flying carpet behind the Dung Gnome, at the very spot they had left them. It turns out that Barack, in his immense stupidity, had forgotten the magic word that would activate the carpet and whisk them to the rescue of Farooq Al-Jahuar and his followers before they were all slaughtered. But, for nearly two days, the Dung Gnome had been unable to remember what it was. Only at last it was too late, and Farooq's companions had come to claim him, did Barack remember and the carpet flew away on its own. But once again, Ashira took pity on him, and he would remain with the crew to plague them with his stupidity, and his stench, for many more a tale.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Chronology - Moradask, the city of the Sun
9th to 11th of Saris: The party circled the Pit of the Ghul and could not locate the city of the Sun from the air so they decide to land at sunset south of the pit, close to the Mountains of the Lizard's Tongue. They set up for the night and prepare a perimeter to defend the mighty ship and the crew.
12th of Saris: Saladin, using a ritual only know to sha'irs, summons a janni to guide them to the desert centaurs. Instead,the Janni bring him to the tent of Ardrassir the Incomparable, Sheik of the Janni of the Genie's Anvil and follower of Efreet. They are invited into his tent which turns out to be a palace inside, and introduced. They discuss the task at hand, which is discovering the last pieces of the Peacock Throne for Efreet. The party hide well their mission to reimprison Efreet back into Genie Biter. He asks the party to surrender their weapons for them to be silvered since the cult of the Shorn, which have taken the city of Moradask, are vulnerable to it.
As the sun fell from the sky and Selan rises in the horizon, the party leave the tent of the janni camp and set out to meet up with Tebessa al-Khawati, leader of the desert centaurs. An hour of walk into the desert, they are ambushed by a party from the Shorn, inverstigating the flying machine that flew days earlier. After the leader turns into a rat/human hybrid, the Shorn attack our heroes. After defeating the renegade cult members, they gather their horses and set out only to be intercepted by Tebessa. After explaining their ploy to the heroes, they agree to destroy the wards that prevent the proud horsepeople from entering the ruined city.
After sneeking into the city, lighted only by Selan the moon. They head for the southernmost tower, they lure the guards outside and dispatch them before they can signal an attack. Farooq destroys the first ward. Ashira spots the other two towers from the top of the first, noticing the one to the north had lights on and the north-east one was completely dark. The group decided to attack the north tower next, showing signs of life. After encountering an unlocked door, The party turns to Ashira's Hand of Fate Ritual to guide them through the second tower, which was guarded on the thrid floor by Battle Wights. After a draining fight, our heroes are close to shaterring the second ward...
12th of Saris: Saladin, using a ritual only know to sha'irs, summons a janni to guide them to the desert centaurs. Instead,the Janni bring him to the tent of Ardrassir the Incomparable, Sheik of the Janni of the Genie's Anvil and follower of Efreet. They are invited into his tent which turns out to be a palace inside, and introduced. They discuss the task at hand, which is discovering the last pieces of the Peacock Throne for Efreet. The party hide well their mission to reimprison Efreet back into Genie Biter. He asks the party to surrender their weapons for them to be silvered since the cult of the Shorn, which have taken the city of Moradask, are vulnerable to it.
As the sun fell from the sky and Selan rises in the horizon, the party leave the tent of the janni camp and set out to meet up with Tebessa al-Khawati, leader of the desert centaurs. An hour of walk into the desert, they are ambushed by a party from the Shorn, inverstigating the flying machine that flew days earlier. After the leader turns into a rat/human hybrid, the Shorn attack our heroes. After defeating the renegade cult members, they gather their horses and set out only to be intercepted by Tebessa. After explaining their ploy to the heroes, they agree to destroy the wards that prevent the proud horsepeople from entering the ruined city.
After sneeking into the city, lighted only by Selan the moon. They head for the southernmost tower, they lure the guards outside and dispatch them before they can signal an attack. Farooq destroys the first ward. Ashira spots the other two towers from the top of the first, noticing the one to the north had lights on and the north-east one was completely dark. The group decided to attack the north tower next, showing signs of life. After encountering an unlocked door, The party turns to Ashira's Hand of Fate Ritual to guide them through the second tower, which was guarded on the thrid floor by Battle Wights. After a draining fight, our heroes are close to shaterring the second ward...
Magical Items of the Party: Zann's Mantle
Zann's Mantle is Ashira's +3 Astral Fire Chainmail that grants her 11 points of AC. She was guided by visions to discover the lost Mantle of her god and proudly wears it wherever Fate takes her. IT also grants her a bonus of +2 her defenses whenever she uses her Divinity Channel powers.
Magical Items of the Party: Light Bringer
Light Bringer is Ashira's +3 Holy Healer's Morningstar. It increases the amount of healing granted by Ashira's healing powers. It was recently silvered in preperation for their trip to Moradask by Ardrassir's janni blacksmiths.
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