Chronology - Shadow over Huzuz, part 1

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.