RECAP: BDC, 11-1-24
After gathering breath and tending their numerous wounds, the party struggled and moved the statues into the bathhouse, being careful to avoid any damage to their friends. Tucked away, they’d be safer than simply standing out in the open where any remaining creature or mischievous mephit might do them a disservice.
Investigating the caravanserai, the remaining party members investigated the western wing, starting with a large dining area right next to the courtyard in which they’d themselves only recently supped. Inside, series of doors opened onto small staterooms, barren and without any indication of occupancy. Underslung below the stairs was a “Harry Potter” room of sorts, the floor covered by a high-quality heavy carpet. No hidden door proved to be underneath that carpet, however.
To the side of the room below the stairs there was another small area, albeit not like the previous staterooms. What made it unusual is that one wall, the eastern side, was constructed half of latticework, like a viewing area. Beyond was a larger room, well appointed and containing two veiled female forms.
Less than an hour from having lost a third of the party to medusae, the party was extraordinarily cautious of the potential to meet more. But before they could come up with a workable plan, a voice came from behind the lattice: “Hold strangers, do not enter the Harem of Ehud ben Goiim! Retire and do not discredit yourselves.” The speaker hove into view: another Jinn, female about 12’ tall, with hot wind accompanied her words. The party, although torn at the prospect of fighting another Jinn and at least two medusae, decided to back out and leave the harem in peace.
Simon mentioned that, despite the killing already done, we might be able to persuade the any remaining Jinn to bring back Jarlebank and Sonja. All agreed it was worth a try, should more of the creatures materialize.
Toward the south, the party found a weapons room that held the products of the forge, but also sleeping divans and evidence of occupancy. No magic showed itself to Shepherd, but Simon noticed that there were huge composite bows had incredibly difficult pulls (+5 STR), made of unusual materials. More rugs, of great value and heavy pile, were on the floor – they were valuable, but too large and heavy to carry without a cart (although Peaches was sore affronted to not take them). Otherwise, the contents were plain and utilitarian.
At the stairs, neither the dog nor Thrax would ascend, as something either prevented moving forward (for Thrax) or the chose to avoid whatever irritant was above (for the dog). Thrax went back to that strange region from which Aladar would call, while the dog sat unperturbed on the lowest stair.
Upstairs, the door to the north opened onto a large chamber, dimly lit with sunlight and some diffuse light from screens to the east. Lots of trade goods were piled haphazardly about the room, guarded by a large crow on a perch. “Hello,” it said by way of greeting. “Feed the mules!”
Attempts to converse with it failed, however, even Speak With Animals.
“Paultus!” it said. “Do you have the key?”
The trade goods looked relatively recent and well-stocked, possibly the spoils of banditry. Peaches produced the key from the defeated Jinn downstairs and showed it to the crow.
“Are you willing to bargain?” asked the crow. [Yes]
“What do you desire?” [Your Master]
“Really? If you have the key, you’ve already met him.”
It was here that the party realized that the powerful Jinn that Simon had killed may have indeed been the Master of this caravanserai. [We were testing you – but we want to undo the effect of the medusa]
“It is within you, but you must use the key.” [Do you wish for freedom?]
“It is not I for whom I bargain” [then who?]
“MY master, who has been enslaved.” [Enslaved in fire?]
“You could say so.” [who is your master?]
“The might Mobious Themalik – set my master free, and we can come to terms, but you must decide what you want first.”
The gravity of the situation upon them, the party retreated to the anteroom to examine the key and discuss options. With luck, this “bargain” could be parleyed into the return of Jarlebank and Sonja. Simon made the proposal: three wishes. Agreed, said the crow, but they all must be used before the day’s end, and the last within ten minutes of the first. “My master is beyond the door.”
The door at the crow gestured radiated an immense amount of heat, almost like a blast furnace. Aladar cast Resist Fire on all, DC 20 for 25 minutes, and the party entered.
Inside was a much larger area, with none of the stacked supplies but over 30 stone statues of people – victims of the medusae, no doubt. But dominating the room was one extremely large humanoid, encased in fire and shackled to a pole, coruscating with searing flames of varied colors. The heat from this creature was nearly intolerable.
Crow told the efreet (for that was what it was, an enormous and enormously powerful example of its kind) of the deal it had made with the party to purchase his freedom, and their possession of the key, which proved the party could deliver on their end of the bargain. The efreet agreed to the conditions, and in response Simon made his way to the base of the efreet’s binding pole, boosted Peaches up to the lock (which was beautiful, complex, and searingly hot) and let her undo the lock and take it away. The efreet pulled apart the chain binding his hands, and the white-hot links snapped with gunshot cracks.
“My thanks,” he nodded. Two unusually carved wands appeared in the efreet’s hands, and he gave them casually to Aladar. “I will wait here to provide you the last of your restitution, but I encourage you to complete your bloody work on the Jinns of this place.”
The clock ticking, Aladar and Peaches ran to the bathhouse, and the efreet’s word proved to be good. Soon both Jarlebank and Sonja were flesh again. “Quickly!” Aladar said to the confused Jarlebank. “Take a reading on the Rod!” Jarlebank shook off his medusa-induced stupor, retrieved the three joined pieces of the Rod, and focused: the next piece was upstairs in the direction of the efreet’s chamber.
Upstairs at a run, Jarlebank asked the efreet in Ignan whether he had the piece. “No,” he responded. “But look around you. You were like them and held it.” The efreet gestured at the statue that cluttered the room. “I can tell you this: no human has what you seek.”
Simon called to the efreet as the rest of the party scattered among the statues, seeking the likeliest candidate. “Our last wish, efreet: a portable hole.” The efreet nodded, produced the item and handed it to Simon, then disappeared with his crow servant. The temperature of the room dropped 40 degrees in a trice.
After segmenting all the statues, one stood out to the party: a humanlike creature, with a long face and a doglike head, shrouded in a stony cloak. Muscling the statue into the portable hole, Peaches carried it downstairs, away from the rest of the statues, so that Jarlebank could confirm The leading candidate is lowered into the hole, and Peaches took it downstairs. Jarlebank focused upon the Rod: it pointed at Peaches.
“We have it,” Jarlebank said. “We have the 4th piece.”
With the caravanserai seemingly empty and the 4th piece secured (if not in hand), the party began considering their next move. During the conversation, the dog became increasingly agitated, and indicated to the party that they should exit the Caravanserai. The party hadn’t realized that the sun was close to setting, and above the “wild hunt” – the group of skyborne mounted hunters that the party had been warned about by the goatherds as they had entered the valley. The ghostly hunters did not emerge from the gates of the caravanserai, which presumed they’d landed within, perhaps to either investigate the quiet or seek out their allies. Either way, the party remembered the herdsmen’s advice: stay in the caves at night. With that, they Teleported back to the cave in wich they’d stayed the previous evening.
The cave seemed safe enough, so the party set watches and tried to get some rest. On second watch, however, the dog alerted and went outside, eventually urging the party to leave the cave. No enemies were detected.
After a couple hours of flight southwest, the dog again pointed, this time upward. It took a minute to see but eventually Simon spotted a fast moving cloud, moving toward them quickly. Knowing the cloud’s speed was much swifter than their own and preferring not to fight in the air, the party decided land and prepare for whatever eventuality the cloud was bringing.
