Taking leave of Koso-Mehr, the party headed east into the Wastelands of Falak, the raging desert lands separating the tamer kingdom of Majirah from the rich Empire of Taishan.
Rumors of the temple-city of Sir-ahz, an oasis in the desert, claimed one could find respite from the hot sun by following illusory footsteps, if the temple-city's protectors deemed travelers worthy. While asleep one night in their journey, Anden was woken by a yearning call from the north of the desert, a pull towards Zenith/Nadir.
On the road, the group encountered Yuru, a bard outcast from Sir-ahz that served a patron dragon named Aozumi. He claimed Aozumi would one day rise to combat Ziz/Zuu, the great bird that watches over the Tower of Zenith/Nadir, and rule the Wastelands.
Believing Aozumi (rightgully) to be self-serving and perhaps evil, the party read Yuru's intentions as wrong, however, and combat ensued. Yuru was slain, and Anden explained his pull toward the great towers that bridged the Middle World with the heavens and hells.
After discussion, the party decided to venture north to the Tower of Zenith/Nadir to investigate Anden's magical draw.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Adventure 19: The Silver Guardian
The party returned to Majirah with the brass vessel, unsure of its safety in the desert kingdom. Ardeshir Rouhani offered that the vessel be brought north to his patron and liege, the silver dragon Amon-Bal.
Before they departed Majirah, Ardeshir was attacked by a possessed city guard -- the guard had been sent by the Naga envoy Shanya, whom the party had chased from the city before their adventure to the Gardens. (This is the same Naga who almost killed Ichirou and had been controlling Abanazzar the vizier.)
At this time Suha had left the party, saying she would travel east back to Ubar, the home of the nomadic djinn.
The party traveled east to the Giant's Way, the great stone bridge that separated Majirah from the vast, harsh Wasteland desert. There they found guards also under Shanya's influence, but were able to cure them and then learn that Shanya was moving east to the Empire of Taishan.
The party traveled north to Ardeshir's home of Koso-Mehr to relieve themselves of the Air Djinn Lord's brass vessel before pursuing Shanya. After spending time in the temple-city of Koso-Mehr, and the party being asked to speak of Ardeshir's character and journey (and explain his early return from his pilgrimage), the group traversed the pass to Ghabrin, the ancient fortress where Amon-Bal dwells high in the mountains.
Amon-Bal was pleased with Ardeshir's decision to entrust him with the brass vessel, and tasked him with returning more such relics into his protection. He smelled the stench of his rival, Annayur the Gold, on Maru and even more mysterious dragon-blood in Anden, but he was welcoming to the party.
After returning to Koso-Mehr, Ardeshir asked the town clerics to partner with their allies in the Dwarf city of Garm to send a scouting party north to the volcanic lands of Mount Mu, where the brass vessel containing the Fire Djinn Lord was rumored to be hidden. The party would vneture east to Taishan, to enlist the aid of Emperor Nobukazu against the Naga and learn more about the Djinn.
Before they departed Majirah, Ardeshir was attacked by a possessed city guard -- the guard had been sent by the Naga envoy Shanya, whom the party had chased from the city before their adventure to the Gardens. (This is the same Naga who almost killed Ichirou and had been controlling Abanazzar the vizier.)
At this time Suha had left the party, saying she would travel east back to Ubar, the home of the nomadic djinn.
The party traveled east to the Giant's Way, the great stone bridge that separated Majirah from the vast, harsh Wasteland desert. There they found guards also under Shanya's influence, but were able to cure them and then learn that Shanya was moving east to the Empire of Taishan.
The party traveled north to Ardeshir's home of Koso-Mehr to relieve themselves of the Air Djinn Lord's brass vessel before pursuing Shanya. After spending time in the temple-city of Koso-Mehr, and the party being asked to speak of Ardeshir's character and journey (and explain his early return from his pilgrimage), the group traversed the pass to Ghabrin, the ancient fortress where Amon-Bal dwells high in the mountains.
Amon-Bal was pleased with Ardeshir's decision to entrust him with the brass vessel, and tasked him with returning more such relics into his protection. He smelled the stench of his rival, Annayur the Gold, on Maru and even more mysterious dragon-blood in Anden, but he was welcoming to the party.
After returning to Koso-Mehr, Ardeshir asked the town clerics to partner with their allies in the Dwarf city of Garm to send a scouting party north to the volcanic lands of Mount Mu, where the brass vessel containing the Fire Djinn Lord was rumored to be hidden. The party would vneture east to Taishan, to enlist the aid of Emperor Nobukazu against the Naga and learn more about the Djinn.
Adventure 18: The Citadel of the Winds
After going through the portal in the Hanging Gardens, the party found themselves in the Citadel of the Winds -- the ruins of the ancient home of the wind djinn. The city of blueish stone floated above the Middle World, prowled by pteradons and griffin.
As the party explored, they discovered dikramaa -- memory points where they could interact with the past. Some of these encounters proved to be vital visions of the ancient Citadel, and some proved to be harrowing memories of the adventurers themselves.
The memory points revisited a time when a young girl named Anju caught a wind kami named Akara. Akara fed on memory and faith and grew large and powerful, and Anju became enthralled in his power. Around this same time, Kazim the Abjurer was visiting the Sky Caliph Djinn Lord of the Air, and would later seal him away in the brass vessel.
The party eventually arrived at the Sky Caliph's main citadel, and faced Akara. Akara had grown massive and threatened the mortals now in his realm. Fearing they could not best him in direct confrontation, the party made a deal with Akara, and some gave up memories to the wind kami in exchange for the brass vessel.
Anden gave up memory of the mean streets of Majirah where he grew up, losing his ability to navigate them quickly. Arashino Maru gave up memories of revisiting his mother (and her family) after his time spent in Adanir with his father, forgetting he had family in the Middle World.
In the end, the party reclaimed the (heavy) brass vessel and left the Citadel of the Winds before it closed off for another year.
As the party explored, they discovered dikramaa -- memory points where they could interact with the past. Some of these encounters proved to be vital visions of the ancient Citadel, and some proved to be harrowing memories of the adventurers themselves.
The memory points revisited a time when a young girl named Anju caught a wind kami named Akara. Akara fed on memory and faith and grew large and powerful, and Anju became enthralled in his power. Around this same time, Kazim the Abjurer was visiting the Sky Caliph Djinn Lord of the Air, and would later seal him away in the brass vessel.
The party eventually arrived at the Sky Caliph's main citadel, and faced Akara. Akara had grown massive and threatened the mortals now in his realm. Fearing they could not best him in direct confrontation, the party made a deal with Akara, and some gave up memories to the wind kami in exchange for the brass vessel.
Anden gave up memory of the mean streets of Majirah where he grew up, losing his ability to navigate them quickly. Arashino Maru gave up memories of revisiting his mother (and her family) after his time spent in Adanir with his father, forgetting he had family in the Middle World.
In the end, the party reclaimed the (heavy) brass vessel and left the Citadel of the Winds before it closed off for another year.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Adventure 17: The Hanging Gardens
Having quelled the sandstorms that prevented travel through the desert, the party returned to Majirah in order to begin their journey to the Hanging Gardens, the ruins which lead somehow to the Citadel of the Winds. The intent is to find the Citadel and the brass vessel containing the sealed Air Djinn Lord, and prevent the Naga from gaining its power.
The Hanging Gardens appears only once a year--on the summer solstice--and the party had to race against the clock (which Failn purchased).
The party recruited Suha, for she carried a djinn knife called a mani, which is able to cut the veil between the material and spirit planes. Inside the Gardens were the remains (living undead, of course) of failed adventurers and treasure hunters, as well as the vampyric medusa Avan. The group wandered the halls of the Gardens trying to fight off Avan, whose gaze turned mortals to stone. Unfortunately, her petrifying visage affected Failn in combat, and the party in return decapitated Avan.
A portal to the floating Citadel of the Winds in the Garden took the party skyward, leaving behind (for now) their petrified comrade.
The Hanging Gardens appears only once a year--on the summer solstice--and the party had to race against the clock (which Failn purchased).
The party recruited Suha, for she carried a djinn knife called a mani, which is able to cut the veil between the material and spirit planes. Inside the Gardens were the remains (living undead, of course) of failed adventurers and treasure hunters, as well as the vampyric medusa Avan. The group wandered the halls of the Gardens trying to fight off Avan, whose gaze turned mortals to stone. Unfortunately, her petrifying visage affected Failn in combat, and the party in return decapitated Avan.
A portal to the floating Citadel of the Winds in the Garden took the party skyward, leaving behind (for now) their petrified comrade.
The Legend of Avan
The Creator fashioned the first humans from clay: Aden and
Avan. They lived in the paradise of the Middle World under the guide of the
Celestials. At some point, Ashnan brought the transplant of the Tree of Life to
the Hanging Gardens, where the Air Djinn watched over it and procured medicines
and potions. Avan was tempted by Vasuki,
the Naga King, to try a fruit from the Tree of Life, in the hopes of gaining
immortality like the Naga. She was so proud of her independent decision, away
from Aden, that she didn’t realize the curse the fruit would have. She remained
attached to the Hanging Gardens for all her long life.
When the Hanging Gardens were sealed away (when Kazim took
away the Sky Caliph’s power), Avan too was sealed away, forced to vampirically
feed on mortals who wandered in once a year.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Adventure 16: Nemburu, the Kaftar Stronghold
Nemburu used to be the old southern metropolis of Majirah, but ages ago the hyena-like Kaftar were bred by Buud and took over the southern deserts. From Nemburu they send out their raiding parties and scouts in the hopes of food and destroying the Majirahan Kingdom.
According to Shah Khalid and his advisors, the sandstorms ravaging the deserts and preventing caravans (and, for the party, travel to the Hanging Gardens ruins) are being caused by a Kaftar ritual to Buud, and the party traveled to Nemburu with the intentions of disrupting those rituals.
The cave system Failn discovered led into a small, buried ruin of the old outskirts of the city. The party wound through some old rooms and fought off an umberhulk. Encountering some sealed doors (and acidic resistance), they turned away from further exploration and headed to the surface, where they entered a quiet part of the city. Ardeshir, Anden, and Suha took the flying carpet up for some reconnaissance, finding which of the buildings was being used as the Kaftar wujen (priest) temple.
Using Anden's knowledge of the cities and through stealth the party avoided Kaftar patrols, managing to enter the old palace being used as the ritual space. They fought off several Kaftar quickly and made their way up the ritual space, where Arashino Maru unleashed a devastating lightning bolt. The lightning shattered the ritual area, creating a vacuous portal. Maru was almost dragged in, but Failn managed to reach out and, with effort, drag him away from the portal's effects.
As the skies began to clear, the party unfurled their flying carpet and flew away, the sounds of Kaftar alarms ringing in the early sunset. Back towards Majirah they flew, in the hopes of settling matters with Shah Khalid and Abanazar.
According to Shah Khalid and his advisors, the sandstorms ravaging the deserts and preventing caravans (and, for the party, travel to the Hanging Gardens ruins) are being caused by a Kaftar ritual to Buud, and the party traveled to Nemburu with the intentions of disrupting those rituals.
The cave system Failn discovered led into a small, buried ruin of the old outskirts of the city. The party wound through some old rooms and fought off an umberhulk. Encountering some sealed doors (and acidic resistance), they turned away from further exploration and headed to the surface, where they entered a quiet part of the city. Ardeshir, Anden, and Suha took the flying carpet up for some reconnaissance, finding which of the buildings was being used as the Kaftar wujen (priest) temple.
Using Anden's knowledge of the cities and through stealth the party avoided Kaftar patrols, managing to enter the old palace being used as the ritual space. They fought off several Kaftar quickly and made their way up the ritual space, where Arashino Maru unleashed a devastating lightning bolt. The lightning shattered the ritual area, creating a vacuous portal. Maru was almost dragged in, but Failn managed to reach out and, with effort, drag him away from the portal's effects.
As the skies began to clear, the party unfurled their flying carpet and flew away, the sounds of Kaftar alarms ringing in the early sunset. Back towards Majirah they flew, in the hopes of settling matters with Shah Khalid and Abanazar.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Adventure 15: The Kaftar Threat
Eventually in the wee hours of the morning Abanazar arrived to collect his due from the Vipers. Unfortunately, he meets with the adventurers instead, who immobilize him through magic and then capture him in the hopes of fixing his hypnosis from Shanya the Naga.
Through time and reasoning, the party managed to keep Abanazar from being a threat and get him to explain himself. He said that Shanya was after the location of the Hanging Gardens, and used Abanazar to employ the Vipers to find relics and maps of its location. The Hanging Gardens would allow the Naga to find the brass vessel containing the Air Djinn lord, one of the four Djinn lords the Naga have been seeking to gain dominance over the Middle World.
Returning to the Shah with Abanaazar, the party agreed to help protect or find the brass vessel first. Khalid explained that finding the Hanging Gardens would be difficult because of the raging sandstorms preventing travel through the desert. These sandstorms were caused by the rituals of the Kaftar, the hyena-like nomads and warriors besieging Majirah. To first find the ruins of the Gardens, the party must quell the Kaftar's storms.
Enlisting the help of Suha, the party ventured southward through the desert via camel, heading to the ruined city of NEMBURU, the Kaftar capital...
RECAP:
Through time and reasoning, the party managed to keep Abanazar from being a threat and get him to explain himself. He said that Shanya was after the location of the Hanging Gardens, and used Abanazar to employ the Vipers to find relics and maps of its location. The Hanging Gardens would allow the Naga to find the brass vessel containing the Air Djinn lord, one of the four Djinn lords the Naga have been seeking to gain dominance over the Middle World.
Returning to the Shah with Abanaazar, the party agreed to help protect or find the brass vessel first. Khalid explained that finding the Hanging Gardens would be difficult because of the raging sandstorms preventing travel through the desert. These sandstorms were caused by the rituals of the Kaftar, the hyena-like nomads and warriors besieging Majirah. To first find the ruins of the Gardens, the party must quell the Kaftar's storms.
Enlisting the help of Suha, the party ventured southward through the desert via camel, heading to the ruined city of NEMBURU, the Kaftar capital...
RECAP:
- The Kaftar base of operations is an old southern capital called Nemburu. (See "The Kaftar" post.)
- The Kaftar have rituals that honor Buud, the Hyena god of the hot desert, and have been controlling sandstorms in order to plague caravans and travelers.
- The Hanging Gardens and the Citadel of Winds are the location of one of the brass vessels sealed by Kazim the Abjurer.
Adventure 14: The Vizier and the Naga
With Ardeshir at the front of the argument of not needing to take the vizier's life, the group talked Shah Khalid into agreeing to pardon the vizier if they could break the Naga's influence over him. The Shah agreed with them that a Majirah with Abanazar would be stronger against the Naga threat.
It was agreed that Abanazar was meeting with someone in order to dictate orders to the VIPER tanzim, who were doing the dirty work in the streets of the city. Ichirou and Anden followed the vizier late at night to a secret meeting with a cloaked woman. When the two parted, Ichirou followed the woman and Anden pursued Abanazar.
Abanazar met with the Vipers in an abandoned building within the city. Anden watched for anything suspicious, while meanwhile Ichirou followed the cloaked woman into a residence. Ichirou followed and was hit with a hidden trap -- a poisoned needle -- and the woman attacked. Revealing herself to be a Naga, she threatened the halfling's life. Only the timely save by Maru, Elaria, and Failn prevented Ichirou's death, who was delirious from the poison. The Naga envoy, named SHANYA, escaped into the night.
With one road dead, the party reconnected with Anden and went to see the Vipers. Within the Vipers' warehouse they found evidence of all the collected maps and information on the Hanging Gardens that the Vipers were searching for Abanazar. The party dispatched them and tried to keep them alive, but slips of the tongue led to them silencing all the Vipers, while they simply waited for Abanazar's arrival....
RECAP:
It was agreed that Abanazar was meeting with someone in order to dictate orders to the VIPER tanzim, who were doing the dirty work in the streets of the city. Ichirou and Anden followed the vizier late at night to a secret meeting with a cloaked woman. When the two parted, Ichirou followed the woman and Anden pursued Abanazar.
Abanazar met with the Vipers in an abandoned building within the city. Anden watched for anything suspicious, while meanwhile Ichirou followed the cloaked woman into a residence. Ichirou followed and was hit with a hidden trap -- a poisoned needle -- and the woman attacked. Revealing herself to be a Naga, she threatened the halfling's life. Only the timely save by Maru, Elaria, and Failn prevented Ichirou's death, who was delirious from the poison. The Naga envoy, named SHANYA, escaped into the night.
With one road dead, the party reconnected with Anden and went to see the Vipers. Within the Vipers' warehouse they found evidence of all the collected maps and information on the Hanging Gardens that the Vipers were searching for Abanazar. The party dispatched them and tried to keep them alive, but slips of the tongue led to them silencing all the Vipers, while they simply waited for Abanazar's arrival....
RECAP:
- Abanazar, under the control of the Naga, meets with the Vipers in order to sift through artifacts of the desert in order to find the Hanging Gardens.
- The Naga envoy controlling Abanazar is a woman named Shanya.
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