Post by David on Oct 21, 2005 12:01:37 GMT -5
The heroes (Flint, Sabuto, Harbinder, Inar, and Orin) got up and headed toward the Genie's Garden. The 23rd passed completely without event and in the early afternoon the heroes came upon the outskirts of the Garden. Tall, weathered pillars of brilliant red rock created a kind of maze of columns with vivid green tropical foliage, fragrant flowing plants, and dense undergrowth below.
The heroes decided to camp outside the Garden, some 500' distant on the hard, barren plain. All night they heard the sound of tropical birds, monkeys, and other animals chattering only a short distance away. Shortly after sun set, while Orn and Inar were on watch, a gynasphinx approached the group. She wanted to "play" and had information to exchange. She gave the group some insight into their foes and into their own party make-up before leaving.
The next morning, the 25th of April, the heroes trekked through the jungle to Shafazal's camp in the Garden. Inar knew the way quite well and easily picked out both the path and a way to approach undetected. Meanwhile, Flint fed some leftover fruit to the numerous flying serpents around the Garden.
Five minutes away from the sha'ir's camp, the Inar came up with a plan. He would walk straight in with a story of an adventuring party in an attempt to draw Shafazal out. Meanwhile, Flint, under a fly spell and wearing the gauntlets of ogre strength would invisibly fly himself, Sabuto, and Harbinder in to attack the sha'ir from behind. Orn, meanwhile, would be with Inar, following behind invisibly.
When Inar came to the encampment, the desert giant, Taniff called him to halt. He shouted for Shafazal and the djinni, Namaered, came out to see what all the fuss was about. Namaered play the fool a bit, delaying to hear more of these potential assailants and the threat. Meanwhile, Flint flew the group into position and waited. The conversation between Inar and Namaered went on and on. Finally Taniff called for action, as he was actually charmed and therefore honestly concerned about the sha'ir's welfare.
Nervous that they would lose their element of surprise, Sabuto charged into the mage's tent and attacked. He didn't see the beautiful female djinni guarding the door, but she didn't see him either -- she struck at the force opening the tent flap but missed. In a blinding series of blows, Sabuto caused the sha'ir to displace, they broke her stoneskin then struck a crippling blow. Harbinder dashed him beside him, delivering another crippling blow from invisibility but otherwise missing. Flint entered the tent as Shafazal screamed out for help.
Taniff's response was instantaneous; a spear nailed Inar, nearly killing him. Namaered, unable to resist a direct command, rushed to slaughter the party, causing the tent to unfold as he charged. Meanwhile six of the palm trees turned out to be maskhi, which resumed their true forms and leaped to the attack. At the same time, Shafazal unleashed a cone of cold from a wand, but failed to seriously wound either Sabuto or Harbinder. The wizardess' earth gen, Abdul, attacked Sabuto, forcing him off his master. Dilirum, the female djinni obeyed the letter of her mistress' instructions, striking Harbinder at her weakest point (her back) but failing to interpose between psi and mage. This all was enough, however, for Sabuto and Harbinder were now completely surrounded and clearly in deep trouble.
Orn moved forward to support the group. Flint scanned about the tent, looking for the astroglobe. Sabuto struck Abdul once, stunning him, but before he could move to the wizardess, Harbinder dropped her defenses and unleashed her new psionic attack, a psychic crush. Shafazal's head exploded in a shower of blood, bones shards, and bits of brain, but her body vanished. Unfortunately, the new assailants completed their attacks before the charms failed. The genies, however, both managed to pull their punches somewhat. For Inar, however, the results were fatal; Taniff's spear skewered him through the heart.
The maskhi, happy to be free of Shafazal's spells departed immediately, transforming themselves into birds. Namaered and Dilirum helped the heroes find where the wizardess had hidden the astroglobe, urging them to hurry before her efreet returned. Abdul, meanwhile, was stunned and completely surprised to still be on the mortal world. Orn began talking to him about this and his divine nature...
Flint found the globe just as the efreet arrived, the wards on the chest causing little damage. The efreet demanded the globe, threatening to burn the rest of the party in a wall of fire. Flint refused, instead trying to destroy the globe with his magical scimitar. Later, Dilirum explained that had the worlds been correctly aligned, such an act would have elicited a lethal response since the globe is an ancient relic. Meanwhile, however, the efreet was about to BBQ the rest of the party when he suddenly forgot what was happening. Harbinder had returned from checking on Inar's body and had mind thrusted the efreet.
The efreet picked up at the beginning of the conversation again, threatening to burn the heroes. Sabuto dashed to the attack as Harbinder attempted another psychic crush. The kensai's blows hurt the efreet but the psi was useless. The efreet created a massive wall of fire that hurt Sabuto and dropped Harbinder.
Flint dashed into the flames to save Harbinder. Meanwhile, Sabuto maneuvered around the flames and struck again and again, now joined by Namaered and Dilirum. The efreet pounded Sabuto back. Flint unleashed a volley of magic missiles while Orn healed Harbinder. The fire genie decided discretion was the better part of valor and revenge would have to wait, and fled accordingly. Sabuto landed a blow as the efreet left, as did Dilirum. 120' in the air, the efreet nearly escaped until Flint fired a final volley of magic missiles killing him.
It was a this point that Flint heard a voice in his mind. It offered him to come near and commended him on his heroism.
"If the Apocalypse cannot be averted, then the Fruit of the Tree of Life will serve no purpose. And if Armageddon is avoided, more Fruit will grow, so in thanks for removing that woman, I offer you and your group that Fruit that is left: Knowledge, Insight, and Health."
The group could hear a snake-like voice now, speaking to them from the base of the most wonderful apple tree they'd ever seen.
"My name is Lucien."
Flint accepted the offer, picking out the red apple of Knowledge. Harbinder took the golden apple of Insight. And Sabuto took the green apple of Health. The couatl materialized and wished them well, warning them of the dangers of the globe and offering to let the fallen be buried in the grove of the Tree.
Now the heroes must destroy the astroglobe in the Genie's Forge before some other sha'ir or wizard get their hands on it, all while avoiding others of genie-kind.
Is that all?
The heroes decided to camp outside the Garden, some 500' distant on the hard, barren plain. All night they heard the sound of tropical birds, monkeys, and other animals chattering only a short distance away. Shortly after sun set, while Orn and Inar were on watch, a gynasphinx approached the group. She wanted to "play" and had information to exchange. She gave the group some insight into their foes and into their own party make-up before leaving.
The next morning, the 25th of April, the heroes trekked through the jungle to Shafazal's camp in the Garden. Inar knew the way quite well and easily picked out both the path and a way to approach undetected. Meanwhile, Flint fed some leftover fruit to the numerous flying serpents around the Garden.
Five minutes away from the sha'ir's camp, the Inar came up with a plan. He would walk straight in with a story of an adventuring party in an attempt to draw Shafazal out. Meanwhile, Flint, under a fly spell and wearing the gauntlets of ogre strength would invisibly fly himself, Sabuto, and Harbinder in to attack the sha'ir from behind. Orn, meanwhile, would be with Inar, following behind invisibly.
When Inar came to the encampment, the desert giant, Taniff called him to halt. He shouted for Shafazal and the djinni, Namaered, came out to see what all the fuss was about. Namaered play the fool a bit, delaying to hear more of these potential assailants and the threat. Meanwhile, Flint flew the group into position and waited. The conversation between Inar and Namaered went on and on. Finally Taniff called for action, as he was actually charmed and therefore honestly concerned about the sha'ir's welfare.
Nervous that they would lose their element of surprise, Sabuto charged into the mage's tent and attacked. He didn't see the beautiful female djinni guarding the door, but she didn't see him either -- she struck at the force opening the tent flap but missed. In a blinding series of blows, Sabuto caused the sha'ir to displace, they broke her stoneskin then struck a crippling blow. Harbinder dashed him beside him, delivering another crippling blow from invisibility but otherwise missing. Flint entered the tent as Shafazal screamed out for help.
Taniff's response was instantaneous; a spear nailed Inar, nearly killing him. Namaered, unable to resist a direct command, rushed to slaughter the party, causing the tent to unfold as he charged. Meanwhile six of the palm trees turned out to be maskhi, which resumed their true forms and leaped to the attack. At the same time, Shafazal unleashed a cone of cold from a wand, but failed to seriously wound either Sabuto or Harbinder. The wizardess' earth gen, Abdul, attacked Sabuto, forcing him off his master. Dilirum, the female djinni obeyed the letter of her mistress' instructions, striking Harbinder at her weakest point (her back) but failing to interpose between psi and mage. This all was enough, however, for Sabuto and Harbinder were now completely surrounded and clearly in deep trouble.
Orn moved forward to support the group. Flint scanned about the tent, looking for the astroglobe. Sabuto struck Abdul once, stunning him, but before he could move to the wizardess, Harbinder dropped her defenses and unleashed her new psionic attack, a psychic crush. Shafazal's head exploded in a shower of blood, bones shards, and bits of brain, but her body vanished. Unfortunately, the new assailants completed their attacks before the charms failed. The genies, however, both managed to pull their punches somewhat. For Inar, however, the results were fatal; Taniff's spear skewered him through the heart.
The maskhi, happy to be free of Shafazal's spells departed immediately, transforming themselves into birds. Namaered and Dilirum helped the heroes find where the wizardess had hidden the astroglobe, urging them to hurry before her efreet returned. Abdul, meanwhile, was stunned and completely surprised to still be on the mortal world. Orn began talking to him about this and his divine nature...
Flint found the globe just as the efreet arrived, the wards on the chest causing little damage. The efreet demanded the globe, threatening to burn the rest of the party in a wall of fire. Flint refused, instead trying to destroy the globe with his magical scimitar. Later, Dilirum explained that had the worlds been correctly aligned, such an act would have elicited a lethal response since the globe is an ancient relic. Meanwhile, however, the efreet was about to BBQ the rest of the party when he suddenly forgot what was happening. Harbinder had returned from checking on Inar's body and had mind thrusted the efreet.
The efreet picked up at the beginning of the conversation again, threatening to burn the heroes. Sabuto dashed to the attack as Harbinder attempted another psychic crush. The kensai's blows hurt the efreet but the psi was useless. The efreet created a massive wall of fire that hurt Sabuto and dropped Harbinder.
Flint dashed into the flames to save Harbinder. Meanwhile, Sabuto maneuvered around the flames and struck again and again, now joined by Namaered and Dilirum. The efreet pounded Sabuto back. Flint unleashed a volley of magic missiles while Orn healed Harbinder. The fire genie decided discretion was the better part of valor and revenge would have to wait, and fled accordingly. Sabuto landed a blow as the efreet left, as did Dilirum. 120' in the air, the efreet nearly escaped until Flint fired a final volley of magic missiles killing him.
It was a this point that Flint heard a voice in his mind. It offered him to come near and commended him on his heroism.
"If the Apocalypse cannot be averted, then the Fruit of the Tree of Life will serve no purpose. And if Armageddon is avoided, more Fruit will grow, so in thanks for removing that woman, I offer you and your group that Fruit that is left: Knowledge, Insight, and Health."
The group could hear a snake-like voice now, speaking to them from the base of the most wonderful apple tree they'd ever seen.
"My name is Lucien."
Flint accepted the offer, picking out the red apple of Knowledge. Harbinder took the golden apple of Insight. And Sabuto took the green apple of Health. The couatl materialized and wished them well, warning them of the dangers of the globe and offering to let the fallen be buried in the grove of the Tree.
Now the heroes must destroy the astroglobe in the Genie's Forge before some other sha'ir or wizard get their hands on it, all while avoiding others of genie-kind.
Is that all?
