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Alzar checks the room and there’s a great well in the wall, and there are runes above it. Alzar’s axe can make it out and he reads the ancient runs out and the wall backs away and there is a domed shaft that raises above the room and heads into the wall. Alzar begins to rise up the well’s shaft.
After more than 100 feet, Alzar comes through the top of the well and arrives at a large room with a swirling white mist, sticks and sort branches protruding, and countless beautiful birds everywhere. There is a large humanoid off the to side with a peafowl and is talking to it gently. Alzar also notices 5 invisible stalkers in the room - he can see them.
It’s a bit small for a giant, around 18 feet, and wearing rings. Alzar grabs the Star of Mo-Pilar gently and notices that the giant is a polymorphed Airdrake. There are four more in the room as birds, and the stalkers are here as well.
Alzar simply tells the Airdrake that he notices the Stalkers and that he is a true and proper Airdrake. He asks if there is anything he can do to help with the birds or this room.
The non-giant creature smiles, and then announces that the deception is over, which is good, it’s not really something he cares about, nor is he good about it. They have been tasked with insuring that nobody moves through a door in the ceiling of this aviary. If Alzar is content to leave, they will let him go, un-accosted. Otherwise, battle will occur.
Alzar does a mental inventory of his spells. He normally has a few spells to banish summoned creatures. And he can summon an Invisible Stalker or elementals of his own. He has held onto them fearing they could be stolen by whoever is in control here. He came in without any golems (which are controlled by elemental spirits) or any extra-planar creatures. The airdrakes and Stalkers shouldn’t prove that tough. He should be able to kill one every other turn. Ignore the Stalkers until the end. Alzar instead tries to speed this up with Mass Domination.
The Airdrakes are the only legit targets. Alzar can Dominate 2 hd per level, so 26x32 - 56 HD of intelligent creatures, and these are 6 hd creatures, so just 30 HD here. They can each save, but they get -4 from the spell, -1 from Alzar’s kit. So -5 to their tosses. Four fail, and one succeeds. Alzar has the four attack that one.
Next turn, they have killed their friends, and Alzar has them order the Stalkers away from him as well. They do. They are geased to not reveal who their leader and master is, and they cannot leave the room. But they do tell Alzar about a trap with a Black Pudding in the next room and how ot avoid it, and he does.
Alzar gains 4500XP
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