|
Five hours after dawn the following day, Alzar and Peshtun are summoned by the sages of the Tower of the Heavens, and six gnomes and two monks escort them upstairs to the barbican. (Alzar;s spell list for today swaps out Locate Object for Death Armor)This level has some of the barracks and defenses of this structure. The doors open and they walk across a walkway 40 feet above the river and just 7 feet wide, with a small set of rails about three feet high. Double doors open and a dozen mercenaries are arranged here in a row.
This fine room has no furniture. Its stone flagged floor and the handles of the brass paneled doors are very worn by a long period of use. After a few minutes, they are led forward past a set of double doors into a large room with curtains and tapestries along all of the walls. This sombre room is lit by the dancing flames of braziers. The curtains are red, and the ceiling blackened while the marble floor is worn by centuries of use.
The 12 guards arrange themselves along the walls. A sage enters the room and is flanked by two monks. He casts a spell on himself (Alzar makes his spellcraft check - it was Non-Detection). He then asks Alzar what their business is here. He explains that he was flung here from his home plane of Thorasia, and he would like to know the way back. The cost of this is 3000 gp. Alzar grabs the requisite money, counts it out, and places it into a satin bag provided by a monk. He places it on the ground and an unseen servant comes out and grabs it and takes it back.
The sage retreats behind the curtain in front of Alzar and will return with the answer. Alzar and Peshtun wait for about 30 minutes. There is no furniture in this chamber. Upon his return, the sage pulls out a scroll with fresh ink on it. I have your answer.
“The path to own’s home is through strength of will.”
Alzar looks at him. “That is not an answer.”
“Nevertheless, it is the answer that fate has in store for you. I cannot give any other.”
Alzar asks for his money back then, since that was not an answer to the question. He is refused. So Alzar presses. Could he pay more for a more specific answer? That gets the sage’s attention.
How about 1000 more gp for a more detailed answer. He agrees to try the Fates again and takes Alzar’s money. Meanwhile, Alzar starts to plan with Pashtun. As suspected, the sage returns with another obviously fake answer, but Alzar thanks him profusely and asks for the scroll. The sage reaches out to hand it to him when Alzar slams a white and black magic jelly bean onto the ground and out pop a Crystal Ooze and a Black Pudding.
The soldiers are surprised but no more than the two monks and the sage. They move to the threat and Pashtun drops to the ground and moves out of the way while Alzar moves diagonally out of the way. Several people track them while others move into engage the creatures. A Crystal Ooze is just annoying, but a black pudding will split when attacked with a non-magical slashing weapon. Just like Pashtun did with his nonmagical scimitar, although it was damaged in the fall.
Now there are two puddings and an ooze. Pashtun drops his weapon and rolls to a corner away from the gnomes who are now more focused than ever. Missile weapons fly out and Alzar uses his Ring of Chameleon Power to slip behind the curtain.
In here is a small pathway that ends at a locked door. A minute later, the remnants of the acid lock drops and he moves down some stairs. Meanwhile, more than 30 gnomes have moved into the large chamber, being barked orders by the leader and the Sage. The ooze creatures have really pushed out and Pashtun is guarded by four gnome guards with weapons out and ready to attack. He has surrendered.
|