The City Of Brass

The group takes time to dispose of the numerous githyanki bodies after the battle upon the elemental chaos ship, the Shevathan. They toss them overboard after removing much of their weapons and armor. The githyanki swords are beautiful and intricately forged. Upon each broad blade are intricate engravings each creating a unique and distinct look for each sword. Astredia takes a sword and its sheath and slides it into his belt.

The bodies of the githyanki that have been tossed overboard drift aimlessly in the swirling elemental chaos. As they drift away from the ship the roiling elemental chaos begins to pull apart the bodies. It is not long until the bodies are shredded until no trace of them exists. They approach the last githyanki who had tried to escape but was retrieved by Smallfang. They cast sleep on the creature and they bind him strongly with rope.

The Shard Of Timesus

As most of the group is either resting or helping with the removal of the bodies on deck, Barb, the barbarian, descends the steps into the ship's hold. Below decks is a large and almost empty cargo hold. In the center of the dark hold is a large crate. It is held in place by four large chains which fasten across the crates top and are anchored down to the ship's hold. The crate itself is made of an odd substance. A mixture of wood and metal and something else which gives the impression that the crate is incredibly strong. Barb glances around the crate but his very cursory glances fails to notice that upon each face of the crate is a large but faint scrollwork forming a complicated glyph.

As much of the rest of the group begins to descend the stairs into the hold to find their dwarf companion, Barb is seen bringing his leg back as he is about to try and kick in the side of the crate. As his foot makes contact with the crate, the glyph inscribed upon that side of the crate glows brightly with arcane energy and a fireball emerges and engulfs many of the group within the hold. As the fire recedes a smoking Barb coughs and shrugs at the rest of the group.

They ponder the mystery of the crate until Rook decides to cast an antimagic spell on the crate as Smallfang nervously opens the crate with one of the found silver swords. Within the confines of the antimagic spell's field the crate allows itself to be opened and there is no accompanying fireball. The group looks in and they see suspended in the center of the crate a large black ragged rocky shard which rotates slowly suspended in the air. The carefully lower a bag of holding over top of it until the shard is wholly tucked safely away.

Barb keeps toying with the idea that the crates sides might make a formidable shield. He debates out loud several ideas for forming a shield that might be crafted out of such a glyph. The glyph seems to regenerate after a time and this could be useful. The others agree.

A Violent Interrogation

Again using an an antimagic spell, Rook disables the glyph on the crate's side as Smallfang places the surviving githyanki face down upon the glyph. They awaken him and tell him that unless he talks they will simply let go of the antimagic spell and the glyph will engulf him in flames. The gith snarls his protest at the group. All sorts of intimidation and cajoling fail....that is until he spots Astredia with a githyanki sword at his side. How dare he befoul a prized family weapon. Only the worthy can carry such a sword. What have they done with the other family swords.

The group offers the swords back if he talks. The gith talks.

He tells them that the swords, which the group knows are not magical, are earned by each githyanki after trials to test their courage and skill. The swords remain in families and are passed down to each generation if they are deemed worthy. The swords are priceless to them.

The Shevathan's Mission

The captured gith also tells them that the ship they are on, the Shevathan, is a highly sought after vessel. It is one of the few ships capable of traversing the elemental chaos as well as descending through the vortex that leads to the Abyss. Most other travelers wishing to do so must use hidden or even worse, known but often lethal portals to that plane. The Shevathan is supposed to be heading to the Abyss already. The are to be taking the shard, The Shard Of Timesus, to the Abyss where it will be used to forge a weapon which can kill a god.

But the ship will be of no use to them. The captain, Captain Grazak, holds the only key. He is currently in the City Of Brass. His weakness for flesh has kept him too long within the city. They should have departed for their destinatino already some days ago. He is probably at the tavern, The Dripping Man.

The group decides that the Balor below can wait. They need the key from the captain first. So they set off to the City of Brass using the only other active teleportation circle on the deck of the ship. But not before killing their captive.

The City Of Brass

They each step into the teleportation circle and as the magic flares and then recedes around them they find themselves on a rocky shore of a river of fire. Across a bridge in the distance they see a city behind massive stone walls. Inside the walls, towering structures with onion dome tops can be seen. Standing in their way, are several grey skinned efreet guards. They float above the ground with whirlwinds of dust below their torsos and each hold two massive scimitars. They look the group over and allow them to pass as the group crosses a thin stone bridge across the fiery river towards the city gates.

As they move through the gates and into the city proper they take in the splendor and horror that the city contains. The denizens of the city are incredibly diverse. Demons can be seen walking aside elemental creatures, dao and other forms of djinn. Each building made of dark and thick stone walls, some with fiery rivers flowing right through them. Amidst all of the city a haze of smoke and ash waft through the air.

The Dripping Man Tavern

Barb is delighted to once again be in a city, even if it's a demon infested city. There has to be a tavern close by. His nose for alcohol soon leads him to a building from which the smells of alcohol mixed with other more difficult odors to discern. Outside the building hangs a shingle which depicts a human hung upside down with blood dripping down and forming a pool. Barb has found The Drippping Man tavern.

Smallfang, dressed in his usual paladin clothes bearing the marks of worship to the god, Bahumat, see that most, if not all, of the creatures passing him, scowl and mark him with disdain. Soon enough creature seeing him begin yell at him for being a god worshiper. One azer actually spits on Smallfang. That is enough for Smallfang. He draws his sword. The azer is not cowed. He brings a flaming battlehammer to bear. Smallfang begins by simply defending himself but soon enough he decides to end the azer and as the azer crumples into a dead heap at Smallfang's feet. Smallfang and Astredia decide to run as creatures are beginning to call for guards. They run but soon are lost within a city they've never been to.

Meanwhile, Barb enters and is greeted by the tiefling proprietor, Malvius. The dwarf stands at the bar and orders something exotic. Malvuis smiles a mischievously and pours Barb a liquid that has the consistency of oil and is green with hints of swirling red. Without pause, Barb downs it. It burns but Barb orders more. Soon Barb is making friends with all of the patrons of the tavern. At the same time Katya decides to check out the gambling table which is populated by a multitude of small demons.

Rook, taking the form of Corbin, the vampire they had met back in the maze of portals, talks to Malvius and convinces him that Rook is a connoisseur of exotic meats and that he has a lot of coin to spend, as he passes the bartender an illusory bag of coin. Malvius takes Rook aside and leads him to a separate private room. In the room he sees a githyanki sitting at a table eating from a plate of human limbs. Behind him are four more githyanki watching over their master. Rook orders delicacies from Malvius and after a bit of conversation with the githyanki, Rook confirms his suspicion that this is Captain Grazak. The captain of the elemental chaos ship, The Shevathan.

Seeking A Resurrection

While Rook is on task for the mission, Hope has taken to asking around for a magic store. The ring she now wears bears the lifeforce of Lirath, who's soul keeps pestering her to resurrect him. She is seeking out a spell scroll or such that might bring psion back to life. She finally approaches a large snake like creature which has made itself comfortable upon a fiery hearth. Hope learns that it is a salamander named Adena. For a price Adena will show Hope where she might find such a place. Adena extricates herself from the hearth as Hope watches the creature, which she now realizes is a massively huge creature, and follows through the city until she finds herself in front of a white marble building. The white marble is a sharp contrast from the other black and sooty buildings which surround it.

Rook, after a bit of ruse and flattery, convinces Captain Grazak to show Rook the captain's ship. As they are leaving the tavern one by one the others follow suit. The group only hoping that they recognize Rook's robes as they no the changling has probably assumed a different form. Hope, after a bit of panic and failed attempt to use a dimension door, is able to find her way back to the group. Smallfang and Astredia, now in disguise in order to allude the guards, also happen to find their way back to the group.

The Emancipation
1,000 XP + 30,000 XP

As they all travel scattered along the street, back to the ship, a procession of slaves is being transported, accompanied by a few green skinned slaadi. As the parade of slaves passes by, Katya hears her name shouted. Katya turns to look and she sees a familiar tabaxi face. It takes but a moment, but Katya recognizes her clanmate, Kanavu. Kanavu cries out for Katya to save her. There are two chains attached to a metal collar around Kanavu's neck. She, like every other slave, is chained to a creature in front and behind of her.

Katya doesn't even hesitate. She unsheathes her sword and strikes the two chains and breaks them as the slaadi start to approach as they call for the guards.

As Katya takes hold of her escapee, the others group around them as they begin to fend of half a dozen efreet guards. The battle clears most of the street of any onlookers as Rook casts a command spell on the captain as well as the captain's guards. He demands that they drop their valuables as well as their clothes. Soon the captain and his entourage are naked and skipping down the street towards the gates. Rook transforms himself into a nondescript human and keeps an eye on both his companions as well as the captain.

The others have to fend off the efreet guards. It is not going to well but eventually they are able to fell the last guard as they hear more approaching from down the street. They decide to high tail it out of the street.

Rook watches as the rest of the party makes a fast retreat.