Two Rival Efreeti Houses

After the group has barely escaped several efreeti guard after steeling a slave, they duck down a back alley to avoid even more guards flying down the street. Rook who has been watching from a distance casts an illusion of a wall across the back alley to cover the groups escape.  Rook also is keeping an eye on the captain of the Shevaithan, who for magical reasons, is skipping down the street naked accompanied by his naked guard. Rook also watches from a distance the closing of the city gates, preventing anyone from leaving the city, he assumes until the chaos of the slave escape has been controlled.

The others approach the other end of the alley. Smallfang tentatively peeks out into the street. He sees several efreeti guard stopping and inspecting everyone on the street. The group tries to figure out what to do. It is then that Katya's sword, the Sword of Kas, calls out to her. Someone is approaching from behind. Katya turns to see a grey skinned man peeking out from a curtain, that was moments ago the wall of one of the buildings in the alley. He says that if they wish to escape they can follow him inside.

No hesitation. They duck inside. The curtain closes behind them appearing as the wall it was.

A New Friend And A New Task

Inside the group finds themselves in a small empty room. There is a tall thin grey skinned humanoid standing at a large table as he lights the lantern on the table. He introduces himself as Vemig of House Shakir. He tells the group that he is able to get them out of the city safely. That is if they perform a task for him first.

Vemig tells them that a rival efreeti house, House Salih, has the magical container to which the master of House Shakir is bound. House Salih uses it as leverage and has for thousands of years abused and oppressed House Shakir. The adventurers are quite obviously new to the city and any trouble they cause will not directly lead back to House Shakir. They are perfect for retrieving his master's magical vessel. In return he will provide safe passage out of the City Of Brass.

The adventurers confer and they say they will do it but a magical weapon for their dwarf friend as well as a wish spell must be added to the deal. They will use the wish spell to bring back their fallen comrade, Lirath, who was killed on the journey through the maze of portals. Vemig agrees to the terms.

He beckons them to follow him to the other room where a hidden door in the floor is revealed and they descend. They roam a multitude of rough tunnels, smooth walled sewers and catacombs. Eventually they ascend a ladder and find themselves in a large mansion. This is the keep of House Salih.

The Heist

Here Vemig lays out the knowledge they have slowly acquired over hundreds of years about House Salih and the security surrounding. They have infiltrated House Salih in various ways to varying degrees of success over the centuries and have gathered information on how the his master's vessel is protected.

• The approach to the vault is a single hallway below the keep of House Salih
• In this hallway are several elite efreeti guards called the Unquenchable
• In the middle of the hallway is an orb of antimagic which sits on a pedestal
• At the end of the hallway is the vault room. It requires a key which sits on a chain around the nexk of Zajet who is the master of House Salih
• What is in the vault room is completely unknown.

After  laying out what he knows, Vemig escorts them through the city. Each of the party disguised hoping to avoid the guards who are looking for them for the theft of a slave, Katya's clan member. They approach the center of the city.

Near the center of the city is a large walled off section. Just inside this area of the city stands a towering and massive structure made from marble and obsidian. Surrounding the building, a thousand yards deep is the House's army. There are thousands of efreeti. Some of them sit and sharpen weapons while others drill and practice. Amidst the army are several griffons upon which some efreeti ride and far off a dragon can be seen towering above the army, its chains visibly restraining it to the ground.

The group debates very briefly before settling on the idea that a straight heist is probably going to be difficult. They decide to sell out Vemig and his House Shakir to House Salih.

The Double Cross
43,200 XP + 20,000 XP

First they need to acquire some slaves as a gift to Zajet and the House Salih.

They move through the city and soon find themselves behind a walled off part of the city. The slave market is a cramped and busy neighborhood. Cages of various races of creatures are stacked tens of feet high. Streets are nothing but empty areas between cages. The group is barraged by shouts of offers of slaves. They choose a short but stout azer who seems eager to sell.

Rook uses his magic to convince the azer that they are new friends and the evening before that Rook agreed to a reasonable price and had already paid it. The now incredibly friendly azer shows his good friend Rook to the cages where the group selects a dozen slaves.

Escorting the dozen chained slaves, the adventurers head off for the keep of House Salih. Easily convincing the guards at the gate that they are here to present a gift of slaves to Zajet, the group passes through the house army, at least a thousand strong. Finally they arrive at the keep proper.

They are greeted by a short blue skinned humanoid dressed in fine silks crossed across his thin and bare chest named Numi. He quickly brings the group inside the fabulously wealthy manor. They are kept in a small holding room as Numi confers with his master. The group explores just around there immediate location, not wanting to potentially upset the powerful efreeti of the keep. Soon enough Numi returns.

He tells them that Zajet will accept their gift of slaves and they will be allowed an audience with the master. They are escorted into a vast open throne room. At the end of the room, floating above the throne is Zajet, a large well muscled djinn. Blue skinned and where his legs should be is a whirl of wind which holds him in mid-air. He is dressed in simple silk robes which leave his chest bare. Around his neck is a gold chain with an odd looking metal curio hanging from it. The key to the vault.

The Ruse Exposed

The group tells him of the plan by House Shakir to have them steal back the magical vessel to which the master of House Shakir is bound. They describe how they were approached and the deal that was made for them stealing the vessel. As they describe the plan and what Vemig told the
m about the security around the vessel, Zajet becomes visibly more and more angry.

Zajet tells them that the vessel they are intended to steal is not that of the master of House Shakir but his very own vessel. Had House Shakir stolen it, Zajet and his whole house would fall under the oppression of the vile and corrupt House Shakir. Zajet is furious. After calming down somewhat he makes the deal the adventurers propose. They will accept the same rewards from Zajet, as they would have from Vemig and in return they will show him the secret passage into House Shakir.

Zajet doesn't hestitate. He agrees.

Playing Both Sides
10,000 XP

The group then returns back to Vemig back at House Shakir. Rook is able to conjure up an illusion of a clay jar which looks very much like Zajet's vessel. Smallfang casts magic upon it to give a glow of magic and they present it to Vemig. Vemig is very excited and has the group stay in a room while he goes to show it to his master.

As the group is waiting, Smallfang unfortunately casts another spell which breaks his concentration upon the spell cast on the vessel. There is a great commotion as a multitude of efreeti guards rush down the hall towards the group.

The adventurers run. They use the secret entrance as their escape. Running and trying not to get lost they finally make it back and as they emerge they are faced with a great portion of House Salih's army. They, along with another portion of the army approaching House Salih from another flank, begin their attack upon their rival house.

The group finds a nice vantage point to watch the mayhem. Soon enough though they see the gates to the city begin to open. With the battle there are many who wish to leave the city, so the gates have been authorized to be once again opened.

Taking Control Of The Ship
19,500 XP + 10,000 XP

The group leaves and heads back to the ship.

Back at the Shevaithan, they prepare for the return of Captain Grazak and his entourage. They place the crate lid, with the glyph of warding upon it in a position above the teleportation circle such that anyone returning within the circle will set it off. Then they all take their positions.

They do not have to wait long. Captain Grazak and his githyanki guards have been waylaid for too long and they rush back when they city gates are reopened. As the teleportation circle activates and they return the fireball from the glyph of warding explodes around them. At the same time each of the party attacks and it is a slaughter.

But they cannot find anything that looks like a "key" for the elemental chaos ship. On a hunch, they cut into the chest of the captain and reach in. Inside is an orb about two fists large and inside it is the same roiling energy that is contained with the anarch spheres which powers the Shevaithan. This must be the key.

Not exactly knowing what to do with it a few of the party follow Rook, with the smaller anarch sphere, up the massive staircase up to the top of the tower which stands in the middle of the deck. At the top is a console clearly meant to navigate the ship but it is quiet and dark.

But as Rook approaches the console with the key the console lights up and comes to life. The ship begins to hum and vibrate with energy.

Where to now?