Chapter 18: Where the Mighty Rivers Roam

[Ken]

With a yelp of surprise, Belarin backs away from the unexpected phlegm of flame. He smiles and says, "All right then! Fire breath and healing! Will wonders never cease? Here--" He hands the potions back to Shorak. "See who wants one while I go below."

He descends the stairs and enters the cabin that he and Histra have been using. He sorts through her belongings and finds the knife that she used to cut him when they made their pledges to each other, seemingly so long ago on the voyage to Stormreach.

He comes back on deck and hands the knife to Kurra. "This should do it. She's used it, and it's tasted her blood in the past, if that helps."

[Dave B.]

Shorak takes back the two potions, more informed about them. "They sound like a good time. I will hold on to one of them. Is the Sulatar knife magical?" He turns to the rest of the group and holds up one of the potions. "Who would like to take this. Belarin believes it contains the magic to heal and give one the ability to breathe fire."

After handing over the potion to whoever wants it, Shorak walks over to Sem and Starg to take the magical rope. "So, Sem. Tell me what you can about this rope and how to use its magic."

[Jeff]

In Belarin's eldritch sight, the Sulatar dagger Shorak presented is magical, but no particular school of magic is evident.

Kurra takes Histra's knife from Belarin, nodding. "All right, listen good." The dwarf pushes her goggles up onto her thick hair. She beckons to Streko and Adamant. "You two, come close, and just...be ready."

She clears her throat. "First, I cannot emphasize enough how crucial it was that you brought both braziers. The one we're going to unlock is this one, of course"—she indicates the cold one, the one that Histra had been sucked into—"but the other has allowed me to experiment in reverse engineering the magic. Moreover, we need to rekindle the cold one, and I don't know if we'd have been able to do that without the other. We need genie fire, to put it simply, and that's the only thing we've got to replicate it. So whoever's idea it was to bring both...thank them profusely.

"Think of these braziers as the efreet's answer to the Rope Trick, or the extradimensional tiny hut—they're for storing living creatures more than for treasure as a Bag of Holding does. But the braziers don't actually house their occupants in extradimensional spaces at all. It's not the Ethereal she's in. She’s in a real space somewhere and the brazier is just like a portable, if closed portal to that place. The efreeti, they've got the natural keys. We are just going to try and pick the lock.

"The smoke—that's her lifeline, her way out. The coals that produce it are on Fernia, or wherever Histra has been exiled, but it pumps into our plane . . . And that’s what I’m going to pull on, metaphysically speaking."

Kurra pauses to see if Belarin is keeping up. "If this works, and I can promise you nothing, I have on idea what state Histra will be in." She looks at the warforged and the halfling. "That's why I want you two ready for anything. And you, warlock...just do everything I tell you to. I don't need any spellcasting from you. Just practical assistance and mindfulness. Any questions?"

[Joe]

Streko takes the other potion from Shorak. "One never knows when one will need to breathe fire, and then be healed. I shall take it. In the meantime, Kurra needs me."

He quickly moves over to the braziers and listens to Kurra's instructions. "Adamant and I are prepared. Do what you must and we shall assist in any way possible." He glances at Adamant. "Let us pray, brother, that we are in time."

[Darren]

Kal frowns at Melethos. "The question was not whether or not we would have to fight others along the way to the Eye. The question was whether or not we would destroy it or permanently hide it once we found it. You seem to imply that we will simply kill everyone who gets close to it for the rest of time, living as guardian angels and dealing out death. You seem too eager, my friend. What happened to you in that cave?"

[Jeff]

Meanwhile, Shorak has turned his full attention to the dagger, Liquire, a strange weapon plucked from a fire-breathing dragon's hoard. It is a finely balanced weapon, enchanted and keen, and the longer Shorak stares into the rounded, clear stone that gleams and shifts with various hues like an uncut white spinnel, the more he feels the presence of the weapon's past owners. He can almost envision their hands...one coarse and gray, like an orc's, another like a sahuagin's, another a halflfing's, but further back he sees the weapon originally handed to a human or humanlike creature. In his mind's eye, Shorak sees a green-hued, almost fish-like man, large like an ogre, presenting it...and Shorak knows instinctively it is a marid: a genie of elemental water.

Merely possessing this weapon will make Shorak a superior swimmer and able to hold his breath for longer. But if unsheathed and held in hand, it can make him swim as well (if not as fast) as any sahuagin—and even fight underwater, if needed. With some limitations, he can even alter his lungs, and manifest gills, with the dagger's magic.

When Shorak approaches Sem about the magical rope, he demonstrates explains the simplicity of it. Merely holding one end, speaking the word "Arrest" and focusing on the target triggers the magic. A victim can try to get out, but it's not especially easy. "Senior officers of the Sharn Watch are gifted with these things, but they sometimes lend them out to their subordinates. 'Acquit' will release the victim. But no one 'owns' the rope. An enemy with a brain could, in theory, grab the rope and use it right back on you if you're not careful."

---

Liquire's mechanics and the Rope of Entanglement have been added to Shorak's inventory. Dave, can you remind me which item Shorak is un-attuning to make room for this one?

[Ken]

Dec 11, 2019 21:59:35 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

"Is the Sulatar knife magical?"

Belarin looks at the knife. "Yes... it's a basic enchantment. It's a fine knife, but it won't shoot fire or decapitate foes." He hands it back to Shorak.

Dec 12, 2019 0:01:18 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Kurra pauses to see if Belarin is keeping up. "If this works, and I can promise you nothing, I have on idea what state Histra will be in." She looks at the warforged and the halfling. "That's why I want you two ready for anything. And you, warlock...just do everything I tell you to. I don't need any spellcasting from you. Just practical assistance and mindfulness. Any questions?"

Belarin takes a deep breath and lets it out. "No. Whatever you need. Whatever she needs. Let's do this."

[Brian]

Dec 12, 2019 10:26:21 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal frowns at Melethos. "The question was not whether or not we would have to fight others along the way to the Eye. The question was whether or not we would destroy it or permanently hide it once we found it. You seem to imply that we will simply kill everyone who gets close to it for the rest of time, living as guardian angels and dealing out death. You seem too eager, my friend. What happened to you in that cave?"

Melethos returns Kal's frown. "What happened to me? Nothing that hasn't happened before. I failed. At the most pivotal point in my life, I failed... again." Melethos's expression softens. "After all I've learned, after years of training, I failed to stop her death. Nothing made a difference, and by the gods, trust me when I say I tried everything I could think of. Still, Jyoti died." The tiefling pauses, then looks away. "I would've stayed with her, you know. I would've stayed in that cave for forever if it meant being reunited with her. Even if it meant not seeing my friends again. But, like most everything in my life, I was denied that dream. So, here I am. Here we are. I've not turned into a killing machine, if that's what you're worried about. But killing is what I do, it's part of who I am. And I will kill if it means saving you or Belarin or Streko or anyone of our friends. I won't let you end up like Jyoti. I'm more determined than ever not to fail so spectacularly again." Melethos lifts his head to stare straight at Kal. "Does that make sense to you?"

[Darren]

The staff at Kal's side flares with light as multiple emotions spiral through the man. "Melethos," he says with compassion, "you cannot change what was. Living in that cave...it would not have been real. And yet," Kal sighs, "I do understand. Love like you had for Jyoti...that is a rare gift. I envy you, my friend. Not your pain, but the memory of that happiness. She lives forever because you hold her in your heart. The only way you will truly fail her is if you dishonor her memory. Live the kind of life she would have wanted you to live and you will forever make her proud."

Kal smiles warmly at his friend. "Enough. I would never doubt your loyalty. I speak only out of my concern for you, my friend. It is easy for anger to turn to bloodthirst when we are in pain. You are a warrior, Melethos, but you are not a cold-blooded killer. You and I....we kill because we need to, not because we want to. You have so often watched my back. Trust me to watch yours, as well." Kal embraces Melethos. "I love you, brother."

Kalarian holds Melethos for a moment, then pushes him back with both hands on the other man's shoulders. He holds the golden gaze in front of him a minute longer, then smiles and turns to Kurra and the others. "Can we be of any assistance?"

[Brian]

When Kal releases him and turns away, Melethos looks down, sees his hands clenched into fists. Slowly, he forces them open. His hands are as empty as his heart.

Shaking off his mood, he moves to stand next to Belarin and watch Kurra's attempt to save Histra.

[Dave W.]

Dec 12, 2019 0:56:14 GMT -4 Joe said:

[Streko] quickly moves over to the braziers and listens to Kurra's instructions. "Adamant and I are prepared. Do what you must and we shall assist in any way possible." He glances at Adamant. "Let us pray, brother, that we are in time."

"Indeed," Adamant allows himself to be pulled from the confrontation between Kal and Melethos.

His attention fully focused on the recovery of Histra, he asks "Prayers are an excellent suggestion."

"Dol Arrah, Light of the World, I pray bless us in the recovery of our missing friend. And grant us Your protection as we go about correcting this injustice."

---

Adamant will use a 1st level slot to cast Bless to protect Kurra, Belarin, and Streko. I doubt the attack bonus will be necessary but having a +1d4 to saves might.

Joe, if I may, does Streko have the cantrip Guidance? That would give Kurra a +1d4 on whatever skill check is needed. Just a suggestion but it might be helpful.

[Jeff]

"I need as few moving parts as possible here," Kurra says to Adamant firmly, holding up a hand toward him before he casts any spells. "By all means, pray and ward yourself, if you think it's necessary, but do not go laying spells on me or on any of this." She indicates the braziers, herself, and even Belarin.

"I'll tell you if I need help from anyone else. Just give me space."

Then she sets to work. To Belarin the work of an artificer is certainly fascinating—and it looks hard. His fey tutors taught him how to hardness and shape the magic that was given to him. Kurra exhibits no innate power; she has studied the arcane properties of things around her and labors over them like a methodical artist or technical magewright. With some bizarre tools she draws out what he sees as translucent, illusory replicas of the braziers (she calls them "matrices"), then draws sigils on top of those before pushing them back inside the vessels they were drawn from.

Minutes go by and she instructs him on what tools to be ready with, even having him do some "supportive etching" (as she calls it), upon some of the matrices. He finds himself sweating over it quickly, and so far he sees no discernible change in the braziers themselves.

---

Is Adamant casting Bless on Kurra and Belarin anyway? Kurra is not a willing target, in any case.

Streko does indeed have the Guidance cantrip, but it only works for 1 minute. Kurra's work will be longer than that.

Ken, give me an Intelligence check (Arcana) and a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check!

[Dave W.]

"I see, I will not complicate your work then Kurra." Adamant nods.

"I was just trying to be helpful," he whispers to his halfling friend.

no, he'll just not cast it then... It was really Kurra he was concerned about... He'll just silently pray really hard instead...

[Ken]

Belarin concentrates on the tasks given to him. Already sweating from the humidity, he is soon dripping from the exertion. The scholarly nature of his youth revels in the exposure to Kurra's style of magic, even as the man he is now worries over Histra's fate.

As he begins to inscribe the symbols under Kurra's direction, an unwelcome interruption enters his mind: Fires make your lover red! chant the tittering voices that only he can hear. A pyre for a bed and very, very DEAD!

Belarin's hand slips! In his mind's eye, everything turns into slow motion as the tool nearly falls out of his sweaty fingers.

_________________________

Yin and yang here. Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20(19) + 10 = 29.
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand): 1d20(1) + 4 = 5.

[Joe]

Dec 12, 2019 16:58:12 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

"I see, I will not complicate your work then Kurra." Adamant nods.

"I was just trying to be helpful," he whispers to his halfling friend.

"Helpful you are, Brother Adamant. Your very presence is a boon in confidence and hope. I suspect we will need our efforts to focus on revival or healing, perhaps erasure of conditions imposed by whatever realm she is being held in currently. I admit to knowing little of an artificer's talent. I do know our strengths, however, and that will have to be enough for our friends."

Streko watches the scene in admiration and becomes quiet, focused on Kurra and Belarin's efforts.

[Dave B.]

Shorak thanks Sem for the tips regarding the rope. "I shall be careful not to let an enemy use it on me, then" He says to the gnome.

"It's time for a change," Shorak mutters to himself as he sheathes 'Liguire' and touches his short sword, releasing his bond with it and securing his bond to the very special dagger.

"Thank you, Belarin. It's always good to have another magical blade on hand." Shorak says as he stows away the Sulatar knife. It's not clear where, but one can assume that it is now among the other daggers upon his person.

Shorak moves to a position at least 20 feet away from where Kurra works on the braziers with Belarin, but not so far that he can't watch them work and stay alert for anything that might distract them. Not to mention any dangers that might present itself from the braziers themselves.

Shorak will break his bond with the acidic short sword. He can still use it as a +1 weapon, but no longer would have access to the acid power, yes?

[Jeff]

A natural 1, eh?

Only because of Kurra's instruction is Belarin able to follow the patterns and symbols in his mind, and he does it well. It makes him realize he might have had the aptitude for this sort of magic; had an interesting and intelligent artificer like Kurra been in his life back in his mountainous home, he might well have been diverted from venturing into the Towering Wood...

He can almost imagine it. In fact, given how fascinating this sigil work is, he's almost surprised the Cave of Possibility didn't start there. What if—?

And that's when the fey voices in his head began to tease him. And it leads to a very ill-timed tracing off one of Kurra's most important symbols. He fumbles with the tool, and Kurra doesn't notice that. She is looking away. When she looks back, she swats the glyph with one of her primary tools—a curious forceps-shaped device that seems able to grip and manipulate visible incorporeal energies. The flawed glyph then disappears into the already heated brazier.

"Wait, what did...?" Kurra says, just now noticing the flaw, though it is too late. "No, no. That one's unstable—"

And then the efreeti's brazier, already fuming its smoke, explodes completely! The heavy ceramic breaks apart and fire blossoms out, engulfing everyone and everything around it!

Shorak and Sem flinch but the flames fall just short of them—while Tangat, Thul, and Starg are well clear of it. Though all feel a wash of hot air.

Everyone in a 20-foot radius sphere is subject to a fireball. Based on everyone's posts above, the following people are close enough to get burned:

Adamant
Belarin
Kalarian
Kurra
Melethos
Streko

Dave W, Ken, Darren, Brian, and Joe: make a Dexterity saving throw for yourself! Note that everyone but Streko is close enough to Adamant to get his +3 Charisma bonus to the roll.

[Brian]

Melethos stiffens when Kurra calls out, but that's all the time he has to react. He is suddenly enveloped in flames! He tries to dodge out of the way, but the flames move more quickly than he can, and he feels his skin crisp.

_____________________________________________

Melethos:1D20+3 → 7(4 + 3)#Dexterity Saving Throw

Melethos uses his Indomitable class feature to reroll the save.

Melethos:1D20+3 → 5(2 + 3)#reroll of Dexterity Saving Throw via Indomitable. Hahahahahah!!!

[Dave W.]

Adamant is in the middle of replying to Streko's comments about the artificer skill that neither of them has, "It makes very pretty glyphs…" when Kurra exclaims and fire fills the deck. He raises his left arm but there is no shield there...

---

not a great roll… not as ridiculous as Brian's...
dlw32:1D20+3 → 11(8 + 3)

[Ken]

Sensing he'd made a calamitous mistake, Belarin has a split-second to react.

____________________

Dexterity save: 1d20(15) + 4 + 3 (from Adamant) = 22.

[Darren]

Kal watches closely and thinks that he seems Belarin getting distracted. He is about to open his mouth when a jet of flames comes streaking towards him faster than he can react....

______________
Dex save is an 11. The dice roller hates us all.

[Joe]

As Adamant is talking about pretty glyphs, a stray thought enters Streko's mind: where am I going to get new clothes to replace my burned ones? I certainly can't walk around in just mail mail and leggings and...

...and then the fireball erupts.

Streko's next thought is...At least I didn't get new clothing to burn yet...
________________________________________________

Dexterity Saving Throw: 1D20+3 → 12

[Dave B.]

Shorak flinches away from the heat, but stands his ground when he sees the fire stops just a couple of feet from where he stands. He tries to see how badly injured those who were caught in the conflagration are.

[Jeff]

Through the blast you can all hear the shattering sound of the brazier itself, and feel the vibrations of hot coals spilling to the deck.

Even as he tries to avoid the worst of the heat, Belarin glimpses Kurra in motion even admist the flames.

By the time it clears, and Streko bats at the widening holes of his previously burned clothing, and Kal and Adamant throw their arms up defensively to at least avoid searing faces, and Melethos winces.... Belarin looks over to see the artificer has scooped up a common torch. She holds it carefully, her face pained but concentrating, her skin reddened, her clothing scorched. She throws Belarin a look of warning, but says nothing. The tip of the torch has ignited, having caught a remnant of the fireball's flame. She shields it from any breezes that might snuff it out, and walks over to the cold brazier. She places the fiery head inside, trying to gently stoke it.

Throwing her head over her shoulder, in the direction of Kal, Adamant, Melethos. "Two of you, who can produce magical fire. Come and be ready."

She seems too focused to admonish Belarin.

---

Kurra's Dex saving throw: 7

→ Adamant takes 36 fire damage.
→ Belarin takes 18 fire damage.
→ Kal takes 36 fire damage.
→ Kurra takes 36 fire damage.
→ Melethos takes 36 fire damage (halved to 18 due to fire resistance).
→ Streko takes 36 fire damage.

[Brian]

Dec 14, 2019 10:24:40 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Throwing her head over her shoulder, in the direction of Kal, Adamant, Melethos. "Two of you, who can produce magical fire. Come and be ready."

Melethos steps forward. "I can, my lady. Just tell me when."

[Dave W.]

“Dear gods,” Adamant says hollowly,

“I can not produce true fire, only the heat of holy light.”

---

im assuming Radiant is not Fire in terms of what Kurra wants[\color]

[Darren]

Kal feels pain. Searing pain. Again. When will it end, he thinks? Despite his peeled skin, he walks to Kurra's side and draws Skyfang. "I am ready," he says. "Tell me what you need."

[Jeff]

Kurra shakes her head at Adamant. When Melethos and Kal approach, she says, "Both of you, direct a spell—one each—directly into these coals." She pokes at the only-just-getting-warm coals contained in the brazier, which you can only see when you stand right over the vessel. Its opening isn't wide, and in the other brazier the smoke blocked any view of the coals within. "No fireballs. I need something concentrated, single-target, instantaneous. Do it now."

[Brian]

Melethos focuses on the coals Kurra indicated. He thinks about Histra, and Belarin's love for her. And he thinks about Jyoti, and how he felt losing her...twice. A familiar anger rises in him, jagged and hot. He stretches out his arm, finger pointing at the coals, and mutters a few arcane words.

_______________________________________

Melethos casts Create Bonfire at the coals.

[Dave B.]

Seeing that everyone is still standing, at least, and Kurra doesn't miss a beat, continuing working on...the problem, Shorak sighs in relief.