Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

     “You’re right. I agree.  Just felt it had to be mentioned is all...”

((Not to mention the dude mentioned that the material plane was made up of INFINITE worlds....so you're not even guaranteed to end up on your own world. They sky may in fact NOT make sense. But hey, you don't know till you try, right?!?  *evil DM cackle* In fact, for those mathematicians among us, the chance of reaching the correct world in a set of infinite worlds is essentially zero.  Who said math wasn't fun?!? ))

((But also... who said 'the dude' had a clue?  But interesting to know that if we ever plane shift and try to plane shift back that we have no chance.  Scratch that spell off the useful list.))

((Plane shift is worded differently. You choose a destination on the plane))

((But there's infinite planes to choose from.  But Banishment says "returning to its home plane" which I would have thought would mean... it's home plane.  But moot point as not using banishment and now know not to ever take Plane Shift. ))

"Meepo need Meepo friend's help." Meepo says once they are in the alley together. He pulls the book from his pack, laying it on the ground in front of him, as he kneels over it. "Meepo found strange cloud-creature in book here." He nods to the golden book laid on the ground in front of him. "Strange cloud-book-thing asked Meepo's help." he looks to those of his companions around him. "Said Meepo, and Meepo's friend, could have one wish, for all of us, not one each, but just one." He makes sure they understand this is one wish, not one for each of them. "Meepo want help strange cloud-creature, but it say need find wizard that captured cloud-thing, and get wizard to free." Once he has said all of this, meepo gives the others a bit to digest the information, then he opens the book.

As he opens the book, you all see the diminutive genie appear. He glances around, making a displeased face at Mordekai, and then puts his muscular arms on his hips, and nods appreciatively to both Ulthan and Ketch.  He glances at the dwarf, looking him up and down trying to size him up, but seems undecided. 

"Well, Kobold, these beings are your friends? Very well, I am impressed by the company you keep.   I presume your little friend has told you all about me, and the wizard that trapped me in this book and what I am willing to offer if you can help me gain my freedom." 

Ulthan nods absentmindedly as he peers for a moment at the figure in the book, but then goes back to checking surroundings.

"A gist of it, yes. We find the way to free you (from this book, I presume?), and you fulfill one wish of the group". The dwarf was looking the "cloud-creature" up and down with equal indecisiveness. "Kind of imagined genie to be taller. May be it's the book? Anyway, if this is true, you do have our attention."

Quote from NathanPizazz >>

Gazre-Azam mutters to himself for a moment, then says to Meepo, still in Draconic, "Yes, go ahead and read the text of course. I can't help you smuggle the book out..of..wherever you are...I can only really influence myself. But, I can speak freely and offer valuable information!  I was summoned by Zikran, a water genasi wizard, and bound to the book. Zikran wanted me to teach him how to make elemental devices, with the ultimate goal of building a floating castle fortress. For some time, I served the wizard. I was hoping to earn my freedom, so I shared much of my knowledge, but the wizard would not release me. So then I changed tactics and became less helpful, and Zikran cast a complicated spell to keep me from escaping. The only way to free me is for Zikran to end the enchantment willingly or for Zikran to be killed. I promise you I am no threat. I simply desire my freedom, and offer you fair payment for your assistance. If you agree...though I have not seen Zikran in many years, he must still be alive because the enchantment is still working, then I can lead you to his laboratory. Are we in Sigil? Is this Sigil? His laboratory was in Sigil.  I can lead you there. If we are not in Sigil....then...goodness....our quest starts with trying to find a way there."

A quick scan of the pages seem to be lab notes from Zikran's hand.  The first ten pages of the book contain various notes that indicate Zikran tried several times to trap a djinni in the book before finally succeeding. The next eight pages are observations of Gazre-Azam’s behavior during his time of servitude to Zikran. Beyond that are nothing but blank pages. Zikran seems...analytical and without much emotion in his writing, stating notes about Gazre-Azam's emotional pleas with cold precision.

  In Meepo-style the above is related to the group.

     Ketch cocks his head as the diminutive figure appears.  "By Gruumsh! What is this before my eyes?" he asks himself as part of his casting of Detect Evil and Good to see if that helps enlighten things.

     Otherwise Ketch just watches the whole encounter with a critical eye.  He doesn't wish to say much in front of this creature and needs time to ponder just what is being asked and offered.

Ketch casts his spell...the elemental before him registering clear as day. He listens to the whole story. When Meepo tries to explain, the elemental creature takes over, telling it word for word once again. 

"I was summoned by Zikran, a water genasi wizard, and bound to the book. Zikran wanted me to teach him how to make elemental devices, with the ultimate goal of building a floating castle fortress. For some time, I served the wizard. I was hoping to earn my freedom, so I shared much of my knowledge, but the wizard would not release me. So then I changed tactics and became less helpful, and Zikran cast a complicated spell to keep me from escaping. The only way to free me is for Zikran to end the enchantment willingly or for Zikran to be killed. I promise you I am no threat. I simply desire my freedom, and offer you fair payment for your assistance. If you agree...though I have not seen Zikran in many years, he must still be alive because the enchantment is still working, then I can lead you to his laboratory. His laboratory is in Sigil, and I see we are still there. Excellent! I can lead you to his lab!"

Mordekai doesn't appreciate the first look the being gives him, but he's received worse in his time.  "Do you know if Zikran goes by any other names? Is Zikran his true name?"

Lionel was listening quite intently, nodding where appropriate and trying to "read" the creature - if there is a truth in genie's words (he was never good at that but did his best Insight: 16 )

"And does he accept visitors or are we expected to break into his house?" added the dwarf his question.

The djinn floats there considering the questions, giving Mordekai another look...seemingly respecting the question, then responds, "Zikran is as true a name as I know for him. He even writes it on his belongings, like the spine of this book. And...he is an ill-spirited person, obsessed with power and bending things to his will. I doubt he would accept you as visitors into his home....especially not carrying his own book, which he knows contains me..."

     Ketch stands off to the side, more watching for others than the proceedings here.  "We need discuss this in private before deciding," he does mumble at some point as well as "There are some blessings I could seek tomorrow which may be enlightening..."  Otherwise he's obviously not comfortable talking in front of the little elemental creature.

"Meepo say so." Meepo says when the cloud-thing goes over everything he had just said. "Now Meepo and Meepo friends need talk." He shuts the book without any real warning, stuffing it back into his pack. "What Meepo friends think?" Meepo asks them. "Cloud-thing says grant us one wish if free cloud-thing from book."

     "Well I would prefer to talk with the book... elsewhere.  Another room at least.  Or stuffed under a rock.  I dunno...  But by Gruumsh, I don't trust talking books!" Ketch says, disgruntled.  "And I would like to prepare for tomorrow, to possibly say a few prayers, offer a few devotions and possibly get some insight in return."

     "In general though, I think we need to determine if this thing is unfairly trapped or not before we continue on to other questions..."

"Meepo's friends think we need more options," added Lionel his thoughts to the discussion. (And at least that particular friend certainly did.) "It does look like he is a solid backup plan - providing we do all want one wish, and that wish, I presume, is return home". (The bureaucratic smog was still clouding his mind to a degree) "But (!) - and this looks like a quite a big "but" here - we might need to break the law here if we want to help. And though we do not even know the laws here, breaks in and potential murder usually consider a crime everywhere. In short, we do not want to do that. Besides, we still have a chance to learn something in a couple of places around here and there is another crazy wizard that can "grant us some reward". I shudder to thin what that can be, but in theory, he could mean return home as well."

Lionel looked at everyone and summed up his speech "We might first try other options."

"Meepo like talking book cloud-thing." Meepo says with a glance to Ketch. "Not like talking skulls Ketch liked before, Meepo thought skulls rude and not helpful. Skulls no offer to cast powerful spell for Meepo's friends. Skulls just talk talk talk, then stop talking and no talk again. Rude Meepo says." He glances to The Lionel. "Meepo agree with The Lionel." He nods. "Meepo want find more about this wizard, and maybe look around more, before Meepo and Meepo friends try to save cloud-thing."