Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Ketch regains the 1 HP he lost via his Ring of Regeneration...

Ketch also should have made a concentration check for his Detect Magic due to that HP damage - Con Check: 24

Ketch allows Mordekai to do the talking and just stands alert and ready... And glancing all about at everything if his spell is still up.

"I see. Well, you know what dragons are like. They value trinkets and protect whatever they deem to be 'theirs' - which often enough turns out to be cheap rubbish. We had hoped one so powerful as yourself might be able to spare us a little of your time, that was all. But, er... if you don't mind my asking, why do you need to fly free from your enemies and cast down death and destruction, when you don't even have any rivals worth remembering? I'm all for you finishing your work as a show of your magnificence, but who exactly are you going to rain down destruction on? It doesn't sound like you've ever had an enemy of any merit. No...loose ends to ever bite back at you, at all." 

Mordekai leaves the last sentence hanging. A statement, technically, but enough of a question in his tone that it would hopefully draw a response.

Ketch, there is no magic within 30 feet of you. 

He looks briefly flustered at Mordekai's response, "Pffaa. No, no enemy of merit. And less enemies of merit with my flying fortress. Why? Why?!?  To fly free like a tempest, to roam the world with a mere thought. To have a stronghold, your home, with you no matter where you wish!  What power!!  Such power has not been seen for generations!  But I, Zikram, shall do it. And any who approach me with jealous thoughts will be tossed aside like so much detritus!" 

Meepo pauses long enough to put the two damaged skeletons into the portable hole. They will take a short rest, spending HD to heal up a bit. He then follows the others down, glancing around the chamber. He cocks his head, but remains silent as the discussion begins.

Ulthan slinks into darkness and out of sight without going back to meet the constrained spirit.

Ulthan finds himself on the wide landing of a stairway. Up is the unhappy spirit, and down is the blue guy. In between is only a thin wall with which to hide behind. Which he does. 

"Such power! You are indeed unrivalled and unequalled. How have you achieved such a feat? If only I could have a tenth of your greatness! It would be a shame to fly free and rain down such power without anyone understanding or believing just how great your deeds are, just how you did it. How on earth do you make a fortress fly free of its worldly tethers?"

Still fresh out of combating the elementals (too fresh, actually, freezingly fresh), Lionel used all his willpower to stay silent and let Mordekai work out his diplomatic approach. Eyeing the elementals around the wizard and planning the future attack (Mordekai was good, but the wizard seemed to be as stubborn as the dragon the other day) helped a bit.

"If he rains down power from up above everyone will just think it's a crazy new storm or the gods or something.  Nobody would think it's the great and powerful wizard, will they?" Ketch asks, attempting to provide help to Mordekai.

The wizard narrows his eyes in a shrewd manner, "Who are you folk, what are you after then? What do you want? You don't look like an academic..."

"Well, I guess you could say I'm a fan of your work. The best academics don't look like academics. You know, the ones who put it into practice. I could say the same for you. You look like a man of the world, accomplished, successful. I mean, just look at this place!" Mordekai gestures to the room and the wonders within. "Come to think of it, what was this place? Was it ruins before you moved in? Or did you take it by force? And to think... you control all this! Just by the force of your will? Truly not? You must have created some wondrous device to control it? Or power it all?"

The wizard narrows his eyes, “You ask many questions, and yet reveal nothing and ignore mine.”  His fingers start to twitch, “Why are you here?! Who are you?”

The wizard had a point: even if they were to kill that man, the intend does not excuse bad manners. "Oh, did we forget to introduce ourselves? Forgive our involuntary rudeness, we were distracted by the monsters and traps. I am Lionel Silverstone, this fine gentleman is Mordekai, the brave dragonkin is Meepo and the dangerously looking warrior is Ketch. Pleased to meet you." Lionel gave Zikran a smile of an experienced courtier. "We came from Sigil, where indeed run into your old rival - Laffa. He told us his sad story - suffice to say you do not have a rival anymore - and said, he wanted to know if you are still alive. Everything we learned about you sounded quite intriguing, and we came to see for ourselves. Yes, overcoming a dragon on the way - nasty business if somewhat profitable." Everything Lionel told the man was the truth, but it was not the case where one should reveal the whole truth at once.

"Interestingly, we heard, that by yourself you are not that strong as a wizard. That most of your magic came from the genie that served you. Was this the truth?" 

The wizard seems temporarily sated by the introductions, "Ahhh, finally, manners. Wonderous. Well, if you were listening to that FOOL Laffa, then he WOULD say something like that. The weak willed fool.  Ha...but...yes...the genie. I had a book once with a genie. Left it behind. I am so powerful that such a thing is no longer important. Besides, it turns out genies are stupid, moronic fools who know nothing of great magical creations!"  

Something squirms within Meepo's backpack and he thinks he hears some very faint cursing coming from it, but...he can't be certain. Noone else seems to notice. 

"Yes, well, the flying part will come soon enough. For now, witness the powerful weapon that shall defend it and rain down death. I call it a force expelling tube!  It sends out great energy from the end of the tube there, and wherever that force hits, it wreaks terrible destruction."  An evil glimmer appears in his eyes, "Would you like me to show you?" 

Lionel mirrored the wizard's smile (he had to observe Mordakai's "charming" green through half the time they spent together in Borovia and thought he can imitate it convincingly by now). "Would be delighted to see it in action." Though he did not forget to add politely: "Provided, this force is not directed at us. That would be the most inconvenient."

The wizard laughs, "Haha...yes...just a joke among friends, yes? So then....if there's nothing else, I'm rather busy. I hear there is a storm about. Quite bothersome things. If you wish to stay upstairs and wait it out, the rooms are free, though I say, the storms really do agitate the spirits up there, so take care. And then once it's passed you can be on your way!"

"We will," assured Lionel, "just one more question, if you don't mind. That genie - should confess, as useless as they could be the story sounds fascinating - did you just found the book with the genie in it? I always thought they live in bottles or something like this."

He narrows his eyes suspiciously, but responds to Lionel regardless, "Pfa. Found. I am a powerful wizard, a master of the elementals. They are my play things!  As was that genie. I bound him to that book myself! Perhaps....one day.....that book shall find its way back to me."  He grins an unpleasant smile.

"Why would you need it if they are so useless? And why not summon another one?" Lionel was the definition of trustworthiness and simple curiosity. Then he nodded as if in understanding. "You probably need that special book and do not remember how to unbound the one that is already there, I understand. How does one bind and unbind such powerful creatures? Forgive my curiosity, not every day one meets a wizard capable of such feat."

Roll Deception. Also roll Insight. 

You can use Mordekai's stats if you wish, with him backing you up.