Dragon quickstep

[Corwin]

I asked for Razalim up front and three artifacts from your treasury upon a successful defense of your rule from this uprising, when we spoke a few days ago, Seira reminds him. I feel it prudent to inform you that my price has risen by two more artifacts for a total of five, aside from Razalim. Unlike your dear friends from below you can, in fact, actually trust me to intervene in our favor should we reach an accord. Immediately, at that.

[Anastasia]

'Seven artifacts and other treasures as well, but not Razalim,' Is the offer back.

[Corwin]

Three of them upfront, then.

[Anastasia]

'As soon as you arrive here,' Is the answer back.

[Corwin]

"What do you think, Sanzha and Ranbar?" Seira asks Donald. That he would be coming is a given.

[Anastasia]

"Well," Donald says, "Sanzha's both useful and probably a headache. Do you really want a former Padisha there and all the headaches it'll cause from insulting efreet? It'll be funny, though." He muses on it, "Ranbar's a good choice. So's me."

[Corwin]

Sanzha, Ranbar, could you please join Donald and I here?

[Anastasia]

Easily done.

"Oh, The City of Brass?" Lady Sanzha smiles rather sharply, "What an interesting destination."

Ranbar's quieter before, "Do we even want to stop his fall? He's a devil trafficker. I know it's a setback in some ways, but it's hard to mourn his defeat."

"Yeah, if I keep trying I might manage to care, but probably not," Donald agrees, "Still, he at least keeps to the word of the treaty and that's better than a new, revolutionary leader will do."

[Corwin]

"The reason is simple, beyond Amaryl and Zaaman Rul's worries. The challenger declined to treat with me. All I asked to stay away is their name, and the result was this outcome. From bitter experience, what exists in Creation and refuses to give out one's name despite stepping foot on the planar stage is uniformly evil, and worse than Akil."

[Anastasia]

"You think so?" Donald reasons, "Maybe they have a good reason ... oh wait, no, that's a load of horseshit and I know it." He makes a face, "You're right, Seira."

"Worse than Akil is something I'd rather not consider," Ranbar speaks quietly, "But something we absolutely have to stop."

[Corwin]

"Take our scaly friend. He's keeping it secret, too, but he was willing to let us reveal his return should it become necessary. And he's not meddling in Creation directly, certainly not in attempting to overthrow the largest government on one of the Inner Planes. On the other hand, remember there was that time an outer plane bled into Astral when Aurora broke reality for a bit? Wasn't it taken over by some secretive daemon loser?"

[Anastasia]

"The Adversary was part of that," Donald confirms, "Though he's been more Sylica's problem, lately. That incident with Malcanthet a little while ago."

"I heard about that. It's reassuring we aren't the only group with those sort of problems," Lady Sanzha remarks as she sits. "Fine. Regardless of which one is worse, we'll get this done for the sake of giving the efreet time to reform."

"Even if it may be a waste, we have to try," Donald says, "Even if they change n no other way than getting over slavery, it's still a triumph for us." He blows out a breath, "We can't cure 'em at once, but we can beat some of the worst of it out of them and have a good time doing it."

"Except when Imix is there," Ranbar adds, "Don't you remember those wounds?"

"Sure I do," Donald says, "But this time I'll be ready for him." With a confident look, "He's stagnated, I haven't."

[Corwin]

"Likewise. So! Final confirmation. Sanzha, do you think it'd be safe for you over there? Chances of friendly fire and all that from our efreet friends?"

[Anastasia]

"Safe? Of course not!" Sanzha declares with some amusement, "Now entertaining, that's a better question. And, if the worst has come to pass? I want to meet him personally."

"It won't be safe for any of us," Donald admits openly, "But I think we can handle it and the reward is worthwhile."

[Corwin]

"Then I'll take us over," Seira says, casting the Cauldron travel spell set!

Where should we arrive? Please show me, she asks Akil in the meantime.

I'm going for the standard combat loadout for all of us.

Spoiler: ShowHide

* only on Seira

Defensive: Foresight [10min/lvl], Visions of the Future [1hr/lvl], Dragonskin [10min/lvl]
Perception Modes and Protections: True Seeing [1min/lvl], *Sensual Blessing [A, 1min/lvl], Vision of the Omniscient Eye [1min/lvl], Detect Scrying [24hr], Greater Arcane Sight [1min/lvl]
Movement Modes and Protections: Freedom of Movement [10min/lvl], Pass Without Trace [1hr/lvl], *Greater Anticipate Teleport [24hr]
Skill Checks: *Bibliotheca Arcana [A, 24hr], Voice of the Dragon [10min/lvl], Greater Heroism [1min/lvl]
Ability Checks: Good Hope [1min/lvl]
Immunities and Resistances: Mind Blank [A, 24hr], Nondetection [1hr/lvl], Mass Death Ward [1min/lvl], Heroes's Feast [12hr]
Esoteric Boosters: *Many Moments of Prescience [A, 1hr/lvl], *Moment of Prescience [A, 1hr/lvl], Fortunate Fate [10min/lvl], Spell Turning [10min/lvl]