Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - The Adventure Unfolds

Pictorial account of the adventure covering the location and rescue of Sunaeco and the party's meeting with Godratt the Wise.

Godratt's soul, trapped in a Devourer under the command of the Rakshasa Ksurmetinga, was released upon the monster's destruction and this permitted a powerful, contigent Resurrection spell to restore him immediately to life.  At this point, Sunaeco, Godratt, a Sharakim arcanist duped into serving the rakshasa called Vamzirra Firethorne, and a captured Zakya Rakshasa Patharmes, were all able to give their accounts of what had led them to this place and moment.

Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - The Vizier's Tale

Ubara-Tutu the Last Titan King of Sumeria, 

and Ardishir the Magnificent

An account by Rashad Al-Sulimon (Vizier to Utha Alzmed the Amir of the Hubul)

Imagine a time thirty centuries before the founding of Uruk, when Sulymon the Prophet was for a span of years Steward of the City of Brass after the downfall of the wicked Efreeti tyrant Iblis, he who had been damned and cast down to the underworld for his rebellion against the gods. The Hubul Janni ancients still held their ancestral lands in the Plane of Molten Skies; meanwhile, the titan Ubara-Tutu reigned over the prime material lands of Sumeria in which the Kingdoms of Uruk, Ur and Kish now lie, demanding fealty, tribute and worship from all who dwelled there. The humanity of this world was for the most part lacking in civilization in those days, but Ubara was also served by a race of intelligent giants who acted as his nobility and enforcers of his rule. Mankind was a virtual slave race to these powerful beings, though not always sorely treated.

Ubara’s reign had already lasted several centuries, at the time of which we speak. The titan King possessed a certain Carnelian Idol of great beauty that was a gift from the genie Caliph Ardishir Al’Aamash the Magnificent. Ardishir posed as a wise Janni ancient but was secretly a disguised Efreet hiding out on the material plane in defiance of Sulymon’s edict forbidding the four great elemental houses of geniekind from doing so.

It is said that this Carnelian Idol possessed oracular powers and would utter words of advice and answers to its possessor’s questions, and even grant wishes. But in truth it was possessed by a wicked efreeti in spirit form, a scion of Ardishir by one of his many concubines, who in turn swore fealty to Iblis the first Sultan of the City of Brass.

The whispering Carnelian Idol gradually corrupted Ubara over time and his reign changed from one of mere over-indulgent exploitation of inferior beings, into an ever crueler and more oppressive regime. Meanwhile, Ardishir had come into possession of a certain artifact created during the great war of Law and Chaos that occurred many thousands of years before even the distant age of which we speak, and ended with the defeat of the Queen of Chaos by the Wind Dukes of Aaqua at the Battle of Pesh. It was called by Jannikind the Mirror of Chinvat, though mankind named it the Mirror of Kur.

This mirror was one of many of its kind made by the Queen of Chaos to facilitate her conquest of the material plane. Through it, Ardishir was able to contact one of the Queen’s old allies in the Chaos War, a primordial being of darkness and evil called by the Janni, Angra Mainyu, though referred to by the humans of Sumeria as Hanbi. This foul being knew that if the mirror were used to cause sufficient death and destruction in the material world, it would facilitate his escape from his underworld prison in the depths of Pandemonium, and so he willingly supplied the aid of many evil Daevas who passed through a gateway created by the mirror into the material world to serve Ardishir’s purposes. Some of these creatures were physical in form, but others were possessing spirits who further corrupted the giantish nobility of Sumeria. The most infamous of these spirit beings were the Seven Jenni, who were eventually bested by King Gilgamesh of Uruk many years later, with otherworldly aid.

The Carnelian Idol had by now started putting into Ubara’s head the notion that he deserved far better than this dusty prime material realm of mud and animals and barely civilized humans, and that nothing less than the Mudawwarah Al Jin, the gleaming City of the Genies, was a fit habitation for a great ruler such as he, and that under him it would be returned to its former glory as it was before Iblis was cast down.

Through Hubul spies in the realm of Sumeria, Sulymon learned of the growing threat, and with the dispensation of Anumon, the god of geniekind, he visited Sumeria with his entourage and requested a personal audience with Ubara. He warned the titan King that he was aware of his plans and counseled him against the words of “false idols”.

Heedless, Ubara turned to the Carnelian Idol for counsel. The idol scornfully declared that Sulymon was nothing but a has-been and his words should hold no fear. It promised that should he go to war against Sulymon and lay siege to the City of Brass, then 10,000 Janni warriors who remained loyal to the old Sultan, Iblis, would join him in battle to take revenge on Sulymon the False Prophet.

Meanwhile, before his return to the Plane of Molten Skies, Sulymon quietly paid a further visit to a yet virtuous giant who remained uncorrupted by spirits from the Mirror of Chinvat. His name was Ziusudra and he was noted for his gentle treatment of his human vassals. Sulymon warned him that he should in secret begin the building of a fleet of vessels into which he should shepherd his flock along with many beasts of the earth when the time came to escape “the coming deluge that will sweep away the wickedness of Sumeria”. And with this cryptic remark, he departed.

But the idol was true to its word, and a great Janni host began to assemble, marching in columns from the oases of the southern desert. An army of Daevas also issued forth from the depths of Za-Hadrash, the hidden mountain fortress of the Caliph Ardishir.

Gathering a handful of fellow titans seeking glory, Ubara and his Janni and Daeva allies transported themselves to the Plane of Molten Skies and then mustered on the plains outside the City of Brass, with Ubara leading the Daevas and the Spirit of the Carnelian Idol, physically manifested at last as Dahish Al’Aamash the half-fiendish son of Ardishir, leading the Janni. But Sulymon was well prepared, and went out to meet them with a mighty host of Dao and Marids at his back, together with many Janni of the Hubul tribe. (It is said that he left his Djinn forces behind to guard the city against any attempted takeover by the Efreet, who might be sympathetic to the invader’s cause).

Ubara’s army fought hard, but was no match for the strength of the Dao, Marid and loyalist Janni forces and by the end of the day his great plans lay in ruins. He was slain by Sulymon and his titan brethren taken captive.

Sulymon was not done with the threat from Sumeria yet, however. He knew that the place was still a nest of corruption and evil with many daevas still on the loose and he knew the hand of Iblis was behind all this, pulling the strings from the underworld. So he had determined that he would cleanse Sumeria utterly and make an example of it. 

Ubara’s Janni had brought with them to the Plane of Molten Skies many Daevakind and the Law of Cosmic Balance permitted such a planar incursion to be answered in kind. Sulymon led his victorious forces to the prime material plane and the Dao reduced the buildings of Ubara’s empire to rubble; then the Marids called up the ocean waters, and drowned all in a great deluge that lasted many days. All was destroyed save Ziusudra’s fleet which had launched in readiness carrying many untainted humans to safety.

Eventually, Ziusudra’s arks reached dry land again as the waters receded.

Ziusudra decided that henceforth the humans of Sumeria should govern themselves, though he would act as their mentor and protector. He called upon the gods to choose the best leader among the survivors of the deluge to be their new King. The goddess Ishtar answered this call, and chose a devout man named Jushur. With Ziusudra’s aid, and the help of the Hubul Janni, he founded the city of Kish and built its walls. Kish was the first civilization of Sumeria to arise after the great flood, to be followed and eclipsed later on by that of Uruk.

The Law of Cosmic Balance had not permitted Sulymon’s Dao and Marid forces to remain overlong on the material plane to redress the Daeva’s planar incursion, and the task of bringing Caliph Ardishir to justice remained unfinished.

Ardishir lay low for some time before making trouble for the world of men again. But eventually, a combined force of Hubul Janni, Sumerian Giants and the ascendant Men of Kish found and assaulted the hidden Palace of Za-Hadrash.

Behind the magical wards that protected his palace, Ardishir had gathered another monstrous army of Daevas through the Mirror of Chinvat, and he now unleashed them upon his attackers. The battle was hard-fought, but unexpectedly, reinforcements from Za-Hadrash to the Caliph’s front lines dried up. Fearing that they would be bottled into the Palace if they retreated, the remaining Daeva forces on the mountainside scattered, to eventually be picked off later as they turned to banditry and mischief making.

Emerging blinking into sunlight from the mountain depths came a handful of bewildered human slaves who had escaped the palace. They said they had been freed by the Caliph’s half-human bastard son, Godratt, who later came to be known as “The Wise”. They were led by Godratt’s apprentice Sangasu. It was Godratt who had originally devised the magical wards around the palace that prevented beings from other worlds, such as the Janni or Sulymon’s forces, from entering or penetrating the palace with their magics.

Godratt had long held misgivings about his father’s enterprise, and after seeing his father call forth a Daeva more monstrous than any he had yet seen to send against his besieging foes, he decided to take drastic action and reverse the nature of the wards so that beings from other planes would be trapped within the palace.

Sangasu explained that his master had sealed himself in his sanctum and placed himself in a state of deep meditation that would suspend his life processes but maintain his concentration on the wards surrounding the palace indefinitely. Beings not native to Sumeria could still pass through the wards and enter the palace, but would not be able to leave while the barrier was in place. Conversely, any native of Sumeria would be able to leave – which is how he and his fellow escapees had left – but would not be able to enter.

Godratt had requested that any who would wish to relieve him of his burden must first locate and destroy the Mirror of Chinvat, thus ending the threat of Daeva incursion. All he could say of its whereabouts is that his father Ardishir kept it in a secure hiding place, unknown to him, though he was certain it was somewhere within the palace or its dungeons.

The Hubul mounted a number of volunteer expeditions to try to carry out Godratt’s wishes, but the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash was boiling with hostile Daeva life that still came through the Chinvat gate of its own accord. The Janni watched helplessly through the translucent magical membrane as groups of their comrades met their end again and again in the jaws of monsters or overwhelmed by swarms of Aesma daevas. Though there were yet more Janni inspired by Godratt’s brave self-sacrifice to risk their lives for his cause, the Amir of the Hubul sadly declared that the Palace was henceforth off-limits, unwilling to see any more of his heroes march to their deaths.

As to the wicked Caliph Ardishir of Za-Hadrash, his ultimate fate was unknown. All that can be said is that he has thus far not troubled the world since, though he might yet remain a prisoner within his Golden Palace.

Godratt’s magical barrier was supplemented with additional magical wards set in place by the Amir’s Vizier to prevent ingress, and a watch set about the place. Godratt’s soul would be prayed for, until heroes came from another prime material world that would, according to a prophecy that was made at the time, be able to destroy the Mirror and relieve Godratt of his endless burden.

Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - Dramatis Personae

Previous installment here

In which we list the player characters who chose to go on the adventure.  This comprised several high level player characters and some various cohorts and followers, whom it was felt would benefit from the experience of high adventure on another world.  Also, some random hangers-on who literally just happened to be around in the dining hall at Camp Ragfried when the expedition was being discussed and came because they were bored.  

Little did they guess of the troubles that lay ahead for them...in the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash.

The full background detail of these adventurers is omitted here, but may be expanded on at a future time.

• Thorbjorn Hrolfsson
• Falkvar Falkvarson
• Captain Bergthor
• ...and sundry other members of Throbjorn's retinue, who did not in the end go as far as entering the Golden Palace
• Cerys Landry
• Echo Dawndreamer
• Pumpkin Pepperweb
• Tovynn Panafan
• Beamish Red
• Boris Kratofsky
• Jed "The Club" Butler
• Myra Hinsson
• Tsai Ying
• Dagani (A Planar Bound being summoned by Cerys Landry)
• Jessica Del Rio
• Quaenas Lorlann
• Baurig "The Free"
• Kaolin Rhinkainen

Additional people who joined the party in Gilgamesh' world

• Bey Jibran Barakas - commander of a contingent of Janni mamelukes whose task was to keep watch over the Golden Palace
• Faris Asghar Nazeri - adjutant to Jibran Barakas
• Sardar Patharmes  - Zakya Rakshasa who surrendered to Cerys who spared his life in exchange for an oath of 999 days' service

Also Appearing:

• Sunaeco Landwalker - aquatic elf who was the cause of all this trouble (though really, a convenient pawn in a scheme planned well before he got himself entangled in Janni politics)
• Rashad Al-Sulimon - Vizier to Utha Alzmed the Amir of the Hubul tribe of Janni; he was on hand at the entrance to the Golden Palace, but (being no fool!) did not accompany the party within, merely providing some investigative magics and background information.

Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - Thorbjorn's Pre-Adventure Library Research

The adventure Introduction may be read here

 Library Research on Gilgamesh

Two centuries ago, Keoland under the reign of Tavish II was embroiled in a brutal war to retain control of Ket, against an insurrection which had the backing of a combined Bakluni force from Tusmit, Ekbir and Zeif. Tavish II was not a kind or merciful King and ordered purges against the civilian populace, of areas under Keoish control that were suspected of harbouring partisans. Many religious leaders were seized and imprisoned.

A group of ostensibly Bakluni pilgrims at the time protested their innocence and claimed to not be Bakluni at all but travelers from another world who were in search of the rightful heir to the throne of Uruk, whose father had died and whose title had been seized by a usurper. This fanciful tale caught the ear of a prominent court wizard of the time, Nolarus Akyn, when paying a visit to Ket to appraise the war effort, and he decided to pay them a visit. To cut a long story short, after much careful questioning, examination, and magical assessment of their claims he became convinced of the truth of their words. The name of the absentee heir that they sought was one Gilgamesh son of Lugalbanda of the great city of Uruk (alleged to himself be a demigod who had ruled the city for twelve centuries before divinely ascending leaving the throne open to the usurper in his son’s absence).

Nolarus agreed to plead their case to his King and obtain their release, but he wanted something in return. A priestess among them called Beltis – who primarily served a goddess of love and war (a peculiar combination indeed, the author notes!) called Ishtar, though she paid respects to many other divinities of her world – would be required to remain as a hostage and serve the Keoish war effort, working closely with Nolarus and assisting him in his research. Geases would be laid upon her and marks of bondage to prevent her magical abscondment. Her kinsmen would be released and granted return of their possessions, and passage to a destination of their choosing. Beltis would be released at a later date after Keoland’s victory in the war was accomplished.

Beltis urged her companions to accept Nolarus’ offer. The dungeons of Tavish II were not a place to spend overlong in if it could be helped.

However, the war did not end swiftly, rumbling on for another fourteen years until Tavish II’s death in CY395. The succession was complicated by the refusal of the first candidate that was offered the position, to accept. The Duke of Gradsul, Luschan Sellark IV became Regent while the great houses squabbled over who to accept the poisoned chalice of the Lion Throne, and he negotiated a truce and withdrawal of Keoish forces from Ket.

By this time, however, Beltis had struck up a relationship with, and married, Nolarus. And such were her powers of persuasion that she had converted him to her faith. She had also managed to acquire some other converts, and with Nolarus’ permission, she sent home for missionary aid to spread the worship of her deities to this new world.

Later works will refer to the expansion of this cult within the Flanaess but omit the details of the original account in the 200 year old transcript of Nolarus’ original encounter, and do not mention Gilgamesh; describing them simply as missionaries of an obscure Bakluni faith with a relatively small but dedicated following.

Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - Introduction - Part Ten

   Previous installments:

• Introduction - Part One
• Introduction - Part Two
• Introduction - Part Three
• Introduction - Part Four
• Introduction - Part Five
• Introduction - Part Six
• Introduction - Part Seven
• Introduction - Part Eight
• Introduction - Part Nine

Introducing another major campaign player character, Thorbjorn Hrolfsson.

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Meanwhile, Thorbjorn Hrolfsson was at the Longhall in Gradsul, having just spent the day organizing a project to seat a mystical transporter pad, based on magics once employed by the Cult of the Black Flame and uncovered by Cerys Landry at their old stronghold of Baltron's Beacon in the Hool Marshes.  This enchanted stone dais would enable his followers to travel swiftly between his strongholds in Gradsul and Sasserine. Many followers had volunteered small donations of their life force towards the required enchantments. Soon, he would be able to move large numbers of the faithful frictionlessly between the two cities. 

He was also enjoying the thrill of romance with the lovely Arnora Gellveig, who seemed quite the perfect match. By now he and Falkvar had been courting their ladies together for over a month, since the completion of the Kassen Dam and the unfortunate events that occurred immediately afterwards that claimed the lives of half a dozen villagers there.

He wondered how Ingolfr was doing with his mission to assist the King’s nephew young Count Tarikos Skotti, and Cerys’ Uncle Torvus. He supposed that he might have made landfall in Krytos by now.

One of Thorbjorn’s aides approached his lord.

“Your Grace…there is someone to see you. She is just outside. It is the semblance of Cerys that dwells in Gradsul, her…sim-u-la-crum I think you once called her. She would speak with you about urgent matters.”

She was ushered before him. She was but a pale imitation of the original, but Thorbjorn knew that the simulacrum was permanently telepathically linked to her mistress.

“Hello Thorbs. I hear through my sources you have a bit of a romance going on. When’s the wedding?"

"Whenever my advisors have decided to organise it for me, I suppose."

"Well anyway...some news that may concern you.  I have had some most unusual visitors drop in on me. I am at Camp Ragfried right now with them. People from another Prime Material world. Their leader is a very charming fellow, of, well you might say, epic proportions. It looks like Sunaeco might have gotten himself into a spot of bother, and he may need our help…”

----------------------------------------------------

...and from this point, the adventure commences.

Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - Introduction - Part Nine

   Previous installments:

• Introduction - Part One
• Introduction - Part Two
• Introduction - Part Three
• Introduction - Part Four
• Introduction - Part Five
• Introduction - Part Six
• Introduction - Part Seven
• Introduction - Part Eight

Another player character appears in the tale at this point: Cerys Landry, no mere dancer but a powerful sorceress; the mandolin player is her pixie familiar, cohort and constant companion Echo.  The half-ogres that get a brief mention are also PC's, Leguzh Leafcrusher and Baurig the Free.  The woman with the bear is Reynardia Yargrove, the Great Druidess of the Sheldomar Valley and a canonical World of Greyhawk NPC.  

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Their target was now sat on her haunches on the grass and was catching her breath. The swirling pattern on her skin was fading. They moved in around her and Gilgamesh ended their Etherealness.

What the interlopers from Uruk had failed to recognize, being unfamiliar with local hazards, was the nature of the space the dancer's performance had taken place in:

A faerie ring.

And none of them possessed fey blood…so the ring immediately afflicted them with wild magic of a chaotic nature.

Gilgamesh was attacked by a Finger of Death effect, which naturally he shrugged off with little effort, being famous for his immense constitution.

Sumu-Abum never made it to the Material plane; he found himself trapped in a shifting, confusing Maze of shimmering walls of force.

Ed-Wyna felt the paralyzing influence of a Temporal Stasis wash over her, which she successfully willed away before she became entirely frozen.

Ur-Zababa was afflicted by a Horrid Wilting. His skin cracked and parched and he felt the effects of extreme dehydration, that might have killed a lesser man.

Ed-Wyna unleashed her Rope of Entanglement on the surprised woman. It lashed around her pinning her upper arms against her torso and then snaked down around her thighs and tied her ankles together.

Immediately a commotion sprang up around them. “Damn, where is Sumu with his Silence spell?”

Ur-Zababa, grunting hoarsely from his parched throat, grabbed the girl’s shoulders with skin peeling from his hands. Yet she just twisted away and slipped out of his grasp like an eel, her agility apparently unhindered by the ropes that bound her.

Gilgamesh realized things were going to be more difficult than they had hoped, so he adapted the plan: he opened the Gate underneath her. And so she would have a soft landing, he (naturally) opened it into his royal bedchamber, directly over his bed. Where a startled-looking #2 wife Bam-Ninki was already lying, evidently awaiting his return (he’d only gone out to kill a giant centipede, for goodness’ sake, what sort of time did he call this?)

But she did not fall; she just hovered over the Gate, magically suspended in the air. Someone would have to shove her through.

“Grab her, Bam!” he cried. Bam-Ninki’s expression was a mixture of shock and disapproval, as she had evidently hoped to have her King all to herself tonight in Uruk.

Then many things happened at once, before Bam could react to his command. Tiny arrows began raining on them from all sides, from invisible assailants. The few that penetrated their defenses carried some kind of sleep poison, which they were all able to resist. Several Deep Slumber spells went off on them, but they were all too hardened to succumb to such magic. Squawking birds rained Colour Sprays on them. The dark-haired mandolin player was suddenly next to Gilgamesh in the blink of an eye and she touched him. He was able to shrug off the Otto’s Irresistible Dance – not so irresistible in his case, for he was famous for being resistant to such compulsions, of course. Ed-Wyna, however, did succumb to the touch of an invisible assailant and she began helplessly dancing a jig. A half-man half-cricket thing struck up a tune, calling “That’s the spirit!”

Outside the circle, the handsome brunette with the bear companion had a look of great anger on her features; she swiftly cast a spell on her bear, and its claws lengthened and its muscles bulged, magically enhanced for battle. Then she changed into a similarly large ferocious looking bear, herself. As the two of them lollopped up the hillside to aid the golden-haired one the elven bard gestured towards them and cast a spell that made both of them grow to Huge size. The galloping of centaur hooves was heard also and two large arrows glanced off Gilgamesh’ breastplate, knocking him back just a little though they would have skewered a normal man. The half-ogres had also snatched up their weapons and were moving in to do battle.

Roots suddenly lashed up out of the ground and struck at Ur-Zababa viciously, drawing blood; then a huge Air Elemental appeared from nowhere and grabbed him, lifting him into the air.

The golden haired woman, Cerys Landry – for it was indeed she – had at first been bewildered and taken by surprise; then her surprise turned to a look of annoyance. She looked down to see a richly appointed royal bed beneath her and the startled young lady. Then she glanced up and down at Gilgamesh, and her expression changed again. She shrugged an arm free of the entangling rope without difficulty and gestured towards the Air Elemental that had seized Ur-Zababa and said in Auran, the language of the air elementals – which Gilgamesh spoke fluently, himself – “Don’t kill him.”

She looked up at Gilgamesh with large, lustrous eyes and a smile upon her soft ruby lips that could melt men’s very souls.

“This might be the done thing where you come from, but I like to at least know someone’s name before I let them tie me up.”

“Lady, I am Gilgamesh, son of Lugalbanda, King of Uruk, who your King Sunaeco has wronged most grievously.”

“Well, Gilgamesh of Uruk, you don’t look like a habitual kidnapper, so before things get too unpleasant how about we just sit down together and have a chat instead?” she intoned huskily.

And this seemed to Gilgamesh, a highly reasonable suggestion, after all.

He flung out his arms, and exclaimed in a booming voice:

“Ed-Wyna, Ur-Zababa, Sumu if you can hear me; I have changed my mind. I will talk with this woman instead.”

Gilgamesh was, after all, famous for changing his mind.

Cerys easily shrugged the Rope of Entanglement from about her arms and shoulders, demonstrating that it had never really been a hindrance.  By now, Bam-Ninki had managed to stand up on the bed, and was clutching, rather ineffectually, at Cerys’ legs. Cerys glanced down at her and shook her head.  A faint but unmistakable hint of icy menace to creep into her voice. 

“Don’t do that, dear.”

Gilgamesh and the Golden Palace of Za-Hadrash - Introduction - Part Eight

  Previous installments:

• Introduction - Part One
• Introduction - Part Two
• Introduction - Part Three
• Introduction - Part Four
• Introduction - Part Five
• Introduction - Part Six
• Introduction - Part Seven

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THE PLAN

As this was an in-game action plan worked out round-by-round within the rigid framework of the D&D 3.5 combat rules, inevitably the narrative "flow" lapses into gamist terminology in this section.  With some work, I could recast this as more of a storytelling narrative; but instead, invite the reader to simply accept that it could be re-written in that way, and take it as a given.

The Invisibility had worn off; Gilgamesh could manage one more round of Invisibility for all, but would save that for just before they went in.

First they would lurk at a good distance in Wind Walk, amidst the treetops in the darkness where they would not be detected. They would await some indication of the arrival of Serise Lendri, given the degree of expectation they might hear a cheer go up.

Gilgamesh would then use his divinely-conferred powers to render them all invisible, and ethereal. They would then move in.

Close to their target, they would drop out of Wind Walk, but remain ethereal.

They would position themselves for the snatch. (Ed-Wyna, to grumbles from Ur-Zababa and her father, had persuaded them that attempting to carry additional women off, no matter now comely, would jeopardize the mission. “You’re such a spoilsport Ed-Wyna. Always getting in the way of our fun.”)

Ur-Zababa would cast Divine Power for increased combat prowess. Also Prayer and Bless.

Sumu-Abum would cast Silence on a coin from his pouch to suppress spellcasting.

Surprise Round:

Gilgamesh would dispel his Etherealness.

Ed-Wyna would hurl her Rope of Entanglement (a trophy she had taken from a slain devil) at the target.

Ur-Zababa would then make a grab for the woman.

Sumu-Abum would also help to grab and restrain her.

“I should think the two of you will be enough for one dancing girl, heh?”

Hopefully, all this would occur before any opposed actions could take place.

Round 1:

Gilgamesh would next open a Gate back to Uruk.

Ed-Wyna would be tasked with fending off anyone who attempted to stop the abduction, with trip attacks. If the grappling is already failing because their target is too slippery, Ed-Wyna bull-rushes the target through the Gate instead.

Ur-Zababa and Sumu-Abum would next aim to pin their hostage and drag her through the gate into Uruk, or else assist Ed-Wyna in bull-rushing her if grappling is obviously failing.

Round 2:

Gilgamesh delays until after everyone else has passed through the Gate

Ed-Wyna et al further grapple, pin and drag their hostage through. Shout for the Palace Guard.

Once they are through, Gilgamesh steps through and lets the Gate close.

What could possibly go wrong?

________________________________

As the ambushers from Uruk watched, and waited, they became aware of a rustle of excitement in the gathering of woodland beings about the mound, a change in the music. The green-skinned dancers moved to the outer perimeter of the circle of toadstools as a cloud of mist expanded in the centre. Somewhere within, glowing lights began winking on, dancing flickering flames. Then another glowing radiance developed, pouring downwards to form what might be a humanoid shape, though the mist made it hard to see any detail.

Then a rushing central downdraft of air blew the mist down and outwards over the surface of the mound, whooshing out over the toadstools towards the audience who gave a rousing cheer as the dancer was revealed, glowing traceries of light swirling in intricate patterns that emphasized her feminine contours.

“This is surely she” Gilgamesh whispered to his companions. “She likes to make an entrance, doesn’t she? Now, we must move in and get into position. Remember the plan. Box her in, and wrestle or shove her through the Gate to Uruk I will open.”

Holding hands together, Gilgamesh shifted them to the Ethereal Plane, and they moved in closer.

But as they approached, they were all slack-jawed in wonderment as they observed this superb being engage in the most awe-inspiring display of dancing they had ever seen. The finest temple dancers of Ishtar could not compare with her gyrations and the graceful use of her sleek limbs, the swirl of her hair which seemed to possess its own life, her control of the tracery of glowing lines that performed a dance of their own over her supple form. Now they knew why the Sheikh’s son Husaam had been so taken with her, and why Elysium had called upon her talents to impress the Amir.

It was evident that boxing her in or even laying a hand on her at all might prove a challenge, such was her agility, and it seemed that she may possess the power of flight, also.

Gilgamesh found now that he was greatly enjoying watching this paragon of beauty and artistic skills go through her moves. It was quite the most arousing thing he’d seen in many a year. He was also aware of a magical enthralling effect in the glowing patterns swirling over her form. He was immune to this and his companions strong-willed enough to not be completely robbed of their wits. But her talents were sublime, even without magical enhancements. 

He glanced at the others and shook his head. “Let us wait until she finishes. She will be more exhausted by then.”

“A most excellent change of plan, O wise King” said Sumu.

It was a lengthy, tireless performance, though. Gilgamesh had to renew the group’s Etherealness. “We are the lucky ones, to observe her this closely, unseen.  Her talents are unrivalled, and I am keen appreciator of such arts, not easily impressed.  Be prepared for the end of the performance, though.”

The performance drew to a crescendo, and suddenly there were a half dozen brightly coloured birds flying around her that discharged sprays of rainbow coloured light outwards from her in every direction as she leapt and span and gyrated faster and faster. With her final move she threw her head back, her arms stretched skywards and a massive electrical discharge leapt skywards from her open palms, radiating spokes of lightning over the heads of her audience.

Gilgamesh found himself clapping with great enthusiasm and shouting his approval into the ethereal mists, before sternly reminding himself that he was here to kidnap this woman and make her reveal the whereabouts of the scoundrel Fishy King she served whose actions had already led to the death of four janni warriors and a village full of his people.

He touched each of his companions to draw the cloak of Invisibility around them in readiness. “Now quickly, people are stirring and soon they may swarm up the hill to get closer to her and offer her their praise.”