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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jack99" data-source="post: 5019771" data-attributes="member: 53135">As preparation for the next game, I decided to move things a bit along, and let the players discuss via mail what to do. I posted this on my campaign blog: Intermezzo in the City of BrassAfter 6 hours of waiting in line outside the palace, the Swords finally get bribed enough officials to be let inside the Chamber of Audience, where the Sultan holds court and lets petitioners bask in his glory. He sits on a platform, surrounded by lava and his Unquenchables - the elite Efreets that guard the Sultan with their life. It is said that one is a match for a Pit Fiend and the Sultan has 1000's of them with an earshot, ready to do his bidding, no matter what it may be.Not long after, they find themselves facing the Sultan, announced by a slave:    Slave: My Lord of Fire, Rule of the Center of the Universe, I present you the Swords of Drahar, heroes of the mortal world. They are the ones who killed the avatars of Tiamat, Yeenoghu, Orcus, Demogorgon and Grazz't recently.    Sultan: HA HA HA - Swords of Drahar. I have heard of ya. You might be big around where you come from, but here, in the center of the Universe, you are nothing. But I am guessing you are beginning to figure that out. Why are you here?    Truxas (bowing): My Lord of Fire, we have come here with a mission of great urgency and secrecy. We besiege you to let us use your Chamber of Rituals for powering a ritual of ours. We would of course be willing to compensate you for the use of the Chamber.    Sultan: HA HA HA. The only reason I do not kill you is that I like creatures with big brass balls. HA HA HA, the audacity of coming here, asking me of a favor. You bring no gifts of significance, you do not kneel, you hide the truth and you barely show the proper humble attitude - You must have me mistaken for someone else, because I am Jazir Al-far, Sultan of the City of Brass, the Lord of Fire. I rule the greatest city in the Universe and even the gods fear me and my infinite legions of Efreets!    Truxas: But..    Sultan: Silence mortal, another word and you will scream in the Minaret for an eternity. Come back when you have earned the right to stand before me. Be gone from my sight now, before I tire of your silly requests.After talking to the Sultan, Lord Zural contacts the Swords again and explain that they need to make a name for themselves, they need to make the Sultan "owe" them if they want to stand any chance of getting access to the Chamber of Rituals. Luckily, he has a few ideas. While nothing is sure, he has a good idea that the Sultan might look more favorable upon the Swords, should they complete any or all of these quests. Of course, if they could spice things up with a gift of gold and/or magic, even better. Giving him an artifact is always a good way to get on the Sultan's good side, at least for a while.As mentioned, Lord Zural knows of 3 things they can do.1) There is a rebel Gith that has built a strange castle of Ice in one of the colder areas of the Elemental Chaos, a couple of days travel from the City of Brass. The Sultan recently learned that the same rebel Gith (who has assaulted several merchants and diplomats from the City of Brass) is somehow trying to infect the Elemental Chaos with the Shadowfell. How that works, he has no idea, but the Gith and his death giants have surely been an annoyance.2) There is a Djinn Lord in town that infuriates the Sultan to no end. He will probably die sooner than later, but whoever kills him will surely be owe more than gratitude. Of course, no one else can know of this.3) One of the Volcanic Dragons that guard the Plane of Molten Lava (the solid piece of land on which the City of Brass is located) has gone mad and is one a rampage, even assaulting people traveling under the banner of the Sultan. It was mostly just to see what people thought about it. But also to try to get some focus back. It seems at times as my players feel is a very open-ended campaign (which they like) but also that its very hard to keep an overview of the big picture. They spend more and more time debating what they should  do, which is fine and entertainment, but I figured we could make better use of our time together by guiding them a bit.</blockquote>

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