Kadhizi

Welcome to Kadhizi Rexi’s Research Log | Kadhizi

| Entry 1.c

T here is a romantic image that comes to mind for

many adventurers of a genie bottled in some ar-
bitrary vessel, only summoned to provide wishes and
Despite the limited resources in
ewer, the genies and var iou s oth
the
er
as
then be freed. Copious tales are shared around the sentient creatures (referred to
) have bee n abl e to est ablish a
multiverse of temporarily bound genies guiding lowly “walkers”
.
mortals down paths of self-discovery, wonder, and ul- surprisingly stable community
timately redemption. The common wisdom, it would Notable landmarks include:
seem, is that given the gift of immense magical power, p, self-
The Reservoir: A shockingly dee
most thoughtful individuals would come to terms sh wa ter and
replenishing source of fre
with the futility of seeking glory and riches with the ill-mannered merfolk
snap of a finger. This common wisdom is, of course, hemical
The Elixirium: An elaborate alc
a farce. The multiverse is filled with many strange potions,
laboratory, source of life-giving
occurrences, but never once has a greedy adventurer ran t
recreational narcotics, and vib
been given great power and willingly surrendered it in
paints and dyes
the name of personal growth. the
Two Art Museums: Seemingly
a bit of con flic t, but
Like any other adventurer willing to and capable source of quite
of binding powerful elementals, famed “archaeol- stunning galleries nonetheless
of
ogist” (that is: uncredentialed tomb robber) Calvin The Casino: One of few sources
“Cal” Kensington was no altruist. Fatefully, he was entertainment for the str and ed
also no dummy. He knew the arcane capabilities of inhabitants
any one genie was finite, and true power was found in The Observatory: A towering
working
numbers. After coming into possession of a magical cosmological research facility,
e means
ewer capable of shackling and containing genies, he toward (as far as I can tell) som
traveled the world of Ephamel, capturing as many of escape
genies as he could.

1 Borough Bound
 He hoped to amass enough “earned” favors to sucked into the ewer, now permanently trapped in a
guarantee he could truly have whatever he wanted prison of his own making. The locals ran away as fast
and clean up any messes he created along the way. as they could and sealed the tomb, hoping to rid the
world of Cal and his accursed ewer forever.
Generally speaking, his plan was successful. He
gathered dozens of genies in his mystical ewer and Inside the ewer, immediately upon seeing Cal be-
continued exploring the realms of Ephamel gather- come trapped, all of the bound genies began to attack
ing up additional artifacts from cultures worldwide. in an impassioned act of revenge against the man
Though famed in his homeland for the treasures he who had taken their freedom. Yet, as they lashed out
stole abroad, he was widely reviled by any indigenous at him, the ewer started to collapse; massive chunks of
peoples with whom he came into contact, known engraved gold plummeted to the desert floor, nearly
invariably as a thief, a brigand, and a cultural imperi- crushing the enraged genies. After some careful ex-
alist. perimentation, the genies realized that the structural
integrity of the demiplane contained within the ewer
While ransacking the Tomb of Amunta II, Cal
was tied to Cal’s life. Despite hating him with every
was discovered by a group of furious locals who held
fiber of their being, the genies knew that exacting
him at swordpoint. Cal had knowingly trespassed on
their revenge would mean dooming themselves. They
an ancient tomb that foreigners were forbidden from
decided that they had to do everything they could to
entering, let alone plundering. The locals, knowing of
keep Cal alive, including extending his life far beyond
Cal’s great misdeeds but not his decorative pitcher full
that of a normal human. Through powerful life-giv-
of genies, asked him for any final words. With no oth-
ing elixirs, constant supervision, and a strict house
er option, Cal called on his first and final wish:
arrest, the genies have been able to monitor, care for,
“I wish for all evildoers in this temple and by extension imprison the loathsome archaeolo-
to be forever trapped in my ewer.” gist. And yet, despite combining all their powers, his
death now seems imminent, and no one is quite sure
Calvin, lacking an incredible amount of self-aware- what to do.
ness, thought this wish would rid him of his assailants.
Of course, the locals were innocent of any wrongdo- In the rest of the Ephamel, hundreds of years pass.
ing, simply trying to protect the venerated tomb, and A handful of explorers, marauders, spirits, and small
were spared by the wish. It was Cal himself who was critters find their way to this arcane antique water jug

Kadhizi 2
 that is supposedly locked away from all. a more prudent and knowledgeable archaeologist was
Unfortunately, without the necessary word of power able to extract the ewer and take it somewhere else.
to disarm and unseal the ewer, many instead acciden- Perhaps a party of adventurers stumbled on this his-
tally trigger the trapping mechanism, prompting the torical artifact in a museum, at a fancy party, or mere-
pitcher to draw them inside. Forever stuck with the ly tossed aside in the desert sands. Regardless of how
genies and Cal, they live their whole lives in the ewer, they encounter the ewer, without knowing the specific
raise children, and die. Descendents of these explor- word of power to disarm it, they will probably be
ers live their lives in the ewer as well. These mortal unable to resist the banishing magic that has already
non-genies are known collectively as walkers, and sealed away so many. After being pulled into the ewer
today their numbers are roughly equal to those of the (a thoroughly unpleasant experience that takes rough-
genies. ly six seconds), new inhabitants of Kadhizi generally
appear very suddenly somewhere in the sands outside
The city that these genies and unlucky travelers
the city proper, usually no more than 1,000 feet from
have built is known as Kadhizi. Equal parts prison
the edge of town.
and desert paradise, Kadhizi is twice sealed: locked
away in a magic jug which is, itself, inside a secured
and forgotten tomb. It seems unlikely that anyone will Geometry and Geography
ever be able to release its various denizens from their The majority of interest within Kadhizi revolves
bizarre demiplanar prison. around the central Oasis. The genies and residents
That is: until a group of unique adventurers come have designed their small town around the magically
across the ewer and change everything. replenishing water source known as the Reservoir
(which is described in much greater detail further on).
Walking in any direction will lead only to seemingly
GM NOTE: Examples of each of these types of
endless featureless desert dunes. However, the actual
characters will be provided below, but if you need
dimensions of this desert are far smaller than they
to insert any additional NPCs to flesh out the city,
would at first seem. Those who try to explore beyond
these means of ingress would be the easiest ways to
the Oasis will find that they loop back to town after
introduce them to Kadhizi.
a roughly three-day walk (or in the case of a genie: a
two-and-a-half-day flight). For example: if one were
to walk east out of town for roughly fifty miles, they
How Did You Get Here would eventually come across the west side of town,
as though the demiplane were a sphere. Most believe
The population of Kadhizi has very slowly grown this to indicate that the entire surface contained with-
over the roughly three to five centuries since Cal be- in the ewer is a roughly 2,500-square-mile desert with
came trapped. This is the result of numerous factors: nothing but a single town and Oasis to break up the
1. The Tomb of Amunta II itself already housed otherwise recursively sandy landscape.
plenty of critters (primarily snakes, bats, rats, and The skies, on the other hand, follow a distinctly dif-
other rodents), as well as a few supernatural be- ferent logic. Genies can fly after all, and the residents
ings which will be described in later documents. of Kadhizi have thoroughly explored the boundaries of
2. Though the locals sealed this tomb, Cal was not their demiplane. Though a bright desert sun appears
the last adventurer to attempt to explore and to shine in the sky and stars seemingly come out at
plunder it. These archaeologists, raiders, and ex- night, the cosmos beyond is some sort of trick of the
plorers are overwhelmingly likely to try to snatch ewer. Flying just a mile or so straight up will result in
the ewer, leading to their imprisonment. the inside edge of the jug itself coming into focus. The
3. Some locals, after witnessing explorers entering intricately hammered gold interior edge becomes
the tomb but not returning, have tried inspecting immediately completely visible, and the facade of the
the tomb for themselves. Over the centuries, tales illusory stars and sky fades away. Despite their best
of the accursed ewer have been forgotten, and efforts (and Gods know they tried), the genies and the
without the warnings of their ancestors, these lo- various other residents of Kadhizi have found this
cals have also triggered the trapping mechanism. boundary to be altogether impenetrable.
4. The final category of creatures who found their These are the bounds within which the genies have
way into Kadhizi has entered without provoking spent the past few hundred years, and in which many
the jug itself. This is typically the result of a failed walkers have spent the entirety of their lives. There is
teleportation, a ritual spell gone awry, or some plenty of space to explore, but nothing to be found.
other arcane mishap. These off-target magi are There are sights to be seen, but no reason to see them.
exceedingly uncommon. Without hope of escape, all that remains is what life
you are able to make for yourself in the strict confines
A group of adventurers is most likely to stumble on
of the ewer.
Kadhizi when exploring the tomb (or perhaps one
just like it) themselves. However, it is also possible that

3 Borough Bound
Kadhizi 4
 Taxonomy of Genies Societal Responsibilities: Wild Genies have taken
on most of the burden of simply keeping the walkers
All genies in Kadhizi have a few traits in common: (including Cal) alive. Though far from a full-time job,
thanks to the expediency of magic, it is one of the
1. They have no legs but can hover in the air. more taxing responsibilities for a group of beings who
2. They do not need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep. exist more or less beyond the confines of scarcity.
3. Though they have innate sizes and forms, they
are able to magically grow, shrink, or otherwise Spark Genies
contort their pliable elemental bodies. Color: Vibrant yellows and oranges
4. Though not truly immortal, their lifespans are so Size: The smallest of the genies, roughly the size of a
long that they might as well be. warbler or sparrow
5. So long as they are bound by the ewer, they can- Magic: Spark Genies are able to generate and con-
not willingly inflict harm upon any genie, includ- duct small amounts of electricity, heat, plasma, or
ing themselves. other energy. Though the residents of Kadhizi have
very limited technology, some arcanomechanical ap-
6. Genies can reproduce, but only with mortals. This
plications in the city (namely the Observatory and the
is already a rare occurrence outside the demi-
Elixirium) require a fair bit of controlled power. Oth-
plane, and most within Kadhizi consider it too
er minor powers that Spark Genies have manifested
cruel to bring a new half-genie into the world
include the ability to generate light, magnetic charges,
knowing they’ll be stuck in the ewer.
and on rare occasions, open flame.
7. All genies have some form of magical ability, but Personality: Spark Genies are unpredictable. One
for most, it is highly specific.1 Common to all, moment they will be calm and collected, and the next
however, is limited telekinesis, a power that has they will be throwing a temper tantrum, followed
proven invaluable for actually constructing their quickly by a burst of inspiration. The chaotic nature
homes and other buildings. of Spark Genies certainly makes them entertaining,
Kadhizi is home to 4 distinct subtypes of genies: but also causes them to have trouble maintaining
Wild, Spark, Dream, and Memory. These categories long-term relationships. As such, many end up heavily
determine the general magical abilities available to invested in their jobs and hobbies as a healthier outlet
any given genie, their size and color, and some aspects for their capricious natures.
of their personality. Societal Responsibilities: Due to their magical
gifts, Spark Genies are invaluable to the operation of
Wild Genies the Elixirium and in assisting researcher Neena Fillaz
in her towering observatory. They are also the most
Color: Natural greens prolific artists in Kadhizi, creating music, pottery, and
Size: Roughly the height of a human, though they elaborate rugs and other fiber arts.
typically float a foot or so off the ground, so as to ap-
pear larger than the humans of Kadhizi
Dream Genies
Color: Pale purple with splotches of white
Magic: All Wild Genies are able to produce flora
seemingly out of thin air. Any vegetation in Kadhizi Size: Shorter and wider than Wild Genies, perhaps
is the result of Wild Genie magic. It is only because closer to a chimpanzee
of this magic that mortals have survived more than a Magic: When Cal was originally hunting genies, he
few days in the ewer; the farms that the Wild Genies focused primarily on tracking down Dream Genies,
create generate the vast majority of the nourishment mistakenly believing that their powers to divine the
consumed by the walkers. Individual Wild Genies world as it is and may soon be would also translate to
may have other nature-based magic: the ability to the ability to change it. Instead, Dream Genies tend
speak with animals and plants, treat minor illnesses, to have moderate aptitudes relating to foresight, truth
and transmute small amounts of organic material. detection, and (as their name suggests) dream manip-
Personality: Wild Genies tend to be gregarious and ulation. In total, there are very few bonafide soothsay-
are on average the most accepting and friendly to- ers amongst their ranks, but minor divinations have
wards non-genies. Though they party much less now their own degree of power.
than during the early days of the ewer, they’re still Personality: Dream Genies are imaginative, mys-
known to be the most social, and will frequently host tical, and often a bit loopy. To someone unfamiliar,
soirées or plan city-wide fêtes. Wild Genies are con- many of their behaviors might come across as, at
sidered to be free thinkers, unbounded by the conven- best, random and, at worst, deranged. Even those
tions of their peers or the world they left behind. who know Dream Genies well would attest that their
1 By chance, there was only one genie in Kadhizi capable of granting wishes, and she was the one whose magic
sealed Cal in the ewer. After granting this single wish, she was no longer bound to the demiplane, and immediately
teleported to parts unknown.

5 Borough Bound
 behavior is not always predictable or comprehensible, nie’s innate appearance does not suggest any gender,
but that they always seem to be fully aware and un- but many genies magically reshape their form aid in
ashamed of their idiosyncrasies. gender expression.
Societal Responsibilities: Generally speaking, Memory Genies, however, do not identify with
foresight is not a terribly necessary skill in a pocket genders and also do not use titles. They rarely feel
dimension within which very little tends to change. the need to morph their physical form for any rea-
Instead, Dream Genies take their profound insights son, and thus present as genderless. When selecting a
and turn it back on the other residents, offering coun- singular name for a Memory Genie, feel free to pull
seling, spiritual guidance, and, for lack of a better from either list.
term, “life coaching.”
Male Female
1d8 Titles
Memory Genies Names Names

1 Aretas Adra Emir on High

Color: Various shades of grey
Size: Much larger than a human, up to 12 feet tall, 2 Babefemi Bast of Marvels
and more amorphous than the smaller genies 3 Giabba Faizah the Oracular
Magic: Memory Genies are able to probe deep into
mortals’ thoughts (either with or without consent) and 4 Jabari Leenai Prophet of the
Profane
also to empathize deeply with them. While “reading
minds” is very clearly a supernatural ability, it might 5 Maimun Nashwa Sultan of Salt
not be quite so obvious that “fully comprehending
and sympathizing with another’s state of mind” 6 Oubastet Rehema Shadebringer
is. Any walker in Kadhizi though would attest that
having a genie listen, believe their confessions, and 7 Said Shula the Unkind
validate their emotions is among the most impressive 8 Tarik Zaliki The Worthy
magics found in the ewer. Memory Genies also have
infallible memories and a limited ability to control
others’ perception: drawing focus toward or away Wild Genies use a completely different naming
from certain events or individuals. Occasionally, they convention, perhaps inspired by the druids and Syl-
may even receive glimpses of memories that are nei- vans with whom they would normally be spending
ther theirs nor those of individuals nearby. their days. Wild Genie names take the form of flow-
er / plant + weather / time of day. As genies
Personality: Often dismissively described as mere- are born from pure elemental chaos, their surnames
ly “wise,” Memory Genies also tend to be deeply are unrelated to any families, but as all the most pop-
troubled. Understanding the pain of others does not ular flowers started getting chosen as given names,
always allow one to accept these same emotions in Wild Genies felt obligated to add secondary names to
oneself. This can lead to self-destructive behavior, so- avoid confusion. While Wild Genies do often identify
cial isolation, and feelings of bitterness or resentment. and present as male or female, their names are none-
Most in Kadhizi recognize that this trait is not the theless unisex.
fault of the Memory Genies, but some still have little
patience for their moodiness nonetheless. 1d8 Male Names Female Names
Societal Responsibilities: Memory Genies tend 1 Allium Breeze
to be the planners in Kadhizi. Whereas other genies
may be a bit more fickle or irrational, Memory Ge- 2 Fiddleneck Downpour
nies usually have a logical and well-considered ap-
3 Lotus Dusk
proach to city management. When necessary, Mem-
ory Genies are also the historians of the ewer, and 4 Marjoram Flurry
any one of them can be called on to recollect with
pinpoint accuracy various events from Kadhizi’s past. 5 Ocotillo Gust

Genie Names 6 Puschkinia Hail

There are three general naming conventions for ge-
7 Sycamore Morn
nies that tend to be dictated by their subtype. Spark
and Dream Genies take on the familiar first name 8 Yarrow Noon
+ title form, with their title being both fluid over
time and bestowed on them by others. Most (though
not all) genies identify as either male or female and
choose a first name for themselves accordingly. A ge-

Kadhizi 6
 Calvin K ensington (he/him) In his pre-Kadhizi days, Calvin was shrewd and
manipulative. Most importantly, he was always able
It’s impossible to understand life in Kadhizi without to spin his life’s work into something noble. His sales
first understanding Calvin Kensington. Born with pitch was simply that the artifacts, trinkets, and man-
a silver spoon in his mouth, Cal was afforded every uscripts he lifted from foreign locales were better
possible luxury as a child. Whereas most children in appreciated, more thoroughly studied, and far safer
his hometown were rapidly ushered into exhausting from the threat of societal upheaval in the hands of
industrial apprenticeships that would become their his home nation. His compatriots overwhelmingly
lifelong livelihoods, Cal was instead instructed by his agreed with this sentiment.
wealthy and eccentric uncle in various skills and tal-
ents completely irrelevant to the lives of most of his After getting trapped in the ewer, Calvin didn’t
peers: slingshot marksmanship, trapeze artistry, strate- put up a fight. He didn’t plead for mercy or try to
gic thermoregulation, art history, minecart operation, establish himself as a ruler. Instead, finally and swiftly
hieroglyphic reading comprehension, and celestial beaten, Cal immediately became stoic and forlorn.
navigation. These various aptitudes left him wholly As the genies quickly pieced together that they would
unprepared to interact with his contemporaries, but have to keep Calvin 1) safe, 2) healthy, and 3) super-
uniquely equipped to travel the material plane for the vised in perpetuity, Cal said nary a word. To this day,
sake of “research.” with his lifespan artificially extended for hundreds
of years, Cal is still mostly silent and expressionless,
Despite Calvin’s exorbitant inherited wealth, he fully retreated into himself. At first many of the genies
still relied primarily on governmental and commercial presumed that this was a ruse, an easy ploy to distract
grants to fund his archaeology expeditions. Typical- them while he planned some grand escape or revenge.
ly, this funding was easily secured so long as a bribe Time has, however, proven those suspicions wrong.
was made: the institutions would fund his travels
provided Calvin would bring back various artifacts In his extreme old age, Cal is now barely able to
to be hoarded and displayed at their various pal- leave bed. Shriveled, decrepit, and nearing an un-
aces and museums. With the blessings and backing avoidable death, Cal withers day-by-day, slowly ap-
of powerful organizations, Cal was able to explore, proaching the theorized collapse of Kadhizi that will
study, and plunder any civilizations he desired, with destroy all within. All that he requests of his wardens
official endorsements from the same nation that was is that he be allowed to gaze out the window of his
simultaneously robbing these societies of their natural prison, watching the bats fly comparatively free in the
resources. sandy mass grave he created for all the creatures in
his sight.

7 Borough Bound
 Cal’s Prison Nuruma, the Prince of the Prison (he/him):
The noble prison nurse (Spark Genie). Despite his title,
As soon as the genies of Kadhizi came to understand Nuruma is quite far from being in charge of the go-
that the stability of their demiplane was tied to the ings-on at Cal’s prison. He is, however, deeply moti-
health and wellness of Cal himself, they came to the vated by aspirations of nobility and honor. In truth,
agonizing conclusion that they would have to both his tasks include much of the rote maintenance work
cater to his health and protect him forever, or at least in the prison: cleaning and sterilizing the equipment,
until they were able to devise a means of escape. In keeping track of elixir schedules, and bringing meals
the meantime, it seemed as though his death would in- to Cal. His position is much closer to a hybrid janitor
evitably lead to their deaths. Step one was to construct / nurse, honorable professions to be sure, but jobs
a suitable “home” (that is: jail cell / hospital) to house that Nuruma may have otherwise thought were be-
Calvin indefinitely. Though Cal didn’t resist, the ge- neath him... were it not for the title that was reluctant-
nies feared he might one day plan an escape. Suspect- ly bestowed upon him by his peers.
ing that this would lead to either an accidental death,
a solo escape plan, or some sort of attempted coup, Walidah (they/them): The memory searcher (Memory
the genies dedicated quite a bit of time to construct- Genie). Perhaps the bitterest of all genies, Walidah
ing a prison that would all at once be easily observed, may also be the likeliest one to someday help the res-
difficult to escape, and (of course) aesthetically pleas- idents of Kadhizi escape. Walidah has been tasked
ing for the discerning residents of Kadhizi. with being spiritually bonded to Cal, plumbing the
sum of his memories, and trying to find any errant
The design they settled on was a pseudo-palace in detail from his terrestrial life that may help the res-
the center of the Reservoir, visible from almost any- idents better understand the ewer. In exploring the
where in Kadhizi. The structure itself—which would thoughts of a deeply self-centered, xenophobic, and
seem as though it were a shrine, one-man alcázar, greedy man, Walidah has become increasingly men-
or floating mansion—is actually an elaborate puzzle tally unwell, prone to lashing out, and uncomfortable
box: layered traps, arcane wards, and interlocking ap- around others. They still maintain their daily duties
paratus would have to be dexterously manipulated if but have largely abandoned the company of their fel-
anyone were to attempt to extract Cal’s degenerating low genies.
body from within. The genies have no issues entering
and exiting, but only because they are able to squeeze R exi R aerqen (she/her)
their pliable, nebulous forms into extremely narrow The world of Ephamel in which the ewer sits is just
spaces, such as the roughly two-inch hole that they one of many worlds in the vast multiverse. Traversing
use as a “door” into the prison. all of these various planes of existence are the cou-
Despite the genies’ resentment of Cal, the prison is riers of LIMINA (For more information about LIMINA,
surprisingly well-appointed. Perhaps inspired by their see “Intro to Limina.”), the interdimensional postal
own experiences in Kadhizi, they felt that no one— service. One such messenger is Rexi Raerqen, a scat-
not even an imperialist monster—deserved to live an terbrained gnome who is a bright-eyed new courier
eternity in an entirely featureless void. The prison with LIMINA. While attempting to travel to Ephamel
contains a charming and well-stocked study, full exer- proper to deliver a classified communiqué, Rexi’s tele-
cise room, opulent bedchambers, and a surprisingly portation either malfunctioned or was disrupted by
luxurious washroom. For centuries, Cal would putz the arcane pull of the magic pitcher. Rexi appeared
about, read and reread the various texts the Memory in Kadhizi much like everyone else banished over the
Genies transcribed (from memory, of course), and past few centuries and has spent the past few weeks
maintain tiptop physical shape. As his mind and body scrambling to figure out what to do.
deteriorated from the inevitable march of time, how- Rexi’s appearance in Kadhizi led to substantially
ever, he became increasingly bedridden. more questions than were directed to other new-
comers over the years. Typically, when a LIMINA
courier arrives in a new location, they do their best
GM NOTE: For any number of reasons, a party to keep a low profile, deliver their assigned packages,
of adventurers is likely to want to meet, inter- and pick up any additional deliveries that need to be
rogate, free, or kill Cal. The prison is designed made to other realms. Rexi though, unable to travel
primarily to keep interlopers like these pesky ad- to Ephamel, has been forced to explain her situation
venturers out, and also to provide a challenging to the locals. Needless to say, many Kadhizi residents
puzzle-oriented dungeon in the middle of the city. consider Rexi their best chance of escaping the ewer
Feel free to adorn the prison with traps and puz- and have placed quite a bit of faith in the belief that
zles, or populate it with guards (either genies, sum- her magical proclivities will help them somehow sub-
moned creatures, or tomb-creatures who may have vert the planar binding that keeps them captive. They
become trapped in the ewer). For added difficulty, have written hundreds of letters that they hope Rexi
some form of magical dampening would be useful will deliver to various forces outside the ewer in the
to prevent higher-level spellcasters from simply hopes that one might intercede and release them from
teleporting into the prison. their prison.

Kadhizi 8
 Unfortunately, Rexi’s particular means of postal
teleportation allows her to traverse back and forth
between her target dimension and LIMINA’s demi-
planar headquarters, but until she delivers her pack-
age, she is unable to travel anywhere else. She is unable
to exit the ewer into Ephamel, unable to take anyone
with her to LIMINA HQ , and though not technically
trapped in Kadhizi, she is stuck jumping back and
forth between these two demiplanes, neither of which
are where she needs to go.
Rexi’s mental state is deteriorating, and she is
rapidly succumbing to frenzy. She wants to help the
residents of Kadhizi, she wants to deliver her pack-
age, and she desperately wants to not get fired. She
has thus far withheld information from her employers
who continue to berate her whenever she returns to
homebase. Her magical expertise is extremely limited,
and quite frankly, she’s buckling under the pressure.

Helping R exi
Once the party of adventurers becomes trapped in
Kadhizi themselves, their first concern should be
“how do we get out?” Assuming their adventures
don’t end in Kadhizi, they will eventually have to find a
means of egress from the ewer; this overarching goal
will invariably dictate many of the decisions the party
makes while trapped.
Aiding Rexi in her travels will likely be the first
opportunity with which they are presented to free
themselves and the rest of the residents. How best LIMINA couriers are well-equipped to travel the
to aid Rexi in her quest is ultimately up to the GM, planes and rarely, if ever, find it difficult to simply ar-
and a complex or roundabout solution may motivate rive at their intended destination. As such, whatever is
an intriguing string of objectives for the adventurers. confounding Rexi’s ability to travel is clearly beyond
Rexi has already attempted a number of escape plans, her control. Some potential issues that might be im-
so the party will most likely have to explore the rest of pacting her teleportation are provided on the next
Kadhizi in search of answers. The three steps to help page, along with a smattering of potential solutions to
Rexi are 1) identify what is causing her teleportation each problem.
to malfunction, 2) eliminate the source of this inter- Of course, solving the issue of Rexi’s teleportation
ference, and 3) ensure that Rexi is able to help the is only the first part of escaping Kadhizi. Even once
travelers once she completes her delivery. she can leave Kadhizi and travel to Ephamel proper,
the party will still be depending on her to help them
escape. Any number of issues may arise once she
imensional courier arrives in the outside world. If you’d like to add an
GM NOTE: If an interd campaign, feel free to additional layer of challenge or randomness, feel free
ur
doesn’t fit neatly into yo s biography to better to roll on the second table.
Re xi’
swap out portions of
e. You can decide that in-
suit your larger narrativ a
ting postal carrier, she’s
stead of being a telepor po we rfu l
message from a
devi trying to deliver a
can simply rewrite her
deity. Alternatively, you ing
sentminded wizard try
into a powerful but ab be sh e’s a
ion magic. May
to perfect her teleportat on the
ped to play a trick
fey traveler who had ho lf int o
t was duped herse
mortals of Ephamel, bu Re xi sim -
the character of
casting a faulty spell. If wo rld ,
es or lore of your
ply doesn’t fit the them alto-
ove her from the story
it’s also possible to rem ional means of escaping
dit
gether. There will be ad e documents.
ese nt ed in fut ur
Kadhizi pr

9 Borough Bound
 1d4 Problem Potential Solution

1 The ewer’s powerful magical draw is keeping a. Use various artifacts found throughout Kadhizi
anyone from teleporting into Ephamel from to temporarily disable the jug’s trapping
other extraplanar spaces, and Rexi is simply mechanism.
the first person to run into this issue. b. Coordinate the timing of Rexi’s teleportation to
coincide with the exact moment someone else
is getting trapped in the ewer.
2 The intended recipient of Rexi’s delivery is a. The addressee is actually someone in Kadhizi.
not who she thinks it is. Figure out who it is (maybe they’re using a
pseudonym) and deliver the package.
b. The intended recipient is dead. Conduct a
seance and discover where the recipient’s soul
truly resides.
3 Rexi has been sabotaged by one of her a. Coach Rexi and/or telepathically direct her so
bosses, and her magical teleportation has as to confidently confront her boss.
been tampered with. b. Enter Rexi’s subconscious dreamscape in order
to remove the psychological tampering that is
causing her spellcasting to misfire.
4 The package itself is interfering with Rexi’s a. LIMINA packages are protected by layered
teleportation. arcane wards, but someone (or something) in
Kadhizi may be able to help destroy it.
b. Summon LIMINA’s Postal Inspection Service to
Kadhizi, and conduct a formal legal proceeding
to establish the package as unfit for delivery.

1d4 Problem Outcome

1 The ewer’s powerful magical draw is keeping Unless the party personally directs Rexi to deliver
anyone from teleporting into Ephamel from a help request to an NPC that is confirmed to be
other extraplanar spaces, and Rexi is simply able to help, it is acceptable to simply determine
the first person to run into this issue. that Rexi fails to reach anyone with the means to
free everyone from the ewer, and that the party
will have to find another means of escape.
2 The intended recipient of Rexi’s delivery is If the party did not see this coming and did not
not who she thinks it is. concoct a viable failsafe, this is likely a fail state.
3 Rexi has been sabotaged by one of her The party will likely still escape, but anywhere
bosses, and her magical teleportation has between 1 and 30 days may pass between now and
been tampered with. then. The party must both survive and keep Cal
safe in the meantime.
4 The package itself is interfering with Rexi’s Any number of potential complications might arise
teleportation. based on whose aid the party sought. A secret
villain might use their freedom as a bargaining
chip, or might release them directly into another
prison.

LIMINA Outpost erns and inns that adventurers would normally rely
on when traveling through unfamiliar locales.
The genies and walkers of Kadhizi have quickly come
to Rexi’s aid, building her a small makeshift post of- Qahhar the Omniscient (he/him): The pitcher
fice to serve as her homebase. This ramshackle but prophet (Dream Genie). Unlike many seers, Qahhar’s
cozy hut has been bombarded by a tornado of letters great fault is not the fallibility of his omens nor his
to be delivered alongside the stacks of research notes hubris. In fact, Qahhar’s predictions are stunningly
Rexi has cobbled together. accurate and his humility is unmatched among genies.
Unfortunately, Qahhar’s foresight is limited to one
In lieu of another option, Rexi will likely allow the hyper-specific purpose: he can tell exactly how long
party of adventurers to call this outpost their home- it will be until the next creature gets sucked into the
base from which they can plan an escape. It’s not big, ewer. He can’t say who or what it will be, but he has
it’s not particularly comfortable, but (unsurprisingly) not been wrong once.
Kadhizi doesn’t exactly have the typical array of tav-

Kadhizi 10
 By chance, Kadhizi once spent over two years with- With each passing day, Cal’s body and mind
out so much as a rat getting banished within. When decline, and with this deterioration comes more
Qahhar made the proclamation that it would be two Delirium Genies and more shards of gold crashing
full years before the next resident would be trapped, down onto the floor of the demiplane. Even if Cal
everyone said his predictions must be off. When final- is technically able to survive due to some medically in-
ly his prediction came to pass, he was honored with duced coma or magical loop-hole, the current state of
his title of “the Omniscient.” Despite his perfect track Kadhizi is quite unsustainable.
record, Qahhar laments the specificity of his powers,
and is generally apologetic and self-deprecating.
GM NOTE: If you’d prefer for a less immediately
Plot Hook: Destruction of hostile arc in your campaigns, you need not make
the threat of Delirium Genies quite so dire and
the Ewer pressing. It should suffice to simply imply the threat
Cal’s death is imminent. Genie magic has kept him they pose, and suggest that—perhaps years down
alive for hundreds of years, but no amount of restor- the road—Delirium Genies and a collapsing demi-
ative elixirs will allow a human to truly live forever. plane will make survival untenable in the ewer. Al-
As his body and his mind continue to fade, the ewer ternatively, for campaigns with a greater emphasis
itself is starting to crumble in on itself. While it is not on combat, you can present the town of Kadhizi
clear what will happen if the gold pitcher were to fully in the midst of ongoing onslaught as soon as the
collapse—will everyone just get blinked out of exis- players arrive.
tence?—it’s clear that no good will come from it.
Even more troubling, the ewer is rapidly eroding While exploring Kadhizi (either out in the dunes,
even before Cal’s soul fully departs. And with this or even on the edge of town), a party of adventurers
deterioration, a dangerous new variety of genies has may end up confronting one or more Delirium Ge-
begun to roam the dunes, a breed of genie never nies. They can be vanquished by traditional means,
before found in the outside world. The residents of but it’s not clear whether the new spirits that are
Kadhizi have dubbed these spirits Delirium Genies, spawning out in the dunes are newly re-formed genies
and it seems altogether possible that they will destroy whose essences have not been properly destroyed, or
Kadhizi society well before the ewer actually collaps- whether the true source of Delirium is endlessly gen-
es. erating new behemoths.
Delirium Genies
Color: Bold scarlets and crimsons
Size: Massive. Larger even than Memory Genies.
Up to 30 feet tall, and far more volatile in shape and
form.
Magic: Delirium Genies display a wide range of
magical abilities, all of which seem to have great
destructive capabilities. Some have been seen creat-
ing vortexes of fire, many have kicked up sand into
violent storms, and others have caused those nearby
to rapidly lose control of their minds. Their magic is
unpredictable, dangerous, and wholly incompatible
with the way of life the other genies have established.
This magic seems only intent on destroying Kadhizi
and eliminating all creatures within it.
Personality: It is difficult to ascribe “personalities”
to these barely sentient clouds of malice. Delirium
Genies wander the dunes, creating storms, warp-
ing the terrain, and unleashing treacherous magical
disturbances. When they have gotten near to town,
they’ve shown themselves capable of harming other
genies, despite the fact that bound spirits are typically
unable to inflict physical pain on one another.
Societal Responsibilities: N/A

11 Borough Bound
 The Nature of the Ewer Total Collapse
Though the adventurers might not ever discover the It is quite possible that even with great effort the ad-
true nature of the ewer, the truth does exist, and un- venturers and the residents of Kadhizi will be unable
raveling this mystery might allow the adventurers to to stop the ewer from collapsing. Maybe someone kills
find a more permanent solution. Feel free to choose Cal in a fit of rage, maybe the party is unable to stave
one of the options below, roll for it, or combine vari- off the threat of Delirium, or maybe everybody just
ous options to suit your campaign. dilly dallies too long and the ewer implodes. Though
the most obvious result is that everybody simply dies, this
1. The ewer is an ancient vessel that has been passed need not be the end result of a magical catastrophe.
down through Cal Kensington’s family, and its Feel free to consult the table below for alternate ways
magic is thus tied to his bloodline. With no to resolve a Kadhizi cataclysm.
heir, the eweris self-destructing.
2. The genies’ conclusions from their experiments
were faulty: the ewer isn’t synchronized with 1. The destruction of the ewer shunts the party
Cal’s health but his attitude. If Cal can die and all of the residents of Kadhizi into a deeper
peacefully and guilt free, Kadhizi will stabilize. nested demiplane, with altogether different
The current maelstrom of violence is caused by rules and mechanics. Perhaps if they can escape
Cal’s depressive introspection and self-loathing. from this planar prison, they’ll be able to finally
return to Ephamel.
3. Centuries ago, the ewer was bestowed with a
powerful ward that would protect its owner 2. Now buried in sand and debris, the adventurers
from all harm. Cal wasn’t trapped because of discover a bizarre twist, either 1) a vast under-
his wish, but because the ewer wanted to protect ground society, 2) a high-tech laboratory where
him. Now the ewer senses that the genies have a team of gnomes have been conducting exper-
become a danger to Cal and is thus fighting back iments on Kadhizi, 3) an inverted pyramid with
against them. a terrible secret at its nadir, or 4) the violent and
hateful manifestation of Cal’s soul.
4. Unsurprisingly, the ewer was never intended
to hold this many creatures, and is now 3. The ewer reverts to a prior condition, and every-
buckling under the weight of the souls it has har- one is transported hundreds of years back
vested. If the population were to suddenly drop, in time. Cal is young and chipper, but everyone
Kadhizi might be spared. else retains their age and memories. Though they
now have a second chance to escape, the world
5. The ewer is sentient, containing the soul of ei-
they seek to escape to might not be the one that
ther 1) a powerful archdemon, 2) the first genie,
they left behind.
3) an ancient pharaoh’s sickly child, or 4) Cal’s
distant ancestor. Perhaps the ewer could be rea- 4. As Kadhizi collapses, the ewer ejects everyone
soned with, if only the party could figure out how back out into Ephamel. Killing Cal and de-
to speak with it… stroying the pitcher from the inside was always
the key to their freedom. Note: though this out-
6. Cal has been psychically controlling the ewer
come presents some entertaining dramatic irony,
all along, and he has decided that with his final
it may be narratively unfulfilling.
few days remaining, he wants to take everybody
down with him.
7. Inevitably, the ewer will collapse when Cal dies,
but that’s not what’s happening right now. Cal’s
health is actually better than it appears. The
present mayhem is the result of the ewer trying
to fight back against an interplanar threat:
presumably one Rexi Raerqen.
8. The ewer and Cal’s health are intrinsically linked,
but both are strongly influenced by belief. Cal’s
health is deteriorating because the residents of
Kadhizi are giving up hope, leading to a reinforc-
ing cycle of deterioration. If the genies and walk-
ers could reshape their thinking, Cal and his gold
pitcher would be saved.

Kadhizi 12
 Merfolk, Drugs,
Sports, and Treasure
The Swimmers in the Reservoir With the hopelessness of their situation magnified
tenfold by learning of the outside world, the merfolk

D espite how void and lifeless the rest of Kadhizi

was when the first genies were trapped, the Res-
ervoir was anything but. The merfolk of the Oasis
have succumbed to nihilism. Without the means to
participate in the craftsmaking that the genies have
adopted as a form of leisure and creative outlet, they
predate even Cal’s acquisition of the ewer. They’ve have instead perfected the art of comedic roasting.
lived in the waters for untold centuries, and their When any non-merfolk strolls past the Oasis, it is
origin is as mysterious as that of the golden pitcher highly likely that they will be endlessly berated with
itself. Perhaps they were trapped by a previous venge- cutting insults from merfolk who swim up to the
ful jug wielder, or maybe the same magic that created shores. The specificity of the insults implies that the
the demiplane brought the merfolk into existence as merfolk are indeed paying very close attention to
well. Regardless of what transpired, their history has whatever is happening with the terrestrial denizens
been totally forgotten—or so they say. They claim to of Kadhizi, though when questioned, they imply that
have no records of their early days in the ewer, but it these affairs are beneath them.
seems likely that these talkative water-dwellers have
kept a secret oral history. Acacia Dawn (she/her): The papyrus mage (Wild
Genie). Acacia magically guides papyrus from seed to
Kadhizi merfolk are the lords of the Reservoir, a paper, thereby providing the necessary materials for
freshwater pool that is far deeper than it is wide. In every book in Kadhizi. Because she works so close
this solitary tank, they’ve lived their entire lives, sub- to the Reservoir, she’s constantly getting berated by
sisting off of freshwater shellfish (whose origins are the merfolk, but she has thick skin. This toughness
also unknown) and nutrient-filled algal blooms which manifests as kindness, but her inability to let anything
the merfolk strategically stockpile. While they typi- get to her has also kept Acacia from forming strong
cally keep to themselves, they’ve become increasingly bonds with her kin. On top of that, though she’s
agitated by the amount of real-estate that Cal’s pris- known to be broadly friendly and generous, she has
on occupies in their waters. a barely concealed disdain for the walkers and would
Generally, Kadhizi merfolk (of which there are no prefer if the paper made from her papyrus was only
more than 2 or 3 dozen at any given time) are highly used by other genies.
territorial, and are much more fond of the non-genie
residents with whom they happily share their water.
They are deeply distrustful of the genies however,
and have threatened to topple the prison, invariably
drowning Cal in the process, if any genie were to
take a dip in the Reservoir. While walkers regularly
bathe and relax in the Reservoir, the deepest depths
of the waters have never been explored by anyone
but the merfolk themselves.

ide two
erfolk in Kadhizi prov g.
GM NOTE: The m lep lay in
portunities for ro
distinct but useful op ne ve r the
comic relief. Whe
The first is simply as oi r, yo u should
se to the Reserv
party saunters too clo ar ch ed and
t some well-rese
be prepared to dish ou rns from any of the resident
g bu
absolutely devastatin int; the
Th is ne ed no t be a greater plot po ject
merfolk. y to in
st function as a wa
verbal flogging can ju se tti ng .
otherwise forlorn
some humor into an
a
ite possible to devise
Alternatively, it is qu arc su rro un di ng the
m or e in tri cate narrative
m uc h e complex
se rvoir. Pe rh ap s th e merfolk have a mor ere
Re If th
ves than they let on.
society under the wa m ag ic us er s with the
an y aq ua tic ad ve nturers or
are worth
ility to gr an t wa ter breathing, it might be
ab hizi in greater
13 exploring the merfolk side of Kad Borough Bound
detail.
 1. Home of Tamar
ix Storm 8. Home of Crocus
2. Home of Jissan Spring
of Wonder, 9. Home of Tikau
Dream Genie (the (he/him)
y/
3. Home of Acacia them) and Tess Prassant
(she/her),
Dawn humans
4. Elixirium
5. Home of Abdul 10. Home of Miq Th
aziz the ial, human
Unctuous (she/her)
6. Home Kafuuri, 11. Communal K
Memory itchen
Genie (they/them 12. Sand Owls HQ
) 13. Communal Fa
7. Home of Mistell rm House
the Lord of 14. Home of Diba
Laughter, Dream ri the
Genie (she/ Virtuoso of Color,
her) Spark
Genie (she/her)
Kadhizi 14
 decided to automate the process. The Elixirium is a
sort of crystallized amalgam of the various elemental
energies found within the residents of Kadhizi. By
imbuing the ewers, pipes, hearth, and cauldron with
portions of their magic, they were able to create a
mostly self-contained system that could spike an inert
concoction with powerful waves of magic.
By combining painstakingly portioned ratios of
unprocessed leaves, seeds, roots, bark, and petals, the
genies can create wondrous potions, ointments, and
pills in bulk. Aside from apportioning the ingredients,
the only additional active role required to operate
the Elixirium is to periodically charge it. This task is
performed with trivial ease by any Spark Genie who
happens to be passing by.
While the array of concoctions developed by the
genies is vast (everything needed to care for dozens of
mortals from different races over hundreds of years),
a smattering of options is provided below. While in
Kadhizi, any adventurer can simply request a given
elixir free of charge. It’s a small consolation given the
dire condition the adventurers find themselves in.
1. Dream of the Mane: This rough ointment is
Abdulaziz the Unctuous (he/him): The smarmy made from muddled begonia petals, cattail, and
soprano oud virtuoso (Spark Genie). Abdulaziz is an incred- ground capsicum shoots. When applied directly to
ible musician, perhaps the most technically proficient the head, it can reverse any balding. This process
in all of Kadhizi. Nevertheless, his cockiness and the is extraordinarily painful for the first 3d4 hours.
profane lyrics he awkwardly belts out over his gor- The hair grows at a rate of 2 inch per month in
geous instrumental performances have made him one perpetuity. Dream of the Mane can cause any liv-
of Kadhizi’s most reviled residents. The disconnect ing flesh to sprout hair, including in places where
between his impassioned and nuanced oud improvisa- hair never previously grew. Creatures with flesh
tions and his trite and vulgar vocals is truly staggering. are encouraged to be very careful with the appli-
You can hear him performing his strange and lurid cation of this product. Dream of the Mane is by
music on the banks of the Reservoir, where even the far the least necessary elixir from a survival stand-
merfolk avoid getting near to him. point, but it was so heavily requested by certain
Kadhizi men that the genies figured it was easier
The Elixirium just to give them what they wanted.
It is straightforward enough for Wild Genies to culti- 2. Serenity Tonic: A surprisingly pleasant drink
vate various medicinal roots and herbs, and quite an- meant to be consumed over the course of fifteen
other task altogether to transmute those raw ingredi- minutes to one hour, prepared with dried poppy,
ents into something usable by both walkers and genies hops, and hemp. Serenity tonics are typically
alike. Regardless of their outward attitude or stated administered to mortals suffering from existential
beliefs, the genies need the walkers. Their lives would crises, and it tends to treat most of the symptoms,
be infinitely more boring and repetitive without the though it of course does nothing to prevent the
intrigue introduced by the mortals in Kadhizi. Plus, underlying causes. Genies are encouraged not to
without Cal, they’d all be doomed. As such, the genies dispense too many tonics or else risk nurturing
take great pains to keep everyone happy and healthy, dependency.
a feat that takes an incredible amount of magical
knowhow and effort.
st of these elixirs will
This is the purpose of the Elixirium, an alchemi- GM NOTE: Though mo ct on play, it is quite
pa
have limited mechanical im
cal laboratory within which the genies transform the ns that may negatively
alright to nix certain optio
mundane flora of the Oasis farm plots into curatives game you are running.
impact the balance of the
both run-of-the-mill and extraordinary. Despite the nt to simply say “the elixirs
Alternatively, you may wa
various powers of Kadhizi’s diverse genies, no one escape from the ewer.”
cease to function after you
spirit would be able to craft these elixirs on their own, turers may resent you for
and since it wasn’t practical to constantly and meticu- Fair warning: balding adven
fillment.
lously combine their magicks in elaborate rituals, they denying them their wish-ful

15 Borough Bound
 3. Bloodwall Balm: Mortals are prone to acci- 6. Dreamsense: They say that when you lose one
dents, and the most grievous typically involve the sense, your other senses will often compensate.
loss of their life essence. Despite its many exciting Whether this is true or not, many would rather
alchemical uses, blood belongs inside the mortals. not lose any of their senses in the first place. If
Luckily, Bloodwall Balm can be applied directly they do, though, they can ingest Dreamsense,
to anything from a paper cut to an accidental an elixir made of sage, bitter-grass, and carrot
amputation to drastically speed up the rate of re- greens. This potion causes one who has lost one
covery. Small injuries are typically fully healed in sense to “imagine” their surroundings as if they
seconds, whereas larger gashes and open wounds hadn’t. Depending on the sense, this may take
might require up to an hour. The balm is created many forms, and though it is fallible, it is reliable
by combining fermented beets, potato skins, and enough that most continue to live life largely as
flax stalks. they had been before. If consumed without hav-
4. Pestbane: This curious elixir addresses a wide ing lost access to one of the five traditional senses,
array of related ailments: snake bites, allergic Dreamsense induces horrific cosmic visions that
rashes, what modern explorers would know bet- greatly interfere with one’s ability to perceive
ter as rabies, Lyme disease, and bubonic plague. the world in any meaningful way. The effects of
After consuming a small vial of Pestbane, a mor- Dreamsense—one way or the other—are perma-
tal needs to speak the name of the creature that nent.
afflicted them, and the cure-all simply removes 7. Gum of Fallen Stars: Even with their limited
any influence that creature currently has on the knowledge of modern medicine, the genies of
walker’s health. Pestbane is made primarily from Kadhizi have pieced together that the ewer pro-
horseradish and mustard seed, but contains trace vides very few typical disease vectors. As such,
amounts of many herbs. many illnesses that might be more common
5. Hardstar: Unlike most outputs of the Elixirium, in Ephamel at large are basically unheard of
Hardstar is made from animal products: snake in Kadhizi. That said, there is often a wave of
eggs, hyrax teeth, and bat tendons. Hardstar takes new infections after a new walker is trapped in
the form of a white paste which must be very the ewer, and when that occurs, the genies pre-
slowly ingested. If consumed once per year, Hard- emptively prepare Gum of the Fallen Stars, a
star will guarantee the long term health of teeth. chewable resin that incorporates spit of the new
If ingested immediately following an accident, it residents into a mixture of fruit rinds to rapidly
can also mend bones and ligaments, though this inoculate the other walkers against potential new
process is rather painful and occurs unsettlingly diseases.
quickly.

GM NOTE: Though most of these elixirs will

have limited mechanical impact on play, it is quite
alright to nix certain options that may negatively
impact the balance of the game you are running.
Alternatively, you may want to simply say “the
elixirs cease to function after you escape from the
ewer.” Fair warning: balding adventurers may
resent you for denying them their wish-fulfillment.

Kadhizi 16
 1. Cal’s Wish: The ultimate panacea, a disgusting
concoction that is rejected by most mortals. It
Conarca
prolongs life greatly beyond what most believe Though the Elixirium was created to help care for the
possible (in the case of Cal: at least 400 years walkers and Cal in particular, there is one product of
longer than could have ever been expected). The the lab that is exclusively used by genies: an anti-mag-
drawbacks, however, are numerous. The taste is ic salve known as Conarca. Originally introduced to
rancid and lingering—a walker afraid to die once Kadhizi by renowned halfling tomb raider Maeola
cut off his own tongue to avoid experiencing the Applepot (now deceased), Conarca was primarily
putrid bite of Cal’s Wish, but wrote in his suicide used by archaeologists, burglars, and spies to bypass
note that the taste somehow persisted nonethe- arcane locks while breaking into highly magical ruins,
less. The elixir also causes the drinker to remain manors, and archives. A small amount of this sticky
fully conscious while sleeping, but to require glue can be applied to any creature or object under
twelve hours of sleep or more per day, during the effect of magic to temporarily remove its arcane
which the mind can only wander while looking at properties.
the backs of one’s eyelids. Most painfully, howev- Conarca, when thoroughly massaged into genie
er, is that Cal’s Wish does nothing to prevent the skin, blocks their magic for up to twelve hours at a
natural aging of the body. Let Cal’s shriveled and time, allowing them to experience the thrill of “mor-
decrepit body serve as the shining example of the tal life.” Without even the ability to float around,
futility of everlasting life. Cal’s Wish took decades these genies are limited to pulling themselves around
to perfect, and contains over one hundred sep- the ground with their arms, taking a mount, or allow-
arate ingredients, most conventional, but some ing themselves to be carried around by someone else.
utterly bizarre.
While not addictive, many genies have drastically
Crocus Spring (he/him): The “crucial ingredients’’ overestimated their ability to tolerate Conarca in bulk.
farmer (Wild Genie). Crocus dutifully cultivates the When applied in small quantities, it allows a genie to
herbs, roots, and various oils that are needed to con- enjoy an exciting magic-free afternoon, but if used
coct crucial medicines and salves in the Elixirium. too often or in too large of a quantity, it can cause a
Unlike most Wild genies, he is altogether unplayful genie to temporarily vanish from reality altogether.
and prefers to work in relative solitude. Despite the Genies are, after all, magic concentrate, and negating
fact that various forms of “cultivation magic” are enough of this elemental arcane energy causes their
quite common among the Wild Genies, Crocus very existence to become unstable. No one is totally
believes that he alone has the arcane capabilities re- sure where the genies “go” when they vanish, but
quired to care for his specialty farm plot. Secretly, he previous arcane dispersals have lasted up to one week,
would love to spend more time cultivating his love of after which the genie suddenly reappears somewhere
carpet-weaving, but he also enjoys feeling like a mar- in the dunes with no memory of the intervening time
tyr by devoting all his time to medicinal farming. period.
After Maeola brought the first doses of Conarca to
Kadhizi, the genies were quickly able to reverse en-
gineer the drug, which they are now able to produce
on-demand by combining garlic, clove, and rubber fig
leaves. If the adventurers are able to procure a jar or
more of Conarca, they may find it invaluable in their
quests beyond Kadhizi.

Desert R aces
Strictly speaking, the genies of Kadhizi do not suffer.
They are not in pain, they are not tormented, and
they want for nothing. When they became trapped
in the ewer, they left behind no prior responsibilities,
and their presence in the ewer has had no negative
consequences on their health or wellbeing. The very
specific way in which they feel tormented is through
sheer boredom.
Genies in Ephamel (or the various adjacent planes
they would call their homes) hoarded wealth and lux-
uries. Though practically speaking, Genies have no need
for fine liquors, elaborate palaces, or teams of butlers,
many would seek these out nonetheless. Admittedly,
no human has a need for these extravagances either,

17 Borough Bound
 and yet wealthy men across all planes and timelines 1. Wild Genies have finally been able to selectively
have sought out such riches. breed small rodents up to sizes that render them
fit to carry Memory Genies (the second small-
With very little worth hoarding in Ephamel, the ge-
est subtype) around the sands. Now a whole new
nies’ primary task—beyond Cal’s survival—has been
weight class of athletes is set to disrupt the entire
creating meaning for their lives and finding new ways
sport.
to enjoy the featureless landscape. Their primary
solution (to the second task, at the very least) has been 2. With the escalating onslaught of Delirium Ge-
Desert Racing. The premise is simple enough: Spark nies in the distant dunes, racers need to avoid quite
Genies will apply a healthy dose of Conarca, mount a bit more than shifting sands. The fastest routes
one of the many small beasts that call Kadhizi their will often involve racers darting around these dan-
home, and then race each other across the desert gers instead of giving them a safe wide berth.
sands. Races range from short sprints to full mara- 3. Hiza the Swift, the sport’s reigning champion, has
thons that traverse the diameter of the demiplane. had a breakthrough in her “day job” as a researcher
at the Observatory. She claims that she’ll be taking
Though typically only Spark Genies will compete
this season of racing off, but the Sand Owls suspect
due to their convenient size, Desert Racing is a boon
she’ll be back in the dunes by mid-season in an at-
for all in Kadhizi. Genies and walkers alike excitedly
tempt to win the Kensington Cup by the skin of her
watch every race, stake huge values on risky bets, and
teeth.
intently follow the insider drama that is unavoidable
with the explosive personalities of the various racers. 4. Frustrated with some of the bad calls made by offi-
cials last season, many walkers plan to start a com-
Seasons last a full year and touch on almost all as- peting league in which they simply run through
pects of Kadhizi life: mounts are bred and cared for the desert with no magical aids. This so-called
by Wild Genies, the Conarca needed to ensure fair- “track and field” tournament seems unlikely to at-
ness is produced in the Elixirium, and the race routes tract many viewers.
are determined by the high flying Memory Genies.
5. While the use of magic during races had previous-
Disputes between racers are adjudicated by Dream
ly been strictly forbidden in all circumstances, the
Genies, and a weekly periodical sharing all of the gos-
league has decided to loosen the rules concern-
sip and updates from around the league is distributed
ing magical shapechanging. This will allow for
by the sport’s most avid fans: a group of walkers that
a select few Wild Genies capable of transforming
call themselves the Sand Owls.
into smaller beasts to enter the races as mounts.
Each season, the Spark Genie who is awarded the 6. The Kensington Cup has been stolen by (d4):
most total points receives the Kensington Cup, a tea 1) a bitter second place racer from last season, 2) a
mug made of pure platinum that Cal had apparently cranky merfolk that finds the use of animal mounts
been storing in his arcane jug long before he began deeply offensive, 3) a Sand Owl who let their fan-
imprisoning genies. Though the mug has no unique dom get to their head, or 4.) Rexi Raerqen, who
properties of its own, it carries significant sentimental believes the Cup might have some useful magical
value to Calvin, who is fully unaware that the mug properties.
still resides in Kadhizi.
Tamarix Storm (she/her): The small beast wrangler
There are no delusions here. The residents of (Wild Genie). Tamarix breeds and cares for the various
Kadhizi know that caring so deeply about a bunch of rats, snakes, hyraxes, and other critters that are used as
drugged out rat-sized genies riding tiny dungeon crit- pets and for sport and food. Tamarix is gregarious and
ters around the desert sands is not the most important extravagant, maintaining an unnecessarily elaborate
thing in the world. In the ewer, though, you have to home for her various critters. Though she is very protec-
take what you can get, and this sport provides an op- tive of her miniature zoo / farm, she will also incessantly
portunity for all to experience some of the innocuous encourage the other residents to take a tour. She has
thrills that are only possible in a functioning organized an elaborate system in place for deciding which critters
society. become racing mounts, which become pets, and which
This year, the league is going through the first big get eaten, but the details are not entirely clear to any-
shake-up in quite some time. Feel free to roll on the table one but her.
below or simply choose one option to act as a minor plot
hook for adventurers who take an interest in the ewer’s
Desert Racing.

Kadhizi 18
 Plot Hook: The Desert a gap between “Treasure #23 and Treasure #25.”
What’s worse: when Walidah the Memories Genie
Beyond and Treasure #24 has attempted to seek evidence of Treasure #24 in
Cal’s thoughts and memories, he invariably comes up
No matter how much the residents of Kadhizi wish
short. It seems there is a total gap in Cal’s recollection
it weren’t true, the deserts are empty. One of the first
of exactly one week in his early thirties. That memory
tasks the genies undertook when exploring the wastes
and any evidence of this unknown artifact have been
was to thoroughly sweep every square inch of sand
somehow erased.
within the ewer. Though the desert is recursive, loop-
ing back on itself every fifty miles, the genies diligent- Needless to say, this is a spot of contention for
ly spent the first couple years of imprisonment sys- everyone in Kadhizi. Dream Genies have attempted
tematically inspecting the dunes for secrets, tools, or hypnosis and other nontraditional therapies to try to
anything else out of the ordinary. At the time, they ac- coax the memory of this treasure out of Cal to no
tually did make quite a few discoveries; Cal had been avail. Wild Genies have commanded various burrow-
using the jug as means of storage and safekeeping ing rodents to scour the desert sands, looking deep
for quite a bit more than just the genies. Whenever under the dunes for this potentially buried artifact.
he came across an artifact, hidden treasure, or other The Museum docents in particular are disheartened
valuable cultural keepsake out in the world, he would by the incompleteness of their collection. Nearly ev-
tuck it away in his portable demiplane. These became eryone in Kadhizi has theorized that this final artifact
scattered all over the interior of the ewer, most getting may somehow be their key to freedom, if only some-
slowly buried by the sand in the desert winds. one were to find it.
Over time, the genies were able to recover almost Adventurers in the ewer may hone in on this loose
all of these artifacts which now remain on display in thread when attempting to escape, or alternatively
the Museum of the Old World (described in greater they may just be tempted by the promise of precious
detail in the subsequent guide). That is: all of the treasure. If the adventurers do decide to seek out
artifacts but one. Calvin kept careful records of the Treasure #24, consult the table below to determine
artifacts he collected, each of which were document- what the treasure is, why it has yet to be found, and
ed in the notebook which was on his person when he the secrets behind its true purpose in Kadhizi. Make
became trapped centuries ago. One entry, however, sure to roll separately for each column.
was aggressively ripped out of his notebook, leaving

1d6 What is the Treasure? How has it remained hidden? What secrets does it hold?

1 Granulite sculptures of It was magically shrunk to the size The treasure can magically
twin bulls that emanate a of an ant. unseal the ewer from within.
menacing aura

2 A massive monocle, fit for a When Cal was trapped in the ewer, This treasure will allow only
cyclops the treasure was simultaneously one creature to safely exit the
ejected. It lies just beyond the ewer.
ewer on the tomb’s floor.
3 A silver locket filled with The treasure is hidden by a Whoever beholds the treasure
the teeth of a fallen deity powerful illusion and can only be is immediately cursed to
seen by a fabled hero (it is unclear lose any memory of having
how Cal initially found it). witnessed it.
4 A LIMINA parcel that The merfolk have been hiding This treasure will immediately
was never successfully the treasure at the bottom of the kill Cal if it is ever within 5 feet
delivered Reservoir. of him.
5 The crystallized egg of a The true geometry of the desert The illusory sun, moon, and
leviathan is more complicated than it stars in the ewer are controlled
seems. The treasure is hidden in by this treasure.
a currently inaccessible corner of
the demiplane.
6 A lockbox containing Cal’s One of the genies found it centuries This treasure is sentient
everlasting soul ago and has been keeping it to and has always sought to
themself. elaborately ruin Cal’s life.
By all accounts it has been
successful.

19 Borough Bound
 GM NOTE: This plot hook is a potential means for the adventurers to escape the ewer and can be made
more
or less complicated depending on how you would like to pace your adventure. If Kadhizi is meant to
be a short stop
on a much grander quest, consider simply making the treasure a key that unseals the ewer when held
by Cal. Perhaps
prior to being trapped, Cal had his memory wiped by a sorceress and removed the entry in his notebook
so that none
of the genies could somehow figure out the nature of the key and escape of their own volition. The key
also causes
memory loss when seen by a genie, so the genie who has already found it doesn’t realize that they still
have it. From
here, it is simply up to the players to use some magic, some careful deduction, and perhaps some sneaky
sleuthing.
Then they must discover the whereabouts of the key, divine its magical mechanism, and then give the
key to Cal.
Alternatively, you can make this quest quite a bit more action oriented: maybe the treasure is a great
dragon
who is hiding out in the desert! It is this dragon’s banishing magic that keeps everyone trapped. The
adventurers
must battle Delirium Genies, endure the harsh climate of the desert, and then finally best the dragon
in combat
to escape.
For a much more involved quest, you can tie Treasure #24 to Rexi’s plight, to the advancing Delirium
Ge-
nies, or the origin of the lamp itself. While Kadhizi was mostly designed as a locale adventurers
might spend
two to five sessions exploring before ultimately escaping, it’s quite possible to make the city home
to a number
of interlocking plots. There is a lot of flexibility in how Treasure #24 might play into the overarch
ing story of
Kadhizi. The most satisfying use of this MacGuffin will be whatever suits the playstyle of your party
and your
desired pacing of their time in Kadhizi.

Kadhizi 20
 Art, Chance, and
Echoes of the Past
Aesthetic Conflict and the Residents who look less favorably on the art of the
old world are often the creators of original Kadhizi-
Rival Museums made art. The newest wave of artists in the ewer con-

M any cities in the outside world are defined by

constant struggles between political factions,
religions, or tribes. While there are certainly the occa-
sists of both genies and walkers alike, most of whom
work with either fiber arts or ceramics. These are,
uncoincidentally, media that are easily explored using
sional disputes between the residents of Kadhizi over only the materials found and created in Kadhizi: rugs
how best everyone ought to live their lives, many of and tapestries are woven from plant fibers or animal
the larger disagreements that pervade everyday life hairs, and pottery is typically made from fired clay
evaporate in the face of a total absence of resource and sand.
scarcity. People are fed, medicine is free and available Most ewer-dwellers have taken a strong stance on
on demand, and there is no shortage of land to call this debate and have organized themselves into either
home. Life in Kadhizi has its drawbacks, but at a bare Traditionalists or Modernists. While violence has nev-
minimum no one has to endure the hardships of pov- er erupted, this seemingly trivial spat has spilled over
erty, disease, war, famine, or oppression. into everyday life in both trivial and profound ways.
Even in a strange utopia like Kadhizi, however, the Aesthetic judgments often dictate with whom one
sentient mind’s innate desire for conflict and moral might socialize, limit where one tends to spend their
superiority occasionally takes hold. Without a need time, and will inform how one conceptualizes their
for truly meaningful debates, the defining conflict for role in the ewer, their hopes for the future, and their
most in Kadhizi is one purely of aesthetics. relationships to Cal and each other.
Despite the troubling origin of many of the arti- The Museum of the Old World
facts that Cal stole and stored away in the ewer, there
are quite a few old-fashioned residents who still think Invariably the grandest of all structures in Kadhizi,
that these items represent the pinnacle of art, or at the Museum of the Old World houses thirty-eight of
least the highest form of beauty that could possibly be the thirty-nine treasures that Cal had stored in the jug
attained in the limited confines of the arcane pitcher. prior to being trapped. These treasures are always on
They loved Ephamel, and they continue to cherish display and are revered by the Traditionalists as the
their memories of the world they left behind. These sole body of proper art worth beholding in Kadhizi.
astounding artifacts from cultures across the realm There are occasional exceptions; poems and songs
were treasured by their peoples for a reason. Cal him- that were already memorized by walkers trapped in
self may be a despicable man, but that does not taint the ewer have been recorded and semi-canonized in
the incredible artistry of these paintings, sculptures, the body of work, but typically Traditionalists will
tomes, relics, and jewelry. point toward these original pillaged pieces as the sum
of all art worthy of praise in Kadhizi.
On the other side of the aesthetic divide are those
who revile the art of the old world. Their reasons for The architecture of the Museum of the Old World
this distaste are quite varied: (often referred to simply as “the MOW”), while im-
posing and resplendent in size and ornamentation,
1. Some think Cal’s theft of these objects renders is often dismissed by its own architects, docents, and
each piece tainted patrons as “unworthy” of the art contained within.
2. Many value innovation over heritage, and would Traditionalists tend toward an arguably unhealthy
rather see new works made than to overvalue reverence for artifacts of the Ephamel outside the
outdated pieces ewer, a trait that also engenders pernicious malaise
fueled by an unscratchable homesickness. Even sec-
3. A few bigoted genies think that any art made by ond- or third-generation walkers who espouse Tradi-
mortals (even those outside the ewer) is beneath tionalist beliefs find themselves mourning the world
them; the only true art is the work of genies they lost… despite having never lived outside the ewer
4. A handful simply believe that Cal had bad taste, themselves.
and that the pieces he collected are hardly the
most impressive works to be found in Ephamel

21 Borough Bound
 The subject matter and execution is anything but
provocative, and yet the elves of Ephamel are
strangely mystified by this painting, enamored
with its utter disregard for color theory, perspec-
tive, and deliberate use of light and shadow.
5. Many of the pieces in the MOW are items stolen
from various tombs in far-off lands. While Cal
never stooped to actually exhuming bodies (ev-
erybody has to have some standards), he happily
lifted whatever valuables were nearby. While
exploring the tomb of the Luminary Din Tok
Mein, Cal stole an entire jade tea set that the
Luminary had taken with him to his grave. In-
tricate carvings depict the history of the Mein
Dynasty, which Kadhizi’s Memory Genies have
taken to trying to properly document.
6. Among the stranger pieces in the MOW is a sin-
gle-page document known as the Witch Doc-
tor’s Sovereign Will. This testament outlines
Presently, the pieces of greatest interest to the Tra- how one Dr. Eglantine Mercier wishes to divide
ditionalists are the works described below: up her kingdom-spanning holdings between her
1. The largest precious gem housed in the MOW is various children. The will is dated centuries from
the Star Emerald of Queen Selenniaste of the now, and seems to suggest that Dr. Mercier 1. will
Marivaul’s Crown. While the entire magnificent have at least seventeen children, 2. will someday
crown is on display, it is the oversized emerald rule roughly two-thirds of Ephamel, and 3. ei-
that is the source of much present interest. Pre- ther sent her own will back in time, predicted the
viously thought to be a normal (though bizarrely future, or concocted this confounding document
huge) emerald, Traditionalists now believe that for some other purpose.
this stone may be enchanted with hidden magical
properties. The Star Emerald seems to sponta- GM NOTE: Though nothing in the museum needs
neously vibrate at a very low frequency, but only to be magical, it’s always possible to fill its exhibits
when not observed. This has made studying the with randomly generated magical items to act as
Emerald exceedingly difficult. a temptation for your players. Of course, the right
2. Chance, Consequence, and Cavalry by St- thing to do after escaping would be to deliver these
edlmun Alapur is a borderline incomprehensi- various artifacts back to the cultures that created
ble eight-volume “magnum opus” that explores them, but if the items are particularly appealing
the “unexpected revelations that connect divi- to the players, they may also stoop to Cal’s level of
nation, astrology, probability, animal husbandry, thievery.
and warfare.” Dismissed in its time as the ravings
of a madman, intervening centuries have prov- Always of note to the docents and visitors of the
en right many of Alapur’s bizarre suppositions Museum of the Old World is the Fool’s Lamp, a “gift”
about achieving combat superiority with the aid from a genie who was wise enough to evade capture
of obscure ritual magic and unorthodox breeding by Cal so many years ago. This spiteful genie had
practices. promised Cal that the lamp could be used to summon
3. There is something immediately striking about her if ever he sought the aid of a wish-granting genie.
the bust of Tattenkumpo, a truly ancient In fact, the lamp does no such thing. When a creature
basalt sculpture that depicts the intense gaze of a holding the lamp requests magical aid by any means,
former pharaoh about whom very little is known. any number of horrible magical mishaps will instead
It is not unusual for museum-goers to spend an occur. Greedy adventurers who visit the Museum of
hour or more staring back into Tattenkumpo’s the Old World in search of loot to plunder are likely
enigmatic stare. to accidentally trigger such a mishap.
4. When certain genies disparage Cal’s taste in art,
they often point to The Love of the Dance by
J.E. Hildewell, a painting adored by Ephamel’s
elven population despite being lambasted by Hil-
dewell’s human kin. This pedestrian landscape
painting features two awkwardly proportioned
lovers dancing on a beach in front of a sunset.

Kadhizi 22
 GM NOTE: If the players attempt to invoke the
magic of the Fool’s Lamp, roll on a table of magical Modernists apply this evolutionary mindset to
mishaps, or just invent some goofy but terrible aspects of life beyond art as well. They tend to be
consequence for the party. For a full list of potential the most willing to entertain new opportunities to
disastrous arcane follies that might befall those who escape the ewer, which often results in them getting
use the Fool’s Lamp, consult the accompanying their hopes up and then suffering crippling disap-
magical item description at patreon.com/ pointments. Almost all Spark Genies are Modernists,
boroughbound or thegriffonssaddlebag.com. drawn to the spirit of innovation and excitement.
While the exhibits in the GCKA are constantly
Donkor (they/them): The docent of the Museum of rotating and getting replaced with newer works, these
the Old World (Memory Genie). Donkor is first and fore- are some pieces currently on display:
most a historian. Though they spend most of their
1. The front hall of the GCKA is currently adorned
time physically inside the halls of the great Museum,
with a room-sized bouquet of flowers
Donkor is rarely mentally present. Instead, they’re
designed by Wild Genie botanist Hilaria Twi-
imagining the outside world as it once was and may
light. This arrangement supposedly is supposed
still be. Most frustrating to Donkor is the incomplete-
to evoke themes of loss, abuse, and tyranny…
ness of the current collection. Based on all of their
whether anyone is able to pick up on that without
records and Cal’s memory, there should be one piece
reading the plaque seems unlikely.
still lying somewhere in the sands (the fabled Treasure
#24), but no matter how many times the desert is 2. One of legendary artist Karimah the Outland-
swept, this elusive artifact evades detection. If Donkor ish’s most audacious works to date, God is
seems to have a glazed-over look in their eyes, they’re Here is a stunning pottery collage. From most
almost certainly pondering how to find that last piece angles, it seems to be a normal collection of vas-
for the collection. es, dishware, and other ceramic containers that
one might find in a typical Kadhizi home. From
The Gallery of Contemporary straight-on, however, the vision of an exalted face
emerges. With this trick of perspective, Karimah
K adhizi Art presents a thought-provoking examination of the
In stark contrast to the MOW, the Gallery of Con- divinity in everyday life.
temporary Kadhizi Art (or GCKA) displays only piec- 3. Time and Memory is an extremely small “rug.”
es that were made in the ewer. In these halls you will Measuring roughly an inch to the side, this piece
find magnificent carpets, ornate vases, and strange could never actually be used to cover the floor of
colorful yarn sculptures. The GCKA has a much a room, but that is of course missing the point.
more laissez-faire attitude toward art curation. When This hyper-detailed woven rug sits in the middle
a piece ceases to be relevant, it will often be discard- of the GCKA’s largest gallery room, a space that
ed, repurposed, or simply stored in a backroom. Tra- visitors are encouraged to explore thoroughly
ditionalists—who despise almost all of the work in the before coming across the single solitary piece that
GCKA’s halls anyway—still view the act of discarding sits at its center.
or dismantling any piece of art as sacrilege and decry
4. Many of the more recent works in the GCKA ex-
the GCKA’s dedication to constant change.
plore the fears of the impending collapse of the
ewer. In a terrifying and imposing gallery space,
human fiber artist Ellia Tahmuzahn (she/her) has
decorated the entirety of the ceiling with a drap-
ing rope sculpture, meant to depict the destruc-
tion of Kadhizi and advances of the Delirium
Genies. Known simply as Deliria, this colossal
work presents a single frightening message: now
everyone fears the end.

Karimah the Outlandish (she/her)

Kadhizi’s boldest artist, Karimah the Outlandish is
a Spark genie ceramicist designing striking and un-
usual pottery. While most pottery in both museums
still strives toward ideals of beauty through symmetry,
repeated patterns, and recognizable symbolism, Kari-
mah’s work is revolutionary in its use of asymmetric
forms, garish colors, and an unabashed use of politi-
cally charged imagery.

23 Borough Bound
 Karimah is—perhaps unsurprisingly—also a
firebrand in Kadhizi society. She believes that Cal
is using some latent magic to keep the residents of
Kadhizi trapped, and that the only solution is to use
dark magic to possess Cal and unmake his arcane
prison. While Karimah is certainly a force to be
reckoned with in the art world, this bizarre notion
is a fringe theory at best. Karimah has offered no
evidence to suggest that Cal is manipulating the
metaphysics of the ewer. It is also unclear whether
Karimah actually has a means of possessing Cal with
dark magic, but if she does, it is undoubtedly cause
for concern.
Despite their best efforts, the rest of Kadhizi is
having trouble wiping away the graffiti Karimah
has been producing in the vicinity of the Museum
of the Old World. Much of her beautifully designed
street art has expected messages: “down with the old
world,” “Cal’s sins can’t be washed away,” “this is
the end,” etc…, but some are far stranger and more
difficult to decipher. Her recent graffiti campaign reg-
ularly employs the enigmatic phrase “darkness within
breeds madness without.” The question for many is
whether this phrase is in reference to Cal or to Kari-
mah herself.

Ta-Hen Nekau (he/him)

Ta-Hen spent his life as a slave. He toiled at the end The Casino
of Pharaoh’s Amunta II’s whip, working to construct
the very tomb that would later be his permanent rest- Day-to-day in Kadhizi very little changes. The weath-
ing place. Life for Ta-Hen was brutal and short. He er is always some variation of sunny and dry, and
never took a bride, he never owned property, and ulti- though Cal is gradually aging, the effects of his slow
mately he died while still in the shackles of servitude. degradation have only been felt in recent months. In
order to introduce a spark of excitement and the un-
But death was not the end for Ta-Hen. Years after expected, many in Kadhizi are drawn to the Casino,
expiring, he was raised as a mummy to protect the the most luxurious structure in town. While grand
tomb within which the gold jug currently resides. parties with bountiful Serenity Tonics are thrown in
Diligently exploring the endless halls at the behest of the atrium, the real intrigue happens on the upper
the same masters he served in life, Ta-Hen’s fate was floors. Even in a world without any traditional ma-
tragic even beyond the grave. terial wealth, the residents of the ewer find much to
Not long after Cal was trapped, however, Ta-Hen gamble. Whether playing with cards, dice, or betting
also discovered the ewer, which he not-so-carefully on the Desert Races, those more tolerant of risk head
inspected. Though Ta-Hen had (at the time) nary a to the Casino on moonlit evenings to see what luck
spark of life left, he was trapped in the ewer all the has in store for them.
same. Luckily though, much like Cal’s poorly worded The tricky aspect of The Casino is that Kadhizi
initial wish, the exact conditions of Ta-Hen’s magical- uses no fungible currency that can be easily ex-
ly compelled servitude require him to patrol the halls changed; there are no gold pieces and no thou-
of the tomb so long as he remained in Ephamel. Now that sand-dollar antes. Instead, whenever a player sits at
he’s escaped the terrestrial realm, he’s free to enjoy his (or hovers near) a table, they must state what they’re
undeath as he sees fit. willing to put on the line. Some example wagers are
As such, Ta-Hen has taken his new imprisonment provided below.
in stride; while life isn’t perfect in Kadhizi, it sure
beats eternally guarding an otherwise uninhabited
tomb. And unsurprisingly, as he resents the conditions
under which the art of the old world was created, Ta-
Hen is now a tour guide at the GCKA. He is grateful
for his new semi-freedom and has spent centuries en-
joying the company of peers who have no intentions
of giving him orders.

Kadhizi 24
 1. The loser will be a servant for the winner for
one hour, one day, or one week.
Amunta II (she/her)
2. Players will often offer up art objects they’ve After ruthlessly leading her people into a new age
created or otherwise acquired. The works of of “prosperity” (that is: abundant trade and nearly
Karimah the Outlandish are valued highest of unfathomable wealth inequality), Pharaoh Amunta
all. II died unexpectedly of acute liver failure. She was
interred in the tomb whose construction she oversaw.
3. Walkers may pledge themselves as vassals to After supposedly enjoying centuries of a peaceful af-
genies while gambling against each other. If the terlife—or so she claims—she rose as a ghost to haunt
walker loses, they will be expected to sing the her tomb after it was ransacked and desecrated by
praises of and otherwise exalt the winning genie Cal. Despite her desire to immediately torment who-
on command. ever it was that had violated her resting place, it took
4. Pets and mounts are frequently put on the ta- only a few hours for her to glide over to the lamp,
ble the same way one might gamble the keys to a which trapped her incorporeal form.
car.
Amunta II never outgrew the need to be adored.
5. Often, all that is needed to incentivize a bet To this day, she wanders Kadhizi, expecting to be
is something as simple as an embarrassing admired, praised, and doted on. She is one of a select
dare… maybe a walker needs to skinny dip in few universally disliked by Kadhizi residents. This is
the Reservoir or apply some Dream of the Mane completely unrelated to the fact that she is undead;
between their eyebrows. after all, Ta-Hen, an undead mummy himself, is one
6. The most valuable thing to a genie is their pride. of the more popular Kadhizi citizens. Amunta II is
As such, the highest stakes they might engage simply unkind, and in the vacuum that is the Kadhizi
with is the relinquishing the use of their title, or sands, a bad attitude goes a long way.
perhaps allowing the winner of a bet to grant the
genie a new title of their choice. Notably, perhaps due to her ghastly levitation, she
considers herself closer to a genie than to the other
walkers, despite the fact that she was a human in her
day. Unlike actual genies, Amunta II has no appar-
ent magical abilities other than flight and the ability
to float through walls. Genies despise this pompous
specter as much as anyone else, and they certainly
wouldn’t count Amunta II among their ranks.
After a lifetime of being given everything, she
now mostly hangs around the Casino. Though she
is strictly forbidden from gambling, the casino staff
can’t actually do anything to keep her out. To get her
kicks, she encourages various casino-goers to make
outrageous bets. When a walker makes a stupid gam-
ble, they will often blame Amunta II claiming that she
momentarily possessed them… This is decidedly not
a power that Amunta II boasts, but it does make for a
convenient excuse.
Most in Kadhizi suspect that Amunta II will con-
tinue to be a nuisance until someone can rehallow her
tomb. So long as a hyperactive pitcher trap continues
to disrupt the flow of magic, it seems that that won’t
happen anytime soon. Nearly a quarter of the letters
that the genies have asked LIMINA courier Rexi to
deliver simply request that someone makes an effort
to bless the tomb so as to allow Amunta II to return to
the afterlife she deserves (presumably some agonizing
underworld).

25 Borough Bound
 Plot Hook: Get Rid of the Ghost Regardless of what option is chosen, the adventurers
may wish for Amunta II to confront her crimes. If they
Amunta II is a pest, and Kadhizi would be a better place do, they may benefit from the aid of one of the genies.
without her. She was an oppressive ruler in life who de- A full reckoning may not be possible without Amunta
serves no forgiveness in death, and the best that can be II searching her deepest darkest memories, an expe-
said about her presence in Kadhizi is that she sometimes rience that any Memory Genie may help to facilitate.
provides a dubious excuse for people to gamble. She is a If the adventurers believe Amunta II needs to reform
self-obsessed bigot and will often use her incorporeality herself and become a better person before returning to
to enter into homes without anyone’s consent. the afterlife, they may also seek the therapeutic wisdom
Once the adventurers establish their reputation of one of the Dream Genies.
throughout Kadhizi (as problem solvers, magical ma- Imani the Gentle (she/her): The unorthodox therapist
vens, or just powerful renegades), the residents will likely (Dream Genie). The Genies live a long time, and perhaps
task the party with doing something about Amunta because of this, most decide fairly early on for them-
II. She is both an obnoxious pest as well as a potential selves whether they plan on maintaining their grudges
threat to the safety of the residents. She has repeatedly indefinitely, or whether they will instead choose to
threatened to necrotically drain the life out of Cal, and always let bygones be bygones. Walkers (particularly
now that the ewer is in more peril than ever, it seems she humans) do not have this luxury, as their short lifespans
just might go through with this plan. Even if it means can often lead to profound regrets later in life. Imani
taking everyone down with her, it’s not outside the realm has thus taken it upon herself to help the walkers with
of possibility that Amunta II would stoop to total de- conflict resolution. Instead of letting bitter spats ruin
struction just to get some attention. the relationship of what few walkers live in Kadhizi,
Whether or not the residents of Kadhizi ever escape, Imani will guide embittered parties in a rigorous rou-
it’s universally agreed upon that life in the ewer would tine of team-building exercises, group meditation,
be improved if someone were able to somehow rid the and shared hallucinogenic experiences. Despite her
sands of Amunta II altogether. Most suspect that the unusual methods, she has saved countless marriages,
otherworldly mechanism for banishing her spirit would friendships, and sibling relationships. Though she is
be to sanctify her tomb… but that is not necessarily true. not equipped to resolve traumatic conflicts that have
Amunta II’s soul may be disturbed for any number of lasted centuries, she may at least be able to guide the
reasons. A few options and potential solutions are pro- wicked through a process of self-reflection.
vided below:
d4 What raised Amunta II from the dead? How can she be returned to the afterlife?

1 Amunta II has been damned to rise as a Amunta II must meaningfully confront her crimes. Ta-
ghost because her actions directly led to Ta- Hen does not speak with her and should not be made
Hen Nekau being shackled on three separate to, but Amunta II must seek absolution for herself. If
occasions: as a slave in life, as a tomb guardian Amunta II is able to 1) document her wrongdoings,
in death, and as a prisoner of the ewer after 2) reflect on her past, 3) at least make an effort
that. This profound threefold atrocity taints her to apologize to Ta-Hen,1 and 4) perform acts of
everlasting soul. retribution, her soul may return to the hell in which it
belongs.
2 While ransacking her tomb, Cal disturbed Though there is no hope of recovering Amunta II’s
Amunta II’s canopic jars. Without the viscera stomach, liver, lungs, and intestines, there are some
of Amunta II’s mortal body occupying the same stellar ceramicists in Kadhizi who would be at least
space as her tomb, she is stranded from the able to produce replica jars. Perhaps with fine enough
afterlife, doomed to explore the world until she pottery and some illusory magic, Amunta II’s tickets
finds and restores her preserved organs. to the afterlife can be forged.
3 Amunta II spends so much time in the Casino In this instance, Amunta II is literally an agent of the
for a reason: The devil who shepherded her soul underworld. Perhaps it is possible to keep Amunta II
to hell said that she could return to the mortal from ruining people’s lives, but it seems more likely
world, but only if she sows chaos. Devils love that a proper exorcism or merely destroying her
gambling, and it may serve her master’s goals if spirit through violence is the easier option.
she can engender destructive risky behavior in
those around her.
4 After being raised as a ghost, Amunta II almost If Amunta II’s soul is already where it ought to be, the
immediately got trapped in Kadhizi. Perhaps obvious solution is to simply get everyone else out
the Gods decided this ought to be her true of the ewer. If the party wants to rid the demiplane
final resting place. There is no hell fit for her of Amunta II first though, they may need to seek
wickedness other than a vast desert she cannot an audience with the Gods themselves in order to
escape. encourage them to change their minds.
1 Ta-Hen was enslaved under the Pharaoh’s rule, and she has no right to expect his forgiveness, nor does Ta-Hen have an obligation to speak
with her. It is not the responsibility of the oppressed to absolve those who subjugated them. Amunta’s II undeath is between her Gods and her; there is no
need to further torment a mummy who has—through great effort—risen above the trauma he endured in life and in undeath.

Kadhizi 26
 The Lampists
and the Observatory
The Lampists
I n every society throughout the multiverse, it seems
inevitable that a large group of people will some-
how decide to hold the worst possible opinions en
masse, if only to disagree with a more informed and
rational majority. The Lampists–named for the popu-
lar notion of a genie stuck in an oil lamp–occupy this
role in Kadhizi. They believe that the ewer is a utopia
free from the sins of Ephamel, and that it is a moral
imperative that no one try to leave. Most in Kadhizi
consider this a form of grand delusion on a massive
scale, whereby roughly twenty percent of residents
believe their imprisoned fate is preferable to freedom.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many Lampists are humans,
almost all second- or third-generation Kadhizi resi-
dents who have never known the outside world.
Lampism is predicated on fear. The Kadhizi-born
walkers are so terrified of the notion that the outside
world could actually be better, and they are even more
afraid of how crushing it would feel to seek an escape
only to die a failure. Instead of attempting to break
out and experience life outside the ewer, they con-
vince themselves that this is paradise. It is easier that
way.
One would think that–in the face of the total de-
struction of the ewer–the Lampists would backpedal
and decide that now might be a good time to figure
out a way to escape. Instead, they have doubled down
on their beliefs. Their core tenet has only become
crystalized and magnified as the ewer nears a cata-
strophic cataclysm. Leaving the ewer is wrong, staying
in paradise is good, and anyone trying to leave is an
enemy of the people.
In recent months, the inevitable has come to pass:
Lampists have begun to commit acts of violence,
arson, and sabotage against anyone trying to exit the
ewer. Rexi, Walidah, and even Neena and her assis-
tants (described below) have become targets of sectar-
ian violence. The last thing the residents of Kadhizi
need as the threat of destruction grows is hostility
from within, but the Lampists are growing bolder
with so little time left and nothing to lose.
Importantly, Lampism has never felt like a cult to
those who follow its tenets. Lampists look identical
to anyone else in Kadhizi. They have no uniform,
and they do not wear their symbol in public. Anyone
you come across in Kadhizi might be a Lampist, and
there’s no way of knowing until you speak with one.

27 Borough Bound
 e
al Boathous
ts 8. Commun nne Bu’ulienne,
f the Lampis Yu
9. Home of [recently
1. Church o ave Rain, Wild )
2. Home of
Ag elf (he/him
im) deceased ]
Genie (he/h eseaz Attine, servatory
Th
3. Home of hey/them) 10. The Ob inea,
H o m e o f Dr. Coleen N
half-genie (t unge 11 .
e/her)
Lo
4. Serenity ll Bu’ulienne, human (sh e Van Zan’q
o f th
Ze
5. Home of /her) 12. Home es)
ostly gnom
half-elf (she ir the polycule (m iza the Swift
fH
6. Home of
Yas 13. Home o ives
c h
Stationary nno (he/him) 14. The Ar e
f Mantuuk th
Me
7. Home of (he/him) Noofe, 15. Home o
and Larsen Lavender
Kadhizi humans 28
 His Holiness Yasir the just hours into her dig, she stumbled upon an unstable
supernatural ewer that swallowed her whole.
Stationary (he/him) Neena did everything right, and she still suffered the
Yasir, a Dream Genie, is the founder and leader of consequences of Cal’s hubris and idiocy. She was every-
the Lampists. Though similar notions had cropped up thing Cal was not: rigorously academic, painstakingly
before he started endorsing the belief publicly, Yasir deferential to local cultures, and completely free from
was the one who formalized the rationale. It is unclear greedy temptations, and yet the exact same fate that be-
whether Yasir truly believes what he preaches, but most fell Cal became a part of Neena’s story as well.
assume Yasir spreads this gospel simply because it re-
sults in many walkers deifying him. Like many genies, Upon unraveling the details of Kadhizi and its
what Yasir craves more than anything else is apotheo- origins, she became frustrated, enraged, and insular.
sis. It is not enough for Yasir to be one of the lucky few Relying on just a few genies for help, Neena spent ages
immortal magical beings in the ewer. He must also be constructing her Observatory, a colossal hilltop science
treated as a God. facility within which Neena is attempting to study the
illusory cosmos for any clues that might point toward a
No matter how you spin it, Yasir has been largely viable escape option.
successful. His followers view him as a spiritual leader,
and while they are not exactly groveling at his feet, they The city of Kadhizi was only two hundred years old
do revere and exalt him as the savior of their eternal when Neena became trapped, but thanks to the great
souls. To leave the ewer and return to the world of sin lifespan of elves, Neena is still around today. Unlike Cal,
and sacrifice would be to damn oneself, and if Yasir Neena did not surrender to hopelessness. She took stock
helps you to see that, then Yasir has in effect saved you of her situation, identified those that might prove to be
from an eternity in hellfire. most helpful in research, and began looking for answers.
Neena has a long life to live, and she’ll be damned if it’s
Yasir has all of the charisma and self-importance of going to be wasted trapped in a decorative jug.
a quintessential cult leader. He floats around Kadhizi
with confidence and swagger, tipping his head know- Though at first Neena politely requested privacy for
ingly to those he acknowledges as true believers. He her research, she has lately become increasingly aggres-
enjoys the amenities of Kadhizi to their fullest, betting sive in her need for solitude. What was once a private
on Desert Races, bathing in Conarca, and attentively laboratory has now become a booby-trapped lair that
languishing in the lurid music of Abdulaziz the Unctu- Neena never leaves. Neena has fully withdrawn from so-
ous. Despite his views, Yasir is a staunch Traditionalist, ciety, and the few genies who do aid in her research have
favoring the art of the old world, and casting asper- noticed a rapid deterioration in her sanity. A woman
sions on the unapproachable modern art practiced by who was once a kind and gregarious world traveler ded-
certain Kadhizi residents. The hypocrisy in his contra- icated above all else to upholding an impeccable stan-
dictory love of Ephamel art and distaste for that of his dard of research is now a recluse, a raving madwoman
peers is clear to all except his followers. unwilling—and frankly unable—to socialize.
Importantly, Yasir will encourage the Lampists to
oppose the adventurers at every turn if the party open-
ly tries to escape. Though they won’t initially stoop to
violence, they will happily draw arms if it “becomes
necessary.” Though Yasir himself is a coward, he will
do everything possible to empower his followers around
one unified message: the party is the villain of this story.
As such, the party may find it easier to work toward
freedom in relative secrecy.

Neena Fillaz (she/her)

Elven archaeologist Neena Fillaz prided herself on
conducting research in a socially responsible manner.
Before conducting a dig, she would always wait until she
received approval from indigenous locals. She would
never disturb sacred sites, she would study artifacts on-
site instead of transporting them to her home kingdom,
and she always tried to treat the cultures she studied with
the utmost respect. When she was finally given access to
the Tomb of Amunta II, she was overjoyed. Finally she
would be able to explore an “untouched” historical site
that had remained sealed for two hundred years! She
gathered her tools, began mapping out her journey, and

29 Borough Bound
 The Observatory signed to never leaving Kadhizi. Unlike most genies,
Hiza is totally okay with her fate, though she’s no
Neena’s experiments are conducted in a large, me- Lampist. She would prefer to escape, but she just finds
chanically manoeuvrable, electrically charged watch- that prospect unlikely. She’s happy to simply study the
tower made from layered articulating ceramic plates. unpredictable cosmos and spend her weekends taking
From the outside, the Observatory gives the impres- drugs and riding rats around the desert sands (hence
sion of a slow moving sandy reptilian behemoth, her title). Though she enjoys her work, she is not
slowly undulating and folding in on itself to better quite so loyal as Neena seems to believe. Hiza is an
observe various celestial bodies. From within, the lay- absolutely stellar lab assistant, but she is also a perfect
out gradually morphs, breathing in and out with the reminder that one need not define themselves based
rhythms of the cosmos. on what they do for work.
Though her logic is becoming a bit harder to fol-
low, the crux of Neena’s hypotheses revolves around
the notion that the unnatural skyscape projected onto
the illusory ewer interior is some sort of code. The
star patterns don’t match any known constellations
in Ephamel, and they seem to shift and slide against
each other in manners that defy all astronomical
understanding. A star formation will be visible one
night and completely gone the next. Some nights the
stars will rotate perpendicularly to the night before.
On very special nights, the brightness of the stars
oscillate in hypnotic patterns, suggesting divine ratios
or cryptographically significant sequences. Though
the ewer’s origins are unknown, someone or something
must have created it, and for reasons that can only be
guessed, it was designed to display these bizarrely in-
tricate and nuanced astronomical formations. Neena
believes that this is a crackable code, a failsafe built
into the pitcher that offers a glimpse into its arcane
construction.
And of course, Neena believes wholeheartedly that
she is the only one who can solve this puzzle. She has
reams of notes, increasingly elaborate mechanical
means for focusing, cleaning, and adjusting her lenses,
and a very small but dedicated crew of genies who be-
lieve in her, bringing her food, charging her equipment,
and acting as sounding boards whenever Neena needs
to think through a new problem.
Mantuuk the Lavender (he/him): The sand
Depending on who you ask, Neena’s self-assured- sketcher (Dream Genie). Not everyone has taken their
ness and fear of outside tampering has either com- imprisonment in Kadhizi so well. Mantuuk was the
pletely fried her brain or focused her intellect to a first genie to be captured by Cal, and he spent the
level incomprehensible to anyone else in the ewer. first few months all alone in the undeveloped desert.
Those interested in checking up on her though will After the next few genies were captured he started
have quite a difficult time doing so. In the past few to feel a sense of camaraderie before slowly growing
years, she has spent more and more time rigging her resentful, then desperate, and finally loopy. Mantuuk
Observatory with traps, constructing mechanical au- now spends his days on the outskirts of town drawing
tomatons to keep out intruders, and reinforcing the images in the sand with a long palm branch. Though
ceramic plates that act both as mechanical joints and these massive and elaborate sand figures may at first
defensive shielding for her home and office. Some appear entirely abstract, a more studied eye would
have hypothesized that this is sheer paranoia, while recognize the sketches as detailed diagrams of the
others suspect she’s essentially building a bunker in unique starry sky seen within the interior of the pitch-
case she has to stave off attacks from Delirium Genies. er. Perhaps Mantuuk knows more than he lets on.
Hiza the Swift (she/her): The part-time scientist,
part-time thrill seeker (Spark Genie). Hiza helps out Neena
Fillaz, the elven researcher in the Observatory. Hiza
is a wiz at conducting various experiments to aid in
Neena’s studies, despite the fact that she’s fully re-

Kadhizi 30
 Plot Hook: Complete the 1. Neena has constructed a battalion of tiny me-
chanical scarabs that will swarm any would-be
Research intruders, either physically blocking their progress
Whether she has fully lost her marbles or not, Neena or violently attacking.
is still right. The stars are a code, and cracking this 2. A sliding star map in the foyer is presented un-
code will lead to an incredible discovery. Her ap- derneath a banner that reads “TO SAVE OUR
proach, however, hit a dead end decades ago. It’s hard FUTURE, WE MUST KNOW THE PAST.”
to imagine a celestial puzzle that can’t be solved with The map must be carefully manipulated to reflect
brute force given a few centuries of effort, so it stands the correct placement of astral bodies in the starry
to reason that Neena’s current lines of scientific in- sky from the previous night. Incorrect placements
quiry are only leading her further astray. Simply put: will cause an alarm to sound and all doors in the
she needs help. No matter how much time she has, Observatory to automatically lock.
she will not complete her research without someone 3. A series of mirrors placed ubiquitously throughout
to challenge her preconceived notions and fill in the the Observatory focuses and redirects the desert
gaps in her data. sun’s light, creating dangerous beams of sear-
If the players seek to help Neena with her research, ing heat that must be carefully navigated. For
first they need to gain access to her lab and her ex- added difficulty, perhaps Neena has caused these
isting notes. This alone will be quite a difficult task mirrors to slowly rotate, requiring the party to
given Neena’s recent obsession with traps, wards, and adapt to the deadly maze on the fly.
deterrents. A potential visitor will need to navigate a 4. At any given time, some of the charge generated
number of arcane obstacles in order to gain an audi- by Neena’s Spark Genie lab assistants is fed to
ence with the archaeologist-turned-astronomer. While seemingly random trap tiles in the labyrinthine
you might easily imagine the types of roadblocks a halls of the Observatory, shocking anyone who
mad scientist like Neena might throw at a party of stands on them. The placement of the charged
intruders, the list below will provide some additional tiles is actually not random, and Neena is secretly
inspiration. testing to see if any intruders have the puzzle-solv-
ing mindset necessary to aid in her research.

d4 The Ewer’s Message What Comes Next

1 The message is a map of Kadhizi. The image The map’s destination must hold a crucial secret.
of an eye appears at a seemingly insignificant Perhaps digging there reveals Treasure #24 or a key
coordinate in the dunes. to exit the ewer. Maybe a teleportation circle appears
there during the full moon. Perhaps if Cal is returned
to this very spot, the jug will become unsealed.
2 The message is an explanation of how the ewer This is perhaps the least satisfying outcome, because
works from the ewer’s creator. It includes a it would require additional research in order to figure
detailed explanation of the arcane processes out how best to undo the prevailing magic. Depending
used to build the arcane pitcher, but not on who the creator of the ewer turns out to be (note:
explicitly a means to undo the magic from the consider making this some important historical sage,
inside. or a member of a narratively significant faction)
and the exact type of magic used to create the ewer,
the party may have a better understanding of what
further avenues to follow. This outcome might be best
when used in conjunction with one of the other escape
quests.
3 The message is an encoded voice from the ewer Once the party is able to decode the language of the
itself. The pitcher is sentient–containing the ewer, they can freely speak back to it. Whichever soul
soul of either its creator or some previously is contained with this ewer might know more about
banished spirit–and is attempting to speak with how best to undo its magic.
the residents through subtle starry cyphers.
4 The message is a single word, an arcane word of Presumably, this word of power when spoken unseals
power. the ewer. If this seems too straightforward, maybe
there’s an additional layer of complexity: the ewer
is unsealed, but only to the person who says the
word, the word must be said by everyone in the ewer
simultaneously, or the ewer unseals but releases the
inhabitants somewhere else.

31 Borough Bound
 5. The genies that help Neena don’t need to use the After finally synthesizing all of the data, the party will
front door. They simply shrink in size and slip hopefully be able to crack the code. Maybe the stars
through the cracks in the outer tiles. As such, were presenting an elaborate cypher, maybe a hidden
anyone using the front door must be an intrud- message was encoded on a mote of dust on the sur-
er and a walker. A bucket of Dream of the face of the moon, or maybe the adventurers have to
Mane has been placed in such a manner that it simply stare and squint just right to see the truth in
will fall on anyone opening the front door, caus- plain sight. Regardless of the method used to decode
ing them to painfully and rapidly grow hair any- this ancient message, the adventurers should now
where the liquid splashes them. have a much clearer understanding of the stars, the
6. Sometimes the best defenses are also the most ewer, and what to do next. Consult the table above for
straightforward. Neena has gradually been a list of outcomes for the research as well as potential
breeding her own collection of desert creatures. next steps.
If she suspects intruders are trying to break into Raniya (they/them): The cloud in the sky (Memory
her lab, she’ll simply unleash a swarm of ven- Genie). While most genies choose to hover close to
omous snakes and blood-thirsty bats into ground level, there’s nothing in their powers that re-
the lower floors of the Observatory. quires them to remain near to the sands. The reality
Of course making it to Neena is only half the battle. is simply that most of the Kadhizi sky is empty and
Depending on the state of her mental collapse, she devoid of interest. Raniya, though, prefers to occupy
may be anywhere from mildly antisocial to completely the vast skyscape above the desert. Many newbies
unhinged. Clearly unfit to finish her research on her to the town think that they’re a small cloud at first
own, it is up to the adventurers to either guide Neena glance. Raniya finds this confusion flattering. They
down more fruitful lines of inquiry, or simply take would love to be more like a cloud, free from terres-
up the mantle of studying the cosmos themselves. trial worries, merely following the ceaseless cycles of
This process may be surprisingly quick (a flash of transformation that keep the world alive. Raniya en-
insight!), or might require the adventurers to occupy joys seeing the town from a bird’s-eye view. Instead of
the Observatory and conduct an extensive battery of focusing on an individual’s memory, Raniya is able to
experiments over the course of weeks. Along the way, absorb a smattering of stray thoughts from everyone
complications are likely to occur, forcing the party to in Kadhizi all at once. Perhaps it is this smoothing of
improvise and adapt while attempting to complete the data that leads Raniya to be generally pleasant and
research. optimistic. Everything seems nicer with a bit more
perspective.
1. Fearing that an escape from Kadhizi is imminent,
the Lampists have staged an all-out as-
sault on the Observatory. They seem unlikely to
respond to reason, and must be either held at bay
with the Observatory’s defenses or confronted
with lethal force.
2. Cal’s worsening condition is causing the ewer’s
illusory cosmos to flicker in and out. In order to
record proper measurements, the party will have
to quickly address Cal’s immediate med-
ical needs, potentially conducting emergency
surgery to keep him alive long enough to solve
the mysteries of the sky.
3. A piece of debris falling from the ewer has
cracked one of the Observatory’s lenses.
The adventurers will have to climb out high onto
the surface of the telescope to conduct repairs.
4. The Museum of the Old World is on fire! One of
the Modernists has set the entire gallery ablaze,
and the resulting smoke is making it impos-
sible to see through the telescope. These
fires are of course a huge problem on their own.
The various artifacts inside are likely to be de-
stroyed, and some residents caught in the blaze
might be in extreme danger. If any research is to
be done at the Observatory, the fire will first have
to be extinguished.

Kadhizi 32
33 Borough Bound