Session One-Hundred Ten: Chaos in the Slave Pens

The group made a plan. They would disguise themselves, with Rafiq dressing up like his father and everyone else as his retainers, except for Clavis. Clavis was a well known gladiator in Tyr and Rafiq's father was his owner, so it should not be suspicious for them to be together. They agreed and Yusef made them all disguises.
Rafiq used the way to teleport them outside of Tyr and they confidently walked up to the gates, skipping the line outside. Rafiq easily fooled the gate templar, tricking him into believing that Rafiq was actually his father. Once inside Tyr, Clavis was instantly recognized and adoring fans started mobbing around him. It took awhile to disperse the crowds and move through the merchant district.
Once the group arrived at the arena, Rafiq attempted to fool the guards there, but the guards were not fooled by Rafiq's attempt at impersonating his father. They began questioning Rafiq about why he didn't sound right, as one of the guards had just talked to Rafiq's father the day before, but Kraah quickly moved in and began to sweet talk them, explaining that Rafiq was a bit under the weather. Suspicious, but not willing to accuse a noble of a crime, the guards sent a runner to check with the noble's estate.
Then, as they were waiting, Clavis punched one of the guards in the face, which bloodied his nose. Everyone was surprised by Clavis' action, but Kraah recovered quickly and used magic to freeze the other guard in place. The guard with the bloody nose began to run and scream for help. Yusef, Selia, and Kraah began chasing the fleeing guard, while Rafiq, Clavis, and Dimitria ran inside the arena.

Yusef, Selia, and Kraah easily caught the guard and killed him, but it was too late. The feeing guard, and subsequent killing, drew a lot of attention and other guards were headed their way. They fled back to the arena.
Meanwhile, Rafiq, Clavis, and Dimitria ignored the arena slave inside and moved below the arena, toward the holding pens. There were more guards down below and Rafiq told them that that there was a mob upstairs, trying to free Ali. He also said that they needed to execute Ali and bring his body above, to show the mob that their attack was pointless. He fooled the guards, who began hearing a commotion upstairs, and led Rafiq, Clavis, and Dimitria inside the main holding area.
Upstairs, Yusef slammed the door shut and locked it. Selia and Kraah grabbed a couple of benches and a small table to brace against the door. The door was being banged on and yells could be heard. There was a lone arena slave watching this unfold. Yusef turned to him and pleaded for him to not open the door. Yusef gave the slave ten ceramic pieces, for his cooperation, and the slave took the coins. He tucked into into his loin cloth and laid down on the ground, as if injured.
In the holding pens below, Rafiq, Clavis, and Dimitria were led toward Ali's cage. Ali looked badly beaten and his hands were bound in front of him. His cage was bare, he did not even have a straw mat or waste bucket.

One of cages held a strange creature. The creature had a white spherical head, about two feet in diameter, six eyes, long mandibles, feathery stalks on its head, a large red-orange beetle-like shell, and six legs. It was large, about six feet in diameter. Clavis has never seen anything like it and was surprised when it spoke to his mind. 
"Help me." It begged. "I am a prisoner here. They are going to force me to fight. I just want to go home, to my family."
Clavis walked over to the creature's cell and, despite shouts from the guards not to, he broke the lock on the cell and released the creature. The creature immediately rushed Clavis and attacked him. Clavis was angry at the creature for fooling him, so he drew his bone scimitar and stabbed the creature between the shell's joints. The creature retracted into its shell and Clavis rolled the creature back into its cell.
The guards took a lock from another cell, forcing the slaves inside to move to another cell, and locked the creature's cell. They admonished Clavis for being so weak willed, that he would succumb to the mental domination of the gaj. Clavis did not tell them that he was not dominated, but apologized instead.
While the gaj was being dealt with, Rafiq opened Ali's cell and retrieved him. Dimitria opened another cell and released the slaves inside. The guards found themselves quite busy with a small uprising. In the chaos, Rafig, Ali, Dimitria, and Clavis rushed out of the pens and went upstairs.
Once out of the teleportation dampening zone, Rafiq teleported away with Ali.
Yusef, Kraah, and Selia had not moved, not wanting to get lost in the arena, or lose the other members of their group. They had their weapons drawn and were ready to do battle. Clavis and Dimitria arrived, as the door began to splinter. They informed the rest of the group that Rafiq had teleported away with Ali and, hopefully, Rafiq would soon return for the rest of them.
Meanwhile, Rafiq had misteleported. He found himself and Ali on a mountainside, with a lake below him. He was intrigued and wondered where he was and if the water below was fresh. Sadly, he did not have time to investigate. Taking Ali in his arms, Rafiq, with the way, teleported to the Lost Oasis. Unfortunately, due to the misteleport, Rafiq did not have the mental strength to return to Tyr. Rafiq set Ali down, unbound his hands and began to meditate.
The door to the arena cracked open and guards could be seen outside. They knew Rafiq should have been back by now, but he wasn't. Which meant he wasn't coming. The group was prepared to fight and, if necessary, die.
Dimitria remembered that she had a spell, which would open a portal to her guarded lands. The portal, however, would only be open for a moment, so they had to act fast. As the door burst open, Dimitria cast her spell. The portal opened and Yusef rushed through, followed by Dimitria, Selia, Clavis, and the arena slave. A templar called out to Kalak and before he could leap through the portal, Kraah was frozen in place. As the portal closed, the group caught a glimpse of Kraah being tackled by the guards.
In that brief moment, a mind bender had also touched Dimitria's mind, but was ejected when she entered her guarded lands. Yusef demanded that Dimitria cast the spell again, so he could save Kraah. Dimitria explained that the spell only worked to move to the guarded lands, not away from it. Yusef cried out and swore he would return to Tyr to save his friend.
After an hour, Rafiq contacted Dimitria and discovered her location. He then teleported himself and Ali to her guarded lands. He explained that he had misteleported, which is why he did not return for them. They informed him of Kraah's capture and gave Ali some food and water.

Back in Tyr, Kraah was stripped of all of his belongings and bound with rope. He was carried to a bureaucratic looking building and chained up, inside a small cell. An obsidian circlet was placed upon his head and his beak was clamped shut. The also placed him in finger restraints, which prevented the movements necessary to cast most spells.
Rafiq contacted Kraah, with the way, and asked him where he was. Kraah told him, as best as he could. Rafiq told him that he would contact him again later, then retreated from his mind. Rafiq was mentally exhausted again. 
After a little while, a female elf opened Kraah's cell door. She was tall and pretty, but she wore the black cassock of a templar. She removed the beak clamp and began questioning Kraah about who he was and why he was there. Kraah did his best to lie, but she told him that she could tell when he was lying.
She threatened him with a mind bender, if he did not cooperate and told him she did not wish to violate his mind. Kraah was a criminal, however, and she needed to learn the truth of his crimes. Kraah refused to cooperate.
When she attempted to reapply the beak clamp, Kraah bit her hand. A nearby guard jabbed Kraah in the side, with a spear. The jab was more threatening than damaging. Kraah did not care and attempted to bite her again. Kraah wasn't fast enough and she was able to reapply the clamp. She then closed the door and Kraah was left in darkness.

Join us next time for another exciting session of Adventures Under the Dark Sun. 
2nd edition AD&D Dark Sun Cast of Player Characters 
Dimitria: Human female druid. 20 years old. Played by Mary. Speaks Urikite, Raamin, and Tyrian.
Clavis: Human male gladiator. 30 years old. Played by Dave. Speaks Drajish and Tyrian.
Rafiq: Human male psychoporter. 25 years old. Played by Ben. Speaks Tyrian, Balican, Raamin, and Urkite.
Kraah: Aarakocra male air cleric.17 years old. Played by Chad. Speaks Aarakocra, Tyrian, Balician, and Gulgish.
Selia: Half-elf female ranger. 27 years old. Played by my wife. Speaks Elf and Tyrian.
Yusef: Human male thief. 24 years old. NPC party member. Speaks Tyrian, Nibnese, and Urikite.