The Vizier’s Curse is a potent effect, one created by a creature of near-godlike power, and thus the PCs have little chance of lifting it. Yet in their actions, they can convince the grand vizier (through his agent, Aberzjerax), to end the curse. By handing over the Impossible Eye, the PCs can purchase not only their own freedom, but freedom for all of those trapped in Bayt al-Bazan.
After Ezer is defeated, the dragon Aberzjerax demands the Impossible Eye from the PCs, informing them that the artifact is not their property and that it was stolen, long ago, by Jhavhul. If the PCs request (or demand) freedom from the palace in return for handing over the artifact, the dragon nods and informs them that he will present such a request to the grand vizier—but only after the artifact is returned. If the PCs comply, it’s only 2d6 minutes before a strange rippling in the air around Bayt al-Bazan appears and then fades, and suddenly the sounds of the surrounding City of Brass magnify and an oppressive spiritual weight that the PCs didn’t even notice is suddenly lifted. The exodus of the rest of the palace’s trapped inhabitants into the streets below is swift, and in less than 10 minutes, all those who wish to leave the palace have done so. For playing their part in lifting the curse, award the PCs an ad hoc experience award of CR 15, as if they had defeated the dragon in combat.
If the PCs wish to keep the Impossible Eye for themselves, they’ll need to slay Aberzjerax to do so. With the dragon’s death, the grand vizier is shocked and outraged, but does not immediately take a direct hand in punishing the PCs. The grand vizier is wise, and knows that the PCs are likely to oppose Jhavhul if they escape—once both Ezer and Aberzjerax are slain, the grand vizier appears to the PCs in a vision through the surface of the Impossible Eye, informing them that they have outstayed their welcome in the city and have personally insulted the grand vizier by murdering his servant, but that he is magnanimous.
He tells the PCs that Jhavhul is destroying their home in Katapesh, and invites them to use the Impossible Eye to confirm that if they wish, and then tells them that, if they abandon the artifact and promise to defeat Jhavhul, he will lift the curse for them, and them only—he’ll even transport them back to the Material Plane. This conclusion does not see the freedom of the other denizens of the palace, and therefore should not award the PCs an ad hoc experience award at all (although they do earn XP for defeating the dragon as normal).
In any event, once the curse is lifted, the PCs themselves are free to return to Katapesh. Plane shift is likely the easiest route for the PCs—even if they aren’t capable of casting this spell themselves, they should have had a chance to ally with a genie that can. Both Shazathared and Iavesk can use this power to return the PCs to Katapesh, but in the case of Shazathared, the PCs will need to return first to area B6. If the curse over Bayt al-Bazan is lifted, the sudden stripping of powerful magic interacts with the ancient binding that imprisons Shazathared in exactly the way she had hoped it would—it weakens the effect tremendously. Once the curse is lifted, the binding effect can be destroyed with a successful dispel magic against CL 15th. Alternatively, if she hasn’t granted the PCs a wish yet, generous PCs can use that wish to end the effect automatically. Finally, the binding can be ended by simply destroying the fountain itself—the weakening caused by the lifted curse makes the clay fountain subject to magical and physical damage.
Shazathared remains unable to hurt the fountain while she’s bound within it, but it should be only a matter of a few minutes of work for a dedicated group of PCs to blast, hack, and smash the fountain apart. If you wish to expand the adventure out into the surrounding City of Brass, you are free to do so at this point. The City of Brass is an immense location, and you can use the notes provided later in this volume as inspiration for generating new adventures for your PCs in this legendary location.
In any event, the final adventure in this campaign, “The Final Wish,” begins whenever the PCs elect to return to Katapesh. Once you begin that adventure, events move swiftly toward the Adventure Path’s climax and the final confrontation whit Jhavhul.
Finally, if the PCs possess the deed to the citadel, with a bribe of 20,000 gp the PCs can even get the sultan’s court to acknowledge their right of ownership to the estate. Of course, owning a palace in the City of Brass brings with it a whole host of other problems—not the least of which might be Jhavhul’s eventual return, if the PCs don’t prevent him from absorbing the strength and power of Xotani the Firebleeder!