The "Sultan's Showdown" marks a pivotal and dramatic moment in the history of the Serrakhan Sultanate, where The Sunsations adventuring group confronted Sultan Hakim Atis within the opulent confines of the Sultan's palace. This confrontation occurred after the Sunsations received an invitation to witness the marriage arrangements of Leila Al-Farooq, following the extravagant Sharizian Sensations party.
Upon entering the grand palace, the Sunsations were met with the lavish splendor typical of Sharizian nobility. The air was thick with anticipation and the weight of significant events yet to unfold. The grand hall, adorned with intricate mosaics and golden filigree, was filled with nobility and Janissary Order guards, all present to witness the important union.
As the ceremony progressed, an unexpected revelation unfolded as the adventurers confronted the apathetic sultan. Sultan Hakim, under the pressure of the occasion and the presence of the powerful Sunsations, revealed his true form—a majestic Sphynx, cursed by an ancient binding ritual. This curse, placed upon him and his kind many centuries ago by Malekith, bound them in servitude as Sultans of the Serrakhan Sultanate. The Sphynx were chosen for their infinite wisdom and capable intellect, qualities that Malekith sought to exploit for his own ends.
Talyen, the rising Avatar of the Sun and son of Avatar Lumina, the second Avatar of the Sun, then revealed his true nature. The revelation struck a chord with Sultan Hakim, who, despite his formidable presence, accepted his fate with solemn dignity. He explained to the Sunsations that the only way to lift the ancient curse was to end his life, thereby breaking the chain of servitude that had bound his kind for generations.
With a heavy heart and a sense of duty, Talyen stepped forward and, to the dismay of the Janissary guards and gathered nobility, severed the head of Sultan Hakim. The act was met with shock and horror, but the truth of Malekith's deceit soon sank in. The Janissary guards, once loyal to the Sultan, were left to grapple with the revelation that they had been unwitting pawns in a much larger, sinister game.
Following the dramatic events in the palace, the Sunsations ventured into the Royal Crypt beneath the palace, driven by the need to uncover the full extent of the Sphynx's fate. The crypt, shrouded in darkness and echoing with the weight of ages past, held the secrets of the Sphynx servitude. Within the crypt, they discovered six statues of ancient Sphynx, each representing a lineage cursed to serve the Sultanate.
Behind each statue was a large Sphynx-shaped sarcophagus adorned with murals. These murals depicted the Primarchs of the Sun binding the noble creatures with a black amulet, similar to the Ebony Amulet ring that symbolized their eternal servitude. The murals also showed Malekith leading the Primarchs in this dark conquest, establishing the first lineage of the Sultanate's rulers ready for servitude.
At the end of the crypt, the Sunsations found a stone tablet titled "The Sphynx Solaris," a manuscript written by Malekith himself. The manuscript detailed his discovery of the ancient and wise Sphynx in a long-forgotten temple beneath the dunesea. It recounted how the Sphynx had taught Malekith the ways of Sun-Rifting, knowledge that he coveted and ultimately used to bind them to his will.
Additionally, the Sunsations learned of the High Priest Ishmael's role in orchestrating this binding ritual. Ishmael, an ancient mummy lord, had lived for hundreds of years and served as Malekith's right-hand sorcerer. His dark arts and necromantic rituals had ensured the Sphynx's servitude across generations, weaving a web of deceit and control that the Sunsations were now unraveling.
The events of the Sultan's Showdown and the subsequent exploration of the Ancient Crypt marked a turning point in the history of the Serrakhan Sultanate, exposing the deep-rooted corruption and setting the stage for a new era free from the shadow of Malekith's ancient curse.