The intrepid group careens through passages and chambers. They find a whole lot of what the hell is going on, and a fair amount of what the hell is trying to kill me. A yellow mold infested library nearly takes the life of Elulyn. A pack of gargoyles nearly takes the life of Malchor. Vaults, crypts, kitchens and a brewery are found and investigated. An armory is guarded by an iron golem and there are more murderous gargoyles to face before the group is depleted and has to call it a day/night/whatever.
The following day starts off with an unfortunate encounter with an undead ooze that drains energy levels from Paladin,Monk, Mage and Cleric (oh noes!). Carrying on their weakened state the group decides they cannot rest and must press on lest time run out. More undead are found and destroyed and more areas are explored. An ongoing battle between armies of undead gnolls and bugbears is discovered and the cleric mops them up with glee. Some more exploration brings them to an iron portal set into the side of a patch of worked stone, markedly different from the surrounding terrain. No magics seem to affect it, but a nearby plaque gives a hint and so they tear off in search of the grave of the door’s guardian.
The grave is found, the guardian is not amused and is loath to relinquish the key. A few taps from a mace of disruption changes his disposition to that of dust and the group roars off to open the door.
Eventually they open the unopenable door with a key that doesn’t fit into any locks – but hey that’s why magic is so cool – and they enter the basement of the tower.
The cleric realizes that he has no contact with his god herein and the paladin recognizes the stench of awfully evil evil pervades the entire place. The basement is filled with discarded junk and an eight-pack of animated pools of mercury. That seems like a problem that must be dealt with and the lightning bolts rain down on the advancing creatures. So…once the dust and mercury has settled – up the stairs they go in a single file.
The next area they enter is the main hall – for there are the large double doors they decided to avoid earlier. Oh – look a giant stone golem is trying to kill us! The golem is defeated and the stair climbing continues. Next up is a room at least three times as big across as the inside of the tower – and both mages warn of some dangerous effects that could occur – like everyone being sucked into the void – if it is destabilized. Destabilized how? By bringing in the various extra dimensional spaces you are carrying around. Hm. Items are left behind and the group enters to do battle with a large dragon made entirely of bone…omg a dracolitch? Turns out no to that, but still a fierce opponent, but no match for the combined aerial assault of the party members who bypass all the rubble on the floor and fly straight at the beast.
It is defeated, but the group has to retreat outside the tower – both to bring their items and to rest and have the cleric repair them. The mage takes the time to teleport away all the loot and objects the group has been forced to shed. Another day closer to demonic ascension. Tic, tock, tic, tock.
Back into the tower – across the extra-extra-extra dimensional space and up a set of stairs. Eight doors await – all remarkably resistant too being opened. The stairs up are blocked by a wall of stone with mosaics upon it. Each of the mosaics is missing a piece. Perhaps the doors hide the clues needed?
Yes indeed. The first door is a laboratory complete with frankenmonster flesh golem. Golem slain. Nope no mosaic piece. Next door is mosaic heaven – but when the piece is removed the rest of it forms into an angry porcelain dragon that breathes shards of porcelain and attacks with sharpity sharp claws and nasty pointy teeth. The beast is slain – the mosaic bit in hand – the group proceeds to the next door and finds the lab assistant’s room. It is searched and plundered and off they go. They discern the proper pattern and spend their time fighting porcelain beasties until they have all the mosaic pieces required.
No time to waste! The group rushes up the stairs and vanish – one after the other…only to reappear on the tips of a star-mosaic on the floor of a room topped by a huge dome. The top of the tower! At the center of the star is an enormous writhing form enveloped in purple smoke that seems to be leaching out of the very fabric of the tower itself! It is the same demonic being they faced at the battle of the Crystal Skull! Attending the demon are a pair of sorcerwizarmancers – who are channeling the energy from the tower to the beast – or so it seems at first glance. Well, no time for second glances and the group seizes the initiative and spends thirty seconds slaying both of the staff bearers.
Now freed from the imprisoning smoke, the demon prepares to annihilate the party. The party is not ready to be annihilated and springs to the attack. They deal serious damage while avoiding most of the demon’s punishing strikes and the battle comes to an anti-climactic end when the ‘dice that suck’ yield an insta-kill of the dread foe.
Whew, Well. That would be that. Exiting the tower, the group plans a victory tour. First – back to the Tormite Mound to reclaim all the goods they usually have at hand, then back to visit Pearsay and the City Watch to let them know that decades of child murders have been solved. Then a return to Immersea is the last stop on the adventuring road for Kormier and the Gal. They plan to devote themselves to increasing the stature of Torm as they revel in the glory that comes from defeating the demon – champion of Orcus, Lord of the Undead. Oh great, now Orcus hates us too! He’ll have to get in line.
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