Our heroes gather in the Pliffa common house and plan out their trip to the Haunted Tower of Sowell.

The most obvious route would be Pliffa to Goldenpoint to Volge to Crim to Kammarra to the Tower of Sowell.  On horseback, with reasonable weather and only overnight stops you can get to Crim in 7 days.  That's your last chance to stock up on free food provided by your clanmates.  That last two legs of the journey would take an additional 4 days one way.  You might want to assume you'll be heading to Rankor Heights afterwards.

Please check your personal equipment and that on the cart.  Now is the time to purchase any mundane equipment you might need, or to get rid of soemthing you don't want to carry all the way across the Triplefang lands.  The group account consists of 680 Fgp and 207gp.  You will be able to stock up at any of your stops along the way, most notably Goldenpoint.  I'd also like to know if you'd like to take a different route or spend extra time someplace.

OCC - Few things.

1. Is the 'What's on the cart' thread correct enough to use?
   
2. Can you update the map, it's missing a few labels.
   
3. The route you specify takes us south through triplefang lands.  What if we went east through the mountains and then went south to the tower.
   
4. Are there any settlements or points of interest in the region that we would have knowledge about but have not gone to?

Glumr sits down with his packs,removing all the items and laying them out side by side to survey all of his equipment.  Talita is with him, slightly under foot and hand, investigating all the human items and just enjoying being close to her companion.  While slightly in the way, Glumr loves the little fox and having her crawling around him makes him feel good.  Truly a blessing from Ehlonna.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:29, Thu 10 Oct 2013.

1) I cleaned up the cart listing up a little.  According to Glumr's character sheet (which I also cleaned up) he's carrying both the forge portal plate and the green crystal shortsword.  If anyone else thinks they have one of these, let's get it on the right sheets.
2) Maybe
3) Yes you can go through the mountains, but it's very slow, more dangeorus, and you can't bring your horses.  This include Moonlight.  Ask Holly how she feels about that.
4) Trellor is north of the tower on the other side of the eastern mountains.  It's a Ferisedan port town.  That's about all you know about it.

1) No.. Holly had the forge plate... Glumr has the Trog plate.  Right?

3) I doubt she'd be on board for that.   So the pass near Kammerra is the only pass through the mountains the triplefang know of?

Thanks Fritz!!
This message was last edited by the player at 20:26, Thu 10 Oct 2013.

You guys sold the trog plate to the dwarves.

Holly watched as the others prepared for their next long trip. The chance to spend time with Moonlight and others had been very healthy, and now she was ready to move on. By the discussions they had had on the route, it looked like she would have a chance to visit Volge and see if anyone there knew more about Marina the Hunter.

Watching Glumr go through the items on the cart, she suggest selling some of the trophies from their run ins with goblins and some of the other more useless items to allow space for more food and useful items.

"The route we travel will be long, especially with the cart, but I think we need to consider what we can buy in Goldenpoint. Some healing potions and such items might be available." Holly says, trying to think through what they might need further on.

---

1) Holly does indeed hold the forge plate.
3) Not happy if we can't have Moonlight along. Only just got back with him!! Not going near Silvergate is my only other request!

Sell:
goblin longspear (small)
7 goblin javelins (small)
4 suits of goblin leather (small)
4 small packs
6 small vicious game traps
6 raw wildcat pelts
This message was last edited by the player at 12:24, Fri 11 Oct 2013.

Glumr agrees with Holly on all.

The goblin stuff isn't worth much to the Triplefang provisioner.  She offers you 30 silver and will throw in plenty of beeswax for you to plug your ears.  She'll give you a silver each for the pelts.

I agree with Holly, too.

You saddle up, well rested, with your newly enchanted weapons, and head south.  The trip to Goldenpoint is a short one compared to your recent journey to Sloss Hinterplatz and back.  Travel goes smoothly.  The weather is mostly warm and dry with the exception of a shower at the beginning of your first day.  The sky is clear when you arrive at Goldenpoint.  You can see all the stars in the sky and just a faint sliver of moon.

It has been over 2 months since you were last here.  You're well regarded in Goldenpoint.  Glumr and Holly are known for rescuing the temple's champion, Arkus.

Talk around the fire at the longhouse is that Heinrich has sent settlers to Gollag.  The Ferisedan villagers are mixed on their opinions of the situation.  Scouts further south report no sign of Ferisedan warriors being sent.

If you'd like to make any purchases in the morning, a list of items for sale can be found here:

http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...u.php?id=goldenpoint

Holly suggests that they stock up on Holy Water, due to the likelihood of them meeting undead and incorporeal beings in the Tower, suggesting one each and two spare if they can afford it.

[Holly would have taken the opportunity to cast Detect Magic on her new Sickle at their first camp on leaving Pliffla]

Upon receiving beeswax, Glumr rolls a ball and places it into one of the empty coin pouches he has.

---

Glumr would like to get 2 flasks of holy water for himself, and wouldn't mind grabbing a potion, or two, or cure light wounds.   Does anyone object?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:36, Mon 14 Oct 2013.

Holly casts Detect Magic and scrutinizes her sickle.


According to my list you each have two potions of Cure Light Wounds except for Sunna who has just one.  The party treasury consists of 680 Fgp, 207 gp, and 36 sp.  Spending 185gp would get you 6 flasks of holy water (1 each and 2 extras on the cart) and a Cure Light Wounds potion (for Sunna).  Does that sound good or would you like to purchase more?

When you explain your interest in the holy water for use in fighting undead, Bardi gives you some quick lessons on how to use it.  There are 3 techniques.  The first is lobbing the flask so that it hits the monster and shatters.  He suggest a soft overhand motion to deliver enough force to break the flask without hurting your accuracy.  This technique works best against animated corpses.  The second technique is a high arcing underhand lob into a group of undead.  This is very easy and catches many undead in the splash, but isn't very harmful.  The third technique is to break the flask's wax seal yourself and pour the holy water directly onto the undead monster.  This is the most dangerous technique since you need to be so close to the monster, but is the most effective against ghostly undead that have no physical body to shatter the flask against.  You practice each of the three techniques with wooden flasks and a practice dummy.

Glumr is okay with that.

Please update your character sheets to reflect the new holy water (and for Sunna the additional potion)

On the road to Volge you pass two young Triplefang families heading for Gollag with a pair of wagons pack with supllies, and some livestock.  The couples are about your age.  One of the couples has a swaddled baby too young to walk.   They're upbeat about seeing new scenery and carving out a nice place of their own.  It strikes you that the end of winter would be a better time to start a new farm.  Glumr and Holly remember Elsie, Holda, and Dain Ferisedan's meager farm of sorts in Gollag and hope this new Triplefang settlers end up as better farmers.

You arrive in Volge the next afternoon.  It's good to be back home.

OOC: Sorry for not being around. I've got the crystal sword on my equipment list. Anyone else want to hold it?

During the journey to Voulge, Farden has been pondering the spirit's riddle. Deciding to play it safe, he stocks up on more trail rations, waterskins, a spare lantern, and extra sunrods.

OOC: Buying another 3 sunrods, 1 lantern, 3 waterskins, 10 trail rations, total cost: 21 gp. Put these items on the cart.

Also, since 'deafness is a blessing', he's been experimenting with various convenient ways of blocking one's ears. He's tried cotton, earplugs carved from wax, and cork. Now, he is going to try sprigs of parsley. He had once heard a tale of a great warrior who stuffed his ears with parsley to ignore a horrendous noise, and Farden wants to see if it works...


This message was last edited by the player at 05:53, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

Triplefang will provide you fine young adventurers with food for free, so no need to pay for the trail rations.  There's a small lantern on the cart already if that makes a difference.  Are you buying these items out of your own cache of silver, or using the group funds.  If they're yours, please put them on your character sheet, noting that you store them on the cart.  If they're for the group I'll take the cost out of the party funds.

Farden and Glumr experiment with various ear plugging methods.  (Which is which in the comic, I wonder. :-)  )  They settle on two workable possibilities.  First off is simple shaped globs of beeswax.  It's good for +2 protection against sonic attacks, but badly hampers communication and listen rolls.  The second option is a fluffy cotton-like weed stuffed into the ears with tallow wax dripped on to seal it.  This takes more preparation, but is good for +4 protection.  This blocks all verbal communication and makes listen rolls impossible.  Additionally it nullifies the positive effect of bardic music.  Holly and Sunna both have ideas about magical protection from sonic attack that they might elaborate on if asked.

What would folks like to do now that you're back in Volge?  Do you just want to stay the afternoon, evening, and overnight or linger a bit longer?

Holly goes in search of her family, to ask about someone called Marina the Hunter, trying to find out anything that might be useful about her family history. She also is determined to talk with Snow, to tell her of their adventures since she had left to return to Volge and to find out how she was doing.

Will also drop in on Elder Elana, to pay respects and to ask about Marina.

Farden is making the purchases out of the party funds, he already has his own lantern and sunrods. He'll also ask Holly and Sunna if they have any magical methods of noise suppression.

Farden will prefer to overnight at Volge, since there is no particular rush.

OOC: Internet cookies to those who recognized the comic in my previous post.

Glumr takes the time in Volge to visit his mother.  He toys with the idea of meeting with Elana but decides he doesnt want to take the chance of having his group deflected for Triplefang business.

Glumr also makes a point to visit Alma.  She was a cute girl he always had a fancy for.  Glumr decides to take her some wildflowers and tell her how good it is to see her.

OCC - Familiar but cant place it.  :/  Going to drive me crazy.

Also, if you dont have use for the crystal blade, I'll take it as it's better offensive than my oddly handled scimitar.

This message was last edited by the player at 13:06, Tue 15 Oct 2013.

OOC: I'm certainly old enough to recognize Asterix and Obelix.

OOC: Would have been more impressed with the original, rather than English version, but Asterix was a childhood cartoon worth reading!

You all drop in on Elana at her cottage to fill her in on the current state of your adventures.  Holly leads with a question about the mysterious Marina whose spirit inhabits Holly's weapon.

"Hmmmm, I do remember a Marina, but she was not Triplefang.  They might know more about her in Silvergate if you speak with some of the older raiders.  Raiders will often bring a hunter or two along to provide food on longer voyages incase they can't pillage enough food along the way.  She might've traded furs in Silvergate too."

"How strange that her spirit has returned in this manner," comments the eldress.

"I take it that your dealings with Coal went well then.  How is the young enchantress doing?"

Sunna visits her family, too, while in Volge.

OOC: RL is very busy at the moment but I hope to be able to write something more than this short post tomorrow.

I do hope the comic is not referring to Sunna the bard (for the horrific noise) ;)

OOC: It is referring to a bard, but not Sunna :)

Farden will drop in on Snow after making the purchases, see how their former teammate is doing.

Holly considered a visit to Silvergate to gather more information on Marina, but was aware they would not likely be welcome from some quarters after their removal of the book from a certain Empire Traders office. That might have to wait until they had found a golem to trade with. So for the moment Holly put aside that thought and instead answered the Elders other questions, "Coal was very helpful, we now have weapons able to help us in our next stage, with a visit to the Tower of Sowell. We are looking to travel near the south lands again, and I'm wondering if you have any news from down there? As for Coal, she seems a little distracted, but very supportive of the community up there and helped us quite a lot once we had caught her unfortunate cookie accident." Holly went on to describe the hunt for the cookie man.

"I dont know if you have heard"  Glumr says once there is a pause in the conversation "We had a fight with a Beasttamer.  He seemed cursed by the unnatural, changed into some type of cat-man-beast.  He attacked us with cats bearing the mark of Kramashir.  We defeated him and upon his death he changed back to the besttamer man.  We told an elder who had us take the body to Coal for disposal.  I thought that my Elder here in Volge should know, if you already havent."

"Heinrich is pleased.  Tora's campaign is gaining momentum.  Raiders have been heading down to Crim to join up.  They're not planning on attacking into the Dark Woods, but the southern border is safer now."



"Sounds like a werecat.  They carry a disease.  That could be why Karden wanted the body destroyed quickly," says Elana.

Everyone but Farden has family in Volge they plan to visit.  Please post an entry here with a little description of how that goes.  Hopefully this will help flesh out the family members a little.

I'm going to start a conversation with Snow thread on the In character side conversations topic.  Farden and Holly both mentioned visiting her.  Glumr and Sunna are welcome to come too if they'd like.

Glumr, please make a CHR roll to see how your visit with Alma goes.  +2 for bringing her flowers.

Sunna is glad to see her family again, though she is a bit anxious if she has learned enough in the Harper's Guild for her father to be satisfied with her progress so far.

As expected he is not too happy about her having left the Harper's Guild without letting him know beforehand. Sunna can't help but notice, though, that he seems to be proud of her nonetheless, even if he tries not to show. Her mother Astá, however, is happy to have her back, if only for a short time and promises to prepare her favorite food the next day: apple pie.

Rós seems to be busy with other things, especially a Triplefang boy of her age who she's meeting with. Though she says that he's only a friend of the family the sparkle in her eyes when she talks about him tells another story.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:53, Tue 22 Oct 2013.

Holly was glad that the works of Heinrich and Tora were making gains against the goblins in the south, and listened intently when Elana mentioned werecats. That got her thinking back to her discussions with Kayaq a few days ago, and she again wondered what druidic animal she would be linking with in the future. Perhaps this trip to Crim would give her a chance to find out.

While in Volge, Glumr visits with his mother. While she's older, she's still vibrant and hard working.  He finds it interesting that her duties in the village seem to bring her into contact with Snow.  Sounds like she butts heads with her much much less than Glumr did.  Not much has changed for her.  But that is good Glumr decides.  She's safe and living a good life here.

Glumr also makes it a point to visit with Snow with the others.  Even though they argued, he does like his cousin.

He also makes it a point to visit with pretty Alma.  He spends the morning outside of the village, picking wild flowers and arranging them to look as nice as he can make it.  He cleans himself up in a stream best he can and goes to visit her and finally tell her how he feels.

Glumr rolled 19 using 1d20+2. Alma <3.

The party hadn't made specific plans to leave the next day, but it seemed reasonable.  Late morning rolls around and Farden tries to gather everyone up to head south for Crim.  Alas, Glumr is nowhere to be found.  Holly and Sunna are happy to spend another day in Volge.

Farden is wondering if Glumr somehow managed to find trouble. He should know about Glumr's family, so he'll check in with them to see where the man has got to.

"I don't know where he's disappeared to just now," says Glumr's mother.  "He asked a few questions about Miss Snow.  Maybe he's gone to see her.  Our Glumr is very excited about your adventures.  He went on talking about a magic book of Legends and a tower full of ghosts.  Try and keep him out of too much danger, Farden."

You're a little concerned that Glumr is running his mouth about the Tome of Legends, but dear old mom is probably the safest person to spill such secrets to.

You check with Snow.  She hasn't seen him today, but she's not surprised he's causing you trouble.  "He's your problem now," she says.

Dead end.  If only you had a tracker.  Maybe you can borrow Holly's horse.

Glumr does eventually turn up having a very late lunch with a young female friend of his.  He says he'll be ready to head to Crim in the morning.  Sunna is glad to have had the extra day in Volge, since she is now stuffed with fresh baked apple pie.  Another night at home does everyone's morale good too.

In the morning you say your good-byes, saddle up, and set off.  Travel goes smoothly over the Triplefang grasslands.  Late on the second day you come across a vast stretch of scorched land hit by wildfire this summer.  Luckilly, it's wild country far from any clusters of Triplefang farms or ranches.  You don't like to see the destruction, but you know it is part of nature.  New life will spring up in the next year or two.

You begin to think about things such as night watches and sleep schedules.  You're still in your relatively safe home lands, but soon you'll be leaving Triplefang lands.  You don't know what you might encounter closer to the Dark Woods, beyond the eastern mountains, or along the shore.

On the evening of the third day you ride into the village of Crim.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:02, Mon 02 Mar 2015.

There are more raiders and warriors in Crim than you remember from your last visit.  They are building some fortifications and new barracks for the new arrivals as well as a shrine to Harix.  Everyone is pitching in.

You had hoped to visit with Mord, who has made quite a name for himself, but he's off in the borderlands with Tora's troops getting more famous.

This is your chance to stock up on free food.  One pound feeds a person for a day, so 4 per day for the group.  Animals can fend for themselves in most terrain.  By your minimum estimate you'll be out there at least 4 days out and 4 days back with a day at the tower, but it could certainly take longer.  How much do you want to take?

40 pounds would give us a few extra days.  I'd say that.  Maybe some extra if we have room/weight for it. 

I think that 48 pounds for the group would be better, if we're not planning to hunt on our way to restock some supplies.
Unless you said 40 pounds for each member of the group :)

I meant total.  48 is great. 

In the morning you load sacks and small barrels of preserved food onto the cart and journey onwards.  First stop, Reynard's cottage.

"Please come in," offers Reynard's voice from within.

You open the door and let yourselves in.  There's no place to sit other than the bare floor, but plenty of room for all of you to stand (or float) around.  All the shutters are closed, but before the door shuts all the way Reynard shimmers in the dark.  For a moment you're afraid his fur has come aflame.  He flicks his tail at the fireplace lighting kindling. And then he sits facing you and his form returns to normal.

"It's good to see that Talita has brought you back to me in one piece," he says.  "And brought a trio of enslaved wisps and memories with you.  Such a thin protection from the horrors of everlasting unlife.  Let us hope it is enough."

The words are a bit chilling.

"You had to do quite more than just trade silver with the enchantress child to get those, didn't you?"

"You are correct my friend." Glumr starts off, a bit astonished by the foxes fire.

"We had to procure goods for her.  We traveled north to the Dwarves.  We faced much danger.  There were many good points, an unfortunate low point, but all and all the journey was good and beneficial."

Glumr wonders what Reynard would know about xyzeryx.

"We hope these wisps, as you say, will help our weapons protect us on the next leg of our quest.  We also have blessed water with us.  Is there any advice you might have for us?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:03, Thu 24 Oct 2013.

"Yes, you were curious about golems and their origins.  Did the dwarves shed any light on this for you?"



Reynard ponders this quietly for a while.

"The task you are about to undertake appears to be just a treasure hunt.  As chance and fate would have it, the adventure will turn out to be a pivotal moment in history.  The Sowell family may be gone, but there are others artists of necromancy among the eastern islands.  Once such calls himself Thibideau.  He will come for the secrets of the tower, but you will get there first.  If you succeed, he will not find what he is looking for when his day comes.  Thibideau will become your enemy one day.  Depriving him of this power will tip the scales…" Reynard pauses.

"Well, lets say fortune will still be on his side, but less so.  Be thorough in your search.  If you leave only with what you came for, Thibideau might still get his prize."

Reynard stands up a yips at the floating eye.

"This is a pivotal time in other respects.  Your cursed harper friend is no closer to escaping his current form than he was the last time I warned him that his time was short.  If nothing is done he will not survive the tower."

"Do you delay your quest and risk fumbling a chance to thwart a future enemy in order to try to save a single friend?  Either path has its share of regret.  Perhaps you will find another way."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:45, Sun 20 Apr 2014.

Holly feels a chill go through her as Reynaud passes on the news that perhaps harper friend would not survive the visit planned to the tower. Holly moved towards Scott, trying to think what to say and do. It seemed they might need to make a difficult choice, and Scott had been a member of their little family for a long time it seemed to her.

"What can we do for Scott, that would bring him back?" Holly asked, looking expectantly at Reynaud and the others.

A Glumr realizes he has goosebumps from hearing what Reynard says.   Indeed his mind has not been on the floating eye, wrapped up in the adventure to the dwarven lands and now he worries that it seems the tasks at hand have a potential dark cloud hanging over them no matter which direction they go.

Help Scott and a necromancer comes to power.  Go to the island and Scott my die or may be stuck in this form.  Glumr feels the weight of the decision pressing on him.  He wishes could have stayed in Volge with Alma, but if he did, it would be ignoring the path set for him to stop the unnatural.



"Not in the way you would expect.  It seems priest magic gives life into the materials the creature is made from.  They follow he will until the magic dissipates.  Elhonna has blessed me with similar command of natures creatures."

Glumr pauses.. Then continues, looking displeased.

"A man demon creature called xyzeryx interfeared with our travels and we were forced to be his pawn through threat and trickery.  In his bidding I witnessed golems come to life and then fade back to earth.  He forced us to acquire a helm.  In return he gave us a strange bow which will aid us in the tower.  I still fear the reason he wanted the helm or if that will give aid to the unnatural's goals."


"Perhaps Scott should not go to the island.  We can make haste, return with our goods and treasures, find what this necromancer is looking for to prevent it increasing his power, return and help Scott.   Do you know if the item the necromancer seeks could help us return our friend to human form?  I fear that I do not know whom or what to seek to help him."

"Sure you could leave him here with me for a short while, postpone his demise.  That would give you time to take care of other matters.  It seems as though you would rather not think about such things, but not thinking about a problem neither solves it nor makes it go away."

"Oh," says the fox. "Now it sounds like I'm scolding you.  I don't mean it that way.  No human has enough time to solve all the problems they discover no matter how well intentioned they are."

"What do you know about this floating minstrel?  Perhaps you already have a few clues that might help."

Sunna feels a chill crawling down her spine at the words of Reynard. She remembers the words of the women back in Rankor Heights and takes a deep breath.

"You sound as if there is no way to solve both problems in time", the young bard finally manages to say. "But you do know more about this... curse than we do, am I right?"
Sunna can't answer the question about Scott, since there's very little she knows about him, besides from him being cursed somehow.

"If the necromancer obtains this item, it sounds like that could off set the natural balance of things.  It might be better for the greater good to prevent that from happening.  And then on our return, we stop at nothing until we find a cure for our friend."

"You've been an oracle of wisdom to us Reynard.  I still do not understand what you are, but you have only shown us good will and help.  Anything you can impart to us these matters would be of help.   We are not sure where to turn to cure or find out about his infliction.  Likewise, the item the necromancer seeks, is there anything  more you can tell us.  At least how we might know it when we see it?"

"Reynard, you just told us a fucking necromancer is going to get his hands on something dangerous, and then you tell us if we try to stop him we'll be unable to help our cursed companion. Are you trying to make us miserable?" growls Farden.

He then takes a deep breath. "Sorry, I know its not your fault. If the tower is dangerous to Scott, let him wait here for our return. We'll go, put a spanner in this necromancer's plans, then come back.

As for curing him... honestly Reynard, I think we need a little help. I myself don't have the first clue where to start."

Holly looks over at the fox, and asks, "Is there enough Scott in there still to know what is happening and to make a decision for himself? If so, I would ask Scott to make the decision on whether he wants to join us in the trip to the Tower."

"If, as I suspect, we need to make the decision, then I would save Scottfard now, and worry about possible consequences later. This necromancer is another threat, like the south lands and the Unnatural. We cannot be everywhere at once, and returning Scott to his original self is something I would very much want to see. A Harper would be a great allie in the future, especially if we are to put our names in the Book."

"A little misery is just the thing.  It shook you up, did it not?  Spurred you to action," Reynaud says bluntly.  "I've told you that your floating musical friend is cursed.  I proposed two options - find the warlock who cursed him and convince him to undo his spell, or find a powerful priest to break the curse.  You can be forgiven for not finding a mysterious unknown warlock, but surely you can find a priest.  Will your mighty priest do the deed purely out of good will or will you need a bargaining token?"

OOC: The harpers also provided you with some hints, which can be found here.
http://triplefang.yoyo-pete.co...ndering.minstrel.eye

The fox turns to Glumr, who asked about the item.

"Let us get down to specifics.  Knowing the details will help you find what you seek.  Thibideau will come to the tower looking for The Celestial Needle known to some as The Dragon's Tooth, but that is just nonsense.  It is a pointed rod of silvered metal with no connection to teeth besides its shape.  The needle is used to tap into the power of the full moon.  It allows the creation of unusual and powerful undead by those who would otherwise be only able to create mundane animated corpses.  Perhaps it can too tap into the power of the sun.  This would explain why the priest of Pelor sought it.  Many things in necromancy have a dual purpose."

"The needle is about the length of your bow and has not seen use in a long time."

Next he turns to the minstrel eye.

"Arrows," he says.

You're not sure what to make of it.  Was he answering a question the eye asked, but none of you could hear?

"While I'm being specific you might as well know.  Human archers will be the ones to kill the eye."

The fox's words are punctuated by the most unexpected and unsettling dissonant shower of terrifying sounds you have ever heard.  It is all you can do to keep from crying out in startled fright.

Farden clapped his hands to his ears to shut out the sound, then waits until the eye calms down (I'm assuming it was the eye that made the noise).

"Ow! What was that?"

Sunna wondered how the fox could know all these things about future events. She listened to his words intendly and glanced over to the floating eye when he mentions arrows.

Sunna made a hasty step backwards, almost bumping her head on the ceiling, and looked around wide-eyed for the source of the noise. With the eye being just an eye it was hard to say if it was the source of this, still Sunna whispered "Stop it, please" in its direction.

The horrifying cacophony (that word is hard to spell) is over shortly after it begins.  Talita runs out the door flap.  Even Reynaud is startled.  It is safe to assume the wall of sound was the eye's doing.

Sunna sighed with relief that the cacophony was over. But knowing how someone was going to die, even when in the far future, was unsettling. She took a deep breath and turned to Scott.
"No one wants that to happen, Scott. We just have to figure out what to do now. There's this tower, where it's safer for you to stay away from. And then there's to find a priest to break the curse."

They would have to deal with Scotts curse rather sooner than later but if the fox was right there was also a necromancer to deal with. Or rather an item the necromancer was searching for to get out of his reach. Splitting the party to help both Scott and find the needle was stupid, it would possibly help Scott sooner but would certainly do more harm than good to the rest of the group.

"You said that it might help to leave Scott somewhere safe when we're going to the tower, Reynaud, is that true?" It would only buy them some time, but Sunna didn't want to say that aloud. They would still have to find a powerful priest. Sunna thought about the towns they had visited so far. There had been priests they had spoken to. But as far as she knew the topic of Scott had never come up in a discussion.

"Leaving the magical, musical eye here for now would be safer than taking him to the tower, yes," says the fox.

"And we can listen to harper tunes I have not heard for a very long time."

Holly had been thinking back to the visit with the Harpers, and other things as the others chatted. The discordant music of the Eye brought her back to the here and now, and she helped Sunna try and settle Scott down again.

"This Celestial Needle might be something we can use to get the Priests of Pelor to act in Scott's favour, although the words of the harpers song about how Scottfard walked into the flames and the old cat died the next day worry me a little more." Holly wondered if it meant the ability to live for 200 years was passed on one to one, and at that point the old one died. Which brought up the question of whether it was really Scott in there, or some old, old enemy they didn't want to release! Like the original curser of Scott in the other tales.

"Reynaud, would giving the Needle to the Pelor priests be a good thing? You say it might be linked to the Sun. Does that mean it might have the ability to destroy undead?"

"Sun worshippers are most numerous.  If they cannot find a use for the Needle, they should at least be able to protect it."

"You know, Reynaud, one of these days you're going to have to explain how the heck you know these things. It's as if you've made it your business to find out everything that we might need to know on our quest. I'm just wondering why and how you're doing all this." Farden's tone is extremely mild and polite - something quite unusual from the normally blunt warrior.

Reynaud bows to Farden, which looks strange indeed from a fox.

"Knowledge is my domain.  It should come as no surprise to you that I know much of what you need, as it is just the tip of the iceberg.  I see the large and small, and remember the future almost as well as the past, which at times is a bit spotty.  Asking how I know these things is like asking how the rain knows when and where to fall, but the why is much simpler."

"I don't normally interact with humans, but I like the smell of you.  Someday I will impress by saying I knew these Triplefang heroes, and you will impress by saying you knew Reynard.  Perhaps they will doubt both of our stories," He says with a wry smile.

"But you, you will have proof."

"Furthermore, I will want your assistance again, so I had better make myself useful."

It looks like you're wrapping up your visit with Reynaud.  Is there anything else you'd like to say or ask before continuing eastward?

You bid Reynaud farewell and continue towards Kammarra.

One the first night Farden spots wildcats in the distance on his watch.  They don't attack, and they keep their distance from your fire.  In the morning Glumr sets off to track them.  You end up traveling 4 or 5 mile out of your way to the north.  Glumr watches them for a while and reports back.  Holly and Glumr decide that the wildcats are behaving normally.  Nothing to worry about.  It's good to see there are still plenty of uncorrupted wildcats out there.


You ride into Kammarra early on the third day.  This is later than you planned.   Since nothing is going on in the small Ferisedan fishing village you decide to press on instead of staying overnight.  The road from Kammarra to the coast is an excellent road.  This has little effect on the horses' speed, but the cart moves easier and you don't have to do any pathfinding.

Just as you're looking for a place to set up camp for the night you catch up to another traveller.  As luck would have it Sunna knows him.  It's Lewellis Ferisedan, a harper from the guild in Rankor Heights.

"Wow Sunna, fancy meeting you out here on the eastern road," says the harper.  "They miss your charming smile and mellifluous tunes at the Cobra.  It's a shame you had to run off.  Then again, more work for boys like me."

Lewellis beams and puffs on a pipe.  He's got himself a knowing grin, short brown hair, and close cut facial hair.  Lewellis is about Farden's age.  The harper is traveling light as most do.  He's got his knapsack, lyre, and a light sword, and is dressed in journeyman's leathers.

"I'd give you a hug if you'd climb down off that horse," Lewellis says to Sunna.

He looks around.

"I suppose that goes for the rest of you too," he jokes.

"Hey wait."  Lewellis snaps his fingers a couple times in Farden's direction.  "Farden Triplefang, right?  Right?"

Glumr is happy to run into someone familiar, even if he personally has not met the fellow before.   He sparks some of his rolled leaf and leaps down from his horse, the sweet smoke trailing behind him and a smile to greet the stranger.  He waits for Sunna or Farden to acknowledge the man before introducing himself.

Holly is wary of a traveller on the road, as are the others, but when it becomes clear that the Harper knows Sunna she relaxes and goes back to watching the world around them, her mind moving over some of the thoughts that had been with her since her trip from Pliffa. Sensing her mood perhaps. moonlight had been more attentive than usual and had stayed close to the group.

Surprised Sunna looks at the traveller.
"Lewellis Ferisedan! Is that really you?" She laughs and jumps off her horse. "What a coincidence, meeting you on the road. Where are you headed?" She's about to ask more question, but then pauses and takes a deep breath. "But let me introduce you to the others, first."

"Friends, I'd like you to meet Lewellis Ferisedan, a fellow harper. Lewellis, these are Holly, Glumr and Farden Triplefang. Your guess was right." Though she is a little surprised that Lewellis knows Farden, she doesn't show it.

"Yes, Farden's my name. But I don't believe we've been introduced before." replies Farden genially, as he dismounts.

Lewellis gives Sunna the big hug he promised.

"I'm heading to Trellor to deliver messages and bring the under-entertained masses several nights of prime music and verse.  You're off to the same place, I imagine.  Mind if we travel together?"

"Aye Farden, I've only seen you in passing in the city before today.  We harpers try to remember names and faces.  Keeps the mind sharp.  Holly, Farden, and Glumr.  You must be the Triplefang who returned the special songbook.  Very heroic!  You have our thanks."

"And who's this," he asks of your fox.

Glumr smiles "Well met my friend.  This is my friend Talita and I am Glumr.  Talita has agreed to accompany me while I walk these lands.  She is committed to fight the unnatural, as am I.  She's my friend and companion."  Glumr says, proud that one of Elhonna's creatures is with him.

"So Lewellis, I then take it you are a harper and performer to know of such deeds and likewise the acquaintance of Sunna?" Glumr says with a smile as he steps forward to greet the man.

"Two things there are, no doubt you know, to which a fox is used."
"A rooster that is bound to crow.  A crow that’s bound to roost."
"And whichsoever she espies, she tells the most unblushing lies," sings Lewellis to Talita.

"That is not to mean your small friend here is untrustworthy.  To the contrary, it speaks to the wit and charm of the fox.  Not unlike the harper, if I might praise our guild in the same breath."

Holly smiles at the comments from Lewellis, hoping that Talita, or Glumr for that matter, were not offended by the song. Holly wondered if Lewellis knew what Talita was to Glumr, and was about to ask when Moonlight slid forward and rather harshly nudged Lewellis nearly off his feet!

Holly laughed at Moonlights actions, quickly saying to the Harper, "Moonlight would like a song about him as well Lewellis, he doesn't like being left out." With that, Holly gave a low whistle to call Moonlight to her and once the horse was stood beside her again she stroked his mane and said to him in a low voice, "Now, now Moonlight, I'm sure he didn't ignore you deliberately. But nudging him like that is bad manners. I might not have any apples left now!" With that Holly held her hands out to show them empty, which had Moonlight quickly nuzzling the saddlebag where he knew she would have at least one apple for him. Laughing, Holly stroked the hair that fell between his ears and then rubbed his muzzle a little.

Glumr smiles "Aye. With men I know like her, I might find myself in poor company.  But with her, her motives are simple and pure.  I have no worries there.  She is a clever one though."

Glumr laughs as moonlight begs for attention from Lewellis.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Tue 12 Nov 2013.

Lewellis sure didn't expect to get nearly bowled over by a disgruntled horse, but he acts quickly to remedy the situation.

"Bless the horse from hoof to head"
"from head to hoof, and tail to mane"
"Bless the horse, as I have said"
"from head to hoof, and back again," he sings, gesturing grandly.

"How's that, big guy?" he asks Moonlight.

"Thank the 4 gods you aren't traveling with a tiger."

Now that they had a real live bard singing at them, Farden suddenly realizes how much he appreciated the fact that Scott could only produce music. It's not that he disliked singing, but in the middle of conversation?
"It's flattering that you've heard of us Lewellis. Tell me, do you know any tales of the Tower of Sowell? That is our next destination."

Moonlight seems to approve, as he shakes his head up and down vigorously and stomps his feet a little before settling down again and pushing his head towards the apple he suspected was hidden in Holly's saddlebag.

Holly laughs, glad for a moment of respite from the worlds worries and slips her hand into the bag to pull out an apple for Moonlight, letting him gently take it from her hand before she returned to watching the world around them as the others talked with Lewellis.

Lewellis suddenly turns from jovial to somber at the mention of the tower.

"The Tower of Sowell?  Oh, it's a cursed place for sure, haunted by the unspeakable.  No one who goes there, let me be clear about this, NOT A SOUL ever returns.  Death or worse awaits."

Lewellis shakes his head in frustration.

"Sunna, you mustn't go there.  I implore you.  You are a bright and reasonable person.  How could you be drawn in by the siren song of hidden jewels?  Going to the tower is madness!  Suicide!"

'And yet we will go Harper.' Holly thinks to herself. The discussion seems a mute one from Holly's viewpoint. There seems a need, a dire need if Reynaud was to be fully believed, that if they didn't go now there would be more suffering for the clan. Holly desired like the others a chance to make a name for herself, but she also knew that the balancing of the forces within the world fell partly on her order, and she was beginning to see some of the mysteries that had originally led her onto this path of being a Druid.

Turning to Lewellis, Holly says, "We all make a free choice here Lewellis. For reasons I won't go into I will be going, as I know the others will as well. We are not asking you to join us, unless you feel like accepting a challenge that might end in all of our deaths?" Holly looked the Harper over, trying to see how he reacted to the challenge she had placed on him.

Sunna shakes her head in response to Lewellis' question about travelling together, but waits for Glumr to introduce Talita. She grins at the songs for fox and horse, but quickly turns solemn again as Lewellis asks her not to go to the tower.

She glances over at Holly as she challenges the harper.

"I don't think that it's a wise thing to bet on such a thing", she says quietly.
"Be assured, Lewellis, I chose to go there on my own free will, but as much as I appreciate your warning, I can't turn from that path now."

OOC:  Interesting coincidence that you used "turns solemn".  When I wrote "Lewellis suddenly turns from jovial to somber at the mention of the tower." I originally used solemn instead of somber and changed it.

"There is always time to change your path.  Fate has not condemned you to die so soon.  There are many things worth risking your life for, but this is not a mere risk.  This is as certain as drowning yourself or launching yourself off a high cliff.  Who could possibly benefit from your death but the forces of darkness bent on seeing our world grow a candle dimmer?"

"Surely you know as well as I do the insurmountable horrors that infest that tower.  Banshees and wraithspawn are no common shambling corpses.  I will not deny that you are a magical prodigy, dear Sunna.  Perhaps you have an acoustic trick up your sleeve, but nothing will keep them from leaching away your essence and enslaving your spirit and body separately."

Lewellis is noticeable shaken and distraught.

"You need to talk some sense into your friends.  Their quest can wait just a short while.  Go speak with Genessa, or consult an elder.  They will give you the same advice as I.  Do not go to the Tower of Sowell."

"No thank you, Holly.  I am not so foolish as to sail out to that forsaken island to have the forces of the damned consume me."

He turns to Sunna and adds.  "And shouldn't you be either.  If they must go, maybe, at the very least, you would reconsider.  I will gladly forgo my own quest and return with you to Rancor Heights if it will keep you from meeting your doom."
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:55, Wed 13 Nov 2013.

Glumr frowns.  He worries that perhaps they have misjudged the dangers of the next leg of their expedition. Thoughts of Reynard lessens the worry a bit.  Surely the wise creature would not send them off to their deaths on a quest without hope.  Of course not, he reassures himself.  The goddess Ehlonna, fate as Lewellis says, or whatever it might be called has painted a grim picture of what could come and made it clear that he has been chosen as a player in this forbidding game.

"I understand your fears Lewellis." Glumr replies to the mam "but believe me when I say that there is more here than the desires for a few gems and rich baubles that may be hidden in those ruins.  You are right in what you say.  Fate has not condemned us to die.  There are larger forces in play here and 'fate', as you say, will deliver a far darker future for our clans if we choose the safest path for ourselves. 'Fate' has shown us more than one future and our actions will greatly influence the one we arrive at.  Unfortunately for us, the right path for us is not the easy or safe one.  But it is also not a path condemned with death.  Aye it is full of danger and hardships, but the gods we follow and the determination in our hearts will guide us through to safety."

Glumr looks to Talita.  The somber mood that passed over the group has caused her to slink down and hide behind Glumr, not knowing what to expect from the tension in the air.

Lewellis continues to speak eloquently on the subject of not dying in the Tower of Sowell.  He is clearly a talented orator and has each of you doubting your planned course of action at one point or another, but in the end your resolve outweighs your fears.  You are convinced that you have prepared the tools to survive your expedition into the tower where others have failed and that laying your hands on the needle and other treasures within will help you in ways worth the peril.  Additionally, such a trial will surely harden you for even more daunting battles to come.  Lewellis finally sees that he cannot sway you and instead, somewhat morbidly, wishes you luck.

The harper stays with you when you camp that night.  Even though he shifts the tone of the evening with amusing tales form Rancor Heights and jaunty tunes, dark horrors creep into your nightmares.  No one sleeps very well.  There is wakeful company on nearly every watch shift.

Holly didn't like the mood that settled over the camp, but didn't kow how to change it and became more inwardly looking as she sometimes did. There a thought crossed her mind that she wished she had not come up with and pushed it down and away. That was something she did not want to consider.

With her watch, Holly used the time to go through the skills and spells she knew from her training that would allow her to keep the others safe in the days to come. It settled her mind to consider the benefits that Obad-Hai blessed her with, and she worked through how best to spend her time and energy. When the dawn broke, Holly was ready to prepare for another day.

The night passes awfully slow for Sunna. There's so much to think about. Lewellis seems so certain about their fate, but Reynard told them that they could change something important with their visit to the tower. But will they be able to find what they are looking for?
Every time she manages to drift into sleep she awakes only a short time later with the feeling of having escaped death only barely in a dream.

Once the sun rises Sunna gets up. There's no reason trying to get some more sleep now.
"Morning", she whispers to Holly as to not disturb the others in their sleep, and begins to prepare breakfast.


OOC: Solemn was the first word that came to my mind and I didn't have the time to think about it twice :)

The bard's continuous harping on the dangers of the trip was greatly irritating to Farden. He had already decided to carry out the job, and having someone trying to stir up his fears doesn't sit well with him. Only politeness keeps him from decking the fellow.

When morning comes,he greets the others and sets about swiftly preparing breakfast and breaking camp. The sooner they're on the road, the less time he'll have to tolerate Lewellis' company.

The horse seems to sense Sunnas mood and skittishly tries to avoid being saddled until Sunna distracts it with a carrot.

"For how long will you stay in Trellor?" she asks Lewellis. "Maybe we'll have some time to meet you there on our way back." Of course she knows how Lewellis thinks about their journey, but she hopes that he's enough of an actor not to let it show again.

Holly awakens with the gentle words of Sunna and slides out of her bedding and takes in the morning. Moving close to Sunna, she asks, "you ok? Lewellis seems a little protective of you." Holly doesn't want to open up an more wounds, but is interested in finding out more about who Lewellis is.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Tue 19 Nov 2013.

"I intend to stay there for at least a week, perhaps longer if something interesting turns up.  I'd like to get a feel for the subtle currents before I return."

He doesn't say anything after that.

You travel along the road for a while until Farden urges you to head for the shore to find a boat.  You can see the open sea from here.  There was said to be a small fishing village along the coast somewhere

"I'm glad I got to see you again, Sunna," says Lewellis.  "Good luck."  But he looks sad as he turns back to the road, not expecting to ever see any of you again.



You don't find a village, but you do spot a shallow lagoon with a boathouse.  Four mysterious riders and a cart approaching attracts attention at the boathouse and you are met by 6 armed men well before you reach the structure.  From here you can see a couple other small buildings.  Two of the armed men are wearing symbols of Harix on their armor.

"OK, that's far enough.  Who are you and what are you doing here?" calls out their leader.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:48, Tue 04 Nov 2014.

Farden is going to drop back and let the more well-spoken members do the talking.

Sunna looks at Holly. "He doesn't know the reason why we have to go there", she replies, "and to be honest, from his point of view, it's just, well, dangerous, with nothing to be gained. Since he knows me a bit better than any of you he just wanted to warn me, that's all, I guess."


When the group approaches the boathouse Sunna urges her horse to go faster to get in front of the group.
She greets the armed men with a smile and jumps off her horse. "Well met. I'm Sunna of the Triplefang tribe and these are my companions Holly, Farden and Glumr, also of the Triplefang tribe." There is a short pause as she nudges the horse a step backwards. "We would need to lend a boat for some time - and perhaps a place to stable the horses for that time, too. Do you happen to know if there's a boat available?" For now she refrains from telling them of their quest, though she suspects that followers of Harix would like such a tale.

The armed men were not particularly tense to begin with, but they relax when Sunna dismounts and introduces you.

"Hello Sunna Triplefang, I am Vanguard Jurgen Ferisedan.  We have no formal stables, but you can leave your horses here if you wish.  They'll be safe.  As for borrowing a boat," he looks around at the other men.

Before Jurgen can finish his statement one of the others asks "Are you followers of Harix?"

This is a good time for Sunna to make a Diplomacy roll if she'd like to try use her skills to influence their helpfulness.

OOC: Sunna rolled 21 using 1d20+10. Diplomacy.

OOC:  Thank you.  Please continue with your conversation.

Glumr dismounts and tends to his packs while Sunna talks to the men.  He puts all the candles in his pack.  Makes sure his pouches have the beeswax and flour as expected. Makes sure the rope and his climbing gear is in place.  Makes sure he has enough smoking leaf.  When all looks good he tightens his pack up, and rubs his horses neck waiting to see what is next.

Talita keeps herself entertained by trying to be under Glumr's feet as he works, and peeking in his pack to see and smell all the items of curiosity.  He has to shoo her out of the way more than once.

Sunna flashes Jurgen a smile and then turns to the other man who asks about their belief.
"We do honor Harix as part of the pantheon, but as we are mostly travellers most of us hold the gods of nature and woodlands in high regard." Sunna glances over at Farden, not certain if he sees himself as follower of Harix. "I hope you don't hold it against us that we are not as skilled in the ways of battle or seafaring as a follower of Harix?"

"It's not that he holds it against you," says the vanguard.  "This is a temple of Harix.  If you're neither Ferisedan nor worshippers,  why have you come *here* for a boat?"

Holly knows some of her family had supposedly worshipped Harix, being of the sea raising side of the Triplefang clan, and she said, "The Followers of Harix are renowned for their ships and their raids, and your boathouse was the first we came across. It seems that that is a good omen for us."

Jurgen nods.

"I see.  Where is it that you'd like us to take you?"

Farden will help Glumr see to the horses while Sunna talks to the guards.

Holly looks to the others, and then continues, "That is where our problems start. We seek passage to the Tower of Sowell, or at least to a landing site near it. Will the followers of Harix rise to the challenge?"

Jurgen winces.  The others look various shades of dismayed and irritated.

"I'm sorry.  There's no way we're taking a boat anywhere near that place.  It's teeming with death.  That's a one way trip for the passengers, the crew AND the boat," says Jurgen.

"Look, the rumors of treasure out on that cursed island are just that, rumors.  We've seen countless bands of fortune hunters like yourself."

"Yeah, and lost a few of our own men trying to help the clan," adds a third  Harix follower.

OOC: The diplomacy roll was successful.  They'll be amenable to an arrangement that doesn't cost them any lives or property.  The tricky part will be figuring out how to swing that.

Holly half expected the reaction, but it was still a little bit of a shock. Considering for a moment, she comments, "I cannot blame you. I fear the place myself, but we must go. How close will you be able to get us to it, assuming that doesn't put your boat at risk." Holly remembers from some of the tales of her mother and father that the boat was held in higher esteem than most of the crew, so she use that as the line to see how far they would go.

Holly is considering a ploy, one that might gain them the favour of the followers of Harix, but wanted to talk to the others first before expressing it. Hoping they might get them a little closer, Holly waited for Jurgen to answer her question.

The answer is not surprising, still Sunna had hoped that followers of Harix would be willing to take them over. That they're not willing to do that makes the task not only more difficult, but also adds the feeling that it's a lot more dangerous than she'd hoped, too.

"What was it that the fortune hunters were seeking there?" she asks curiously. "Gems, gold?" Though they were essentially mere fortune hunters when they set off to this place, now another task, maybe more important than the original one, had been added to it and Sunna feels that it might be good to let the followers of Harix know.

She turns to Holly and the others, speaking in a rather low voice.
"Holly, do you know how to handle a boat?"

"We could take you within sight of the tower, if it's visible.  Within earshot of the wailing.  No closer.  Do you plan to leap off the boat and swim to the island?"

A couple others chuckle at the idea of swimming from the boat to the haunted, corpse infested island, but Jurgen looks like he believes you might be considering it.




Jurgen nods.

"I can only tell you the rumors we've heard.  The Sowells were rich and the undead creatures were placed on the island to protect that fortune forever.  So far, they're doing a very good job."

"I don't see any point in protecting your gold and silver after you pass away."

Being a harper, Sunna might very well know more about the rumors of treasure in this tower than Jurgen does.  Feel free to make a Bardic Knowledge roll.

"No need for that, we plan to return", Sunna says firmly. "If we're not back after an amount of time still to be discussed, I think it would be safe to assume that we won't be coming back. Still, we have to discuss getting there first before discussing leaving the tower, right?"

Sunna looks at Jurgen and his companions. "What if the undead protect something more important than gold? Something that could change the course of history?"

OOC: Sunna rolled 24 using 1d20+7. bardic knowledge.

Farden seems to have thought of something...

"What are the currents like hereabouts? Anyway you can tow a small boat or raft near to the tower, and let us row the rest of the way?"

Glumr nods in agreement.  "I have a lot of gear, and dont want to go into things with it all wet...Plus it's heavy, which could make swimming difficult...  And then there's our return back to land here."

Jurgen is a pragmatist.  Sunna convinces him of the merit of Farden's suggestion.

"You build the raft and we will tow it out close enough to the island," he offers.

The followers of Harix haven't asked for any compensation for this service, but you can tell they do not expect you to return.  Your horses and cart are certainly more than enough to make towing a raft worth their while.  What worries you is that they have no real motivation to help you get back safely.

Holly sees that a compromise is possible, but need to ask something in addition, "How far is it back from the Tower to the mainland, or somewhere someone would be willing to pick us back up from?" If it was resonably close, and they managed to survive the perils of the Tower, Holly hoped the Tower would provide them with a way off again, even if it involved building another raft.

Holly understood that they couldn't expect Jurgen and the others to stay in place for them, "I don't know if time is affected on the Tower, what seems a day there might be a week out here, or worse. I don't think we can ask anyone to wait for us, but we do need to know we have a way back."

OCC - Not knowing how far it is.

Glumr asks "Could we tie a rope to something on the mainland, and then tie the other end to our raft on the beach?  Then we can pull ourselves to shore.  Or is it farther than a rope can tie?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:08, Thu 05 Dec 2013.

"This isn't like crossing a river," Jurgen says to Glumr.  "The Island is not visible from here even when it is visible.  Rope is out of the question.  What we can do is return the same time the next day and wait around an hour or two to see if you made it.  You can use the raft to meet up with our boat."

It shouldn't be too hard to build a raft.  There's a sparse, but long tree line not far from here.  The terrain on this coast is different from the grasslands you're used to.

"If you run up against magical time rifts you're on your own."

You know, that statement hints at a reasonable level of occult savvy from the vanguard.

"That sounds fair, but say we do run into these magics or are simply delayed?  If we are not there on the first day, then please come back the following two, the same way and same time.  If in 3 days we have not returned, then we ask you wait a fort night before declaring our goods as your own.

If the island is invisible, then you need to come to the same point because though you might not see it, it and those on it might see you.   If the island uses magic to truly not be there, then I ask you to come for three days on it's return.

You must trust us when we say that we are a bit different than those who have ventured to the island only to never return.  We will return, but we depend on you to help us cross the waters.  Since I do not know what we will encounter or how these magics work, I ask you to give us the most flexibility to be picked up.

Hopefully we will simply be waiting for your return the next day, but when magic is involved like this, I cannot predict our timings."    Glumr says, stating his plan to the vanguard as well as his companions.

Jurgen shakes his head.

"We'll be back once the next day.  After that we'll assume you're dead."

"Very comforting!", Holly says low enough that hopefully Jurgen and his followers won't hear. She didn't blame them, but for her and the others, they didn't know how long the adventure in the tower would take, and one day didn't seem enough.

"Could I suggest a compromise. Jurgen, if you will take us there, and return three days later to collect us, we would then accept we have enough time to get in and out and find you. Will that suit you? After that, the cart and horses can be put to the use of the Tribes, as you see fit. Although if I die, you'll likely know it as Moonlight here will know and will likely be kind enough to let you know before he runs back home. He is a free animal, and will not be harmed." Holly said, hoping that her words would not be needed and that she would survive another adventure without her friend.

Glumr nods in agreement with Holly, a bit frustrated the vanguard isnt as motivated as he would like.

"Sure.  Three days will be fine," Jurgen agrees.

You set up camp near the boathouse and set to work on building a raft.  None of you really know what you're doing but some of the Harix followers help you out with advice.  For the most part they just go about their business.  You borrow a second axe and  use up 200 feet of rope.  You also buy 4 oars for 2gp.  That evening you float your raft into the lagoon to test its ability to keep the 4 of you afloat.  It's stable enough on calm waters and will likely do the trick on the sea unless the winds kick up or there's a storm.  Even then you can still cling to it and not drown.

The next day the Vanguard claims the winds are not right for a trip out the the island.

The day after that they get the boat out.  It has a short mast and a square sail typical of short voyage boats.  They deem Farden to be the only capable rower among you and man the boat with 7 of their own men.  you and the Harix followers sail out, raft in tow, to where the island is supposed to be, but there's nothing there but clear seas.

"This is how it often is," Jurgen says with a shrug. "Who can predict the coming and going of a ghost island?  Surely not I."

They pull the sail down and row back to the Lagoon.  That takes a lot longer than traveling under wind power.

It's the same story on the 3rd day.  You go out, find nothing and return.

However, on the fourth day you approach an erie mist.  The skies are darker up ahead.  You're not sure what to make of the unsettling weather.  A strange glow shines from inside the mist.

Jurgen points to the glow.

"That's your tower.  This is your last chance to reconsider."

Please let me know if you are making any special preparations previous to sailing out to the tower such as taking items from, or leaving items on the cart, or preparing different spells.

"In three days, what if this island is not there?  You will have to come back until you see the island, just like we did to find it now." Glumr asks Jurgen when he has opportunity.

OCC - Could be done any time, not necessarily on the boat right now.  Glumr is worried they will come back and the island will not be visible, and the group will be left for dead.

Jurgen just shakes his head.  He is getting fed up.

"I keep telling you.  We are going to come back here ONCE on the off-chance you pull off some miracle and don't get yourselves killed like all the others.  This is your quest, not ours.  Go to your damned island or don't."

OOC: So everyone is happy with their current equipment / spells / etc, and no one is making any special preparations?  There's stuff on the cart you bought specifically for this.  I'm pretty sure you don't want to just leave it all behind.

Holly steps in between Glumr and Jurgen, and says to her cousin, "Glumr, they are helping us as best they can. If it takes more than three days, we will find our own way back. If it is less, we can wait. I suspect we will lift the curse on the island if we live, so others will come when it is no longer vanishing. Let Jurgen come as agreed."

Turning to Jurgen, Holly says, "Three days. The island should be visible from then, if we are successful. If it isn't, then I consider your promise kept. Thank you for bringing us this far."

[Holly will have redone her spell list, but haven't had a chance to revise yet. By the weekend I hope and intend. As to other gear, I would hope we have it with us, but we do need to be identify what we have.]

Before leaving Glumr grabs a few items from the cart and adds them to his pack.
     1 flask of holey water (someone else should grab the other)
     1 sunrod (again someone else might want to grab 1 or 2)

OCC - We will need torches or lamp and oil.  Glumr has his ever burning torch and a light cylinder and a sunrod.    figure it might be nice to light it and throw for light on our targets.

Glumr has no spell change.

Glumr is annoyed with the situation. He says to Holly in a hushed voice "How can you be sure?  I mean it took 3 days to find the island.  I'm worried we're going to be left for dead.  But if this is our only choice, worse case we're paddling I guess."

"We will have friends out here if we need them Glumr. Obad-Hai and Ehlonna will see to that. That and my magic." Holly knows Glumr is trying to keep them safe, but Holly believes they have done what they can, and knows she can call forward denizens of the water if needed to aid them.

"Now, lets get ashore before we run out of daylight or fog." Holly says, grabbing an oar and wondering what her mother would make of the scene if she had been alive.

"Fair enough" Glumr says to her in agreement.  He waves to the vanguard and grabs an oar to row the raft ashore.

Sunna takes some stuff off the wagon, too. She doesn't really feel ready for the task and is both annoyed and glad when the island doesn't appear on the first day. By the third day she's glad that it's finally there, even with all the stories of people never coming back.

OOC:
- 1 flask of holy water
- 1 sunrod
- 1 waterskin
- enlarge potion (who knows, maybe we could need it)
- rope, if there is any of it left


"It will be a story worth telling, when we return", Sunna says before picking up an oar herself.

While the party is busy hanging around Harix, Farden will have two more flasks of holy water blessed by the local priests (subtract 50gp from party fund).

He's also going to load up the raft with the 30lb of lantern oil, on the principle "when in doubt, set it on fire". Finally, he's going to suggest they bring the messenger falcons along. If nothing else, they can let the fellows in Harix know if they are still alive.

Jurgen agreed to take you within sight of the island, so you're not hopping onto the raft just yet.

The boatmen take down the sail and paddle into the mist towards the glow.  You are soon engulfed in the haze.  There's sunlight enough to tell it is still daytime, but little more.  It gives you a feeling of unease and the sort of chill not brought on by cold, but by waking in the middle of the night to some quickly forgotten terror.  The mist is also strange in that it doesn't move when you wave your arm though it like smoke or fog does.  It's as if mist just passes through your arm.  Creepy.

But then you hear a wail that makes the creepiness of the mist pale in comparison.  It's a far off sound that makes everyone in the boat stop at the same moment and just stare out into the haze.  It's quickly followed by  a much louder, closer sounding inhuman wail that is so terrifying that half the boatmen spin around and start paddling the other direction.  There's instantly panic.

"We're doomed!"  "There's no way out!"  "We have no bearings.  There's no way to find our way back!"

The boat lurches and sways on the calm waters as the crew descends into terrified chaos.

Everyone make Will Saves.

Sunna spins around, looking for the source of the wailing sound.

OOC: Sunna rolled 25 using 1d20+5. Will Save.

Glumr rolled 6 using 1d20+3. Will Save from the Wailers

Panic fills Glumr's heart for what are arrows and swords going to do against such sounds.  He looks for any way out of the situation.  There's nothing.  It's hopeless.

"The cursed island is our doom!" Glumr cries, a strange panic in his voice.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Fri 27 Dec 2013.

"I've changed my mind! This was a terrible idea! Let's get out of here!"

11:58, Today: Farden rolled 11 using 1d20+2. will.

Sunna keeps a cool head.  As scary as it is, it's still just a sound, and sound is her element.  She peers back into the mist, sure that the sound must be coming from inside a pit or tunnel somewhere on the island.  It can't be near as it sounds.

"Settle down men!" shouts the vanguard over the din or panic and confusion.  "Get your oars out of the water now!"

The vanguard looks a little scared too, but he's not letting it rattle him.

"We're not lost.  That erie light is all the marker we need.  Once we let these Triplefang off we merely row directly away from that glow and we'll be free of the mist."

The men follow his command and lift their oars out of the water.  Many of them are still frightened, looking around at the foggy murk around them, expecting some horror to leap out at them at any moment.  At least the boat has setled even if the boatmen's nerves haven't.

Perhaps Sunna can do something to calm them.

"It's not as close as it seems", Sunna says, surprised at how calm her own voice sounds.

The wailing sound makes her remember a song she once listened to, sung by a very skilled bard. Maybe this one could make the whole situation seem less threatening, there was a lot of hope and strength in this song and Sunna tries her best to make some simple changes to the text while still keeping the song as hopeful and powerful as she remembers it to be.
Her voice  is just loud enough for those of the boat to hear at first and grows a little louder with every verse.


The moonlight it was dancing
On the waves, out on the sea
The stars of heaven hovered
In a shimmering galaxy

A voice from down the ages
So in haunting in its song
These ancient stones will tell us
Belief must make us strong

The mist it wrapped around us
As we stood there on the shore
And listened to this voice
Like we never heard before

Our battles they may find us
No choice may ours to be
But hold the banner proudly
The truth will set us free

We wondered where our Gods were
In the face of so much pain
We looked up to the stars above
To find them once again

Is it not our place to wonder
As the sky does weep with tears
And all the living creatures
Look on with mortal fear

It is ours to hold the banner
Is ours to hold it long
It is ours to carry forward
Belief must make us strong
This message was last edited by the player at 15:53, Wed 01 Jan 2014.

The song does help.  There is a swell of courage inside each of you upon hearing the harper's inspiring words and music.  To Glumr, Farden, and Holly it's a bit strange hearing lyrics in such a situation.  They've become so accustom to the eye's lyricless fanfares and marches.  Still the effect of Sunna's song is the same, maybe even more masterful.


Soon Jurgen has control again and they are back to the job of paddling.  For a while it's hard to tell if you're getting any nearer to the strange glow or not, but eventually you make out the shadowy outline of a small island with a prominent tower.

"This is close enough," states the vanguard.

The four Triplefang pile onto the makeshift raft, oars in hand.

"We'll never be able to meet up inside this confounded mist, so we'll be just up wind of it 3 days from now.  I wish you luck."

With that you cut ties with the Ferisedan boat and paddle towards the island.

Glúmr hears Sunna's voice.  The words enter his thoughts and shortly he realizes that it has distracted him from the thoughts of those sounds coming from the island.  He shakes his head, hoping that will clear the confusion he's feeling.  Not sure why he was so panicked, Glúmr grits his teeth and grabs an Oar and positions himself to start rowing once the others are ready.

"Thank you. See you in three days, then."

With a last wave towards the Ferisedan boat Sunna gets ready to start rowing herself. She feels strangely calm now, maybe because she realized only now that there might be a chance to get through all this, despite everyone saying that certain death awaits on this island.
Once everyone is ready to row Sunna begins humming a song often sung by boatsman to keep in time with rowing or pulling up an anchor.

The wialing, the panic and the fear in both Glumr and Farden's voices held Holly in fear as well. Normally one to overcome such worries, she feels herself falling into a doom filled vision of the future, before Sunna pulls them through. Moving to stand beside her cousin, Holly waits until the song is down, and places her hand on Sunna's shoulder, saying, "Thank you."

With the raft now full of Triplefang and supplies, Holly takes up her oar and following Sunna's simple beat begins to row towards the tower and the light.

Thankful of calm waters, you row the raft successfully to very short, rocky, sandy beach.  There's only about 10-15 feet of beach between the water and a rocky cliff face that rises up to the foot of the tower.  You're unsure at first as to wether this is where you want to make landing.  However, the cliff is far from a vertical face.  Glumr believes you should all be able to get up the cliff safely.  He can make the first climb (DC 14) and take a rope up for the rest of you.  Additionally, there doesn't appear to be a welcoming party of undead here.  You'd like to get to the tower as unmolested as possible and save your strength for what lies inside.

Sunna smiles back at Holly, thankful that she could be of help.

Glancing up at the tower Sunna wonders where the source of the wailing sound might hide. But she shakes off the thought and concentrates on the problems down here: getting up the cliff safely and tying the raft down somewhere. She doesn't want the raft to be washed away by a wave.
"Is there something we could do down here to secure you on your way up?" Sunna asks Glumr and unrolls a coil of rope.

"I'll get out a blanket. While Glumr climbs, we'll stretch it out as a net underneath to catch him if he falls."

"Don't take any chances Glumr." Holly says, moving to take a corner of the blanket Farden is spreading out. With three people to hold it, Holly considers it of little practical use, but at least it might mean Glumr doesn't kill himself if he did fall.

"Not that we expect you to fall, of course." Sunna hands the rope over to Glumr. "From my point of view it looks rather difficult, but I'm not very experienced in climbing. In fact, this is my first try in climbing a cliff." She smiles apologetically and then moves over to Holly and Farden to take the third corner of the blanket.

"Dont worry, I should be able to make this without too much trouble."  Glumr tells his friends.  He hopes all the practice he did comes to play in this dangerous climb.

Glumr rolled 28 using 1d20+9. Climb the rock face.

Glumr pulls his silk rope and climbing kit from his pack.  In a few moments, he has the line secured with him, and is quickly scaling the rock face.  The ease in which Glumr does it makes everyone question if the difficulty was imagined or if Glumr's climbing simply makes it appear that way.

Shortly, Glumr is a ways up the rock face, climbing confidently, trailing the line behind him.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:49, Wed 08 Jan 2014.

OOC: It was mostly glossed over in the narrative, but you've all had some recent experience climbing.  Your journey to and from Sloss Hinterplatz involved a considerable amount of non-road mountain traversal, some of which required climbing as opposed to just walking.  None of this needed any skill rolls.  It was just assumed you took it slow and managed it.  This cliff isn't much steeper than what you encountered in the mountains, but it's more rugged.

From the top of the short cliff Glumr gets a better look at the tower, or what's left of it.  It's in ruins, which is strange since you could see the outline of the whole tower from the water and that strange glow still hovers up in space where the top of the tower should be.  There are crumbling outer base walls still 15-20 feet high in most places.  The complete tower was considerably larger than Coal's tower.

With the rope to help out, the rest of you can make it up one at a time without having to roll.  Who goes up first and who last?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:41, Wed 08 Jan 2014.

"Sunna, you better go up next, then the packs and then Farden. If I get into trouble I can call upon nature and then use the distraction to climb the rope." Holly says, taking a moment to fold the blanket up and look at there surroundings, wondering what animal life still survived on the cliff and beach.

As Holly looks around at her surrounding the first thing that strikes her is the complete lack of plants.  It's just barren rock and sand.  There are no birds in the sky either, but the poor visibility due to the strange mist would account for that.  This place is rather unnatural and creepy.

Sunna nods, takes a deep breath and reaches for the rope to climb up the cliff.


OOC: At least it's the first cliff to climb on a cursed island :-D

There's something coming out of the mist, six of them.  Glumr notices them first since he's closer and Sunna has only just finished climbing up the cliff.  They look like walking human corpses.  The corpses are very quiet, almost silent, and seem to glide more than shamble.  Holly and Farden are still down below and can see nothing that's going on above besides the fact that Sunna made it up safely, but Farden is in the process of climbing the rope.

Anything that's not right next to you in this mist is considered concealed (a 20% miss chance).  Up to about 20 feet you can make out shapes and some details.  For a few more feet you can make out shadows and outlines, but little more.  Who knows what else is lurking beyond 25 or 30 feet?

Glumr and Sunna need to roll initiative.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

"Um.....  Sunna?" Glumr says as he notices the forms coming out of the mist.

Glumr rolled 10 using 1d20+4. Initiative - Entry to Island of the Dead.

OCC - I didnt update my character sheet with the enchanted weapon stats and cant seem to find the post that explained it.

OOC:  The +1 bow is +1 to hit and +1 to damage.  The masterwork was already +1 to hit, so the extra point of damage is the only notable difference.  Of course there's the matter of your weapon effecting spirits and overcoming certain types of damage resistance too.

Holly is perturbed by the lack of animal or vegetable matter down where she is, wondering if it was the nature of the place or something more unnatural.

Waiting at the bottom of the rope, Holly wonders what else they might find on their journey.

Sunna looks up as Glumr speaks up and hurries to get on her feet.


OOC: Sunna rolled 8 using 1d20+2. Ini.

Init
----
18 Undead
10 Glumr
 8 Sunna

OCC:  Ugh.  They got above average on nearly every roll.  Makes it look like I'm fudging the rolls, but I'm not.  Stupid die roller.

The fight starts badly for our heroes.  Glumr and Sunna are caught off guard by the animated corpses pouring out from the erie mist.  Before they can even draw their weapons, the vile undead creatures are all over them.  Sunna narrowly dodges out of harms way of undead 1's charge, but undead 4 whacks her across the forehead and shoulder with a blunt, rusty sword.  Glumr is swarmed by opponents on all sides but only two of them (undead 2 and 5) attack.  Without time to get into a reasonable defensive position he's unable to fend off the attacks.

These things are unlike anything you've fought before.  They appear to have no regard for their own safety or wellbeing, intent only on harming the living.  Undead 1 and 2 have left themselves the most vulnerable of the six.  Undead 4 and 5 appear to be quicker, made only of dry bones and unburdened by the weight of dead flesh.

Sunna takes 6 points of damage and Glumr takes 10.  (Ouch!)

Farden may make a climb roll (DC 14 at his normal +3.  A skilled climber, I assume he wouldn't have needed to remove his armor and gear for what looked like a simple climb.)  If he succeeds he can move into F13 in round 2 or as soon as Sunna vacates the square, whichever is later.  If he does not attempt the roll or fails it he can finish his climb on round 4 assuming that Sunna has moved by then.  The only harm in attempting the roll comes if Farden rolls a 1, which will cause him either to fall or cling to the rope for the rest of the combat.

Holly hears what sounds like a beating beginning up on the cliff.  She can see Sunna dodging frantically, but can't see anything else of what's going on.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

"Guys, get back down here! It's too risky to climb up in the face of opposition!"

OOC: Glumr and Sunna should just climb back down and then we'll taunt the zombies. Let's see if they have any climbing skills!

Farden is delaying his initiative after Sunna and Glumr, to see what they do. If they decide to stick it out in combat, only then will Farden climb up to join them.

Climb check failed, anyway.

OCC - Is G13 a movable space?
Can I take a 5 foot step to h12, to prevent AoO, and climb?

You'd need a balance check DC 10 (you will not be flat footed, however) to stand in G13.

Glumr can take a 5 foot step to h12, and climb down the cliff not using a rope.  Undead 4 would be able to make an AoO for the climbing.  going down is easier than up.  DC12.

My bad.  Farden's climb DC with the rope should've been 10, not 14.  Did you roll a 1?  This could get interesting.

Sunna would draw two AoOs to climb down the rope, and by climb I mean a swift controlled slide down the rope.

Sunna would try to get down as fast as possible and slide down the rope.

Doesnt the 5 foot step negate the AoO?  Since the climb will be my action move this round after the undead has already moved?

The undead startle Glumr.  He turns around and goes over the edge, climbing down away from the undead.  He looks to Sunna as she comes down the rope.

Glumr rolled 15 using 1d20+5. Climb down.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:14, Sun 19 Jan 2014.

Holly sees Farden on the rope, and jumps back a little when she thinks he is about to fall. Stepping aside, Holly decides it is time to call upon a little assistance, and then realises she hadn't prepared the right spell for the day. Cursing, she slips loose the sickle and prepares to defend herself if more undead approach her from her lower position.

OOC: A 5 foot step never itself draws an AoO, but actions that leave you defenseless such as casting a spell, tying your shoe, or climbing still draw AoO.

As Glumr nears the cliff edge he lets down his guard for a moment to climb and the nearest corpse takes a swing at him, but this time he's ready for it.  He hops up and over the corroded blade, catching the rocky edge and flipping down out of the boney monster's reach.  Sunna very narrowly ducks under a powerful slash by the menacing carcass that charged her earlier.  She hops onto the rope and slides down as quickly as she safely can.

(Disregard the damage roll.  I had originally forgotten Sunna's dodge feat.)

Sunna is glad to be wearing a strong pair of leather gloves as well as curboili cuisses.  Sliding down the rope at speed would really tear through normal clothing and skin.  However, her trip comes to an abrupt, expected stop as she runs into Farden, who has gotten a hand tangled in the rope.  She gasps, clinging onto the rope with both arms and legs, afraid that she might've knocked Farden to a painful or fatal rocky fall, but the very problem that caused the jam keeps Farden from harm.  He dangles from one hand just below her.

Holly and Glumr see the accident.  Before they can figure out a way to offer assistance Farden loops the rope around one foot and frees his trapped hand.  Both he and Sunna are able to descend the rest of the way to the beach safely.  Glumr reaches the bottom of the cliff a little while later.

There is no sign of the corpses following you down.  They haven't even cut your rope.  You're not sure how much you trust them not to cut it if you try climbing back up.

It looks like you're all safe for now.  Both Glumr and Sunna are wounded, but none of the injuries are crippling or life threatening.

"What happened up there?" Holly asks, listening to their replies and growing concerned. "Well, that is unusual. Shall we try and find another way up, that doesn't involve us climbing, or shall we try again now we know what is up there?"

Here you stand, trapped on a slim strip of sandy beach with a cliff topped by murderous corpses on one side and the erie mist-shrouded sea on the other.   Morale is low, having just suffered wounds, a swift and totally unexpected defeat, and a clumsy retreat.  Glumr and Sunna have little to tell Holly beyond "We were ambushed by undead."

Now is the time for someone to step up, not only with a plan, but also some inspiring words to get the group motivated and ready for action.

Farden rubs his shoulder, working out the strain from getting caught up in the rope. "Right then, now that we know what's on the other side, we can make plans. The way I see it, we have a very nice, convenient cliff here. I say our best climbers go partway up the side and secure themselves to the face, then use lassoes or grappling hooks to rope zombies one at a time and yank them off the edge. We'll have people on the ground to chop the critters to bits once they land.

Or instead of lassoes, we can use the extra lamp oil I brought and just set them on fire, but that can get a bit tricky."

As he is speaking, Farden is pulling off his armor. Clearly, he plans to be one of those doing the climbing.

OOC: With my armor off, I've got a +8 to climb.

"The people who used to lived there certainly didn't have to climb up there, don't you think?" Sunna looks at Holly. "Finding another way up sounds like a good idea to me. They're not coming down, so we do have the time."

She turns to Farden.
"Fire sounds like a good plan to clear some of the mist up there, too. We weren't able to see much further than 30 feet or so. We couldn't even see the tower that is supposed to be there."

Sunna looks up at the cliff again and rubs her aching shoulder. "Well, no one said it would be easy.

But we already found out that here's a rather safe place. One we could retreat to if need be. That's a huge advantage."

So...  Farden wants to climb and pull corpses over the edge.  Sunna wants to find another way up, and likes fire.

I think we need the other two to chime in with their support or fresh ideas before I can move you forward.

Holly is at a loss to suggest anything. She isn't sure if it is an effect from the tower, or simply that she was having a bad day. Thinking on the two suggestions from Sunna and Farden, she says, "We could perhaps move the raft around the island to find somewhere better to land, but I suspect if we do then there will be a similar welcome party waiting for us. It might be easier to land, but there are likely to be more undead for us to battle and we might be outnumbered ten to one. I don't like the idea very much Farden, but I think your lasso attempts will at least tell us if there are more of them, and whether they can communicate or are being controlled. I suggest we let Farden try out his plan. If they don't die from the blunt trauma of the impact we can finish them off one at a time. What do you think Glumr?"

"I agree with you Holly."  Glumr says as he ponders the options. "We are close to the tower from here.  Considering our welcome party, we might have too many to fight through if we find another landing point.   Are there any creatures around we could speak with?  Maybe they could give us some insight in how to reach the tower."

"Beyond that, Farden's plan sounds like it has potential.  We know they are up there and we can take our time to see how these walking corpses deal with us.  I'll join you in your climb."

Sunna nods. "Let's try it, then."

The hemp rope that you used to climb and descend the cliff is still hanging there.  Glumr and Farden both have silk ropes they can use for this pull-the-undead-over-the-edge plan.  We'll call this a ranged trip attack.  It's easier to do with a grappling hook, so Glumr gives his hook to Farden, since he is confident in his well practiced rope skills.  Both men make their way slowly and carefully up the cliff to either side of the rope.

We will assume take 10 successes from these skilled climbers for the sake of speed and simplicity.

Sunna and Holly stand on the beach with their weapons drawn ready to chop up fallen undead.  Glumr and Farden secure themselves in place as best as they can near, but not too close to the top.  They squint into the think mist looking for shadows or movement.   At first they see nothing but then Glumr sees a vague, looming darkness in the mist.

Glumr, please make a rope use roll (DC 12) to use the non-weighted rope correctly, then a range touch attack (BAB +4, DEX +4, range -2), and an opposed STR check.

Glumr rolled 24 using 1d20+9. use the non-weighted rope correctly.
Glumr rolled 25 using 1d20+6. range touch attack.
Glumr rolled 2 using 1d20. opposed STR check.  (And everything was going so well)

Did I do this all correctly GM?

Glumr loops the rope out into a wider and wider oval until he finally slings it up over the cliff edge, letting just enough slack go behind the thrown loop.  The rope flies true to the target, wrapping around it.  Glumr gives the rope and tug to tighten it.  Then he leans back to yank the corpse off the ledge, but he loses his balance and has to grab into the cliff with both hands.

"A little help, Farden!" Glumr calls out.

Farden can't quite see the corpse from his angle, but he can see exactly where Glumr's rope went, which is almost as good.

Farden, please make a ranged touch attack (BAB +4, DEX +2, range -4), and an opposed STR check.

OOC: Can I simply reach over and give Glumr a helping hand?

Farden will do his best to snag himself a zombie, and then yank hard on the rope. If he can't catch anything with the hook, he'll try and grab Glumr's line and pull that instead.

16:31, Today: Farden rolled 12,15 using d20+2,d20+3. touch attack, STR check.

OOC: I envisioned the two of you further apart on either side of the original rope, but it matters little.

Farden hooks the already lassoed corpse and gives it a hard yank.  The thing stumbles forward and tumbles over the cliff edge.    Both Glumr and Farden frantically feed slack to their lines.  When the corpse hits the beach it shatters into a scattered mess of dry bones.  There's nothing left for Holly and Sunna to hack or pound on.  Glumr and Farden reel their ropes back in and wait for another corpse to come edgeward.

Several minutes pass without any noticeable activity.  That didn't thin the herd of undead out much at all, but at least you know the coast is clear if the team's two best fighters want to make their way onto the cliff.  You could time it so that Holly or Sunna would reach the top of the rope at the same time.  The battle might go better if you're not caught by surprise.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:24, Wed 05 Feb 2014.

Looking up to see whether the boys were looking to loop another dead one, Holly has to remind herself they are men, and then quickly looks down again.

Moving to the bones, she tries to discern how long they might have been undead, and whether they were human or other in their original form. Rolling a bone over, she begins to hope they could defeat these creatures, if she understood whether they were skeletal or zombie constructs. It just seemed so confusing to her eyes.

[Holly rolled 8 using 1d20+7. KN:Nature check on type of undead etc.]

Glumr looks down to the girls then yells over to Farden "Do you want to hit the summit all together with the girls?  Or should I sneak up and take a peak over the ledge and see what's up there?"

The bones are dry and old.  There's no trace of flesh at all and the bone material has begun to become more stone-ish. It's a shame that Holly didn't get to look at the skeleton intact, but maybe she can tell something from the individual bones.  The first one she picks up is strangely, but clearly a fox bone.  The next one is also a fox bone, but from a fox MUCH larger than typical foxes.  Fox, fox, fox...  This humanoid skeleton was assembled completely (except the skull) from bones from different sized foxes,

but why?

Sunna looks around for the weapon the skeleton might have had. At least one of them had a sword, she remembers. Not that she wants to use the weapon, she just wants to make sure that none of the undead will use it again.

Sunna finds a sword near the pile of bones Holly is examining. It's the shorter type that warriors favor on boats, and is a cautionary tale for taking good care of your weapon. It's blade edge is pocked with nicks and notches and is horribly dull.  The metal is also weakened by rust. Even the fitting into the hilt is a bit loose. At least the hilt is in decent shape.

Glumr awaits opinions on what tact he should take.  You can tell he anxious to get to the tower.

Hearing Glumr's call across to Farden, Holly stands up again and calls up, "Glumr, scout and if it looks ok we all go over together."

Holly moves over to Sunna as she awaits word if it is safe to climb and looks at the sword. "Sailors sword, possibly some poor soul wrecked and ended up here. The undead there is mainly made of fox bones. What that means I do not know, but my suspicions are ones I do not want to contemplate at the moment. Shall we get ready to climb if the way is clearer up ahead?"

OCC - Can Glumr make a listen and/or spot check from where he is?

"Foxes?" Sunna asks in disbelief. "That's... odd." For a brief moment she wonders what Reynard would say to that but then shakes her head. "Let's get ready. Looks as if the way is clearer now. I suppose the others don't want to be pulled over the edge." She grins and then tries to break the sword she found.

If that's not possible Sunna will put it to the ground again and kick some sand and pebbles over it before getting ready for another climb.

Listen - The undead who attacked you and Sunna were just about silent.  You can hear water, wind, and the sounds of your fellow Triplefang.  You don't expect to hear the undead.

Spot - You are welcome to move to the top edge of the cliff and peak over.  No spot roll necessary.  However, visibility is poor.

Something else has been bothering you.  You're pretty sure that thing you and Farden pulled over the edge had no eyes (or ears) how did it "see" you?  That's an important consideration in stealth.  Hiding from people is usually a matter of keeping quiet and staying out of their line of sight.  With animals, being downwind from them is important as well.  How do you hide from the dead?
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:44, Wed 12 Feb 2014.

Glumr winces in pain as he climbs up to the top of the cliff.  His side, wounded in his last trip up here, is still bleeding.  He peeks over the edge and scans the scene.  It's still and almost peaceful.  The rope is tied off securely where he anchored it.  There's no sign of living corpses.  Then again, he can't see more than 20 or 25 feet into the mist.  He's got a bad feeling they could be lurking just beyond his gaze.  He looks up. For a moment Glumr can make out the edges of the tower ascending to the strange glow at the top, but then the image fades back into the mist, leaving just the glow and the grey murk.

Who is going up the rope first?  Holly?  Sunna?  Neither?

With a plan in place, Holly takes the rope first and climbs to join the others and to see what is awaiting for them at the top. She runs through her prepared spells, preparing to use some fire magic if it becomes necessary. It was hard going, and Holly was very glad for the help of the rope aware her lack of upper body strength meant she was not a great climber.

[Holly rolled 10 using 1d20+0. Holly climb check.]

Glumr thinks about the undead that ambushed him and tries to recall if he heard footsteps or shuffling, or if the creatures were dead silent.

He uses some simple gestures and signals his friends that it seems clear but he cant see far.  His side hurts. The thoughts of where his healing potion is are in his mind.  He hopes to hold out so the girls can use their gifts to heal him.

Glumr has an idea.  What if he ties rags to his arrow heads and soaks them in holy water.  It might be worth a try when he has time to fiddle with things.

OCC - On his perch, can Glumr ready an arrow, or even attempt his idea while he waits for the others?
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:43, Wed 12 Feb 2014.

In his very recent encounter, Glumr felt like the undead just glided up on them.  He never heard them coming at they were almost on top of him and Sunna.

Glumr thinks back to his holy water training back at Goldenpoint.  There were 3 effective techniques:
* throwing the flask to break it on an undead
* lobbing the flask into a group and splashing them all
* pouring it directly onto an undead
This wet rag idea doesn't sound like it would deliver much holy water.  It *might* be as effective as the group splash method, but against just one target.  Bardi also said the splash method was the least damaging.  This said, you are welcome to *try* anything.  Keep in mind that holy water is an expensive and valuable item.

Glumr, Farden, and Holly time it so that all 3 arrive up on solid ground at the top of the cliff at the same time.  They are all 3 fully prepared for undead to come charging out of the mist.  There's at least a moment now to brace or prepare something.

Sunna waits until Holly is on solid ground before she starts climbing, too.

"The undead are made of animal bones, except the skulls", Holly passes on her findings to Glumr and Farden on top of the climb, and adds, "Bludgeoning rather than cutting should work best I think, as they look more skeletal than zombies. Is that what you guys spotted when you were up here first Glumr?"

Pulling her magically enhanced sickle into her hand, Holly waits to see what arrives.

"No, they were more like walking human corpses than human like skeletons from other bones"

Glumr draws an arrow and thinks about the spirit archer that will help guide his arrows.  He hopes Coal's enchantments work as she said.  He'd feel better if it was Elhonna's blessings helping, but there is yet no reason to doubt the spirits.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:53, Fri 14 Feb 2014.

Holly and Glumr are both right as 3 familiar looking corpses whoosh out from the mist at our heroes.  Two of them are somewhat fleshy corpses and the third, nothing but bones.

Everyone please make initiative rolls at +4 for being poised and certain of the attack this time.  Additionally, you can not be caught flat footed this time.

Init
----
Farden 25
Sunna 18
Undead 17
Holly 15
Glumr 10

Farden gets the jump on these corpses.  The instant he sees one he moves in to cut it off.  As he approaches he sees the murky shadows of two more.  Since he left his armor at the bottom of the cliff he decides to use an expert weapon defense instead of a more offensively efficient attack.  Even so, the spirit sword carves a sizable chunk out of the corpse's torso, nearly cutting it in half.  The blow would've been fatal to a man, but doesn't quite drop the corpse.  It looks like the thing will need to be hacked up even more.

Farden easily fends off the corpse's counterattack with a deft parry.

Holly and Glumr are also beset upon by undead.  The more nimble of the two attacks Holly with a small spiky club, but misses wildly.

Sunna may make a climb roll (DC 10)  If she succeeds she can move into F13 in round 2.  If she does not attempt the roll or fails it she can finish her climb on round 4.  The only harm in attempting the roll comes if Sunna rolls a 1.

I need round 1 moves from Holly and Glumr and a round 2 move for Farden.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

One note:  Though you can hear the commotion, Glumr cannot see Farden or what he's fighting at all through the mist, and Holly can barely make out Farden's location and hints of movement.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:04, Tue 18 Feb 2014.

Holly is surprised by the speed of the attack, and slightly worried she has to resort to figthing rather than the magic she had thought to use. Concentrating on the thing in front of her would probably have been best though, as he swing with the sickle misses and she has to defend herself against the next attack. She considered stepping around it, but wanted to give Sunna a chance to climb up and join them.


[Holly rolled 5 using 1d20. Attack F11 Sickle. MISS]

Sunna does her best to climb as fast as she can, but to not much avail.

OOC: Sunna rolled 3 using 1d20. Climb.
At least it's not a 1

Holly:  Still a miss, but don't forget to add your +4 to hit  (BAB +3 and magic weapon +1)

Sunna:  On the positive side, it's safer on the rope.

OOC:  In the interest of moving the game forward I'm going to take Glumr's turn for him.  I'm more disturbed by Farden's mysterious 3 week absence.  Hopefully he returns soon.

Much as Glumr wants to try out his spirit infused bow, it's not the right tool for close quarters fighting on a cliff's edge.  He tosses the bow to the ground away from the drop off and draws his scimitar.  With a deft slash, Glumr cuts the corpse across the throat and shoulder.  While the blow would've been devastating to a human it has only a small effect on the animated corpse.

Glumr's hit was within the threat range for the scimitar, but undead are not effected by critical hits.  The attack does 2 points of damage.


Farden hacks at the damaged corpse's other side, cutting the rest of the way through its torso.  The corpse falls to the ground in two unmoving halves.  Farden backs away a bit to rejoin the group and hopefully keep from getting swarmed by any more corpses.  Holly can see him a little better now.

He narrowly dodges one corpse's attack, but get grazed by the other one.  Farden grumbles about not having his armor.  Holly and Glumr are attacked too.  Glumr easily avoids harm, but Holly takes a solid and painful thump from the spiked club.

Farden takes 2 points of damage and Holly takes 6.

I need round 2 moves from Holly and Glumr and a round 3 move for Farden.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

Holly finds that her abilities with her sickle have seemingly left her, and that sums up her day. Her blade misses the undead in front of her, and Holly hopes Sunna can get up the rope before she starts suffering damage. For the moment she knows she has to stand her ground.


[Holly rolled 8 using 1d20+4. Holly attacks F11 with Sickle.
Even worse than last time! The gods are not with me at the moment it seems!]

Sunna tries to get to her friends as fast as she can.

Farden takes a moment to ready his shield (he did have it stowed away on his person, even if he left his armor behind). Maintaining his defensive stance, he takes a quick swing at the undead facing him, before taking a step back towards his comrades.

Declare Dodge on #3
Move: ready shield, full CE, current AC: 18 (19 vs #3)
Standard: atk on #3
23:45, Today: Farden rolled 18,8 using d20+5,d8+6. atk, dmg.
Free action: 5' step to FE9
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:14, Wed 26 Feb 2014.

Glumr swings the curved scimitar around again, deftly cutting into the undead creature.  Glumr follows the spin of his curved blade, twisting around to put a little distance between him and the creature.

"Group up on Holly!!"  Glumr yells to Farden.  "We need to stack up so we can get Sunna up here."

Glumr eyes his bow on the ground near Holly.   He needs to get some space between him and the creature and get help from his spirit archer.  This scimitar is not what he intended to use on these things.


Glumr rolled 16 using 1d20+4. Scimitar Attack!!
Glumr rolled 6 using 1d6. Damage to Undead 2.

Farden and Glumr carve away at the corpses, successfully defending themselves while retreating towards Holly.  The Druid is less lucky.  Her skeletal attacker hits her in her left arm with the spiked weapon. Better than taking a shot to the head, but not nearly as good as blocking with a shield.

Holly takes another 3 points of damage.

I need round 3 moves from Holly and Glumr and a round 4 move for Farden.  Sunna will arrive at F13 just after Farden's turn, having used her move action but will still have a standard action available.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:59, Wed 26 Feb 2014.

Seeing Holly in trouble, Farden takes a step back to hack at the undead engaging their druid.

Current AC: 18(19 vs #3)
5' step to F10
Attack #4 (-4 CE, +2 flank)
11:32, Today: Farden rolled 26,12 using d20+7,d8+6. atk, dmg.

One side note:  Farden's action wont have happened yet when Holly's action comes up.  If she takes down her opponent we'll use Farden's damage on #3 and his dodge on #7.

Holly almost cries out when she is cut, but bites her tongue as she thinks back to something Coal had told her about the spirit within her sickle. "Marina, aids me, for there is hunting to be done", and then swings the sickle blade through an opening in the undead's defences. Holly feels slightly disappointed when her strike again misses, and she begins to wonder if she should have come here today.

[Standard Action - Attack F11.
18:49, Today: Holly rolled 8 using 1d20+4. Attacking F11. ]

Glumr swings his curved blade down on the zombie for a second hit.  It connects, but glances off, delivering far less damage than his first swing.  Glumr frowns.  He wishes he had his bow in hand.

Glumr rolled 17 using 1d20+4. Zed 2 Scimitar Attack!!
Glumr rolled 1 using 1d6. Zed 2 Damage.
Glumr move to H11.

Once she has solid ground under her feet again Sunna positions herself to aid Holly.

She draws a deep breath, filling her lungs with the misty air, now that her lungs are not pressed against rope and stone. There is no time to think of a specific song or melody, but visualizing the misty surroundings turning into a sun-swept cliff helps her to begin with a rather powerful and joyful tune, not unlike the song she sang on the boat, but without words - for now.

OOC: If possible Sunna will draw her weapon.
If not, she will only begin a Bards Song (Inspire Courage).

Bardic Music (Inspire Courage) requires at least 3 ranks of perform.  Your main perform skill is wind instruments, so your masterwork flute is the obvious choice.  I'm going to say it requires at least one hand to play.  While using bardic music you cannot cast spells with verbal components, use activation words, or engage in activities which require two hands (such as loading a crossbow).  However, the effects of Inspire Courage last for 5 rounds after you stop playing.

Since your BAB is 1 or higher you may draw a (one handed) weapon as a free action.


Farden's attack catches Holly's tormentor off guard, smashing its bones with tremendous force.  The animated bones clatter to the ground in a destroyed pile.  He quickly spins around to fend off the other two corpses following behind him.


Sunna's strong flute song rings through the mist much like it did on the boat earlier.  You feel a surge of morale.  The fight is turning in your favor!

Everyone now receives a +1 to hit and damage.

I need round 4 actions from Holly and Glumr and a round 5 actions for Farden and Sunna.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

"Thank you Cousin". Free from attack, Holly calls forth her knowledge and her magic to form a small ball of flame in her hands, rolling it gently at the exposed undead fighting Farden. The ball grows quickly as it advances and hits the undead, flames leaping up and burning the creature and its clothing. Holly concentrates on maintaining control of the ball of flame as the fight continues.

[Free Action - 5 Ft step to E12.
Standard Action - Cast Flaming Sphere in E11 and rolling it to E9.
E9 gets a Reflex Save.
Holly rolled 6 using 3d6. Fire Damage on E9. How low can my rolling get!!
Holly HP 23/26.]

Realizing that smashing bones might require a bit more blunt force trauma, Farden drops his sword and draws his club. Taking a more aggressive stance, he takes a swing at the skeleton in front of him.

Dropping sword, drawing club. Dropping CE.
Current AC: 14 (15 vs #3)
Club attack on #3
11:28, Today: Farden rolled 22,6 using d20+8,d6+4. atk, blunt dmg.

This one is my bad.  I don't think I described your opponents well enough.   The 3 remaining corpses are somewhat meaty.  The only two so far that were down to just bones were the one Farden just smashed and the one you guys pulled off the cliff with your ropes.  I'll assume Farden is still attacking with the spirit sword.

Sunna continues her flute song for a few more moments and moves away from the cliff's edge and closer to Farden.

OOC: Continue Bards Song
Move to G11

My bad. I guess I have to buy "Perform: Sing" next level, or I'll make the same mistake again and again :(

Glumr swings his curved sword down on the undead creature for a third time.

OCC - Had some trouble with the dice roller.
Glumr rolled 20 using 1d20. Damage to Undead 2.
Glumr rolled 19 using 1d20. Damage to Undead 2.
Glumr rolled 7 using 1d6+1. Actual Damage Undead 2.

OOC: DOH!  This is Glumr's second would-be critical if undead weren't immune.



OOC: There's more bad news.  The sphere does 2d6 not 3d6.  At least it sticks around for 3 more rounds.

11:25, Today: Fritzholm rolled 18 using 1d20-1. reflex save (DC 16).

The corpse sees the ball of fire moving its way and glide-steps to the side at the last moment.  This is the most graceful thing you've seen these otherwise clumsy corpses do.

Glumr's hacking finally wears down the corpse and it slumps to the ground in a pool of rancid blood and ichor.

Farden also takes down a corpse with his determined sword slashes.


OOC:  The bardic music song helped in taking down both of those corpses.  The added point of damage was just enough. :)

The last remaining corpse decides to attack Holly's ball of fire, which has no effect at all, but three more corpses glide out of the mist. The quickest and boney-est of the three catches Glumr off balance and cuts his leg with a small axe.

Glumr takes 3 points of damage.


I need round 5 actions from Holly and Glumr and round 6 actions for Farden and  Sunna.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

Farden steps closer to Glumr, planning to help him, while hacking at the corpse nearest to him. As he does, he calls out, "Guys, can you hear something whispering about a breach? I think maybe someone's coordinating these undead towards us, we might have to run for it."

CE +4 AC -4 atk, still using sword.
Current AC: 18(19 vs #8)
5' step to G10, attack #8
16:28, Today: Farden rolled 24,12 using d20+6,d8+7. atk, dmg.

Holly was rather astonished that the undead creature was agile enough to get out of the way of the fire, but she concentrated on the sphere and tried again before moving it across Farden's front to attack his other opponent and moved it on to attack the creature in front of Glumr as well. Heading it back into the middle, Holly continued to concentrate on keeping it under control.


[Holly moves Flaming Sphere - E9 (attacking No.7), F9, G9 (attacking No.8), H9, H10 I10 (attacking No. 9) for total of 30 feet.
Holly rolled 7,5,4 using 2d6,2d6,2d6. Flaming Sphere Dmg as it moves - Ref Save possible.
No.7. poss dmg = 7; No.8. poss dmg = 5; No. 9 poss dmg = 4.]

This from the description of Flaming Sphere
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/flamingSphere.htm

"If it enters a space with a creature, it stops moving for the round and deals 2d6 points of fire damage to that creature, though a successful Reflex save negates that damage."

So you can only target one enemy per round.  I'll let you choose undead7 or undead8.  This time the corpse failed its REF save and will take 7 points of damage.

Brain out of synch. Been looking at Pathfinder rules. Doh!
Will leave it to attack Undead 7.

Upon hearing Fardens comment Sunna frowns, puts down the flute and switches the sword to her right. She strains to listen into the mist and makes a step forward.

OOC: move/step to G11, switch sword and flute. Listen.

Glumr swings his sword again, this time at the creature that came out of the mist.    It connects, the curved blade bouncing off the bones that compose the creature.

Glumr rolled 23 using 1d20+4. Attack Undead 9.
Glumr rolled 4 using 1d6+1.

Can I listen as part of the combat round?

Init
----
Farden 25
Sunna 18
Undead 17
Holly 15
Glumr 10

Fire burns undead 7.  Farden slashes undead 8.   Glumr hacks at the bones of his opponent, but he can't generate the power and leverage with the odd curved sword that Farden got with his spirit longsword to smash through bone.  The attack would've carved into the meatier undead, but seems to have no effect on this one.


The undead continue to close in, attacking Sunna, Farden, and Glumr, but our heroes are able to defend themselves completely.

Holly and Glumr can make listen rolls as a free action along with their other round 6 actions.  I need round 7 actions for Farden and Sunna.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

Holly continues to concentrate on the flaming sphere, allowing it to follow up behind the undead creature it had previously burnt, and she hopes by doing that the creature will not see it coming...

Something does register in her senses though, even as she concentrates...


[Holly rolled 10 using 2d6. Damage Undead 7 with Flaming Sphere.
Holly rolled 23 using 1d20+7. Listen - No companion =+7. ]

Sunna glances over at the unmoving undead to Fardens feet and then stabs at the undead right in front of her.


Sunna rolled 13 using 1d20+7. attack undead7.
Sunna rolled 7 using 1d6+1. damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:13, Tue 11 Mar 2014.

OOC: Actually a 13 is a hit.  These corpses may be durable, but they aren't particularly quick or armored.  Go ahead and roll damage.

Glumr spins his curved sword in for another crack against the undead.  He tries to make out what farden is talking about.

Glumr rolled 18 using 1d20+4. Attack Undead 9.
Glumr rolled 4 using 1d6+1. Damage to Undead 9.

The magical ball of fire follows the burning corpse, keeping it bathed in flames.  Glmur's sword continues to clatter harmlessly against the fleshless corpse's bones.

"Switch opponents with me!" Farden tells Glumr.

Farden drops his sword and draws his club to work on the dry bones, but this one is quicker than the other corpses and it evades the club.



Sunna jabs a mighty thrust into the chest of the burning corpse in front of her.  The blow doesn't seem to damage the corpse much, but it was teetering anyhow.  Once Sunna pulls back her weapon it slumps to the ground.


For a second straight round the undead counterattacks are ineffective.  It looks like our heroes have adjusted to the corpses strange, but predictable fighting style.

Let's have Holly's and Glumr's round 7 action and Farden's and Sunna's round 8 action.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:59, Thu 13 Mar 2014.

Keeping the fire ball under her control, Holly brings it to bear on the next undead dealing with Sunna, and brings it into contact without too much effort.

"There's nothing out there! We stand and fight." Holly shouts out, confident there was nothing going on out in the mist, and hopeful the others would take note. They were now taking down the undead, if slightly slower than wanted, but they were going down.

[Holly rolled 5 using 2d6. Dmg to Undead 6 - REF Save poss.]

"Aye!" Glumr yells back to Farden..  Glumr plants his foot and spins his around farden, leading with his sword.  Glumr follows the blade and plants it deep into the creature that Farden was just fighting.


Glumr move to G10.
Glumr rolled 23 using 1d20+4. Attack Zombo 8.
Glumr rolled 7 using 1d6+1. Damage
This message was last edited by the player at 20:07, Thu 13 Mar 2014.

A little surprised Sunna looks at the enemy that now lies on the ground in front of her, then turns her attention back towards the remaining foe in her reach.
Careful not to touch the burning sphere she stabs at the creatures chest.

OOC Sunna rolled 14,2 using d20+7,d6+1. attack + possible damage.

Undead6 stays just far enough away from the ball of fire to keep from bursting into flames.  The ball fizzles and dies out, having used up all it's magical energy.  Glumr blow fells the corpse Farden had already badly damaged.  Farden continues to have trouble with the very troublesome Undead9, nearly dropping his club in the process.  Sunna stabs at Undead6.  She sinks her weapon harmlessly into decaying flesh.  This feels very unsatisfying.  Perhaps this is the wrong weapon for the job, but what other choice does she have?

"Glumr, go help the ladies.  Surround it if you can.  Holly, use your sickle," suggests Farden.  His voice has an air of frustration.  You can charitably chalk that up to his lack of success fighting this clattering stack of bones.

Farden preemptively knocks his opponent's weapon down with his shield, thus making it totally ineffective offensively.  Sunna hops back just far enough that the corpse in front of her cuts her armor and not her flesh.

Round 8 actions for Holly and Glumr.  Round 9 actions for Farden and Sunna.
(long combat)

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

Sunna makes a step to the left to make some room for Glumr and Holly, then swings her shortsword around in a wide arc, trying to cut through the rotten flesh.

OOC: step to D11
Sunna rolled 21,7 using d20+7,d6+1. attack + possible damage.

That was the last round of Bard's Song for Sunna and Farden, right?

You've been fighting with a one-handed weapon.  I'm fine with you playing the pipes with your off hand.  We can say the song is still going.

Holly almost sighs when the spell runs out and she can stop concentrating on it. She had hoped to keep it going a little longer, but now she needed to get on with helping Sunna out with the undead in front of them. Holly is tempted to pull out her sling, knowing she is more capable with that in her opinion, but listens to Farden's call and instead draws her sickle again and steps forward to replace Sunna and to strike at the undead.

[Move Action - Draw Weapon (Sickle). Free Action - 5ft move to replace Sunna in E11. Standard Action - Hit undead 6 in D10.
Holly rolled 24 using 1d20+4. Attack Undead 6 with Sickle.
Holly rolled 6 using 1d6+1. Dmg Undead 6 with Sickle. ]

With a growl of frustration with this bag of bones, Farden switches to a full offense and takes a swing with his club, but once more the undead manages to evade.

OOC: Dropping CE, declare dodge on #9
Current AC: 14, 15 vs #9
10:29, Today: Farden rolled 10,9 using d20+8,d6+4. club attack, dmg.
Gorrammit....

"Okay...I'm moving!" Glumr yells to Farden.  He runs at the undead attacking the girls, leading with his curved sword.  Glumr raises his weapon and soon as he is in front of it he hits the creature with a powerful slice.

Glumr move to E10
Glumr rolled 18 using 1d20+4. Attack Undead 6.
Glumr rolled 7 using 1d6+1. Damage Undead 6.

Glumr and Holly hack major chunks out of the tripleteamed corpse.  Even Sunna's stab seems to do a little damage.  This corpse is close to finished.

The undead offensive drought continues.  Our heroes are unharmed again this round.

Lets have round 9 actions for Holly and Glumr and round 10 actions for Farden and Sunna.  Everyone still has the advantage of Sunna's music.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ang/cliff_battle.jpg

Holly tries to take advantage of the numbers game, but finds her attack simply bounces off the bones, and Holly simply tries to distract it for the others.

Glumr swings his curved sword down in a powerful arc and connects with the creature making a resounding wet thud.  Glumr hopes the creature goes down so he can make a break for his bow.

Glumr rolled 15 using 1d20+4. Attack Undead 6.
Glumr rolled 5 using 1d6+1. Damage to Undead 6.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:45, Fri 21 Mar 2014.

Yes.  Glumr's hit drops the corpse.  This frees Sunna up to do something else.

Now that the undead in front of her is finally down, Sunna moves over to Farden to help him with his foe.

OOC: Doublemove to J10, without provoking an AoO if I'm not mistaken (taking the long way around the undead)

Thanks for allowing the Bards Song to still be in effect :)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:26, Sun 23 Mar 2014.

Yep.  That's a legitimate move.  Farden goes before Sunna, though, so the flanking won't come into play until next round.  (If Farden doesn't finish it this round.)

12:28, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Farden, rolled 22 using 1d20+8. to hit undead 9.
12:28, Today: Fritzholm, on behalf of Farden, rolled 9 using 1d6+4. club damage.

Farden shatters the bones of the peskiest and last of this wave of animated corpses.

Farden looks around, trying to catch his breath.  It's hard to see much of anything in this thick mist.

"I tied your armor to the end of the rope," Sunna tells Farden.

"Thanks."

Farden hurries over to the rope and begins hauling it up, hand over hand.

"That was a mess," Farden calls out loudly over his shoulder. "But we learned a few things.  We need to do a better job next time if we run into them again.  No knives, spears, arrows, or those little swords.  They're worthless against those corpses, and don't bother aiming for the heart, just chop away on the fleshy ones.  Use axes and cutting swords.  For the skeletons, hit them hard with a mallet or hammer.  One of them was using a spiked club.  Someone grab that.  We'll need it."

"Oh, and one other thing.  If you get a chance, surround them like Sunna did at the end."

Holly listened to Farden, even though what he was saying was something they all knew and could all put in place when given the chance, but Holly knew the situation in getting up the cliff to this plateau had hardly been normal. Slipping her sickle back into it sheath, Holly considered her spell options and then drew out her sling. At least that was one weapon that would be useful in their next encounter.

"So Farden, what did you think you heard in the mist? I heard nothing, and I wasn't engaged in combat at that point. Could you pinpoint where it came from?"

Turning to Sunna, Holly said, "Thanks for the inspiring music."

Holly prepares to move cautiously forward behind Farden when he has put his armour on. "Anyone need any healing, or are we ok for the moment?" Holly asks.

"I could use a little" Glumr says to her.   "I never got to try my spirit arrows.   However, I would be happy to keep that club for close encounters unless someone else wants it."

Farden picks up his discarded sword and stows it as well as his other gear, then starts strapping on his armor.

"I just heard something whisper the word 'breach'. I didn't get a direction on it. Come on, let's gather up our gear and keep moving."

You cast a healing spell or two and gather up your gear.  Then you hustle to the tower, not wanting to run into any more roaming bands or animated corpses.  Form your original vantage point you thought you could make out the tall silhouette of the tower with its unnatural glow at the top, but the closer you get the more obvious it is that the mighty walls have crumbled and in no way extend up to the glow.  You have no idea what is actually suspending the source of the glow.  The walls still extend up 20 feet or more in places, but you find an area where rubble has collapsed outwards from the wall leaving a low crack accessible by a pile of stones and debris.  It's big enough for humans to climb up and through.  In fact, there's evidence that others have come this way.  The stones are stained a deep crimson.  That must've taken a lot of blood - much more than a single human could provide.

Healing:  Everyone was injured in some fashion in that skirmish.  Glumr took the most damage.  Holly and Sunna can cast any healing spells they want to before you reach the tower.  Just post what spell you're casting on whom and roll your dice.
HP:
Farden 28/30
Glumr 10/23
Holly  17/26
Sunna 16/22

[Use Lesser Restoration to cast CMW on Glumr. 2d8+4
20:33, Today: Holly rolled 11 using 2d8+4. CMW on Glumr.

Use Goodberry to cast CLW on Holly. 1d8+4
20:33, Today: Holly rolled 10 using 1d8+4. CLW on Holly.]

"Sorry Glumr, but that's the best I can do at the moment", Holly says as she uses one of her spells to call down Obad-Hai's healing powers to aid her cousin. She then turns the healing powers on herself to restore some pride and to give herself a chance to catch her breath. "Perhaps Sunna can help you out a little as well Glumr, I'll save the other healing until later."

Looking up, Holly says, "Perhaps we should get inside quickly, before more wanderers find us."

Sunna takes a look at Glumrs wounds after Holly has used her healing spell. "How do you feel, Glumr? It looks a lot better to me."

She glances at her own side, which still hurts from a blow of one of the undead, then carefully moves her arms to see if she could continue as is. After a moment she nods, puts away the shortsword an loads the crossbow. Just in case.

OOC: If I'm not mistaken Glumr is now on 21/23 HP and a CLW would be a bit too much, while Cure Minor Wounds tends to be a life-saver when things go wrong.

Upon seeing the blood stained stones Sunna stops in midstep. She looks up to the strange glow and then back at the blood. "I wouldn't be surprised if the blood is also mostly that of foxes", she murmurs.
"Maybe the voice meant this breach?" Sunna asks Farden in a low voice and points at the crack in the broken wall. "Do you want to get in first?"

"I'm doing much better... Not good as new, but I should live."  He says with a grin and a wink.  Glumr ties the club to his gear and holds his bow and a notched arrow, happy to have it in his hands again.

OCC - Stats for the club?

OOC: Simple, light weapon.  4 pounds.  1D6 bludgeoning damage.  x2 critical.

Sunna and Glumr cover the crack/entrance while waiting for a brave soul to venture within.

Farden nods to Sunna.  He doesn't like disregarding the obvious warning of torrents of blood having stained the rock here, but there's currently no clear threat.  He scrabbles up of pile of stones and through the crack.  Here he finds a spiral stairwell hugging the outer wall.  The collapse has sealed the stairway going down so completely that it has formed a small cistern full of calm water.  Going up looks like the only option.  It is too dark here to tell much more, but it's safe enough that Farden waves the others in.

You'll need a light source and a traveling order (the staircase isn't very wide) to continue onwards.

"I have the light cylinder if anyone wants to use it" Glumr says as he pulls his ever-burning torch out.

OCC - Can I stick the torch in the back of my pack giving me hands free?  If so, will have bow and arrow at the ready.

The torch can be tied to your backpack.  It can't burn you.  Still, strapping the light source to your body blocks a lot of the light.  It's best if someone holds it and can move it around.  You or whoever else carries it can drop it to free up a hand if need be.

Sunna will take the torch for now, then. She's not the one to be in the front row at first, anyway.

Deciding there's nothing worth scrutinizing here, Farden leads the way up the stairs followed by Sunna, Glumr, and Holly.  The inner and outer walls, as well as the stairs are extremely well crafted and solid.  They remind you of your time in Sloss Hinterplatz.  It makes you wonder what force, be it the long slow passage of time, some sort of natural disaster, a massive battle, or an act of magic, that caused this grand structure to fall to ruins.

About a flight up you reach a wooden door in the inner wall.  Settling of the walls has not thrown off the smooth tolerances of this well crafted door's fit onto the surrounding doorway.  It looks to open by pushing inwards. Before anyone does pushing of any sort, Sunna tilts her head and moves the torch over to the outside wall.

"Is that a girl?" she asks very quietly.

You follow her eyes up the stairs and sure enough there's a girl.  You only glimpse her bluish dress and light bluish-blonde hair from behind as she's walking up the stairs.  She's too big to be a small child, perhaps 10 or older.  A moment later she's out of your sight, leaving behind a barely visible, distant blue tint to the stairway.

"Great, now we're seeing mysterious children. For the record, no one is to go off alone to try and catch up with them even if they seem alone and hurt. We're moving forward with all due caution."

So saying, Farden continues to lead the way forward while checking for traps and ambushes, shield up and swords out. Coming to the stairway, he slowly heads up, tensed for trouble.

"What about that door?" Sunna asks quietly and points to the door at the inner wall. At least this direction doesn't lead towards the strange girl. Sunna looks up again, trying to figure out how far they have come and how far the undamaged part of the tower will continue.

Holly nods, agreeing with the sentiment Farden had expressed, and in a way glad that Snow was not with them. She suspected that her cousin would not have listened. The image of the girl tugged on Holly's own conscience, although she let it slip from her easily enough.

Sickle in hand, Holly was ready to take the torch if needed, and to defend herself if it came down to it.

The child makes Glumr feel uneasy.  "Do you think she's a spirit from the necromancer's family?  There's no way a girl is living out here." Glumr says in a whisper.  "This is creepy."

Glumr goes to the door, examines it and listens to see if he can hear anything through it, then looks to where the girl went. "So try the door, or follow the creepy girl."  Glumr whispers.  "I guess I vote door."

OCC - Old stone place like this must have dust?  Do we see our foot steps?  Did the girl leave any?  Can Glumr detect anything has moved through there to reinforce his suspicion of her being a spirit?

Glumr rolled 6 using 1d20+5. Listen at Door.  DERP
This message was last edited by the player at 14:28, Wed 09 Apr 2014.

"If she is a caster, she can produce food and water. Enough to survive anyways. But I agree, lets try the door. I'll keep an eye out for her." Holly says, turning to look up to where the girl had been, wondering if it was real, or as Glumr suspected a spirit.

OOC: The tower ruins are leaky.  Water appears to wash over the stairs on a regular basis.  They are a touch damp now.  That said you are an extraordinary tracker.  You may make a tracking roll if you'd like. Expect the DC to be quite high, that is if the girl even leaves tracks.

Glumr puts his ear to the door.  It is silent as a tomb.  He puts a finger to his lips and everyone holds their breath for a moment.  You know that noise the undead didn't make when they moved?  Well you're not hearing that sound now either.

Glumr stands up and opens the door.  There is an open room here with wooden walls, a warped wooden floor, and most of a ceiling.  A few faint beams of unnatural glow pierce through the bigger holes in the ceiling.  All of the furnishings in the room have been removed leaving only some very minor debris and a big empty space.  Just as your mind is making note of the emptiness a blue tint fills the room.  Literally out of the blue objects, sounds, and people take shape.

There is a large table in the center of the room bathed in the light of an opulent chandelier holding dozens of candles.  The table is set with several loaves, a stew or soup that you can actually smell, a cooked bird, and goblets of wine.  5 women, 2 men, and 3 children are gathered around the table, some standing and some seated.  You do not recognized anyone, but they clearly all know each other.

A lady in an elaborate gown, the style of which you can not place, holds up her cup.  She is perhaps old enough to have very young grandchildren or perhaps she is younger and the blue tint of her light hair makes her look more elderly than she is.

"The stones are simply transcendent.  Their effect is beyond our expectations," she says, lavishing her praise on a couple with their backs to you.

"Quite so.  Not only do they keep the wolves and goblins at bay, but even that pesky leach Imlay has been driven off," adds a seated gentleman in a fine coat and hat.

A laugh goes up at his comment.  You notice a dour looking boy sitting at the far end of the table was the only one not to laugh.  He merely stares off dolefully.  You turn to look at what he's gazing at, but there's nothing there.

"Yes.  You've outdone yourselves.  We're once again in your debt," says the woman, taking a sip from her cup.

"I can't in good conscience take any share of credit for this one.  The stones were fully Kelney's work.  Is she not the consummate enchantress?" says the male of the couple with their backs to you.

The female turns to him smiling.  Now that you can see her face, even just from the side, she draws your focus and attention away from the rest of the room.  Her hair and eyes are as deep a blue as you can imagine.  Her skin is flawless and her profile striking.  Less important details around the room grow fuzzy and are lost.  Kelney gets up, leaning over to quickly hug her husband before stepping back from the table to make room to curtsy in such a way the includes not just those as the table, but you standing at the door too.

Another jovial laugh goes up from everyone but the boy.

"You won't stay in our debt for long, dear Wynnie.  I'll ask for a favor in return soon enough," says Kelney.

As she turns away from you the stolen details return to the others in the room, balancing them out.

"You remember the Windblown Chief's Premier?"  Kelney asks leadingly.

Wynnie coughs, choking slightly on her wine.

"mom," interrupts the boy.

Everyone turns with a startle not unlike that of the first time you heard Reynard speak.  Wynnie looks a bit relieved at the well-timed distraction.

"i'm hungry," he states flatly.  Somehow, this emotionless utterance sends a shiver up your spine.

Kelney slips her way around the table to him, once again drawing you in with her room-filling presence.

"I know," she says, slathering comfort on the boy.

A full bowl of food sits in front of him on the table.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:07, Wed 09 Apr 2014.

Glumr doesnt like this view into the past, or spirits or whatever he may be looking at.  He looks to his friends, unsure of what to do.

He watches the blue dinner play out and wonders who they are.  He suspects the Howell family but what really is curious to Glumr is the comment the boy makes.

He whispers to his friends "The boy...There is something not right about things.  Considering they were necromancers, do you think something happened to the boy and they brought him back or raised him from the dead... or something?..   I wonder what he is hungry for if its not food"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:31, Fri 11 Apr 2014.

The blue tint slowly recedes and the scene fades.  When the room has returned to normal you have the odd feeling that nothing actually happened, yet you can still remember it.

Looking into the room you can see another door on the wall ahead and to your right and there is an empty doorway near the stone wall around to the left side of the room.

Taking the stairs up from here is also an option.

Sunna nods to Glumrs remark about the boy.
"I suppose they don't call it the Haunted Tower for nothing." She glances at the now empty room again. "But I don't know if I really want to know what happened to the boy. Another question that came to my mind was: what kind of stones where they talking about?"

"Hm, shall we take a look behind that door now?" Sunna points to the door to the right in the 'dinner room' and would, if no one objects, carefully move over and listen.

You all enter the empty former dinning hall.  the floor is badly weathered, but sturdy.  Sunna listens at the interior door and hears nothing.  She pushes at the door which sticks, requiring her to give it a hard shove twice to get it open.

This room is not only a good deal smaller, but badly damaged.  It looks like less than half of the room remains intact.  The rest has collapsed.  The outer stone wall has square wooden pegs driven into it, several of which are missing.  The wall itself is still complete up to about 7 to 10 feet above the floor.  The inner wooden wall is much worse off, almost completely destroyed, and the floor isn't in much better shape.  There are only a few splintering boards left of the ceiling.  The whole room is exposed to open air.

Sunna takes careful steps on the safe part of the floor, allowing the rest of you to look in as the air goes bluish.

Shelves full of all manner of small bags, boxes, and glass containers form along the outer wall and cabinets appear on the opposite wall.  The room is lit by 4 strong, steady glowing blue spheres hanging down from the ceiling.  Kelney stands near a counter or tall workbench.  Her husband appears right in front of you, so near that Sunna hops back against the wall with a startle to avoid him.  Neither of them is dressed as elaborately as before.  However, Kelney is wearing the same necklace of jewels as before, but there are now more gemstones than there were.  Her husband appears to be wearing some type of soft leather armor.

Kelney glares at her husband.

"Augustine WHAT," she says, biting back anger. "have you done to your eye?"

You see his right eye is covered by a rather handsome eye patch, matching the armored tunic.

"It is gone, my dear.  Don't worry.  I will find a suitable replacement," he answers.

"Gone?"

The enchantress narrows her eyes, calculating as anger slowly turns to concern.

"Gone where?  A sacrifice to the Queen of Thorns?  I warned you not to call on her."

"What's done is done, dear Kelney.  She offered me a fair exchange and I needed the boost.  We can't all be as naturally gifted as you.  In fact, none of us can.  I need assistance here and there to keep up."

Kelney steps around the counter and takes Augustine's left hand, holding it out and placing it on her right shoulder.  The move strikes you as a touch odd and it's as if Augustine is stuck in that pose for a while before the scene continues.

"You don't need to 'keep up'.  We are combined as one, together unmatched.  My glory is yours and yours mine," she says with a small, heartmelting smile.

"Stay away from The Queen," she adds much less sweetly.

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:50, Tue 15 Apr 2014.

The story unfolding is beginning to intrigue Holly as it continues to unfold in front of them under the strange blueish light. She wonders about the references being made to the Queen of Thorns and her own suspicions as to the little boys ailment from the previous seen. For the moment, Holly doesn't want to disturb the events by raising them with the others.

Once again the blue scene fades away.  Holly cautiously walks past Sunna to look over the broken edge of the floor.  Below you is the ground floor.  It must've had a very grand high ceiling in its day, but now it's a half uncovered wide open space teeming with milling corpses.  Holly's eyes grow wide.  The fight against under a dozen of the corpses had been troublesome.  This looks like maybe 5 times that many, maybe more.  Something to avoid at all costs.  It would take an army to clear this place out, and who knows how many more corpses are wandering in the mist outside the tower.

However, over to the far side you can barely make out a huge hole in the ground floor.  You might be able to drop a rope into the hole from a very thick wooden support beam that spans the entire diameter of the tower.  The mighty beam is the only thing that remains of the other side of the second floor, but there's no clear way to get to it from here.  Perhaps it's reachable from another part of the tower.

Sunna watches the ghostly scene with a mix of curiosity and horror. It's as if the tower itself is telling her a story. When the scene has vanished she looks around in the room once more, shuddering at the sight of the corpses down below, and then turns to the others.
"Seems as if we can't move on here. Lets try the other door in the dining hall, shall we?"

The group goes back through the empty dining hall to the doorless archway near the stone wall.  It's hard to tell how large the room you enter was meant to be.  Only the outer stone wall and parts of the floor remain.  A pair of small shallow puddles have pooled in two of the bent floor boards.  All four of you enter the room, staying close to the outer wall where the floor looks strongest.  You expect to see another blue-ish vision here and you are not disappointed.

Impressive banners and cloth tapestries hang down the outer wall.  Fur rugs cover the floor.  A roaring blue fire crackles in an unusually shaped hearth in a part of them room that has long since fallen away.  You can smell the woods burning and feel the warmth from across the room.  Equally so there's a muted chill seeping in from outside.  Augustine is slumped in a comfortable armchair.  He looks older or exhausted or both.  His eye patch is gone, but so is his left arm.  In his right hand he holds a silvery blue metal staff, perhaps 4 feet long, with a sharp point at its bottom end.

Kelney is in the room too.  While Augustine is wearing a full winter longcoat, Kelney is wearing only a few light, thin summery cloths the shade of blue to match her eyes.  However, she is wearing an awful lot of bling.  Bracelets, an anklet, rings, her very impressive necklace and even jewelry in her light blue hair.  One of this couple is not dressed for the temperature in the room, but with both the sensations of warm and cold here you can not tell which one.

"Oh dear, oh dear me.  Something is quite amiss, my dear.  Yes, not right at all, I fear," Kelney recites, flitting around the room as her husbands eyes follow her wearily.

"I cannot put my finger on the missing detail, though I fear it is quite large and glaring.  A piece of you is a piece of me.  I can feel the loss.  Something you're not wearing?" she continues.

Augustine is of little help.  He looks away from her without answering, but not for long.  His eyes return to watch her shortly afterwards.

Kelney twirls distractingly and seemingly pointlessly, but at the end of her spin she has snatched the silvery-blue staff from her husband's hand and cocks it back like a javelin.  He looks caught by surprise by the move, but somehow past caring.  The enchantress jabs the staff forward ferociously, sinking it deep into the grand armchair where Augustine's left shoulder should be, but isn't.  The staff sticks out straight ahead as though he were holding his left arm extended.  For an instant you can see his arm there instead of the staff, but a moment later it is the staff again.

"YOUR ARM!" she yells, in a sudden rage.  "And I KNOW just where it has gone.  The Queen.  The Queen.  THE QUEEN took it, did she not?"  Kelney swats at nothing in the air.

"No, you GAVE it to her," she howls in anger.  "Your arm is MINE.  You have no right to give it to her."

"I had no other choice," Augustine barks back.  "We have obligations, commitments, duties.  We have promised our powers to many, but you..."  he trails off.

"But I play games with chip and pawn and make men dance from death to dawn," she finishes, no longer furious.  A serenity washes over her and she returns to flitting around the room humming.

The blue scene slowly fades away.

"This is starting to get disturbing. Like a shipwreck in slow motion, an inevitable tragedy." mutters Farden. "By the way, I clearly heard someone speaking a few rooms back, saying that the man in these visions, Augustine, is still alive. How impressive that is I'm not sure, seeing as how we have no idea how long ago these visions occurred. Assuming they're even real."

OOC: Is there any way to guess a the time period of the visions judging by the patterns of clothing? Also, what's the knowledge check for the details on the name "Queen of Thorns"?
This message was last edited by the player at 10:02, Sun 20 Apr 2014.

"At least part of it, I guess", Sunna says and points at some scratches on the wall right next to her, saying 'MAKE MEN DANCE FROM DEATH TO DAWN'.

"But you said you heard a voice. From where? When?" Sunna asks curiously.

Sunna looks around in the room once more, wondering if there is another way to go than just turning back - and then taking the stairs up.

"Does anyone know anything about this Queen Kelney keeps referring to?" The bard looks thoughtfully in the distance, trying to remember if she has heard anything about an entity called Queen of Thorns.

OOC: I just looked into the bits&pieces thread and look what I found: Kelney :D

Sunna's Bardic Knowledge is probably your best bet for info on The Queen of Thorns and the time period.

Sunna may make a Bardic Knowledge roll and a Knowledge History roll.
Farden may make a Knowledge History roll and a Knowledge Arcana roll.

The degree of success of the Bardic Knowledge will effect the DC of the Knowledge History checks.

You've checked everything on this level.  Up the stairs appears to be the only reasonably easy to get to place you haven't checked.  You doubt there's much of the tower left above you.

OOC:
Sunna rolled 26 using 1d20+6. Who is the Queen of Thorns (knowledge history).
Sunna rolled 25 using 1d20+7. Who is the Queen of Thorns (bardic knowledge).
I guess Sunna did pay attention in history class :D 

There are many references to The Queen of Thorns in historical verse and sagas.  She must either be very long-lived or the title gets passed on through the ages.  You filter out what you consider to be the facts from the nonsense.

The Queen of Thorns is a strange red humanoid demon covered in sharp spikey thorns.  She deals mostly with female harpers, sorcesses, and goblins.  The Queen tends to stay out of various church business.  She has often been seen as troublesome and demanding with a nerve grating voice.  Her title of "The Queen" is derived from the air of vast superiority she assumes, treating everyone as her inferiors.

The Queen of Thorns deals in exchanges of arcane powers and items.  Her extensive magical powers include dimensional (and possibly time) travel, teleportation, the ability to sense people and items over vast distances, control of the elements including powerful elemental blasts, power to control humans and magical creatures as well as to fool the senses.  She also has a vast array of magical devices at her disposal.

Intriguingly, you know of a ceremony that can be done by arcane spell casters (like yourself) to summon The Queen of Thorns.  It might even work. Of course, be careful what you wish for.  Summoning The Queen is terribly dangerous.  She  is just as likely to demand you serve her, or blast you into smoldering coals, as do anything useful.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:00, Mon 21 Apr 2014.

Nailing down when the Tower of Sowell was built is tricky.  The clothing fashion in the scenes is unknown to you, probably dating from before the first contacts with the Empire.  Luckily, you remember some direct references to a sorcerous married couple who played important roles in the clan wars.  Male sorcerers are very rare in clan history, and this one is referred to as an "augarist".  That sounds like Augustine to you.  The clan wars took place before the birth of your elders, but after the war with the goblins and subsequent creation of The Dark Woods.

There are Dwarves still alive from the time of the clan wars, but no humans should've survived that long.  Then again, there are some strange time-spanning oddities out there.  Take Scottfard for instance.

There are also several mentions of The Queen of Thorns from the time of the clan wars.  This can't be a coincidence.

If you've got any other questions about history or The Queen let me know.  Those were a pair of boss rolls, so you can squeeze more info outta me if you need it.

"Maybe this Queen was somehow able to help Augustine survive that long", Sunna muses and tells the others what she remembers from stories and legends regarding both Queen and her guess about the time the tower was built.
"But I don't know how it would help us with our search here, at least for now. Shall we take a look upstairs? And could you show me where you heard that voice on our way, Farden?"

"I heard the voice just after the second vision. In the place that looked like a dining hall." replies Farden distractedly, as he is racking his brains trying to figure out how long ago these visions were, and anything else he can add to Sunna's knowledge.

14:14, Today: Farden rolled 14,6 using d20+2,d20+2. know: arcana, know: history.

You're impressed with Sunna's knowledge of The Queen.  It jives with what little you've heard about her, mainly that she's a spikey red screamin' demon.

You walk back through the empty dinning room to the stairs and follow them up where you first saw the girl.

The stairs lead up to another door, but the tower walls are very badly damaged up here and the broken and crumbling stairs don't continue much past the door.  You can look up and see the erie shining glow.  It doesn't look like it's that far away and shines strongly enough to cast dim shadows through the mist.

Farden, who led the way, deftly leans his shoulder into the door to knock it open.  A blue glow similar to the others engulfs him and the area past the door much more suddenly then it had before.

Farden screams in terror.


While Farden holds his ground the blue form of a man staggers back from where Farden is standing with a look of horror on his face.  The blue-ish man is not Augustine.  You reflexively get out out of his way, but not before seeing what the man saw through the door.

The girl in the blue dress is lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood.  The back of her head is cracked open from a violent blow by a heavy object.  Her left arm has been torn or cut off at the elbow and the hungry boy from the first vision is chewing remorselessly on the severed arm.

"Your..." the man stammers  "Your boy is a... MONSTER!"

You turn to see that the man has taken a few steps down the stairs and is now facing Kelney Sowell, who is about 6 feet from the man.  She is dressed in magnificent robes (different from what she wore in the dinning hall) and her signature jewelry.  She looks vibrant, breathtaking, and somehow awe inspiring.  She raises her arms and commandingly intones a few short arcane phrases.  The man looks to his left and right in a panic.  He steps backwards one step up the stair, but his heel catches on the edge of the stair and he falls back against the stairs.  Two blazing rays shoot from Kelney's raised hands and burn two massive holes through the man's chest.  The man arches up for a moment and then slumps lifelessly, his shirt catching flame.  The damage to his chest and shoulder is so severe that his left arm falls off completely.  Kelney walks past the man's body, idly dousing the upstart flames with a magical spray of water, to go check on her son.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:33, Fri 25 Apr 2014.

On the way back through the dining hall Sunna looks around for any source of the voice Farden had heard earlier but hurries to catch up with the others.

When the blue scene suddenly appears Sunna almost jumps back in surprise, then takes a deep breath and stares at the scene. For a moment she wonders why everyone except Kelney and her boy seems to lose their left arms one way or the other and shakes her head at the thought.
"Something was not right even before it became the Haunted Tower", Sunna whispers to the others and nods at Kelney and the boy, expecting the scene to fade any second. Something was not right with the boy and Sunna suspected that Kelney had something to do with it. How could a child turn into... this? Assuming that the boy was Kelneys child and not something else from the start.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:17, Sat 26 Apr 2014.

The others are willing to stop in the empty dining room and let Sunna have a look around.

"Where were you standing when you heard the voice?" Sunna asks Farden.

"Wait.  It wasn't in here.  It was that room, over there," Farden answers pointing to the door on the right side of the room.

The two of them go back to the door and Farden stands where he watched the blueish scene unfold with his sword and shield at the ready just as they are even now.

"It was after they struck that strange pose with his arm extended, just before she told him to stay away from The Queen."

Sunna searches around meticulously for any clue of the source of the voice Farden heard, while Farden tries to stand still where he stood.


Sunna, you may make a search roll.

"Over there you said..."

OOC: Sunna rolled 7 using 1d20+1. Search..
Nothing, I fear.

As Farden watches the man get blasted, he tries to recognize what the spell is, but comes up blank.

15:04, Today: Farden rolled 11 using 1d20+4. spellcraft.


Later, as Suna is searching the room, Farden speaks up. "Umm... I just heard the whisper again. It asked what the 'nightingale' was searching for - I think it means Sunna - and said that there's nothing to find here."

He pauses to think for a minute, then remarks, "A ghostly voice that gives a guided tour. Anyone ever hear about something like that?"

"It could be simply a ghost", Holly says and then adds, "Or perhaps our enchanted items are trying to guide us, considering how Coal enchanted them..."

OOC: Sunna's search for the voices Farden is hearing took place before you went up the stair and saw the scene of the man getting blasted.

Holly's idea about the enchanted weapons makes sense.  Farden *has* had his sword drawn each time he's heard the whispers.

Once the blueish scene fades away you carefully walk into the 3rd floor room.  The floor on this level is in bad shape.  The wood has been directly exposed to the elements and clearly subjected to some devastating, violent physical assault.  (It will require closer examination to tell more.)   The main support beam has been destroyed and only the structure of the floor below is holding it in place.  Both the interior and exterior walls are ruined.  You can see what's left of a doorway near the exterior stone wall, but there's little or no floor there.  You could enter that room by stepping over the collapsed inner wall.  That part is near the center of the tower, so you might be able to get down to the second floor beam from there.

Sunna considers Hollys words for some moments and then nods slowly. "You could be right about that, Holly. It feels strange to being guided through a haunted tower by ghosts, though."

"I wonder what the source of this destruction was", Sunna says,
then looks up and tries to judge the distance to the eerie glow, that has to be somewhere near now.
Then she turns around and examines the walls and floors a little closer. Anything that gives her a few more moments not to think about the way down and the things wandering around down there.

Sunna steps to where she has a clear look at the glowing sphere above her.  It's hard to accurately judge the distance since she has no idea how big it is but her best guess is within 20 or 25 feet.  It would take throwing or firing something at it to judge the distance more accurately, but you're not completely sure that's a good idea.

The floor and stone walls give you some clue as to what happened.  There's no real sign of charring or fire damage.  The grain of the wood where it's broken off is snapped downwards and the outer walls show signs of being broken outward (though there has been a considerable amount of erosion too.)  That's the opposite of what you expected.  Most defensive walls are destroyed inward from outside.

"Perhaps not ghosts as the tales tell it, but spirits bound to our items and to us in some way wanting to help out. Or get out!" Holly adds with a little sense of worry. Drawing her sickle, she says, "I wonder whether we should search downwards more?", and listening for any whispers that might be coming from around her.

When Holly steps over the destroyed remains of the interior wooden wall to get a better look at potential ways down into the depths of the tower base a familiar blue tint fills the air once again.  This time it's out over empty space.


Two men stand just inside a balcony with the thick, oaken, shutter-like doors thrown wide open.  One man is clearly Augustine with his arm intact but once again sporting the eye patch. The other man you don't recognize.  He is shorter and older than Augustine Sowell.

The shorter man is looking out to the sea or a courtyard it's hard to tell because of the thick mist, which was clearly not an issue when this scene took place.

"They're dead?" asks the man in disbelief.

"Not really.  They were once dead, but no longer.  They're ready to do battle again.  More durable this time.  Just don't expect any heroics or creativity."

The man turns and passes Augustine a pouch that he seem reluctant to give up.  The magician pours a few blue gemstones out into his hand and back into the pouch before handing the man a very light blue carved charm a bit smaller than a knife.

"This will let you command them.  When the last one falls the totem is worse than useless.  Pitch it into the sea as soon as you can."

The man nods at the advice and tucks the charm inside his vest.

"Where is your lovely wife?  The tower is less radiant without her presence."

"She has gone to Trellor.  You have no doubt heard of her sister's...  disappearance.  They have family there," answers the sorcerer.

"Ah, Trellor.  That is good to hear.  My clansmen are full of tales of a breathtaking witch leading four flaming tigers at the Battle of Low Plains turning the rain to a shower of fiery rock.  It not the first rumor of the sort either.  I was beginning to worry that...  Well, the Low Plains are nowhere near Trellor.  That puts my mind at ease."

Augustine narrows his lone eye at the man.  His tone turns icy serious.

"If you ever hear a clansman imply this witch you speak of might be my beloved Kelney and don't correct him in the strongest possible way, I swear your tongue will be forfeit if not your whole throat.  Am I clear?"

The man swallows hard.  He is about to answer when he flickers and fades away, but Augustine, the balcony, and doorway remain.  With the man no longer there Sowell's gaze falls directly on Holly.  He holds out his left arm pointing straight at her.

"You should not be here," Augustine says in the same forbidding tone.

The bluish scene disappears instantly.

There is a moment of unsettling silence and then winds begins to blow, lightly at first but growing in force, from two opposite directions.  The air swirls and howls through the ruined tower.  Two dark, terrifying, gray apparitions shoot up from the very walls of the castle into the air.  They are human sized personifications of tattered death and malevolence wrapped in shredded ethereal gray cloaks.  Their arcs crest and both horrible spirits dive down at you.

Everyone make initiative rolls.

Sunna watches the scene with interest and starts to think about stories she'd heard about a Battle of Low Plains when Augustine suddenly points at Holly. Surprised Sunna makes a step back just in the very same moment as the ghosts appear. "Watch out!"

OOC: Sunna rolled 20 using 1d20+2. Initiative.

OK, lets get this started and hopefully Farden will join in.

Init
----
Glumr 22
Sunna 20
Grey Spirits 14
Farden 7
Holly 7

The malevolent grey spirits are flying a good deal above you.  Please add 10 feet to the distances on the map when targeting them right now.  Glumr and Sunna can act now or wait until a spirit swoops in closer. (within point blank range or brace for a melee attack, for example)  Either way you'll probably go before the spirit, so get your rolls done now.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ower_flr3_battle.jpg

Sunna watches the spirits, carefully taking a step backwards, away from the edge of the floor and aims at red eyed one, waiting for it to come a bit closer.

OOC: step to H11, load crossbow (not certain if I did it before) and shoot once spirit 1 is in range. I'm not certain if the "Descindar" thing is helpful against these things, since they are sort of corporeal right now, right? Sunna will try it nonetheless.
Sunna rolled 21 using 1d20+6. crit?
Sunna rolled 26,7 using d20+6,d8+1. attack spirit 1, possible damage.

Glumr puts his back to Sunna and draws and fires two arrows in rapid succession at the other spirit.  "Sunna, head toward the door way!!!  Farden, lend us a shield?!??!" Glumr yells to his friends as he steps toward Farden.


Glumr rolled 21 using 1d20+9. Arrow 1 @ Spirit 2.
Glumr rolled 29 using 1d20+9. Arrow 2 @ Spirit 2.
Is this a critical (being ghosts and whatnot I'm not sure)?

Glumr rolled 9 using 1d8+2. Damage Arrow 1  (+1 point blank & +1 from enchantment?)

Glumr rolled 28 using 1d20+9. Arrow 2 Critical @ Spirit 2.  Critical Hit?!?!
Glumr rolled 12 4*3 using 1d8+2. Critical Arrow 2 Damage (Triple critical multiplier?)

Hope the crits work.  And too bad I didnt get that 9 for the critical damage.

Glumr moves to H12

Sadly, the undead are unaffected by critical hits.  It feels like we've gotten more crits here on the island then the whole rest of the campaign so far!  Yes, it's a good thing you used the Descindar power.  These malevolent grey spirits are incorporeal.


Both spirits shriek in pain and surprise when your specially enchanted bolts and arrows punch noticeable holes in their essence.  They swoop down and make easily avoided strafing runs at our two archers before flying back up into the air.

The spirits are too high to make melee attacks against, but you may wait and stand your ground (or move and stand your ground there) to make an attack if one draws near enough.

I need Farden and Holly's round 1 action (wait and attack is an option, go ahead and make an attack roll and it'll happen just before the spirits action if one comes close enough)
I also need Glumr and Sunna's round 2 actions.

http://zachery.path.med.umich....ower_flr3_battle.jpg

Holly moves to stand besides Farden, drawing her sickle into a defensive position ready to strike the next time the ghosts come down. "Not sure I can do much, but here if they strike down again Farden".

[Holly moves to G14 and thens waits to attack any swooping spirits.

12:32, Today: Holly rolled 21 using 1d20+4. Held action - Sickle Attack.
12:33, Today: Holly rolled 5 using 1d6+1. Poss Sickle Damage - Held attack. ]

Glumr takes another step toward his friends in hope that they might be able to hit the creatures if they try and attack him or Sunna since they are using ranged weapons.  Never taking his eyes off his target, he draws two more arrows in rapid succession and fires them at the flying creature.


Glumr move to H13

Note:  I count less than 30' to Spirit 2.  If that's wrong, then I will use Spirit 1 as to not to take a penalty.

Glumr rolled 24 using 1d20+9. Arrow 1 @ Spirit 2.
Glumr rolled 18 using 1d20+9. Arrow 2 @ Spirit 2.
Glumr rolled 6 using 1d8+2. Damage Arrow 1.
Glumr rolled 6 using 1d8+2. Damage Arrow 2.