Vithrian:

The Captain, two of his scimitar wielding guards and you enter the tower.

Beyond the mighty doors is a short passage, leading to the ground-floor chamber of the tower. The chamber is sparsely furnished, with a rough wooden table and a few chairs. Hanging against the walls are various cooking utensils, and sides of meat. On the other side of the room there is a large fireplace with a chimney-breast. Around the walls of the room, a spiral staircase ascends to a trapdoor in the high, arched ceiling.

One of the chairs has been knocked over and some cut strands of rope lying nearby on the flagstones. More worrying are the shattered remains of over a dozen large, hairy spiders. The floor is slick with the yellowish ichor from the dead spiders and the smell is beyond description.

Captain Jafar narrows his eyes and curses under his breath: "There's been a fight. You two-" he jabs a meaty finger in the direction of the two guards - "make sure no one else gets in here. You follow me Elf."

So saying he starts moving up the stairs with surprising agility for such a big man.

Lady Carolina, Mannath & Tarrian

Hammet's head flops to the side as you shake him, exposing a thin red line that had been hidden by his beard. His robes feel damp to the touch and suddenly you realise they are not simply naturally dark but stained with blood.

Hammet the Dash, loyal servant of Baron Bluestone and his wife is clearly dead, his throat cut open. Judging by his vacant smile it looks like Nundrum hypnotised him first.

Gripped in the unfortunate wizard's hands is a beautifully carved wooden box with writing inscribed on the lid - apparently in the common tongue though you'll need to pick it up to get a closer look.

Vithrain follows the captain up the stairs. He waits a small distance away from the trap door until the captain has opened it and gone through.

If no immediate sounds of fighting or problems come to his ears Vithrain carefully moves forward to see if anything can be seen through the trapdoor.

Elstarir:



The roof of the tower is made of rough flint stones. A tall flagpole in the centre flies the Baron's emblem - a crowned sea-dragon. As you arrive you catch a fleeting glimpse of Baron Bluestone leetering on the parapet of the tower... but then plummeting to the rocks below! His opponent turns slowly round, chuckling insanely to himself. When he sees you, he scampers over to the flagpole. He grips it firmly - and spins effortlessly up it, right to the top! His voluminous grey robe billows in the breeze and hides his features. He cackles at you.

"Looks like we're a bit late, aren't we?", he squeals. "Your precious Baron's not much use now, is he? He had no sense of humour, anyway!"

Mannath's eyes were drawn to the box. His natural curiosity had made him some coin over the years, and also gotten him into a fair amount of trouble. He approached the body and looked at the box, careful not to touch it yet. He looked at the writing, trying to work out what it said. He know his letters, but was no scribe.

As Vithrain glances carefully in to the room he sees a beautiful, dark skinned young woman leaning over a man sitting on a couch. He is wearing the robes of a scholar.

Vithrain also sees what appears to be Tarrian's bare feet. She is standing at the edge of the trapdoor. Captain Jafar currently blocks Vithrain's view further.

Unsure exactly what is going on, or why Tarrian is standing so still and not doing anything Vithrain backs up slightly so that he is just out of sight. Something doesn't feel right but he's not sure quite what just now.

Moving around under the trapdoor Vithrain tries to position himself so he can see more of Vithrain while not being seen by the dark woman or the scholar. Hopefully the captain will move further into the room.

As he exited the stair well the young elf's stomach sank as he saw the baron fall out of sight. Then his attention was focused on the figure leaping up the flag pole.

From the trap door Elstarir  raced across the roof berating himself for not having drawn his bow before climbing out but with sword in hand he made a swing for the leaping figure neither the less.



OOC: 11:31, Today: Elstarir rolled 7 using 2d6. sword attack target 8 or less.
11:32, Today: Elstarir rolled 6 using 1d6. damage = 4 points damage
This message was last edited by the player at 11:34, Mon 21 Jan 2013.

On the first floor of the tower...

"Mannath, leave the box alone," Tarrian urged.  "Let's hasten to the roof.  I'll run this hypnotist through, and we can end this nonsense."

The first floor of the Tower... (Lady Carolina, Mannath, Tarrian and Vithrain)

A large, stern looking man in a turban who Lady Carolina recognises as the Captain of the City Guard pulls himself up through the trapdoor, revealing Vithrain standing on the steps below him. The Captain looks around the room, his eyes taking in the adventurers, Lady Carolina and at the corpse of unfortunate Hammet the Dash sitting on the couch.

Captain Jafar looks first to Lady Carolina: "Are you alright your grace?" His voice is naturally loud and hard. Shooting a suspicious look at Mannath and Tarrian he continues: "Are these two companions of the Elf wizard? Get up here Elf!"

Top of the Tower... (Elstarir)

A brave attempt but perhaps too late as the assassain is already at the pole top, out of easy sword reach. Not that this is your only problem...

Even as you run across the roof you hear a gasp from the crowd far below. A shadow falls over the tower summit. Hovering majestically some twenty meters above your head is a vast marrow-shaped flying vessel. Beneath it hangs a small, luridly coloured gondala, from which trails a rope. The assassain grasps this and pauses to shoot you a mocking smile.

"I do so hate goodbyes. Maybe we'll meet again... or maybe not." So saying he pats the top of the flagpole, and spins up the rope to the gondala.

Something is happening to the flagpole. Almost at once it has begun to move and warp as if alive, the wood turning green and scaly. Within seconds the top of the flagpole has transformed into a serpent's head, the proud pennant of the baron into a flickering forked tongue. The flagpole has turned into a GIANT SNAKE... and with a hiss it attacks!

GIANT SNAKE
SKILL 7 STAMINA 11

Armour: 0 0 0 0 1 1
Attack: 2 3 3 3 4 4

The great reptile is still attached by it's tail to the roof of the tower. If you win an Attack Round you may escape back through the trapdoor rather than inflict dammage.

lady Carolina drops Hammet's body and dashes up the stairs: "Quick, let's go up! the Baron is in danger!"

Vithrain climbs up into the room and looks around. Seeing the man with his throat slit makes him shudder. Violent deaths were never his favourite viewing past-times.

"Manath, Tarrian, who are these two people? No, never mind. Where is Elstarir? Is the Baron saved?"

Then Vithrain's sight lighted upon the box in the dead mans' hands. Within a second he stood over the box and reached out a hand to touch it. When he was a small lad Vithrain had realised he had the ability to know an items magical properties simply by touching them and concentrating. He did this now and because of the years of practice the ability came to him easily.

GM - magical box? (Using Attuned)

The first floor of the Tower... (Lady Carolina, Mannath, Tarrian and Vithrain)

Captain Jafar hesitates, clearly not liking what is going on here but recognising Lady Carolina is right. Casting the companions a dark look the broad shouldered guardsman races up the stairs to the trapdoor leading to the second floor.

The elf stepped back as the pole shimmered and changed. His stomach was in his mouth never had he come up against such evil but he was not going to let that stop him.

Bracing himself against the parapet he swung his sword over his head and brought it down towards the fleshy area where the snake and post were still transforming.


OOC: 12:48, Today: Elstarir rolled 4 using 2d6. 4+8=12

13:03, Today: Elstarir rolled 7 using 2d6. snake attack 7+7=14.

2:49, Today: Elstarir rolled 3 using 1d6. snake damage damage = 3pts No armour Elstarir takes 3pts Stamina 11
This message was last edited by the player at 13:08, Tue 22 Jan 2013.

The first floor of the Tower... (Lady Carolina, Mannath, Tarrian and Vithrain)

The box has the following inscribed on the lid in copperplate writing:

quote:

'If you would see what I contain
And maybe learn some news of gain,
Solve this riddle, drop me in it,
Wait for the click, then pull me from it.
I will be open, then you'll see
The reason for this riddle-me-ree:

'It trembles at each breath of air
And yet can heaviest burdens bear,
It shows no mark when it is hit
And more - you're mostly made of it!'

Taking but a few seconds to read the text on the box Vithrain gives a small smile then picks up the box, which he now knows to be benign in nature. The puzzle was one his human companions could have solved, let alone a scholar and magician such as he.

Vithrain looks around him while his companion and the captain head up the stairs. He is torn inside - part of him dearly wants to head up the stairs to help his brother and friends, but the other part of him wants to know what is in the box.

Speaking to himself out loud Vithrain says, "What if the contents of the box can help us with the current situation!? I must open it and see. Vithrain looked around for a washing basin or water source.

If he sees one he shall hurry over to it and place the box under the water then listen for a click. Once the lid has un-locked he will pull the box out and open it with the opening facing AWAY from himself (hinges towards his body).

"No idea, I thought he was with you."

Seeing the guards following up the stairs his natural instinct kicked in. He help up a hand in a placating gesture, then pointed at the body on the floor. "It wasn't me, honest. Ask her." He pointed at Lady Carolina as she disappeared up the stairs. "I think the Baron's up there somewhere."

Looking back at the box he studied the writing for a few moments. His knew his letters, but struggled a bit with the fancy writing. When Vithrain stepped forward to assist he was happy to hand the box over to allow the wizard to help.

As the elf applied his brain to the situation, Mannath scratched his wounds. He showed the bitemark to Vithrain, and enquired of him, "Can your magicks help with this? It itches like the devil."

Once the guards had gone past he took the opportunity to search the Hammet's body, and then check this chamber for anything useful/valuable/interesting.

OOC - Vithrain, the bitemark is from one of the tarantulas, you would have seen the squished bodies downstairs. On the site of the bite I have a nasty black hair growing out of the wound, which is very irritable and distracting. If you have a healing spell that would be cool.

Leaving Vithrain and Mannath to investigate the scene in this room, Tarrian hurried up the steps after the guard captain, her spear feeling light in her hand.  She hoped she wasn't too late to save the Baron.

"Leave the riddle on a side for now (it is about the water, I think)!!!
The Baron needs our help!!!"
Lady Caroline should be now at the top of the stairs, if she can pick any weapon (even improvised) on the way, without slowing down, she will pick it up, otherwise she'll hurry as much as possible.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:30, Tue 22 Jan 2013.

Vithrain is still looking about for water when Mannath sticks his arm forward and explains about it itching. Taking a quick glance at it Vithrain shakes his head and says, "You should know, my friend, that I have no manner of healing magics within me. I am sorry, but you will need to seek some other remedy."

Looking at the hair it seems to be course and dark with stripes of beige, much like the spiders hair downstairs. "hrmmm. Humph. Looks like a spider bite that has lodged a hair in your arm. Try pulling it out. Oh, and tie something tightly around your arm just above your elbow to slow down any venom." This last Vithrain says almost matter-of-factly.

And with that Vithrain once more looks about for water.

The first floor of the Tower... (Mannath and Vithrain)

There are, alas, no obvious sources of water in the room.

What there are are rich furnishings, including the opulent couch now sadly stained with the blood of Hammet the Dash. The walls are decorated with silk tapestries, some depicting battles, others great events of Kallamehr's past. A particularly fine one depicts the cityscape braced by two stately figures, a handsome carrying a model of a golden ship and a beautiful woman carrying a set of scale: Solinthar, God of Mariners and Libra, Goddess of Justice.

The floor seems to be laid with tiles but it is hard to make out as it is covered with small scraps of parchment. Picking up one you read:

quote:

'What goes round and round the wood but never goes into the wood?'

Another reads:

quote:

'What is put on a table, cut, but never eaten?'

A third:

quote:

'What is is that you will break even when you name it?'

And so on. Every single piece of of parchment has another riddle on it.

Vithrain, finding no water, decides the box will have to wait. He slides his backpack off his shoulders and kneels down to open the flap. He slides the box inside and as he is doing up the buckles Vithrain notices that the paper on the floor has writing on it.

He picks up the first bit, reads the riddle, mumbling to himself, "Grain....." and then picks up more bits of paper, "...knife....silence..." Once he has them all he folds them in half and slides them under the flap of the bag then stands, swings the bag back onto his shoulders and grasps his staff tightly.

"Manath! Let's go. Nothing more to do here right now!" and with that he strides up the stairs taking them two at a time.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Tue 22 Jan 2013.

The second floor of the Tower... (Lady Carolina and Tarrian)

The walls of this room seem to be made of silvered metal, and have been polished until they are almost reflective. The effect of being in a circular room with mirrored walls is eerie to say the least. The room has larger windows than those of the floor below. A large cage is in the centre of the room, it's door hanging open. The cage, half of which is barred and half walled, stands on a podium which revolves slowly.

Around the podium are five pails of water, with sixth empty pail lying on its side. A strong smell of brimstone hangs in the air and it is warm though far from unbearable.


Captain Jafar barely pauses before racing up the spiral steps to the trapdoor in the ceiling. Judging by the height of the tower that should lead to the roof.

Seeing no immediate threats in this bizarre chamber, Tarrian followed the Captain, taking the steps two at a time.  "Go, go, go," she urged the armoured man, who was not ascending fast enough for her liking.  "Your master is through there!"

Top of the Tower.... (Elstarir)

The GIANT SNAKE strikes blindingly fast and your swings goes wild as you feel on of its fangs slices through your clothing leaving a nasty gash on you left shoulder. Only a last minute step to the side prevented the outcome from being worse.

As you pick yourself up you realise that the monster is thankfully not poisonous and with it's tail melded to the stone of the tower it would have difficult crushing you in its coils. It can bite hard though, and as it watches hungrily, foot long forked tongue tasting the air it seems to be building up to another strike.


GIANT SNAKE
SKILL 7 STAMINA 11

Armour: 0 0 0 0 1 1
Attack: 2 3 3 3 4 4

---

The Giant Snake is trying to swallow you whole. If it gets two hits in succession, including the next round Test vs. Luck or you'll be sent to its gullet in one gulp!

After this round Tarrian, Lady Carolina and Captain Jafar will arrive. The round after that Vithrian will catch up (unless he stops on the second floor.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:56, Fri 25 Jan 2013.