Jak leaned back from Savra's anger a bit in surprise. "Uh...yeah...well, I mean, sorry not sorry...but he attacked us an' like I said tried t'burn us in our room so..." He gave a shrug. "Most of 'em looked t'have run off. Morg an' Zora went t'go check an' put the drawbridge back up."

He paused, weighing whether he should 'poke the bear' or not. "Thermander? Who's that?" He glanced at Asano as if to ask if he was not remembering a name he should know.

Jak moved over towards the chest, but mostly just in case Savra needed any help with getting it open, if it were locked.

"We didn't see any when we closed up below" Morg answers Huet. "You can borrow my war pick for the way down to the armory."

To Savra he offers the stone-like morningstar.

Mayon retrieves his foci gloves, smiling a bit  with relief to have them back in place before glancing over at Myr and walking over to examine the letter that the Sprite had found earlier, studying it for a moment before glancing over at the others.


"I don't suppose any of us know of a 'queen' called Aerini Kalinoth? She had a letter here about...oh." He hesitates a moment. "Asano...you know a woman named Elessina if I recall correctly, don't you? You may want to read this then." He offers the letter, worry on his face now. "Apparently she was a prisoner of the Black Earth Cult...one that this 'queen' is having interrogated."

If Jak has to pick the lock, Myr will Help if possible.

This message was last edited by the player at 20:42, Wed 01 Aug 2018.

"We need to search this place from top to bottom. Who knows what knights or squires or whatever are still around? And what other clues."

"I'm in no shape for a fight right now. I need to rest and pray to regain spells. But I don't think a search of this place can wait for that."

Savra grabs the morningstar from Morg on her way to the chest, but Huet shakes his head at Morg's offer. "I whilst venture down yonder stairs, if thou sayest the way is clear," he says, his thick cultured accent returning to him. "There ares't proper weapons and armor in the locker there." He moves towards the stairs.

Jak and Savra open the chest easily. "Bastian Thermandar is the devil," Savra says testily as she paws through piles of fine clothes and other personal effects. "He torched Triarbor in the High Forest, and he's behind a lot of other evil deeds in this Valley. I was trying to convince Thurl to take the knights and attack his camp at Scarlet Moon Hall, but that's not going to happen now."

She pulls out two long scrolls of parchment with writing on them. Setting them aside, she next drags out a heavy sack, which she drops on the ground with a clink.

Opening the sack, she begins pawing through its contents. She stuffs a handful of coin into her belt pouch before freezing at Mayon's mention of Elessina. She glances slowly at Asano, a terrified look on her face.

Just visible beneath the fold of a cloak in the chest is the top of a stoppered glass bottle.

Morg puts back the war pick, and says "Arsed proper weapons?" while smiling at Huet.

He turns to Zora, "First the armory, and then a full search?"

"Yes, that seems wise," she agreed with Morg. Her eyes were drawn to the stoppered bottle, but she knew she'd be little help in identifying it.

Huet leaves the room, heading for the stairs. Savra looks regretfully at Asano, then starts moving towards the stairs as well.

---

Map updated. The map includes the floor you're all currently on (3) and the ground floor. The ground floor is the only one the party hasn't fully explored.

Let me know where you want to move/what you want to do/investigate. I'm assuming everyone's recovering your confiscated items, but you can investigate the chest contents further, the scrolls, bag of gold, etc.

Zora moved down with Huet and Morg to investigate this armoury.

assuming I understand what huet is doing...

Jak listened to Mayon, who rattled off some names, but he gave a shrug and shook his head in the negative. None of the names sounded familiar to him. However, he did notice that Asano and Savra seemed to recognize at least one of the names.

He grabbed his lute and gave it a quick but thorough examination to make sure it was unharmed before stowing it. Bastian Thermandar. Scarlet Moon Hall. He made mental notes. "Sounds like someone we should meet in the near future then - but not until after I've have a good long rest! I'm bushed!"

Jak kept digging in the chest, handing people's personal items to them as he went.

If needed: 13:36, Today: Jakrynn Redgate rolled 17 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 12.  Investigation.

Jak sorts through the valuables in the chest and collects them for the group's inspection.

Zora accompanies Huet and Savra back down the spiral staircase. At the second floor, Savra excuses herself, saying that she has something to take care of on this level. Huet continues down the stairs to the ground floor.

Walking into the entrance hall, Huet pauses to retrieve a metal key from a cleverly disguised loose stone in the wall, then walks to the small door on the side of the hall. Opening it, he walks into a well stocked weapons locker. He picks out a longsword from one of the weapons racks, then proceeds to start putting on one of the suits of armor.

---

Map updated!

Jak finds the following - let me know if anyone wants to examine any of these more closely:

- The sack contains 300 gp
- Potion
- 2 spell scrolls
- 3 sets of fine clothing

Zora sees the weapons locker contains (after Huet claims a sword & armor):
- 3 longswords
- 3 suits of scale mail with helmets (of varying sizes - one would fit Morg or similar sized creatures)
- 4 shields
- 4 longbows
- 4 quivers holding 20 arrows apiece

Jak scooped up the potion and scrolls, turning to look at Mayon and Asano with a grin. "Unless my eyes deceive me, a potion an' 2 scolls for spells! I don't have the ability t'confirm but one a'you does, yah?"

He handed them off and then handed out to follow down to the armory. He looked at the scale mail armor with a long look. Better protection but much heavier than he was used to. He looked at Zora. "Whaddya think? More armor but less stealth? Or stick with what I got?" He grinned at her.

Mayon nods, walking over to examine the scrolls and potions as best he can by sight alone.


11:48, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 9 using 1d20+04 with rolls of 5.  Arcana Check.
Does not seem like it worked :P

Mayon can tell these are spell scrolls, but he doesn't recognize the spells and can't read anything on the page.

The potion appears to have a bluish tinge to it, but Mayon doesn't instantly recognize it.

---

Jak would recognize one of the spell scrolls as being for the Skywrite spell.

Mayon would know that most potions can be identified by taking a small sip.

Frowning a bit at his difficulty deciphering the scrolls, Mayon examines the potion instead, taking a somewhat hesitant taste to try and determine its use.

"come on," she said to anyone who would listen. "No way we can rest here until we're sure no knights remain."

She began a search of the fortress from the front gates, checking each door in turn on one level before moving up to the next.

The potion begins bubbling as soon as the stopper is removed from the flask. White smoky steam issues from the neck of the glass and pours down Mayon's wrist. He takes a small sip of the potion and immediately feels invigorated and stronger, despite the weariness in his muscles. The feeling passes, and his eyes droop with renewed fatigue.

Nodding, Huet seems satisfied with his choice of armor and sword, then begins removing his armor, still wincing at his raw muscles. "I shall retire soon," he announces to no one in particular.

Zora leaves the armory, accompanied by those who join her. Cautiously opening the door leading north out of the stairwell, she finds herself in a kitchen. Sacks are heaped along the walls, and a small pile of vegetables is spread on a table. A huge, steaming cauldron stands at the center, and various bits of food and puddles of water lie on the floor around it. Two wooden paddles and two knives hang on a rack next to a brick oven. Four wall shelves hold a dozen loaves of bread. A brief search confirms that the room is unoccupied. Zora's stomach rumbles.

Beyond the eastern door, large windows let in dim light that illuminates an apparent solarium. Flowers and shrubs of many varieties grow in a labyrinth of planters. Spidery red and purple plants grow suspended in baskets in mid-air. Several watering cans lie overturned on the floor, as if the tenders of the plants departed quickly.

Zora enters the final room on the ground floor through the southern door from the stairwell. Four double bunks line the walls of this messy room, which also bears the signs of a hasty departure.

---

Map updated!

Mayon determines the potion is a potion of heroism. I updated the loot thread appropriately =).

Zora finds no other inhabitants on the ground floor - if you're exploring with Zora feel free to post that in your next post. Feel free to further investigate any room mentioned above.

You've now been in all the rooms in the Spire at one point or another, though you can certainly return to any floor and scout out for any inhabitants or other stuff you missed before. There's a stable level, 2nd and 3rd floors, and the pinnacle - we can take them one floor at a time if you want to keep exploring.

Where to?

Zora tried to ignore the grumbling in her stomach. Time to eat after they knew they were safe.

She moved up to search the next level along with anyone joining her, in the same manner as this ground level. A quick look to make sure no enemies were still left behind.

The Great Hall on the second floor is largely as Zora remembers it, though completely deserted. Multiple large tapestries hang on the walls depicting gallant knights and heroic deeds, though their majesty seems muted in the dim gloom. From the walls the trophy heads of griffons, wyverns, owlbears, and manticores stare sightlessly down on the bare table, seeming to accuse its absent occupants of neglect.

The four smaller chambers on this floor that served as the knights' cells are also deserted. Each of the four rooms contains two beds, a fireplace, a closet, two chests, and a small tapestry on the wall.

And so on, all the way up :-)

Jak looked over Mayon's shoulder, peering intently at the scrolls. Finally he gave a nod to himself and pointed at one of the scrolls. "Skywrite. Writing in the sky, so no false advertisin' there. Limited use, but kinda cool."

He gave a shrug and then started doing heading up to the top of the place to begin searching and heading downwards, making sure there were no hidden people, hidden doors, traps or anything else. He searched each room thoroughly.

Huet retires to a room on the second floor.

The pinnacle of the tower is deserted when Jak arrives. Mist swirls in the valley below, and several large piles of bird dung pepper the lawn. Nothing moves.

The third floor is similarly deserted. In addition to Thurl's quarters, three more rooms are similarly appointed to those below, each with a pair of closed chests, two beds, and the like.

Assuming you're also going to check the stables...

The doors to all of the stables swing freely in the slight breezes from outside. Sharpwind munches absently on a pile of rations in one of the stalls. The supplies stacked around the spiral stairs are strewn messily about. Several potions, a grappling hook, a crowbar, blankets, backpacks, a mess kit, and a portable ram are visible amongst other items.

Surprisingly, there is no sign of Savra anywhere in the tower.

---

I think I've posted a brief description of every room in tower =). If anyone wants to investigate any room or item further, or take/open anything already described, feel free to do so in subsequent posts.

Anything else before we long rest/level up?

I'm good for a nap/prayer/rest!

Wonder where Savra went...

Oh.. spells!

for level 4 we get an ASI right? OK I should just take this to PMs :-)

"You can come wake me for 2nd or 3rd watch," Morg says after hearing the reports of the tower being clear.

He takes his bedroll down, and over his shoulder says "I'll be sleeping just on the inside next to the drawbridge."

Jak investigated and searched the Thurl's room thoroughly (unless that was the room we already did that in). Most of the other rooms he went through enough to make sure no one was hiding in there, no secret passageways, that sort of thing. The rest could wait til morning...or afternoon...or whatever time it would be after they woke up again.

He smirked. "I tried to take first watch last time. We didn't get sleep, but hey we didn't get burned alive either, right?" With that he tried to bed down for a sleep.