[This is an interlude between completing The Orcs of Stonefang Pass and starting Madness of Gardmore Abbey (all part of the greater just-revealed ‘Return of the Titans’ campaign. See the main page for links to play logs (with 3d paper terrain) for the previous adventures…]
Having just re-sealed Stonefang into the mountain, an uneasy truce forms between the Glintshield and Shadowed Chain Dwarves. The sighting of two Spirit Titans: Stonefang the Earth Titan, and The Rainbow Phoenix has spooked them into setting aside their differences until they can piece together how world-shattering these portents may be…
The dwarves honor the Irregulars with a full formal escort to the Nentir-vale side of the Ironwall Mountains before returning to their citadel to make council.
On the way down into the valley, they pass by what looks like an abandoned wizards tower.
The Bard says “That’s Agilis’ tower, Cadavra mentioned it in her diary. I’m not really feeling the need to visit there anytime soon, with what happened there still fresh in my mind … She killed him, and looted the place already.”
So they hurry down toward Asherton Asylum, half-way to Winterhaven,where Laikasha/Cadavra was committed by her parents. They have a task to complete there before pressing on in the morning…
Asherton is kept safe by special anti-magic tiles, that render all magic inert. So the Fire Mage and the Rogue stay outside.
The Irregulars are here on a mercy mission, to drop off Shiraz the time-displaced merchant that they rescued from the Sprit Mine the found in basement of the Sult’n Fish (their HQ in Punjar). He was imprisoned for more than two centuries, and all that time alone destabilized his personality and the group hopes that the sisters of the asylum can heal him.
The asylum is full of interesting personalities, and the sisters are deeply into spiritual healing, studying the nature of the soul when it is separated from magic. On of them has a theory that when magic was introduced to this world, it drove everyone a little mad – so she is studying it…
A price is set, and while Florynsael researches the library for local history (including Gardmore Abbey) – the group settles in for the night —
— accept Shute, who sneaks away under the cover of a rainstorm and works her way back to Agilis tower.
From a distance she confirms that the tower is dark and abandoned – but just before she starts heading closer, she senses movement ahead – ghouls prowl the bridges.
They are distracted by a birds screech – it is Scraw… Shute carefully waves back to her, and the raven retreats to the asylum – eventually returning with the remainder of the group.
They try a frontal assault trying to block the bridge, not expecting the Ghouls to be able to leap across the divide.
Recovering from the initial setback, they dispatch the ghouls and head to to the tower.
Before entering, Nostalgio sends Scraw up through the open windows on the the roof. All bird calls suddenly stop, and a few seconds later a limp raven’s body flies out the window, hits a cliff wall, and begins to fall into the ravine below.
Even with the loss, they press on – they’ve made the commitment to find out what, if anything they can learn from this tower.
The tower is in bad repair and the rain is streaming inside and running down the north wall
The first floor is a greeting room – where more details about Cadavra are found…
They keep climbing up…
… and up… Until they reach the bedroom and find a secret journal – in it it mentions the Skull card , how Agilis aquired it, and that some unnamed collector was looking for it.
Shute is standing nearest the ladder to the roof when she is snatched up by a long grey clay arm!
Not good! Shut is bloodied and could very well be knocked out.
The mage teleports her to safety as the rest join the fray.
Once the party is fully engaged, the Clay Golem ultimately has no chance.
The rain begins to wain as they decide there’s really nothing else to find here, and resume their trip to Winterhaven…
Next stop: Respite before Chaos
Build Notes
- Terrain
- Tower: Elven Mill by Lord Zsezse Works [Modded]
- Mountain under tower: Realms of the Dwarf Lords: Mountains & Cliffs by Fat Dragon Games
- Ancient Worlds – Hills by Lord Zsezse Works
- Asherton Asylum map: Haunted Temples Map Pack by WotC
- Props
- Tower Furniture: A Luxurious Lair: Council Chamber & Dungeon Furniture Pack by Kev’s Lounge
- Asherton Staircase: Propz – Dungeon Features by Arid Hills Productions
- Asherton Bookcases: Venture© – Paper Models and Miniatures by 0one Games
- Tables – Eddnic’s Dungeon Furniture
- Braziers – Fat Dragon Games’s retired Dwarf Lords Tiles
- Battle Markers
- World Works Games Battlepacks: Basics
Next: Respite before Chaos
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