Sul 8th Nymm, 998Y.K.
The Crimson Fist heal up and head up the stairs that have been bored into the inside of the tree. After climbing 50 feet they emerge onto a platform cradled in the branches of the tree. The platform is surrounded by a crystal dome within which float various small orbs, representing the planets. It is identified as an Orerry, a place for observing the movements of the planets.
From the alignment of the orbs representing the planets Anvil estimates it stopped moving some 600 years ago.
Set into the floor is a brass ring inscribed in a language which none of the group can understand.
Spring
Finding nothing else the group head down to the base of the tree and then take the stairs that lead down into the earth. Emerging after a short while into a underground room. Trenches filled with fertile, dark earth run along either side of the room and two statues of gardeners are by the rear wall. A corridor leads off into another room.
Katerina spots something strange in the wall between the two statues. A closer examination reveals it to be a recess the size of a basketball and in the shape of an acorn and around it a concealed door.
A closer examination of the statues reveal them to be of Eladrin. Anvil also detects Transmutation magic on the statues and Abjuration magic on the doors.
Ajax explores the corridor and finds a circular room. In the centre of which is a circular pool and with the walls covered in friezes depicting various Springtime scenes. Set into the far wall is a winch, a rope and hook are attached to the winch and dangle directly above the pool.
Ajax and Kapek examine the pool, the waters of which give off an icy chill. In the pool are two huge golden discs with the smiling face of the sun carved into them. Where the two discs meet is a ring.
As the rest of the Crimson Fists join them an ethereal shape slides out of the wall, Lorric greets it cheerily but it ignores him. Katerina identifies the creature as a WRAITH. Another one appears behind the group.
The Crimson Fist cluster together to protect each other and, as a group, move towards the winch.
A third Wraith steps out of the wall, quickly followed by a fourth and fifth.
Kapek beings to winch the hook down into the pool. One of the Wraiths utters a terrible wail and they charge the Crimson Fist.
As the Wraiths engage the group Katerina casts 'Mass Cure Moderate Wounds', the Positive energy of the spell blasts into the Wraiths, instantly killing two of them. Ajax finishes off another and Lorric, with the child tucked under one arm, strikes down another. The last is struck down by Anvil.
With the distraction efficiently dealt with Kapek lowers the hook into the pool and hooks the ring. He then winches the discs out of the pool. Hidden beneath where the discs lay are two 5 foot deep pits. Each with something at the bottom of it.
After trying with a rope and grapple to get the objects out of the pool Ajax patience runs out and he jumps into the pool, taking a small amount of cold damage, and recovers the two items. The items are a giant acorn made of a tarnished, golden material and a wooden mallet.
The acorn is placed in the recess in the first room but is slightly too big. Ajax notices that the acorn is actually made up of two parts and separates them to find ten acorns inside.
Kapek decides to plant the acorns in the tubs of earth on the sides of the room but nothing happens.
When Ajax screws the two parts of the acorn back together they now fit into the recess perfectly but still nothing happens when it is placed there.
The Crimson Fist debate the problem. It is thought that the acorns need to grow, Ajax theorizes that as they have earth and water all they need is sunlight. He goes to fetch the sun discs which represent this, then Lorric is seized by an inspiration and seizing the wooden mallet he strikes the hanging discs soundly.
The discs produce a strong sound and as it echoes throughout the room the roof turns transparent allowing sunlight to flood into the room. Suddenly the statues come to life, they fetch water from the circular pool and water the acorns. Green shoots rise from the acorns and the doors swing open to reveal a spiral staircase heading down.
Summer
The Crimson Fist head down the stairs which lead into another room. In the middle of the room is a mosaic of the sun. A corridor leads off to the left and the right and in the opposite wall are stone double-doors.
Anvil checks the double doors for traps and finding none opens them to reveal a strange, bottle shaped corridor which ends in a door. The door is unlocked but the wood has swelled and the door is jammed. Ajax steps up and shoulder charges it open and just manges not to fall into the pit that is revealed just beyond the door.
The other side of the pit is a row of bars and behind them a spiral staircase heading down.
The Crimson Fist try the left hand corridor. They soon reach a door behind which a bright light shines. Behind the door is room containing a disc on the far wall that emits an intensely bright light.
They then try the right hand corridor. This also ends in a door. Behind the door is a room which is empty apart from a plinth on which sits a scroll. The heat in the room is intense. Behind the plinth is a door.
*Ajax comments
Having only minutes ago missed plunging into a pit Ajax can't help feel, as he hurtles towards the lava, that the universe is trying to tell him something. He just has no idea what it is.
Luckily Ajax's boots enable him to skip along the surface of the liquid rather than plunge into it . Still his feet catch fire and he hastily exits the room.
Katerina pokes curiously at Ajax's wound before healing him.
Anvil warns that something is emerging from the lava. The Crimson Fist swing round and Lorric rushes off to get water from the circular pool upstairs but the creature merely emerges momentarily, examines the group and then slides back into the lava.
*Ajax comments
Ajax isn't sure where their normally gentle healer picked up this bad habit. But he's sure its one she needs to lose very quickly.
Anvil warns that something is emerging from the lava. The Crimson Fist swing round and Lorric rushes off to get water from the circular pool upstairs but the creature merely emerges momentarily, examines the group and then slides back into the lava.
Healed up Ajax volunteers to go back into the room. Anvil casts 'Resist Energy' on him and Ajax rushes into the room once more. He leaps over the lava and grabs the scroll. Which immediately crumbles to dust!
Ajax curses fluently. He then tries the door behind the plinth and reveals a small room containing a metal box with a lever sticking out of it. Encouraged by Lorric he pulls the lever.
Instantly the monster emerges from the lava again, it is recognised as a Conflagration Ooze. Kapek hurls boomerangs and Lorric throw flasks of icy water at it. The creature oozes forward and seizes Ajax in its mighty form and releases some vile poison into his body as it does so. Ajax resists the poison, mostly, and using his warshaper ability shapes his fists into tentacles and slams them into the creature. Lorric charges into the room and attacks the creatures rear quickly followed by a flying Anvil.
Assaulted on all sides the creature perishes.
*Ajax comments
And not a second to soon. Ajax is bleeding from multiple wounds and with the creature's venom running in his veins. He's well aware that if not for Anvil's protective magics he'd be toast by now.
Having been patched up by Katerina Ajax moves to examine the pit he nearly fell into earlier. As he suspected the bars have disappeared but a fierce wind now whistles up the shaft. Meanwhile Anvil and Kapek head carefully into the left hand room, checking for traps as they go. Fifteen feet into the room a cloud of shifting darkness suddenly springs into existence. The light in the room is immediately extinguished as the strange creature of living darknesses whips tentacles down at the pair.
Anvil attacks back but in the dim light of the room he misses the creature. Lorric rushes to the door of the room and uses his sling to strike the creature. Kapek unleashes boomerangs at it and Ajax rushes over to help.
Lorric decides to take advantage of the removal of the blinding light and rushes past the conflict to the disc, beneath it he finds a door. Behind the door is a small room with a stone table with four pieces of stone on it, each carved in the shape of a lilly-pad. Lorric swiftly grabs all of them.
Back at the conflict Anvil and Kapek find their efforts severely hampered by the dim light of the room. The creature lashes out and is clearly going to miss when suddenly reality ripples and Anvil suddenly finds himself in the path of the striking tentacle after all. The creature lands a vicious blow on the surprised Warforged.
Lorric rushes past the combat and deposits the stone lilly-pads outside the room with Katerina and the child.
Anvil is struck again by the creature and then suddenly sucked into the main mass of its body, as its shadowy body surges around him Anvil feels his strength drain away as the creature feasts on him. Ajax strikes into the creature and although the creature recoils from the blow Ajax notices the fire and lightning created by his blade seem not to bother the creature at all. Nor can he discern a vital point to strike at. In reply the creature lashes out at Ajax striking him and then seeking to draw him also into his body but Ajax manages to resist the pull as the creature tries to draw him in as well.
Lorric joins the fight and although he nimbly dodges the creature's blows, again reality warps and despite his best efforts he finds himself in the path of its blows. He too is then drawn into the creature to join Anvil. Both members of the Crimson Fist feel their strength drain away. However the creature has made a fatal mistake, surrounded as he is by it Lorric easily buries his claws into the creatures body finishing it off.
Combat over, Katerina uses the last of her healing magic to heal the two and is able to restore some of Anvil's strength.
Anvil examines the lilly-pads and discerns that they are magical with a nature similar to an Immovable Rod. A rope is tied around one of the lilly-pads (in case the theory that has sprung into everyone's head is wrong) and it is thrown into the shaft where the air blows so violently. As they expected the lilly-pad floats on the air, forming a stable platform. With four of them a path can be created across the shaft to enable the group to safely reach the downward spiralling stairs on the other side.
However Katerina is out of spells, Anvil and Lorric are still weakened from their encounter with the shadow creature and Ajax knows he cannot Shift again that day. The Crimson Fist decide to wait and rest here until the next dawn.
*Katerina comments
Katerina recognises the shadowy mass as a Vasuthant, although she has no idea what an undead creature such as this monstrosity would be doing in a place like this...
The Crimson Fist decide to camp on the surface of the island and so head up and set up camp just outside the tower. Suddenly the island rings with strange sounds. Lorric borrows Kapek's telescope and soon spots a force of about twenty Harpies attacking strange eagle-like creatures, which Anvil identifies as Perytons, that are emerging from the caves to the south. Lorric suggest the group intervene but when the malicious nature of both species is explained to him he quickly changes his mind. The two sides engage in a vicious combat that goes on until the sun sets at which point the Harpies fly away.
5. The Talking Statue
7. The Slumbering
Picking the right hand door Anvil performs his usual routine and opens it. It reveals a dusty room, littered with discarded clothes and, which instantly attracts attention, a jewelled key. Kapek suddenly feels an almost overwhelming wave of sleepiness wash over him at the same time as the rest of the group notice several skeletons in the room. Anvil enters the room and instantly a mysterious force hurls him straight down the corridor into the wall and only Kapek and Ajax's combat honed reflexes enable them to get out of the way of the flying warforged in time. Anvil, when he has recovered, theorizes that the room is protected by a spell that repels wood, which his warforged body is mostly constructed from.
6. The Magnetic Floor
And not a second to soon. Ajax is bleeding from multiple wounds and with the creature's venom running in his veins. He's well aware that if not for Anvil's protective magics he'd be toast by now.
Anvil attacks back but in the dim light of the room he misses the creature. Lorric rushes to the door of the room and uses his sling to strike the creature. Kapek unleashes boomerangs at it and Ajax rushes over to help.
Lorric decides to take advantage of the removal of the blinding light and rushes past the conflict to the disc, beneath it he finds a door. Behind the door is a small room with a stone table with four pieces of stone on it, each carved in the shape of a lilly-pad. Lorric swiftly grabs all of them.
Back at the conflict Anvil and Kapek find their efforts severely hampered by the dim light of the room. The creature lashes out and is clearly going to miss when suddenly reality ripples and Anvil suddenly finds himself in the path of the striking tentacle after all. The creature lands a vicious blow on the surprised Warforged.
Lorric rushes past the combat and deposits the stone lilly-pads outside the room with Katerina and the child.
Lorric joins the fight and although he nimbly dodges the creature's blows, again reality warps and despite his best efforts he finds himself in the path of its blows. He too is then drawn into the creature to join Anvil. Both members of the Crimson Fist feel their strength drain away. However the creature has made a fatal mistake, surrounded as he is by it Lorric easily buries his claws into the creatures body finishing it off.
Combat over, Katerina uses the last of her healing magic to heal the two and is able to restore some of Anvil's strength.
Anvil examines the lilly-pads and discerns that they are magical with a nature similar to an Immovable Rod. A rope is tied around one of the lilly-pads (in case the theory that has sprung into everyone's head is wrong) and it is thrown into the shaft where the air blows so violently. As they expected the lilly-pad floats on the air, forming a stable platform. With four of them a path can be created across the shaft to enable the group to safely reach the downward spiralling stairs on the other side.
However Katerina is out of spells, Anvil and Lorric are still weakened from their encounter with the shadow creature and Ajax knows he cannot Shift again that day. The Crimson Fist decide to wait and rest here until the next dawn.
*Katerina comments
Katerina recognises the shadowy mass as a Vasuthant, although she has no idea what an undead creature such as this monstrosity would be doing in a place like this...
The Crimson Fist decide to camp on the surface of the island and so head up and set up camp just outside the tower. Suddenly the island rings with strange sounds. Lorric borrows Kapek's telescope and soon spots a force of about twenty Harpies attacking strange eagle-like creatures, which Anvil identifies as Perytons, that are emerging from the caves to the south. Lorric suggest the group intervene but when the malicious nature of both species is explained to him he quickly changes his mind. The two sides engage in a vicious combat that goes on until the sun sets at which point the Harpies fly away.
Understandably nervous the group settle down for the night but it is not long before more noises come from the water and a strange mist emerges from it. Three huge creatures emerge from a copse of trees near the beach. Kapek identifies them as Fog Giants. The Crimson Fist watch them carefully but they move northwards away from the group and so the Crimson Fist decide to leave them alone.
That night is full of strange and threatening noises, howls and singing, the wind rages about the island as the invisible stalkers that guard this place howl in frustration, but nothing threatens the group and they manage to get a reasonable nights rest.
As his comrades sleep Anvil spends his time investigating the runes on the door and figures out how to deactivate them in order to prevent the teleportation effect. After a quick debate the Crimson Fist decide to not deactivate the rune and head in. Kapek however is teleported down the path again and again, and again. Eventually Anvil (not understanding what the rest of the group find so funny about this) deactivates the runes and Kapek is able to enter the tower.
Mol 9th Nymm, 998 Y.K.
The Crimson Fists head up to the Orrery once again, where Ajax attempts to us his Third Eye of Improvisation to translate the writing on the brass ring embedded in the floor but he draws a blank, Anvil also has a go at deciphering it but with little success.
The group head down to the Spring Level where they find everything has reset itself to the way it was before they had arrived yesterday, apart from the Wraiths which do not reappear. Knowing what to do the group quickly travel down to the Summer level where everything also has reset.
Ajax quickly leaps across the concealed lava pit and pulls the lever to withdraw the bars. Meanwhile Anvil examines the runes in the floor of the other room. He decides they will summon another Vasuthant if activated and so carefully deactivates them, enabling Lorric to get the stone Lilly-pads.
When placed in the updraft whistling through the shaft the Lilly-pads set in place and the Crimson Fist skip across them to the other side with Ajax , the last across, picking each up when he had left it and taking it with him as he moves across.
Autumn
They descend the stairs eventually entering a room where mist covers the floor and their feet (and Kapek's knees) are covered by it, the air becomes chill and carries the rich smell of leaves fallen to the forest floor and dark earth. Two statues of fierce Eladrin warriors stand against the far wall guarding double doors. Doors are also set in the right hand and left hand walls. Katerina also identifies a hidden door behind them.
Lorric examines the hidden door and notices four hidden keyholes set to either side of the door in the wall, he points these out to Anvil who is able to pick the locks but the door remains stubbornly closed.
Instead Anvil turns his attention to the right hand door and examines it carefully. Discovering it is locked but not trapped he picks the lock and opens the door. The door opens onto a corridor with steps leading down. The group follow the steps down for twenty feet before they end as a jetty in a room full of water. Visible under the water are two doorways leading out from the room.
It's decided to check out the left hand room first. The door leading to it is quickly picked by Anvil leading to a corridor sloping down. The corridor ends in a circular room which has a shallow layer of water in it and in the centre of the room is a stone column. Thirty feet up the walls of the room are two gaps on either side of the room.
As Ajax enters the room the column changes into the form of a stone warrior woman armed with a bastard sword. She declares: " Speak the words and pass unhindered". This is all she says, replying it to questions and guesses at the password alike.
Ajax notices something oozing through the water towards them. He yells a warning as three amoeba like shapes slide out of the water towards him. Kapek hurls force boomerangs at them and warns his comrades that edged weapons will just split the creatures into two more creatures. Ajax hurls his last flask of Alchemist frost, Lorric passes Ajax a quarterstaff and the fight is on.
The Ochre Jellies are no match for the Crimson Fist and are dispatched with relatively little trouble.
Despite Ajax's warning Anvil moves past the statue and it immediately springs into action, striking him down with two lightning fast and devastating blows. The rest of the group launch themselves at the statue but it is immediately obvious that its stony skin is highly resistant to their blows.
*Ajax comments
*Ajax comments
It seems highly unnatural to Ajax for him to be the voice of reason.
Embattle drags his master from out of the desperate melee. Kapek is struck a mighty blow and retreats to the back of the group but still hurls his boomerangs. Ajax and Lorric go toe-to-toe with the monster, though both wisely decide to fight defensively having seen what the creatures blows can do.
Embattle feeds Anvil a 'Repair' potion and Anvil rises to his feet and casts 'Bane' on Lorric's tankard which Lorric soon uses to punch a hole straight through the construct's head.
Healed, and with their breath back, the Crimson Fist explore the steps leading out of the room. They split into two staircases curling around either side of the room. They pass the holes in the walls the group had seen from the room blow. Both sets of stairs end in a door.
7. The Slumbering
The doors to this room are unlocked, they are however a little stiff. Beyond the room looks much like an attic room, diffused sunlight seems to shoot through cracks in the ceiling highlighting piles of fabric here, and old rocking chair there. Stuffed toys spill out of an over-full trunk, covered picture frames lean against a rusty old candleabre. A dusty haze fills the air and the same dust has settled in thick layers over everything in the room. Hanging from a fine silvery chain in the centre of the room is a jewelled key.
You can make out amongst the toys and trinkets there are several skeletal shapes, it seems that they did not put up a fight, their weapons are still sheathed.
Ajax tries to lasso the key but his first attempt misses and raises the dust in the room which instantly puts him to sleep. Ajax is lassoed and pulled out of the room and then rudely awakened. Lorric wets a scarf and wraps it around his face to protect himself from the dust and approaches the room rope in hand to attempt to lasso the key again.
As the threshold to the room is crossed the dust in the room begins to stir a little. The floorboards begin to creak and from between the cracks fine sand and dust seems to rise gradually taking a humanoid form.
This creature appears as a slender, lithe humanoid constructed of sand and dust. Delicate features can be seen on its face, and its fingers are long and slender.
Anvil identifies this creature as a Sandman, an elemental associated with earth.
With incredible speed Lorric dives into the room, tumbles past the Sandman, grabs the key and rolls out again. Exiting he turns and slams the door in the surprised creature's face.
6. The Magnetic Floor
The Crimson Fist move around to the left door which Anvil opens. In this room is a pedestal with another jewelled key standing upright on it. Anvil also notices some form of trapdoor concealed in the ceiling.
Kapek tries to lasso the key and although he gets the rope around the key when he tries to flick it across the room the key is knocked down but instantly flips back up it its standing position. Suddenly Anvil and Ajax are drawn by their metal armour into the room and pinned to the floor by the same strange force. As they lie there the earth beneath them starts to tremble ominously.
Lorric lassoos Ajax and with Kapek's help begins to pull him out of the room, as he is drawn away Ajax uses his Warshaper abilities to shape his arm into a 10 foot long tentacle and reaches out and grabs the key drawing it out of the room with him.
Suddenly the earth beneath Anvil erupts as a huge earth elemental emerges from the ground and slams a huge fist into the prone Ajax. Ajax leaps to his feet and is instantly seized by the pull of the room, by exerting every last iota of his Rage, Shifted and spell enhanced strength Ajax manages to pull himself free of the area of the room's pull.
Then with a groan and crack, the trap-door in the ceiling opens, showering tons of iron ore down into the room. The ore passes harmlessly through the elemental but slams into Anvil further pining him to the ground. Lorric, unhindered by any form of metal, tumbles into the room and secures a rope around Anvil's ankle.
The Elemental walks into the wall and seconds later his fist emerges and strikes Ajax. Ajax strikes back but his blade seems to barely scratch the creature. Katerina rushes up behind the severely wounded Ajax and heals him. Lorric meanwhile hauls Anvil free of the rubble and with Kapeks help begins to tortuously pull him free of the rooms pull .
The Elemental bull-rushes Ajax who miraculously stands his ground and bounces the creature off himself. Katerina heals Ajax a second time and then retreats to the back of the group where she yells a warning. The Sandman is approaching from behind them !
The Elemental fully emerges from the wall and engages Ajax. The Sandman attacks the rear of the group, its sleep aura spreads out to affect Katerina and Anvil ( who are immune to it) and Lorric, who resists it.
The Elemental charges into Ajax again and slams him backwards into the grip of the room and he is once again dragged back by its magnetic force only just digging in his heels and stopping himself at the very edge of the room before he is once again pinned to the floor.
As Kapek and Lorric attack the Earth Elemental, Ajax is inexorably pulled into the room and pinned to the floor by the magnetic force. Anvil alone faces off against the Sandman.
The Earth Elemental steps back into the wall and so Lorric rushes over to help out Anvil. Ajax desperately tries to claw his way out of the room but for every foot he pulls himself forward the room pulls him back. Then to add insult to injury the Earth Elemental emerges from the wall in the room and slams a massive fist into his prone body. Unable to even rise to his feet Ajax attacks the creature from the floor carving a chunk out of its leg.
Responding to Ajax's desperate, but manly, cries for help Katerina dodges pass the Sandman, narrowly avoiding a blow, and rushes over and heals him. Kapek also joins the battle against the Earth Elemental.
Anvil finally dispatches the Sandman with a swing of his shield. Ajax and Kapek finish the Earth Elemental with sword and force boomerangs.
*Ajax comments
Ajax is disappointed that once again their opponents leave no ears to add to his collection. The tower has been hugely disappointing trophy-wise.
Ajax is lassoed and pulled out of the room and Lorric quickly loots the room the Sandman came from.
Anvil cast 'Protection from Energy' on himself and enters the room and searches for traps. The three figures within begin to stir to life and the waters around them are infused with biting icy cold. Although Anvil's spell protects him, his comrades waiting outside the room feel the cold bite into them.
Anvil plods steadily past the creatures, enduring their attacks and grabs the key but in doing so he releases some strange substance into the water that lowers the temperature of the water still further.
With the cold biting ever more viciously into the group they desperately swim for the steps at the end of the pool. Kapek is hit hardest by the cold and slips into unconcious as the cold devours his life force. Seeing what is happening Katerina casts a mass 'Cure' spell from the walkway that revivies him just in time. Infused with new life by their comrades spell the group manage to pull themselves out of the water.
*Kapek comments
Kapek muses that he seems to have no luck with water whatsoever. Perhaps it's down to his desert upbringing.
The group retreat to the main room. Katerina is just tending to Kapek when they hear voices coming from the room they'd just departed. A glance reveal that the creatures they found in the room had emerged from the water and are grouped on the walkway.
Anvil quickly casts 'Resist Energy' on Ajax and Kapek and then drew his Wand of Fireballs and fires it down the corridor towards the creatures. Ajax charges down the corridor and attacks the creatures. But he see's in horror that when he strikes the creatures the magical fire of his blade is absorbed into the creature and its wounds start to heal.
Anvil casts 'Resist Energy' on Lorric and Lorric flips down the corridor, over the heads of the creatures and strikes at them from behind, slaying one.
Ajax quickly removes the Fire gem from his blade, extinguishing its fire, and then renews his attacks on the creatures.
With their cold powers blunted by Anvil's protective magics the creatures are far less of a threat and the Crimson Fist deal with them quickly and violently.
Katerina identifies the creatures as undead known as BLEAKBORN. She says that if provided with heat they will heal themselves, so the group chop them into pieces and then dump the bits into the chill water of the Wading Room.
3. Jewelled Key Room 1
The water here is filled with organic sediment that is disturbed into clouds when the water is passed through. A skeletal figure lies slumped in the corner of this submerged room, a jewelled key strung around its neck.
The Crimson Fist quickly enter the water on the other side, wanting to act while the spells protecting them last. Again they find a locked door in the entrance which Anvil picks the lock of.
Anvil checks for traps and finding none he grabs the key. Triggering the trap.
As the Key is pulled away the string concealed upon it is pulled tight, springing the trap. The door locks behind them and the walls of the room start to close in.
Quickly Anvil swims to the door and with a few deft moves picks the lock. The rest of the group hurriedly exit, sliding out of the room just as the walls close in on where they had been.
The Crimson Fist return to the main room and insert the four keys into the hidden keyholes. When turned the door slides into the floor, revealing stairs leading down.
Expressing worries about what waits for them below the group carefully descend the stairs.
3. The Crystal CavernAs you pass from the smaller entrance cave you see a massive natural pillar of crystal directly ahead. Beyond this pillar is a startling display of natural crystal growth, the entire 60 feet by 40 feet of the cavern is made of pure crystal growth, at first it is a little disorientating. As your eyes adjust to this new environment they can make out a passage to the left with the sound of running water and at the far end another passage heads down, a great dragonmark extends across the room’s vaulted ceiling from floor to floor, however, more importantly you can make out a huge form moving towards you.
The Crimson Fist are glad Xeshenell is so reasonable, especially after Lorric had hurled a rock at it. This despite Kapeks best efforts to stop him (Ajax and Katerina were cowering at the back of the cavern having been driven there by the waves of DragonFear.) Xeshenell seemed to accept their explanation that after everything else on the island has tried to kill them they were all feeling a little trigger-happy and also not really regarding the Crimson Fists as a threat.
Lorric is berated by his comrades for his actions and apologises graciously.
4. The Passage of Crystal Stars
As you reach the bottom of the stairs you can see several features, the first and closest to the bottom of the stairs is a huge silver mirror. On the wall opposite to this stands a stone statue of a strange butterfly-winged centaur by a still pool, a look of shock in its eyes as it seems to be flinching away from the stairs you have just descended. As you look closer the statue has been broken, a large hole in its chest seems to correspond with the location of its heart. And finally on the far side of the cavern is a raised dais, floating several inches above this dais is a huge crystal, some 5 feet high, it emits a dull silvery radiance that only seems to extend a few feet from the crystal itself.
As the Crimson Fist enter the room a voice sounds in their heads. They have finally found Palomino !
Palomino hears the reason the Crimson Fist have travelled this long and dangerous road but explains in his current state there is nothing he can do to help them. Naturally the group ask if there is any way they can help him and he explains that after he was defeated in ages past and his heart torn out, it was taken and hidden by the MYCONIDS, loyal servants of his who dwell in the tower. It is quickly figured out that the Myconid's are behind the double doors on the Autumn level, the only area of the tower the Crimson Fists haven't explored.
When it is wondered if the child can survive while the group recover Palomino's heart, he suggest they place the child in the pool as apparently it is embued with the properties of his realm and no time will pass for the child while he is in it. With some trepadation the child is placed in the pool but he slips quietly into its waters and floats gently to the bottom where he rests peacefully.
The Crimson Fists inquire if there is some token that they could carry to convince the Myconids they are acting with Palomino's authority. He informs them there is a seal at the bottom of the pool which will do exactly that. It is quickly recovered.
As Kapek and Lorric attack the Earth Elemental, Ajax is inexorably pulled into the room and pinned to the floor by the magnetic force. Anvil alone faces off against the Sandman.
The Earth Elemental steps back into the wall and so Lorric rushes over to help out Anvil. Ajax desperately tries to claw his way out of the room but for every foot he pulls himself forward the room pulls him back. Then to add insult to injury the Earth Elemental emerges from the wall in the room and slams a massive fist into his prone body. Unable to even rise to his feet Ajax attacks the creature from the floor carving a chunk out of its leg.
Responding to Ajax's desperate, but manly, cries for help Katerina dodges pass the Sandman, narrowly avoiding a blow, and rushes over and heals him. Kapek also joins the battle against the Earth Elemental.
Anvil finally dispatches the Sandman with a swing of his shield. Ajax and Kapek finish the Earth Elemental with sword and force boomerangs.
*Ajax comments
Ajax is disappointed that once again their opponents leave no ears to add to his collection. The tower has been hugely disappointing trophy-wise.
Ajax is lassoed and pulled out of the room and Lorric quickly loots the room the Sandman came from.
2. The Wading Room
The corridor leads eastward, descending some 30 feet down 2 sets of steep stairs. Two distinct pools are divided by a central walkway, steps lead into the water on the far eastern wall. The air is chill here and the water seems to be the source of the cold. The water is 3 ft. deep at the steps and slopes down to 15 ft. deep at the western side of the room, it is particularly cold.
The Crimson Fists descend to the Wading Rooms and consider their appraoach to the problem. It is decided Katerina will wait on the walkway with the child. Anvil casts 'Water Breathing' on the rest of the group and they enter the cold waters.
Anvil approaches the entrance on the right-hand side of the room. He finds a door under the water and efficiently picks the lock. The door opens onto a small room.
4. Jewelled Key Room 2
The water here is filled with organic sediment that is disturbed into clouds when the water is passed through. Resting here there are 3 figures, each seems to be coated in a light layer of ice or frost. A key is hung on a hook on the far wall.
The corridor leads eastward, descending some 30 feet down 2 sets of steep stairs. Two distinct pools are divided by a central walkway, steps lead into the water on the far eastern wall. The air is chill here and the water seems to be the source of the cold. The water is 3 ft. deep at the steps and slopes down to 15 ft. deep at the western side of the room, it is particularly cold.
The Crimson Fists descend to the Wading Rooms and consider their appraoach to the problem. It is decided Katerina will wait on the walkway with the child. Anvil casts 'Water Breathing' on the rest of the group and they enter the cold waters.
Anvil approaches the entrance on the right-hand side of the room. He finds a door under the water and efficiently picks the lock. The door opens onto a small room.
4. Jewelled Key Room 2
The water here is filled with organic sediment that is disturbed into clouds when the water is passed through. Resting here there are 3 figures, each seems to be coated in a light layer of ice or frost. A key is hung on a hook on the far wall.
Anvil cast 'Protection from Energy' on himself and enters the room and searches for traps. The three figures within begin to stir to life and the waters around them are infused with biting icy cold. Although Anvil's spell protects him, his comrades waiting outside the room feel the cold bite into them.
Anvil plods steadily past the creatures, enduring their attacks and grabs the key but in doing so he releases some strange substance into the water that lowers the temperature of the water still further.
With the cold biting ever more viciously into the group they desperately swim for the steps at the end of the pool. Kapek is hit hardest by the cold and slips into unconcious as the cold devours his life force. Seeing what is happening Katerina casts a mass 'Cure' spell from the walkway that revivies him just in time. Infused with new life by their comrades spell the group manage to pull themselves out of the water.
*Kapek comments
Kapek muses that he seems to have no luck with water whatsoever. Perhaps it's down to his desert upbringing.
The group retreat to the main room. Katerina is just tending to Kapek when they hear voices coming from the room they'd just departed. A glance reveal that the creatures they found in the room had emerged from the water and are grouped on the walkway.
Anvil quickly casts 'Resist Energy' on Ajax and Kapek and then drew his Wand of Fireballs and fires it down the corridor towards the creatures. Ajax charges down the corridor and attacks the creatures. But he see's in horror that when he strikes the creatures the magical fire of his blade is absorbed into the creature and its wounds start to heal.
Anvil casts 'Resist Energy' on Lorric and Lorric flips down the corridor, over the heads of the creatures and strikes at them from behind, slaying one.
Ajax quickly removes the Fire gem from his blade, extinguishing its fire, and then renews his attacks on the creatures.
With their cold powers blunted by Anvil's protective magics the creatures are far less of a threat and the Crimson Fist deal with them quickly and violently.
Katerina identifies the creatures as undead known as BLEAKBORN. She says that if provided with heat they will heal themselves, so the group chop them into pieces and then dump the bits into the chill water of the Wading Room.
3. Jewelled Key Room 1
The water here is filled with organic sediment that is disturbed into clouds when the water is passed through. A skeletal figure lies slumped in the corner of this submerged room, a jewelled key strung around its neck.
The Crimson Fist quickly enter the water on the other side, wanting to act while the spells protecting them last. Again they find a locked door in the entrance which Anvil picks the lock of.
Anvil checks for traps and finding none he grabs the key. Triggering the trap.
As the Key is pulled away the string concealed upon it is pulled tight, springing the trap. The door locks behind them and the walls of the room start to close in.
Quickly Anvil swims to the door and with a few deft moves picks the lock. The rest of the group hurriedly exit, sliding out of the room just as the walls close in on where they had been.
The Crimson Fist return to the main room and insert the four keys into the hidden keyholes. When turned the door slides into the floor, revealing stairs leading down.
Expressing worries about what waits for them below the group carefully descend the stairs.
Winter
The entire level is a natural series of caverns all are thick with beautiful crystal that seems to almost sing with each sound that is made.
The entire level is a natural series of caverns all are thick with beautiful crystal that seems to almost sing with each sound that is made.
A white light dances across the crystals giving the entire cavern a luminescence akin to a winter’s night with a full moon shining.
1. The Stairs Down
As the stairs from the upper level are descended there is a noticeable drop in temperature. Your breath becomes visible and the steps beneath your feet become slick and treacherous.
As the stairs from the upper level are descended there is a noticeable drop in temperature. Your breath becomes visible and the steps beneath your feet become slick and treacherous.
A thick layer of frost and ice covers the walls floors and ceiling. The steps descend some 80 feet the last 20 feet of which are a descent through a crystalline cavern.
The entirety of the natural cavern is covered in thick crystal growth, any light you are carrying is magnified and refracted into a thousand dancing rainbows.
Once the bottom is reached the true beauty of the cavern can be appreciated, however movement from the exit catches your eye as shapes move through the huge crystals.
2. The Ice Pool
2. The Ice Pool
A freezing mist rises up from this pool and is strangely drawn up the shaft in the cave ceiling. An icy cold waterfall spills from an inaccessible tunnel into the pool here and it seems to flow away somewhere in the back of the cave. A shimmering curtain of light betrays the presence of a portal here, most likely to Risia judging by the way the ice and air mephits dance through it.
The steps become more frost covered as they descend, becoming more treacherous. In fact Ajax and Katerina travel the last 10 feet of the stairs on their backs as they slip and slide down the stairs. Finally landing at the bottom in a untidy heap.
In the cavern Mephits flit through the air until Lorric hurls a rock from his sling slaying one of them. His comrades quickly apologize to the Mephits as they have no desire to start another fight.
The steps become more frost covered as they descend, becoming more treacherous. In fact Ajax and Katerina travel the last 10 feet of the stairs on their backs as they slip and slide down the stairs. Finally landing at the bottom in a untidy heap.
In the cavern Mephits flit through the air until Lorric hurls a rock from his sling slaying one of them. His comrades quickly apologize to the Mephits as they have no desire to start another fight.
3. The Crystal Cavern
A creature that appears to made of pure crystal spreads its vast wings and with a dull clanking, ringing sound it shifts it draconic head to face you.
With an ethereal roar the creature addresses you.
“What brings you to this most sacred of places?”
“My name is Xeshenell - The guardian of the 7th Pathway. If you carry no evil in your heart and the Prophecy holds true then you may pass, if these things do not apply to you, then you will surely perish.”
“The master of this place is through there, he is unable to do anything in his current state though. And it will take more than simple magics to help him.” He gestures to a tunnels across the cavern that leads down into darkness.
“In order to enter you must pray that the God of Fate is watching over you.”
The Crimson Fist are glad Xeshenell is so reasonable, especially after Lorric had hurled a rock at it. This despite Kapeks best efforts to stop him (Ajax and Katerina were cowering at the back of the cavern having been driven there by the waves of DragonFear.) Xeshenell seemed to accept their explanation that after everything else on the island has tried to kill them they were all feeling a little trigger-happy and also not really regarding the Crimson Fists as a threat.
Lorric is berated by his comrades for his actions and apologises graciously.
4. The Passage of Crystal Stars
A ramp with a slight incline descends some 25 feet out of the room, the cavern beyond is darker; the crystals here do not seem to catch the light as readily as everywhere else. When the crystals are closely observed, the darkness here allows individual points of light to be made out. These points of light reflect the constellations of the night sky.
*Anvil comments
Anvil realises that one of the constellations represents Chronepsis, the Draconic God of Fate, and so the group all pray to this mysterious deity before proceeding.
5. The Crystal Sanctum
*Anvil comments
Anvil realises that one of the constellations represents Chronepsis, the Draconic God of Fate, and so the group all pray to this mysterious deity before proceeding.
5. The Crystal Sanctum
The Mirror Portal
This 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide silver mirror has an apparently flawless surface. It is framed by gold and silver ivy with various small creatures, such as butterflies, beetles and spiders, climbing through the dense leaves.
The Scrying Pool
This perfectly still and clear pool is constructed from a deep green crystal, etched around its rim are arcane runes and sigils, all in Sylvan, that seem to dance and move as you try to read them.
The Glowing Crystal
Floating a foot about the dais that holds it and standing 5 feet high itself, this crystal emits a dim silvery light which seems to ebb and flow from deep within. The dais upon which it rests is 3 steps high and 10 feet in diameter, it is made from the same green crystal as the pool and upon its surface is carved a huge symbol, that of Balinor.
As the Crimson Fist enter the room a voice sounds in their heads. They have finally found Palomino !Palomino hears the reason the Crimson Fist have travelled this long and dangerous road but explains in his current state there is nothing he can do to help them. Naturally the group ask if there is any way they can help him and he explains that after he was defeated in ages past and his heart torn out, it was taken and hidden by the MYCONIDS, loyal servants of his who dwell in the tower. It is quickly figured out that the Myconid's are behind the double doors on the Autumn level, the only area of the tower the Crimson Fists haven't explored.
When it is wondered if the child can survive while the group recover Palomino's heart, he suggest they place the child in the pool as apparently it is embued with the properties of his realm and no time will pass for the child while he is in it. With some trepadation the child is placed in the pool but he slips quietly into its waters and floats gently to the bottom where he rests peacefully.
The Crimson Fists inquire if there is some token that they could carry to convince the Myconids they are acting with Palomino's authority. He informs them there is a seal at the bottom of the pool which will do exactly that. It is quickly recovered.
