Kingmaker+Session+4


 * 5-23-2015** **Enter Thrice and Lyssa and Exploring The Emerald Tower**

In the middle of Bloodstone was a 100ft tall white tree with strange bark that almost seemed to shimmer. Ever since she got to Bloodstone, Thrice’s skin had been itching, and she was all too ready to leave, but she paid a local person to obtain a small sample. Thrice and Lyssa decided to travel the road together into the wilds of Vaasa with their new charters.

After passing through the massive Bloodstone gate into the valley, they spent two days of walking the miles through the mountains to exit out into the wilds of Vaasa. Mid-summer, the area was flat plains and green as far as the eye could see. Weeks of travel through the countryside led them through the vastly untamed wilds. There was an occasional passerby of a hunter or trapper, but it was mostly uncivilized, leaving a great feeling of being alone and vulnerable. The tiefling alchemist looked around, “This isn’t exactly what I signed up for.”

Finally up on a hill in the distance was a wooden palisade fort… Thrice sighed with relief at the sign of civilization. Half a dozen Bloodstone guards patrolled the trading post. As they entered the gate, they took note of the setup and the few buildings inside. Thrice nodded her horned head toward the stables, “Oh that’s what I smell,” she nodded to the half-elf warpriest beside her, “I thought it was you.” Lyssa turned to glare at the tiefling’s accusation, and Thrice shrugged, “But it’s not… so it’s good.” The half-elf said nothing, just continued her cold stare. There was a trading area set up with several furs and items from the area.

Outside by the smaller house, a mocha skinned woman with pointed ears was hanging laundry on long ropes. Hearing their approach, she turned around with bright silvery eyes, clearly marking her aasimar presence. She smiled warmly at both of the new beautiful women, “Hi! Welcome to Oleg’s.” “Hello,” the warpriest of Tempus nodded up to her. Thrice frowned at Lyssa, “You didn’t tell me one of them would be here…” she sighed heavily and put on a polite smile for Sen, and spoke a rehearsed greeting, “Hi... How are you? ...Is your day going well.” The aasimar oracle smiled genuinely, and nodded, “Yes. Is yours?” “It’s better now,” Lyssa nodded. “It’s fine,” Thrice replied politely and turned to Lyssa, speaking quieter, “Is that all I have to do? Is that enough pleasantries?” Lyssa glanced at her, “I’m still mad at you for the //smell// thing.”

One of the clothespins from Sen’s laundry became unhinged and a large sheet blew off the line to wrap around the aasimar who was flailing around inside it. Thrice stared at the stumbling sheet-covered woman with bewilderment. The oracle called out, “Aeon? I’m stuck.” A heavy sigh came from a blonde elven woman coming out of the bunk house, “I really don’t want to hear any more about your hocus pocus stories…” She glanced up as she walked out to see the approaching women, “Oh, we have visitors.” Eventually the oracle managed to get the sheet off and hung back up on the line with a flustered sigh. “You watch,” Thrice shook her head at the warpriest beside her, “She’s probably going to blame that on me.” “I hope she does,” Lyssa nodded to her and turned to smile a greeting at the elven swashbuckler coming out to greet them. The young tiefling wrinkled her nose and frowned, “You were much more pleasant on the road.” The half-elf continued to smile at Aeon and Sen, muttering a reply under her breath, “You were the //only// company.”

Buckling up her dual blades and dressed very fine in shiny studded deep purple leathers, the elven woman paused her steps and turned with near accusation to Sen who was finishing up re-clipping the clothespin, “I told you when the half-orc showed up that things would go to hell… and in this case, quite literally.” She glanced back at the approaching tiefling. Senathliel smiled and shook her head in gentle protest, “I’m sure she’s fine. She was very pleasant. She even asked me how my day was.” Aeon relaxed slightly and nodded, “She has been schooled well then.” The young horned alchemist pointed toward the half elf beside her as she held up the other hand, as though blocking her pointing from the view of her warpriest companion, “This one is a little grumpy.”

Following after Aeon, a gnome fighter with a pointy hat and a pick across his back came out of the bunkhouse. He nodded in pleasant surprise, “Oh, we have more visitors.” “Oh, how cute!” Thrice looked over the short gnome and turned back to Aeon, “Is he yours?” The elven woman smirked and shook her head, “All yours.” “I don’t want him…” the tiefling shook her head, “I was talking ownership.” Far enough back to not hear the conversation, the gnome fighter continued out to greet them warmly, “Why don’t you two lovely ladies come inside. Have something to eat and perhaps something to drink?” “Oh!” the alchemist nodded with pleasant surprise, “I like him then. Feed me.”

Everyone followed him inside the main house where a stocky, balding, elder human man and an aging once beautiful human woman were inside. The gnome smiled at the new young women, “My name is Vorst by the way, and this is our proprietor, Oleg, and his wife, [|Svetlana]. Have a seat.” He pulled out two chairs. “Why thank you,” Thrice nodded to him, taking a seat at the table. “It’s always pleasant to have more visitors,” Svetlana nodded to them, “And such a strange bunch. I didn’t know the world was filled with such strange and wondrous people.”

A well endowed large half-orc woman sat in the corner of the room speaking to dark furred man with catlike features. The catfolk looked up and smiled at the two new beautiful women, his voice deep and rumbly, "My name is Naahir." "Well hello," Thrice eyed the catfolk and moved in closer. "You have such pretty eyes," Naahir purred at her, looking into her deep red eyes. "And horns!" Vorst spoke up from behind them. "Have you seen my tail?" Thrice gave the catfok a sultry smile as her tail curled up around her. "Now we're talking," Naahir stepped closer, his own furred tail coming up. Sen giggled from the doorway at the two men once again showing off for the new girl, "He has the //softest// ears! You should really rub them." "Oh! Could I?" Thrice smiled. Naahir purred, deep and rumbly, and leaned his head toward her. The tiefling reached up and caressed the soft fur covered ears and pulled out a few strands of his fur, quickly slipping them into her alchemy kit, adding a delighted, "Thank you." "If that is what it takes," he purred and grinned at her, showing off his fangs.

Another elven woman walked in the through the doorway, carrying a book. She had deep red hair, piercings on her face and ears, and was wearing a light blue robe and white starred symbols of the human goddess of magic. Vorst gestured toward the young arcanist, "And this is Lorwyn. Come, meet our new guests. This is..." He gestured toward the tiefling alchemist, waiting for a name. "Delicious, I'm sure," Naahir nodded, looking over the tiefling. "Her name is Delicious?" Vorst raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "I can't believe your mother named you Delicious." "Oh, no no... no..." Thrice shook her head, "In fact my mother didn't have much of a choice in my name." "Really?" Lorwynelle tilted her head, intrigued. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh you poor child... abandoned young... come, sit by me," Naahir pulled a chair out from the table. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh, okay," the young tiefling nodded agreeably, sitting down in the chair. Naahir sat next to her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Well, translated into common, my full name is Blood of Bor'Char, Thrice Disowned... but most people just call me Thrice because it's easier," the alchemist nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Disowned?" Lorwynelle frowned. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I don't quite understand... how can you be disowned thrice? Once you're disowned... you're disowned. Did they take you back?" Vorst looked confused. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"My great grandfather was disowned," Thrice replied. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh!" Vorst nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"My mother was twice," Thrice continued, "But she hated that name. She killed anyone who called her Twice." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"You poor child... stay... have a drink," Naahir nodded, sliding a mug in front of her. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I like this guy," the alchemist smiled, taking the mug.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"And what about you?" Vorst turned back to the half elven warpriest carrying a shield emblazoned with the symbol of Tempus, the human god of war. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"My name is Lyssa," the half elf nodded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Svetlana generously ladled in more venison stew to the bowls on the table, "We'll get you some bunks made up. We're running at full capacity with all of the newcomers. The guards have sent for some more workers. We're planning to expand the place for more room. We've had more traffic in the last few weeks than we've had for years. It's no small part in thanks to these folks," she gestured to the adventurers in the room, "They stamped out the problem with the bandits in this area. It hasn't fully gone away... but..." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"It doesn't come knocking anymore," Aeon nodded with a smile, "Not yet anyway." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Lorwynelle nodded her agreement.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Svetlana set up two new beds in the bunkhouse, a 20 x 40 room with about a dozen bunks in it. Each had a footlocker on the floor at the foot. It was clean and well cared for, but simple. The guards from Bloodstone stayed in a smaller separate building against the wall. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Kesten Garess <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">, captain of the guard and [|Jhod Kavken], priest of Silvarus, also greeted the newcomers and introduced themselves. The guards were still a bit surly for being sent out into the frontier, but they took their jobs seriously and tried to make the best of it. They had managed to scrap the parts of all 4 broken ballistas to get one up and working in one of the towers.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Everyone settled down into their bunks for the night. Thrice looked over the room as she sat on her bed, noting that all of the bunks were the same size, "Which bed is Vorst's?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Aeon gestured toward one of the beds as she undid her armor to crawl into her own. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Thrice wandered over to inspect it, taking one of his two sheets as a third for hers. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"You're taking his sheet?" Lyssa blinked up at the tiefling. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Yes, I get chilly!" the alchemist nodded, "And besides... he's short and he can fold his in half to be thicker." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Lorwyn shrugged and nodded.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Everyone drifted off to sleep... but sleep came broken and disturbed. Around midnight, a loud crack of thunder boomed overhead to wake everyone. Lyssa and Sen felt nauseated. Looking outside, there was a heat lightning in the sky accompanying a hot breeze, but there was no rain. Climbing up on the wall, the others could see the storm in the distance over the forest. Green lightning shot down from the sky miles away, hitting the ground in near the same spot over and over again for nearly an hour! Finally the nausea over Sen and Lyssa faded. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Are either of you pregnant?" the alchemist looked them over. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The warpriest and oracle looked at each other and back to Thrice with surprised eyes, "Um... no." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Oh," Thrice nodded with disappointment, "That's a shame." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sen blinked at her, "Are you?" <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"No... but amniotic fluid is such a prized alchemical ingredient... I guess I got my hopes up," Thrice sighed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Aeon raised an eyebrow at the tiefling. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Thrice shrugged, "I'm patient. I would've waited til they gave birth."

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The only thing that seemed to link the two women who were so effected, seemed to be their divinity... one an aasimar oracle and the other a warpriest of Tempus. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"She's got the temper to go with it too," Thrice nodded to the symbol of the war god around Lyssa's neck. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sen went outside, praying to the elven pantheon, more concentrated on Nature since it was a storm over a forest. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Do you need to go out and do that too?" Thrice glanced out the window at the aasimar chanting prayers outside and turned to Lyssa. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I can do that right here," the warpriest shrugged. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Thrice sighed heavily, "Didn't you do enough of that when we were on the road for weeks? I thought I would get a brake." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"Nope," Lyssa shrugged at her, "It's part of who I am." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Thrice sighed again. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Outside a vision overtook Senathliel and she dropped to her knees as the world faded black around her.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> The most lovely set of forests, plains, and mountains filled her head. It was perfect. Angelic men and women were in the sky... and then a rent opened in the sky, and dark writhing tentacles spilled out from the rent, trying to tear it open further! Sen gasped sharply as she came back out of the vision and took a moment to look around. A couple of the others had wandered outside to watch the sky and look around themselves. "Did anyone else see that?" the oracle looked at them. "See what?" Aeon looked at her blankly. "See what, dear?" Thrice turned to look at the aasimar, "Were you having holy visions? Isn't that what you do?" Sen nodded slowly, "That must've been it... but there were these dark tentacles... coming into the sky of the most perfect forest... it was like they were crawling through some sort of crack... it felt so... so evil." Thrice frowned and leaned closer to muttering to Lyssa who came out to join them, "I think she has issues... I think I'm just going to stay close to you for now." "Not too close," Lyssa shook her head at the tiefling. "Why?" Thrice raised an eyebrow. "You are half demon, right?" The warpriest frowned, looking her over. "Half... portion... what's the difference?" Thrice shrugged, "You're a half breed as well." "So," Lyssa shrugged, "I'm half //elf//." "What about the woman over there sleeping through all of this?" the alchemist gestured toward Zura in the bunkhouse, "She's a half breed. What about that?" "I never said half //breed//... I said half //demon//," Lyssa folded her arms. "So..." Thrice looked a little offended, "How are you so different than I?" "I'm gooder," the half elf nodded. "//I'm// good," Thrice nodded, adding a little quieter, "My family behind me may not be..." she shrugged slightly.

Everyone returned to the bunkhouse to sleep. The storm, having lessened considerably but still enduring, cast a bolt of lightning down occasionally... every hour or so. "Maybe we should go out there?" Sen looked out into the forest. "Into the lightning storm?" Thrice sat down on her bed and raised an eyebrow at the oracle. "It could be hurting the fey," Sen nodded, turning to Aeon and Lorwyn, "Think of poor Perlivash and Tyg-Titter-Tut ." "I'm sure they and their families have seen many many thunderstorms come and go," Aeon sat down on her bed, kicking off her boots. "With bright green lightning?" Sen countered with disbelief. "We'll head that way in the morning," Aeon appeased her, "Satisfactory?" "In the morning," Thrice and Lyssa agreed. Thrice nodded to her, "Get some sleep, dear." Sen glanced back out the window. "I've no doubt that anyone else who seen it is probably heading there as well," Aeon laid down and stretched out. "But then they could get there first... all the more reason to go now," Sen looked back out worriedly. "Are you going to insist on this?" Thrice sat up and looked at the silver-eyed aasimar. "Well no," Sen shook her head, "I could just go and scout it out. You all could rest and catch up in the morning." Aeon sighed, "Did the vision you seen endanger the fey?" "Well no... not specifically," Sen shook her head again, "It felt sort of... evil... like..." "Like the heavens were at war?" Aeon rolled her head to look at the oracle. "Like the whole world was at risk," Sen replied. "If the whole world is at risk, then we should do something. I live there," Thrice nodded. Sen turned to beam happily at the alchemist, agreeing, "Me too!" "It can wait til dawn at least?" Lyssa yawned. Thrice nodded to Sen, "If you insist on going now... I will go with you, but I would prefer to get some sleep." "It can wait until morning," the young oracle nodded, glancing one last time toward the forest and going to sit on her bed. The others nodded and settled in to sleep.

In the morning the storm was over, and they packed up to go scout out the forest. Naahir, Vorst, Lorwyn, and Zura stayed behind to watch over the trading post, knowing it would take them several days of travel. The group ran into Tyg, a half-elven and half cricket looking woman the size of a cat, and Perlivash, her tiny winged dragon companion on their first day out. "What is that?" Thrice blinked at their sudden arrival. "I'm told it's fey," Aeon nodded to her. "Thank goodness," Sen greeted them both, "Are you alright?" "Oh, did you see that lightning storm last night?" Tyg asked. Sen nodded, "That's why we came." Thrice nodded beside her, "We came as soon as we could." "Thankfully it was nowhere near us... it was quite a ways to the southwest," Tyg gestured deeper into the forest, "Several animals ran through here last night." "Were they alright?" Sen asked. Tyg nodded, "They were all frightened of something." "We're going to go and check it out," Sen nodded to her. "Okay," Perlivash and Tyg nodded together, "We'll guard the forest!" "Excellent," Aeon nodded.

The group continued on, crossing out of the border of their territory into the small zone that fell between the Narlmarches territory and the Hooktongue Slough territory to the west. Aeon added a few marks to their map, trying to keep track of where they went. Boot tracks on the ground indicated that people traveled the area both recently and old. Three days into their journey, they came to a clearing among the dense forest held what remained of a green tower that had been broken. Several pieces were scattered on the ground around it. It appeared to be made of both some sort of green crystal glass and gemstone. The group gathered a few of the broken pieces. The pieces felt warm, harder than stone, but not quite as hard as gemstone.

Thrice pointed out the tracks closer around the tower that appeared to be made with smaller booted feet... some of them had toe prints. A handsome dark-haired man with an exotic sword and a beautiful female paladin came around the corner. Aeon and Sen recognized them as the pair that had been traveling in with Vorst. Christos Medici and Tanya Vosto. "Tanya and Christos," Sen greeted them warmly. "Ah, S..." Tanya started to return the greeting. "Sen," the oracle smiled, nodding and helping her out. "Senathliel, a pleasure to see you again," Christos smiled at her, rolling her name easily off his tongue, and then turned to the swashbuckler beside her, "and the lovely Aeonill..." He bowed with a flourish in greeting, "How very interesting to see //you// out here. You made good time." Aeon nodded, "We left in the morning, three days ago... so you saw it too then?" "Yes," Tanya nodded, "Unfortunately we've been having some difficulties with some trolls." "Trolls? Nasty business," Aeon wrinkled her nose. "It is a swamp over there you know," Tanya nodded. "Oh... you're one of //those//," Thrice nodded. "It's... it's quite beautiful really," Tanya nodded. "Mmm," the tiefling nodded, unconvinced. "These are our new partners," Sen gestured toward the tiefling and half-elven women, "Thrice and Lyssa." "It's good to meet you both," Tanya shook their hands in greeting. Christos gently kissed the back of each of their hands. "Oh my," Thrice delighted in the attention, looking the human bard over. "We weren't going to investigate it until later," Tanya explained, "But a mage in our company named Tiawoss said that she felt powerful magic here. She used her magic to transport herself out here without so much as coming to a consensus on the matter." "Brave mage... or foolish," Aeon nodded. "She is shao, so she is strange... but we have not seen hide nor hair of her. We think that she has gone into the tower," Tanya gestured to the broken green spire, "We believe that there are goblins." "That would be the little feet," Thrice nodded, recalling the smaller prints around the tower. "As much as it pains me to say," Tanya shook her head, "We don't have any real idea of what's inside, and we really don't have time to explore it... we have to get back to the settlers in our land." "Why the hurry?" Aeon tilted her head, "Are they under attack?" "Yes, the trolls have been acting up," Tanya nodded, "We thought if we came out here that she would magically transport us all back and it would just be a matter of two or three days... but we have not seen her and we can not afford to wait any longer." Christos nodded, "I would only ask that if you find her, tell her that her presence is required back at the base." "And if you find her body," Tanya nodded, "We would appreciate you delivering that to the base as well." Aeon nodded, "Where is your base camp from here?" "To the north," Christos marked the map in Aeon's hands to the west of Oleg's Trading Post. "As much as I'd like to explore this place and claim it for us," Tanya sighed, "We'll have to come back at a later time." "Does that mean we're claiming it for us?" Sen tilted her head at Aeon. The swashbuckler nodded to her. "There's also a sign of bandits in the woods to the north, but they haven't approached us," Tanya warned them. "I've heard about this place before," Christos nodded to the group, "I just can't remember much about it... but you may want to look into that." Aeon bowed her head to both of them, "We appreciate the words of warning." Tanya nodded, "We must be going... it's a long walk back." "It was a pleasure to see you again," Aeon nodded her farewell. "A pleasure to see all of you lovely ladies," Christos bowed with a flourish. "Bu-bye," Thrice waved, almost ushering them off out of the way. Sen and Lyssa waved.

The group stared up at the fragmented crystal green spire. A grand battle from years ago had left a lasting mark on the clearing. The ground around the tower was barren with a few sickly weeds struggling to survive in the magic blessed earth. Melted chunks of warm glass covered the ground, adding a green hue to the clearing's light. Despite the damage that had been done, it was obvious that the tower had withstood the ravages of time... clean of pits and cracking and no sign of moss or other debris. The main stairway was covered in large broken pieces blocking the way in. At the top of a winding steep dirt path was a broken hole in the wall of the tower... a dark entry that seemed to steal the light from the surrounding countryside. Goosebumps ran across Sen's skin as she looked at the group, "Up we go?" "Yeah..." Aeon nodded slowly. "Up we go," Thrice nodded confidently. Lyssa took the lead, striding her way up the dirt path. Aeon followed behind her, and Thrice stepped in behind Aeon, moving past Sen, "If you'll excuse me." The oracle shrugged and followed behind at the back of the line.

A goblin jumped out onto the path, brush tied to his armor and black streaks of paint was on his face. A hairless goblin dog leapt out next to him, baring it's teeth and growling. The goblin shot his shortbow, but Lyssa managed to bring up her shield in time to deflect it! He put a knife in his mouth and his dog charged down to pounce on the warpriest! Catching everyone offguard, the goblin took another shot with his bow, glancing an arrow off of Aeon's shoulder.

Thrice pulled a crossbow, locking a bolt into place as Aeon tumbled past the goblin dog to impale her blade through it's back! The dog crumpled to the ground with the elf pulling her blade back out. The goblin screamed out from higher up the path, "Nooooo! Wrinkles!" Lyssa moved up the path with purpose and swung out her flail, but the short little goblin ducked out of the way. Sen laid her hands on the tiefling in front of her, bestowing her with divine guidance. Thrice glanced back at her, "I feel so... conflicted." The oracle grinned.

The goblin struck with precision into the warpriest who staggered backward as her red blood splashed over his green skin! The blue-skinned alchemist shot off her crossbow, the bolt barely grazing the goblin's arm. Aeon dashed up the path, but the dextrous little goblin managed to dodge both her and the warpriest as they surrounded him with attacks. He struck back at the elven woman, but her blade rang out as she parried it back! The dark-haired aasimar moved up along the path past Thrice, sending out positive life energy to heal the wounds of her companions. Thrice locked another bolt into her crossbow, watching the goblin weaving in and out around the blonde elf and fair skinned half elf. The warpriest swung her flail and the spiked ball smashed into the goblin's head, spattering his brain matter like an explosion!

Everyone continued on, a little more tentative and careful. Thrice sighed and stepped back in front of Sen, pointing the oracle behind her. As they rounded the next corner of the dirt path, another goblin leapt out wearing his camouflage brush tied to his armor shooting his shortbow to glance an arrow off of the warpriest. Another goblin dog leapt out with him, small uneven patches of fur on it's mostly hairless skin. Lyssa put a hand on Aeon behind her, whispering off a prayer of resistance to Tempus to protect her. Aeon leapt forward, striking her blade into the single goblin. Thrice shot off her crossbow, but the bolt whipped by the goblin as the young tiefling moved last second, trying to avoid the swashbuckler. The goblin ran up the path into the darkness of the entrance, leaving his goblin dog to fend off the group while he went to warn the others. Sen laid her hands on the bluish skin of the tiefling, again bestowing her with divine guidance.

The warpriest swung out her flail, barely missing Aeon as the goblin dog dodged out of the way! Aeon pierced her blade into Patches, dropping the rat-looking dog to the ground. Thrice loaded her crossbow and Sen glanced up to the tower not able to see in even with her darkvision. She cast light on Lyssa's shield and everyone moved up with caution.

The warpriest stepped in through the broken wall, the darkness swallowing the light. Her shield barely kept a dim circle of light around her, Aeon just able to see it as she followed behind. Thrice and Sen followed behind them, each just able to dimly make out their immediate surroundings with their dark vision. The floor was covered in the rubble of broken glass, causing them to slip. With slow careful steps, they continued on through the darkness. Chairs and tables were stacked up with rubble to blockade one of the paths. Stepping into a circular room, they found empty dog crates against one of the walls. It was filthy with piles of flaked off skin all over the floor among dirt and droppings. The smell was overwhelming and flies buzzed around the room.

Moving on into another circular room, three small goblins stepped into the dim light emitted by Lyssa's Tempus emblazoned shield. The warpriest sent out a prayer to her god as she laid a hand on Aeon, bestowing a blessing of war over the elven woman beside her. Thrice could hear the goblin voices just ahead, moving up to see their dim silhouettes. She sent out an alchemy flask to explode in a very brief flash of light. One of the goblins went up in flames, screaming out! "Oh yeah... fire in the hole," the young tiefling post-warned her companions. Lyssa stepped back just in time to avoid the blast. She glanced back over her shoulder at the alchemist, speaking calmly, "We are not going to get along." The goblins shouted angrily in goblin speak, obviously unhappy about the fire. A couple of them moved back into the darkness, heading into another room.

Aeonill stepped and deftly struck out with her blade, but the little goblin was quick and short and managed to avoid her. Frustrated with the unnatural darkness of the tower, Sen cast daylight on her staff and it fought back the shadows better than the light on the shield, but still beyond ten feet, the dark absorbed it. The warpriest whispered another prayer to her god and reached out to grab the goblin, but the slippery little monster pulled back. The goblins frantically fought back, but Aeon and Lyssa deflected them. The chaos of clanging blades and a whirling flail swung about the area as the goblins and the group continually managed to dodge and miss. As one of the goblins dodged Lyssa's flail, he walked right into Aeon's blade as she drove it through his chest, dropping the body to the ground.

Lyssa latched onto one of the goblins, releasing her spell to crackle out red lightning and exploded the little goblin to pieces! Thrice laughed, "That was great! Do that again." "I can only do it once more today," Lyssa shook her head sadly. "That's alright," the tiefling nodded, "Maybe another time." She held her crossbow, sweeping her head back and forth slowly, waiting for the goblins to show. An arrow came flying from the darkness as a lucky shot struck into Thrice. Aeon noticed the arrow and in the cover of darkness, she moved toward the goblin voices in the distance with Sen following behind her.

A goblin came into view, swinging his short sword up at the swashbuckler, but Aeon ran him through with her own blade. The goblin barely clung to life, chocking on his blood. The oracle still following behind the elven woman, put her hands on her to bestow her with divine guidance. Lyssa moved up and impaled the spiked ball on the end of her flail into the chest of the other one. The last goblin, barely alive, stepped back to the wall and flipped a switch, laughing maniacally. Green glass came rushing down from the ceiling as everyone scattered out of the way except for Sen who was buried under the green crystal!

Thrice continued to fire her crossbow, but the goblin dodged the bolts. Sen struggled under the weight of the broken tower pieces, failing to move the heavy glass off of herself. It was difficult to breathe and she could just make out strange warped images of her companions through the green shards. Lyssa struck into the goblin with her flail, spattering it's blood, but still it kept moving. A large whole opened up in the wall as the goblin hit another switch. Aeon slipped up, skewering him in the back to stop him from going down the tunnel.

Aeon and Lyssa started to dig through the rubble to get to the oracle and Thrice sighed, "She keeps touching me... I have personal space!" The tiefling helped them dig anyway. Lyssa shook her head, "It's just her way of communicating." Thrice sighed again. Darn celestial born! "I hear her moaning in there... I'm sure we've got time." The three of them pulled away large chunks of crystal as the pile continued to crush the aasimar. Sen watched the disjointed images of her friends trying to help her as she struggled to get to them, but the weight of the rubble took the last of her breath as it continued to crush her further. She slipped into unconsciousness, the world fading to black. Thrice paused a second, "I don't hear her anymore... We might want to hurry." They looked into the rubble to see Sen's eyes close and her chest stopped rising. They pulled the last of the chunks of crystal off of her and the warpriest grabbed the oracle, with a prayer to Tempus to heal her. Sen gasped in air and opened her eyes, relieved to see her companions around her, "Thank you!" She sent out a positive wave of life energy to heal everyone's wounds.

With the pile of rubble blocking the way back out where they had come in, the companions got down on their hands and knees to crawl through the open four foot tall tunnel. Lyssa took the lead and opened the door on the other side. One goblin was asleep on the table with a female goblin standing over him, decorating him with food and giggling. A chicken leg still in her hand, the female goblin turned with wide eyes to see the door fly open revealing the half-elven warpriest! She quickly drew her knife and dropped the chicken leg. Torches ran along the walls of the room. Lyssa grabbed the torch by the secret door and threw it at the goblin! It landed on the wooden table, lighting it on fire. The female goblin leapt off while the flames licked the toes of the sleeping goblin.

The sleeping goblin just started to awaken when Aeon tumbled into the room and pinned his head to the table! Sen again put guidance on Thrice who was standing next to her. The tiefling swatted the oracle's hands with her tail, "Stop that!" She tumbled into the room next to the female goblin. The goblin nicked both Thrice and Lyssa with her knife before Aeon impaled her sword into the goblin's body. The group followed the edge of the room with the torches. Sen and Lyssa could hear loud goblin voices on the other side of the door.

"Goblins... at least two. I think they're arguing with each other... they sound agitated," Sen whispered back, pointing to the door. "More?" Thrice sighed. Sen nodded back to her, "How about I open the door... you peek inside to make sure the mage isn't in there, and throw one of those bombs?" Thrice nodded, pulling a flask out into her hand, preparing it. Sen opened the door, standing back out of the way, and the red-eyed tiefling peeked inside to see two goblins arguing over a large leg of meat on the table, yelling at each other and licking the leg. With their tongues still out and on the leg of meat, the two turned to the sound of the door opening. Thrice tossed in her flask of alchemical fire, landing it on the table between them, Boom! Fire washed out over both of them, leaving them horribly burnt and screaming! Catching them by surprise, she threw another one, Boom! They blew apart in a charred mess! Thrice grinned happily, nodding back to the others, "You should have seen it! Pieces are here and there and there... of the same goblin!" She shook her head, "But it stinks in there now... sorry." She closed to the door, "I guess you could say that was me." Sen laughed.

Everyone pushed through the room. Aeon listened to the next door, hearing some noise but not any voices, "There's something on the other side." "Let's kill it," Lyssa nodded. Aeon opened the door and stepped aside. "Wait, it might be the woman we're looking for... look first," Sen called out. Lyssa nodded, stepping into the room to see a large green piece of metal that she could see her reflection in... slowly she looked up, realizing it belonged to some kind of emerald golem! Written across its chest in crude common was 'Clanky'. A large fist came down to smash into the warpriest, crushing her to the floor unconscious! The goblin beside the metal figure cheered him on, "Get 'em, Clanky!"

The large golem sparked along his joints randomly and seemed in disrepair. Thrice paused in the doorway, eyes wide from the massive golem smashing Lyssa... she drank a shielding potion and Aeon reached into the room, grabbing onto the warpriest's unconscious body and pulled her into the room with us. "Lamashtu please help us fight the long legs!" the goblin prayed to the ceiling. Sen leapt over to touch the half-elf's arm, sending in healing energy to bring her back to conscious. Lyssa opened her eyes and nodded to the oracle.

Thrice tossed an alchemical flask into the great golem, exploding out fire! The golem stepped back, grumbling angrily. The warpriest got back to her feet and the goblin ran across the room to swing and miss the tiefling. Aeon seized the opportunity to impale her blade into the goblin's open side! He turned to her, sending out magic that washed over her, "Flee!" The swashbuckler held her ground, resisting the magic, and wrenched her blade through his body, "Die!" The goblin fell to the ground in a heap! Clanky stomped angrily over the loss of the goblin. Sen healed Lyssa again, closing more of her wounds.

Thrice moved back out of the way of the angry golem and the warpriest moved forward and slammed her flail into Clanky, sending out more sparks from his breaking body. Clanky brought his fist down, just missing Aeon and smashing the floor in front of her, sending out chunks of stone! The elf struck into one of the joints in his arm, sending out more spark. Another bolt sailed from the tiefling's crossbow, but it blew by the golem's head. Lyssa hit Clanky again, and this time he shook and exploded parts everywhere! Electricity and metal parts arced across the room, slamming into Lyssa, Aeon, and Sen! The half-elf crumpled to the ground and Sen and Aeon barely stood. The oracle healed the warpriest, bringing her back to consciousness and Aeon handed her a deep red healing potion that tasted indulgently sweet, healing up to full strength.

Various golem parts were strewn across the room. Everyone took a moment to look around. They found some Leather armor, a Masterworked falchion, a stick (wand), 100 gold, and a scroll. Lyssa looked over the scroll to find an arcane mark of 6. Moving around they found another doorway that lead back out to the forest... They noted it as another way out or way to get back in later.

The kitchen had crude alchemy ingredients about... nothing would work. There was a stairway leading up to a second floor, but deciding to clear the first floor first, Lyssa strode across the room and opened the next door to see three goblins in a dim room with torches along the walls. Each had a shortbow pointed at the doorway. An arrow nicked her shoulder and the victorious goblin shouted to his friends. Sen stepped up behind Aeon, bestowing her with divine guidance. Thrice sank a bolt into one of the goblins in the head. The body fell in almost slow motion. "You're welcome," the tiefling nodded to Lyssa. "Thanks... you're not so bad after all," the warpriest nodded to her and braced herself in the doorway to brace her shield to block their arrows. Sen moved up and caressed Thrice's tail, blessing her with divine guidance. The tiefling shivered for a moment and slapped the oracle with her tail, "Stop that... not now. Maybe later." "But... you need the guidance now," Sen shrugged.

Thumps hit into Lyssa's shield from the goblin arrows as they shrieked angrily at her. Aeon tumbled past the warpriest, and an arrow sank into her leg from the goblins. The goblin cheered, shouting out in goblin speak something about elf bitch. Thrice's bolt missed the other as crouched and moved past Lyssa, but Aeon skewered the first with her blade. Sen moved into the room with Lyssa. The warpriest caved in the skull of the last goblin with her flail!

The stench of rotting food and furs was overpower with cots dressed in uncured rat skin and clutter was strewn about the room. Sen healed Aeon, closing her wounds and returning her to full strength. Moving on into the last of the first floor where an armory room held warped arrows and rusty blades and other strewn weapons. There was a second stairway... this one lead down. Everyone moved down the winding steps. A wall of solid green glass was along the left. The stairs ended in a stone lined room with a darkened alcove next to it. An extinguished torch sat on the wall beside the doorway. Patches of greenish white glowing mold lit the area. Webbing clung to the corners of the room.

As they looked around the room, they fell back into line to move on. Lyssa taking the lead and Aeon following her. Sen smiled at Thrice, "Would you like to trade places so that I stop touching you?" The tiefling shrugged, "You would just turn around to touch me." "That's probably true," Sen nodded, "but at least you couldn't slap me with your tail then." "Oh, does that bother you?" Thrice tilted her head. "Well... no," the aasimar shook her head. "Darn," the tiefling's shoulders sank slightly in defeat.

Lyssa opened a door to the left to find a large hole in the floor with a heavy steel ladder leading down into the depths. Several light grey spider webs covered the room. Aeon shuddered, "Let's check the other door first." The group moved back to check another door that lead to more doors. As Lyssa stepped into the room, the floor dropped out from under her feet!! She landed off to the side, deftly avoiding the sharpened spikes pointing up. A giant spider waiting below hit a trigger to re-close the ceiling above her. The warpriest gasped slightly as the room went dark and her way out was closed off.

Sen gasped from the top, "Lyssa!" For a brief moment, a spider form could be seen below before the floor sealed off. Aeon stared at the closed floor, "Well that's a first..." She stepped into the room, but nothing happened. She leapt up and used her strength to drive her weight into the floor several times until something broke and the floor flew open, dropping the elf to spike pit below! One of the spikes clipped her side, but she could see Lyssa and the spider off to the side. The spider shot a spray of hot webbing at the warpriest, but she quickly stepped to the side to avoid it. She cracked the leg of the spider with her flail. The floor, now broken, remained open. Thrice laid on the floor, leaning over the edge to fire her crossbow, but the bolt zipped off to bounce against the wall. Sen attached a rope to the extinguished torch holder in the other room and dropped the end down the pit through the floor. The spider bit into Aeonill, dropping her unconscious to the foor! The elf managed to fight off the green ichor dripping off of the spider's fang. Thrice and Sen used the rope to descend down into the pit with the others. Another gob of webbing shot out from the spider, but again Lyssa avoided it, frustrating the spider. She swung back at him, but missed. Thrice struck across the back of the spider, spilling out a yellowish ichor. She took a quick moment to collect a sample. Sen wove a spell of healing over the swashbuckler, bringing her awake. Aeon stood up and pierced her blade into the spider, spattering more of it's yellowish blood. The spider bit into Thrice, tearing a hole into her, but again the tiefling fought off it's poison. Lyssa smashed her flail into the spider and Sen gave guidance to Aeon. As the others took down the spider, Sen climbed up the rope carefully peeking over the edge of the floor. Two more giant spiders were guarding the room and one of the casted a spell to weave out an obscuring mist. She whispered down, "Guys... there's two more spiders up here." "Two?" Thrice whispered back as she blinked in surprise up at the aasimar. They realized they had delved too deep... they never should have gone down the stairs... "I can cast darkness. We could huddle together and run past them," Thrice suggested. "Running could be our only way out," Sen agreed. "Let's go," Aeon nodded. Everyone gathered at the top quickly and ran along the wall! The spiders chased them to the bottom of the stairs, shooting up webbing, but not chasing beyond the stairs. Moving up through the first level, they went up the stairs to the secondary level where a slit was in the door. A deep voice sounded from the other side, "Who are you?" "I am Aeonill," the elven woman replied. "What have you done with my goblins? I haven't heard them in a while," the voice asked. "I killed them," Aeon replied. "You must be strong," the hobgoblin stayed on the other side of the door. "I'm here for you now," Aeon nodded. Her three companions looked at one another with wide eyes. "You think you can take me, little elf?" his voice rumbled. "I took your Clanky," Aeon replied with confidence. Sen bestowed guidance on the swashbuckler. "What are you talking about?" the voice sounded confused. "The golem," Aeon answered. "What golem?" the hobgoblin asked. "Clanky... it said it right on his metal chest," Sen nodded. "I know Skiznitz was tinkering on some golem parts..." the voice responded thoughtfully. "Almost killed us," Aeon nodded, "but he's dead now." "I'll tell you what," the voice started to bargain, "I'll tell you a little bit about this tower and maybe you can do me a favor and leave me be. Scratch your back, you scratch mine?" "You better have one heck of a story..." Aeon eyed the door warily. "Who are you?" Sen asked. "My name is Grolk," the voice answered. "That's not much of a story, Grolk," Aeon shook her head.' "She just asked what my name was," Grolk replied, "This place is a lot bigger than you probably know. I can tell you how to get around easier and who rules the first 6 levels of the spire." "S-six levels?!" Sen whispered with big eyes. "Who rules the first 6 levels," Aeon asked without hesitation. "A wizard named Klarkosh. He came here a few years ago," Grolk answered. "Is he one of yours?" Aeon asked. "Nah, he's a humie... but he has some metal parts on him. A wizard," Grolk replied. "We're looking for one of our own who went missing, also a wizard," Aeon nodded. "Oh the pretty one," Grolk agreed, "She went down and blasted a couple of goblins with magic much more powerful than our pay grade, so we let her go. She went down the stairs... she didn't go the other way." "What's the other way?" Sen tilted her head, curious. "If you can find a spire sigil token and you know the arcane rune... you can touch any part of the crystal center and it will transport you to that level," Grolk answered. "What was with all of the lightning last night?" Aeon asked. "I don't know what the hell that was... we've been living here for years and a few days ago all of the sudden things just went a little crazy," he responded. "Are you a goblin too?" Sen asked. "I'm a hobgoblin," Grolk replied proudly. "Are you alone in there?" Sen asked. "I've got at least 4 or 5 of my buddies in here," he lied. "Sounds like it," Aeon nodded, unconvinced. "And you wont bother us when we come back looking for our wizard friend?" Sen asked. "You leave me alone and you can do what you want," Grolk nodded. Sen nodded, "I'm alright with that." Thrice and Aeon nodded their agreement, "Alright then. You have a bargain." Rolling down the stairs from the arrowslit, two red garnets tumbled down the stairs, "To sweeten the deal." worth 100 gold together. The group swept the floor on the way out coming up with a couple more hundred gold worth of stuff before going outside to find a place to camp. 1000 experience each to Lyssa, Thrice, Aeon, and Sen. (2000 exp = 2nd level) (5000 exp = third level) __New Quests!!__ Rescuing Tiwaz Using Spire Transport Killing Klarkosh