Fireday approaches Kaska.
"Do you need healing?"
Kaska claps Fireday on the shoulder. "I think it's just a little bruising friend, I can walk it off."
Kaska looks around the room with the others, and when they're ready to keep moving she tells Holg "I think we should finish down here before going up. I want to be sure nothing will be coming at our backs."
"I think you're right. Unless this tower is just the cap on a complex winding even deeper into the earth. I've heard tales of wizards doing that, and we're in a wizard's domain."
"Where in those tales metal robots Fireday? What shall the wizard do with that?" Holg nods to Kaska and forgets about the stairs for now.
Instead the man moves to the northern door and opens it after inspection "Wizards like traps, don't they?"
And, if things go well, he checks the next room.
"Most of the tales I heard were from crusaders coming up from the south. Less robots, more devils and elementals," Fireday replies with a shrug.
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Schematics of incredible complexity, each mounted in an elaborate wooden frame, decorate the stone walls of this curving hallway. The schematics feature images of metal monsters, strange vehicles, and technological wonders. The hall curves north at the eastern end, rising to the upper floor in a staircase.
A few moments after you enter the hall, a cloud of smoke pours into the room through the floor. The smoke coalesces into the spectral form of an old human man, his face twisted into a mask of rage. His eyes burn with fiery light as he howls in fury. "Intruders in my tower! This will not stand! I am Furkas Xoud, and your will burn for your impertinence!"
Holg opens wide his jaw surprised to find a ghost-like creature "So... you are dead?!"
The Kellid has little time to react, but takes grip on his blade, trying to decide what's the best way to proceed depending on the kind of monster Xoud became "Why is all of you pouring smoke like an oversized stogie?"
"So you live still, after all this time. We come to free Casandalee and purge your blight from this land, in the names of the Inheritor, the Dreamweaver, and the Bronze Whisper! BACK WITH YOU, XOUD!"
Fireday calls on the powers of the gods to protect him and his friends against whatever dark magics the enemy may use.
Holg recognizes that Xoud is a ghost! The undead wizard howls with fury before launching a ball of flame into your midst that explodes in a massive conflagration! The smoke around Xoud thickens, obscuring your sight and sapping your life force.
"A ghost!" Holg is still under surprise when the fire burns his skin and leaves him near unconsciousness.
The man quickly brings up his holy symbol and channels Gorum's positive energy so the group can stand the fight "There is no sense on running behind walls this time, ghosts can easily traverse them. And we will need magic to fight him! I can make one of our weapons magical"
Holg moves back, looking to have some time to enchant his weapon.
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Still hovering in the air, Viv purses her lips slightly, cocks her head, then starts gathering telekinetic power. Her hair rises a bit and a small whirl of dust and debris swirls below her.
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Fireday manages to avoid the worst of Xoud's fire.
"So can I!" he replies to Holg as he raises his battlestaff, its crescent shining with light.
He begins moving towards Xoud to attack him
Kaska bounds away from the incoming fireball and doesn't bother moving forward toward the ghost wizard. She figures her falx will be of no use against it.
Instead she pulls the arc pistol from her belt and squeezes off a couple of quick shots aimed at where she last saw Xoud.
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Fireday hacks at Xoud with the blessed end of his weapon!
Holg heals the group while Viv gathers her power. Kaska fires two shots into the smoke cloud, but neither hits Furkas Xoud. Coen launches a quartet of magic missiles that slam into the ghost, while Fireday charges into the smoke and swings his spade, not finding purchase.
Xoud gestures at Fireday with a rod he clutches, and the smoke suddenly tightens around his spade, ripping it out of his hands and causing it to clatter to the ground! A moment later, the ghostly wizard shoves his hand into the android's chest, corrupting his body!
Kaska curses and keeps taking shots and keeps cursing.
Viv unleashes a blast of pure telekinetic energy - no shard of metal this time.
... which, of course, misses.
Holg extends his greatsword and closes his eyes calling for a prayer "Gorum, give your blade the strength to damage our enemy" and as he does so a magic brightness imbues the metal.
Now prepared, Holg moves forward looking to engage the ghost close to Fireday "What happened with you Xoud? Don't you wish to finally rest in peace?"
Kaska's and Viv's shots miss the ghost, but Coen blasts him with magic missiles again. As Fireday struggles to breathe after the brutal assault, the ghostly wizard lets loose a howl of fury. "I cannot rest while interlopers defile my life's work! This isn't over!"
The smoke seems to suck back into the spirit as he vanishes just as swiftly as he had appeared.
Holg smashes the walls with his sword angrily "Damn! My sword was useless against this enemy. And now he has escaped without showing Gorum a single blow!" the man hits again the wall but this time with his fist.
Something seems to dang then at his little brain as he spots Fireday trying to recover his sword "Wa... wait. Are you ok bro?" his face changes to an expression of care. The kellid helps him recover and brings the healing wand to fix the worst of Fireday's wounds "You were brave facing the ghost almost alone. Thanks gods Coen's magic seemed quite effective against him. He was forced to retreat..."
"If Xoud is dead, I don't know what are hopes are for our search... but perhaps we can still find the cam somewhere around... let's try to have our eyes open" with that Holg helps register the chamber.
"I don't think everything is done with Xoud. He has become a ghost, and he will come back once an again to chase us until we find a way to completely end with him... What do you think we can do about it? Any ideas?"
Fireday screams in anger and pain as Xoud's foul magic seems to burn him from the inside out.
He writhes and curls up, almost seeming to shrivel before the others drive Xoud away. Only Holg's healing spells keep him from crossing the brink of death once again.
"Thank you, Holg...even with Iomedae's blessings my weapon was useless against him..."
Kaska doesn't come off guard when the ghost disappears. She keeps her pistol out and at the ready even though she doesn't even know if it works on he ghost.
"Why did it leave? We didn't hurt it."
Holg picks up Fireday's weapon and offers it to him "Coen magic was specially harming to him. The tale of the Red Talons ghost show how the Bear Ghost was only damaged by magic, and then our ancestors discovered force spells and positive energy was able to deal full damage to them where common blades and arrows were nothing to it. That's how our ancestors defeated it, but even then, the ghost kept coming until his corpse was found and sanctified at the name of Gorum" the Kellid clean the sweat at his front and moves to the next door "I am pretty sure there must be a similar way to end with Xaud's ghost"
"Let's see what lies behind the door to the south" Holg heals himself with the wand, and once everybody is ready, he opens the southern door.
This simple kitchen shows signs of long neglect. A pair of stoves stand cold on the north side of the room between tall shelves stacked with jars and dishes. Along the west wall, a wide sink brims with pale mold. The center of the room contains a butcher’s table, above which hangs an assortment of knives, cleavers, and pans. An odd-shaped tub protrudes from the southwestern corner of the room.
"Mmmm... seems there is nothing in here for Forum" Holg quickly turns back and opens the northern door " Let's see what is our prize behind door two"
Viv comes down to hover just above the floor, toes pointing down.
"I've never fought a ghost before now, but if they are just manifestations of etheric force, then I should be able to disrupt one... but if we have to find and dispose of a body, then so be it. Hopefully not covered in mold like that sink."
Dust-covered shelves crammed with all manner of books and scrolls line the walls of this enormous curving library. A large desk, its top cluttered with scrolls and papers, sits at the western end of the room. North of the entry door, a second door stands slightly ajar, revealing what appears to be a reading nook.
"That is good to know Viv. If there is anything we can do to help you once he comes back... just let us know! I like fighting, but this Furkas might be out of my ability..." Holg smiles at the android marveling at the grace with which she floats over the ground.
Spoting the scrolls and papers Holg approaches to the desk very quickly and peeks through trying to find any notes that might help the group discover what happened with Casandalee and the wizard. He helps himself with detect magic.
When Holg mentions magic being used against a ghost in the old tales, Kaska discreetly takes her pack off and removes a wrapped bundle tied to it. She unwraps the magical axe she's been carrying for so long she had all but forgotten it.
Feeling embarrassed at her lapse in memory, and the gap in her knowledge, she hefts the axe in her right hand while keeping the pistol in her left.
Silently agreeing with Viv, she shies away from the unhealthy looking mold in the kitchen.
Moving on to the next room, Kaska looks around the old library as well.
Now fully healed, Fireday straightens up and recovers his weapon properly, following after the group.
"I may need to secure a new weapon...this old thing has served me well since the beginning, but it's downright primitive compared to the other weapons we've uncovered, and though Iomedae's blessings can empower it, it was not enough against Xoud."
He joins the others in their search of the room, not wanting to get too close to the mold either.
The library primarily contain a wide variety of materials regarding magical theory and wizardry, and while Furkas Xoud's early interests in air magic, the nature of mist and smoke, and theories about swarm behavior are represented, there is nothing here about technology or the android Casandalee. The papers on the desk contain notes regarding fundamental research into smoke and fog magic, but even the most recent notes are dated 30 years ago.
One of the books on the desk is a spellbook bound in a green leather cover.
The back of the cozy reading nook contains a low bookshelf with a few papers on it and an overstuffed leather chair. The room is coated with a thin layer of dust and has a slightly sweet smell.
"Iomedae's blade has filled us with courage this far Fireday, feel proud of it!" the Kellid tries to encourage the emotional android.
"By the layer of dust Furkas has not been on his books for years now..." Holg picks up the spellbook and hands it to Coen "This is likely of your interest. Stuff of mist and smoke"
"There is that small room at the center still to explore, we can climb up the stairs afterwards" Holg will check this last room, then start to climb up the stairs if nothing relevant is found.
Holg fails to spot the danger before opening the central door. It turns out to be a false door that opens onto a vent of hot oil and gas from the tower's inner workings. When the wheel is turned, the door suddenly slams open from the pressure built up behind it, spraying burning oil into the hall! While the door clangs off Holg's armor, the oil threatens to burn him!
As the door slams on him Holg is distracted and cannot avoid the burning oils coming behind "Ouch!"
Quickly the man crosses to the southern room and cures himself with the wand " It is ok. I am fine here "
Holg seems to proudly simulate nothing has happened and takes the stairs up "We were going up isn't it?"
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"Careful Holg! Where there's one trap there's likely to be more," says Viv. "Let me take the lead for a moment."
The uncanny android floats forward and hovers up past the oil and the trapped door, searching for other possible hazards along the walls or floor. Especially the floor, since she doesn't touch it but her companions must.
The stairs lead up to a large hall, filled with cramped corridors and small rooms. Many doors line the hall, most of which hang ajar, save for one to the northwest. Viv doesn't notice anything unusual in the hall.
Fireday follows Viv, only nodding in agreement with her admonishment of Holg. He keeps his eyes and ears open for more signs of danger, especially the smoke heralding Xoud's return for a rematch.
As you begin to explore the second floor, Fireday notices several tiny creatures lurking inside of open doorways moments before they emerge! Grasping arms emerge from tangled clusters of debris and mechanical parts. Metal skulls hover above the clanging mess. Three of these creatures appear and bear down on you!
"Gearghosts! They are the unquiet soul of a thief wrenched from life by a wicked trap. Mind they resist all kinds of physical damage!" Holg readies his blade.
"For Gorum!!!" the Kellid throws himself into battle with a powerful blow of his light emitting magical greatsword.
Fireday summons Iomedae's wrath into his weapon again and joins Holg in attacking the gearghost.
"And for Iomedae!"
Because Holg is at the distance of a 5-foot-step, the Kellid is able to deliver a second strike "For Iron and Glory!"
"Ooo, free-floating kinetic forms!" says Viv. "Fascinating!"
Still hovering, she launches one of her usual kinetically-accelerated shards at the floating, flying, swirling morass.
Holg attacks one of the undead twice, then Coen finishes it off with magic missiles. Viv's critical strike badly damages another of the gearghosts.
The creatures begin to hurl large chunks of debris at you! One misses Holg, but the other slams into Viv!
Fireday moves up to attack the creature Viv injured, further damaging it.
"Those things use the void the same way you do Viv! Perhaps you could make a pet from one of those!" Holg smiles delighted on the fight and steps forward over the one destroyed by Coen while swinging his blade at the next one "Blood for Gorum!"
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"Less talk, more valor!" Fireday hastily adds.
Viv falls back as the whirling gears and debris buffet her. "Nope! No pet! I don't want any pet more dangerous than a housecat."
Given Holg’s warning, Kaska grimaces and fires only her pistol at the robot ghosts? Zombies?
Kaska takes down the damaged gearghost with two shots from her pistol. Viv blasts the final one, but Holg is unable to finish it off with his greatsword. The gearghost retreats around the corner and pushes the door at the end of the hall open, triggering a trap! Slots in the walls surrounding the central core of the tower open and vent out blasts of steam, scalding Fireday and Holg!