Its "A" Dungeon, Too: The Second Chance (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

We can safely assume that the list of merchants provided to you by Hana includes at least one individual who can sell you what you need to create a disguise. This Merchant, Daligan Dooldrogen, is a half Baravkovian, and is not at all surprised by your groups unusual appearance. If you want to give me specifics of what you are trying to achieve in creating your disguises, just let me know, otherwise, let’s move on

When Ruul, Imreal, Bud, and Tofutee have completed their disguises, and checked their inventory once again to be sure they have everything they think they might need, they follow the Innkeeper’s directions to the home of the local scribe.

As they pass the center of the town, a large, open, market square, with a small but beautifully crafted fountain of four women of different ages all standing in a circle with their backs toward the middle of the fountain, Tofutee gets a strange smile on her face as she looks right, and sees the large wooden building at the end of the road which must be the Hall of the Solution Society.

Tofutee says,

You guys go on ahead, get what information you can and then head toward that tower. I’ll meet you there after I steal the Book of It’Dupree from those Solution Knuckleheads

And with that she skips off down the road.

The party of three odd fellows moves around the fountain in the market square and see the home of Shellisandre Asverguwalt, the woman the Innkeeper referred to as the local “Squire,” who is apparently in the know about all things related to this small village.

Shellisandre’s home is a tall, two-story, slender, brick and timber home on the left side of the street between a bakery and a cobble’s shop.

A small bronze, or perhaps, brass plate is nailed to the timber frame f the house next to a brightly painted, green door.

Shellisander Asverguwalt, esquire
Printing services
Patents
Scribe work of any kind

Imrael nods. "Alright, we're here. You two may as well be about it.
Mind you, I may have no need of a disguise. People...do not tend to question my motives. For some reason."

Clad in a gold-trimmed cloak and sporting a holy symbol of some god of 'goodness and honor' the slightly less imposing albino bull nods to Bud. "I imagine you'll have to more to say to this scribe than I could."

Bud shrugs to Ruul and then knocks on the door.

When the door is answered, "Hello. We are travelers from Baravkovia and were told in the tavern that you would be able to tell us more of this town and area. The important people, places. We've heard of a tower that sounded interesting."

The door opens, and a tall woman with sharp features answers the door. She is an old woman, her face is careworn, and she has short grey hair that is combed back from her face. She stands straight, though she appears frail. Before she can speak, Bud introduces himself

When he is finished, she pulls one side of her face up in a strange sort of dismissive grin, and says

If you are from Baravkovia, I’m the Duchess of Lander. Well, don’t just stand there on the porch, come in and sit down. Keep your hands to yourself, and I’ll ask Laura to make us some coffee.

She moves away from the door and gestures for you to enter.

The main room of the house is large, and set with five comfortable chairs, and one settee. There are two small tables placed near the chairs and sofa, while near the wall there is a desk, scattered with books, papers, and several paper weights shaped like small owls.

Sit down, sit down, I’ll be right back. She leaves the room through a door in the back wall, and leaves the door open. You hear her voice clearly speaking to another, asking for a fresh pot of coffee, and another woman’s voice, answers

Well certainly, sweetheart, tell them it will just be a few minutes. Any cakes?

The tall woman’s voice can be heard saying

No, no cakes, these look like the types who will leave crumbs and I just cleaned the floor

The woman returns, and goes right to a chair, sits down, leans forward and says

I am Shellisander Asverguwalt. Welcome to Harrispania. It’s obvious you are not from Baravkovia, but that was a good try. You don’t need to tell me the truth. I’ll be happy to tell you what I know about Retameron’s tower, and answer your questions about this town. I charge ten alar, that’s a gold coin about this big she shows the size of the coin by holding out her thumb and finger about an inch apart for answers, usually, if you don’t spend all day asking them. So let me tell you about the tower and Retameron first then if you have questions you can ask them

Retameron is the head of the Solution Society here in town. His home is built in the style of an old keep, that’s the tower you are interested in. Now, a while ago, a few weeks anyway, Retameron comes back from a mission for the Society and he’s got this mirror. The mirror is some sort of artifact, dangerous thing, but he didn’t know it at the time. Last night a monster appeared in the tower. Word around the town this morning was that it came out of the mirror. A few of Retameron’s followers made it out of the tower, but I heard he did not. The society is sending a team into the tower, they might be in already.

The tower itself is huge, must have cost a few thousand alar to construct. It was built about eight years ago. I didn’t live here then, but I’ve been to a few parties at the tower, so I can tell you what I know. Retaremon likes the good life and the place was built for comfort, and to entertain his guests. You enter the tower from a stair on the outside, it’s wide, and the steps are easy. It’s flanked by statues of dragons. The main floor of the tower, which is the second floor, has offices for Retameron and rooms for his staff, along with coat rooms, and storage rooms that sort of thing. The third floor is where he has guest rooms, while his rooms are on the fourth floor. The top floor is a grand ballroom, as well as a few trophy rooms and smaller party chambers. There is a basement, I’ve never seen it, but there is supposed to be a well stocked wine cellar, a pantry and a vault with a guard post.

I could probably draw a map of the first and fourth floor, but I don’t give you any assurances that they will be very good, I’m not great at remembering where doors are and the sizes of rooms and things I’m bound to get wrong, and it will cost you another ten alar, and take me the rest of the afternoon, so if you are in a hurry, you’re not getting any maps

Any questions?

Bud pulls out his change purse and puts 15 gold coins on the table. "I hope those cover it, we don't have time for a map unfortunately. I don't suppose there is any word on what "monster" came out of the mirror? What can you tell us about this Solution Society?" Bud takes a sip of the tea and adds, "This is really good tea, you guys should try some. Better than that ale in the tavern."

Imrael takes an inexorable step forward and picks up a full cup. He holds it like an alehorn and takes a strong sip. He lets the burning liquid make beautiful pain in his mouth a moment, savoring the bite of hot mixed with bitter, before swallowing it down, sharing the new wonderful torture with his throat. He takes another sip before speaking.

"Aye. If there were survivors, surely they have details?

And yes. We are in a hurry."

The woman takes a drink from her own cup, then leans over and looks at the coins carefully, smiles, and then leans back, saying

I have heard that anyone who saw the monster in the flesh did not make it out of that tower alive, yet. As to the Solution Society, well, they are a reasonably tolerable sort of do good-er organization. They hire teams of adventurers to investigate dangerous situations, or recover missing persons, treasures, that sort of thing. I’m not sure what’s in it for them, and they have no direct ties to the Alodoan government. They are a very private and secretive organization, at least that’s what they think of themselves. I have heard that they are controlled by extra dimensional beings who live in another plane of existence, but that is only the most common rumor said about them. The team that entered the tower this morning has some experience with monsters, I understand they entered a tafganor cave southwest of here and rescued a few merchants and their wares, something about a caravan that was attacked on the Adam’s Creek road. That’s a few miles southwest of this village.

Ruul listens somewhat patiently and cocks a heavy brow at the woman when she finishes her tale.

"I'm sorry, what's a tafganor? Is that some kind of beast?"

Imrael cocks an eyebrow at the mention of the beast, but stays silent as the minotaur echos his own thoughts.

He takes a sip of tea and begins inspect the decoration of the walls of the room, his intrinsic desire to rush into combat making him restless.

The woman smiles at Ruul, and then gives a telling nod of her head,

Well obviously you wouldn’t know that word. I’m sorry. The Tafganor are a race, hmm, you know it always seems difficult to talk about them, but anyway, they are humanoids, in much the same way as elves, humans, or gnomes for that matter. They are the dominate race of intelligent humanoids who live south of this country. They control several small nations which comprise a land we call the City States of Tarule. You are now in the empire of Alodoa, which is comprised of the kingdoms of Alodoa, Iarishea, Vurespania, Palicadia, and this country, Harrispania. Recently the island of Orimar, off the east coast has also come under Alodoan rule, those people call their land Urandoma, we call it Orimar, but I imagine when the country is settled and a permanent form of local government is establish that name will change to something entirely new.

The woman pours another cup of tea from the kettle on the table, and continues

There are also other nations nearby, the dwarven kingdom of Balor, another island off the east coast, perhaps half the size of Orimar, and south of that an archipelago of several small kingdoms dominated by the Vayangurr. Across the northern bay, called Rodney Bay, is a cold land controlled by the gnomish folk, called Ulfland, which in recent years has come under attack from races of giants from far to the west. Now, the Vayangurr are men, with many traits similar to the Tafganor, but the Tafganor are not men, exactly. Some people call the Tafganor, orcs, or orks, with a c or with a k, it is spelled differently by different people. The word orc is derived from the sounds that the Tafganor make when they are in battle. They tend to grunt, loudly, with glee, when in a fight, and it is said that the sound is similar to the noise made by wild boars.

It is not uncommon for the Tafganor to cross from Tarule into Alodoa, even though it is a violation of their laws to do so, Alodoa does not control the movement of people across its southern boarders. The average Tafganor, or orc, is usually considered dangerous, and when encountered one is best to be on their guard for a surprise attack. They are a people who believe violence and strength give them the right to take whatever they want, from whoever stands in their way. I understand that diplomacy between Alodoa and Tarule is silent, as the Alodoan empire has ended the trade of slavery, and in Tarule this is still a common thing. I understand that if it were not for troubles the City States have among their own leaders that Alodoa would be at risk for invasion from Tafganor warlords, but for the time being, instability in Tafganor works toward Alodoan favor.

Imrael nods and says, "Gratitude," in his curtly way.

"Art we now assuaged in curiosity? Canst we be about storming the castle?"

Bud grunts out contemptuously "Orcs! Wouldn't know a decent drink if the fell in a barrel of Highland's Finest! I think we are ready to go and rescue the others. More information is always better." Bud stands up and prepares to leave and adds "That's the best tea I've had in a while, what was it?"

lemon grass, black tea, from Vayangurr, and roasted licorice root.

"Orcs I'm familiar with", Ruul adds after the woman's detailed explanation. "And I can handle them. Bring it on!"

Imrael blinks. "Roasted licorice root? Well done."

Imrael leads the small team NorthWest to the tower, pausing on the way only to purchase another score days of trail rations. Water he can provide in some supply, but foodstuffs might be needed in a protracted action.

Once the tower comes in to view, he pauses to try and identify the leader they need to talk to to bypass the cordon.

Approaching the tower the three heroes finally get a look at what they are up against.

On a hill, ahead of them, is what is obviously supposed to be something like a fortified estate. A stone wall, more decorative than useful, standing about four feet high, surrounds a few buildings, which can be identified as a stable, a coach house, and a tall manor house.

The tall manor house is square in shape, about forty feet high. It is made of stone, with the exception of the top floor which is a timbered, wattle and daub affair with a peaked roof that slopes in two directions.

You can just barely make out what appears to be a burnt, possibly badly damaged corner of this top floor, on the right, toward the back corner of the tower.

There are several small tents set up outside the wall, to the right, and a few soldiers in studded leather armor, armed with spears and shields stand around this camp.

To the left of the camp, along the wall, you see four men, wearing chain mail armor, armed with long bows, and short swords, stand near a gate.

The place is surrounded by men now, men of the Baroness Marelle Ogalvinjonsen, under the command of her son, Haldin Ogalvinjonsen, there are at least forty of them, simple soldiers, armed and armored well, not altogether well trained but fiercely loyal to Haldin.

Haldin is young, and even though he is not stupid, he has a desperate affection for the second in command of the Solution Society here in this village, a woman named Karen Alyingon. Karen is out of the area now, on another assignment, but Haldin’s desire to impress her is our key to getting into the tower. He let those heroes in without any questions, when they said they were with the Society, so all you have to do is tell his men the same thing, and you’ll be in like Flint.

Upon seeing the structure and the surrounding men-at-arms, Imrael says to his companions, "Well, now we are in for it. Though we are strangers in this land, I feel we have infomation enough to succeed here.

I understand you have not brought me along simply for my sterling conversation, so I shall ply my trade and make the sweet talk amongst the mortals."

Imrael approaches the four men with chain and bows. He holds both his hands up in greeting, and his deep baritone rolls out his words like a thick fog rolling in.

"Greetings. I am Imrael Angelus Collatio, Angel of Confrontation, and Herald of Propoket the Many. This is the Enchanter Bud Wiser, Master of the Arcane, and Ruul Spiritskin, High Cleric of Baphomet, Ruler of All-Dragons.
We are come to share words with your commander, Haldin Ogalvinjonsen. If you will lead us to him, we shall be about our most important business."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

The men snap to attention, shouldering their bows. One of them steps forward and speaks

Greetings, Captain Ogalvinjonsen has gone to report the current situation to his mother, the Baroness and will not return until late this evening. He left instructions that you might be coming. Your friends are already inside, but it’s been quiet, so they are probably just inside the main doors waiting for you. If the Solution Society can’t stop the monster inside, I don’t image anyone else can. Good luck

Bud nods to the soldiers and says "Thanks! and moves inside.

Well gooooolly! I thought we were going to have to convince them we were reinforcements.

Somewhat appeased by the soldier's respect, Ruul merely snorts and follows the arcanist indoors. "That was easy enough."

As the group moves off out of earshot, Imrael turns and smirks. "Few are the men that will keep an Angel of Confrontation from his duty, grateful that such a duty does not involve his person. Would you risk thy neck against such as we for any but the highest of goals?"

The party, having been gathered, Imrael ventures forth, opening the door to the tower and boldly going inside.

As you pass through the wide gate of the wall that surrounds the property you begin to see how massive this tower really is.

It must be at least one hundred feet on a side, made from large, close fit, stones. The steps face the south, and as you approach them you see a well, off to your left, and far off to the right, near the outer wall, is a long low wooden building, probably the stable building. The coach house is probably behind the tower, and blocked from your view.
There are no windows on the ground level, but you can see, on the south facing wall, narrow windows with no glass, that are shuttered from the inside on the second, third and fourth floors. The fifth floor, being made from wood, has larger window like openings, which appear to be shuttered, but the shutters are on the outside, and must open from the inside somehow.

The steps are wide and easy, being about ten feet wide, and rising to a height of about six feet above the ground.

At the top of the stairs there is a porch, covered by a wooden awning, and two massive oak doors reinforced with iron bands. Each door is four feet wide and the pair of doors are eight feet high. The doors are shut.

Bud looks to Imrael and asks, "You want to lead the way here?"

Imrael nods. "Since we now lack our source of guile, 'twould seem the flaming light of Propoket's mailed fist must now be our leading way."

Imrael tromps up the stairs. When he gets to the top, out of respect, he knocks on the door. When that produces now results he starts examining it. If it seems locked, he turns to Ruul, "'Twould seem we'll need to force it open. Do you want the honors?"

I assume nobody answers the door? Is it locked?

The doors are closed. There is no reason to suspect a trap, as this is just a door to a rather large, expensive, manor house. It does not appear to be locked, and the handle has a large flat metal plate that can be pushed down with one hand while the door is pulled open by the handle with the other.

Sorry for the delay in describing the door, I realize that held us up for no good reason

After you Imrael.

Ruul snorts and follows closely behind the glowing angel-man.

Imrael tests the doors and, finding them unlocked, pulls them open and strides through them boldly. "Well," he says to Ruul and Bud, "'twould seem the hardest part is over. Come on then, and let's be about it."

Imrael looks around, letting his ultra-sensitive eyes adjust to the inner dark.

When Imreal takes the door handle, and pulls the first thing you all notice is a flow of warm air coming through the door.

Sunlight pours into the room beyond the door, allowing you to see the foyer of this magnificent house clearly.

It is a space approximately twenty feet wide and twenty feet deep. The floor is hardwood, but covered by an enormous rug that nearly fills the space from wall to wall. The rug is woven wool, in green and blue, and patterned in swirls and circles.

Twenty feet in front of you is an opening in a thick stone wall. The opening is ten feet wide, and arched twelve feet above the floor, and through this archway you can see a grand staircase that on the right goes up, and on the left goes down.

The wall of the foyer to the left is made of wood, perhaps a foot thick, covered in plaster, with a ten foot wide opening in the center that leads into another room, and from that direction you can detect a soft red glow, and occasionally a flicker in the light, while to the right a similar wooden wall is filled with a double wooden door in its center. Each of these doors is about four feet wide, and made of plain wood, each has a simple iron handle. The two handles are close to each other in the center of the pair of doors and someone has wrapped a chain around the handles and fastened the chain with a large, simple, lock.

Imrael takes a long look at the locked door to their right. "This 'twould seem most interesting, but I would not make it the first door we enter. Let us walk about a bit, and pick the low-hanging fruit. The glow to the left interests me, so let us see what that is about first."

Inaction having made him impetuous, without waiting for a reply the Angel of Conflict marches left, toward the red glow, his polearm held before him, ready to intercept any danger than might threaten the men behind him.

Bud says to Imrael, "You do that and I'll watch you from behind. Just going to make sure I am protected somewhat first."

He then makes makes a few arcane gestures and a shimmering field of force surrounds him.

Bud, would you mind including a brief OOC post to say exactly what you did? Are we seeing a Mage Armor glow, or a Fire Shield glow? =P

Sorry, I thought mage armor was obvious from the field of force. I play too many casters. What's obvious to one isn't necessarily obvious to another.

Imreal leads the way toward the open room on the left.

As soon as he reaches the opening and looks in he is greeted by an impressive sight.

This room appears to be a “Man’s” retreat, with heads of large antlered game animals on the walls, a thick bear skin rug on the floor, and several high backed, padded chairs. Among the trophies on the walls (north and south) are also a few strange weapons, including a peculiar short handled axe, and a shield, covered in animal hide and painted with a hideous rendition of a giant spider.

The room feels comfortable, inviting even. It is warm, and at the far end of the room there is a great fireplace. A small fire burns in the fireplace, practically no flames can be seen but the logs in the fireplace glow in a soft, pulsing red.

On the mantel of the fireplace, propped up and facing you is a large piece of mirrored glass, with no frame. It is taller than it is wide, and even from all the way across the room Imreal can see his entire reflection, as well as the doors of the room behind him, and then he can see Bud come up close behind him as well.

Bud laughs and says, "Well that was easy. That is if that is the mirror. Let's see." He then begins to cast detect magic and studies the mirror.

Imrael nods and lets the arcanist be about his work.

He walks casually around the room, inspecting the trophies and weapons with the eye of one who takes an interest in such things. The shield and axe interest him the most, being interesting works.

He's not above noticing the value of some things, since they are here under the Right of Conquest, and just compensation would be understandable, so long as its kept within reason.

Bud approaches the fireplace, speaking a few simple arcane words, while Imreal and Ruul look about the room.

The mirror on the mantel rests about four feet above the floor, and as Bud turns his tuned vision upon it he detects a faint bluish-green glow surrounding the mirror.

Imreal is standing near the hide covered shield, and can see it has been used in battle and is clearly not just a decoration piece. He stands between two tall backed, padded chairs, one toward the fireplace and the other toward the entry way to this room.

Ruul eyes the room warily while the arcanist sweeps the room for magical auras. He nods his horned head slightly signalling his invisible companion to do a sweep of his own.

Zuberu will scan with detect good. Gotta catch those invisible paladins!

Ruul sees nothing out of the ordinary in this room, and his companion...

Bud spins around and yells out, "Imrael, watch out! That creature is going to jump you from behind the chair!"

Bud turns and shouts a warning at Imreal, but when he does…

Imrael calls out in alarm, "WHAT?!"

He slides away and turns, bringing his poelarm down in a THUNDEROUS crash, slashing through the stuffed chair and bringing his weapon into play. "Avast ye rogue!" the Angel of Confrontation shouts as he turns, seeking his foe. "No honorable combat do you bring but seek to stab me from behind? I will slay you in ways even your twisted brain can not comprehend!"

Imrael's battle-heart is up! He's grateful to his companion Bud for calling out a warning and he breaths heavy, his cheeks flushed and ready for glorious battle!

Bud spins around and shouts, "What?! But I saw it in the mirror. It had big teeth! Let me look in the mirror again." Bud shakes his head and turns around to look into the mirror again.

Imreal nearly cleaves the chair in twain, but there is no enemy there.

When Bud turns to look into the mirror again, he sees only the reflection of himself, Imreal, and Ruul.

"Eh? What is..." Imrael, the air full of fluttering white feathers that had made up the stuffing of the chair, takes a few stabs in the air, and walks around the chair, examining the ground.

In time his color is up and he turns, frowning, at Bud. "Oh you knave! You drunken besotted fool! Think you it great fun to call out false alarms and watch me spin about and assault furniture? You keep you a civil tongue in your head from now on, lest we see who the real monster is!"

Imrael shoves over the remains of the chair and stomps out, marching off to investigate the other room.

Ruul can’t help but stare in disgust as the other two in his small party act as if they have completely lost their minds. When Imreal marches past him, headed toward the other room, the one that was on the right, he turns his head from side to side, wondering if there is any plan here at all.

Imreal approaches the doors to the room on the right, and takes a good hard look at the chain and pad lock that secure the two door handles together, before he does anything rash, he lowers his head to get a closer look at that lock, and can see that it is a good lock, and without the right key he might have to damage the door handles if he wants to get into the room beyond.

Bud takes a careful step closer to the mirror, looking all around in the reflection for any sign of the beast he could swear was there a moment ago, but he can see only Ruul, and in the distance, Imreal at the doors across the foyer.

Bud rushes to Imrael, "So that's how you treat someone trying to save your life?! I'll remember not to next time. I saw something in that mirror even if it wasn't in the room. We need to examine that mirror more closely before stirring up more trouble. AND I'll have you know I haven't been drunk in over 200 years! All they make is cheap swill these days! I'd love to get good and stinking drunk!" He then walks back to the mirror and casts detect magic and attempts to learn more about it.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

"Phah!" Imrael calls back. "Propoket save us from those seeking to deliver us from the terror of comfy chairs! When next I find a torch-sconce or bookshelf threatening all of existence, I shall call upon you and your keen powers of observation!"

In frustration the angel of confrontation brings his weapon down repeatedly on the lock until it breaks, careless of the collateral damage done to handle or door.

Do I need a roll for that?

Imreal makes a terrible din as he hacks away at the handles of the door until they are obliterated and the chain falls to the floor.

Bud returns to the mirror in the trophy room and turns his inward seeing eye to it once more, only now, the magic aura is gone. There is nothing in the mirror but the reflection of the room, and a very bored Ruul.