An urgent communication from Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury has sent you racing to the remote village of Gundrun, across the border of the Worldwound...
...Gundrun is a ramshackle village built on the remains of a once proud clanhold, yet it’s among the few proper settlements that eke out a living in what was once the nation of Sarkoris. From the rough yet sturdy buildings, a Mwangi man bedecked in polished, nearly golden plate armour emblazoned with the holy symbol of Iomedae steps onto the dirt road and approaches with a friendly wave. It’s Venture-Captain Jorsal of Lauterbury.
“Pathfinders, it’s good to see you. Walk with me, if you will,” Jorsal requests as he turns toward a crude wooden structure. The he gives a quick signal to a standing guard and opens the door, motioning inwards. “Though the Pathfinder Society doesn’t have an official lodge here in Gundrun, the locals have allowed us to use part of Clefthorn Lodge as a war room to discuss upcoming missions and objectives. Please take a seat.”
As the room begins to fill, he closes the door behind him and makes his way to a small desk, where a large parchment map supports a host of red and blue figurines.
“During the First Mendevian Crusade, an Iomedaean cleric named Ghalcor and his assistants built a once-secret weapon to combat the encroaching demonic threat; however, the fighting ended before he could put it to use. I say ‘once-secret’ because the demons heard about the weapon and attacked the tower when combat resumed years later. It seems Ghalcor was caught off-guard. He and his team died in the assault, but not before they triggered special safeguards to keep anyone from capturing the weapon - demon, crusader, or otherwise. Since the weapon was never used, no one knows quite what it does or even how it works. What we do know is that we’ve spotted demons scouting the site as if they intend to break in soon. I trust you understand how that could be worrisome.”
He picks up several of the blue figurines and moves them from Gundrun to a site labeled ‘Ghalcor’s Tower.’ “Queen Galfrey has sent some of her forces to hold the area around Ghalcor’s Tower, but she needs specialists to find a way in. You,” he says with pride, “are those specialists. Travel north to the tower, enter it, handle any hostiles, and find out how the weapon works; you may also be called on to arm and even activate it, if circumstances demand. A brigade of Nerosyan’s crusaders is already on site awaiting your arrival, and the esteemed Ollysta Zadrian is due to arrive soon with a small contingent to reinforce their position. She may have more details once you arrive.
Make haste, and may the Inheritor guide your actions.”
Ghalcor was a decorated cleric of Iomedae during the First and Second Mendevian Crusades but died in one of the opening skirmishes of the latter war.
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Xiao Jr. is a small Halfling with features that show his Tian origin.
He has a buckler in his hand and wears a custom-fit chain shirt suit that looks like it has been recently oiled.
Resting on top of his chest, an amulet showing the holy symbol of Chaldira Zuzaristan is visible.
In his hand he has a spear with a flag that shows the glyph of the open road!
Xiao Jr. is sitting on a military saddle on top of a riding dog that looks like a mixture of a black wolfhound and a mastiff.
It is clear that this dog can fight while carrying a rider and Xiao Jr is in control.
On Xiao Jr.'s shoulder you see a flying bat that has dark black fur which in some areas has a brown coloring.
Xiao Jr, his riding dog 'Pars' and his flying bat familiar 'Khafaash' enter and you see that Xiao Jr is beaming.
He turns to all of you with his white teeth and broad smile.
“Here we are again everyone! I am Xiao junior!!“
He tries to look friendly and without being to professor-like he explains what he knows about the situation.
"So VC Jorsal, great meeting you! I have heard a lot about you! Well, I now a little about the mission background.
Ghalcor was a decorated cleric of Iomedae during the First and Second Mendevian Crusades but died in one of the opening skirmishes of the latter war.
Ghalcor handpicked exemplary crusaders with sterling reputations for a secret project, and later studies showed that they heavily researched the nature of the planes and philosophical texts about morality before departing to construct their tower fortress. Ghalcor had a reputation as one who respected scholars of any background.
The few research notes that survived Ghalcor’s death were instrumental in developing other powerful works, such as the wardstones that kept the demons at bay until recently.
Iomedaen scholars prefer to downplay Ghalcor’s final investigations, which delved into several Sarkorian traditions of bloodletting and self-sacrifice to channel and focus one’s power.
So what do think? Sounds kind of dark, right?" the little Halfling ask the group.
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The undine had just opened his mouth, preparing to lecture the others on all the esoteric knowledge he knew via his many hours at the library, but stopped to let the halfling continue. Ash was impressed with the little one’s knowledge, he had to admit.
”It does indeed seem quite dark. Perhaps his last investigations led him to infusing the weapon with a touch of dark energies? Nevertheless, it will be an interesting investigation, I suspect.”
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"Too dark." Mun offers with a sign. This was supposed to be about redemption... fighting demons! It's the low-hanging fruit of good deeds... I don't need any moral ambiguite; there's been entirely too much of that lately....
Mun is an elegantly-dressed elf who clearly cares deeply about his appearance. He made no secret of the casting of prestidigitation--from a wand, no less--to tidy himself up just before he stepped inside the rustic hut. He is dressed in cutting edge Absalonian fashion in a bluish silver theme. A bracelet of charms on his left wrist stands out as an obvious focus of the design.
The bear that accompanies Mun is a stark contrast to the well-polished elf. Primal and unkempt, she's well-behaved, and not disruptive in the least. But her fur is matted and knotted with a stray leaf or twig here and there, some thing that never got picked out.
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When the party first meet up, last into the room is another halfling, this one dressed in practical traveling garb, albeit with a certain sartorial flare. He strides confidently into the room and bows politely to his fellow pathfinders.
"Hello everyone, I'm Marik... Marik 'the Ferret' as some people like to call me. It's nice to meet you all." he says with a mischievous grin.
Looking around he spots the other halflings. "Oh... three halflings, we are in luck. Travelers always say that bringing a halfling on a journey can bring good fortune and we have three... Chalderia must be smiling on us... Let's hope we do her proud!"
Following the briefing Marik nods sagely at Xiao junior's information about Ghalcor, trying not to let on that he has never heard of the cleric before.
Marik then turns to the Venture Captain "Do you have any information on the nature of the tower's 'safeguards', or would it be better to ask those already at the tower?"
V-C Jorsal shakes his head at Marik's question. "But Venture-Captain Zadrian may well know more than I" he replies. "As for a map, it's twenty miles north and there are no roads. I have arranged special transportation. Please step outside."
Waiting for you is a masked woman. The senior Pathfinder nods, and the woman conjures a spell that produces six phantom horses. Jorsal gestures to the two animals - Xiao's mount and Mun's companion Selune. The woman shrugs. There is a short and heated exchange that ends with a scowling venture-captain handing over a bag of coin, and the masked woman laying another unfamiliar spell upon the animals that quickens their limbs.
"Expensive. More than I anticipated. But these mounts will get you to Ghalcor's tower in just a few hours. They won't be hampered by the broken and twisted terrain of the Worldwound and they'll outrun any demons you might encounter on the way. Just be sure that you do avoid any fights because they can be destroyed.
Mount up, people! I'm sure that Ollysta can give you more details when you get to the tower."
Sure enough, the insubstantial steeds are supernaturally fast. Though Pars (the dog) and Selune instinctively avoid them, the magic instilled in the animals allows them to keep up the pace. In a couple of hours you reach the tower's location...
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Mun accepts the muffin, which he wraps up and secures in his handy haversack. "A treat to celebrate with; I prefer to ride on an empty stomach," he explains off-handedly.
He mounts the ethereal steed with the others, and settles into the ride well enough, but finds himself thankful the magical steeds came with the skill needed to ride them. He'd only ever been a passable rider, himself; travel at this speed would normally be quite impossible, but he found it no trouble at all this day.
Selune, though, keeps pace easily and seems to enjoy stretching the boundaries of the magic! When the path ahead was clear and obvious, she bounds ahead with great, supernaturally long leaps woven into the easy yet powerful loping of her enhanced speed, sometimes patiently waiting for the party to catch up, other times bounding back to circle around the party in her return to Mun.
Ghalcor’s Tower looms over the surrounding wasteland on a plateau that plummets down to the defiled Sarkora River below. At a distance, the tower looks like nothing more than a large outcropping of weathered rock, though this mirage fades away as you draw close, to reveal an octagonal keep of smoothed stone with a central tower that soars more than 100 feet into the air.
There is no obvious entrance; the structure appears sealed. Several hundred crusaders have erected a palisade crowned with cold iron spikes around the tower. Numerous tents fill the enclosed space. Nearest the tower stands a large command pavilion, where a dozen crusaders strategise over battle plans and maps. As you approach, the crusaders call to you to identify yourselves and state their business.
An imposing armoured woman steps forwards and orders the crusaders to stand down. "I am Ollysta Zadrian. Thank you for coming on such short notice, Pathfinders,” the woman states calmly. “I hope that Venture-Captain Jorsal explained the situation to you fully because the demonic scouts that we found surveying the tower have sent for reinforcements. Our movements have not gone unnoticed, and we spotted a large contingent of demons and fiend-spawn moving this way. They are more numerous than we had anticipated, so we are relying on you to secure and prepare Ghalcor’s weapon. I intend to assist in the defence of the camp, and everyone is placing their faith in your success. Venture-Captain Jorsal chose each of you for a reason, and I am confident in his decision.” With that, she dons her helmet, walks out of the tent, and calls to her crusaders. She beckons Mun, Xiao and Marik to join her.
The crusaders, and the three Pathfinders belonging to Zadrian's Silver Crusade, form a circle around her as she begins a rousing speech. "Without a doubt, the evil we face today is a challenge. It is a challenge of our skill at arms, and we shall be victorious. It is a challenge of our valour, and we shall bravely face the most dreadful threats as a united whole. Last of all, it is a challenge of our grace, for the Silver Crusade fights here not to conquer but to liberate. Do everything that you can to ensure that the weapon within this tower does not fall into the hands of the demons. Go, and bring light to this forsaken land. I trust each of you to do what you believe is right in accomplishing this goal, for the Society is watching and judging the merits of Good by your actions.” With that, she gives Mun, Xiao and Marik an encouraging clap on the back each and nudges them in the direction of their fellow Pathfinders.
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Xiao junior is clearly terrified.
“This … this is my first visit to the Worldwound to be honest!“ he confesses to Ollysta.
“When we last saw each other Ollysta in Absalom I thought long about what you told me. This is a crusade we have to win! We will make a valiant effort to repair the weapon to do good and send a signal throughout the Inner Sea region and beyond that we can win against the demons!! We Silver Crusaders strive to destroy the forces of evil and defend the weak. We will not disappoint you!!“ the little Halfling says confidently.
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”This certainly seems to be an interesting challenge.” observes Marik. ”Is there any further information you can provide us with regarding the tower and the weapon itself? The Venture Captain mentioned that Ghalcor and his team triggered some ‘safeguards’ before they fell, do we know what these safeguards were?”
Ollysta Zadrian smiles warmly at Xiao Junior.
"I'm sorry, I thought that we'd be able to gain entry already. But the safeguards evidently include hiding the means of entrance. You will have noticed that from a distance the tower appears to be a natural outcropping. Perhaps the entrance is cloaked in another illusion? I can only speculate, we lack specialised diviners amongst my crusader force. As for the nature of the weapon - potent enough to cause the demons to fear it and seek to destroy it. Ghalcor's research was instrumental in the creation of the Wardstones that used to seal off the Worldwound; maybe the weapon uses similar principles? But the Wardstones have failed, and now the demons are on their way. It's up to you, Pathfinders."
With little other option, you approach the tower to seek a way inside. As you get closer, your wayfinders emit a strange pulsing tone - their compass needles spinning with each beat. Each pulse simultaneously sends minute motes of light dancing across the surface of the tower like ripples in a pond that emanate from the point closest to the wayfinder.
The wayfinders are indeed synchonised. As Marik moves around the tower the motes of pulsing light converge on a point at the northeast corner of the building, and when he approaches that point the lights reveal a hidden door!
The door opens freely. Beyond, a curving corridor angles to the north before disappearing around a bend. The walls and floors bear gashes and holes, bearing testament to a terrible battle long ago, and a mass of corpses—some humanoid, some demonic, and all dead—litter the cold, tiled floor.
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”I think I may have found the way in.” say Marik, beckoning to the others. ”Is everyone ready to head inside?”
Once it looks like everyone is happy to head in soon, Marik pulls a few items from his haversack and makes some preparations himself
He also retrieves a second wand and a scroll. ”I’ve got a scroll of ‘gust of wind’ and a wand of ‘grease’ if anyone can use them? Handy for if we need to get rid of fog or if anyone gets grabbed!”
Once he’s done that he will check the entrance for any traps…
As you begin laying various enchantments and abjurations on yourselves, Marik checks the entrance.
Dozens of holes that connect to now-empty arrow traps pepper the floor, walls, and ceiling of the hallway. Marik finds numerous pressure-plates on the floor, but all of them have already been triggered. Broken wires attest to traps intended to catch flying intruders, and the corpses of several winged demons prove that they were effective.
Mun and Selune enter the hallway.
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Marik remembers he also has a wand of heightened awareness, which he retrieves and uses on himself.
He points out the pressure-plates and expended traps, waits for his allies to check for magic and then (if detect magic doesn't show up anything of concern) sneaks up to the bend in the corridor and takes a look beyond it.
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Derpi senses no magic, and Marik sees no traps that have not already fired or activated.
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"Hey there little friend." smiles Marik to the tiny dragon which has perched on his shoulder.
He then sneaks up to the next corner, keeping a look out for threats, to see what he can see beyond.
On the way he will take a look at some of the bodies, specifically examining any who look like they may have been defenders of the tower to see if they have anything on them which could provide clues to the towers other 'safeguards'.