Eltariel gently moves the skeleton..it lies on a journal old and stained ..
And here is the wizard’s folly. In his quest to build the ultimate tower, he spent decades researching force magic, eventually discovering a way to make an enormous, permanent force wall that could be controlled via a simple on/off mechanism – that is,the lever.
But in his first large-scale casting of it, he misjudged the dimensions. He successfully encased his tower in a permanent force field controlled by the lever – but his estimations were off,and the lever ended up mere inches outside the force field. The specialized, permanent force wall of his own creation encased the existing extradimensional space of his tower, but blocked all teleportation, resisted dispel magic, was immune to disintegration,and blocked mage hand and similar spells.He was trapped in a tomb of his own creation by thestupidest of errors!
The moral of the story? Kids, always test your spells before making them permanent!
"Oh by root and tree," Eltariel looks about to cry ... and as if she's trying not to laugh at the same time as she reads the journal. "He created the spell, everything ... but he got the dimensions wrong. That lever, Gashelle, is meant to be inside the field. He cast the spell ... then he must have grown old and died in here, unable to get out."
Eltariel looks at him sadly.
"You poor numpty," she says. "Layjiani, is there any way you can remove that lever for the moment, so it can't be thrown while we are inside? Later, I think we can relocate it inside the door."
It quickly becomes apparent that the lever is not removable..indeed to move it you would have to dismantle an entire dungeon wall.
also a combination of spellcraft, knowledge arcana and the books on force magic..some of which go way over your head...all suggest if you remove the lever it cant be reset in a different place
Gashelle blinks a bit and does not smile. Not a bit! (Well, maybe around the corners of her mouth, but not so that anyone would notice.) She certainly does not say anything derogatory about the practical and common sense of academics.
"So, whenever anyone's inside the tower, we need to keep somebody out here, on Lever Duty.
"Aude, what do you think we should do with the man's remains in order to lay his shade to rest?"
Actually, Gashelle is surprised we haven't seen the ghost yet. If it hasn't manifested here to see what's going on, then it might have simply skedaddled.
Layjiani has been enthralled by the many wonders of the wizard's accidental tomb poking and prodding and checking everything out. When she sits on the bed it is so comfortable she is hardly able to make herself get off of it again and the library holds her interest almost as much as it does Eltariel's. The pragmatic ranger listens intently to the story of the mage's fool-hardy demise with some amusement but she becomes somewhat alarmed though when Eltariel indicates that there is indeed still another presence inside the tower.
Moving over to the stairwell that everyone seems to have forgotten for the moment, the curious rogue looks up it as far as she can before turning to the arcane druid with her question "Do it be known what do be up these stairs? Or where do be the 'other' you did mention?"
"I don't know yet ... but everything else is before us. There is nothing in the library that can tell us anything," Eltariel flips through the journal again. "I think we need to press on, and find out what else is here. We'll have to disable the field eventually, I think somehow remaking it properly is currently beyond me."
Holgur is distinctly uncomfortable with the supernatural physics of this place. He considers his training in ship-building and navigation and finds all these wonders to be confounding. When he hears that the architect of this place literally sealed his own doom here he shudders.
"This magic proved unreliable. It makes me value my steel all the more."
"I have heard that svipas...er ghosts often linger in a place until something is done to free them. What could this man's ghost want to remain in this place?"
Well , let me see his diaries to determine a little more his motivations ... It might be the only thing he wants is his invention to be recognized ...
Eltariel passes over the journal.
"That, or to protect his tower against thieves ... or after a long time, I imagine he just wanted to get out! in which case we may have already liberated his spirit. If not, I imagine we will know soon enough - he seemed to have no issues with acting against us outside; I cannot imagine he would hesitate to use his power in here. But I sensed a presence with the amulet - and given his paranoia I cannot imagine that he would not set a guardian: some conjured and bound creature, no doubt, or else an automaton."
The journal holds no clue as to the deceased's religion or his final wishes for his remains..it is apparent however that towards the end of his life he hoped for death as a welcome release.
Still nervous after her last couple of encounters with the more powerful types of undead, Layjiani makes a suggestion to Eltariel, only stumbling slightly over her first words, her face turning slightly red but her manor still firm "P-Perhaps it do be best for you to send one of your animals up the stairs first?"
Eltariel grimaces.
"I can't control the animals I summon with this wand very well," she confesses. "They will fight my enemies, but otherwise ... perhaps if I conjured an ordinary animal, I might have more control, but even then it could not tell us what it found. There are spells of course, but I didn't expect to need any of that sort."
She looks around.
"In any event, one of us should remain by the lever outside. We can't afford to be sealed in here. Layjiani, we will need your skill with locks and traps, and Gashelle's glaive also."
"Whoever opts for Lever Duty ought to be able to hold his or her own in a fight, at least for a minute or so. I could do that, and -truth be told- Avinar's rapier is as much of a threat as my glaive."
And, it's not likely that we'd be able to separate Avinar and Etariel, in any case.
"But if I could borrow the wand that summons creatures, that might help any delaying action I would need to take."
"Whoever opts for Lever Duty ought to be able to hold his or her own in a fight, at least for a minute or so. I could do that, and -truth be told- Avinar's rapier is as much of a threat as my glaive."
And, it's not likely that we'd be able to separate Avinar and Etariel, in any case.
"But if I could borrow the wand that summons creatures, that might help any delaying action I would need to take."
"I can stand against anything that I can cut with steel. I will stay."
"I am sure Avinar would stay if need be," I turn to my oldest friend. "Would you not?"
"Aye anything to help my friends, and further our cause"
"Settled, then, if Avinar can guard the lever here, outside the tower door, we can foray upwards and find out what else is here."
Obviously with more than a little trepidation, Layjiani finds her courage and slowly makes her way up the stairs, a Holy Water arrow nocked and ready. She moves very slowly, looking for danger ahead & above and checking for traps all around.
Gashelle breaks into a broad grin. "Plethie sissaran, Avinar! Leuth com ilm'matar, aus'pedatar. Sud il reuthe retuseh." With that last bit, she gestures casually to the lever.
For those who speak Elvish:
"You take hold of my gratitude, Avinar. We part [in safety] under the sky and above the soil. (That's one of the oldest elven farewells.) And here, it's best if you don't confuse up and down."
"Before we go further, I would like to make a return to the courtyard and inter this mage's remains. I understand this might take an hour or so. It might provoke the mother owlbear. Even so."
Hum , It is improbable this one is the ghost . People who long for death don't normally become undead . But if we bury him , there are also one other body we must bury .
An Gashelle's words, Layjiani releases the tension in her bow and heads back downstairs, anything to avoid confronting that ghost again. She doesn't bother to hide her relief.
"But Aude, nothing save a little light and sound could pass that force field. He may have been trapped in here regardless, in which case his spirit will likely have been released when we first pulled the lever," Eltariel points out.
I imagine we're leaving the force field down during this time. What do we notice about the tower when we reach the surface?
You make your way back to the surface without incident..the Ghost is gone..the Tower is no longer surrounded by the force field..It's early morning by Layjiani and Eltariels estimation.
You inter the bodies just outside the walls. Aude says a general prayer for the dead committing their souls to whichever deity they worshipped.
One additional feature remains..yesterday there was no bird song in this place..this morning the air is full off it as if a burden has been removed from the place
"Let the green earth embrace your mortal remains as the gods embrace your souls, let both give rise to new life, and may you find peace and contentment wherever your journey takes you, be it beyond this realm or returning to it," Eltariel adds her own words to Aude's rite.
"If nothing else, we have laid a soul to rest after perhaps centuries of torment. This place has gone from being a place of loss and shadows to one of life. My friends, we have done good here. Now, let us see what else lies within the tower. Unless there are other things you all feel we have yet to achieve out here?"
Eltariel eyes the four stubby towers thoughtfully. They have yet to be investigated, and could contain some further matters of interest.
" My friends, we have done good here. Now, let us see what else lies within the tower. Unless there are other things you all feel we have yet to achieve out here?"
Eltariel eyes the four stubby towers thoughtfully. They have yet to be investigated, and could contain some further matters of interest.
"By all means, let's examine the tower."
300Xp each for the freeing of the Wizards spirit. You make your way back to the towers lower floor...all is as it was..Layjiani searches the stairs but can find no evidence of further traps
The five of us continue on.
Their scout being greatly relieved...
You are in another circular room the same size as the previous one. You’re looking into what appears to be a wizard’s laboratory. The room is strewn with tables, beakers, books, and miscellaneous equipment. There are three 20-by-20 force cages arranged prominently around the room. The one along the west wall holds the most beautiful woman you have ever seen: tall and captivating, with long blonde hair and an almost transparent robe. The force cage along the east wall holds perhaps the only other woman whose beauty could equal that of the blonde. She is a stunning brunette of tempting proportions. The third force cage, along the south wall, holds a flight of stairs leading up. Beside it, outside the force cage, is a prominent control panel with three buttons.
Before you have a chance to react, the two women start pleading for you to release them.
Blonde: “Oh, thank goodness you’ve come! Please free me! I’ve been trapped here for centuries!”
Brunette: “Don’t listen to her! She’s evil! Free me and I’ll tell you how to escape!”
Blonde: “Please save me! You don’t know what it’s been like in this tower with this – this – this fiend for all these years!”
Brunette: “She’s lying! She’ll lead you to a trap! Let me free!”
Blonde: “See the control panel? Push the far left button. It will free me. I will reward you if you free me!”
Brunette: “NO! Don’t listen to her! She’ll trap you! Push the middle button. All the others are traps!”
Blonde: “No, they’re not traps! The right button lifts the cage on the stairs, and the left button frees me. You can pass up the stairs if you’d like. But please,free me first!”
Brunette: “Don’t fall for it! She’s evil! Only the middle
button isn’t a trap!”
Gashelle turns: "Keep Holgur down on the stairwell where he's out of sight!
"Layjiani, what can you tell of the mechanism?"
"Well this is a pretty puzzle, and no mistake. I suspect the 'traps' involve transposing us into the cages for the current occupant. The question is, which disables the shield over the stairs, and what - exactly - are our occupants here? Fey? Illusions? Succubi?"
Eltariel looks around the laboratory with detect magic and studies it all carefully. After she has scanned the laboratory carefully she pays close attention to the panel with the buttons. If she can discern no clue from that, she will look through the notes and apparatus for any clues.
You examine the mechanism..it appears to be what it looks like three buttions on a console..nothing appears to link it to anything.
The Journal makes no specific reference to these women though there are entries referring to 'Test Subjects' They are however just general comments and nothing specific.
Detect Magic reveals nothing bar the force cages.
"There are books here. Would any of them be of assistance?"
"Let's look and see ..."
The books are full off not very interesting notes on force magic..obscure mathematics and arcane formulae that go well beyond anything you are familiar with constitute the majority of the works.
"Well in that case ..." Eltariel draws out the summoning wand and concentrates on it.
Two baboons appear, and Eltariel gestures one to press the right-hand button from the other side of the room.
"Well in that case ..." Eltariel draws out the summoning wand and concentrates on it.
Two baboons appear, and Eltariel gestures one to press the right-hand button from the other side of the room.
Would you like Aude to try Detect ... ah, too late.
Layjiani's attention taken up by the impressive forms and features of the caged women almost as much as by the pretty puzzle they represent, she almost misses the discussion going on between Gashelle and Eltariel. When she sees the baboon appear and start moving towards the button though, the ranger hastily backs up as far as possible and nocks an arrow, holding it aimed midway between the two beautiful prisoners.
Whilst you were investigating the scene which takes about ten minutes the women kept up an almost continual barrage of pleas for release.Whilst the blonde continues to hold that the right button will open the stairs the brunette insists that the blonde is a fiend and that only the middle button is safe to push
As the baboon moves to the button...
Blonde..."Yes..you'll see and know I'm telling the truth"
Brunette.."No, No you fools you'll trap yourselves forever"
The baboon presses the button and the force cage around the stairs drops.
The Brunette launches into a stream of curses.
"Ooh ug ugh-ugh eeeeeyaaa! ooh-ooh!*" Eltariel says to the baboon, then to everyone else: "Let's see if that frees our blond friend here without miss-hap. But let's be careful, we have no idea what she is. Aude, can you use detect evil on her if the field drops?"
* "OK Babs, now the button on the other side**!"
** Babboons can't easily tell left from right. The 'other side' is left.
Gashelle nods appreciatively. "Nice job."
The brunette sreams vile imprecations as the baboon presses the indicated button and the force cage surrounding the Blonde collapses.She stand silently frozen in surprise for maybe 10 seconds and then jumps for joy..her attributes moving in ways that you all find quite disturbing..yes even Gashelle.
She almost skips over to you dispensing hugs and kisses all round(which you find even more disturbing)As she does the Brunette stops in mid flow mutters "Oh Bugger what's the use" and transforms into an ugly little creature about two feet high with batlike wings and a stinger tipped tail
"I am named Farrah" the blonde announces.."the wizard trapped me and that...thing here some 4 centuries ago..Oh I'm so glad you freed me..there will be a reward in it for you..thank you, thank you all"
She promptly vanishes
"A celestial, I think my friends, or a nymph," Eltariel touches her cheek where she was kissed, "or considerably better at illusions than this." Eltariel looks at the other occupant. "Hmm. An imp, quasit or mephit I would guess. Well, creature, should we free you or leave you a prisoner?" She asks thoughtfully. "You could do a lot of mischief, I'd wager. Then again, should we judge you on appearances? No. On actions? Well you lied to us."
"I agree."
Gashelle turns to the thing. "I imagine that, within a day or two, this tower will be swarming with treasure-hunters and curious adventurers from the New City, looking to take whatever they can find. I expect you'll have better luck with them."