# The wayfinders of the floating tower



## megamania (Oct 3, 2011)

This is a game DM'd by myself with my kids.   We are beginning at 10th level and I hope to reach Epic levels.   Within the storyline, there is a central plot but also I hope to "wrap up" loose ends from other games including The Creation Schema and The Eldeen Heroes.

Cathy    Female elf Swashbuckler  (have fun and enjoy it)
Tim       Male Dragonscale Dragon Shaman  (loves his dragons)
Tim       Male Human  Magus (loves himself and his magic)
Andy     Female Cleric of Travel and Knowledge  (loves adventure) [DEAD mauled and drowned in sewage]
Andy     Male Human Kensai Warrior  (loves... the Cleric?!?) [DEAD mauled by a Balhannoth]
Andy     Male Human Kensai Warrior w/ bow
Andy     Male Human Mystic Theurge


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## megamania (Oct 3, 2011)

BOOKS and RESOURCES USED

PHB 3.5
PHB II 3.5
DMG 3.5
MM 3.5
MM II 3.0
MM III 3.5

Eberron Campaign Book
Sharn: City of Towers

Complete Adventurer
Complete Arcane
Complete Warrior
Races of The Dragon

Magic Item Compendium

Spell Comp

Beastary
Ultimate Magic


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## megamania (Oct 3, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“PROLOGUE”
001
10/01/11

BARRAKAS 20, 20 MILES NORTH OF SHARN

Rayadeen d’Tharashk knew his time was limited.  He had found the lousy runaway goblin in the back of a wagon.  The owners were unaware of the goblin’s presence and thus protested when the ½ orc stopped them with force.   It was uncertain whom was more surprised, the wagon owner or the goblin when he pulled him off the back of the wagon and onto the ground.

The first swift kick to the goblin’s guts caused bleeding and was to merely get his attention.  The second kick was to prove the ½ orc was serious.  The third kick broke a rib (or three) and then the goblin knew he was in trouble.  After many serious questions asked of the goblin and his recent travels in Sharn the ½ Orc kicked him until he merely groaned in pain.

Rayadeen walked a short distance to where he had the large owl waiting for him.  He quickly scribbled a note onto a paper and placed it into a scroll case.  He held the case into the air and said “Sharn”.  The giant owl flapped it’s wings and grasped the tube in one of its taloned feet and it flew into the darking night sky towards Sharn.

“Looks like it is going to rain.” Something said from behind the trees.  It spoke in abyssal.

The ½ orc spun on its feet with its dragon-mark tattoo beginning to glow according to his emotional state.  “You!” he snarls.

And the owl continues to fly as trained to Sharn carrying the message as scribed by the ½ Orc.


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## megamania (Oct 3, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“NASTY FURLESS RAT-MEN”
002
10/01/11

BARRAKAS 20, NEAR THE DAVA GATE REGION

A mere week ago these five adventurers met within a tavern and began to travel together within the city. 

There is Jackalaine Trueheart and her “bodyguard” William McPherrson.  She grew up in Aundair and always wished to travel and explore.  Whenever her uncle came home from the war she always demanded stories and tales of his adventures.  Though she later learned most of these tales were told to him and thus not his own, she still wanted to explore the world.  Her uncle learned of her desire and commanded one of his top pupils from his academy to watch over her.  This Kensai warrior does as ordered by his patron but has come to learn he is conflicted between his oath to protect her and his growing affection and love for her.  They came to Sharn to see the sights of the City of Towers and possibly adventure to Xen’drik.

She and Lia Xiloscient quickly became friends.  This elven swashbuckler came to Sharn following a trail left by another elf that she feels may have killed her parents.  These two thrill seekers often keep William on his toes as they enjoy many forms of mischief.  

Feeding off of their joyful energy, a red fine scaled Spell scale that has joined them.  Blaze Redscale loves a good time almost as much as he loves and cares for his heritage, dragons. He was originally from Argonnessen but now travels as he has a reoccurring fear something bad will happen his land and the primary residents whom live there- the dragons.

Then there is Mageblood.  Even for a human, he is arrogant and in general a jerk.  Whether they felt for him, or are under an enchantment or whatever, he has joined them and travels with them.  William very much distrusts the Magus and self-proclaimed “Magic of Tomorrow”.

The rain has drizzled most of the evening and now at 1st bell has become a steady light rain.  The clouds are thick and obscure 3 of the 5 moons that are out.  The remaining two full-moons are hazy and largely hidden by these rain filled dark clouds.

As the five of them walk around the elevated walkways and bridges connecting the towers together Lia and Redscale hear a faint “hoo” sound.  Rescale and Bloodmage then spot a very large owl swooping over and under the walkway bridges through the rain.  As it passes about 30ft from them it screams out with several audible “thunk” sounds.  The owl weaves and suddenly dips and disappears into the damp darkness.  A loud crashing sound can be heard as it seems it has crashed into a tower.

Concerned for the large owl, Lia rushes across a bridge that seems to be the most direct route to the owl (the bridges are like an airborne maze to her).  Red scale is close behind her.  William blocks Jackie’s route to chase after them and the Magus holds back suspecting he knows what the happened to the owl.

From the darkness, Lia is struck by an arrow even as another arrow skips off the stone rail on the bridge.  She and Red Scale both drop to their knees to use the short stone wall as protection.  “Archer!” she screams.  Jackie circles around The Kensai Warrior in his full plate armor and half runs / half crawls to the Elf.  Red Scale pops out his wings and flutters across the dark deep expanse between the bridges they were racing across to another bridge where their attack is.  Two more arrows shot out but miss.  As he gets closer he spots his assailant- a hairless were rat of a man.  He drops to the bridge and ducks to find any cover he can.

The others continue to take cover as Jackie removes the arrow and heals the swashbuckler’s injured shoulder and side.  Red Scale attacks the creature with a fire ball spell.  The creature easily seems to sidestep it as it is unharmed by the magical burst of fire and even seems to laugh at the attempt.  Angered, the draconic humanoid charges the creature as it fires once more doing little damage.  The spear it carries glows at hits.  Again, the creature seems to be less injured than expected as the magical fire energy within it released.  Dropping the bow, the creatures claws at him and bites him.  He worries about lycanthrope from the bite then finds its tail has grabbed ahold of the magical spear.  The creature is amazingly strong for such a meager looking thing.

Engaged as it is, the others stand up and begin to run to the entrance of the bridge they fight on.  Mageblood, the Magus, has a clear head start as he was the closest and never took cover as the others had.  The Dragon Shaman pulls his spear free from the ugly rat man and calls up on its magical powers once more.  The creature seems to meditate for a moment as a sudden bonfire seems to grow between it and the out held fire spear.  A huge fire elemental hisses and crackles in the rain.  Obviously it is not happy being summoned on a stone wet bridge.  The closest thing it sees to burn and destroy is the rat creature and it does slam him very hard.  The elemental holds up the crushed limp body and turns to show it to the Shaman.  “Good Ba-Ba.” He says.  Then the creature turns into ash and floats away in the damp breeze.

As the others arrive, more arrows are fired at them further down the bridge way.  The arrogant Magus quickly begins to attack with magic missiles as the others arrive.  William nearly cleaves the thing in two as his oversized huge falchion crashes into it from an over hand strike.  The second magical attack from Mageblood finishes it off.  Like the first one, this one turns into dust and drifts apart into the wind.

“What was that?!?” exclaims the elf.

“Were rat?” suggests William and he inspects his falchion for gore.

“It seemed unconcerned for your fire attacks and was furless.  I think it was a demon.  An Uridezu.”

“What does a demon want with an owl?” asks Red Scale.

“The owl!”  Cries out the elf as she turns and begins to race back to look for the animal.

DM NOTE:  I had my son perplexed.  I did a few dozen color photocopies of the dungeon tiles with archer’s slits in the walkways.  I used these to represent the short walls used to keep people from falling off the bridges.  I glued these onto black poster board to represent the night time conditions.  He was certain these were connected rooms underground.


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## megamania (Oct 6, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“GIANT OWL”
003
10/01/11

Limited by the low light of the streets and bridges or their own natural sight, they can’t find the owl at first.  The two women fear the owl has fallen down the height of the tower and died hundreds of feet below until the Dragon Shaman hears it.  The poor creature has not only been struck by two arrows but collided into the tower.  A wing has become lodged within the rungs of a service ladder.  The bird is obviously in pain as its broken wing is being threatened to be torn off by its own weight.

The Magus leans over and suggests cutting the bird free.  The others are quick to disagree.  The elf hands a rope to William and asks him to hold this firmly.  Even before he can ask why she jumps off the edge while holding the other end of the rope.  William grunts both in surprise and frustration as he quickly wraps the rope around his wrists and plants his foot down to prepare himself for the sudden jerk he feels as the line grows taunt.  The elf checks out the owl whom glares at her but can do nothing to prevent her from looping the line around its ruffled chest.

The elf uses the ladder to easily climb up and gives the thumbs up for William to haul the bird up.

“You can do it Big Willy” says Jackie smiling and flirting at the warrior.

“You know I HATE that name.” he growls as he begins to haul the bird up.

Jackie turns her back to the guys to face the female elf and makes a motion with her hands suggesting a ten inch distance  The girls giggle while William blushes and find the line or something has snagged.  The owl hoots in pain as the entangled wing is trapped within the rungs of the ladder.  The Magus cares little for the bird’s feelings and goes down and stabs the wing with his scimitar.  Now “loosened” the wing flaps in and out of the rung easily as William pulls it up.  The ladies are mortified by the injuries (neither relieze the magus has bloodied the owl).  The Magus now spots that the owl is holding a scroll case in one talon and has a golden cuff on the other.   Intrigued, he follows the gold and scroll case up.

The owl thrashes about as they get it onto the courtyard the bridge way leads to.  William tries his best not to further harm the creature as he wraps his strong arms around the wings and chest of the bird.  With its beak it tries to bite him through his armor several times.  The armor is scratched badly but holds.  It now kicks a bit as the Magus pulls the scroll case from the talon.  He holds it up to the moonlight hoping to have a better idea of what it is before attempting to open it.

“Odd.  A giant owl carrying a scroll case.” Comments Red Scale.

“Not so odd,” suggests Jackie, “if this is a messenger owl for House Sivis.”

“House Sivis….?” Questions the Argonnessen born dragonscale.  “What is a Sivis?”

“A dragon marked house that centers on communication.  They often use giant owls this way to bring messages medium distances.” Answers Jackie.

The magus opens the scroll case before someone suggests otherwise.  Inside is a scroll with a red wax seal on it.  The seal looks like a bristled mane lion with twin scimitars forming a skull and bones symbol.  He breaks this seal also and a gentle moaning breeze carries over the edge of the courtyard.  It is written in common and Bloodmage reads it and considers it, ignoring the others whom are waiting for him to read it out loud.  Flustered, Jackalaine finally asks what does it read?   

“Your Resources were correct.  The scroll and map you seek was taken below ground to the Tarnished Phoenix.  Meet at the Broken anvil inn at the 20th bell on the 21st of this month.  Rayadeen Tharashk”

“Curious.” Adds Jackie.

“A mystery.” Offers Red Scale

“And maybe this will help also…” offers Lia as he works the latch on the golden bracelet on the other leg.  The owl struggles against her but has little strength left.  William hopes they hurry up as feathers are getting into his mouth and the smell of the bird isn’t well with him.

After she removes the gold en cuff she notes some engraved writing on the side.  In common and gnomish (she thinks) it reads-
“This is the great owl Deatermon.  She is the property of House Sivis.  The return of her body and any message she carries would be appreciated and rewarded.  Solirion Torralyn d’Sivis”

“How much?” asks Mageblood.

“Does it matter?  She belongs to the gnomes and needs medical help they can provide.” Says the elf.

Mageblood rolls his eyes and rerolls the scroll and replaces it into the scroll case.  He also picks up the golden cuff that the swashbuckler has dropped as the owl has a second wind and struggles once more to be free and defend the objects it carried.

“Sivis Tower is only a few towers away.  We should go there then to this Inn.” Suggests William as he spits out a few feathers.

“Where is this Inn anyway?” Asks the Dragon shaman.

“Not far but on a lower level.  More the workmen’s area than the businesses where we are now.”

“How do know this?” asks Jackalaine whom is very curious at how William would know this.

“Better not to ask” he says then proceeds to shuffle towards the next bridge with the large bird.

“I’ll be right back.” Says the elf.

“Where are you…” begins the Magus.

“I’m going to get the bird some food.”

DM NOTE:  Even playing a swashbuckler, my daughter has a soft spot for animals.  She often plays druids in other games.  She wants to work with animals (maybe a vet even) when out of school.


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## megamania (Oct 9, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“MAGEBLOOD’S PAST AND NEW PROBLEMS”
004
10/01/11

As Lia returns she spots several men looking over the edge where they found the owl.  City guard.  They motion for her to stop and she does.

“There were reports of a large fire nearby.  Have you seen anything like this?  It would be bonfire in size and very visible.”

“Oh that.” The elf smiles innocently.  “One of my friends summoned a huge fire elemental to burn a demon.”  The leader whom was moving large pale feathers around with his boot stops in mid motion and locks eyes with her.

“Summoned….. a demon…”  The guard and his three officers are no longer relaxed.

“Oh no- he didn’t summon a demon.  It was a huge- I mean a really huge- fire elemental that burned up a demon.  William cut the other one up with his big sword.  Anyway- I should be going.  I bought fish and bread for the owl.”

“adventurers… I hate adventurers….” The chief mutters under his breath before turning to her.  “What is this owl got to do with it?”

“Can I talk about it as we to Sivis Tower?”  She briskly walks around the officer that was standing in her way.

They follow her right to the tower.  “adventurer…” is muttered once more as the captain sees a heavily armored big man hugging a bleeding giant owl.  A woman seems to be flirting with him.  Another dark skinned… no red scaled… man stands before the door to House Sivis communications center.  Another figure sits on a bench in a dark corner.  It is unclear if he is with them or merely also waiting for the Dragonmarked house to open (it is only about 3 bells (3am) into the night).

“And they are now.  See?  It’s really a big owl don’t you think?”

William exhales sharply.  The elf brought the city guard!?!  Oh my freakin’ gods what was she thinking?

“See- it’s that oddly shaped spear that summoned the huge fire elemental and he of course was the guy holding the owl while we picked up the scroll and the bracelet.”

“I need to see traveling papers….NOW.”

Still smiling, the elf gives him hers.  She then asks if he has ever heard of an elf named Doran Faraun.

“No.  Why?”  William would have slapped his forehead if not for holding the owl that is starting to awaken again.

“Oh nothing much.  I just want to kill him for his past deeds.”  She takes her papers out of his hand as his jaw hangs open in stunned disbelief.

“What about you?” the captain asks as he checks out the man in the shadows.  “Are you with these people?”

Mageblood remains quiet and tries to avoid eye contact.

“Sure he is.  He’s the one that took the scroll case out of the owl’s claw.”

“Is this true?  Do you realize this bird and anything it carries is under the protection of House Sivis?  It is considered a crime to mess with any messages it carries.  Papers. P0lease. Now”  He holds out his hand expectedly.

William makes eye contact with the Magus knows instantly they are all in trouble.  He pushes the owl away and lunges for him as he raises his hands and with a few words and a pinch of web castes a sticky thick set of webbing onto the captain and one officer too close to him.  William grabs his wrist must the Magus is much stronger than he appears and easily frees himself of the big man.  Using the webs are a wall, he walks around the captain and looks at the rest of the group.  The other law officers surround Jackie, Lia and the Dragon Shaman.  He mistakes this action as an attack and castes Magic Missile at the officer.  William cries out for him to stop but it is too late as the five magical bursts of energy strike and kills the policeman.

The captain struggles against the webs and frees a wand that is pointed at the Magus.  The Magus briefly feels like his limbs are resisting movement but then is okay.  He questions if magic was used against him just now.  The owl waddles off dragging one broken and bloodied wing behind it.

“The owl!” calls out the elf in concern.  “If it tries to fly it will die!”

Magus is certain he heard her say “if it flies there is no reward” and blasts it with a grouping of magic missiles.  It dies and falls to the ground much to the horror of the entire group.

Trying to contain the menace, the captain tries the wand of Hold Person once more but the Magus shrugs it off but this time knows it was magic used against him and the Captain has a wand in his hand.  William grabs Jackie’s hand and tries to rush them out of the area.  The other guard attacks Red Scale.  Barely injured, Red Scale goes to the captain to free him of the webs.  For his effort, an attempt with a spell is made on him but it also fails.

The Magus decides that better late than never, he turns invisible and tries to follow the fleeing Kensai Warrior and ladies.  He stops to aid the red skinned Dragon Shaman then gives chase.

They are lucky and follow William whom leaves no trail but is noisy trying to run in plate armor.  Being in this armor also slows him down and eventually the two mages catch up with him.

“What In the twelve moons of Siberys were you thinking back there?!?”

“Give me a moment and I will explain.” Says the Magus.


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## megamania (Oct 10, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“ THE MAGUS’ EXCUSE”
005
10/01/11

“This has better be good.” Says the embittered Kensai warrior.  “Your actions are endangering everyone here.”

“I am a wanted man.  I committed crimes in the past that I am trying to somehow undo now.”

William still clutches his falchion.  Jackie has a spell on her mind to prevent this from getting any worse should William lose his temper and attack the mage.  Lai is upset that he killed the owl in cold blood- and the law man also.  Red Scale wants to hear him out.

DM NOTE: and that is why I don’t like players having more than one PC but it’s only three of us.

“I once followed the Blood of Vol.  I was even invited into a semi-secret group linked to them- the Emerald Claw.”   William takes a step forward.  As a native Aundairan, he remembers the war crimes committed by this group.

“I stole for them several times until I realized that it was wrong and I tried to leave them.  They didn’t like the idea.  Ever since then I have been on the run from both them and the law.”

“That officer was following up a routine disturbance.  He wasn’t looking to even arrest you.  I bet that one officer you killed had a family.  Unlike you- you murdering bastard.” William takes two steps forward and the Magus two back but finds himself in a corner now.

“If they learned who I was they may have linked me and thus you, into those crimes and that I thought was worse.”

“You thought wrong.” Says Jackie.

The elf is strangely quiet.  Is her seeking of revenge any better?  She will go to most any length to find the person that murdered her parents.

“Why the lethal force?” asks the Dragon Shaman.

“I thought they were attacking Jackalaine.  Surely you can’t fault me for that.” He pleads directly at the Kensai Warrior whose current oath is based on her safety.

“The owl….?” Suggests the elf.

“Heat of the moment;.  I over reacted.  I’m sorry damn it.  I didn’t mean for it to go as it did.”

“I am willing to give him a second chance.” Says the Dragon Shaman.

“I guess so.” Says the swashbuckler.

“William…please…”pleads the Cleric.

“We complete the owl’s mission-  we return this scroll to the person at the Inn and then we go from there…..”

“Thank you.”

“I will be watching you mage bastard.  Don’t think I will not cut you down where you stand.”

The Magus stands alone with his hands at his side.  “Always the villain” he thinks to himself. 

DM NOTE: This is one of those cases as a DM you ask “What was the player thinking?  In the end it added to the story I just wish Tim gave more details about his crimes of the past.  Ah well.


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## megamania (Oct 12, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE BROKEN ANVIL INN”
006
10/02/11

BARRAKAS 21, 998   the 20th BELL

The PCs arrive at the Broken Anvil Inn just before the bell sounds.  The rain still continues to lightly drizzle.  Everything feels damp.  Magus enters first and looks about.  The others enter directly after him.  The room looks like a wide ‘V’.  There are several dwarves drinking and encouraging a female dwarf to dance on the top of a table.  A lone female dressed in leather armor with red trim sits holding a mug in her hands.  She glares with malice at the group as they pass her by.  A possible noble woman and two adventure types are arguing while standing up and looking at a map.  The male is stabbing his finger onto the paper.  They quiet down and wait for the PCs to bypass them before continuing to argue over the paper and what it has to offer.  Near the bar itself, a lone dwarf sits waiting for his drink.  He watches them enter and walk around the tavern.

“What are we looking for?” asks Jackie.

“What or even a who.” Replies William.

“That one seems to want our attention.” Says the swashbuckler.  She motions to the lone dwarf whom is himself motioning for them to come over and sit.

As they get closer to him they see he is very well-off.    His fine leather clothes and satin fabrics are carefully detailed and treated. With gold and silver thread and trim.  His beard is threaded and has gold and platinum beads with engravings on them.  Each finger has at least one ring on it.  Most of the rings look overly flashy and there is little doubt there is magic in at least two of them.  His eyes are bright and in general his demeanor cheerful.  However Magus does note that his one leg has an unusual metal strapping and harness attached to it.  The dwarf seems to be trying to conceal it slightly.

“May I buy you folks a drink?” he asks.

The spell scale is quick to agree and the others do but with more hesitation.  “Still raining out?” he asks.

“Yes.  What of it?” answers the Magus.

The dwarf smirks and looks at the five travelers.  “I wouldn’t want to be an owl I suppose.  In this rain something may happen.  Know what I mean?”

The five stop and hesitate either holding their drinks to their mouths or slowly lower the drinks back to the table.  

“There are rumors of a dead owl that belonged to Solirion Torralyn d’Sivis.   Rumors also speak of a high reward to the capture of the killer or killers of said owl.”

Magus scowls at the dwarf.

“Another rumor I heard involved the death of a law officer.”

“But I have interests in what was not said than what was said within the rumors.   A message….” The dwarf leaves his sentence hanging.

“Interest….  Like if someone happened to have the message you could perhaps read it?” offers the Spell scale.

“Perhaps we should move to a more private room to discuss this further.”

The dwarf motions to the bar tender then walks with a stylized limp to a far private room down a hallway.  Within this room are a table and eight chairs.  William and Magus do not sit but instead stand near the doorway.

“Do you have it on you?” asks the dwarf frankly.

“First- who are you?” demands the elf.

“I have many titles but most refer to me as Lord Darkko ir’Harddok.  I run a Wayfinders group out of Aundair.  One of my employees sent that message to me.  It is important to me.  Depending on what is written, it may involve further employment to- you perhaps?”  The dwarf takes a sip from his drink while eyeing each of the PCs.  “I pay well.”

Magus removes the scroll from his pouch and hands it to the dwarf. The dwarf looks at the broken seal and smirks.  Never taking his eyes off of the adventurers, he slowly unrolls the scroll.  He reads it quickly.  Sighs, and rereads it more carefully.  “Would you like to know more about this?  I seem to need some new operatives.  Are you available?”

The five of them look to each other and give a nod of yes.

“Very well then, what can you tell me of the incident… with the owl?”

As they describe the attack by the two furless humanoid rat fiends, the bar maiden arrives with more drink.  She asks if there is anything else and waits a moment before the dwarf dismisses her.  Mageblood checks that she has left and finds she is no longer within the hallway.  He dismisses the thought of how quick she is even as he thinks it.  

“I seek a large ancient tome that I had hired Raydeen to locate.  He had followed clues suggesting it was located within Sharn… well under it anyway.  This message you brought to me confirms this.  Since he has not arrived himself, I suspect the very creatures that killed the owl also got him.”  He continues on reviewing the events that led up to this point.   He hands them a scroll of his own.  “This is a map that leads to the Tarnished Phoenix.  The Phoenix is an old bit of art done on a wall underground by possibly goblins.  It is a site marker to an ancient goblin series of ruins.”

“What does this tome look like?” asks the Spellscale.

“Old and large.  It will have a stylized image of a dragon on it.”  This gets the attention of the Dragon Shaman.

“Why do you seek it?” asks Jackie.

“Fame and fortune, fame and fortune.” Says the dwarf looking at the many jeweled rings on his pudgy fingers.

Before leaving, they agree to meet again here the next day.  Mageblood notes who is still there and who is not as they leave.  He sees no bar maiden and ponders briefly about it but not long enough.


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## megamania (Oct 16, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“GOBLIN MERCHANTS”
007
10/08/11

BARRAKAS 22, 998   the 9th BELL

 Before going to the Broken Anvil again, the group stops and buys a few things; Food and ever bright torches being first and foremost on their list.  The meeting is brief and the group is quickly on their way to Deter Tower.   It is late in the morning and still raining.

The walk through the narrow and dark stairs within Deter Tower doesn’t unnerve the team.  The further down they travel the more damp the air and walk becomes.  Bits of rubbish begin to emerge from the darkening shadows but at last they reach the ground floor.  Here they circle the tower until they find a door listed as D-12.  The door is locked and has a sign attached to it.

Touching it as if to confirm its existence, the swashbuckling elf reads it aloud to everyone.  “By order of the laws of Sharn, none shall enter this doorway due to dangers held within.”  She turns to the group- “What do we do now?”

Jackalaine looks at her protector whom merely sighs and steps up to the door.  With a mighty single kick the Kensai warrior bursts the door.  The lock and chain are still swinging and attached to the door frame as the warrior steps forward.  He withdraws his oversized falchion and a magical torch.   “Stay close.  They put up that sign for a reason.”

The stairs in the darkness are even more dismal as Fecal and urine deposits puddle and pool on the stairs.  Graffiti written in goblin and possibly gnoll adorn the walls.   Most of it gives warnings and issues of ownership.  Some is less honorable than even that are written.  Bloodmage looks at the map they were given.  “The map suggests there is a goblin …. Market?”  

“Keep going…  it shouldn’t be far now.” Answers Jackie.

Nearing the bottom of the long stairs there appears a low light glow.  The goblin market.

After the light comes the stink.   Goblins.  They hop about and go behind their various make-shift tables.  As the adventurers reach them they begin to try to barter …. In goblin.  Only one member can understand and speak goblin…. Lia (uh-oh).  The product is very shoddy and most damaged.  There are various kinds of equipment.  Lia translates what is said between the goblins and her.  They move on until they reach the last table.  The equipment here is more based on useful things for adventuring in the sewers.  The equipment is still shoddy; a lantern that leaks oil is but one example.   The goblin smiles as pleasantly as a goblin can and addresses Lia directly.

“For a pretty lady I have many awesome things.  Good things.  Pretty things for pretty humans.”  It tries to be charming.  The others are ready to go.  “Too good for me?  For my stuff?   Even better than this this?” The goblin points to a beautiful purple scarf he is using to hold up a sign.  The goblin carefully unties it and shows Lia.  “Pretty he says.”

“Yes, it is.” She answers.

“Hurmmm…. Then it belongs with you…. Not me.”  The goblin offers it to her.  “It is a gift to you.  A gift for speaking to me and not treating me as a… non-equal.”

William detects a slight perfume on the scarf.  He figures it was the smell of the woman that was killed to get the scarf.

They look again at the map supplied them.  There are two branches that reconnect later.  One is listed as having a damaged bridge and one with a missing bridge.  Obviously they decide on the damaged bridge.

After walking through dark hallways they come onto an expanse of 40ft where a slowly moving channel of sewer water can be seen below.  The bridge there is falling apart.  Lia crosses first as she is the lightest and most agile.  The Spellscale flies over.  Jackie attempts to cross but falls through.  She is not hurt but William goes after her anyway.  He carries her through the sewer and lifts her up to the others.  The Magus crosses easily and makes it clear how easy it was for him.

They continue on into the dark.


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## megamania (Oct 17, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“BUGBEAR ASSAILANTS”
008
10/08/11

BARRAKAS 22, 998   the 15th BELL

The Magus named Bloodmage continues to study the map.  “What is the Gator Alley?”

“An alley with alligators?” answers William as he watches the edge of light and darkness.

“Funny funny hah-hah.  Seriously-  is this map even right?”

“So far it seems so.” Replies Jackie.

“Something is ahead of us.” Warns Lia.

She and the Dragon Shaman move up slowly to a lone large hairy humanoid.  This creature holds a large mace and smiles at them.  He (she?) stands at an intersection.  

In broken common the bugbear speaks to them.

“Toll.   Give gold to me and you pass.  No gold… no pass.”  As it speaks it waves the mace and smiles a sickly smile that invites violence.  The adventurers secretly consider it but try to instead talk their way out of it.

“There are five of us to the one of you….” Blaze Redscale begins but is interrupted.

“So five gold.  Give now or no pass.”

Blaze looks to the Magus…. “Would it just be easier to pay it?”

“Five gold each.  Twenty”

“Oh- he’s a smart one.” Suggests the Magus. 

Looking at the fact the spell caster seems to have no fear of him; the bugbear begins to back up.  “Gold or no go.”  Lia and Mageblood follow him hoping to press his fear of them.

William and Jackie follow up with the Shaman holding back.  Fate smiles on him.  In goblin the bugbear snarls out “Now!”  Lia, understanding goblin and the Magus both go onto the defensive and just in time as a fake wall is collapsed onto them.  Suddenly they find themselves being attacked by four rather large bugbears, each swinging two maces and leaping forward.

William kicks free of the stones and steps between the attackers and the cleric.  Lia and Magus find that the broken wall they largely escaped still hinders their own attacks while the long armed gobliniods can just reach them.  The battle is on.  

These bugbears are tough even for bugbears and know how to use multiple weapons.  They beat at the heavily armored Kensai Warrior and swing at the others whom step back to use the rubble to their own advantage now.  The first bugbear now addresses them pressing the elf and Magus horribly.

The shaman begins to cast spells that are carefully positioned to strike at the creatures but not his teammates.  On the second blast of energy the bugbears try to get at him if only to stop his spell casting.  William takes advantage of this and takes down two with a vicious swing from his over-sized magical falchion.  

Jackie steps back avoiding the battle but preparing healing spells as the blood is spilt on both sides.  Magus takes down a bugbear and so does the swashbuckler.  The leader finds him in a bad spot and quickly goes down as the three of them attack him and the first creature.

Little is found on them except for the leader.  He seemed to have been the one holding the tolls from times before.  They split it up equally and then take time to heal.

“Told you he was a smart one.” Says the Magus once more.


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## megamania (Oct 20, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“DEATH FROM ABOVE”
009
10/08/11

BARRAKAS 22, 998   the 17th BELL

“Do you hear that?  Sounds like water.” Says the Dragon Shaman.

“It’s a sewer.  Water is everywhere.” Replies the Magus.

“There’s an echo to it.  Large room coming up.” Warns William.

Cautiously they step into a large room with eight separate large pipes pumping raw sewage into four drains.  These drains form four separate whirlpools that empty deeper into the dungeons of old Sharn.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Gags Jackalaine.

“Yeah- its ripe.” Says William looking at it and considering how he will get around these pools in his heavy armor.

The four pools are connected by fast moving streams of brown lumpy water.  “I’ll go first.” Says Lia as she considers how to do this.  The channels are 10 feet wide and there is no way to tell how deep they are.

She backs up, begins to take a deep breath but gags as she inhales.  Frowning, she steps back and rushes forward and jumps over the crap and lands safely on the other side.  One more channel to cross… but first… the others.

The Dragon Shaman unfolds his small but effective wings and flies over.  Jackie considers using one of her most powerful spells to fly but decides not to.  She tries to leap across as Lia had but fails and falls into the crap.  William leaps in to save her.  The channel is only a foot deep but the current is strong and there is a lot of sludge on the floor of it.  His footing is not great so he makes of point of getting her across quickly then himself.  Magus jumps across with ease.

They go to cross the final channel.  Lia, Blaze and Bloodmage easily cross.  Deciding it is safer, William merely picks up Jackie and walks her most of the way before handing her over to the others.  “That could have been worse.” He comments… before it attacks.  

Suddenly something falls from an unseen ledge above onto the Kensai warrior.  It is covered with thorns and has long tentacles on it.  These tentacles reach and wrap around his arm and grapples for his sword.  
His grunts of pain cannot be heard under the weight of the aberration.  Not wanting to step into the crap, the others try to strike at it from a distance.  Their abilities are limited at this range and this limitation causes William a great deal of pain as the creature continues to grapple and constrict on his pinned body.  Soon he stops fighting it and… dies.

Jackie screams out in anger and pain.  She steps up to lash out at it but instead, sensing the magic she calls up, it reaches out and grabs her.  It drags her into the sewer and to her.  Now it constricts her body and drowns her in the sewer water under its great mass.  They do all they can against the creature hoping to save both teammates.  Soon, Jackie also stops moving under the creature’s great weight.  The creature finally succumbs to its injuries but too late… both William and Jackalaine are dead.

“This is BS,” snarls the Magus, “This wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

“I don’t want to stay down here.  I want to go back to the surface.” Says Lia.

“Yes. And we will bring them to the surface also.” Says the Shaman.

“William’s armor will hold us back- maybe stop us.” Warns the Magus.

“Let that.  Bring his sword.  It was a family gift.”

“and her with all of her equipment.”

“I agree. “ says the Magus.  He goes to her body and feels the weight of her pack.  “say- what does she have anyway?” he says with a mischievous smile.


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## megamania (Oct 30, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“ NEW HELP”
010
10/22/11

BARRAKAS 23, 998   the 20th BELL

“Did you see anyone following  ir’Harddok?” asks the human with a strong and thick bow attached to his pack.

“No but Damian DeFiend has used changelings before.  We should still split up here and enter separately.” Answers the other thin almost gaunt human wearing a wide hat and yellow robes. 

Filo Fox freedman (Triple F) goes first.  The cleric theurge mystic goes first.  He is silent as he goes.  The rain stays off of his face from the protection of his hat.  He hesitates briefly at the doorway to the Broken Anvil Inn as if to verify this is where he is going.  In truth he is looking around him to see if anyone is following him.   Seeing no one he goes in.

Jasyne Symtex, the archer Kensai warrior, takes a different route to the Inn.  He smiles at the ½ elf ladies of the night but moves on.  He is working and must remain more focused and follow the path set before him.  When he reaches the entrance to the Inn he makes a point of avoiding the deeper of the water puddles as he jumps to the stairs.

He notes there are few patrons within the bar tonight.  A few dwarves and that are all.  Maybe Darkko ir’Harddok was just being paranoid.   He has been this way ever since Filo and he returned from Droaam with the Lost Tome of Grootan the Fierce.   He feels either Damian or someone has hired the wretched elf to follow their patron where ever he goes.

Jasyne orders a drink and sits with his back to the wall and watches any and all who come into the place.  ir’Harddok is already here.  The dwarven patron of the Wayfinders of the Floating Tower arrived early.  Irritating but not unexpected.  He seems glum for a rich Aundairan Lord.  Something is wrong.  Perhaps his son had bad news for him.

Shortly the door opens and out of the rain comes three dirty and very smelly adventurer types with tarps that may or may not contain bodies.  They scan the room briefly then zoom in on the dwarf.  The dwarf nods to the hallway with the private rooms.  He and the adventurers enter the hallway.  Filo looks over to Jasyne and they get up and follow.

Even as the strange looking scaled humanoid begins to argue with the dwarf the two humans enter.   

“Good to see you.  Please meet my help- this is Blaze Redscale, Mageblood and Lia Xiloscient.  Behind them are Jackalaine and I believe you knew William.” (nods to Jasyne whom came from the same training facility)

“These are two others whom have worked for me in the past, Filo Fox Freedman and Jasyne Symtex.”

“You knew of their deaths already?” asks Lia.

“No.  They were here assisting me already on something else.  However, they may aid you in completing your job.”

“We brought them back with their equipment.  We thought they had families that would have wanted them brought back.”

“You show honor to both William, his family and the training facility we came from.  I thank you.” And Jasyne gives a short and sharp nod then seems lost in thought until Lord Darkko ir’Harddok asks them to bring the bodies to his apartment where they can be washed up and magically prepared to be brought back to Aundair.

With obvious dislike of the smell they radiate from their sewer adventuring bodies, the two employees pick them up and leave.

“Now, let’s talk about what happened.” Suggests the dwarf with a grim and serious look on his face.


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## megamania (Nov 1, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“ REGROUP AND PREPARE AGAIN”
011
10/22/11

BARRAKAS 24, 998   Soon after the 20th BELL

The three surviving adventurers complete their tale of goblin markets; destroyed bridges, bug bears and their traps and then the creature that fell from the dark and crushed William then drowned Jackalaine in sewer water (UGH!).

They wish to try it again tomorrow which the dwarf is quick to okay.  Perhaps too quick to say as the Magus then is equally quick to ask for more equipment and a better map.   Insulting the dwarf (whom drew the map himself based on information he and his agents gathered) means they gain no extra equipment but do gain two replacement agents (Wayfinders if you prefer) in the form of Filo and Jasyne.  The following 2 hours are spent retelling the tale and working out details.  

Bloodmage, the magus, is still curious to the point of concern about the section referred to as the gator Alley.  It is explained as an area where alligators and/or crocodiles have been seen but there is a strong bridge that goes over it.   There is no reason for concern.

Finally it is agreed to meet at the D-12 stairway in the morning and the five Wayfinders will try again to find the draconic tome.


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## megamania (Nov 21, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THREATS REVEALED AND SUGGESTED”
SEGMENT 015
11/19/11

BARRAKAS 25, 998   Early Afternoon (Unknown for sure to them)

The group of five Wayfinders continue going deeper into the dungeon-like setting of Undersharn’s sewers.  Rats, insects, centipedes and various types of mold is everywhere.  The creatures skitter about looking for food and shelter.  They sense, they know what is coming.  The PCs have not figured it out.  Not yet anyway.

They come to another bridge made of stone.  The water is beginning to splash onto the bridge walkway as the river of sewer water and collecting rain water continues to rise.  When aiming their light source onto the water’s surface they once more see eyes like before.  They are still in Gator Ally.  Both Filo and Mage Blood stare at these crocs.  These crocs seem different.   Their eyes seem brighter and their scaly armored hide seems… metallic. 

Wary of them but otherwise unafraid of them, Lia fires two cross bolts into a crocodile which then sinks into the brown swirling water.  Then silence.

A very deep and somewhat hard to understand voice someone or something calls out to the group from above even as the Magus had begun to cross the bridge.  Blaze, whom understands what is being said translate.  It is draconic.

=WHY DO YOU TRESSPASS ON MY BRIDGE?  WHY DO YOU COME HERE?  WHY DO YOU BRING THE HUNTERS HERE? =

After hearing the translation, the Elven swashbuckler is quick to comment on his voice.  Filo wonders if the group would cover for him if he pushed her into the water with the strange looking crocodiles.

=WHY?!?  WHY ENDANGER MY CHILDREN?  WHY DO YOU COME HERE TO MY BRIDGE? =

“Your children?!?  What kind of freak are you messing with a crocodile?”

Now most of the party is thinking just what Filo was.  Blaze covers her mouth and replies in Draconic.  “We mean no harm to you or the crocodiles here.  We merely wish to cross.”

The Magus calls back to the others- “Who are the hunters?”   For the most part he is ignored as something large swoops through the edge of the light within the sewer cavern.

“MUMPHHH?” [Translation from Lia- What was that?]

Blaze’s heart skips a beat.  He thinks he knows what that was.  “Please show yourself.”   Lia points her crossbow at a crocodile once more.  Fire erupts out of the darkness.  They are forced to leap out of the way.  The large metallic creature then swoops low into the light and back to the darkness.   “DRAGON!” calls out Jasyne.

Indeed, the creature circles back and lands on the bridge.  A young Brass Dragon.  =YOU THREATEN MY CHILDREN!  STOP!  I KILL YOU=

“WE MEAN NO HARM!  We are merely scared by your presence and that of the creatures in the water that surround us.” answers Blaze bowing his head.

The Magus listens to the dragon and watches its motions.  So does Jasyne with his bow in hand.

=YOU SHOT MY CHILDREN!  YOU TRESSPASS MY BRDGE!  YOU HAVE THE SMELL OF THE HUNTERS-  =  thrakt!  

Jasyne feels the Dragon is becoming irrational and means to attack.  The whole time it was screaming at them the “children” were slowly coming closer.  Two of his three magical arrows strike home.

=ATTACK!  EAT THE MEAT! = The unbalanced Dragon screams out.   The whole scene is unsettling to Blaze whom wishes not to harm or even dishonor the dragon.  He sees it is a type that normally lives above ground in much warmer and dryer climates than a sewer allows.  He fears it has somehow rotted its brain and made it unreasonable.

Jasyne kills the dragon with several more direct hits with his bow even as the crocodiles climb onto the bridge.   Not wanting to be a part of this Blaze takes to the air as the others begin to attack the climbing ½ dragon crocs.   Using bows, magic and melee weapons they cut into the creatures.  One croc attempts to snag Blaze before he gets too high and does nip him on the leg but fails to pull him down.  The Wayfinders make short work of the creatures.

They search the body of the dragon hoping to find magical items or treasure but find nothing.  Blaze gives a quiet prayer to the dragon and wonders if he belongs with this group that so quickly attacks and kills his distant kin.


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## megamania (Nov 23, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THERE IS A TOLL AT THE STONEBERG BRIDGE”
SEGMENT 016
11/19/11

BARRAKAS 25, 998 Late Afternoons 

Going deeper yet, the stonework is getting less finished and kept.  They look older and in less of a state of repair.  However, they continue on down.

As they reach another bridge, they figure it to be the Stoneberg Bridge passed on the map.  They also figure it has a toll or is one-way as a large group of goblins are making a stand in the back half of the bridge.

In goblin- “Toll to cross bridge.”

The Magus, growing bored with tolls from gobliniods, merely releases a fireball into their midst.  They scream and burn but only charge at them.   Another fireball is released that finishes off much of the blazing charge.

Mageblood then feels his mind and body begin to freeze.  He wills himself past this effect.  The spell caster that hid within the large group is killed by an arrow from Lia.  The last of the goblins are easily finished off.

Most of the gear is burned and little of it was much good to begin with.  On the cleric they find several potions that Filo guesses to be healing potions.  Lia takes them as the others distrust goblin made brews.


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## megamania (Nov 24, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“BATTERING WAVES”
SEGMENT 017
11/19/11

BARRAKAS 25, 998   Late Afternoon 

The water is slamming into the bridge marked as The Torgan Bridge.  These waves crest over onto the bridge causing possible balance issues.  There is a constant ankle deep wash of water on most of the bridge.

The group sighs as a group.  There are sturdy stone rails so one should not be able to wash over the edge but the thought is shared by all of them.  The Magus tries to count the seconds between the crashing waves hoping for a pattern.  There is none.  The waves strike between 3 and 15 seconds apart.  He shrugs his shoulders and begins to stride forward then picks up his pace as a wave builds.

The others shout out a warning that he is aware of already.  The wave rises up to crest directly next to him but instead holds it position and a funnel of water strikes him instead of a wall of water.  “A Water Elemental!” yells out Filo in dismay.

Everyone draws aim at it and fires.  It is destroyed nearly instantly (rolled a very poor Init for it).  As everyone crosses to see how the Magus is doing a second wave comes.  The eerie and malign face can be made out as the wave crests onto the bridge in an attempt to dislodge both the adventurers and the annoying earthen thing blocking its surface.

More spells are used and magical arrows.   This elemental survives the first wave of attacks and strikes at Jasyne with his powerful bow.  He holds on and the elemental is finished off.  The bridge is saved and they are okay though the water seems higher than before.

Blaze spots a fading painting on the wall beyond the bridge.  It resembles a fiery bird with its wings spread wide.  “The Tarnished Phoenix.”


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## megamania (Nov 26, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“BURNING TRAP ”
SEGMENT 018
11/19/11

BARRAKAS 26, 998   “Morning”

Looking around briefly they find a hallway that leads to iron spiral stairs that lead ever deeper.  Having used most of their spells now, they decide to camp here.  Healing is done and spells replenished and rest completed they look at the stairs.  Magus asks Lia about her necklace.

“What do you mean?” She asks innocently.

“I saw you staring at it last night before going into your trance.  Is there a special meaning to it?”

“A family heirloom is all.  Mind your own business.”

“I saw the elven runes…..” she moves away from him.   Taking the hint, he packs up the last of his stuff before heading down the stairs.

Blaze, the Dragon Shaman, looks at the stairs.  “They look sturdy enough.”

“any traps?” asks Jasyne.

“I’m no expert but I think we’re okay.”

The others wait for him to go first.   Trust, it’s a beautiful thing.

As Blaze steps onto the first step air hisses from small holes on the instep.  His foot burns from it.  He rushes down and the others, squealing and yelling follow as the burning cloud vapors spread into the hallway but not down the stairs.

Coughing, Filo exclaims… “I think…that was… an Incendiary Cloud Trap…!”


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## megamania (Nov 27, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“ANGRY WATER”
SEGMENT 019
11/19/11

BARRAKAS 26, 998   Morning 

The spiral stairs go down several hundred feet.  At the bottom the masonry looks different but no one is really sure.  Filo, whom studies man-made structures, is mildly curious if it is indeed MAN – made or GOBLIN-made.  He is aware that the deepest levels of Undersharn’s are in fact Goblin ruins from as far back as several 1000 years ago.

“Do you hear that?” asks Blaze as he takes to the air with his short dragon like wings.  He flies ahead of the others without much thought or caution.

He reaches a large room with six large pipes that are spewing out large amounts of water of various conditions of quality.  The pool they fill is boiling and foaming from the mixture.  A walkway goes around the pool and exits on the far side.  Fearing traps, he instead flies over the pool.  The ceiling is roughly 20ft above the pool.   Not enough.

As he reaches the half-way point the water suddenly surges straight up and slams him into the ceiling.  Stunned, he lightly bounces on the water funnel that has angry facial features on it.  It easily reaches the ceiling.

“Elder….?” Begins Filo in awe, fear and dismay.   He didn’t expect this much resistance and trouble here.   He had figured the group to be poorly skilled and inept for the task.  Instead he is seeing how challenging the sewers have been.

Jasyne fires into the water.  The effects are not what he was hoping for.  Worse- Lia’s shorts seem to merely add a projectile to the already dangerous water creature.  Blood mage, The Magus begins to fire Fireball spells into the creature.  Steam fills the air.  Jasyne looks back at him.  “It’s okay.  He is immune to fire.”  

Filo adds his own fire spells now.   In a rage, the water elemental strikes at them.  It uses the Shaman as a club harming both the Shaman and whomever it strikes.  He attempts to call up his Fire Elemental but loses his spear.  Luckily, it clatters onto the walk but not near the group.

“As an elemental, it is very resistant to damage.  As big as it is, I’m sure it is more resistant than most to harm.   But it’s going to kill the dragon man otherwise.” Calls out Filo.  Jasyne grunts and fires several more arrows at it.  Acid, Cold, Electrical, Fire, and raw vibrations strike the elemental with each successful strike from the Kensai Archer.  It just swings the now limp body of the Shaman again.  Jasyne takes a serious blow this time and begins to back away into the safety of the hallway.  Filo steps up to take a blow meant for Jasyne.  This sacrifice allows Jasyne and magus to both strike again.  Lia gets out her lumpy goblin brewed healing potions.  She knows someone will need them.

After five fireballs and many magical attacks the water elemental finally just gives in to gravity like a giant waterfall.   They fish out the Shaman even as the downed Cleric / Mage is given a potion (-9!).  The shaman sputters as a potion is given to him (3hp remain) and even Jasyne takes a potion (25 of 60+ remains).   

“Continue on?” asks Lia, the only one to not take any damage.  They all consider chaining her to the bottom of the water pool.


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## megamania (Dec 12, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THIS IS IT”
SEGMENT 020
11/23/11

BARRAKAS 27, 998   Morning 

 The heavy door opens slowly and with no sound.  The floor is gold in color and spotless.  The walls also are made of these same stones.

“Is it gold?  Should we take a few bricks?” asks Lia as she looks at it closely.

“It’s not gold.  Blaze looks closer and nods to his own agreement.  “Not gold but magically made to look like it.”

“Why do….” Filo is interrupted by Jasyne.

“Did you hear something?   A click or something?”

All eyes look further down the hallway and see a shimmering magical affect.  “Something is being summoned!” calls out Filo.

A huge dark blue boney spider appears.  It drools spittle that sparkles as it drips onto the floor.  It moves into view but blocks the entire exit from the ten foot wide hallway.  Jasyne releases several arrows that streak at it leaving behind a slight rainbow effect.  The spider makes a strange sound.  The creature spits out a lightning bolt that nearly takes down Lia and Jasyne.  Mage Blood releases magic at it and the creature squeals in pain.  Blaze notes its appearance and the electrical abilities.   “Is that… another dragon hybrid?!?”

Another round of attacks finishes it off.   The magical summoning takes it back before they walk to it.

As they move up Blaze moves ahead of them.   He hopes to see something of this crazed blue dragon / huge monstrous spider cross breed.  Instead he receives a chop from a huge great axe as a Brass Golem has activated after the spider was defeated.  Lia attacks with her rapier but instead of hurting it, it seems to look sturdier than ever (magic fire).  Jasyne’s arrows seem to react very strangely with it.  It gets stronger but slows down also.  Filo warns everyone that golems are very magic resistant and energy types often do strange things to it.

The battle goes poorly as most of the magic effects on the adventurer’s are fire based.  The creature’s damage resistance, magic invincibility and other effects are blocking their best efforts to destroy it.  The powerful battle-axe damages them cruelly as the wounds will not close up or slowdown in bleeding.  But they continue on.  Finally, it goes down.

They peer beyond and see a large 40x40 foot room with a roughly depicted sun in the middle.  “This is it.” Says Filo.


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## megamania (Dec 13, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THIS IS IT ”
SEGMENT 021
11/26/11

BARRAKAS 28, 998  The Next Morning 

Having used up most of their spells to attack or heal they decide to stay there over night.  They want to be fresh for the exploration of where the Dragon Tome was believed to be.  Filo is amazed by the sun-like etched symbol on the floor.  It is about 25ft round and has a slightly orange coloration in contrast to the golden color of the surrounding floor.

There is nothing else within the room except for four doors.  Each on one of the four walls.  While Filo continues to look at the symbol, Blaze watches Lia as she stands before a door across from the entrance.  She is pressing her lips in concentration.  Mage Blood reaches for a different door not carrying if the others are following him or not.  Jasyne goes to him though looking over his shoulder at Filo.  “Comon-  lets go.  We should not split up.”

The Magus touches the door and a summoning trap is activated.  Lia does the same with similar results.  In each case a warrior bugbear appears reaching for them and swinging.  Lia and Magus each take their foe down.

Lia pushes open the door and sees a long set of deep stairs leading down.  They go beyond the limits of her light.  She and Blaze slowly walk down the stairs.  They activate a trap as a section of the stairs drops out from under them.  Lia easily steps back avoiding it.  Blaze falls but stops his fall by spreading open his wings.  It is cramp and awkward climb back to the surface.   Looking beyond, they now see the bottom of the stairs.   Along the way another trap opens but each are ready this time.  Inside is a large chamber filled with humanoid skeletons and a large skeleton of…. A dragon?

Magus and Jasyne walk down their hallway and find a trap.  It is trapped also with a summoning spell.  The ogre doesn’t last long and they move into the room.  It is a 30x30ft room.  Bookcases are back to back in the center of the room.  Etched on the walls are depictions of gobliniods wrestling or using blunt sticks and quarterstaffs.  They begin to search the bookcase facing them first.  They find little in their quick search.  Jasyne calls for Filo to join them.  His knowledge of languages will help them sort through the books.

Filo finds nothing as he joins the search.  Mage Blood finds a small crystal ball wrapped in cloth on the bottom of the shelf.  Happy with his find he places it into his pack.   Behind that is a staff.  He collects this also hoping it has some worth.  Using detect magic he sees an aura but cannot identify it.   The books here deal with mundane events that Filo has interest in but are not what his employer is seeking.  Suddenly there is a heavy thudding sound that makes everyone turn from their search.

Lia and the Dragon Shaman peer into the room cautiously.  Lia spots something by the dragon skeleton.  It appears to be a sword.  Drawn to it she enters the room.   The Dragon Shaman follows her.  The whole time saying this is a bad idea.  Suddenly bars fall from the ceiling within the hallway and with a loud bang trap the two within the room full of bones.  Lia picks up the sword that attracted her and looks at the trap they have set.  “Now what?” she asks innocently as the Shaman shakes his head in dismay.

[who comes here to disturb my sleep]

Uh-oh thinks the elven swashbuckler.

The shaman merely stares at the source of the mental sound.  He stares the dragon bones that quiver and a low but strong glow begins from the eye sockets.

“Dracolich?”

“No… but undead and very dangerous.   We mean you no harm dread dragon.” Begins the dragon shaman hoping to avoid any further conflict.

[the sword… the cursed sword… in the hands of a living elf]

Lia looks down at the short sword and giggles in embarrassment.

Leaping over the open hole, The magus reaches the first set of bars on the stairs.  “Undead dragon!” he calls out to Jasyne and Filo.  The dragon rises up and takes its first step it has taken in thousands of years.  With a sudden fierceness unforeseen by any there (except for maybe Blaze)  the Bone Black Dragon strikes the elf.  It continues its attack bringing it into view of Jasyne and his magical bow.  The undead creature howls in pain as the first arrow strikes it.   

Filo looks at the bars carefully.  “These bars are not an issue.  Look.” And he swings his hand through the bars.  “They are merely designed to stop intruders or to trip them up into these floor traps.”  The magus smirks and rushes ahead leaping through the bars and finds his forward momentum keeps him going.  He is forced to leap over the next trap or fall in.  He tumbles into the room near the dragon.

“The creature seems confused.  I belief the experience of undeath has muddled its thoughts.” Says the Dragon Shaman.  In a quieter voice… “the poor thing.”

Jasyne fires away with his arrows and Filo with magic.  The Magus uses his unique magical melee abilities on it and Lia uses the new sword on it.   The shaman merely sits this one out.  He cannot bring himself to attack a dragon… even an undead one.   It goes down without him.  Jasyne glares at him as he inspects the room for further dangers.

Together they return to the library they were inspecting.  Going to the second series of shelves on the backside of the room Filo finds a spell book.  Several spells within interest him and the magus.  The magus meanwhile has found an old tome.  It is not the one they seek but it interests him greatly still.  Within the book is a picture of a large city built into the tops of mountains with clouds.  The language is old but he can make it out.  Slowly he reads out loud- “Dragon-City- within the- kingdom- of giants”

“What have you found?” asks Jasyne.  

“Nothing.  It is not what the dwarf wants.”

“It may have clues we need however.  His son said…” he lets it trail off as he moves over the unsculpulious Magus.  Jasyne is about to bully the mage for the book when Filo finds the book they were seeking.  “I think this is it!”   He carefully opens it and looks at a few pages.  “Yes.  I believe this is it.”

“Lets rest here for now and then we’ll check that last door before returning to the surface.” Says Jasyne as he looks at the Magus with the book.

Several hours go by and Lia is still looking at the sword.  Filo asks if he can also look at it.  She allows it.  “It has a strong magical feel to it.  Old also.  Maybe thousands of years old.”

“You seem to know a lot about swords Filo.”

“Not as much swords but old things… magical old things.   It’s a hobby of mine that I have developed into a means of income.”

Nearby, but in the shadows the magus reads the book more.  He keeps returning to the picture of the city.  Knowing Jasyne will try to pry the book from him eventually, he considers tearing out the page for safekeeping.   As Lia and Filo conversation becomes louder and attracts the other’s attention he carefully tears the page out the book.  Everyone stops.  “WHAT?” he snarls with malice.

“NOOOOO!” exclaims Filo.   “Don’t damage the books!  They may have clues yet within!”

“You found the book. Yes.  The book is yours. Yes.  BUT it was found during Lord Darkko ir’Harddok’s expedition.  You will get it but after he has a chance to see if it involves the other book and the mystery he seeks to unlock.”

“But of course.”  The Magus says as he places the page back into the book and closes it up.  He is more certain he wants this book than ever…. If only to irk the archer Kensai warrior.

Going back to the inspection of the sword Filo discovers something.   Very tiny runes.  “It is elven made” he says…..  It is….   Hmmmm….   Deals with luck.   I believe this is a Luck Blade.  Very nice.   Elves liked them.  They carried them for status rather than use.  They prefer the long sword over the short.”

“Luck blade?”

“Not only can luck be with you but they say they often carry the ability to grant a wish or two.”

“Really!?!”

Jasyne becomes worried.  “Don’t waste those wishes.”

“And be careful what is wished for.  Some say the wishes are granted by fiends.  These fiends like to twist one’s words when granting a wish.”

“Twist…?”

Seeing an opportunity to stifle the young woman, Jasyne tells her something he heard from his academy days.  She is worried as he finishes his short tale…. “and wishing to be invulnible to the sword attacks of the army he was made into stone.”

“How awful!”

The Magus has become curious.  “I’ll buy it.”

Jasyne is about to stop this obvious set up but she is too quick.  “How much?!?”

“I have some of my share of treasure.  I’m sure you would not want to be turned into stone… or worse!”

Filo frowns.

Eventually the group falls asleep.  The Magus has the wish blade and the elf is 3090 gold pieces richer.


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## megamania (Dec 15, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“ANCIENT TRINKETS ”
SEGMENT 022
11/26/11

RHAAN 01, 998  The Next Morning 

They awake and gather their goods to go down the next and last hallway.  They trigger the expectant summoning trap and being prepared, they easily destroy it.  Looking down the short hallway there is a spiral stairway that goes down.  The Dragon shaman goes first to look over the stairs.  “We could really use a rogue.” He says as he reaches the stairs.  His foot touches the top step.  Suddenly realizing he was holding his breath, he lets it out and puts his weight down on the step.  Gas begins to eject from the cracks in the tiles of the floor.  “oh crap.” Whispers Jasyne.

A spark ignites the cloud and everyone begins to burn.  They rush and hurry down the stairs quickly.  The burning cloud remains above.  Blaze can hear water trinkling as he nears the bottom of the long stairway.  The tiled floor remains golden and highly reflective within this lower room.  A large basin of sparkling clear water is on one side of the room and an exit on the other.

They check out the basin.  It is crystal clear and the water seems to go on forever.  Not thinking much of it, they move onward to the archway that leads to another large room.  This room has a white and purple carpet that reaches from the entrance to a raised base with two medium sized throne-like chairs.    On the side of each is a small end table with a leather and wood box.  Lia and Magnus each go to these.  The Magnus smirks at Jasyne then opens the box.  Within is a large 3inch egg shaped jewel wrapped in precious metals of silver, gold and platinum.  Within the metal are smaller jewels and gems.  Awed, Lia takes it up and looks at it carefully.  Then pockets it.

Mage blood  looks it over.  A Luck Blade AND this.  The gods favor him.

Filo asks if he can look at it.  He looks at him carefully and slowly hands it to him.  Filo looks at it carefully.  “Runes….  Hmmmm….  Draconic…..”

“What does it say?” asks The human Magus.

“I am… the master of …Black fire and…” he looks up with concern, “ the evil that fuels it.”

“Cool” says the swashbuckler.  “What does mine say?”

Filo hands the ancient relic to the Magus and holds out his hand.  She takes it back out and gives it to him.  “Draconic also…. I am … the mistress of the…. Evil of one’s…. own mind and control of it’s… actions.”  

“I wouldn’t want to hold onto those for long.” Says Jasyne.

“Why?”

“They are obviously items of evil.   Maybe cursed.”

The elf’s eyes grow wide.  The human merely shrugs his shoulders and puts it into his pack.  She follows his lead and keeps it also.  They begin to look around when suddenly Blaze stops.  “What is that?”

They follow the sound and see the water basin is flooding.  The water is dark…. Dirty.  Sewer water.  “Time to go.” Demands Jasyne.


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## megamania (Dec 17, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“WET RETURN ”
SEGMENT 023
11/26/11

RHAAN 01, 998  Late Morning 

The group begins a forced march back.  As they cross bridges that were once over the water they find bridges that are on the verge of being flooded or even washed away.  The goblin toll collectors are gone.  The one bridge has a giant mutated crocodile at it.  (Lolth- Touched) Jasyne makes short work of it as the bridge is cracking from the strain of the debris catching on the bridge creating a dam effect.

They reach the section where the aberration killed the first two members of the PC team.  They find the overhead tunnel and go to stay there.  They find two things- the section below is fully flooded and very deep.  Within the tunnel is a body of a bug bear.  Looking it over, they find it was a victim of a vampire.  Two drain marks on its neck and bloodless.  Then Filo notes the similar appearance of Lia’s scarf and a wrap the dead bear has.  Jasyne leans down and sighs with a smirk.

“What?”

Jasyne looks up then back to the scarf.  He picks it up in his hand and smells it.  “perfume.  Unique… especially in the sewers.  I would go so far as to say as a tracking beacon for… the vampire that killed him.

Filo shakes his head in concern.  He looks the body over.   “The bite… it’s small.  Not a human.   Smaller like a Halfling or… a goblin.  He then looks at other areas of the body one can feed.  Both wrists have puncture marks.   “Make that plural.”

They rest there to regain their strength.  They take turns watching for anything at all.  Anything.

Now it is RHAAN 02, 998  and the PCs continue they steady forced march to the surface.  In some areas the hallways are beginning to have water within them.   Soaked rats are seen scurrying occasionally out of their lights.

Now late afternoon, they near the area of the bugbear toll attack.  The water is seen dripping everywhere in rapid drops and ripples.  Puddles of water lay under the broken wall.  Jasyne looks up at the remaining wall.  It is cracked and streams of water run down sections of it, especially the bulging areas.  “Uh…. Guys….  We better get going.”

“Why?” asks Filo.

Even as Jasyne is about to give a warning the wall cracks and groans.  As everyone looks to it,  it bursts.  1000’s of gallons of storm water runoff bursts through the wall and washes over the five adventurers.


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## megamania (Dec 17, 2011)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“TO DROWN OR NOT TO DROWN”
SEGMENT 024
11/26/11

RHAAN 02, 998  Afternoon 

The entire world is a dark swirl of water and bubbles with deep thundering thuds of bodies and bricks tumbling within the water.  The current comes and goes as the wave of water rushes around corners and down sloped hallways only to then break through walls into new unexplored areas of Undersharn.  They break surface for a quick gasp of air before the current takes them under and along again.  

The Magus bounces off of the bottom and surfaces.  There is a dim glow rushing at them.  Lines are in water and the edge of the light.  He reaches for it and it smacks him but holds him.  As he tries to climb to the light he is hit by debris and…. Jasyne.   He then grabs the same line and climbs.   They break the surface and gasp for air.  Chains go from the floor to the ceiling far above.  The water is emptying into a waterfall and a grate.  Lai misses the chains and smacks up against the grate- while still being under water.  Blaze strikes her and knocks the air out of her.  Her eyes bulge as she begins to drown.  Filo grabs a chain but no strength to climb.  His head is just under the water’s surface.  He can feel his strength leaving him.  He is drowning also.

Gasping….  Mage Blood struggles up the chain enough to get his legs out of the water.  Jasyne can just see Filo and Blaze in the water.  He cannot even see the elf.   “Do it.”

“What?”

“Do it.  Use the Blade.”

Using whatever strength he has left, he struggles with his equipment and touches the elven blade.  “I wish we were at the Broken Anvil tavern.”


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## megamania (Dec 2, 2014)

Looking to restart this campaign with new players shortly


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## megamania (Dec 18, 2014)

My group and I agreed that two games of the Hidden were going to tire us out quickly.  So asked them- "What would you like to play next?"

Sharn.

They wanted to explore how a campaign worked if it were entirely within a city.

It sounded like a challenge which I gladly excepted.    I thought I would finish what I wanted to do in my Wayfinders of the Floating Tower that I had started years ago but never finished.

So it was agreed and I began to layout the campaign.  That is when I found out what the players wanted to do.  They wanted to try roleplaying non-standard characters with unique backgrounds.   Sounded great.  Awesome.  lets do it.    

So as I generally do, I created the first adventure and planned on writing the second one once I got a feel for their characters.   Easy.... right?

So...... I have a Lawyer, A Garbage man, an Alchemist student and a warforged that specializes in bear hugs.

wow

So.... a challenge has been issued and the following will be the results.

I hope you enjoy it.


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## megamania (Dec 18, 2014)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 026
12/13/14

VULT 22, 999  Nightfall in Sharn

Vydaer Medina begins to finish off his last ale.  Happily, he has learned the rumors are true, the ale at The Broken Anvil Tavern is quite good.    He may have to come here again when not working.  Mortar, a goblin, is impressed also.  Though some of the customers have given him a sideways glance, for the most part no one has bothered him.  It is a pleasant change.  Gabriel Nocke, a human with an interest in law, listens with boredom as Vydaer finishes up.  The group’s muscle, Bore, a rather large warforged with spikes, waits patiently as his friends finish their business with Baron ir’ Demmons.

Demmons had hired Vydaer to investigate the disappearance of his sixteen year old daughter- Lidda.   When last seen, she was in the wrong circle of friends and experimenting with the drug Dreamlily.  Two weeks ago she just disappeared… along with 500+ gold.  Wishing to keep it quiet (and cheap) the merchant leader of rare silks from Sarlona hired Vydaer whom then hired his friends to help him.

It took time but they did find the girl.   She was working in the skin parlors in a poorer section of the city.  The money was nowhere to be found.  Most likely it was used for drugs or stolen by her supplier whom then sold her into prostitution.

With visible pain,  they are paid and the case is closed.  Which is good, Vydaer wants to check on his mentor still- the cranky ol’ bastard he can be.  They pay for their drinks and wish him a good night.  He gives the slightly drunken warrior a nod goodbye at the next table also.  He raises (and spills a bit) his mug of ale in return.

“Thank you again everyone.   If I ever need your services again I hope I can contact you.” offers the group leader.

“Yes.   It has been slow in court as of late.   House Sivis is still sore at me for beating them earlier this year.” Offers the slightly arrogant human warlock.  Gabriel was born with a silver tongue.  His studies in law and being a warlock certainly hasn’t hurt him either.  He has let his legal victory over house Sivis involving a Boromor halfling go to his head.

“You know where to find me.” Offers the goblin.   He enjoys this work over his work in Sharn’s waste program (aka the sewers).  His druid talents help with this job but he does enjoy seeing the sun or night sky occasionally.

They continue to talk about life’s misadventures when they hear a cry from outside the Mason’s Tower.   A girl or an overly feminine elf.   It came either from the spiral stairs that go up and down or from the bridge that connects Mason’s Tower to another nearby tower system on the 97th floor.

They move towards the sound and see large shadows created by the everbright lanterns on the bridge.  Vydaer steps to the side standing in the shadows of a large flowered box on the internal street.   The goblin holds his ground while Gabriel continues a slow and meaniful stride ahead.   The warforged goes directly towards the oncoming shadows.

Suddenly a teenage human girl rushes ahead from the bridge.  She has signs of being on the run.  She wears only a cheap and dirty breach cloth tunic that is poorly tied but a piece of cheap twine.  She slips on a puddle from the day’s rain and tumbles roughly on the worked stone street.

More shadows.

“Bore….”  Directs the lawyer.

Now laughing, three bugbears wearing new leather armor and each dragging a chain with them follow.   

After the last case, it doesn’t take much for them to recognize a runaway girl from slavers.


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## megamania (Dec 20, 2014)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 027
12/13/14

VULT 22, 999  Nightfall in Sharn

Boar (Player has corrected me on the spelling) plows into the first bugbear whom was just reaching down to grab the young woman by the hair.  She screams as the slaver grunts in pain.  The other two bugbears reveal slaver’s chains.

Gabriel Nocke picks up his pace and quickly supports the warforged brawler.  First he tries to intimidate the bugbears by demanding they stop or “else”.  Mordor takes cover behind some interior plants.  He begins to look for a potion and watches.  Vydaer Medina also searches for a potion even as he runs back to the Tavern.

He bursts through the double doors.  “There is a woman in trouble outside!”  Everyone goes back to drinking or work.  “Three bugbears with chains!”   The silk sails man is gone.  The drunk remains.  “She has nothing- no weapons, no protection- lord she barely has clothes.”

“I’ll =buuuuuuuuuurrrrruuuuup!= help.”  The drunken warrior stands up abruptly when hearing she was barely clothed.  He takes one step then falls on his face.

The young woman attempts to crawl backwards away from the one bugbear but backs into a wall.   The beast picks her up and turns around with her under his arm.  The other two attempt to deal with Boar.   Boar’s first attack was only a glancing blow.   Not this time.  He grabs the bugbear and hugs him…. Hard.  He drives the spikes on his arms and chest deep into the bugbear.

The third bugbear laughs at the lawyer…. Until the lawyer raises his hand and begins to fire arcane energy at him.   The three bugbear slavers decide its time to leave.   Boar drives his spikes further into him while he struggles to get free.  The one holding the woman loses her.  He was holding her coverings- not her.  Naked, she drops head first onto the stone worked walkway.  Stunned, she is easily hoisted up onto the slaver’s shoulder.   He takes a cheap leacherous look and smiles before attempting to move away.

The goblin alchemist takes his potion and grunts and shakes.  He begins to bulk up as the elixir begins to mutate him.    That’s it- the bugbears want out.   He and the warlock take down the second bugbear.   The third one goes for the bridge.

Not wanting to give up his prize, the bugbear hopes to bluff the warforged.  He threatens to throw the girl over the edge.  Boar hesitates charging him.  Darkness spreads out from the wall where Gabriel stood silently.   The girl squirms free and falls to the ground.  Using the railing as a guide, she crawls away.

From outside of the darkness spell affect, they can hear the city watch coming.  They call for everyone to stop.  Slowly, the people within the darkness effect walk out.  The bugbear, once out, charges for the spiral staircase and goes down.   The mutated goblin gives chase.

Strangely, the lawyer drives his head into the stone wall and Vydaer drops water onto his crotch and drops to his knees.   The law come through the darkness as it breaks up and finds the three of them there.   Two witnesses to a warforged hero that had saved the girl from slavers.

CAPTAIN JAMES DARSON listens to the cowardly “cleaner” and his aid- a warforged.   They saw it all, the warforged defended the woman.   The lawyer, he is didn’t freeze in fear.  He was “struck” down before the last bugbear ran away.   There is no mentioning of the goblin.

CARLA SHAWN was the girl’s name.  She taken from her parents a few years ago from north of Sharn near the Droaam border.   The slavers were bringing her in to be sold.  

The two groups do a verbal dance as one tries to prove they are not adventurers or able to defend themselves.  The other, the police captain whom cannot stop the slave trade.  It is not important enough to the city people to pursue.

“We need people to care, to stand up for the innocents, not to be heroes- but defenders.”   As he talks, he drops hints several times of places to go and rumors of where the slavers are entering the city.  He cannot pay them, too bad the bugbears didn’t have money on their bodies- it could be used to pay someone to stop the slavery ring (the PCs had just barely taken the money before the last bugbear fled). 

The police leave, giving them a knowing look.


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## megamania (Dec 20, 2014)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 028
12/13/14

VULT 23, 999  BLACK BONES

The goblin lost the bugbear after about fifty levels down.

The four of them regroup at the Broken Anvil Tavern.   They decide to take up the cause and try to shutdown the slavery ring.  It will be good to have the tower captain on their side and give them a clean conscience. 

They return to their apartments and places of rest before returning to the Mason Tower.  They travel deep into the Tavik’s Landing area to the basement of Sharn- the Cogs.  They seek out a specific warehouse and find it.

From here, they find a stairway leading deeper into Undersharn.    They find this area is a maze of tunnels and passageways.  Dwarves, warforged, shifters and gobliniods are everywhere here.    The deeper they go, the fewer dwarves they see.

Mortar directs them as best as he can.  He has not been in this area before.  He suggests getting help.

They come across some warforged whom have little to help them.  They mention the Red Hammer and other areas to ask help then calmly leave without saying any goodbyes.  They walk deeper and enter a large room.  Several shifter and goblin children are running around screeching and yelling.  They are playing Knights & Monsters.

Using their verbal skills, they stop and charm the children.   It helps to have a warforged and a goblin within the group.   The kids want to help those two but not so much the humans.    They decide the Knights (Goblins and the warforged) are one team and the Monsters (shifter pups and the humans) be another team.    Between the two teams, they should find help one way or another.

Vydaer suggest they travel as one group.   As junior adventurers, they should learn that adventurers should never separate.   Stay together because there is strength in numbers.  In time the children agree.

Singing and skipping, the children lead the team deeper in the tunnels.


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## megamania (Jan 11, 2015)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 029
1/10/15

VULT 23, 999  THE COGS

The children dance and prance as they lead the group deeper into the Cogs under Sharn.  Vydaer truly wishes the children were not so loud and active.  Mortar finds the children’s games amusing.    So does the warforged grappler Boar.   His simple mind is easily caught up in the activity.  Gabriel Nocke is careful not to touch the filthy walls of the tunnels.   He is even less happy with the children than Vydaer.

They feel the heat and smell the molten metals as they enter a forge area.  A warforged worker spots the children and immediately moves over to intercept them.  “It is not safe to play here children.   You must move away.  I cannot continue to tell you this every week.”

“Excuse me ……” begins Mortar.

“CB-29 is my given Cannith name.”

“Mortar is mine.   The children are helping us with an important job.”

The warforged tries to stare them down.

Gabriel steps up from the back of the group.  “CB-29, as my goblinoid friend has already stated, we are here on important business.  These children felt they could help us.  Perhaps you could help us also.”

“We can pay for your services.” Offers the goblin.  The warlock –lawyer gives him an annoyed look.

The other workers pause to watch.   “Please- we need nothing from you.  Move away from the hot liquid.   Take the children with you.”

“Have you seen any bugbears down here?   Perhaps carrying women with them.” Asks Vydaer.  

“There are dwarves, goblins, shifters ….. yes, there are bugbears down here also.   They stay away from the working areas…. As you should.”

“Thankyou- we should go.  Children…..” motions the warlock.   They move to a different exit away from the molten metals of the forge and the warforged workers.

One of the children holds back a moment to speak to a worker then hurries after the group.

They walk around a corner and encounter another warforged that the children seem to know.  “BOB!”

The battered and damaged warforged looks startled and looks for a place to move to- quickly.    With no escape route, the warforged referred to as “Bob” by the children backs into a corner and awaits the non-forged persons to approach.

The children run up to the warforged and grab and hug its arms and legs.    “Can you play?”

“Not today.   Who are these people?  They are not of our people.”

“Meaning?” asks Gabriel.

“Please Bob….. Please”

“Do. Not. Call. Me. Bob.    I hate that name.”  

“awwwwwwwww” the six children say in unison.

“Have you seen bugbears with women in the tunnels?”

Bob the warforged, looks up at the warlock.   “No.”

“Do you know anyone that could help us?”

He remains silent.

“Those are some rough burn marks and gouges on your body.   Wartime injuries?  We could help you with it.”

The warforged looks at his shoulder and arm.  He thinks back many years to how the damage happened [ John Play : Hero for Hire ].  

“Well?”


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## megamania (Jan 11, 2015)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 030
1/10/15

VULT 23, 999  THE COGS

The warforged known as “Bob” looks at his moving but still damaged wrist.  It has not moved in years.  He has sent the children away after they were also paid.  

“So what is the Red Hammer?” again asks Vydaer.

“Place where our kind gather.”

“Our kind?”

“Warforged”

“If anyone knows of the bugbears it will be Crucible or someone there.”

“Crucible?”

“He owns the Red Hammer.”

They continue to walk through the dark tunnels for another twenty minutes.   Before reaching the Red Hammer, Bob stops.  He excuses himself as he doesn’t want to be seen there with non-forged travelers.  He is given one last repair spell and he moves away quickly.

They continue forward down the hallway.  The rough stone becomes ruined stone that requires climbing at times.  Ahead of them they see a steady light.  They travel towards it and find a large cavern with a ruined black stone building within.   Several everbright lanterns are placed around the outside of the building.  The group looks at the lanterns.  They are from above within Sharn.   Stolen and relocated.

Peering into the building, they see over a score warforged.  Many standing inert…. Watching.   Others quietly speak between themselves.   Then the group step up to the doorway and the talkers stop in unison.  Gabriel walks in with a smug smile on his face.  He likes walking into a room and everything stops to watch him.  It proves his importance to the world around him.

“Hello.   I have come here to ask a question or two of you.  may I?”

Dead silence as all warforged eyes are on him, even Boar’s.

“I am looking for bugbears.   Bugbears with women.   They were here in your tunnels.”  

Silence.

The goblin steps up.  He hopes his race will prove to be more trust worthy to the forged.  “These bugbears, they will try to attract little attention.   They may even sneak within the shadows.  The women…. They travel with them against their wills.”

Silence.

“Anyone?  Anything?” asks Vydaer.  

“Okaaaaay.   Can anyone point out Crucible to me?” asks Gabriel. 

All warforged but one looks to a lone warforged.  He looks at the others and frowns.  “I am Crucible.  I will help you if you leave us and tell no one about us or this place.”

“Done.” Declares the warlock whom honestly hopes to never travel this deep into the Cogs again.

“I know only of rumors.   But this is Undersharn.   Many travel here in secret….. looking for little attention.   Perhaps my people can help.”  He looks about the room to each of his patrons.

Looking at their dirty and damaged bodies, the goblin offers repairs again.

“They travel through the collapsed tunnels.There is a dragon here pretending to be a bugbear.They leave a tunnel but never return that way.There are red tattooed people here.Goblin thieves travel in small numbers.The jack of Irons still stalks the tunnels.The women seem so afraid.Vampires travel from deeper tunnels to feed.” Is all said in unison.  The group tries to listen and pinpoint key words but cannot.

“Please- one at a time.” Asks the goblin.   “Someone mentioned a tunnel that is used as an exit only.”

“And another spoke of red tattoos?” asks Gabriel.  Mortar glares at the warlock in response.   The warlock returns a cold stare and a shrug.

“Can anyone show us this tunnel?”


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## megamania (Jan 11, 2015)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 031
1/10/15

VULT 23, 999  THE COGS

It has been another 30 minutes since the group left the Red Hammer.    They find the tunnel used easily enough.   Shadow weave cloth was used to hide the entrance behind some large stones.  

They enter a large cavern with several ruins on the four corners and the remains of a manmade structure in the center.

Vydaer peeks into the closest building.  While inside, the others believe they can see something else within the cavern and go to it.  The goblin spots recent footprints in the sand and lose stone.   He then spots something small and round in the corner of the first room.   He carefully picks up four small stone disks.   Ancient goblin coins!    An artifact of great value!

He hurries out of the building to show the others what he has found.  He is watched by small yellow squinty eyes.

The goblin is not ready for what he sees next.  The others are looking up at a tall statue.  The statue is cruel and evil.  It is from the darker days of the goblin nation.  It is a jackal headed bloated female.  The Matron of Monsters.

Gabriel walks up to the base of the statue and looks around.  He spots something wet and lumpy.  Looking closer, he sees severed fingers and entrails.   Fresh.  Undaunted, he pulls out a metal pointer he uses when investigating things he doesn’t want to touch.  He pokes and prods the fleshy lumps and spots a panel under.   Boar looks over his shoulder as he prys up the panel.   He looks inside the exposed space and sees a small tube with a stopper on it.

The warforged reaches in and pulls it out.  The warlock keeps his distance.  The goblin looks up in deep curiosity.  Boar fingers the stopper and pops it off.   A powdery residue floats into the air.   Curious the warforged pours out a little bit of the contents.    Powder.  The goblin smells it.  No smell.   He wets his finger and dabs it onto the powder and tastes it.

Nothing.

They move on to the closest building as Mortar talks about his find that no one seems to care about.  Looking around they finds evidence of people being held here.  They move to the next building.   They make quick work of a snake here before moving again to a new building.  Boar spots something behind the building.   He breaks through the thin ruined wall to collect it.   It is an old pack.  Inside it they find little of use.  25 silver and a small stone owl with quartz marble eyes.  The warlock asks to look at it.  It is magical but requires a command word.

As they return to the first building where Mortar found the stone coins.  They also look at the central structure.  Boar spots something in the shadows.   A rat.  Whether at a nasty whim or a sense of fear he blasts it.   The sand and stone burst into the air and out of the cloud leaps an Imp!

“raghh!  Why shot me?!?”

“Demon!”

“No- Snot!” declares the imp as it flies directly at the warforged.  He catches the creature in mid-air and squeezes it hard.   The fiend stops and its eyes bulge as ribs crack.   “Owwww!    No hurt!”

“Oh- a talker.    Maybe we won’t hurt you if you help us.  Maybe you can answer some questions for us.” 

“No! No! Noooooooooo!     Snot a talker.   No talker!” and the little imp thrashes about trying to get free.

The four of them look to each other in a mix of amusement, bewilderment, confusion and wonder.  “Have you seen bugbears and women here?”

“No talk! I will not tell you that I saw them!”

“What if we….. pay you?” asks Vydaer smirking.

“No talkie!  No talkie! No- …..pay me?   I likes things.  Many things.”

“Maybe our lawyer can write up a quick contract.    It will get you some of those things you like.”

“Like my stones you took?”

“Better….. shiny gold ones.”

“ooooooohhhhhh……   Shiny instead of dull…. I likes.”

The copper pinching lawyer writes up a quick contract.   A copper a day for helping them.   He signs the parchment then hands the ink quill to the imp.    It looks at the quill and smiles as if a grand thought comes to mind.   It sticks the quill tip into its nose and routes around.    The eyes move about as if testing the feelings of the quill …. And liking it.   It draws an ‘x’ on the paper.  The first line is green and lumpy, with the second line being ink.

Gabriel takes back the quill and flicks it away.

“Now, what do we call you?”

“Snot”

Sigh….. of course it would be.

“Now …… what can you tell us of Bugbears in the tunnels?”


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## megamania (Jan 11, 2015)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 032
1/10/15

VULT 23, 999  THE COGS

“They travel through here every…. OH HEY!   THERE THEY ARE NOW! HELLO BUGBEARS!”

“What the ….. shut him up!” grunts the warlock.  Boar moves for the front door.

Dancing up and down, the fiend points out a crack in the wall- “GOOD IDEA HAVING THE WARFORGE GUY ATTACK THROUGH THE DOOR!”

The startled bugbears charge suddenly.  Boar hurries now to intercept them.   They leap and plow into the warforged driving him into the weak and heavily damaged wall.

“Incoming!    Stupid warforged ran and alerted the bugbears.”   Calls out the imp as he leaps into the air and flaps to the distant corner.   The four bugbears and the warforged crash through the wall.  The first bugbear is badly injured as he is forced onto the brawler’s spikes.

Vydaer runs out of the building.  The goblin takes a potion that increases his speed and reflexes while changing his body.  The warlock begins to back out while blasting at the bugbears.  In the chaos, few blows are landed during the fight.

Eventually they defeat the bugbears.  They loot what they can from them and decide to go down the tunnel they came from.

“Good idea!  You have done this before!    I love shiny stuff!” exclaims the little fiend.

They travel this tunnel as quietly as possibly considering the oversized warforged and the talkative Imp.  They enter a large cavern and begin to look around.  There are two exits from it.   They turn to travel to the right when they hear something to the left.  Five bugbears charge them.  This time they have weapons, not just chains.

Vydaer immediately decides to check for more bugbears the way they came.  The warforged rushes to them.  The goblin, imp and warlock hold their positions.   Many of the bugbears go for the warforged but two go after the others.   The goblin takes a potion that distorts his features and he begins to climb the wall.   The lawyer moves to the original exit he was going to while blasting arcane energy at the bugbears.   The imp holds its ground screaming something about shiny things for blood.

The warlock is clocked solidly by a bugbear morning star and decides just to run away and hide.  He finds some crates and a bundle of cloth and does so.   With a wand of healing he begins the long process of recovering (rolled a lot of 1’s and 2’s for healing  ).   The imp fights for a while.  Finally a solid blow is given to the imp whom decides Vydaer had the right idea.   He flutters down the tunnel until he finds the hiding human.    He too then hides with him and to his utter fear- the imp continues to talk loudly about how much better it is to hide behind these rocks to the right of the tunnel.    Unknown to Vydaer, the bugbears did not follow the imp.  They are instead throwing rocks at the goblin in hopes of knocking him off the ceiling.

The warforged and three bugbears cannot hit anything.  Slowly the warforged is backing down the opposite exit in hopes of finding a point of advantage.   The goblin quietly and quickly moves overhead and discovers something in the next room-  prisoners!

Three human women ages 16 to 35.  They are mostly undressed and scared.    The goblin feels a warm sensation inside.   A primal need but ignores it as he continues overhead.

The battle goes slowly as neither side can gain an advantage.   In the cover of the melee, the goblin frees the women.  They are at first as fearful of him as they are of the bugbears but then rush out of the cage into the darkness.    The various torches and fairy fires give little for light.

The warforged gabs and rams the leader of the bugbears into the cavern wall driving his spikes deep into the screaming goblinoid.  With the leader down the others decide to run.

Gabriel is discovered by his bugbear pursuer and finds he needs to use his charm and talkative nature on him.  He speaks of the dragon within the tunnels and how it was after anyone within the tunnels.   The slaver falls for it and rushes for the nearest exit.

With their dark vision they go down a narrow tunnel to a ladder leading up.   The warforged attempts to keep up but has problems moving through the tunnels and then without light finds himself in utter black darkness.   “Uh guys….. HELP!”

They investigate the lair and find little of use but the goblin spots a body down one of the branching tunnels.   It is either heavily armored or a warforged.   Moving closer, it is the latter.  His head is largely caved in and the upper body badly damaged.

With the use of a repair oil potion and a little luck they revive him.    (players are hoping for DM supplied muscle  LOL)  Introductions are made and CY-81 was a Cyrian warforged that in 989 (10 years ago) was here looking for ways into the city of Sharn undetected.   He was attacked from behind and disabled and left inert all of these years.    When told that his country not only lost the war but was destroyed he doesn’t believe them.  An entire country cannot be killed.

They leave by means of the ladder and discover a means in from just outside of the city limits.

CY-81 leaves them to discover for himself what has become of his home.   The imp is given a task that will keep him busy as they look for the watch the next day.


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## megamania (Jan 11, 2015)

THE WAYFINDERS OF THE FLOATING TOWER
“THE ROAD OF SLAVERY”
SEGMENT 032
1/10/15

VULT 24-25, 999  SHARN

The city watch is thankful for the deeds done.  They arrange to have the entrance sealed by the end of the week.  

The imp proves to be annoying but a good rat catcher and watchdog.

That night Mortar cannot sleep.   He is obsessed with sex.   He paces about but nothing.   Snarling in frustration, he leaves his home and does what he has never done before-  He finds escorts of a special kind.

The local Madame is amazed by the stamina of the little goblin.   He leaves the house in ruins with several ladies of the night done for the night.

He finds himself thinking about sex all day while cleaning and organizing his stuff.    He strikes another house that night and again impresses the workers.

He sleeps the next three days straight.

Unknown to him, the powder he sampled was the Dust of Lamashtu.   Each of the women he had in the past two nights will become pregnant and give birth to a human child.   This child will age quickly…. Months vs years and mutate.    Will they seek out dad?   Will they understand why dad abandoned them?

Time will tell……    and the whims of an evil and demented DM that oversees all of this……  


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