The Old Tower - A DragonQuest Adventure for Ivi the Elf
A week after your return to Seagate, the Party meets in a private room in the poorly named King's Tavern. You sit around a table which holds the spoils of the last adventure.
Balor addresses the gathering. "For a small fee, my cousin Var examined and valued the bounty and this is what she found:
- Small chest filled with mixed gems (value 800 GS [9,600 SP])
- Small chest with 600 GS [7,200 SP]
- Medium sized chest with 5000 sp [5000 SP]
- Loot:
** 24 Gold shillings [288 SP]
** 146 Silver pennies [146 SP]
** 224 Copper farthings [56 SP] - a scroll - vital to the adventure therefore Pippy's
- Magdella's silvered estoc (+ 10%, plus 20% against dragons) valued conservatively at 6500 SP [6500 SP]
- a gold ring (absorbs half damage done to fatigue every 24-hour period to a maximum of 10) valued at 6000 SP
- a silvered broadsword value 4,000 SP (Traded by Var for a silvered battle axe (+10% against ogres and trolls with damage not able to be regenerated) valued at 4000 SP [4000 SP])
TOTAL 38,790 SP
Divided by 6 = 6465 SP each.
- Velzadon - Gold ring [6000 SP] + 455 SP (10 SP hire of the pony)
- Torial - Magdella's silvered estoc [6500 SP]
- Endon - Silvered battle axe [4000 SP] + 2,455 SP (10 SP hire of the pony)
- Ivi - 6,455 SP (-10 SP to contribute to Torial's shortfall)
- Pippy - Scroll + 6,450 SP (-15 SP to contribute to Torial's shortfall)
- Balor - 6,455 SP (-10 SP to contribute to Torial's shortfall)
The scroll
*A week later it is mid-morning and you meet as arranged in the Harper's Song Inn, named after the rusty old harp above the fireplace (said to be once owned by the great bard Shemlock, the composer of the famous shanty Keep the Seagate Strong and the Port Wine Flowing).
Pippy has deciphered the scroll, however, before she reads her translation for the party, she quietly informs the group that she has become aware that she, Balor, and Ivi, are being closely watched by the leaders of the Naming Incantations college and their followers. She indicates a table in the corner where two humans, a man and a woman, sit in quiet conversation.*
Provide the following note to Eaevea the Elf.
As you look at the table indicated by Pippy, you get a strange and powerful feeling, like there is something you must do. Urgently.
After a moment you realise it is the same feeling you had in the caverns under the Dragon's mountain, and you get an irresistible urge to put the amulet on your wrist.
Suddenly , your senses shift making you nauseous. You are in the same room in the tavern, however it's late in the evening, the fire is burning low and the room is almost empty - except for the table in the corner, where two men sit in close conversation. You recognise them as the two men who you overheard months ago as they planned to capture the pegasus foal - the foal you now know as DawnStar. The same men who attempted to take her from the protection of the magic elm tree in the Sweet Riding.
"Now we know where it is, we just have to take it," said Scar. "As soon as the Elf and that bloody Dwarf leave it alone, we'll do it."
"And if that Elf causes any problems, we'll kill her properly this time," answered Moustache, rubbing what looked to be the fading scars of Baboon claw marks on his neck.
S: "And we hide it in the old tower? What about the Necromancer's zombies? And that.. thing.. upstairs?"
Moustache shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Don't worry about them. We won't go upstairs, and it never comes down.. Anyway, you've got that," he pointed at a medallion hanging from Scar's neck. "And I've got this." He kicked a shield.
S: "She won't take kindly if we fail." Scar shuddered.
M: "She doesn't yet know we don't have the foal. We just need the thing before tomorrow when she returns. And if this works, we'll be rid of her for good, and plenty rich for it."
As the vision fades, you hear Scar's words: "Long as we don't get dead ourselves, end up like them. I don't much fancy being dead.
If Ivi informs the rest of the Party about the plan to steal DawnStar, Balor will be immediately concerned about his cousin and want to return home immediately. Pippy will agree.
On your return, you find Var happy in her Shaper's Workshop. DawnStar is gone from her stable.
Snook (Scar) and Ripper (Moustache)
Snook
EN 14, FT 21, AG 16, MD 18, WP 8, ST 12, MA 5, PC 10, TMR 6, DEF 14
- Assassin Rank 4
- Thief Rank 5
- Short Sword 4
- Garotte Rank 3
- Dagger Rank 6
Snook's favourite weapon is the garotte, however he will only use this weapon with the element of surprise. He will favour the short sword in melee.
Snook has a medallion of protection against evil: DEF + 5 against greater and lesser undead.
Ripper
EN 17, FT 22, AG 14, MD 15, WP 8, ST 17, MA 5, PC 5, TMR 4, DEF 18
- Tulwar Rank 5
- Dagger Rank 2
- Crossbow Rank 6
- Spy Rank 6
Ripper carries a silvered shield which can be used to repel lesser undead creatures and increases his DEF by +2 against these creatures.
The Old Tower
READ ALOUD Common knowledge about the tower
The tower, situated about 12 miles east of seagate along the Old Mill Road has a reputation in the town as a creepy, but harmless and empty ruin. No one knows the reason why the top two levels have been sheared off, or how it came to pass, knowing only that the power needed to achieve such a thing means mighty magics must have been involved - but whether on the side of evil, or of good, is an ongoing source of debate.
Since its destruction over two hundred years ago there have been several magicians and adventurers who have tried to return it to its former glory. And while none have met with success, each failure has further contributed to the tower's reputation as a lair of evil. The tower has stood empty for decades, with any treasures it once housed long since plundered by opportunistic thieves and adventurers.
READ ALOUD Approaching the tower
You crest the hill and pause to take in the scene ahead. The Old Mill Road winds its way eastward through the light woodland. On its northern side the tower, brooding and immense, rises 140' into the air, its top two floors sheared at an angle and lying in ruins around its base (40' square). Vines grow thickly on the tower walls and amidst the ruins.
A four foot high stone wall separates the road from the tower, although a crumbling section of the wall has been repaired with branches. The plants growing up amidst the repairs suggest they were undertaken well over a year ago.
Following the wall further eastward a rusty steel gate stands closed. This is the only obvious entrance to the tower enclosure, but from a distance there is no sign of recent use.
Apart from the wind in the gently swaying trees there is no movement.
Ground floor
READ ALOUD Ground Floor Description
The tower entrance is open and appears unguarded. The remains of metal door-hinges cling to the stonework, but the doors themselves have long disappeared. Inside, all you can see are shadows.
Room 1
READ ALOUD Room 1 description
The floor is littered with the rubble of the shattered NW wall. There is an intact door in the SW wall, and a room immediately to the right (north) as you enter.
There are no signs of habitation. Undisturbed spider webs decorate the roof and the walls.
GM ONLY
As soon as Room 1 is entered an alarm is triggered and 18 zombies, positioned randomly amongst the ruins, begin marching to the tower.
Room 2
READ ALOUD Room 2 description
An open doorway leads to a cloak room (10'x10'), with rusted hooks on the wall.
Room 3
READ ALOUD Room 3 description
A locked door, in surprisingly good condition.
ONCE INSIDE you see a set of stairs, spiralling upward. The room is otherwise empty.
Room 4
READ ALOUD Room 1 description
This room is a mess of rubble from the disintegrated wall. Occasional pieces of rubble show evidence of scorch marks.
First Floor
Room 1
READ ALOUD Room 1 description
The stairway opens onto a large (30' N-Sx 20' E-W) room. Black candles from a large chandelier and in sconces around the walls cast eerie, but smokeless and odourless light into the room. There are five people, in various states of decay and at various points in the room, shambling towards you.
GM ONLY
The five zombies were alerted when the players entered the tower.
Room 2
The door to this room is unlocked. Black candles are stacked in the north-east corner of the 10'x10' room. A desk with writing implements and parchments sits under the east window. There is another door in the south wall and there are five more zombies in this room, unable to open either door.
Room 3
This room has a number of bookcases filled with decaying parchments and leather bound books. Two comfortable leather lounges sit against the eastern and western walls. The books are not in any language understandable by any of the party. There is a door in the south wall.
Room 4
There are two cots in the room, which Snook and Ripper have been using while Arianne is absent. Various dirty clothes litter the floor.
A secret door in the west wall of the room can be opened by levering a sconce in the middle of the western wall.
Snook and Ripper are in the room. However, if there are over 4 adventurers, given the odds they are likely (60%) to dispatch the zombies in Room 2 before the party enter, open the secret door to Room 5 and throw themselves on the mercy of the party.
Room 5
A sad and sun deprived Dawnstar is alone in this 10'x10' room amongst a number of silver items: large mirrors on the walls, urns, goblets, cutlery (value 4000 silver pennies). The only allowance for the pegasus foal is some dirty hay on the floor and some buckets of water.
Pegasus photo courtesy of pixabay.com