You set out the next morning, then, heading back to the Ruins. Once again the terrible feelings of dread assail you as you pass by Zagyg's Tower, but they recede as you approach the Tower of War. There is no sign of the ogres, but you are sure that they are waiting...
The dwarves are still there, at their fort outside of the War Tower. When they hear that you agree to their terms they clap you on the backs, give you beer, and send you on your way.
You climb the steps and go up to the enormous double doors which lead into the tower. They are enormous indeed, being 20' wide in all. The image of a great war chariot with eight escorting chariots flying through the air is carved upon them. Accompanying them are 14 war dogs and a dozen hawks.
However, when Tragon tries to pull the doors open, they do not budge.
It finally takes five you to pull the doors open wide enough to pass through.
Before you is an enormous chamber (odd shaped: right wall curves following the shape of the tower for approx. 10', then runs northeast for 5', southeast for 10', northeast for 15', southeast for 10', east for 10', northeast for 20', north for 10', northwest for 10' (door), northeast for 10', northwest for 20', northeast for 5', northwest for 20', southwest for 5', northwest for 10', southwest for 20', northwest for 10' (stairs going down to northeast), southwest for 20' (10' wide double doors in the middle), southeast for 10', southwest for 20' (opening in last 10' section), then more or less close it up).
The alcove to the southeast is above the general floor level, and is accessed by several steps. Likewise, there is a raised dias at the back of the room in the other alcove.
This majestic hall has a great "war" table surrounded by many chairs in the alcove to the southeast. Eight pillars support the vaulting ceiling, and a pair of small thrones rest atop a short incline to the northeast. Behind the thrones is a tattered but stately tapestry portraying a scene similar to that on the entrance doors.
In the centre of the chamber are the bones of a dead warrior grasping a torn bag. Gold nuggets have spilled out through the tears.
Zanax turns invisible.
The monk has his crossbow nocked and ready for action.
"Well, if this doesn't scream 'trap!', I don't know what does."
"It does," says Badd.
He begins to move forward very slowly, checking for traps as he goes.
The gnome moves out slowly into the chamber. He spots no traps. The stillness is complete, except for the faint sounds of his movement.
As he reaches the body, though, there is a flurry of activity and the sound of clicking bones, as eight skeletons, which had been hiding behind the pillars, run out to attack Badd with their rusty shortswords!
Badd scuttles away as fast as he can, and hides behind the nearest big strong person...any big strong person will do.
"Back this way, Badd," Drandar calls as he rushes in where angels fear to tread. He leads with his mace, rather than sword.
Tragon follows Drandar towards the skeletons. "Zanax, try turning them. Kelene, please try as well. Maybe we can even the odds a bit."
"No, they are skeletons, let's destroy them and be done with them."
"Well, at least Zanax might be powerful enough to destroy some of them!"
"Oh great, my weapon is useless against them," Lo says as he removes the bolt and lets the crossbow hang from his belt.
He moves forward, ready to strike at the nearest skeleton.
Zanax rushes forward invisibly to cover Badd with his frost brand as he retreats.
The gnome is fast, and he is able to outrun all but the two skeletons which were hiding behind the pillars closest to the entrance.
One drives his rusty blade into Badd's backside for 5 hit points while the other misses.
Drandar and Zanax attack these two, while Lo and Tragon go after the next pair.
Seeing footprints rush forwards in the dust, Badd stops and pulls faces at the skeletons through the invisible paladin, while keeping Zanax between himself and the skeletons.
Drandar deflects a shortsword with his shield and brings up his mace, smashing the skeleton to pieces.
Zanax becomes visible as he swats the next skeleton with the flat of his blade, shattering its bones.
Lo is skewered for 4 hit points as he manages to miss the skeleton with an open handed attack.
Tragon fans mightily as the skeleton clangs his blade off of his shield.
Two more skeletons face Drandar and Zanax as the last two move up.
Nason, disappointed that he was distracted and didn't flirt with the princess, flings 2 daggers at the skeletons.
"Take that you bag of bones!"
His two daggers strike a skeleton, injuring it.
Badd pulls a final, awesomely ugly face at a skeleton, and scuttles away.
Tragon swings again. "Zanax, if you turn them, are you powerful enough to destroy them?"
The paladin connects, shattering the undead.
Zanax swats another skeleton without replying.
The paladin destroys another.
"Ouch," Lo mutters as he swings a roundhouse kick to the skeleton that hurt him.
The monk dodges the sword this time, and smashes the skeleton to bits. Then, he hears a blade slice through the air a millimeter from his ear, as another skeleton attacks.
Drandar smashes again.
The dwarf destroys another undead.
Lornard moves to attack one of the last two skeletons, following Zanax's lead and swatting at it with the flat of his longsword's blade.
The ranger and a skeleton trade misses. Lornard's next swing is on target, though, and he cracks the skeleton's rib cage. it swings again but misses.
Close by, Lo is pierced for 6 hit points as he attacks the latest skeleton. One well placed kick and the undead is no more.
Lornard takes another swing and finishes off the last skeleton.
You look around the chamber.
Inspecting the dead warrior, you assume that going by the slashes to his leather armour he was a victim of the skeletons as well. In and around the torn bag you find some gold nuggets (25gp).
Looking at the thrones, you see that they are finely crafted of hornwood from Veluna and are of some worth (300gp ea.). They have short handles at their bases for ease of lifting.
Looking behind the tattered curtains behind the throne, you see that they conceal a large door.
The stairs going up are choked with debris and are impassable.
Badd gives a cry of surprise from behind the pillar nearest the door, and calls you over.
Scrawled on the wall behind the pillar he has found the words -
"Drandar, Nason, Kelene, Tragon, Lo, Badd, Kairos and Zanax, Lord Nogoz watches your steps! Beware the dangers."
"Let's heal the wounded and figure out who put the that message there."
Lornard raises his eyebrows.
"What do the the eight of you have in common?" he asks.
"You know, Lornard, I didn't even realize you weren't listed. Very interesting..."
"Hmmm...can you tell how recently these words were placed here? I mean, they had to have been placed between the time Kelene joined us and our return to this tower. Plus, how did this person write the message without being attacked by the skeletons?"
"Anyone know who Lord No doze is?" Lo asks with a grin, despite his wounds.
Stump adds, "Do you think it was placed here by Akitrom? He knew what we were up to and he did indirectly lead us to this tower by referencing that the dwarves are paying for our meal. Do you think he commands the skeletons? That would explain how the message got here."
Drandar frowns. "Very odd. We'll have to watch for this doze fellow. However, let's keep our eyes open and see what there is to find."
"Kelene, can yah heal me, girl?" he asks.
On a completely different topic, looking around the room and at the various doors, Lornard says, "I suppose we should probably keep a map of our progress down here. Is there anybody here who is willing and able to perform that task?"
Tragon chuckles. "I mapped last time. Your turn."
"Let me do the honours," Stump replies.
Zanax looks up the blocked stairs.
"Not very promising..."
The stairs going down, however, are clear.
"Anyone have a preference to direction?"
"Go east young man!" Stump calls out.
Badd holds his stomach.
"Kelene," he says plaintively, moving one hand to expose a patch of glistening pink gnome intestine "I don't suppose you could do something to stop my innards becoming outards?"
"Yuck!" says the drow, and she bounces over to the stricken gnome. She gooses him and he feels a jolt of pleasure, as he is healed back to full.
Next, she gropes Lo for 2 hit points of healing.
You attempt to open the doors behind the thrones, to the northeast. However, they appear to be jammed shut from the other side.
Drandar flexes and gives them a heave, and pulls a muscle.
Zanax fares no better.
Tragon, however, with the power of Goodness at his side, gives a mighty shove, and the doors open.
Before you is another large chamber (right wall runs southwest for 6', then southeast for 20', northeast for 50', northwest for about 60', southwest for 50' (passage running northwest out of 10' - 20' section as measured from the back), then close it up as best you can).
The famed three axle War Wagon of Zagyg occupies most of this room. It is an enormous wagon some 20' long and 10' wide. Flanking it on both sides are a grand total of eight chariots, as if still defending the Wagon. The Wagon and chariots are made of bronzewood trimmed with hornwood and adamantite, ornately carved yet very functional. Atop the wagon is a short siege platform which boasts two ballista of the highest quality.
Two work benches littered with various tools flank the doorway.
You see a shimmering from the front of the Wagon, where the driver would ride. It takes the semitransparent shape of a teamster, madly driving the wagon in a state of panic and dread, and constantly looking over his shoulders.
Suddenly he stands and lets out a soundless shriek, before grabbing the reins anew and and driving on.
A wave of fear washes over you.
Zanax, Kelene, Stump, Badd, Lornard and Lo turn and flee in terror.
Drandar, Tragon and Nason stand firm as their companions run away.
Suddenly, you see eight skeletons come running out from behind the Wagon at you!
Drandar moves to attack the skeletons, trying occupy all of them at the same time.
"Nason, see if you can get the others calm. Tragon, be ready with me."
Tragon nods, "Right! Too bad Zanax isn't here. Now would be a good time to have those odds evened."
He laughs at his joke and moves to meet one of the skeletons, smashing it with the flat of his blade.
Drandar laughs.
"Be prepared to fall back if something else shows up," the dwarf says. "But now, let's make powder."
Nason says, "Eight skeletons by yourself? Are you crazy?"
"No, just a stubborn dwarf."
It seems like a good reason to the elf.
"Ok, I will try to get them."
On the way out of the room, he stops to take the time to magic missile one skeleton, and two of the undead that had been pursuing him are on him.
The dwarf cracks a skeleton over the head with his mace as he deflects its blow.
Back towards the entrance, Nason manages to magic missile a skeleton while dodging its rusty blade.
Close by Drandar, Tragon misses artfully as he turns his attacker's blade with his shield.
The remaining undead press their attacks. Drandar is clipped for 4 hit points, Tragon for 2.
The dwarf, upset at heaving his beard trimmed, finishes off the first skeleton.
Nason defends himself with his shortsword, shattering the shoulder of a skeleton.
This time, Tragon connects with the flat of his blade, smashing the attacker. The other two press on regardless.
The battle goes on fiercely for a few more minutes before the skeletons are dispatched. In all, Tragon suffered 2 hit points of damage, Drandar 9, and Nason 6...the latter being seriously wounded.
You stagger back into the throne room, searching for your comrades.
Nason, Drandar and Tragon have no trouble finding their feared friends. The sounds of their chattering teeth and knocking knees can be heard throughout the throne room, and they are easily located cowering under the large table in the southeast alcove.
After a few more minutes their qualms ease, and they come crawling out.
Nason, Drandar and Tragon are all wounded to a greater or lesser extent, but not dead yet.
"Is it um...gone?" asks Badd.
"What is gone? The skeletons? Yes, Nason, Drandar and I took care of them."
"Wow, that was some scary stuff.. Like Michael Myers and Jason wrapped into one!" Lo exhales. "That was more first ghost sighting! Perhaps another room will do nicely, eh?"
"OK, let's find another way," the dwarf says, helping the others up.
"Hmmm...what happened?" asked Zanax.
"You guys ran away and Nason, Drandar and I had to fight the skeletons alone."
"Run away," says Badd with a shiver. "Yes, that's what gnomes do, you see. It's evolution in action."
"I apologize," Lornard says, sounding genuinely chagrined. "I don't know what came over me. The terror was similar to that we felt before facing the ogres, but this time it had a mind of its own, and I simply could not will myself to stand and fight."
Tragon meets Lornard's eyes. "It is I, who should apologize. I felt the wave of terror that emanated from that display, but I was able to withstand it. I shouldn't think any less of any of you who fled. Now, let us get our friends healed back up to full strength and keep exploring. Or, if Kelene has no more healing spells available, let us camp and rest."
"I have a few more," the cleric replies shakily. "Ugh! I hate undead!"
"I can still heal with a Cure Light Wounds and my lay on hands ability...Who is injured?"
Drandar backs away.
"Not me," he says jokingly. "Don't want you laying your hands on me..."
"Seriously, I'm fine. Let's press on."
"What happened to that guy in the chariot?"
"Was there anything in the c-c-chariot?" Stump stutters, still a little shaky.
Tragon lays hands on Nason, healing him for 2 hit points.
"Thank you," Nason says.
The drow heals Nason for 4 more hit points, and he feels just fine. She then gooses Lo for 2 more hit points.
Going and peering back through the doorway into the wagon room, you see the form on the wagon still doing his thing.
With a shiver you retreat and decide to go over to the double door in the northwest wall.
This door opens to reveal a large stable whose full dimensions are not fully visible to you (right wall runs northeast for 10', then northwest for 15' (door in centre), then northeast again and out of sight; left wall runs southwest for 30', then follows the curve of the outer building wall for about 20', then north for 20', then curves off to the northeast parallel to the curve of the outer building wall and out of your view (in the middle of every 15' section is a door).
You feel sorry for Stump, who is desperately trying to map all of this.
You see a pair of barrels in the corner to your left. A large pile of rotted straw lies on the floor beyond the corner that obstructs your view of the far extremities of the room. A few bones - obviously from a horse - lie on the floor to your right.
"If that horse gets up, I am outta here!" Lo says as he grips his crossbow tightly.
"Hmm... Straw rots pretty quickly, as I recall, suggesting that this was put here relatively recently," Drandar says, "At first glance, one would think the doors might be to stalls, but every 15 feet? Lets' check out the first one."
"It is an oddly shaped room, but that door is as good as any..."
Zanax turns invisible.
He heads over to the door. "Everyone ready, before I open the door?"
Then, the paladin pauses.
"Drandar, did he even acknowledge your presence when the skeletons attacked?" asks Zanax concerning the wagon driver.
"Nope, he did not. We made calcium powder, and that was it," the dwarf replies. "Our Ghost Driver did nothing."
"Did you check him out afterwards? He gives me the creeps!"
"Nope, we came to find youse guys."
"Well, the ghost does radiate evil, but unless someone has a magical weapon, I doubt we can do it any harm."
"I have a magical weapon. Drandar, do you?"
"Aye," the dwarf says.
"As do I, but there is no freakin' way I am goin' back in there!" Lo swears.
Tragon holds out his hand to Lo. "May I borrow it, then?"
"It's called the Razor's Edge, a knife of ultimate sharpness," he says with a smile, as he carefully hands over the knife. "Be careful and make sure it doesn't break, it's irreplaceable!"
"A knife?" Tragon shrugs. "Well, if I have to get in close to kill it, then I have to get in close. I'll be careful."
"It will cut through anything!" he says with a happy smile.
"Um, I'm with Lo," says Badd. "Do we think there's anything he has that we want? If not, let's move on. If so, let's move on anyway."
"It's not that simple. That creature is evil and must be destroyed..."
Zanax pauses. "Of course, maybe someone trapped the creature in there...did you guys enter the room to fight the skeletons?"
They reply in the affirmative.
"I say we take care of that creature on our way out. If it seems to ignore everything, it might be trapped already."
"Sounds like a good idea to me," says Badd. "If it's not going anywhere, it might be evil, but it isn't going to do evil. So there's no hurry."
"I am in agreement," Nason says. "Let's move on."
Tragon shrugs and hands the knife back to Lo. "Thanks for the offer. On our way out, I'd like to borrow it again."
"Perhaps I will be able to get past the fear and help you kill it for good!" he offers, hoping that experience will be able to toughen him up.
Moving over to the first door in the curving wall, the rest of the chamber becomes visible. From the corner on the right wall that blocked your earlier view to the north, you see that the wall runs for 45' (doors 1/3 and 2/3 of the way along), then northwest to meet up with the curving wall (door in the 20' - 30' section). In the curving wall, you new see that there are a grand total of 7 doors. There is another pile of rotting straw in that northeast corner.
Zanax opens the first door.
Badd, meanwhile, has climbed up the side of one of the barrels and looks inside.
It is filled with brown, murky, unhealthy looking water. The gnome promptly loses his balance and falls head first into it.
Opening the door reveals a stable with two stalls in it (a wall running more or less west bisects the curving wall between this and the next door). In here are the skeletons of two war horses, which immediately shriek and attack!
Drandar attacks!
Tragon draws his sword and moves to meet one of the warhorses, using the flat of his blade whilst aiming for the beast's legs.
The monk levels his crossbow and fires it at one of the skeletal horses.
"Your head. Use your head," the dwarf calls to the monk, as a bolt goes whizzing by. "You know, a blunt weapon."
"I am, I aiming for its head!" he replies with a smile, hoping the bolt will shatter one of the horse skulls.
Zanax immediately holds up his holy symbol and turns the skeletal warhorses.
The skeletal horses are consumed in holy fire.
"Spl-yuk!" splutters Badd, as he rights himself, and begins to pull himself out. "Somebody give me a hand here!"
A smile crosses Lo's face and he starts to clap.
"There's your hand," he says, "How about a round of applause?"
Kelene goes and fishes the gnome out of the liquid.
"Let that be a lesson to you!" she says.
Searching the stalls reveals no treasure.
Tragon smiles at Drandar. "See? I told you that if Zanax tried to turn those skeletons, that we'd have an easier time of it. Zanax, from now on, can you try that against all the undead we meet?"
"Thank you," says Badd to Kelene. "You're a treasure."
He walks over to stand next to Lo with the monk 'just coincidentally' between him and the rest of the party. Then he shakes himself like a wet dog, spraying everyone with foul-smelling liquid. Zanax and Tragon let out yelps of pained surprise, as they are burned for 1HP each by the spray.
"Oops," says Badd. "Sorry. Who knew it was paladin-corroding?"
He grins at Kelene. "Guess it's a good thing you're not such a nice girlie."
Kelene huffs, "I am a very nice girlie!"
"Smooth move, furball, what did you take a bath in? Shit water?" Lo inquires as he steps back from the wet gnome.
Badd says something very rude in gnomish about Lo's grandmother and the fine officers of the PNYD.
Zanax frowns.
"That's un-holy water..." he says, leaving the words "you fool" unsaid.
"Really?" says Badd. "Then you should thank me for leading the way, and falling in before you did!"
He grins. "A cupful a day keeps the sanctimonious away. Shouldn't you, like, try and purify it, or at least pour it down a drain somewhere?"
"I don't have the means to purify it and I don't see a drain anywhere. Are you volunteering to look?"
"Nah. Holy, unholy... it's all the same to me. I just didn't think you'd feel the same way. Though I'm tempted to tip them over just to see if there's something at the bottom."
"He could drink it," Lo offers with a smile.
"I'll go one for one with you!" offers the gnome brightly. "We'll see who ends up under the table."
"Perhaps another time, something that foul won't be going inside of me!" he replies with a disgusted face.
"Didn't I hear Kelene say that about you earlier?"
Kelene splutters and retreats into the throne room so you won't hear her laughing.
"You must be going deaf as well, perhaps the water is still stuck in your ears!" Lo replies. "Smack your head a few times to empty them."
Drandar just nods.
"Can you bless it to neutralize it?" the dwarf says. "Or shall I crack the barrel open?"
Zanax replies "I'm not sure a Bless spell will neutralize it...probably just better to move the barrel into the stall, knock it over away from the door and shut the door."
Tragon sighs and moves on to the next stall.
Opening the next door, you see a similar room with two stalls containing skeletal horses. Zanax brandishes his holy symbol at them and they are dust as well.
Opening the third door, the skeletons are on the paladins before Zanax can turn them, but they are avoided and then destroyed.
Tragon is not so lucky at the next door, though, as a skeletal horse kicks him in the nuts for 11 hit points. His eyes roll up into his head and he drops.
Zanax narrowly avoids a similar attack and destroys the undead.
Kelene, who has returned, rushes over to Tragon and eagerly tends to his lower regions, saving his treasures from further abuse...but it looks as if the paladin will be out of action for a few days.
He regains consciousness with a falsetto groan and opens his eyes.
"Kelene, how long before Tragon is well enough to continue?"
"Oh, he's out of it for days," she says, "Perhaps if I gave him some therapy I could speed his recovery..."
Zanax sighs "Here, let me help."
Zanax heals Tragon for 18 hps.
Tragon's wounds close, but he is still weak from shock and extensive bruising down there.
"Anyone get the number of that truck?" he moans.
"Sorry folks," he rasps. "I'm down for a couple of days. And I think I'd like to skip the therapy, Kelene, although it is kind of you to offer."
"Darn," she mutters.
"Looks like we're homeward bound again," says Badd. "So this is where we get to choose whether to pay off the dwarves, or what."
Tragon laughs weakly. "Pay them, what? We haven't found anything!"
"That's the spirit!" cries Badd, not bothering to mention the few lumps of gold in the first room.
You pick up Tragon and make for the exit.
Outside, the dwarves swarm you, frisk you, relieve you of 8 gold nuggets and send you on your way.
You make it back to Castle Greyhawk without being eaten, and Tragon is put to bed.
Five days pass before he is fit to get it up again.