Another sunny summer day at Occa's mansion dawns, and you once again gather in the dining room for one of the house's memorable breakfasts. You see platters of eggs, sausages, black pudding, kidneys, pancakes, bacon, ham, fresh breads, rolls and crumpets; along with carafes of tea, coffee, juices, milk and cream.
Kailar is training Badd, Salaam and Logan are overseeing the construction of the former's temple next door. Occa and Rage have not returned.
You have heard no word concerning the return of Ray Jay, and you feel yourselves getting fat and lazy from inactivity. Kadlian's waistline has still not recovered from the donuts he had in Tybol, and he finds himself asking Jeeves if there are any to be had in this house.
"Trinity, are you ready to teleport us to the tower? If so, let us go."
"Yea, we're ready to go. Is it going to be scary?" Trinity asks, sounding like a little girl. "We'll be brave, real brave."
The woman's voice changes,"Yes, Kadlian, we are ready to teleport the group. And I will try to keep Isabella from coming out too much."
Malvis smiles at Trinity, and says, "Isabella is fun to be around, sometimes. But don't worry too much; we understand, and can wait for you to sort out your new personality as Trinity."
Dor beams with delight. "At last, we are going on an adventure. I can hardly wait."
He hurries off to collect his gear.
"We will try to avoid situations where that will be an issue."
Galil raises a brow. "That will be rather difficult, will it not? Evil usually goes the way it wills, not the way we wish it to. However, I am ready to go as well. I have been looking forward to investigating what might remain in the Tower of Galgar."
Kadlian shrugs. "We will attempt to avoid needing the full spectrum of Trinity's power until she has had time to find a new balance. I do not know how powerful the foes in the Tower will be. But, I suspect that initially we will be able to overcome them without needing to rely on Trinity's magic to save our bacon."
"I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan! And never, ever, let you forget you're an elf, cause I'm a war mage. W-A-R M-A-G-E say it again, and again," sings Trinity. "Let's follow the white rabbit and find NEO.
"Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" says the mage. "All aboard the Audrey Express. Sandas to where you want to go in two shakes of the lambs tail."
You go and gather your things, and when you are ready, Trinity reduces you down to manageable proportions and teleports the party out.
Peace and tranquility return to Occa's mansion...or as much as can be expected with two gnomes running around the place...
When you arrive in New Golgar, Trinity expands you. It is a very warm morning, but not uncomfortably so. Clouds are building in the north, though, beyond the Galdan Hills, and you wonder if later on today there will be a thunderstorm.
Everyone is standing in the main square of a small walled thorp, built at the intersection of several great Roads. A larger, more ancient wall with a great stone gate forms the northern perimeter of the thorp, and over the top of the wall you can see the buildings of a city beyond...and beyond that, a great black tower. Farther to the north are a row of three massive, snow-capped peaks.
You are clustered around a signpost -
The Amlad Road: East: To Mississippi Bridge and West Nolthen.
West: To Calamlad, Hobbitown and Bilboburgh.
The Saltar Road: South: To Bridgewater, South Nolthen and Guardian Ford.
Over the south wall, and far to the southwest, is another range of tall peaks.
You last visited here in late April, though Galil and Ragnar have never been here.
Surrounding the square is a collection of buildings. Most appear to be of fairly recent construction, by your standards. You see a leather worker, a smithy, three small temples (devoted to Ilmatar, Ahto and Untamo respectively), an inn named The Golgar Gate, a military barracks, some peasant huts and a small ale house.
Several people are about, both soldiers and civilians, men, women and children, and your sudden appearance startles them.
"'Ere now, what's this?" says a middle-aged, rather paunchy man in a uniform, coming over. He regards Kadlian. "I remember you."
It is the local constable.
"That was incredible! I have not ever teleported before. Nor have I been so far from Sandas. I think I am going to like this new lifestyle. Praise Thor!"
Kadlian looks over at Ragnar and puts a finger to his lips.
"Good morning, Constable. We came back to take a look at the Tower. I apologize for appearing here, but I do not believe we ever got closer to the Tower than this and our mage had to use this as a reference point. We will be out of your hair in a few minutes."
Kadlian motions everyone to mount up, and, providing the Constable doesn't wish to chat any further, leads them towards the Tower.
Before you go, the constable stops you by standing in your way.
"Now see 'ere, not so fast," he says, taking out a small note book. "People just don't come appearin' out of thin air an' then go ridin' off to see the evil tower without so much as an 'ow d'you do. Your name again, please?"
"Kadlian Lun'Folard, Ranger of Aldacan and my band of merry folks."
"Yes, we're Merry... merry.."
Trinity begins to sing.
Trinity curtsies to the Constable.
"Good day to you sir. How do you do?" she asks, smiling, "I am Trinity, and I brought these good people from Sandas to this place. Our friends, when we last saw them, were here, seeking to cleanse the tower of evil and turn it into a place for good. And we're coming to see how they are doing. If, that is, you give us leave."
"Thank'e," he says, scrawling it all down. "Ye good, evil, or whatever?"
"Let me check," says the woman, checking her alignment tag. "We are good."
"Fine," he says, "Friends o' that cleric an' his orcs?"
"Yes. Have you heard any word from them, recently?"
He shakes his head sadly and sighs.
"Not fer almost a month. I'm bettin' the monsters got them," he says. "Some folks around here blame 'em for stirrin' things up but I don't think so."
He adds in a low voice, "I think somethin's come over the river an' taken up residence in the Tower."
He shuts his note book.
"Fine, yer clear," the constable concludes, "We appreciate yer help. The monsters have been raidin' travelers on the road, so if you can clear them out that's all the better. We've got some people a tryin' to clear the city but we're stretched thin an' the King can't spare any more men for th' job."
"Excccellent," Dor replies rubbing his hands together. "Nothing like a little killing of evil monsters to start a day off on the right foot."
Ragnar nods in agreement with Dor.
Kadlian addresses the Constable. "Where on the road are the attacks occurring?"
"East and west of town."
Kadlian nods. "Any description of what is doing the attacking? And
what size groups are being attacked?"
He scratches his head.
"Orcs, goblins an' bandits, mostly. Some ogres an' giants, too."
Niko rubs his hands together "Good! I've been itchin' for a fight!"
Niko pulls out his cutlass and dagger. He inspects them critically in anticipation of the upcoming fight.
Kadlian nods. "Okay, we will check it out over the next sevenday. If we can track where they are coming from, we will remove them."
Galil listens carefully for any forthcoming information, eager to get to the tower.
"And where are the King's men attempting to clear the city?"
He nods his head in the direction of the gate.
"You'll probably run into them."
Kadlian nods. "Sounds good."
Galil nods, checking her equipment once more to be sure it is all accessible and at hand. Mouse snorts and paws the ground eagerly as well.
"Steady girl," Galil says softly, patting the horse's neck.
"Good day, Constable." Kadlian starts Fleetwing moving towards the Tower.
Niko stretches and comments, "Boy, it's good to be back on the road again...life at Occa's was making me soft..."
Dor snorts.
"That's what the barmaid said about you too, Niko."
Niko elbows Dor goodnaturedly. "Ha! You'd be soft after three hours with her, too!"
"You can say that again," mutters Edelle, who has rejoined you.
Niko grins. "Lovely, Edelle. When did you get back?"
The elf maiden ignores him.
You mount your steeds and ride over to the gate. The followers of Kadlian's who are not going into the city head over to the Inn.
The guard at the gate opens it and you ride through.
"Good luck," he says, and closes the gate behind you.
You find yourselves standing in a square in the extreme southeast corner of the ruined city. The Tower of Golgar looms off to the northwest, at the opposite end of the city. A road runs from this square straight towards it, it appears. Two other main roads also run off of this square, roughly paralleling the walls, which run to the north and west - northwest.
The square is deserted, though a large burnt parch near the centre is fairly recent. Going over to it, you see it that it was a pyre. A heap of charred bones lies in amongst the ashes. Kadlian identifies them as troll bones.
Otherwise, the square is overgrown with weeds and scrubby bushes, the windows of the buildings surrounding it vacant and staring.
You set off to the northwest.
The city is quiet and brooding, as you move steadily along the deserted road. You start to feel as if you are being watched...or followed.
At last you reach a large square, where three streets intersect. You are perhaps one third of the way across the city. The northeast corner of the square is dominated by the ruins of a large temple.
Suddenly the horse on which Trinity rides lets out a whinneying shriek and rears up, throwing her, its entrails spewing out of an enormous gash in its underside. It rolls over onto the cobblestones, dead. Trinity just avoids getting pinned.
There is no sign of an attacker.
"Puffalump," the woman says, a tear in her eye.
"Get'm Audrey," the girl says, sniffling.
Mouse snorts and reels as Puffalump goes down and Galil urges her forward to help Trinity up but sees that she is fine.
Malvis jumps down from his horse, and rushes to the side of Trinity. Seeing that she is unhurt, and that she intends to fly, Malvis draws a wand and looks around for the source of the attack.
Audrey casts detect invisibility.
Dor dismounts immediately and draws his sword and shield. He stares carefully at the ground around him. "I've seen trapdoor spiders do that to small little bugs. Maybe we got a giant trapdoor spider around here."
Kadlian urges Fleetwing up into the air to get a better view. "Trinity, see if you can spot something invisible. The rest of you, off your mounts and draw your weapons."
Galil whispers to Mouse as she dismounts, abandoning her lance in favor of her longsword.
"Back to back?" she calls out, pairing up with whoever is closest so that she can offer some protection and have a full view of whatever might make itself known.
Niko draws his weapons, turns invisible and examines the ground beneath where the horse was riding for evidence of a trap.
He sees none.
Ragnar dismounts also, staying back and letting the warriors do their jobs.
Suddenly Audrey seems to spot something, and lets loose with a fireball.
A building some 50' away explodes into flames. You retreat as the radius of the fireball almost reaches you.
After a few moments the flames die down, as the building collapses in on itself into a smouldering ruin. A great pillar of smoke rises into the summer air, marking your presence for one and all to see. Kadlian, circling overhead, tries to avoid it, but you can still hear him coughing.
There is no sign of your attacker.
"That's for Puffalump," says the woman, frowning.
"What did you see, Audrey?" Niko asks, as he casts Detect Invisibility, then draws his cutlass and his Wand of Fire. He then looks around for the attacker.
"There was a troll-like creature. Small and invisible," says the mage. She flies over the site to see what she can see. She turns invisible via her ring as she flies over.
Kadlian continues to scout the area looking for any visible presence.
You do not have to look far, as the door of a partially collapsed temple across the square flies open, and out steps a monster.
You do not think you have ever seen its like before. It looks like a demon, devil, or daemon.
Trinity blasts it with a lightning bolt and follows that up with magic missiles.
Kadlian descends with Fleetwing.
"Trinity, soften it up. Niko, Vastelle and Dor with me. The rest of you, hurl spells at it or guard the mages."
Niko advances on the creature, drawing his dagger along the way.
"I guess it was not a spider," Dor supplies as he advances with Kadlian.
"Spread out. If it tries to attack with magic, it cannot easily get us all if we do not bunch up."
"Try magic missiles," the mage says.
"You heard the lady! Mages, hit it with magic missiles. Trinity, for the moment, you are my second in command."
Galil moves to protect one of the mages, whoever is left after everyone gets dibs on their favorites.
Ragnar stays back and is ready to cast his healing magics upon anyone needing them.
Kadlian lands as the mage completes her lightning bolt. Suddenly the monster disappears, and Trinity's bolt blasts harmlessly into the temple from which it emerged.
It abruptly reappears next to Kadlian, who has just jumped off of Fleetwing, and attacks him!
The elf is slashed for 28 hit points.
Kadlian attacks back with both blades.
Niko fires off a magic missile spell.
Malvis casts 'paralyzation' at the creature, then readies his Wand of Steam.
Trinity casts a magic missile spell at the creature.
Dor runs around aimlessly.
As all of the spells directed at the daemon bounce off of it harmlessly, Kadlian goes to work as Vastelle rushes to his aid.
He misses with his longsword, but connects nicely with his flame tongue.
Next, he dodges another barbed claw as he fans again with his longsword. The monster also misses with his other claw as Kadlian lands a second hit with his flame tongue. His next swing with his longsword also connects, but does no damage. He misses with his flame tongue.
Kadlian continues to attack. "Damn, this thing is powerful. Niko, Dor, get over here and help. Mages, keep hitting it with magic, but nothing that will affect us as well."
Kadlian bounces his longsword off of the monster again, as suddenly there is not one attacking him, but five of them, moving and shifting constantly! He is slashed for 14 hit points. He jabs with his flame tongue but misses as he dodges a second claw attack.
Niko curses and moves to attack the monster with his flaming cutlass and magic dagger. His first swing connects, and one of the daemons vanishes. With his dagger he misses, and with his second cutlass attack he also misses.
Dor sees a clear target and moves to engage the monster. The warrior misses a target, and Bill complains.
"You missed!"
Vastelle, however, connects with her gleaming sword, and another image vanishes.
Trinity calls out, "Thing is tough. Can't get through it's magic resistance."
She casts polymorph other on the critter but her spell does not affect it.
The daemon stirs up a good breeze in front of Kadlian, as the elf obliterates a third image. Then, he is sliced for 16 hit points. He spears an image with his flame tongue and it disappears. His other attacks miss.
Niko, Dor and Vastelle press on.
The nautical elf connects with the remaining creature and it howls. With his dagger he misses. He slashes successfully with his cutlass a second time, while missing again with his second weapon.
Dor misses with both of his attacks with Bill.
Vastelle lands one quick hit on the monster.
Suddenly you find yourselves facing five shifting images of the monster again, as it opens another ugly wound in Kadlian for 14 hit points. Kadlian, staggered, misses with his longsword, but manages to duck under the daemon's second attack.
Suddenly Galil and Mouse fly up into the air 16'...then drop just as suddenly to the ground, suffering 4 hit points of damage apiece.
Meanwhile, Kadlian misses with his flame tongue.
Niko pops another image while Dor and Vastelle miss.
"The rest of you, join in and stop watching!!! Hit it with whatever you have."
"Which is what we are doing," counters Trinity. "However, you are all too close to use any area effect weapons. And it can probably understand everything we're saying. Wizbang, cast any magic missile spells you have at the demon, target only one missile at each image to get rid of the illusions."
She tries to cast protection from evil 10' radius on Kadlian, and succeeds. However, the magic does not seem to keep the creature at bay.
Then she tries to cast a ray of enfeeblement on the demon.
The ray does not affect the daemon.
Wizbang's spells do not dispel the mirror images.
Kadlian pops another image. He his gouged for 13 hit points. With his flame tongue the elf misses. The daemon slashes him again for 14 hit points.
Kadlian's entrails bulge out through his shredded leathers and he drops.
Niko continues to attack with cutlass and dagger.
Niko misses with his cutlass, then connects. The daemon is starting to look hurt as it turns to deal with this latest annoyance. Niko misses with his dagger.
Ragnar moves up to Kadlian to cast Cure Light Wounds on him for 6 hit points. His gizzards slither back into his body and the wounds close, though Kadlian remains unconscious.
Ragnar drags him away from the fight.
Malvis begins weaving a 'Hypnotic Pattern' in sight of the creature, his glowing rod weaving a fascinating pattern in the air.
The spell does not affect the daemon. However, Dor is enthralled by it, stopping his attack and staring at the pattern, a silly smile on his face. Vastelle does likewise, and so does Ragnar.
Shaken but undaunted, Galil leaps unto Mouse's back, pulling her lance from the scabbard.
She readies her lance and charges the creature.
As soon as the war horse gallops into the area of Malvis' spell it stops cold, hypnotised, throwing Galil for 6 hit points.
She lands at the daemon's feet, also enthralled by the illusionist's spell.
Malvis immediately ceases his spell, and speaks to the daemon, "I suggest you surrender to us now before we get angry with you," hoping that his spell of suggestion breaks through the creature's obviously great magic resistance.
The daemon ignores the illusionist.
"Gorram it," Trinity says in anger. "No illusions will affect this creature, Malvis."
She then begins to read scrolls of magic missile, casting them as quickly as she can. She blows a scroll. The five missiles bounce off of the daemon.
Niko continues his assault, hoping his armor and stoneskin are still intact!
The elf battles, as Dor and Vastelle recover their footing and Galil rolls away from the monster's crushing feet. His first swing misses, but he does dodge an incoming claw. Niko also misses with his dagger. The daemon's second attack connects, but does not harm to the elf.
Niko's following attacks all miss.
Next, the elf takes a claw in the kisser for 14 hit points of damage. Niko's follow up swing pops another image. There are only two left. Niko gets plowed in the plexus for 14 more hit points. He also notes that its wounds are slowly closing. He connects with the monster at last with his cutlass, though, more than negating its regenerative abilities. With his dagger he misses.
Dor and Vastelle are back in action. Bill pops the last mirror image. Vastelle follows up with a nasty stab, piercing its hide, and suddenly the monster drops dead, its body consumed in an unholy fire.
Kadlian awakens with a groan a few minutes later, to find that his giblets are back inside where they belong, though his entire body is very sore and he is weak from blood loss.
Ragnar watches over him.
Not far away stand the others. Niko looks nicely beaten up, but Dor is quite pleased with himself. Galil also looks seriously hurt.
A black scorched patch on the cobblestones and a sulphurous smell in the air are all that remain of the nycadaemon. No grass will ever grow again upon the spot where it died.
Niko grumbles at Dor, "Lucky shot...I was ready ta finish it off with me next swing!"
"We need to make camp and get people healthy again. Trinity, what was that demon? I have never fought the like of it.
"Set watches with those that are not wounded."
"Why don't we just walk back to the inn?" wonders Vastelle.
Galil groans softly and nods, "I would greatly prefer that so that I can find a healer for myself and for Mouse."
"Well, we can, but some of us will need help in the walking."
"So, what happened after that creature opened a hole for my guts to slither out?"
"Medic!" Nikos moans.
"Where would you like me to cast my healing magics? I am afraid I only can cast two more light healings this day. It seems Kadlian is still the most injured, but perhaps I should concentrate on those who will be providing for our safety."
"One to Galil and one to Niko."
Ragnar nods and cast a Cure Light Wounds on each of Galil and Niko, for 2 and 7 hit points of healing, respectively.
Trinity scans the area from the sky before descending.
"Malvis," the woman says, "Illusions do not work against creatures from the underworld, just like they do not effect the undead. How are we fixed for healing magics? But damn, we need another cleric, Hlarn is greatly missed. I wonder where this creature came from, and why it settled here? Kadlian, are you ok? And good job to you swordsfolk. Damned magic resistance made it near impossible for my stuff to do anything to it."
Trinity flies over the area where the demon came from again, to see if she can see anything resulting from the carnage of her fireball.
The area is deserted. The daemon came out of a ruined temple.
You make a litter for Kadlian. While some of you are doing that the rest of you check out the temple. It is a large place, once devoted to Idun, goddess of spring and eternal youth. Now it has been desecrated. Behind an altar stained with fried blood you find two diamonds (500gp ea.), a vial and a crystal ball.
You trudge back to New Golgar.
At the inn you meet up with the rest of Kadlian's followers, including the treants and the blink dogs, plus Nuanna. Kadlian is put to bed, where he stays for the next two days, as the clerics tend to him and the dogs lick his face.