Revolving Doors Redux

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Scribe Notes

Summary

Adventure: Revolving Doors Redux
GM: Dean Ellis
Session: Autumn 809 wk
Night: TBD Level: High

Party

Dramus (GM Info), A Fae Prince and Necromancer played by Mandos - Party Leader

Father Broc (GM Info), An elvan Rune Mage played by Chris Caulfield

Gerald (GM Info) is a male Human Illusionist played by Struan

Employer
Dramus
Mission
To continue sorting out the issues caused by Dramus's Tower. Specifically empty the sublet rooms of undead/entities so Dramus regains control of it.
Pay
Shares of any treasure or loot recovered. Guaranteed to minimum value of 40 Guinea's each by Dramus.


PREPARATIONS

Visit Oz so those unfamiliar with the excess mana available in the tower rooms can get used to it. Everything is high mana level, with backfires at 15% over BC Spend x time training with mil sci and getting to know each other

RESEARCH - Beasts encountered before in sublet rooms
  • GREGORY the Greater Spectre - Rune, Necro & Wicca. medium ranks 10-14. Previous owner of the sublet rooms.
  • Vampire - Mind
  • Wraith, Wight, Wraith Lord - Celestial
  • Greater Undead Werewolf - seen but not yet encountered. had a spectral/insubstantial claw item
  • Ghast - eyes of despair/apathy - resist when look at them e.g. when melee
  • Greater Ghast - Wail of despair/apathy - aural attack
  • Flensling - sheet of vellum, wafts around, rips of any exposed skin, partial skin change effects too. Show up as undead, but not affected by undead magics, or poisons. Likes to eat leather.
  • ESTIMATE OF NUMBERS -
In the Big room - 30ish undead (25-40) + hive (not undead, not bees) + Denizen of the Lake
In Albian's room - 6-10 undead.

What we did

Preliminary research at guild, then into the tower, then more research with Lord Carzon & Heart of the Tower, back to the tower. Into the subletter territory, destroy Denizen. Discover island, return to guild for ship building supplies, then set rowing in the Big Room. Find door portals, decline fights, then the inverting gravity trap leading to the Iron Cage fight. Bugg out from that, try summoning undead to our fortified place of choosing on the Stringest Island. One appears, but after that they are forewarned, so resist. As a last attempt we try the Ethereal/Fae paths route to Albian's main room, with Gerald & Dramus navigating, and it works. Big fight. Dramus requests a Room Cleansing.

All that in less than a week.

Places we visited

Entering the Tower of Knowledge (OZ)

In a room past the Pub, we walk past the edge of misty swamplands, wherein Twiner the ancient Horror is reputed to live. Apparently he/it is a linguist, so if meet him, try talking in unusual language and he might not immediately attack.

DRAMUS' LOBBY

Room still under Dramus' control, can be manipulated as he wills. We need to empty the other sub-let rooms of entities so he can take control of them too.

SUBLET ROOM 1 - PARLEY ROOM

a wizard eye spots us and then disappears - no surprise attacks anymore. Our own wizard eyes gives the lay of the land beyond the first room - two doors, both enter into a 30' square room, lit with two scones, a table, a row of chairs along one side, a white flag in a holder at the end, letters hanging over the table, glowing PARLEY and a black clad cowled figure - Dramus' sense 1 greater undead - Liche (Albian is his name). View to second room through the other door. We enter into attack mode, attack spells targeted him rebound on caster. Summoned nightmares etc not enter the room. Physical weapon attack has a O branded on the attackers' (Gerald) forehead "Oathbreaker" (MA30). We stop to parley at Vychan's directive. Albian wants about 1 year time to detach his rooms from Dramus'. Dramus offers to take this option to Carzon.

LORD CARZON IN Oz

Tower point to Loonville (don't approach the mad white priest/knight at the chapel), then walk an hour to his place. He remains neutral, not advising Dramus whether to accept Albian's offer or not. Acknowledges that Albian took over ownership of the sublet rooms around 5 months ago - which can only be done as a freely given gift. He talks tower philosophy with Dramus, then takes us to the Heart.

THE HEART OF THE TOWER

a small goblin on stool behind a desk with many ledgers and cubbyholes for many rooms (ie one for each room in the whole tower - including one small area of Dramus' rooms). A message for Dramus - from Albian, with attached "read receipt" scriptomancy spell, avoided with disjunction (or rune area counterspell) "Albian requests to parley". Dramus is given a DO NOT DISTURB and ROOM SERVICE REQUEST.

SUBLET ROOM 1 FIGHT

via ventriloquism in Vychan's voice, we declare the Parley deal as not happening, and Parley finished. Hostilities to resume after 5min. At which point the words in the air disappear and we enter. During the pause denizens of room 2 gather near. Shortly after the party enter the parley room, the cowl figure gets beaten up & the cowl droops empty on the floor (smites didn't go off, so this obviously wasn't a real figure). There is a click and the door to the lake opens, and a torrent of water enters until a wall of stone turns it into a cascade. Meanwhile 6 undead arrive in Dramus' lobby - 2 greater werewolf flanking a wraith lord decked in chainmail, shield and weapons. Behind this is 3 wraiths, dressed more as mages, throwing out stream of darkness (?) to scare us, and some rank 20 darkness to help confuse matters. The werewolfs unfurl their cloaks to present 2 flensings. Also an E&E casting slowness via a wizard eye. Used potion bottles scatter from the undead appearing by our own door - shadow walking?

SUBLET ROOM 2 - THE BIG ROOM

This is a very large cavern a couple of miles in North-South direction, and 1/3 mile in East-West (4000' x 2000'). Apparently there is a shore along the North edge of the room, so that the lake does not occupy the whole room. There are islands set with the water of which we visit several, but not many. Dramus senses some internal walls suggesting partitioning of some sort. There is mist/steam continually rising from the surface of the water, reducing range of vision. A ruined city is apparently above the ground, but we never go there. The room is very warm minimum 38 degrees, & humid (akin to a sauna), with a pervasive mineral, sulphuric smell. The water is imbued with magical dissapation, which reduces the duration of magics in effect on the entities spending time within it. approx 1/10th ? Archway from cave into The Ruins, which is Albian's residence (with guards posted at door). However our source was unclear of the layout, since they moved about with lots of shadow walking, and odd door portals. However we circumvent this entrance by navigate through the ethereal/fae paths.

GETTING TO ROOM 2

The door to it from the Parley room is set in natural looking rock wall underwater. A surface is 75' up, and it goes very very far down. Surface of the water does not allow penetration of magic in either direction. For example wizard eye, illusions rocks/animals, stream of corruption, all bounce. Physical objects such as rocks can go through. This boundary disappears when The Denizen dies. Brock creates portal from Dramus' Lobby to the Stringest Island, in the bottom left hand corner of the map. There is a large mountain on this island. Underwater on the shore is the Denizen & Eel's lair.

ROOM 2 ISLANDS

We travel to 3 different islands, stopping where we find on each an arched door, 10' wide x 15' high, with Scriptomancy Runes over each door. Door way surrounded by bound stone? Wizard goes through and finds a 20' wide tunnel behind each door

DOOR 1

Open this and a torrent of hot Lake Water almost knocks us of our feet. Looking through we see tunnel & a insectoid creature. Opening the door from the other side (tunnel side), the lake water starts pouring into the tunnel. Are we now flooding The Hive? We hope so, and leave it in this state.

DOOR 2

Tunnel DA's as previously living, lots of humanoid auras all mixed together, in the same manner as a goulash. Acts as skin change Wicca sort of magic. We open this door, and throw in greek fire, resulting in burnt flesh stench, and liquid "sweat of flenser" oozes from the surface and put out the fire. Tunneling the stone floor below indicates the flesh tunnel wall about 1' thick. We presume this is where Flensings are made, and leave it alone.

DOOR 3

Opens into a large natural looking cavern, about 250' diameter, with tunnel heading off. After 300' rock spikes (various lengths 3'-10' long)appear on the ground an ceiling. As we proceed along the tunnel these spike increase in number & size making traversing between them more difficult. At the start of the spike area the gravity is reversed, this is an area of field, not a ward. We build stair of bones to get to the ceiling and proceed along, effectivel walking on the ceiling. We notice silk stands strung between the spikes. Theses strands stretch with applied force, and when broken (by excessive force applied) the gravity reverses back to normal, and we start to plummet/fly etc. After 5 seconds the gravity switches back to the reverse. Scour terrain gets rid of the silk threads. This spike tunnel area goes on for 1000', then we build more staircase to get back down to normal ground & gravity.

IRON CAGE ROOM

The Spike tunnel narrows down akin to a funnel until about 30', with an opening at the end, barred by iron grate. We attempt to tunnel around the grate, but find the grate is apparently a cage. Inside tha cage is the host of undead we are coming to expect - 3x undead werewolf; 2x Celectial, 1x Greater Spectre, 2x Lich, 1x Dark Priest. Throw in a few crocodile tears to combat them a few pulses, then we retreat.

ALBIAN'S ROOM

Vaulted cross shape plan cathedral ruins in the Gothic style. Holes in roof show stars in a sky (for the celestials). Pillars down the apse, small pile of rubble common, but easy enough to walk around. Rooms in the side branches, vestry style. Higly desecrated - light pacted Broc & Lysander are at minuses, however necro Dramus & 10% undead Vychan are feeling lucky.

People we Met

ALBIAN

A Greater Liche, long lived sentient. Dressed in black cowl, which seems empty. The spirit seers describe a humanish skull, with glowing red eyes and a few teeth missing. Practitioner of Scriptomancy - a branch of Rune college. Pacted / aligned with demons - none of the Alusian regulars - someone from Haven. MA 30? Does all entity magics?

ROOM 2 Creatures

Denizen Of The Lake

Large dinosaur shape body with fins, and 6 heads, each with a neck frill with 4 (medusa-like) snakes, and lizard shaped snout. A big beast, dragon sized (8-10hex) Presumably the creator of the boundary to the water surface. Also the bound water across the door to Parley Room, 17 hour duration, MA <10, Rank 20, non-college, a talent of an elemental type creature. Has un underwater grotto 50' across with a short tunnel entrance. The rear walls are peirced with honeycomb of small tunnels for the eels. Banished with a summoner counterspell, and the eels go too.

Electric Eels

come in groups of 5. 6' long, 1/4' diameter, energy zapping between them when they get close to each other. Do variable damage depending on how many of them in the group are attacking. Seem to have some are ying in the group, some are yang.

Strigest

bat/bird type creature uses sonar to navigate. Has a large roost surrounded with guano on the corner of the island near the Parley Room Door, where we first enter the Big Room. We kill 100's of them by standing still in defensive walls of bones, stream of corruption, bowfire etc, where our amulets vs undead come into effect. They give up after a few minutes and don't bother us again.

Hive

Not persnoally met - 5' tall flying creatures insectoids (6 limbs, wings, multif-faceted eyes, scorpian sting / wasp sting) big teeth. Carries sword & shield - perhaps these are the warrior/guards. Perhaps other 'types' as per ants.

==Albian's Room== (they all do draining damage)

Were Lord

Cast moonlight cylinder, which put into frenzy - reduce defense, resist fear checks

3 large undead werewolfs

Non mage?

Liche Lord

Encountered before in Parley Room, Necro ? casting Necrosis

4 Lich

  • E&E casting slowness (seen as guard on ethereal pathway)
  • Earth Mage (seen as guard on ethereal pathway)
  • Namer - casting Bane
  • ?

2x Spectre

Celestial?

Dark Priest

Zips around sucking up the magics from people/hex of area spells. Very Lucky. Can immediately swap position with another person when direct hits about to take him out.

Guards from door

Several hammering to come in, only 2x insubstantial Spectre and Spectre Lord come through, but retreat after a sounding beating by Lysander.

Is there a mind mage - talking Vychan's mind & Mental attack on Haann?

Treasure

Entrance Fight

Wraith Lord

Hand & 1/2 Sword

  • Efficacious vs Never-Living entities (Elementals and Constructs etc) Destroys or seriously diminishes
  • Alos has pluses to Dmg and Base chance vs Living

Armour

7 pt Chain-mail with no penalties to casting whilst wearing. Additional +3 Protection vs Living (both FT and EN blows)

Kite Shield

  • When unprepared still counts as 1/2 Shield Defense bonus so 2 handed weapons can be wielded
  • Absorbs the "Spec Grev" component of most Specific Grevious'. Only 6 may be absorbed though and when the 6th is absorbed all the damage is absorbed and the shield then explodes. There is some way of "healing" absorbed Specific Grevious'

Circlet of Protection against Life

  • Acts as "Amulet of Protection vs Undead (10') except vs Living.
  • Also provides +1 Armour, +5 Defence and +5 Magic Resistance (these benefits are doubled if the wearer is undead)

Amulets (2)

????

Potion of Teleport

????

Wraiths

Sword

2 with Rechargable Invested Dark Sword Rk 11 (somehow as per Weapon of Flames)

Potions

2 of Rk 15 Shadow Walking

Wraiths

  • Dark Sword (2)
  • Potion (2)
  • Chain Armour, non-magical (2)

Undead Werewolves

  • Leather Armour, manky and non-magical (2)
  • Lycanthrope curse to Gerald, Broc & Kat (Vychan mutates his curse to shapeshift to wolf)

Denizen of the Lake

  • Human incisor tooth with sapphire (formerly living Liche) - amulet vs life creatures
  • Small artefact - Summon Lake Denizen (requires large body of water, like a lake)

Quotes

Shall we go to the pub first or tlak to Twiner frst? Do you really need to ask that? I knew putting on a Featherfall was a good idea before we started experimenting with the Silk threads. What a shame we didn't.

Buffs

All the durations listed here are un-enhanced - rank 10 available

Rk Dur Dra Haa Vyc Bro Kat Ger Lys
Spectral Weapon - +15 SC +5 Dmg 14
Smite Rank - D+13 Dmg and thrown prone 12 13hrs
Rune Shield - +16% def and 3pts Armour 11 12hrs
Rune Weapon - D-5+2 damage/pulse for D10 pulses 6 11mins
Heart Rune - 6EN when next you have EN damage 6 7days
Willow Healing - Broc will activate the rune to heal 3EN (not FT)/pulse for 8 pulses 6
Armour of Earth - +42% Def +1Dmg Absorb 20 10 1/2hrs
Strength of Stone - +21AG or PS or EN 20 21hrs AG EN EN EN AG EN
Disguise Mind - Generic Mind or Mind Cloak vs lower Rk v 16hrs / 7days A-all A-15
Disguise - Higher Rk Locate required v 16hrs / 7days A-21 A-15
Cat vision - for the mere human
Fire-armour (100pts ablative Fire Protection) 20 21hrs
Waterbreathing 16
Waterproofing 10

= yes please = not required A = always on

Combat magic

  • Quickness - Rank 10
  • Slowness - Rank 10
  • Light (Rune) - Rank 20
  • Sunlight (1 hour - then needs recharging with more sunlight)
  • Counterspells - suggest Necro, Celestial, Mind, Rune
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