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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Old One" data-source="post: 282427" data-attributes="member: 83">Session 17 (Part Four)The TowerHalfway to the tower, the thunderous pealing of bells washed over the party.  The sounds seemed to emanate from the structure and repeated thrice before falling silent.  The noise was almost deafening…a far cry from the muffled rumblings inside the dwarven shrine.The charcoal tower was fairly imposing close up.  It soared 50 paces into the dull gray sky and looked to be made of the same stone as the colossal statue.  Despite diligent searching, they could not locate an entrance at ground level.  Frustrated, Quintus muttered a few words, shimmered and transformed into the Squawk.  The ungainly bird labored for altitude, circling the tower several times during its ascent.The rest of the party waited below, bows ready while keeping one eye on the Quintus-bird and the other on the tower.  The Squawk disappeared from sight atop the tower.  Quintus noted that the top of the tower was smooth and unblemished, save for a five-pace diameter hole in the center.  The Squawk glided to a stop and Quintus dismissed the spell.  “Looks like an entrance on top!”The sorcerer cast a light spell on his spear on moved to examine the opening more closely.  He noted a slight rippling as stuck the butt of his spear into the hole.  He was surprised to meet resistance.  ‘Like stirring Nan’s molasses,’ he thought to himself.A moment later, his surprise was doubled as the hole drew him and his spear in with a slight sucking sound.  Upended, he floated down through some manner of heavy liquid at a walking pace.  He held his breath, afraid of inhaling the viscous material.  He was dimly aware of passing several levels in his descent.After thirty grains, he came to a stop on a stone floor.  Unable to hold his breath any longer, the sorcerer drew in a ragged gasp.  To his amazement, he was able to breathe normally.Outside the tower, Sextus paced back and forth in increasing concern and agitation.  “He has been gone to long, we should go after him.”“Do you propose to grow wings and flap up after him?” Lew inquired wryly.The bard flashed a worried grin at his friend and continued to pace.Inside the tower, Quintus stood and looked around.  The light from his temporarily enchanted spear revealed an unadorned circular chamber.  He chose a direction and pushed through the liquid.  ‘It’s like swimming through Nan’s oatmeal,’ he thought to himself.  He exited the liquid to the same moist sound he’d entered by and found himself alone, but dry.As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he caught sight of several shadowy figures to his left.  Whirling and gathering his power to cast a spell, he stopped when he realized the figures where outside the tower.  From the inside, the walls of the structure were translucent and Quintus made out the forms of Sextus, Rowan, Rosë and Lew.  He waved at his friends and began shouting.Rowan’s sharp ears caught a faint whiff of sound.  “Wait, I think I hear something!”The rest of the party stopped fidgeting and listened.“There it is again…I can’t be sure, but it sounds like Quintus.”“My brother is in danger!  We must find a way in.”After a quick consultation, a Bull’s Strength spell provided by Lew and a Spider Climb scroll provided by Sextus, Rowan scrambled up the sheer side of the tower.  He belayed the others up using his rope harness.  Within ten turns of the minute glass, the party, sans Quintus, stood atop the tower.  Brief experimentation with the hole in the center of the roof sent Sextus sliding downward.  After shared shrugs, the rest followed suit.  The party was soon reunited on the bottom level of the tower.  Rowan whistled in amazement at the one-way, see-through walls, “That’s a neat trick.”“Did you note the other levels on your way down?” Quintus asked.The others nodded their assent.“It stands to reason that if we can travel down via the pillar of liquid, we should be able to travel up as well.”The others nodded again.  Lew pointed to Rowan’s rope, “Perhaps we should all hold onto a length of rope to that we don’t become separated.”“Good idea, Lew.  Alright everyone, loosen your blades and your minds and grab onto Rowan’s rope.”The group, bunched together awkwardly, shuffled back to the swirling column of liquid, took a collective breath and stepped into it.  After a grain or two, they started upward with a slight jerk.  They quickly passed one level before managing to struggle out of the liquid at the next.  Several of them stumbled and fell as they broke contact with the pillar. They arose moments later, unharmed, but wearing sheepish grins.They found themselves in a small sitting chamber with several low divans and a low table with three crystalline bowls.  From the angle of the walls, Quintus and Rowan surmised the room occupied one-half of the level.  A door was centered in each wall and the dividing walls bore an odd, roughly textured finish.  The furniture in the room was simply made, but seemed slightly off-sized for human use.Rosë felt a slight shiver run down his spine.  The young Brigante hefted his axe and looked around, eyes narrowed to slits.  “I don’t like this place.  It…it doesn’t feel right.”Rowan laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder reassuringly and glanced at Quintus.  “Left or right?”“Left,” came the reply, “always left.”The ranger nodded and moved to the door, unsheathing his gladius enroute.  He reached out his hand to grasp the door latch and his eyes widened as the wall to his right rippled.  Four grayish tentacles with tiny barbs shot out from the wall, heading straight for Rowan’s face.  He shouted the alarm and swung his blade to intercept, but the defensive action was too late... To Be Continued…Next – House of Pain~ Old One</blockquote>

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