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(Cydra) The Year 271 Campaign (Low Magic experiment)
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 2861294" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>The ruins of the ghost tower cast strange, crazed shadows all around our heroes when they awaken early the day after their confrontation with the second manticore. A chill breeze washes over them; clouds loom above, and sleet begins to spit down on them as they prepare for their forthcoming explorations of the next passage down into the dungeons below the ruined tower. Winter has swept its mantle across the land. Icy puddles melt as the day warms up, but refreeze by dusk. The flat piece of metal with a rounded end that our heroes had found in the lair of the first manticore looks as though it would fit directly into one side of the strange depression on the oddly-marked door below the south-eastern stairway. The party has surmised that there must be three more pieces like it, to complete the square formed by the depression in the door. Thus it is that they troop down the next stairs, in the southwest of the ruined courtyard. The southwestern passage leads to a set of crumbling, dusty hallways. At first there is nothing but an empty hallway that doubles back on itself, but abruptly it opens into a chamber bearing the markings of an ancient bedroom whose furnishings have poorly withstood the ravages of time.</p><p></p><p>The party cautiously enters the chamber and begins to search, hoping to turn up another of the odd keys. “I wonder when the cultists will arrive,” Kyle mutters to himself thoughtfully. </p><p></p><p>As the party searches, the air seems to waver before them. A spectral form materializes! Dahlia blanches, remembering their previous encounter with a spirit in the haunted house in Kamenda City. A small bloodstain over the apparition is obvious. The figure is translucent and its image wavers and shifts. Clearly this is indeed some kind of ghost.</p><p></p><p>However, before our heroes can respond to its sudden appearance, the ghostly figure gives them a hard look, and then does a double take. In a wispy, ethereal voice, it states, <em>“You are not who I expected.”</em></p><p></p><p>“Um, who <em>were</em> you-” Kyle begins speaking, but the ghost ignores him.</p><p></p><p><em>“But you have the key.”</em> </p><p></p><p>With a tremulous sigh, the ghost fades from view. </p><p></p><p>Puzzled but pleased not to have to fight such a terrible creature, our heroes make a quick search of the chamber and easily uncover another flat length of metal with the same rounded edge. Examining the two of them together, the party cannot tell them apart: they seem identical.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll bet there are two more of those things,” Kyle remarks.</p><p></p><p>“Obviously,” Otis nods. He gazes at them thoughtfully. </p><p></p><p>“They must be the key to that strange door,” suggests Goer. Er, I mean Sir Fwaigo.</p><p></p><p>“The Gate of Fire,” Otis opines.</p><p></p><p>“Maybe. We don’t know that for certain,” Kyle cautions.</p><p></p><p>“Should we open it at all?” wonders Sir Jorgen. “Maybe we can destroy the tower instead.”</p><p></p><p>“But would that help?” Dahlia sighs. “The door is <em>beneath</em> the tower.” </p><p></p><p>“What if we could block the entrance to it?” suggests Otis. “The rubble might be enough to slow the black magic cult down enough that they can’t do their ritual at the proper time.”</p><p></p><p>“Which would really slow them down a year.” Sir Fwaigo smiles.</p><p></p><p>“If it has to be on New Year’s Eve for their ritual to work,” Kyle warns. “Remember, we aren’t totally sure about that.”</p><p></p><p>“Bah!” Sir Cedric snorts. “It ith altho pothible that they cannot perform the ritual on just any New Year’th Eve; perhapth the thtarth mutht be aligned correctly or thomething. We jutht don’t know. Tho, regardleth of whether we can pull down the tower or whatever, I think we thould retrieve the other keyth.”</p><p></p><p>“Just in case,” nods Sir Fwaigo. “As my lord says, we can’t take the chance. We don’t know what these bastards are after or what this ritual is really all about, do we?”</p><p></p><p>“Not really,” replies Kyle.</p><p></p><p>“We know enough!” declares Otis. “We know they’re trying to open a gateway to Hell!”</p><p></p><p>“We do?” asks Sir Cedric.</p><p></p><p>“It’s called the Gate of Fire,” Otis sighs. “What else could it be?”</p><p></p><p>The discussion goes on interminably for a time, but finally the party decides that they don’t really have a way to check any of their speculation other than continuing with their plan to gather the keys. Whether they will open the mysterious door or block the passages remains in question, however, and Dahlia points out that it is quite possible that simply collecting the keys could foil the enemy. </p><p></p><p>Thus it is that they descend the next staircase, and soon they find themselves in an odd chamber. A number of goblins stand motionless and unresponsive in the room, as if frozen. Otis <em>fireballs</em> them without a second thought, but to the party’s surprise they are unmarked. However, they don’t move at all. Hesitantly, our heroes enter the chamber; a quick search turns up the third key.</p><p></p><p>“All too easy,” snorts Otis in disdain, and our heroes ascend back to the top of the ruined courtyard. Icy rain slathers down on them, but it is letting up already. The sky is grey; the sun hides behind the dark clouds. </p><p></p><p>Beneath the final staircase, the weather’s fine.</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> A puzzling chamber, the final key and a fiendish trap!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 2861294, member: 1210"] The ruins of the ghost tower cast strange, crazed shadows all around our heroes when they awaken early the day after their confrontation with the second manticore. A chill breeze washes over them; clouds loom above, and sleet begins to spit down on them as they prepare for their forthcoming explorations of the next passage down into the dungeons below the ruined tower. Winter has swept its mantle across the land. Icy puddles melt as the day warms up, but refreeze by dusk. The flat piece of metal with a rounded end that our heroes had found in the lair of the first manticore looks as though it would fit directly into one side of the strange depression on the oddly-marked door below the south-eastern stairway. The party has surmised that there must be three more pieces like it, to complete the square formed by the depression in the door. Thus it is that they troop down the next stairs, in the southwest of the ruined courtyard. The southwestern passage leads to a set of crumbling, dusty hallways. At first there is nothing but an empty hallway that doubles back on itself, but abruptly it opens into a chamber bearing the markings of an ancient bedroom whose furnishings have poorly withstood the ravages of time. The party cautiously enters the chamber and begins to search, hoping to turn up another of the odd keys. “I wonder when the cultists will arrive,” Kyle mutters to himself thoughtfully. As the party searches, the air seems to waver before them. A spectral form materializes! Dahlia blanches, remembering their previous encounter with a spirit in the haunted house in Kamenda City. A small bloodstain over the apparition is obvious. The figure is translucent and its image wavers and shifts. Clearly this is indeed some kind of ghost. However, before our heroes can respond to its sudden appearance, the ghostly figure gives them a hard look, and then does a double take. In a wispy, ethereal voice, it states, [i]“You are not who I expected.”[/i] “Um, who [i]were[/i] you-” Kyle begins speaking, but the ghost ignores him. [i]“But you have the key.”[/i] With a tremulous sigh, the ghost fades from view. Puzzled but pleased not to have to fight such a terrible creature, our heroes make a quick search of the chamber and easily uncover another flat length of metal with the same rounded edge. Examining the two of them together, the party cannot tell them apart: they seem identical. “I’ll bet there are two more of those things,” Kyle remarks. “Obviously,” Otis nods. He gazes at them thoughtfully. “They must be the key to that strange door,” suggests Goer. Er, I mean Sir Fwaigo. “The Gate of Fire,” Otis opines. “Maybe. We don’t know that for certain,” Kyle cautions. “Should we open it at all?” wonders Sir Jorgen. “Maybe we can destroy the tower instead.” “But would that help?” Dahlia sighs. “The door is [i]beneath[/i] the tower.” “What if we could block the entrance to it?” suggests Otis. “The rubble might be enough to slow the black magic cult down enough that they can’t do their ritual at the proper time.” “Which would really slow them down a year.” Sir Fwaigo smiles. “If it has to be on New Year’s Eve for their ritual to work,” Kyle warns. “Remember, we aren’t totally sure about that.” “Bah!” Sir Cedric snorts. “It ith altho pothible that they cannot perform the ritual on just any New Year’th Eve; perhapth the thtarth mutht be aligned correctly or thomething. We jutht don’t know. Tho, regardleth of whether we can pull down the tower or whatever, I think we thould retrieve the other keyth.” “Just in case,” nods Sir Fwaigo. “As my lord says, we can’t take the chance. We don’t know what these bastards are after or what this ritual is really all about, do we?” “Not really,” replies Kyle. “We know enough!” declares Otis. “We know they’re trying to open a gateway to Hell!” “We do?” asks Sir Cedric. “It’s called the Gate of Fire,” Otis sighs. “What else could it be?” The discussion goes on interminably for a time, but finally the party decides that they don’t really have a way to check any of their speculation other than continuing with their plan to gather the keys. Whether they will open the mysterious door or block the passages remains in question, however, and Dahlia points out that it is quite possible that simply collecting the keys could foil the enemy. Thus it is that they descend the next staircase, and soon they find themselves in an odd chamber. A number of goblins stand motionless and unresponsive in the room, as if frozen. Otis [i]fireballs[/i] them without a second thought, but to the party’s surprise they are unmarked. However, they don’t move at all. Hesitantly, our heroes enter the chamber; a quick search turns up the third key. “All too easy,” snorts Otis in disdain, and our heroes ascend back to the top of the ruined courtyard. Icy rain slathers down on them, but it is letting up already. The sky is grey; the sun hides behind the dark clouds. Beneath the final staircase, the weather’s fine. [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] A puzzling chamber, the final key and a fiendish trap! [/QUOTE]
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