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"Second Son of a Second Son" - An Aquerra Story Hour (*finally* Updated 04/19)
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<blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 4386589" data-attributes="member: 11"><p><strong>Session #24 – “Dreams of Fire, Dreams of Ice” (part 1 of 2)</strong> [sup]1[/sup]</p><p></p><p>The burning horse cut through the plaza, turning back down another narrow street to the west, to avoid the screaming and surging crowd. Timotheus ran in its direction, noticing the young man being dragged behind it, a foot caught in a stirrup.[sup]2[/sup] The horse’s confusion and pain caused it to hesitate and turn when faced with the crowd and closely packed buildings, giving Timotheus a chance to catch up to it. He leapt onto the rearing horse’s back, and it whinnied and reared. Barely able to hold on he, threw his arms around its neck, smothering the fire with his cloak. It reared again, but again he managed to hold on and draw a knife, cutting the dragged man free.</p><p></p><p>The third time the horse reared, Timotheus leapt off and let the horse go. It ran out towards the center of town with another group of young men chasing after it. The man on the ground was severely wounded, bleeding from the back of his head. Tim gently scooped him up in his big muscular arms and carried him over to Victoria, who used a <em>cure minor wounds</em> spell to keep the man from bleeding out.</p><p></p><p>Bleys the Aubergine’s deep voice boomed out over the crowd giving orders to the townsfolk fighting the fire. <em>Enlarged</em> by Markos’ spell, he stood above the crowd intermittently obscured by billowing smoke, his dark purple robes flapping in the breeze. “You people!” Bleys pointed to a group milling around at the back of the plaza, not sure what to do with themselves in the limited space. “Grab some buckets and follow him!” The watch-mage turned to indicate Markos, who was at the western side of the plaza, waving for them to follow. “We must close the fire in a ring and keep it from spreading!” Bleys said.</p><p></p><p>The people obeyed, joined by a group of older men that Laarus of Ra gathered up and sent along with them.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll be able to make a large portion of fire disappear with a spell,” Markos explained as the led the way west. “You follow it up with buckets and make sure it is all out.” The diminutive mage ran as hard as his skinny legs could take him, his permanently sun-burned face covered in soot. As the sounds of the crowds fighting the fire died behind him, there was a new sound coming from ahead as he turned them up a narrow street to the north. Banging, chopping and grunting echoed off the stone walls of the buildings in this area, and as he came out into a wide street where there were more wooden buildings with access to the burning part of town, he was amazed to see a great number of dwarves chopping and knocking down wooden houses with great speed and efficiency.</p><p></p><p>“What are you doing?!” Markos called to the dwarves with alarm. He gestured for the people behind him to form a line from the small well about a block away to the west.</p><p></p><p>“Creating a fire break!” One of the dwarves called back. “Fire can’t spread if there is nothing to burn! We were told by Floris Tenbrook to come and do this…” He went back to chopping.</p><p></p><p>“Good idea!” Markos called back. He moved to check on the fire’s progress and saw that while the dwarven effort was a good one, there was a lick of fire curling in on the right flank. “Get the buckets ready over here!” he called to the townsfolk.</p><p></p><p>“<em>Incendia fumo!</em> Markos intoned and a twenty-foot cubic area of fire snuffed out, sending a plume of black smoke to spread out along the ground and get whipped by the breeze. “Now! Get the buckets in there now!” The townsfolk did their best to douse the area around it, though getting more water was slow going because of the distance of the well they were using. The dwarves cheered as another house collapsed. Half of them moved to clear the debris, while the other half got to work on the next wooden building.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, as Timotheus gathered a group of young teenagers to send them out to the furthest part of the town to recruit more firefighters, Victoria was leading a group of five or six dozen townsfolk past the ring of stone buildings that created the plaza they worked from to a row of wooden buildings not reached by fire yet, and had them douse them with water to make it more difficult for them to catch. She happened to look out towards the center of the conflagration as the wind blew the flames and smoke down and caught sight of something unusual. It was a black tower at the western end of the burning quarter, just north of center, about six long blocks away. It was taller than all the buildings immediately around it and seemed to be free of fire. Instead, the top of it was encrusted with ice, however, before she could get a very good look at it, the wind died again and the smoke and flame rose up, obscuring it, but she could have swordn there was some kind of strange black glow emanating from beneath the ice.</p><p></p><p>“Did anyone else see that?” she asked the townsfolk helping her.</p><p></p><p>“Yeah, I saw it,” said a middle-aged man, leaning against a low stone wall to catch his breath. “I think that was old Jakos’ tower…”</p><p></p><p>“Who?”</p><p></p><p>“Some wizard that lives in this part of town, mostly keeps to himself, I think,” the man answered.</p><p></p><p>Victoria Ostrander ran back to the plaza to tell the others. Bleys did his best to catch sight of it with height advantage from being <em>enlarged</em> and his perch on the cart, but could not.</p><p></p><p>Making sure each group of firefighters had a trustworthy and capable leader, and giving them encouraging words to keep them on their tasks in his absence, Bleys the Aubergine hurried over to where Victoria emerged from, but even from there he could not spot the tower.</p><p></p><p>“We might be able to make it through that way,” Victoria pointed to a narrow alley between two burning buildings.</p><p></p><p>“I am too large to fit through that way,” Bleys said with a sigh. “I need to dismiss this spell.”</p><p></p><p>“Anhur! Shield my companion from the lapping flames that threaten to engulf him,” Victoria called to her god, and water crashed over him, dousing his robes.</p><p></p><p>“Thank you… But, chances are there will be other narrow ways beyond, we need to try to go around…” Bleys said, he led the way back to the plaza and rounded up Laarus and Timotheus to tell them about the tower Victoria had spotted. “We need to see if we can reach it,” he said to them. “My instinct tells me that tower is the key to getting to the bottom of this.”</p><p></p><p>“Where’s Markos?” Victoria asked.</p><p></p><p>“I haven’t seen him,” Timotheus replied.</p><p></p><p>“He led a contingent to the western well to fight the fire from there,” Laarus said. </p><p></p><p>“We should be able to get to the tower from that side if Victoria’s description of it location holds true,” Bleys said. “Let’s go!” He ran and the others followed.</p><p></p><p>“I wish I knew where Telémahkos was…” Timotheus complained.</p><p></p><p>“Unfortunately, we have to leave Telémahkos can take care of himself,” Bleys said. “He is either hiding, or doing his part to fight the fire and is lost amid this chaos… Either way, the best we can do is get to the bottom of this and look for him later…”</p><p></p><p>“I saw it, too,” Markos said when the tower was described to him. He dismissed the <em>enlarge person</em> spell on Bleys. “I think we can reach it easiest from this area. The flames have not gotten as thick over here…”</p><p></p><p>Victoria and Timotheus led the way, finding a narrow smoke-filled alley that the militant was sure would lead in the direction of the tower. Unfortunately, the thick smoke constricted their lungs, causing them to hurry past as fast as possible, not noticing the thin wall of flame at the end of alley until it was too late. They barreled through knocking over the debris of a wooden framed house in hopes of making passage easier for their coming companions.</p><p></p><p>The two noble adventurers winced and patted at their singed clothing, in a narrow spot where two alleys crossed, and the smoke swirled up in a channel keeping the air relatively fresh where they were, waiting for the others.</p><p></p><p>Markos tried to use <em>prestidigitation</em> to keep his clothes damped, but as he leapt through the flames the agony made him realize that it was too little to do much good.[sup]3[/sup] Laarus of Ra grunted as he stumbled through, his armor glowing red in spots and looked up to see Bleys throwing his still wet cloak over Markos, who had caught fire, to put him out. The priest of Ra pulled himself to his feet and coughed, feeling his skin crack painfully in the places he was burned.</p><p></p><p>“Which way now?” Timotheus asked.</p><p></p><p>“I think this should lead us to the tower,” Victoria said, leading the way to the left up a slightly broader alley and to a wide street that was flanked by several burning buildings. They dashed under partially collapsed stone wall, burning pieces of its thick wooden supports hanging through holes in the brick. Laarus was staggering, and soon he was being left behind. [sup]4[/sup]</p><p></p><p>“C’mon! Hurry! It is not safe to stay back here,” Markos said to his cousin, slowing to let the priest catch up. “You either need to keep up or go back!”</p><p></p><p>“I am coming as fast as I can…” Laarus croaked.</p><p></p><p>“Bleys! Hold! Laarus is hurt! I have no potions of healing left. Do you?” Markos called. The watch-mage hurried back. He shook his head.</p><p></p><p>“I left mine with my pack back at the inn,” Laarus said.</p><p></p><p>“Can you not call on your god?” Markos asked.</p><p></p><p>“I could… But I fear the next set of flames will end me in regardless…” Laarus answered.</p><p></p><p>There sound of collapsing wood and roaring flaming echoed from the narrow alley behind them. Laarus used one of the last healing miracles available to him that day, and was only marginally better. [sup]5[/sup]</p><p></p><p>Bleys took his still damp robes and draped them over Laarus. “You cannot stay here and you cannot go back, so you are coming if it means dragging you…” He lent an arm to support the priest on one side and Markos moved in to the other and the three of them jogged along awkwardly to catch up with Tim and Victoria. “Do not mistake my efforts for actually liking you, Laarus,” Markos said to his cousin as they ran. Burning debris fell on them, and both Markos and Bleys were injured, but while Laarus managed to avoid the worst of it, as they stumbled into the arms of Victoria and Timotheus, he was once again staggering at the threshold of death’s door.</p><p></p><p>“Take strength in Anhur, Brother Laarus,” Victoria called on her god to heal her fellow priest and some of his burns slowly faded away. Meanwhile, Timotheus was leaping away from a wall he had considered climbing to get a view of above. It was so hot; the flames on the other side must have been an inferno. “We have to keep moving,” he said.</p><p></p><p>They jogged two more blocks, avoid two collapsing buildings and dashing under a thick stone black wall made it around a corner and for a moment above them, they saw the glint of ice. “The tower!” Victoria ran that way and everyone followed.</p><p></p><p>There was one last smoke-filled street to pass through before they could reach the tower. “We must steel ourselves to pass through,” Victoria said, turning to heal Markos of some of his wounds, but the mage was still looking in poor condition. They ran through Markos leading the way this time, followed by Bleys, Timotheus, Victoria and finally Laarus. The thick smoke squeezed their lungs as they held their mouths and nosed closed with a free hand, and bracing themselves for more fire they could not see. It was a long way to run, crouched with lungs burning and fighting to keep their eyes open.</p><p></p><p>They burst out of the smoke gasping and tearing, collapsing in the fine layer of snow on the semi-circular paving stones that marked this round plaza.</p><p></p><p>“Isis wept!” Timotheus swore.</p><p></p><p>They all lay there for a moment, enjoying the soft cold, before looking up to see that the round plaza was more of a cul-de-sac, not being accessible by any other streets as the curved rear walls of some stone buildings enclosed it. The other buildings were smoldering, but their rear walls stood fast against the fire, as did the tower. The tower was round and made of great carved stone blocks and was over four stories high, but the topmost section was crusted over with a great cap of translucent ice that sweat off billows of snow that floated softy down to the plaza, or drifted off into the black and gray smoke of the burning town.</p><p></p><p>“Wow… <em>That’s</em> magical,” Markos said.</p><p></p><p>“The locals called it ‘Jakos’ Tower,’” Victoria replied.</p><p></p><p>“So what do we do now that we’re here?” Timotheus asked.</p><p></p><p>“Knock on the door,” Bleys the Aubergine replied, striding over to the great door on the eastern side of the tower, facing them. He knocked heavily with the side of his fist and his entire forearm. “Jakos!”</p><p></p><p>“Who goes there?” It was a man’s voice calling through a narrow stone window about six feet off the ground, to the left of the door.</p><p></p><p>“Sluetelot is burning!” Bleys said by way of answer.</p><p></p><p>“Yes… Yes, we have noticed the conflagration,” the man replied with some evident regret in his tone.</p><p></p><p>“You might want to get out of here then,” Victoria said. “Your whole tower is surrounded by fire…”</p><p></p><p>“My master’s orders were that we should continue to guard the tower no matter what…” The man said. “The fire has been kept at bay so far…”</p><p></p><p>“Well, if you have such powerful magic at your disposal, how about lending us some to put out the fire?” Markos asked with disdain.</p><p></p><p>“No… that would not be possible,” the voice on the other side was even-toned.</p><p></p><p>“So where’s your master?” Markos asked.</p><p></p><p>“Cloistered.”</p><p></p><p>“If they are not causing the fire and cannot help us fight it, there is no point in us staying here,” Timotheus said with obvious frustration. He left to walk around the tower and have a look around the plaza, while the others quietly discussed the situation. Realizing that the grooved bricks of the tower wall made them accessible to a skilled and strong climber, he scaled its side for a better look around.</p><p></p><p>“Do you think your master would want to see his hometown burn to the ground?” Laarus asked.</p><p></p><p>“This is not his hometown.”</p><p></p><p>Markos threw his cousin a glare. “Cloistered?” He asked. “In what capacity?”</p><p></p><p>“I do not know the specifics, only that he is deep in research and contemplation of an arcane problem of some kind and I gather of some importance,” the guardian on the other side of the window answered.</p><p></p><p>“So you master believes this problem to be of greater importance than all of Sluetelot burning down?” Victoria asked.</p><p></p><p>“Apparently so.”</p><p></p><p>“What type of arcane problem?” Markos asked. He gestured to Bleys. “My companion here is a watch-mage and I have some small talent in the arcane as well having graduated from the <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/University+of+Thricia" target="_blank">University at Moon City</a>, perhaps we can aid your master in this matter…”</p><p></p><p>“Yes, what matter of problem is it?” Bleys asked. “As acting watch-mage of Sluetelot, such things fall under my jurisdiction if it should prove dangerous to the people of this town.”</p><p></p><p>“I am not apprised of the specifics,” the guardian said. “Some form of arcane mishap…”</p><p></p><p>“Mishap? Perhaps having to do with magical sleep? Or its lack, perhaps?” Timotheus asked. He had just gotten back from his climb and look around.</p><p></p><p>“The plague of insomnia was the temporary solution,” the man replied.</p><p></p><p>“What is your name, acolyte?” Victoria asked.</p><p></p><p>“I am not an acolyte. I am Tellum, <a href="http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Sojourners" target="_blank">sojourner of Ptah</a>,” the guardian replied.</p><p></p><p>“Well, Tellum, if your master’s research has affected the town in this way then I must see him,” Bleys said. “Retrieve him now…”</p><p></p><p>“I cannot do that.”</p><p></p><p>“Alright, you know what?” Markos was suddenly raving with anger. “Fnck this!” He raised his gnomish repeating crossbow and fired a bolt into the door. “There! I am attacking the tower. Now go fetch your master!”</p><p></p><p>Tellum did not respond.</p><p></p><p>“<em>Materia maxima!</em>” Markos chanted for a few moments, and suddenly he was a looming ten feet tall or more. He leaned in over the window. “Come here! I want to talk to you!”</p><p></p><p>“Master Watch-mage, please have your rude companion back away,” Tellum said, still ignoring the mage.</p><p></p><p>“He just seeking to parley,” Bleys replied. “In his own way…”</p><p></p><p>“If by parley you mean insult and threaten,” Tellum replied.</p><p></p><p>“He <em>is</em> generally insulting. I will agree with you about that,” Bleys said, and Markos shot him a glare of anger and disapproval. “How long will your master be unavailable?” Bleys asked.</p><p></p><p>“For as long as it takes.”</p><p></p><p>“How long has he been seeking a permanent solution to the problem?” Bleys asked.</p><p></p><p>“Four days straight.”</p><p></p><p>“If there is nothing to be done here then we should return to aid in the effort against the fire,” Laarus said.</p><p></p><p>“HE JUST ADMITED TO BEING BEHIND THE PLAGUE OF INSOMNIA,” Markos was shrill, enunciating each word with an exaggerated show of holding back his utter disdain for every word that ever came out of his cousin’s mouth.</p><p></p><p>“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Timotheus said, much more relaxed after his climb. “I saw two things out there when I climbed. One was that the fires have pretty much closed us in here until they die out or someone comes and puts them out, and secondly, I saw great plumes of steam at the edges of the quarter It looks like someone broke out the big magic against the fire. It seems to be under control for now, at least…”</p><p></p><p>“Good,” Bleys said. “This makes our choice easier. We must enter this tower and get to the bottom of this sleeplessness and the possessions that led to disasters like this fire in the first place.”</p><p></p><p>“Bleys, do you have the power to investigate homes?” Markos asked. “I mean, in your role as acting watch-mage of Sluetelot?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes.”</p><p></p><p>“So you can circumvent the law and propriety and break in there if you are not allowed in then,” Markos smiled and looked at his cousin.</p><p></p><p>“I see no reason to break in,” Laarus said, and Markos began to take big breathes in exaggerated disbelief.</p><p>As Bleys began to explain to Laarus the legal necessity of breaking into the tower, Timotheus yawned, covering his mouth with the back of a meaty hand. He kicked at the snow and looked around absently.</p><p></p><p>“Hey Victoria! Wanna spar?” He reached for his sabre. The militant shook her head. “This is not the appropriate place or time.”</p><p></p><p>“I’m bored!” Tim complained.</p><p></p><p>“Timotheus, would you like to break down this door?” Bleys asked the brawny warrior. Tim shrugged. “I don’t <em>not</em> want to… You just give the word, boss…”</p><p></p><p>“I wish you wouldn’t call him boss,” Markos said, sullenly. He scooped up a handful of snow and packing it into a ball hurled it at the tower.</p><p></p><p>“There is no legal jurisdiction this monk has that supersedes yours, Bleys,” Victoria said. “You are well within your rights as I know them to use force to get in there if what is within represents a danger to your charge.”</p><p></p><p>“We do not know that it does,” Laarus said.</p><p></p><p>“Tellum!” Bleys called through the window. “If we were to try to force our way in, would you try and stop us?”</p><p></p><p>“I would be forced to try,” the monk replied. “I have given my word.”</p><p></p><p><em>…to be continued…</em></p><p></p><p>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p><strong>Notes:</strong></p><p></p><p>(1) Session #24 was played on February 3rd, 2008 in Brooklyn, NY.</p><p></p><p>(2) This was going to be Telémahkos if his player had made to the session. He did not.</p><p></p><p>(3) I allowed dampness to grant a small circumstance bonus to the Reflex saves made to avoid fire as they ran through the burning town. Running through smoky areas required Fortitudes saves.</p><p></p><p>(4) Laarus was staggered, meaning he could only perform either a standard or a move action each round, and if he did a standard one he’d lose a point and drop to negative hit points.</p><p></p><p>(5) <em>Cure minor wounds</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="el-remmen, post: 4386589, member: 11"] [b]Session #24 – “Dreams of Fire, Dreams of Ice” (part 1 of 2)[/b] [sup]1[/sup] The burning horse cut through the plaza, turning back down another narrow street to the west, to avoid the screaming and surging crowd. Timotheus ran in its direction, noticing the young man being dragged behind it, a foot caught in a stirrup.[sup]2[/sup] The horse’s confusion and pain caused it to hesitate and turn when faced with the crowd and closely packed buildings, giving Timotheus a chance to catch up to it. He leapt onto the rearing horse’s back, and it whinnied and reared. Barely able to hold on he, threw his arms around its neck, smothering the fire with his cloak. It reared again, but again he managed to hold on and draw a knife, cutting the dragged man free. The third time the horse reared, Timotheus leapt off and let the horse go. It ran out towards the center of town with another group of young men chasing after it. The man on the ground was severely wounded, bleeding from the back of his head. Tim gently scooped him up in his big muscular arms and carried him over to Victoria, who used a [I]cure minor wounds[/I] spell to keep the man from bleeding out. Bleys the Aubergine’s deep voice boomed out over the crowd giving orders to the townsfolk fighting the fire. [I]Enlarged[/I] by Markos’ spell, he stood above the crowd intermittently obscured by billowing smoke, his dark purple robes flapping in the breeze. “You people!” Bleys pointed to a group milling around at the back of the plaza, not sure what to do with themselves in the limited space. “Grab some buckets and follow him!” The watch-mage turned to indicate Markos, who was at the western side of the plaza, waving for them to follow. “We must close the fire in a ring and keep it from spreading!” Bleys said. The people obeyed, joined by a group of older men that Laarus of Ra gathered up and sent along with them. “I’ll be able to make a large portion of fire disappear with a spell,” Markos explained as the led the way west. “You follow it up with buckets and make sure it is all out.” The diminutive mage ran as hard as his skinny legs could take him, his permanently sun-burned face covered in soot. As the sounds of the crowds fighting the fire died behind him, there was a new sound coming from ahead as he turned them up a narrow street to the north. Banging, chopping and grunting echoed off the stone walls of the buildings in this area, and as he came out into a wide street where there were more wooden buildings with access to the burning part of town, he was amazed to see a great number of dwarves chopping and knocking down wooden houses with great speed and efficiency. “What are you doing?!” Markos called to the dwarves with alarm. He gestured for the people behind him to form a line from the small well about a block away to the west. “Creating a fire break!” One of the dwarves called back. “Fire can’t spread if there is nothing to burn! We were told by Floris Tenbrook to come and do this…” He went back to chopping. “Good idea!” Markos called back. He moved to check on the fire’s progress and saw that while the dwarven effort was a good one, there was a lick of fire curling in on the right flank. “Get the buckets ready over here!” he called to the townsfolk. “[I]Incendia fumo![/I] Markos intoned and a twenty-foot cubic area of fire snuffed out, sending a plume of black smoke to spread out along the ground and get whipped by the breeze. “Now! Get the buckets in there now!” The townsfolk did their best to douse the area around it, though getting more water was slow going because of the distance of the well they were using. The dwarves cheered as another house collapsed. Half of them moved to clear the debris, while the other half got to work on the next wooden building. Meanwhile, as Timotheus gathered a group of young teenagers to send them out to the furthest part of the town to recruit more firefighters, Victoria was leading a group of five or six dozen townsfolk past the ring of stone buildings that created the plaza they worked from to a row of wooden buildings not reached by fire yet, and had them douse them with water to make it more difficult for them to catch. She happened to look out towards the center of the conflagration as the wind blew the flames and smoke down and caught sight of something unusual. It was a black tower at the western end of the burning quarter, just north of center, about six long blocks away. It was taller than all the buildings immediately around it and seemed to be free of fire. Instead, the top of it was encrusted with ice, however, before she could get a very good look at it, the wind died again and the smoke and flame rose up, obscuring it, but she could have swordn there was some kind of strange black glow emanating from beneath the ice. “Did anyone else see that?” she asked the townsfolk helping her. “Yeah, I saw it,” said a middle-aged man, leaning against a low stone wall to catch his breath. “I think that was old Jakos’ tower…” “Who?” “Some wizard that lives in this part of town, mostly keeps to himself, I think,” the man answered. Victoria Ostrander ran back to the plaza to tell the others. Bleys did his best to catch sight of it with height advantage from being [I]enlarged[/I] and his perch on the cart, but could not. Making sure each group of firefighters had a trustworthy and capable leader, and giving them encouraging words to keep them on their tasks in his absence, Bleys the Aubergine hurried over to where Victoria emerged from, but even from there he could not spot the tower. “We might be able to make it through that way,” Victoria pointed to a narrow alley between two burning buildings. “I am too large to fit through that way,” Bleys said with a sigh. “I need to dismiss this spell.” “Anhur! Shield my companion from the lapping flames that threaten to engulf him,” Victoria called to her god, and water crashed over him, dousing his robes. “Thank you… But, chances are there will be other narrow ways beyond, we need to try to go around…” Bleys said, he led the way back to the plaza and rounded up Laarus and Timotheus to tell them about the tower Victoria had spotted. “We need to see if we can reach it,” he said to them. “My instinct tells me that tower is the key to getting to the bottom of this.” “Where’s Markos?” Victoria asked. “I haven’t seen him,” Timotheus replied. “He led a contingent to the western well to fight the fire from there,” Laarus said. “We should be able to get to the tower from that side if Victoria’s description of it location holds true,” Bleys said. “Let’s go!” He ran and the others followed. “I wish I knew where Telémahkos was…” Timotheus complained. “Unfortunately, we have to leave Telémahkos can take care of himself,” Bleys said. “He is either hiding, or doing his part to fight the fire and is lost amid this chaos… Either way, the best we can do is get to the bottom of this and look for him later…” “I saw it, too,” Markos said when the tower was described to him. He dismissed the [I]enlarge person[/I] spell on Bleys. “I think we can reach it easiest from this area. The flames have not gotten as thick over here…” Victoria and Timotheus led the way, finding a narrow smoke-filled alley that the militant was sure would lead in the direction of the tower. Unfortunately, the thick smoke constricted their lungs, causing them to hurry past as fast as possible, not noticing the thin wall of flame at the end of alley until it was too late. They barreled through knocking over the debris of a wooden framed house in hopes of making passage easier for their coming companions. The two noble adventurers winced and patted at their singed clothing, in a narrow spot where two alleys crossed, and the smoke swirled up in a channel keeping the air relatively fresh where they were, waiting for the others. Markos tried to use [I]prestidigitation[/I] to keep his clothes damped, but as he leapt through the flames the agony made him realize that it was too little to do much good.[sup]3[/sup] Laarus of Ra grunted as he stumbled through, his armor glowing red in spots and looked up to see Bleys throwing his still wet cloak over Markos, who had caught fire, to put him out. The priest of Ra pulled himself to his feet and coughed, feeling his skin crack painfully in the places he was burned. “Which way now?” Timotheus asked. “I think this should lead us to the tower,” Victoria said, leading the way to the left up a slightly broader alley and to a wide street that was flanked by several burning buildings. They dashed under partially collapsed stone wall, burning pieces of its thick wooden supports hanging through holes in the brick. Laarus was staggering, and soon he was being left behind. [sup]4[/sup] “C’mon! Hurry! It is not safe to stay back here,” Markos said to his cousin, slowing to let the priest catch up. “You either need to keep up or go back!” “I am coming as fast as I can…” Laarus croaked. “Bleys! Hold! Laarus is hurt! I have no potions of healing left. Do you?” Markos called. The watch-mage hurried back. He shook his head. “I left mine with my pack back at the inn,” Laarus said. “Can you not call on your god?” Markos asked. “I could… But I fear the next set of flames will end me in regardless…” Laarus answered. There sound of collapsing wood and roaring flaming echoed from the narrow alley behind them. Laarus used one of the last healing miracles available to him that day, and was only marginally better. [sup]5[/sup] Bleys took his still damp robes and draped them over Laarus. “You cannot stay here and you cannot go back, so you are coming if it means dragging you…” He lent an arm to support the priest on one side and Markos moved in to the other and the three of them jogged along awkwardly to catch up with Tim and Victoria. “Do not mistake my efforts for actually liking you, Laarus,” Markos said to his cousin as they ran. Burning debris fell on them, and both Markos and Bleys were injured, but while Laarus managed to avoid the worst of it, as they stumbled into the arms of Victoria and Timotheus, he was once again staggering at the threshold of death’s door. “Take strength in Anhur, Brother Laarus,” Victoria called on her god to heal her fellow priest and some of his burns slowly faded away. Meanwhile, Timotheus was leaping away from a wall he had considered climbing to get a view of above. It was so hot; the flames on the other side must have been an inferno. “We have to keep moving,” he said. They jogged two more blocks, avoid two collapsing buildings and dashing under a thick stone black wall made it around a corner and for a moment above them, they saw the glint of ice. “The tower!” Victoria ran that way and everyone followed. There was one last smoke-filled street to pass through before they could reach the tower. “We must steel ourselves to pass through,” Victoria said, turning to heal Markos of some of his wounds, but the mage was still looking in poor condition. They ran through Markos leading the way this time, followed by Bleys, Timotheus, Victoria and finally Laarus. The thick smoke squeezed their lungs as they held their mouths and nosed closed with a free hand, and bracing themselves for more fire they could not see. It was a long way to run, crouched with lungs burning and fighting to keep their eyes open. They burst out of the smoke gasping and tearing, collapsing in the fine layer of snow on the semi-circular paving stones that marked this round plaza. “Isis wept!” Timotheus swore. They all lay there for a moment, enjoying the soft cold, before looking up to see that the round plaza was more of a cul-de-sac, not being accessible by any other streets as the curved rear walls of some stone buildings enclosed it. The other buildings were smoldering, but their rear walls stood fast against the fire, as did the tower. The tower was round and made of great carved stone blocks and was over four stories high, but the topmost section was crusted over with a great cap of translucent ice that sweat off billows of snow that floated softy down to the plaza, or drifted off into the black and gray smoke of the burning town. “Wow… [I]That’s[/I] magical,” Markos said. “The locals called it ‘Jakos’ Tower,’” Victoria replied. “So what do we do now that we’re here?” Timotheus asked. “Knock on the door,” Bleys the Aubergine replied, striding over to the great door on the eastern side of the tower, facing them. He knocked heavily with the side of his fist and his entire forearm. “Jakos!” “Who goes there?” It was a man’s voice calling through a narrow stone window about six feet off the ground, to the left of the door. “Sluetelot is burning!” Bleys said by way of answer. “Yes… Yes, we have noticed the conflagration,” the man replied with some evident regret in his tone. “You might want to get out of here then,” Victoria said. “Your whole tower is surrounded by fire…” “My master’s orders were that we should continue to guard the tower no matter what…” The man said. “The fire has been kept at bay so far…” “Well, if you have such powerful magic at your disposal, how about lending us some to put out the fire?” Markos asked with disdain. “No… that would not be possible,” the voice on the other side was even-toned. “So where’s your master?” Markos asked. “Cloistered.” “If they are not causing the fire and cannot help us fight it, there is no point in us staying here,” Timotheus said with obvious frustration. He left to walk around the tower and have a look around the plaza, while the others quietly discussed the situation. Realizing that the grooved bricks of the tower wall made them accessible to a skilled and strong climber, he scaled its side for a better look around. “Do you think your master would want to see his hometown burn to the ground?” Laarus asked. “This is not his hometown.” Markos threw his cousin a glare. “Cloistered?” He asked. “In what capacity?” “I do not know the specifics, only that he is deep in research and contemplation of an arcane problem of some kind and I gather of some importance,” the guardian on the other side of the window answered. “So you master believes this problem to be of greater importance than all of Sluetelot burning down?” Victoria asked. “Apparently so.” “What type of arcane problem?” Markos asked. He gestured to Bleys. “My companion here is a watch-mage and I have some small talent in the arcane as well having graduated from the [url= http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/University+of+Thricia]University at Moon City[/url], perhaps we can aid your master in this matter…” “Yes, what matter of problem is it?” Bleys asked. “As acting watch-mage of Sluetelot, such things fall under my jurisdiction if it should prove dangerous to the people of this town.” “I am not apprised of the specifics,” the guardian said. “Some form of arcane mishap…” “Mishap? Perhaps having to do with magical sleep? Or its lack, perhaps?” Timotheus asked. He had just gotten back from his climb and look around. “The plague of insomnia was the temporary solution,” the man replied. “What is your name, acolyte?” Victoria asked. “I am not an acolyte. I am Tellum, [url= http://aquerra.wikispaces.com/The+Sojourners]sojourner of Ptah[/url],” the guardian replied. “Well, Tellum, if your master’s research has affected the town in this way then I must see him,” Bleys said. “Retrieve him now…” “I cannot do that.” “Alright, you know what?” Markos was suddenly raving with anger. “Fnck this!” He raised his gnomish repeating crossbow and fired a bolt into the door. “There! I am attacking the tower. Now go fetch your master!” Tellum did not respond. “[I]Materia maxima![/I]” Markos chanted for a few moments, and suddenly he was a looming ten feet tall or more. He leaned in over the window. “Come here! I want to talk to you!” “Master Watch-mage, please have your rude companion back away,” Tellum said, still ignoring the mage. “He just seeking to parley,” Bleys replied. “In his own way…” “If by parley you mean insult and threaten,” Tellum replied. “He [I]is[/I] generally insulting. I will agree with you about that,” Bleys said, and Markos shot him a glare of anger and disapproval. “How long will your master be unavailable?” Bleys asked. “For as long as it takes.” “How long has he been seeking a permanent solution to the problem?” Bleys asked. “Four days straight.” “If there is nothing to be done here then we should return to aid in the effort against the fire,” Laarus said. “HE JUST ADMITED TO BEING BEHIND THE PLAGUE OF INSOMNIA,” Markos was shrill, enunciating each word with an exaggerated show of holding back his utter disdain for every word that ever came out of his cousin’s mouth. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” Timotheus said, much more relaxed after his climb. “I saw two things out there when I climbed. One was that the fires have pretty much closed us in here until they die out or someone comes and puts them out, and secondly, I saw great plumes of steam at the edges of the quarter It looks like someone broke out the big magic against the fire. It seems to be under control for now, at least…” “Good,” Bleys said. “This makes our choice easier. We must enter this tower and get to the bottom of this sleeplessness and the possessions that led to disasters like this fire in the first place.” “Bleys, do you have the power to investigate homes?” Markos asked. “I mean, in your role as acting watch-mage of Sluetelot?” “Yes.” “So you can circumvent the law and propriety and break in there if you are not allowed in then,” Markos smiled and looked at his cousin. “I see no reason to break in,” Laarus said, and Markos began to take big breathes in exaggerated disbelief. As Bleys began to explain to Laarus the legal necessity of breaking into the tower, Timotheus yawned, covering his mouth with the back of a meaty hand. He kicked at the snow and looked around absently. “Hey Victoria! Wanna spar?” He reached for his sabre. The militant shook her head. “This is not the appropriate place or time.” “I’m bored!” Tim complained. “Timotheus, would you like to break down this door?” Bleys asked the brawny warrior. Tim shrugged. “I don’t [I]not[/I] want to… You just give the word, boss…” “I wish you wouldn’t call him boss,” Markos said, sullenly. He scooped up a handful of snow and packing it into a ball hurled it at the tower. “There is no legal jurisdiction this monk has that supersedes yours, Bleys,” Victoria said. “You are well within your rights as I know them to use force to get in there if what is within represents a danger to your charge.” “We do not know that it does,” Laarus said. “Tellum!” Bleys called through the window. “If we were to try to force our way in, would you try and stop us?” “I would be forced to try,” the monk replied. “I have given my word.” [i]…to be continued…[/i] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [b]Notes:[/b] (1) Session #24 was played on February 3rd, 2008 in Brooklyn, NY. (2) This was going to be Telémahkos if his player had made to the session. He did not. (3) I allowed dampness to grant a small circumstance bonus to the Reflex saves made to avoid fire as they ran through the burning town. Running through smoky areas required Fortitudes saves. (4) Laarus was staggered, meaning he could only perform either a standard or a move action each round, and if he did a standard one he’d lose a point and drop to negative hit points. (5) [i]Cure minor wounds[/i] [/QUOTE]
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