Entry 8.
Tower of B'shon (see Entry 7) remains vulnerable. Thorkell invites Vralino and I to see to its safety. LaShana and Dalyor accompany. LaShana is a friend, a Thief. Dalyor is new to me: Elf Wizard.
Before we set out, Thorkell and I apply ourselves to research of tower. Surely a structure of this age and Passionate alignment has been encountered before. Find several details. Build by B'shon, pre-Scourge Questor of Upandal. Perhaps two centuries pre-Scourge.
Tower has defenses. Clues to defenses:
Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.
(I write epic poem about self, most embarassing, to gain entry to tower). (Poem attached. 24 stanzas detailing T'skrang child's triumph over vegetables and prize of toasted fish eyes.)
Other challenges require arranging stones in complex patterns, coordinated effort between party, and creation of a complex lock using available tools.
But tower is not only defended; it is also invaded. Must pass both.
Invaders (Therans or sympathizers) previously working on encircling tower, draining it of power. Now revealed to be infiltrated by Horror. Tricked? Nihilistic despair? Not clear. They have been turned. Bodies forged into crystal-powered constructs.
Dalyor confirms. Crystal Entity type Horror. Very dangerous. Very frightening. Normally well beyond Circle Three Adepts.
But Entity not fully manifested. Power spread out across multiple nodes, powering vines. Vine strangle tower.
Each floor - many smaller Crystal Entity nodes. Fully capable of Death Spikes. Vralino Spiked. Also, LaShana. Thorkell Suppresses Curse - most effective.
Grueling fight up tower, facing stitched together Flesh Beasts while also solving puzzles. Many floors. No rest. Requires careful marshaling of resources. Tenacity. Wisdom. Rashomon would be proud.
Finally reach highest floor. Thorkell conducts ritual. All crystals found are defeated. Thorkell now Quests for Upandal. Tower is safe, but damaged and disrepair. Upandal cannot like that.
Tower of B'shon (rude sketch, location, dimensions).Statistics:Posted by bronzemountain — Sun Jul 12, 2020 1:02 pm
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