On the Road

Hrothgar, Enelye, Caradog, and Jorgen met at the gate to Harm, armed and ready to explore the Tower of Udd further. Hrothgar, emboldened by the healing draughts the preist had given him, spurred his horse down the road to the Tower.

(You can follow the New Kings Road and cross the River Ox, then overland through the hills, or cross in about the same spot you came back from which is roughly a straight line to the tower. River is swift, but you made your fording rolls last time) See new map:

Hrothgar, What will you do?

Afterward

Hrothagr sighed, raised his sword and managed to hack off what was left of Rhian's head in two swipes. He met Enelye's horrified glare. "I don't need him rising up and biting me in the ass," he said.


"Let's see if there's any treasure in here. These creatures were here guarding something. After that, we're leaving, and I want enough money to hire some more muscle to come back this place, and clean it out proper."

Hrothgar searched the book shelves and found nothing. The books were rotten beyound use. But inside of one labeled " The Etymology of the 'Malus occidentalis mobilius' and other Bipedal Vegetation" was found a large glass vial with a luminescent green liquid.

Enelye found a chest concealed under one of the tables with a rotten red cloth over it. The chest was not locked. In fact the locking mechanism was torn away. Enelye carefully opened th lid and found it was not trapped. Inside was a small black chest. the inside of the chest was lined with white silk and was still intact and showed no signs of rot. Setting in the silk were two black pearls, the size of a childs fist. Also at the bottom of the chest was a silver skeleton key.

Enelye coveted such a find and considered placing them in her pockets, when she noticed that Hrothagr had walked up behind her. "What did you find?", he said. "Black pearls," said Enelye, embarrassed that she had thought to take them for herself. "They probably came from a merchant who got them form the Shi hul Morrah, the Sea Elves. They dive for them and coax them from the Giant Oysters. They are very rare. It is a great prize.Oh and a there's a key at the bottom of the chest."

Enelye stood up and closed the box. She wrapped the box tightly with twine from her backpack and put the box in her backpack. She walked over to the round table in the center of the room. Several books lay open on the table. One had the cresent moon and dagger symbol from the bronze daggers, scrawled on the inside cover. It had no writing on the spine. On the first page was scrawled, "To the troublesome Etherialist who can now call this tower his own. I hope you keep your head in the clouds, son, but always remember, the flesh is weak, but the mind can live on forever. signed Your Father, Lord Northewode"

The pages are now very faint and the book is well worn, almost rubbed clean. It is also water damaged, not from sitting in water, but from the pages being dripped on. Nothing more can be read in the torch light. Also on the table are crumpled up scrolls with broken wax seals.

Also strewn about the room is a collection of coins, 59 copper pieces and 93 silver pieces in total.

Against the western wall stands another upright wardrobe. Hrothgar opens the wardrobe to find rotten clothes hanging in the wardrobe.

Hrothgar what do you wish to do?   

The Library

Hrothgar stormed forward at the shadowy figure. He swung in a great arc(miss), but the Ghoul was quicker, and met Hrothgar half way, gruesome, filthy claws flailing out front, gnashing his teeth.(hit claw,claw, 3 pts dmg.)

As Enelye knocked an arrow, the zombie to her right lurched forward hungrily and swiped at her, landing a blow on her arm(hit, 2 dwg).

Enelye kept her focus and let loose a fearsome shot at the ghoul that streamed right under Hrothagr's arm and into the crouching creatures throat. It let out a terrifying shriek. (hit 8dmg).

Rhian pulled himself into the room and swung lazily at the other unengaged zombie, but missed. The zombie tried to grab rhian with his hungry hands, but missed.

The Ghoul slashed at Hrothgar as he recoiled from the bow shot(1 dmg).

Rhian gathered himself and swung as hard as he could at the zombie. He was so tired. His aim was true and he hacked into the side of the undead menace.(6dmg).

Enelye backed up, but was agian assaulted by the hugry zombie on her right.(1 dmg)

The fearsome wound Rhian had just put into the zombie he was attacking left it utterly unphased. It reached forward again and grasped Rhian's arms as he struggled to wrench his axe free from the rotting tissue sucking at it. And Rhian should have just let go. Zombie was huge and fat, and very intent on making rhian his next meal. It sunk its rotten teeth into Rhian's face and neck and tore huge chunks from his skull. His armor was drenched in bloody gore as the minster continued to feed. Rhian fell to the floor, with the zombie still attached to his face, feeding. (6 dmg, Rhian killed(-3))

Hrothgar heard Rhian's screams to the left, but dared not turn around. He advanced on the ghoul as it retreated and smashed its skull with a well placed down stroke.(2 dmg, killed ghoul)

Enelye dropped her bow and drew her sword to fight off the zombie that was on her, missing in the exchange, as did the zombie.

Hrothgar turned to see Rhian laying on the floor twitching as the zombie fed. He rushed forward to engage it but in the dim light stumbbled over the debris on the floor.

Enelye, carefully gathered herself and lunged at the zombie, skewering it through the eye cavity and scrambling its brains. It fell to the floor lifeless, again.(9 dmg, killed zombie)

The last creature continued to feed on Rhian's corpse. As Hrothgar and Enelye circled the creature it noticed the other meals and stopped and lunged at Hrothgar, Hrothgar snapped the creatures head to the side with a viscious smash from the flat of his sword. (5 dmg)

Finally, Enelye drove her sword into the creatures head, severing it from its shoulders.

Enelye and Hrothgar looked at each other for a moment, panting and bloody. Then they rushed to find Rhian's lifeless, bloody mess of a body. Rhian clearly was dead, his face half eaten, his neck and arms with huge gouges of flesh missing.

Enelye muttered an elvish prayer under her breath and backed away.

Hrothgar, what do you do?    

F%ck these doors

Hrothgar tried to quietly break the lock. Who knew what could be on the other sideof the doors. It didn't budge. Hrothgar had had enough. He asked Enelye for her mace.

"Screw it. Whoever is on the other sid eof these doors heard us anyway." Hrothgar swung at the lock with all his might.

Pieces of the lock flew ion all directions, showering Rhian with metal shards. "Hey, look out!"

Hrothgar handed the mace back to Enelye and kicked the doors open and stood in the doorway to the room. He threw his torch in on the stone floor so it would illuminate the room.

Before him stood what was once probably a very nice library, larger than the writing room he was in. Shelves still lined the walls some even still contained books. in the center of the room a round table had several books and scrolls on it. On the western wall was a cupboard and a large wardrobe. Both closed. Litter and smashed chairs and wood cluttered the floor over a rotten rug. The room smelled of death. Recent death. As Hrothagr and Enelye scan the room, two figures stand up and start shambling toward them, rotten hands out, mouths open, yellowed eyes fixed on new food. 

Both Hrothgar and Rhian notice another, more shadowy figure crouched at the back of the room.  It is hairless, sickly blue green in color, with a menacing mouth full of pointed teeth. It is staring at you more like an animal than a mindless construct.

Hrothgar what do you do?

Still searching

"Yes, it seems to be", Enelye said.

"I'll check the bodies", said Rhian. "Or what's left of them. I found some writing stuff on the shelves, doesn't look like much to me."

Enelye walked over to the shelves. She clearly saw that the writing insturments had value. she grabbed them up and stiwed them in her backpack. "Maybe these can be sold for some profit."

"Well, look what I found." Rhian held up a bronze dagger, sheathed and on a belt on the first skeleton he searched.

"There is another here", said Enelye.

As each was searched. Each carried a ceremonial bronze dagger on a red leather belt. Enameled on the scabbard was an cresent moon, facing down, with a dagger-like wedge cutting through the center.

Hrothgar, what do you want to do?

Storming the Scriptorium

Hrothgar screamed as he entered the room. The room was dark but burst to light with Hrothgars torch. Destroyed tables and chairs littered the room. He saw four skeletons begin to rise from the floor, swords in hand, with black shadows for eyes.

Hrothgar stood in awe of the reanimating skeletons(surprise, missed). Evil magics were indeed at work in this place. Enelye leapt into the room and swund her long sword hitting a skeleton triying to stand (surprise, 5dmg). Rhian gathered himself and charged into the room running into another skeleton not yet fully standing(surprise, 5 dmg).

The skeletons came on and were now fully erect, ready to guard the room, or cursed to spend their imortality as prisoners of it. Hrothgar gathered himself and smashed into the third skeleton with his sword.(4 dmg). Enelye gracefully swung again, smashing the undead in front of her to pieces(5dmg, kill). The other skeletons attacked, but failed to strike, but Rhian skeleton fell to the floor after a horrifying smashing blow to the head.(7 dwg, kill).

Hrothgar battered his skeleton to the ground and smashed through its sword arm then skull as pieces of bone went flying(2dmg, kill). Enelye sidestepped a blow from the final skeleton, and smashed his ribcage with her blow, but he kept swingin,(dmg5). Rhian swung wildly at the final skeleton and connected a glancing blow that crushed his left arm.(dmg 4).

Hrothgar moved forward and with the pommel of his sword smashed the creatures skull like and egg shell. It fell to pieces and lay motionless on the ground.(5 dmg, kill).

Everyone panted heavily at the quick encounter. and afetr a quick check, realized noone had been hurt. A victory after early close calls.

Hrothgar, you notice that the room contained what appear to be writing desks, some smashed, some intact, chairs, a couple of shelves and a wardrobe against the western wall that is still in tact. An ornate double door, similar to the one you just came from is on the wall opposite of where you entered the room. Debris and paper litter the floor is places. Black and gold ink cover the walls in places where it looks like ink wells havebeen thrown against it and exploded. Shards of crystal cover the floor as well.

Hrothgar, what do you wish to do?

The Hallway

Rhian moved forward cautiously, scared of the puddle on the floor. Hrothgar moved up slowly behind him, seraching the walls and floor for any tell tale signs of secret doors or concealed passages. Enelye crept up last, closing the door behind her in case any more giant rats decided to join their fallen nest mates.

Rhian poked at the puddle of green liquid with his sword, realized it was just sludge, and stepped forward and turned to tell the others it was clear. It was then that the floor beneath his foot gave way. It threw him head first into a pit below the floor.

Rhian's face smashed against the wall of the pit as he fell to the bottom. When he came to, he could hardly see from the blood that was pouring from the tears on his face and the broken nose that made it hard to breathe. (5 pts dmg) He looked up and saw Hrothgar's surrly snarl looking down at him.

The pit was about 10' deep, with filth and about a foot of green water.

Hrothgar lowered his rope and struggled to pull Rhian out of the pit. Enelye helped and finally he was drug out of the pit. Rhian lay panting and weaving on the floor of the hallway, soaking wet from green filthy water and smelling like a swamp.

A wooden double door sits at the end of the hallway. The pit floor is still open and will have to be jumped over to get to the doors. The trap door may be reset, but a trigger or catch can not be located. Rhian has a major wound to his face. (he has 3 hp left, Hrothgar has 4, Enelye has 6)

Hrothgar what would you like to do?

The Water Damaged Corridor

Hrothgar pulled out his flint and lit a torch. He held it in his shield hand and spoke, "Rhian, you in first, then me. Enelye, you cover us from the rear. Rhian, quit shaking, think of the gold."

As Hrothgar lit his torch, Rhian lit his as well. The corridor opens up before them with the yellow light from the torches. The corridor was 10' wide and paved with random yellow/grey limestone stone. the walls are rough cut limestone. Water had been seeping in the corridor from the cellar and created a slimy green sludge on the floor. The sludge settles into a few small puddles about 25' down the corridor.

The corridor runs about 40' and ends in a carved wooden door.

Hrothgar, what do you do?

Tower of Udd - Cutaway Cellar and First Floor

Tower of Udd - cutaway diagram of cellar and First Floor. The only door can be seen behind the timber and rumble.

Cellar of the Tower

Hrothgar Jumped down onto the decaying timbers and debris from the collpased tower. It made a precarious, but convenient ramp to the floor of the rubble filled tower cellar.

"Enelye, cover me" said Hrothgar. "Rhian you need to be right here with me. Hrothgar pointed at the floor.

Hrothgar noticed brown and grey rubble had began growing moss and the cellar was damp and humid from rain. He noticed several odd shaped mounds with mold and algae on top to his right in the shadows. As he turned to get a closer look, 12 big red eyes stared unblinking at him. Then they leaped at him.

Enelye screamed "RATS!"

The Door

Hrothgar carefully walked around the wooden floor to the door. He pulled the rusted iron ring handle and readied for an attack.

None came. On the other side of the door, where once a small keep had been connected to the tower, was now only piles of dense rubble, open to the sky. The rubble and floor was at his level.

Hrothgar called the others to search the area.

Rhian searched but found nothing. Enelye noticed that the fallen floor and the rubble from thier level had created a kind of ramp in the corner of the tower below where Hrothgar was standing. It would be reachable with a short jump. Enelye also noticed a door set in the wall below the one Hrothgar just opened concealed behind broken timbers.

Hrothgar what do you want to do?

The Tower

Hrothgar rounded the tower after and saw Rhian charging up a set of crumbled stairs leading to the tower and Enelye followed.

Standing atop the stairs you can see down into the first floor of the tower it is partially filled with rubble and pools of water and filth and carcasses of dead animals. The second floor (the level you are standing at, has a partially uncollapsed woooden floor that hugs the western wall. It is approx 10' wide and goes around the tower to the northern wall. A door is set into the northern wall.

Rhian and Enelye look at Hrothgar for direction.

Hrothgar, what do you do?

To the attack

Hrothgar had heard of the walking dead but had never seen them. He had seen plenty of men die, but none walked afterward.

Hrothgar instinctively swung at the zombie as it lurched toward him, but he swung to soon and missed.
Enelye nervously fired her bow at the creature, but the arrow missed its mark.
Rhian stared in amazement, flatfooted at the sight of the walking dead man and the other two that appeared from behind the tower, walking toward them.
The zombie took a lazy swipe at Hrothgar and missed.

Hrothgar swung again, but was distracted by the other two zombies approaching and missed.
Enelye's aim was true this time and she plugged the first zombie in the chest with her white fletched arrows. (3 pts dmg)
Rhian, emboldened by Enelye's attack, charged the new zombies. He crashed into them with his shield and delivered a massive blow that with his axe that crushed one of zombie's head. It fell to the ground no longer moving, drenching Rhian in black and smelly gore.(8pts dmg)

The remaining two zombies swung at their targets, but were just too slow to connect.

Hrothgar, annoyed by Rhian boldness and success swung his sword and it rang true, lopping off the head of the zombie in front of him. (7pts dmg)
Enelye switched targets and fired another arrow at the last remaining zombie. It went skittering of the sideof the tower.
Rhian sung at the last zombie and cleaved a giant gash in his side, but the zombie went on unphased by the assault.(9 pts dmg)

The remaining zombie swiped at Rhian, but could not land a blow.

Rhian's dodging caused him to miss, and blocked the shot of Enelye. And Hrothgar rushed to join the attack.

the remaining zombie missed again.

Rhothgar's manuevered behind the remaning zombie and battered his skull until it hit the ground, lifeless. (4 pts dmg)

Everyone looked around to see if any more approached. None did.

After a long pause, Enelye said, "I think you may be right Hrothgar, dark magics must surround this place to have those foul creatures as guardians."

"And guardians usually are guarding something worthwhile. Lets go see what they were protecting"said Rhian, puffed up by the party's first encounter, he rushed to the other side of the tower.

Hrothgar what will you do?

Hrothgar approached the side of the tower where the sound was coming from. He assumed it was just an animal or maybe one of the sheep was trapped in some rubble. He crept to toward the sound.

It was then he smelled the rusty iron twinge of blood in the air. He then saw in front of him a decaying man in rags, covered in sheeps blood, stepping on entrails and organs, walking repeatedly into the side of the tower, slightly moaning. In its hand was one of the haunches of the slaughtered sheep.

Suddenly it stopped and turned to look directly at Hrothgar. You have initiative, what do you want to do?

"I think I'll cover you from right here, " said Rhian. "Why don't you go take a look?"

Enelye nocked an arrow in her bow and readied herself for whatever was making the noise she could hear now to her right, by the tower.

To the top

The animal trail wound its way up the scrabbled rock hill, with tangles and overgrown shrubs jutting out into the trail to make the going difficult. Rhian was in the lead, headstrong and bold, Enelye was next, cautious and watching, followed by Hrothgar, who was more than willing to let his hirelings take the lead.

Climbing to the top of the hill, the party stops about 30' from the tower. Hrothgar hears a noise coming from the think underbrush to the right of the tower that Rhian and Enelye seem to miss. It is a slight shuffling sound. Rhythmic in nature, like something rubbing on something else.

Hrothgar what do you do?

Pushing ahead

Rhian strode confidently into the stream. It was soft on the bottom, but not too deep. It rose to his waist in the middle of the stream then was shallower on the other side.

"Come on," he shouted "it's fine," as he reached the other bank and pulled himself up to through the catttails and reeds.

Enelye went next and lithely moved through the water to the other bank, the water soaking her padded armor almost to her chest. She hated water, and moving water worse than all.

On the far bank she turn to Hrothgar and said, "Let us go, " as she pointed up the hill. Rhian had already started up the animal track that led to the tower.

Hrothgar, what do you do?