HotDK 39: “Dark Towers”

Having taken a breather after dealing with the Stone Giant couple and taking inventory of the gems from their treasure chest, you venture back out into the night to try to take advantage of the sleeping castle to explore further and if nothing else at least figure out where things are at. You manage to discover two barracks, one full of Ogres the other full of Kobolds. Lucky for you, both groups are sound asleep as are the two Ogres atop a guard tower (although from the angle you can tell the probably dozed off and should not be sleeping).

There are several towers on the upper courtyard level. One on the west side of the upper courtyard is clearly locked with an arcane lock and despite Malice Bloodmoon’s best effort, it is very clear that dispel magic is not going to be enough to make it budge. At the northeast corner is a larger tower, unlocked but there are Ogre guards bivouacked here; these were fancy helms with feathered plumes on top, unlike the other Ogres you have seen so far. The second tower on the center mass of the upper courtyard looks to be in disrepair and is crumbling. The lower door is blocked from the inside, so much so that Pubert Adams nearly dislocates his shoulder trying to get to budge, wood creaking and cracking in the process.

Instead he decides to make the 75-foot climb up to the tower balcony to see if entrance can be gain that way. There he is greeted by a shadowy figure, a female voice bids him explain why he was trying beat down the door to her tower. His bluff is far to obvious to her and she instead decides Pubert would help satiate her hunger and so she lunges, biting him in the neck draining him of blood and health in a way he has not experienced before. Pubert has engaged a Vampire!

The rest of the team scrambles to either throw spells from below or find some way of getting to the balcony to aid the mighty barbarian, but it takes many precious seconds and while he manages to deal damage to this creature of the night, he is clearly in a serious fight for his life. Even his sentient magical sword, the mighty Hazirawn is concerned and were it not for its magical properties, the creature clearly would be able to quickly heal itself.

The battle is tense, but Malice, his natural seething hatred of the undead as a driving force, burns his Scroll of Dimension Door door to get to the balcony. Pubert takes advantage of brief retreat by the Vampire to secure a rope and drop it down to Rargir Stetsk who’s years as a sailor allow him to climb up quickly. Stuck below, Brehana Warpip sends her Hound of Ill Omen to assist until she can get closer to help.

The battle is tense with; she can give as well as she gets. Were it not for her natural healing ability limited by Hazirawn, the fight might well have been lost, but finally Rargir’s Spiritual Weapon seemingly vanquishes her as a final blow turns the Vampire to mist.

Battered and exhausted, Malice pulls out his ritual book and erects the ever familiar and welcome Tiny Hut and you all collapse for a very needed long rest as dawn breaks.