General Summary
The date is Tuesday 25th July
The time is 8:00 AM
We continue on to the south, heading for the far-off Wailing Hills. It starts raining which is unpleasant but we are hardy north men.
The date is Tuesday 8th August
The time is 8:00 AM
We reach the Wailing Hills and Idris spots the tracks of a band of booted creatures, maybe a couple of dozen of varying sizes. They were perhaps only a day or less ahead. We guess they are a goblin war band that got here before us.
As you wander over the cold, barren hills you stumble across a half-buried, paved path. Following the path, you soon notice to either side the remains of crumbling, low stone walls. The odd broken statue lies here and there. As you advance further still, the wastes give way to ordered orchards of cherry, apple and pear. Then in the distance, glimpsed through the boughs of the trees, you spy a ruined tower atop an outcrop of rock on a low hill.
The path winds its way to the base of a large rocky outcrop, crowned with a ruined tower. The trees that line the way have leaves that glow with marvellous hues. Ivy-covered statues look down at you mournfully from low plinths. At the end of the path, a pool of green, lily-covered water surrounds an island of old, standing stones.
The tower of
Nyere Nirduath
The time is 10:00 AM
The whole place was crawling with
Goblins,
wargs and
Bugbears. So naturally, we waded in.
The goblin horde was rapidly disposed of with much fire and brimstone. During the fight,
Sigmund ripped the soul out of a bugbear and commanded it to follow him.
We snuck up on a small lower chamber outside the tower. More bad guys were in there and of course, we fought them.
We soon dispatched them all.
The once sturdy door lies broken on the floor. Crisp leaves, blown in by the wind, gather in heaps here and there. A pool of clear water fills the centre of the room and fine marble columns hold up the vaulted ceiling. Silent statues, shrouded in dust and cobwebs, grace the sides. A set of double doors are the only other exit from the room.
We took an hour to recover our breath and eat a few snacks. Then we pushed on into the depths of the tower.
The long, cold hall is dimly lit by a few small, high windows.
This large, impressive room lies silent and cold. The eye is drawn to a large throne sitting atop a dais. Two elf statues watch impassively from behind. Four large columns keep the space open. Thick dust lies over everything making the place look dismal, but the firelight escaping from under the door to the left brings a little warmth.
Idris opened the door where the firelight was spilling from.
On opening the door you immediately notice a large, cheery fire blazing away in the hearth. In front of it lies a bear skin rug, arranged around which are a number of comfortable-looking chairs. A tended plant stands by a wall. This room looks tidy and well-kept.
Heading west:
This room is empty except for a statue and some old barrels. There is an opening to a spiral staircase that leads both up and down.
Heading east:
A long, beautifully crafted wooden table dominates the centre of this room, sturdy chairs tucked away neatly. The place closest to the door is set for a meal with a platter, flagon, utensils and simple candelabra. The further reaches of the room look like they haven't been disturbed in an age.
We moved up the stairs and into the tower ruins. The upper levels of the tower have completely collapsed as have the ceilings of the upper halls. This must once have been a very grand building. There was nowhere else to go upwards so we agreed to move back down into the depths.
In the stairs there is a small landing that opens out into a room from which the blue light emanates, the stairs continue down. The room is hewn out of the natural rock and seems to be lit with starlight. Statues of beautiful elves stand in the corners, palms raised upwards, both holding a light. A magic circle is inscribed on the floor in white. A closed, sturdy wooden door is in the middle of the east wall.
Chi amazingly found his Mystery Key unlocked the door and then disappeared.
Beyond the locked door was a corridor full of traps. An awakened tree also guarded the place but was swiftly blasted to ash.
Chi teleported down the corridor and opened the door at the end.
On opening the heavy doors you see a large chamber. Immediately before you, in the centre of the room, stone fingers protrude out of the ground as if clasping something in an upturned hand. The ground is covered in yellow sand, and inscribed on its surface are circles of mystical runes. In each corner stands a statue of a winged creature. The room is dimly lit by a faint flickering purple glow coming from the palm of the hand.
