Together, we stood on the steps of the tower. They looked... blasted, scorched by some great heat long before we came along to burn the garden below. The stone itself was cracked and blackened. The windows above were still whole, however, and I was willing to fly up and check them out.

We threw things into the air and over the garden walls first, however, to be sure that my other flights weren’t just luck and some barrier existed to limit our movements. Having decided that it was safe enough, Roywyn and Kor’tac walked over to inspect the fountain for clues in the form of coins while I took off to check the upper levels of the tower. (Kor’tac called out to me to bring a rope along for the rest to climb).

I picked an unlit window, first, peeping over the edge of the sill as best I could without exposing myself to attack from inside. I couldn’t see a thing. I gave up and flew to the lit window, making out a large burning humanoid shape through the grime on the pane. I managed to wipe the pane cleaner, and after flying up to the parapet of the roof, shouted to the others that it looked like a burning human shape walking around a well-scorched room.

I tied the rope to the stonework, then looked over the rest of the roof. It was flat, and had a trap door. I shouted that down to the others, and walked to the other side of the roof. There wasn’t much. This side had no garden, just a steep dropoff. More mountains could be seen, but the tower seemed to be built on a plateau that will be nearly impossible to get down from - not just for the folks who would have to climb; even my wings would get tired!

I walked back to where Kor’tac was climbing over the parapet, and watched him put his armor back on. Wondering what the others were up to, I leapt into space, catching myself halfway down to land neatly by the gnomes. Kor’tac called down to tell me to tie a knot in the rope about seven feet off the ground. I wondered why, but he kept chuckling in a way that kept me from asking. Meanwhile, Rowind and ‘Wyn had opened - and slammed shut - the front door.

Apparently the first floor was a large room, full of bones, rusted armor, weapons, and a large iron statue that turned toward them when the doors opened! I quickly flew back up to tell Kor’tac what they’d found. He was trying to open the trap door in the roof, and having no luck. Finally, he smashed it to bits, setting off a flash of light. We could see a ladder below, and a room with a door to exit by, but no window. Kor’tac asked me to tell the others, so I jumped off the roof a second time.

Downstairs, I was relieved to hear that the statue had not come out of the doors. I told the others that we could get inside from the roof, but this set off an argument with the druid. Mishklo refused to leave the now ash-grey wolf, but we had no good way to get it onto the roof. He didn’t think it was funny when I offered various ways to tie it with a rope and lift it up, either. I left them messing around with a blanket and calling to Moonlight (who was wisely staying away), and flew back to Kor’tac.

Kor’tac was standing on thin air. The trap door had some magical field over it, so we couldn’t get in even with the door gone! I leaned over the parapet and told ‘Wyn and ‘Wind about it, since they were climbing the rope to the roof. Mishklo and Moonlight were wandering the scorched garden - just as well, with the trapdoor not working. It didn’t even yield to a serious bashing from Kor’tac, so he climbed back down the rope while the gnomes gave the spell a once-over.

They asked me to try and open one of the windows, but I quickly discovered that they were all flush with the tower walls. I didn’t have the leverage to bash on one while flying, but tied my sword to a rope and the rope to the roof, and tried flying out and dropping it to crash into the window. I managed to hit the window, but it didn’t break. I borrowed a mace from ‘Wyn (the gnomes were climbing back down again), and tried holding the rope while bashing the window directly. No luck, and shouts from below distracted me, anyway.

Kor’tac and Mishklo had been waving and throwing things at the iron statue. Sure enough, it woke up and headed across the room at them, so they were shouting at _us_ to stay out of danger! Kor’tac backed up, trying to lure it into the open, while Mishklo narrowly ducked a huge swing from the thing’s long arm. ‘Wyn was singing above the battle, but there was no battle all of a sudden: when the golem reached the doorway, it simply slammed the doors shut in their faces!

Well, it seemed suicidal, but what other option did we have? We set ourselves up in front of the doors, and prepared to attack together. I got to shove the doors open, while the druid cast something, Kor’tac charged in, and ‘Wyn sent a magic missile into the iron giant. ‘Wyn sang, and ‘Wind shot it, while Kor’tac waded in with his glaive. The bullet stuck in the thing and seemed to be absorbed, but Kor’tac’s weapon did not. He and the thing began to trade mighty blows, while the rest of us got out of the way!

I managed to fly over the battle (and not be hit by the golem, whew!), and landed on a balcony which afforded me a good view to shoot arrows at the thing. (I was hoping to find an “off” button to it, but no luck). ‘Wyn wrapped a blanket around its head, but it didn’t seem to care. ‘Wind and I kept shooting (my arrows stuck and absorbed, too), between Kor’tac’s attacks, and Mishklo healed Kor’tac repeatedly. ‘Wyn tried to trip the thing up, using a grease spell and her whip, but it was just too big.

Thankfully, Kor’tac was able to destroy the golem. It took forever!

Rowind cast a spell to find any magical items in the tangle of bones and metal, discovering some magical arrows, a dagger, some vials, and a ring. He gave the ring to Roywyn on bended knee, which made me applaud him from the balcony - but she just laughed and brushed him off. I booed.

There’s a hallway on the second floor, and doors. Time to explore!

Posted by Kate on September 17, 2006, 10:58 | Seren’s Journal