(G621 11/04/2026 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) EVL13
[The undead cleric of Umberlee known as Salt's Wake has signed up with an expedition to Jundarwood along with his new chum Korinth, a sellsword. They are now in the ruins of Tyfellia at their final destination - the foot of Klonis Tower. Rollo keeps an eye on them.]
DAY 730 1st Ches (March) continued...
Egnol was now ready to enter the tower. Korinth looked up at it. He estimated it to be at least sixteen floors tall, about 150 ft. It was impressive and he marvelled at how it must have looked before it fell into ruins. He had never seen a structure as tall as this in the cities of man. On the upper stories could be seen tall windows, some of them smashed or missing entirely.
He made a nervous joke about how it would be easier just to fly to up to the top on the back of giant eagles rather than clearing their way up floor by floor.
As he shaded his eyes against the sun, he did indeed see an eagle wheeling around the tower. (That was me of course).
Egnol told him to leave it alone. It would have been out of range anyway. Korinth then went and glanced in through a small gap in the two main doors and saw some skeletons standing about and some thorny looking vines. There were doorways just visible to the east and west and a set of stairs to the north.
While Korinth was doing something useful, Salty was doing something annoying. He was teasing the porters about turning them into undead. They did not see the funny side and ran off, forcing Egnol and Bozor to go after them.
Korinth rolled his eyes and entered the tower, and slinking behind a vine covered pillar. Salty still had plenty of nonsense in him and ordered Wrunas the minotaur to charge the doors. Wrunas never needs to be told to charge anything twice and so went right at them. Forcing them shut of course! They could still hear Korinth's loud groan as he realised all this stupidity had basically imprisoned him in the tower! It only got worse as the vines (which were Assassin Vines) had scented him and slithered in to try and grab at his limbs.
Wrunas is a very strong chap though, so it was the work of a moment for him to grab one of the doors and haul it open. When there was enough of a gap Nukillas slipped into the tower and cast a Turn Undead. Salty just waited outside, being precious with his undead kua-toa.
Once the undead had been turned and slain, and the vines all chopped up, Korinth then went on to clear out the east and west room entirely by himself. Salty made an appearance when the loot was being collected and finally Egnol came in once he had rounded up everyone else.
Pushing some harmless vines aside they discovered a room with some treasure chests in it. Some greedy looting ensued, but the most interesting item was a ring that allowed the wearer to speak and understand elvish. It was Wrunas that found it and he put it through his nose.
Salty wanted everyone to hurry up now and so said, 'come on! I've been doing all the heavy lifting here!'
Egnol glowered at the undead cleric, but refrain from comment. Salty then went on to tease the porters again. 'So who is going to be the advance party to go up the tower? I say it should be, porter one, porter two, porter three ...'
Nukillas liked to joke about as well, and always at Salty's expense, so joined in saying, 'come on porters! You can't expect old Salty Trousers to go up there!
He's got to find where his crusty old undead balls have rolled off to!'
Things were getting out of hand so Egnol shouted at all of them.
'Enough! You blithering band of idiots! We've serious business to attend to!'
Korinth was affronted. 'What are you shouting at me for? I've not done anything!'
Egnol apologised to Korinth and then selected the advance party. For now it would be Korinth, Salty and Nukillas. The others would stay at the base of the tower and guard the doors and the baggage.
'If you need backup, just shout down for us,' he told them as they headed for the stairs.
The first five floors were not much more than dusty ruins and undead that were so stumbling and withered to be of no threat.
On the sixth floor though they started encountering allips - the incorporeal remnants of people driven to insanity and suicide. They were more annoying than anything else as they could hypnotise the living and drain them of their wisdom.
Nukillas could Turn them though, and did so, even bringing several of them under her control. As they went up another floor they were attacked by more of them and Korinth was drained. Salty then remembered he had recently looted a magic longsword and handed to Korinth so he could fight them effectively.
'On you go,' he said encouragingly before stepping back into the safety of the stairwell.
Up another level the went and they were beset by more allips and a wraith. More Turns from Nukaliss and sword play from Korinth soon dealt with them.
On they went, up another floor, where the rooms had been overtake by roots and vines. There was a wight here and twig blights, but again they prevailed against them. Through it all Salty hung back, as the other did the hard work. He was maybe keeping his powder dry for when something worthy of his attention showed up!
