The Burden of the Tower

See Also: Bardic Knowledge

The note said to escape through the catacombs so Amer Terrante, Brizanthimus, Xarth, and Rakul Shaleem fled down the stairs. Stopping in their room they rush through the guards stationed outside and recover their gear and the knife. In addition, Rakul takes the blessed sword of Father Jana called “Storm Surge”. They continue down the stairs, eventually going below the level of the lake. As they passed under the lake water seepage becomes strong enough that most everyone is wet from it dripping on them or brushing against the wall. The water is extremely cold, leaving ice crystals when it touches them or the rock. Worse, it chills not only the flesh but the soul as well. A dark cloud of depression hangs over them as they enter the catacombs.

The first area they pass through is a row of prison cells. Most of the occupants are long dead, but some are still alive – kept in a constant state of torture by magical means. It is a horrifying passage that reinforces the need to escape quickly. The next corridor is lined by statues. Each statue a simple depiction of the Master of the Tower as they appeared when they arrived. The name of each master is on the pedestal and behind them a sealed vault that probably contains their remains – even Ephesus already has a statue here. Only one pedestal is empty, belonging to someone named Brynte, only three interlocking rings are on the pedestal.

As they pass by the last statue everyone can feel a distinct change occurs that sends shivers down their spines. They step out unto a stone ledge overhanging a large pool of water. In the middle of the pool is a small stone island upon which stands the Steward of the Tower. The only other way out is on the far side of the pool, but it is barred by a large iron gate. Charles is already on the ledge and seems amused at their arrival.

Before Rakul is able to enter the water he sees several ripples in the water and pulls his foot back. The Steward says that you are free to pass if you have not broken any rules of the tower. Rakul, who has broken no rules is the first to pass harmlessly; although there is something that brushes against his legs in the water. Xarth is worried about the knife, so Amer goes next; however instead of going past the Steward he grabs him and throws him into the water. The Steward recovers enough to throw liquid metal at Amer, burning his arm, as large serpentine water rises up from the pool.

Briz thrashes his way through the water, but the serpent makes reaching the far side impossible. Xarth charges into the pool as well – interposing himself between Briz and the water serpent. Rakul goes back into the water to grapple with the Steward long enough for Amer, his arm now hardened into a golden hue, to reach the far side. Charles is amused by all of this as he calmly walks along the ceiling to the far side. When Briz, Xarth, and Rakul reach the ledge the Steward can no longer reach them.

The Steward claims that they are all fools and will only find their deaths in the caverns beyond. Still, he has no choice but to open the gate and let them be judged. With Charles following just on the edge of their lantern light they enter the caverns. The change is noticed immediately by Briz and Xarth as they can feel a strong draw of magical power downward – a vortex consuming magical energy.

Amer, still reeling from the pig he made of himself at the dinner and in pain from the burning gold from the Steward just cannot go on any further without help. While Xarth and Briz help him – Rakul goes forward to see if there is anything interesting ahead. He finds a library with a web-covered ceiling that extends out of sight. An crone with four spider-like legs extending from her back descends in front of him. She tells him that he must pass the test of the mind in order to pass through her domain. If he should fail in his task then he will be hauled up as food.

Rakul agrees to a debate about the “Meaning of the Gods”, but asks a boon to fetch his wounded friends, which she allows. When they all reach the room he tells them the story – upset over the topic, nonetheless Xarth and Amer agree to debate the woman. The crone smiles and summons the first Master of the Tower to act as judge.

It is a difficult debate and the judge seems to favor first one then the other’s arguments. Xarth attempts to take a more spiritual road for the debate, but his line is squashed quickly. He has more success when Amer helps him build upon the personal nature of the gods to his world – the reflections of the gods in those they created and oversee. In the end the elf judges Xarth and Amer to have won the debate and gifts them with a bottle of elven wine. The crone acknowledges their win and opens the door allowing everyone to proceeds further into the caverns.

Charles, as always continues to follow behind just at the edge of the light.

In time they reach a large cavern that is faintly lit by the pools of water and rivers along its floor. Xarth cannot climb down still injured from the battle with the water serpent, so Amer helps him while Rakul and Briz investigate the cavern. They are met by a bi-pedal chimera who tells that that the Master of the Tower must see through deception so as to not be fooled. He takes Amer and Xarth hostage saying that they will be returned unharmed should they unlock the secrets of the waters within one hour.

In the center of the cavern sits a large tower made of iron that mimics the tower itself. It sits on a small rocky outcropping in the center of a pool of water. Small rivers run from the pool to the base of waterfalls that travel up into the ceiling. Stone bridges cross the rivers as they appear too deep to be fordable. Strange man-beasts wander around the cavern, drinking from the waters of the pool. Rakul gets close enough to river to feel the same spiritual depression as the waters on the lake above.

Briz believes that these are the actually headwaters of the lake, but will need to get closer to examine them. Rakul does his best to distract the creature, giving Briz enough time to determine that the tower in the center of the island is actually an illusion. Inside of the tower is a incredibly fat demon held in place by giant gold and silver meat hooks. The blood and saliva dripping from the creature is what makes the water in the pool. Rakul, injured by the man-beast he distracts manages to make his way to one of the bridges, which instantly causes the creature to lose track of him.

Needing more information Rakul grapples with one of the man-beasts while Briz tears apart the spell on it. After the spell is broken the man beings to age before their eyes. Before he passes on he tells them that only one trap is real and only one lock will tell them the truth – anything else is certain death or enslavement. With great care the two of them cross the pool to the island.

Briz steps up first – he cannot defeat the illusion as it is far too complicated and every time he tries it rebuilds itself. Instead, he creates a small window that he can move around – it nearly drives Rakul insane but he drives the gibbering voice from his head. Working together they ignore the shadow traps, bypassing the only real trap. Rakul climbs up the body avoiding the hooks and shoves his entire hand into the lock he believes is real. After it clicks a golden cage descended holding a silver and marble chalice. The stem of the chalice is Amer and Xarth, shrunk but not silenced.

Rakul knows what he must do. He dips the chalice into the water and drinks from it – then tears a chunk of flesh from the demon and consumes it. In an instant he sees and knows everything of the tower. The Steward is the tower – he is the one that freely sacrificed his soul to repair the corruption of the ward – is the intellect of the tower. The ward itself is a giant prison that holds demons captured from the ancient times of the elves and dwarves. The Master of the Tower is in fact the servant of the ward and warden of the prison. The demon chained here is not only the power that serves the ward, but the power that defends the ward as well.

As the Masters of the Tower have gotten weaker, more prone to material gains and attachments, the ward has weakened. Only a Master that is truly serving – willing to sacrifice all – can maintain the strength of the ward, such people are nearly impossible to find in the world. He also sees the hand of Charles in the downfall of the Masters. He has tempted them with the riches and power of the world, leading them into a life of sin and opulence.

Charles laughs when Rakul confronts him about what he has done. He decanted the soul of the first Steward into a bottle and tricked the then-Master into selling it. Since then he has provided a long list of riches to the Masters of the Tower. Each gift broke another stone in the ward – each one bringing the prison closer to destruction. Only Amer cannot hear all of this because he grabs up the stone bowl that remains – he drinks the water and stuffs his mouth with the flesh.

When they finally reach the exit of the they find a large translucent metal door blocking their path. On the other side they can see what appears to be an inn where people are laughing, singing, dancing, and enjoying life. It is here that Charles demands that either they give the knife to him or that they agree to swear upon their mortal souls to deliver the knife to the Girardino da Liovia as Amer promised.

When Amer appears to be willing to accept the deal both Briz and Xarth tell them about the prophecy that says Bornheim will be destroyed if the dagger enters the city. With no other options they attack Charles, hoping to drive past him and open the door before he can kill them or take the knife.

“Fools,” Charles snarls, “no mortal weapon can harm me. I am eternal”

Rakul draws for the Storm Surge, the blessed blade of Karash, and jumps in front of a wave of darkness and flame that Charles breathes at them. He manages to turn the demon’s attack, but his faith is not true and so the sword breaks. Briz and Xarth use their magic to attack Charles, but it is clear that he is far beyond their capabilities. Amer declares himself the Master of the Tower and demands that the door be opened – he also summons the Steward to battle Charles.

As everyone suffers physically from the battle, Charles finally manages to tear the box holding the knife free from Xarth’s back. The knife clatters to the ground. Before Charles can retrieve it Briz fills the cave with several duplicates of the knife, but the magical torrent at the center of the saves drains too much from his magic. Charles snatches up the knife and flees into the inn.