Immured

Undecitina 16, 1000 PC

Our heroes, having suddenly been shunted back to their proper place in time, find themselves trapped in Gresham's Library...

The basement of the tower.

Nyza dismisses her invisibility.

Sparta: Nice to see you again, Nyza.

Dale: Nyza, you're going to be a momma.

Eregard looks suspiciously at Gresham's protrait.

Nyza: It's great! Another little 'Nyza' running around and flinging spells! Me have to think of a name for her though...

Legeand: Or him...

Celesta: Will your haversack protect your egg well enough, Nyza?

Nyza: Good question. There isn't anything too sharp in there, so it should be OK, as long as nobody step on it.

Wintersky: You know it is a her already?

Nyza: No, not exactly...but hatchlings from warm eggs tend more often to be girls.

Oliveryn: If you are keeping it close, it is certain to be a girl then.

Nyza cautiously stashes the egg inside the haversack.

Nyza: And you too, Celesta? So Gresham says anyway.

Nyza: Congratulations all around!

Celesta: Oh, he is quite observant and quite correct.

Legeand: Guess we need to travel a bit more carefully from now on...

Celesta: We should see to getting ourselves out of here.

Celesta: Let us get your armor reconfigured for your wings, Luanes.

Nyza: Right. Nyza is anxious to see if this actually is our exact time.

Dale: Shall we try the door?

Nyza: Who knows, maybe we go outside and Tangleton is a sprawling metropolis.

Legeand: Which? There are a ton of wards outside.

Oliveryn: Logical place to start, Dale.

Nyza: Watch out!

Nyza: The door is trapped with lightning-bolt magic in present times.

Sparta: Perhaps we should go up to the study first.

Celesta casts Detect Magic.

Sparta: You solved that puzzle to make a key the first time we visited.

Celesta: Oh, magic everywhere. This is going to take some concentration.

Nyza: My key get burnt up on Visaria. You should still have yours though, Sparta.

Sparta rustles through his pockets looking for the key.

Sparta: Yes, here it is.

Celesta: The door there, Nyza, has heavy abjuration and necromantic magic on it.

Sparta holds up a sheet of vellum.

Celesta: Lightning bolts are invocations.

Sparta: How do we use it?

Luanes picks up her mithral breastplate, wondering how she is going to use it now.

Nyza: Good to know that the evocation isn't there, but the necromancy is still troubling.

Wintersky: I can work on that for you Luanes to adjust it.

Nyza: Ms Sky, maybe you can dispel it as before?

Dale: Don't worry, Luanes. If we are back in our own time, we have a few dwarves in Tangleton. Maybe they can reforge your armor for you.

Celesta: Luanes, I can help you get that to work with your wings.

Eregard continues to watch the portrait.

Wintersky: Twas the only magic of that type that I had. We would have to wait another day.

Luanes: How?

Legeand: We should search the rest of the rooms while were here too.

Wintersky: It was a greater dispelling.

Sparta: There are a few bedrooms here, but I don't think Gresham was used to entertaining this many guests.

Nyza: Me can cast lesser dispellings many times, it just might not work too well.

Celesta: Bring it on over here, Luanes. I have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to crafting magical items.

Nyza: Celesta, think Gresham would mind if you disintegrated a hole in his wall?

Luanes brings the armor to Celesta.

Sparta: That's a bit drastic, Nyza.

Celesta: I am pretty certain a disintegrate would take us all out.

Sparta: I'd rather not do anything to upset Gresham, even a teensy bit.

Celesta looks at Luanes' armor and makes a couple of adjustments.

Luanes' armor suddenly splits in two places in the back and the straps reconfigure to allow the wings to move freely.

Celesta yipes.

Luanes: Thank yo....what is it??

Celesta: How did that happen?

Celesta: It must have been made for wings already.

Luanes: Wha???

Celesta: I will let someone better at doning armor help you put this back on. I would like to look at this seal.

Luanes: ...

Luanes: Very well.

Legeand: While they fiddle with the armor, Legeand rises and begins to examine the door directly behind him.

Luanes examines the armor with interest, working out how to put it on.

Sparta: That's one of the bedrooms, Legeand. Perhaps where young Prince Random stayed when he was studying with Gresham.

Legeand: Best to examine what we have now, right? If there are wards on the outer doors, the inner ones will be safe, right?

Nyza casts a Detect Magic spell of her own, looking at Legeand's door.

Sparta: They were the last time we came, but several were locked.

Legeand: Well, a locked door never stopped me before.

Nyza: No...that door is not magic, but pretty much all the others here are.

Legeand tries the door, pushing it to open, "Well, then let us try it."

Sparta waves the vellum about.

Sparta: Do you think this will help?

Celesta moves over to look at the seal that Sparta is waving around.

Luanes tries to put the armor on without hurting her wings.

The door opens revealing a room with two sets of bunks and a footlocker.

Wintersky tries to help Luanes with her armor.

Legeand: Stepping into the room, Legeand takes a quick double look before bending to examine the footlocker.

A rusty lock keeps the clasp on the footlocker closed, but it looks fragile.

Legeand: Nyza, another spell to take a look around the room?

Nyza keeps concentrating on the same spell.

Nyza: It is clear.

Luanes: Thank you.

Legeand takes his sword and slams it down on the old lock.

Wintersky: How does it feel now?

Luanes and Wintersky manage to get the armor fitted, both getting used to the large wings while doing so.

Nyza: Not that it bothers me, but you might not want to start stealing things from the super-powerful lich.

Legeand: True, but we need anything we can get to last the night and technically we are his guests...

The lock breaks off and falls to the floor.

Legeand takes a moment to sheath his sword and ease open the chest, "But either way, from the dust around I would say he does not do much around here anyway."

Nyza: Anyway, what's done is done. Anything interesting in there?

The chest opens revealing a folded piece of vellum in the bottom.

Luanes: Better, but the wings will take some getting used to.

Legeand: Another one of those sheets. probably to help guests get around. Care to take it Nyza, since you lost your one to Vis.

Nyza: Sure.

Nyza unfolds the parchment and reads its contents.

Wintersky: Try not to knock anyone over, okay?

The vellum has the drawing of a key on it, but no text or glyphs.

Legeand: Well, what is on it?

Wintersky: TalksMuch, BearTickler are you around?

Celesta studies Sparta's seal.

Celesta: There was a symbol like this on the front door. I suppose we would have to get out there to use it.

Celesta: How did you make this seal, Nyza? It looks modular.

Nyza have to stamp it with wax to make it.

Nyza describes the process in detail.

Nyza: This parchment is weird though, not like the last one. It's just a picture; no magic.

Celesta smirks, "Gresham is playing games with us."

Oliveryn: A drawing of a key? Sounds like a test from the college in Troll's Bridge.

Nyza: This is the only locked door after all. Maybe he plan for us to go in there and get the paper.

Oliveryn: We need to find a lock for the key.

Nyza: How about one of the other doors in here?

Legeand: A 'key' to the doors? Makes sense.

Sparta: Remember the first time you stamped the seal? It lowered all the wards for a while.

Celesta: They seem to be Arcane Locked. We have Knock, do we not?

Sparta: Maybe your new key will get us back upstairs.

Nyza: We do, yes.

Nyza: Searches around her pack for the wand, again careful around the new item in the bag.

Nyza: Sparta, you think we should go upstairs then?

Nyza: Nyza just wonder which door to Knock first.

Sparta: Yes, upstairs.

Nyza casts Knock at the northeastern door.

The door clicks and opens just a little bit.

Sparta pushes to open the door all the way.

Sparta: Going up?

Sparta finds the door difficult to open and reveals that the stairwell is filled with webs.

Sparta: This is strange.

Sparta: The tower wasn't this messy the first time we visited.

Celesta: Great! Guards and Wards. Must have triggered it when I tried to teleport.

Legeand: Probably.

Wintersky: Can we just burn them?

Nyza: And the rest of the tower.

Sparta: There was a library upstairs.

Celesta: Sure, but they grow back after a few minutes.

Legeand: Fire in an enclosed space, towards other doors, in a tower with wards...

Nyza: Sounds like a party!

Legeand: How about the other doors on this floor?

Celesta smirks, "Probably not a plan."

Sparta: Are they magical webs or is there a spider at work?

Nyza: Magical, from the warding spell.

Celesta: They are a spell.

Sparta looks closely at the webs.

Sparta: Yes, not from a real spider anyway.

Nyza nods at Leggy's suggestion.

Legeand: Try the other doors and take a look around. then we can put what we find together and come up with a plan.

Sparta closes the door to keep the webs from spreading into the dining room.

Nyza points the wand at the door by Wintersky.

The door clicks and swings open. A blast of hot air is expelled. Firelight can be seen flickering within.

Legeand: Next door, Nyza? There are enough to split up the group.

Wintersky casts Detect Undead.

Nyza: Better if we stick together, me think.

Wintersky: Very large fire!!

Legeand: Another ward?

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): Who goes there?

Wintersky steps away from the door.

Nyza (in Ignan): Nyza the Flame, friend to the blazing elements. And these are my own friends.

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): vethIxen?

Nyza (in Ignan): Yes, to use my Draconic name.

Nyza (in Almebezbik): He seems to know me...

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): I have been set to test you, little one.

Oliveryn casts Comprehend Languages.

Wintersky: Might want to leave the sack, Nyza.

Dale nudges Sparta.

Dale: What are they saying?

Nyza (in Ignan): What kind of test?

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): Step into the room, Nyza the Flame.

Nyza takes off her sack and sets it on the table.

Oliveryn translates, quietly.

Sparta: I dunno, that's not Nyza's usual tongue.

Dale: Thank you, Oli.

Nyza (in Almebezbik): Says he wants to test me. It will be alright.

Dale: Test you, but you've just had an egg. Are you ready?

The blaze of the elemental warms Nyza as she approaches.

Nyza isn't particularly fazed.

The heat intensifies as she gets closer, but Nyza is unaffected.

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): This is close enough, little one. You have passed the first test.

Wintersky: Do you think she will immolate herself?

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): A simple question next. What is the name of the city of the efreet?

Sparta: She's part red dragon. I think she is safe enough.

Nyza (in Ignan): Just seeing one like yourself burning so brightly is enough to make me come, test or not.

Dale: Besides, she has her egg to care for.

Fire Elemental rumbles.

Nyza (in Ignan): It is the City of Brass. About the only place safe for mortals on the fire-plane. And home to enslaved kobolds.

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): Correct, and true on all counts.

Fire Elemental (in Ignan): Surviving my embrace is your next and last test. Are you ready?

Nyza is glad she took Wintersky's advice.

Nyza (in Ignan): Embrace away!

The massive elemental moves forward, engulfing Nyza, flaring with intense heat that scorches the table.

Dale: Oh dear.

Nyza: Arrgh!

Nyza appears to burst into flames and the elemental vanishes with a flash and an untranslatable expletive.

Dale: Oh, Nyza, are you OK?

Nyza: Hahaha!

Nyza laughes maniacally.

Nyza: And my first test is to turn you all to dust! - ... No, just kidding, hehe.

Nyza continues to glow with licking flames.

Wintersky picks up Nyza's haversack to keep it safe.

Nyza marvels at her flaming hands.

Nyza: Oh, Dale.

Dale: Is that really you?

Celesta: Did you just become a fire elemental, Nyza?

Nyza: Same Nyza as ever...no, not the same. Celesta is right.

Wintersky: How will you care for your egg and little one?

Nyza: Nyza will still be there...

Dale and Sparta simultaneously: She'll be able to keep it warm.

Wintersky: Your child will be fire-proof?

Oliveryn: A girl for sure.

Nyza: No...

Nyza looks a little disturbed at what Wintersky is suggesting.

Luanes: Congratulations, Nyza...

Dale: Can you quench the flames? Maybe you can learn to control them.

Nyza notices the floor sizzling underneath her feet.

Nyza: It would be nice to not set fire to every building I go into.

Oliveryn: Good thing this place is made of stone.

Nyza: And thanks Luanes. It really is what Nyza want...

Celesta: Nyza can take care of the webs for us.

Sparta: Yes, we can't have you burning down all of Tanglewood.

Sparta: Ironroot wouldn't be pleased.

Nyza: Maybe someone can carry my pack for me in the meantime?

Wintersky: Do you mind if I hold your egg until you figure things out?

Celesta: She will have to fly, I suppose.

Nyza: Me be in your debt, Ms. Sky.

Wintersky: How warm should it be, Nyza?

Nyza: Keeping it close to you should be enough for now.

Sparta tries to banish the thought of poached kobold eggs from his mind.

Nyza: But maybe a blanket to bundle it is okay if you have one?

Nyza is about to brush past Luanes to get to the webs, but stops short before burning her.

Celesta: Better let our little elemental through, Luanes.

Wintersky removes her bedroll from her pack and carefully wraps the egg.

Eregard notices the portraits expression turn into a frown.

Eregard: Uh oh.

Legeand: What uh oh?

Eregard: The portrait is frowning.

Nyza: Thank you, again, Ms. Sky. It really means a lot that me can count on you...

Legeand looks at the portrait, "Old man lich finally noticed us?"

Eregard: I have been staring at it so hard, I am not sure if has been really moving or not until now.

Celesta: Let us find our picture of the lock and get up to the library.

Legeand: Well, let me know when he starts dancing in his picture.

Wintersky places her hand in the blanket and casts endure elements upon the egg then carefully places it in the haversack once more.

Sparta: Perhaps we should re-introduce ourselves.

Sparta: It's been a while since Master Gresham invited us in.

Celesta: Hey! That door just vanished.

Legeand: Only a thousand years for most of us.

Nyza: Door? What door?

Celesta: The one next to the portrait.

Celesta looks around.

Celesta: And the one to the lavatory too.

Nyza: It was certainly there before.

Wintersky puts on the haversack. Checking to see that her bow and arrow are free to be used and her medicine bag is not hindered.

Legeand: So is he guiding us or just doesn't want us to enter those rooms?

Celesta: Might be further effects of the Guards and Wards.

Celesta: Just illusions if it is.

Nyza feels at the door.

The door re-appears.

Wintersky: Perhaps we do not want a wall between us and should regroup.

Dale: Good idea.

Nyza: Shall we continue the search then?

Nyza: Just a fake wall, the door is still here.

Nyza: "Here," Nyza tosses the Wand of Knock to Celesta.

Celesta catches the wand.

Celesta aims the wand at the door Knocks.

The door swings open revealing another bed room.

Celesta: Legeand, will you do the honors in this room as well?

Legeand: Ah, sure.

Legeand enters the newly opened room.

The room has a large bed, large cedar chest, nightstand and bookshelf.

Legeand takes a moment like in the last room to inspect the chest.

This chest is locked, but does not have an external lock.

Legeand: Where is Ozi when you need a thief. A chest without a lock in here. Not too much else.

Celesta moves into the room.

Celesta: We better find a way to open all these doors or we are going to run out of charges.

Celesta aims the wand at the cedar chest and Knocks.

Legeand moves to the chest and tries to open it.

The chest opens revealing a pile of linens and a scabbarded bastard sword.

Wintersky: Nyza can you dispel magic and try to get the ward doing the webs and locks?

Legeand reaches in and takes a look at the sword more closely.

Legeand: Scratching his jaw, Legeand wonders where he saw this sword before. Taking it, he examines the linens.

Celesta: Looks like an apprentice's room. Egalem's maybe?

Legeand: Might be.

Nyza: Probably not. Gresham's magic is just too strong to dispel now that he is a lich for awhile.

In the bottom of the chest are the odd assortment of clothes Egalem was wearing when Legeand first met him.

Legeand: It looks to be his room for sure; these are his.

Legeand: I will take a look at the nightstand, want to open the next room?

Nyza: Please do, Celesta. Me go with you.

Oliveryn spots the sword through the doorway as Legeand holds it, "That looks like Emperor Ran's sword."

Legeand: Oh? So it is important, is it?

Oliveryn: Different scabbard though, but he hilt is definitely the same.

Legeand: Draws the sword from the sheath, "Any other marks?"

Oliveryn gets closer and looks at the engraving, "Same engraving."

Legeand nods, "Well, I will keep this on hand then."

Oliveryn: Maybe it is a replica.

Nyza: Try cutting something with it. An emperor's sword must be really well made, yes?

Legeand glances at Nyza, "Most swords are, but I rather not wreck it just in case."

Celesta touches the wall where the door should be and it re-appears.

Celesta aims the wand and Knocks.

Legeand moves in and examines the nightstand and anything in it or on it.

The door swings open.

Legeand takes anything he finds and moves back to Oli, taking a look at what he has taken, "Not much else."

Celesta steps through the door and vanishes.

Nyza: Huh.

Nyza: You still there?

No reply.

Legeand unfolds a sheet of vellum he found and examines it for any writing or drawings.

Thunder cracks outside.

The vellum contains the drawing of a lock.

Legeand waves the sheet to the others, " Found the lock..."

The tower shakes as an explosion can be heard somewhere above.

Nyza steps through the doorway as well.

Nyza stands in a large bedroom with a bookshelf, bed and bearskin rug.

Nyza: Dale, do you see me okay?

Dale: Yes, Nyza, you're right there.

Nyza: Me do not know what just happen to Celesta. Maybe she teleports?

Nyza: But she is not here.

Dale: She tried teleporting earlier.

Legeand: Maybe that explosion we just heard was her?

Dale: Maybe it finally took effect.

Nyza: Right, that is what me think, Leggy.

Another crack of thunder from outside.

Nyza: Try putting those parchments together?

Sparta: Sounds like the storm is getting worse.

Sparta: Maybe it shorted out the wards.

Legeand: Where is the other parchment?

Wintersky looks up the stairs.

Nyza motions at the haversack.

Oliveryn: I think it might be Celesta casting powerful spells. Remember when she tried to teleport before.

Nyza: If she is fighting upstairs, we should go help.

Sparta: My key? Celesta had it.

Legeand: Sky, the other sheet of vellum please?

Wintersky: What?! Oh, she rummages in the haversack for the piece of vellum being careful not to disturb the egg.

Wintersky: "Here it is," holding it up.

Legeand takes it and tries to place the key picture into the lock picture.

Oliveryn smirks, "The test is to find the headmaster to receive the real key and the location of the lock."

Legeand: Worth a shot wasn't it?

Sparta: Maybe you need to twist the key in the lock.

Eregard: Ah, the frown just turned into a scowl.

Chilly air begins to waft into the room.

Legeand: I am tempted to stab the picture...

Wintersky: Undead coming near you Eregard and Legeand.

Eregard leaps up on the table and draws his rapiers.

Sparta whispers to Eregard, "Put those away."

Legeand readies his own sword, taking care to store the other with his other weapons.

Sparta: You can't fight a lich like that.

Eregard: Why?

Another crack of thunder splits the air outside.

Sparta: Get down and be polite and maybe he won't be too upset with us.

Legeand: I'm sure he is unhappy as it is.

Nyza checks the door again with Detect Magic.

The image in the portrait begins to age.

Nyza: The necromancy ward is still up anyway.

Nyza: So no running!

Legeand: Nyza, you should shake hands with our host.

Luanes: That cannot be good.

Dale: If Celesta is upstairs, maybe we should be heading that way too?

Wintersky readies Blessed Black and Undead Bane Arrows.

Nyza: Gresham would probably just laugh before killing me.

Legeand: Yes, but it would be laugh worthy.

The image in the portrait begins to dessicate.

Nyza opens the door and checks if the webs are still there.

Sparta steels himself for the lichy presence that is about to burst through the portrait.

Nyza walks into the webs!

The eyes of the portrait shrivel and begin to glow.

The webs begin to burn and quickly give way.

Wintersky follows Nyza.

Sparta: Everybody, follow Ms. Sky.

Sparta: I'll be the last one out.

Nyza: Me rather not be here to greet him. Let us get Celesta.

Wintersky whistles for SnowShadow.

Legeand follows behind the others into the stairs.

Dale whistles to Ferocious & Ringo and follows along.

Eregard leaps from the table and through the door.

Oliveryn follows looking back fascinated at the portrait's transformation.

Luanes backs out of the room and up the stairs.

Sparta: Sorry to have disturbed your peace again, Lord Gresham.

Sparta: We'll be leaving as soon as we can find the door.

Sparta steps into the stairwell can closes the door.

Some kind of heavy force hits the door just as it closes, but it holds.

Sparta: Whew, just made it.

Wintersky: We have a Nyza torch.

Dale: This must be the library?

This chamber is lined with bookshelves except for a fireplace. A desk stands near the stairs and two chair before the fireplace. A skeleton stands beside the fireplace.

Wintersky watches the skeleton, prepared to turn it if it so much as twitches.

Skeleton: Proof, please.

Nyza: Leggy? Think he means the papers.

Oliveryn double-takes at the skeleton.

Legeand walks up to the skeleton and hands him the vellum sheets.

Skeleton reachs out for the vellum.

Wintersky holds her Medicine bag.

Legeand releases the papers to the skeleton.

Skeleton inspects the pages of vellum.

Sparta: Do you think you can show me how to make another key?

Skeleton folds the pages of vellum and tosses them toward the fireplace, which suddenly lights and consumes the pages.

Nyza: Good idea. Me need another copy too.

Wintersky: Careful of the books.

Skeleton removes his head and shakes his skull until a key drops into its hand.

Nyza goes about making another key while Legeand handles the skeleton.

Skeleton hands the key to Legeand.

Legeand takes the key and looks over it, "Well, that helps."

Wintersky: Now what?

Oliveryn (whispering): Ask for the location of the lock.

Legeand: It is probably in this room.

Dale: If we had Celesta, I'd say unlock the front door and let's get outta here.

Oliveryn (whispering): It is part of the test.

Legeand takes a good look about the room.

Legeand: So the lock will not be in the open, so anything out of place, or make a good place to hide.

Sparta looks at the desk trying to remember how to re-assemble the stamp.

Wintersky: If the key was in his skull where do you suppose the lock would be?

Sparta starts taking the drawer pulls apart and fitting them together to form the stamp.

Oliveryn rolls his eyes, "The skeleton is waiting for you to ask, but you only have a limited amount of time."

Sparta looks in the drawers for more vellum and wax.

Legeand: Skeleton, where is the lock?

Skeleton: About time. The belly of the dragon.

Skeleton points at the ceiling before crumbling to dust.

Nyza: Dragon?!

Legeand looks up, "Belly of a dragon?"

Thunder cracks again.

Sparta: That doesn't sound good.

Legeand: Ah, no.

RRRRROOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!!!

A terrifying roar echoes through the tower.

Sparta: That doesn't sound like a dragon.

Oliveryn: Whatever it is, it sounds like it is right above us.

Legeand: Then we should ascend.

Sparta: There was a secret door behind these bookshelves.

Nyza: Yep! Celesta can not fight the whatever-it-is on her own.

Sparta: It opened the last time we stamped the seal.

Wintersky: You just want to burn something.

Nyza: Luanes spread her wings. Why can't Nyza?

Legeand: Yours require spells and there are wards?

Wintersky: What is the change. You have always wanted to burn something.

Faint talking in a taunting tone can be heard from the stair well.

Sparta thinks the voice sounds like Celesta.

Luanes: Well, we should make a decision and act....quickly.

Wintersky: Is the seal made?

Sparta: That's Celesta talking.

Wintersky heads up the stairs.

Nyza: Yes, all done Ms. Sky.

Nyza casts Mirror Image on herself before following.

Sparta: Let's get upstairs.

Legeand follows behind them.

Sparta steps onto the stairs.

Luanes follows.

Dale and the animals follow behind

Wintersky: Krikeys, Celesta, what goes on here!

Celesta: So glad you could join me.

Oliveryn and Eregard ascend the stairs.

Wintersky: Demons in circles are scary. I prefer them to remain in the Abyss.

Dale: Can you banish him?

Nyza: You are not curious why he is here?

Luanes draws her sword.

Luanes sees that the demon in the circle is Darzagon, the demon Mystol imprisoned a few months ago.

Legeand: Readies his own sword, "It is a demon in a mages tower; what other reason do we need?"

Wintersky: I do not know.

Darzagon growls.

Luanes: You...

Celesta: Not to worry. He is trapped for at least a year.

Darzagon struggles against the magical chains binding him.

Sparta: A year? Oh great, then what happens? He comes to eat us all?

Celesta: That gives us some time figure out how to defeat him.

Legeand: Let us not take a year if we do not have too.

Luanes: Do not underestimate it.

Wintersky: So what was all the fireworks?

Oliveryn: We should be powerful enough in a year, just look how far we have all come in the last year.

Celesta: Oh, a couple soldier demons, some ghouls and a Genesian necromancer...dying.

Wintersky: Did you trap him?

Legeand: And look at what it cost some of us; was not an easy climb.

Celesta: Yes, but it was a close call.

Wintersky: Can he summon help?

Nyza: No doubt! That is quite a feat for just you to take on, Celesta. You should call us for backup.

Celesta: He cannot do a thing. He is bound for a year, like I said.

Luanes: Is there any chance he can escape?

Luanes: Any at all?

Celesta: If someone comes along and frees him, possibly.

Sparta: Can things get in?

Nyza: He is in a lich's tower after all. Gresham might take offense.

Wintersky: Demons are sneaky and bindings tricky.

Sparta: Maybe like arrows or swords?

Luanes: Exactly. Was there not mention of a key in the dragon's belly?

Celesta: I think Gresham would probably want him held just as badly as we do.

Legeand: Dragon-blooded demon?

Wintersky: Perhaps, but a major dispelling in the area could take down that spell as well as wards.

Sparta: There's more to the tower upstairs, the dragon might be higher up.

Luanes: To the uneducated, this thing might appear to be draconic in nature.

Celesta: There is a dragon sculpture two floors up.

Legeand: Such as a novice mage? Kind of like what this test was designed for right?

Legeand: Ah? We should go take a look at it then.

Luanes: Hmm....perhaps we should be absolutely certain that it is not in its belly before we go.

Darzagon: Sure, elf, cross the circle.

Luanes: Who says I would need to, demon?

Celesta: I think leaving him be for the moment would be prudent.

Legeand: Then let us.

Nyza: Well, we certainly can't free him.

Celesta: I cost me a lot to get him in that state.

Nyza: We can return later.

Luanes sighs.

Luanes: Very well.

Nyza: Oh, wait a second.

Nyza withdraws a piece of parchment and a quill from the seal components.

Nyza writes a note to Gresham and lays it on the floor in front of the demon.

Nyza: "Please do not free demon. -Love, Nyza"

Luanes chuckles.

Now that our heroes look around the room, you see that it is littered with decaying body parts.

Sparta: This doesn't look like the way we left it.

Wintersky: Eewww!

Celesta: It is worth a try.

Wintersky anchors the note with an arrow.

Legeand: Not a very clean lich leaving his meals out.

Sparta tries to identify the body parts and how long they have been here.

Celesta: That is my handy work, thank you very much.

Nyza: Blech. Well, it is their fault for attacking you, yes?

Celesta: Yes.

Sparta searches the necromancer a little more closely.

Luanes: We will return, demon, to destroy you.

Rubble scattered among the corpses look like it was a statue.

Darzagon growls.

Sparta: Not much here. Let's go find that dragon.

Nyza looks for anything valuable on the necromancer as well.

Nyza sears the flesh of the corpse even further during her search. The room smells worse.

Sparta figures the necromancer appears to have been turned to stone and broken.

Oliveryn: Dragon you say?

Oliveryn looks around.

Sparta: Upstairs.

Legeand: And a statue.

Sparta looks askew at Celesta, after searching the necromancer.

Celesta smirks, "Flesh to stone is soming I have become rather proficient with."

Sparta: Remind me not to get on your bad side.

Celesta: There is a toad up stairs that used to be a soldier demon.

Celesta: It is all orange on the bottom.

Legeand: That I have to see; we can cook him up in a recipe of Sparta's, I'm sure!

Sparta: Demon toad stew?

Celesta: Probably better than a demon toadstool.

Legeand: Demon toad legs?

Sparta: You have to start with cold water and slowly bring it to a boil.

Celesta nonchalantly starts up the stairs.

Legeand: Always gumbo too.

Celesta: Coming?

Legeand follows Celesta after a bit, "Sure."

Nyza: The many Nyza images follow up the stairs.

Luanes follows up the stairs, glaring one last time at the demon.

Sparta, Dale and the animals follow upstairs.

Wintersky follows up after a lingering look at the demon.

Oliveryn follows as well with Eregard, wondering what has transpired, but figures he will just make up the lyrics as he goes. The best stories are made, that are not all truthful.

The next floor is also surrounded by bookshelves. A large glowing magic circle surrounds a sacrificial altar. Dust floats in the air and a toad ribbits from between bookshelves.

Oliveryn wonders if any of these books are worth taking a look at.

Nyza: Creepy.

Wintersky: Nasty!

Nyza: Who are the sacrifices for, me wonder?

Between this floor and the two previous floors, there is quite a treasure of ancient magic.

Nyza directs a Detect Magic into the room and tries to identify some of the spells.

Celesta: I hope to be able to look at a few of these before we depart.

Dale looks briefly at the shelves and shudders.

Wintersky: I wonder who were the sacrifices.

Beside the faint residual magic that spell tomes radiate, there are several powerful magical tomes, librams and manuals scattered throughout the shelves.

Dale: Do you really want to learn these evil spells?

Nyza: Nyza say we raid the books.

Legeand: Magic is only evil if used wrongly, like most things.

Nyza: Dunno, Leggy. Animating dead is pretty evil no matter how it is used.

Luanes: Some spells are innately evil.

Dale: I agree

Legeand: True.

Celesta: I am sure there are some quite vile spells, but most spells are only evil if used so, as Legeand wisely stated.

Wintersky: I disagree, Legeand. Some magic is evil by nature.

Legeand: Some, but if you use an evil spell to take down evil, is it evil?

Wintersky: Yes.

Luanes: If you perform an evil act, it is still evil, no matter the results.

Sparta: I'd rather we didn't iritate the lich by raiding his library.

Celesta: I think we should secure our exit from this place and then investigate later. Shall we have a look at the dragon?

Legeand: Yes, let us.

Sparta: Is that up another floor?

Nyza: Alright, up we go!

Celesta: Yes. I peeked before heading down to deal with the necromancer.

Wintersky heads once more upstairs.

Legeand: So, in his stomach is a lock...

Legeand: Or, is it 'in' as in on his stomach?

This floor, also surrounded by bookshelves, features a golden statue of a black dragon.

Luanes: Let's find out, shall we?

Sparta: Wow, that's quite the statue.

Legeand begins searching the dragon.

Celesta: Almost looks like a dragon was petrified and plated in gold.

Sparta: Didn't Gresham used to ride a black dragon?

Wintersky: Almost?

Sparta raps his knuckles on the tail.

Wintersky: I wonder how he got it in here.

Legeand: Well, he does have magic.

Luanes: You really think this is a real dragon or was?

Wintersky: I do not know.

Nyza: Celesta has no problem turning creatures into stone. It is at least possible that the same happen to the dragon.

Luanes knocks on the dragon's stomach to see if it sounds hollow.

Nyza aims her Detect Magic at the statue to make sure.

By all tests and appearances, the statue seems to be solid gold.

Sparta tries to guess how much the golden statue is worth.

Legeand: Well, I can tell you it was made, not changed into.

Legeand: With tools, though I am not all too sure how.

Luanes: So, how can there be a key within the belly?

Legeand looks around the statue finding a seam, "Well, it is in parts, maybe there is a seam other than where these wings are?"

Sparta joins the search of the dragon.

The dragon statue's mouth is open slightly and its tongue is sticking out.

Nyza: Ms. Sky, would you mind opening my bag for a moment?

Luanes begins to examine the mouth, carefully.

Legeand: Anything magical about the statue?

Wintersky opens the bag.

Nyza: Not that Nyza see, but maybe we let Yentis have a look inside it?

Nyza's weasel familiar pops its head out of the bag and scurries to Nyza.

Yentis chirps angrily at her.

Wintersky: Apparently it does not like me.

Nyza (to Yentis): It is not a real dragon; you will be fine. Now get in there!

Nyza: Find treasure for us.

Celesta stroking her own stole-like weasel, "Probably does not like being kept in the bag."

Wintersky checks on the egg in her keeping.

Yentis reluctantly climbs into the dragon's mouth.

Wintersky: Finding the egg in good shape, she closes the bag.

Yentis: Yeeeeehhhhhhh!

A sickening crunch sounds from the dragon's throat.

Luanes gasps.

Blood drips from the dragon's mouth.

Nyza: Yentis!

Nyza starts to climb in after him.

Wintersky: Oh no. That did not sound good.

The dragon starts making clanking sounds deep within.

Dale: Oh dear.

Luanes attempts to restrain Nyza.

Nyza calms down after a moment.

Luanes: Nyza, no.

Wintersky watches for any other part of the dragon to move.

Nyza: Living or not, this statue is about to get a serious beating!

The dragon begins to move.

Wintersky: Dang!

Legeand: Well that is not good.

The dragon raises its head and lowers its wings a bit.

The dragon roars, blasting the staircase.

Dale and Sparta back away.

The roar resonates throughout the room appearing to have devastating effect on flesh.

Oliveryn casts Indomitability.

Thunder cracks outside the tower.

Wintersky casts Mass Cure Moderate Wounds.

Luanes attacks the dragon's head.

Wintersky: I hope someone has something that can kill this beast.

Luanes nicks the dragon.

Eregard races forward, drawing his weapons.

Dale casts Greater Dispel Magic on the dragon.

Dale's spell seems to have no effect.

Dale calls Ferocious to her side.

Sparta watches Luanes just nick the dragon and draws his dagger

Sparta: Let's go, Grandpa.

Manitowoc: Have at it.

Sparta lops the end of the wing off the dragon with Manty's Heirloom.

Ringo rattles his teeth on the dragon.

Legeand lets out a bloodthirsty roar and nothing else as he begins to hack at the dragon.

Nyza: You ate my weasel! Prepare for oblivion, fake dragon!

Nyza casts Arcane Spellsurge coupled with Arcane Fusion covering the dragon and the area around it in Raging Flame and then tosses an Orb of Fire.

The golden statue begins to glow intensely from the heat, radiating to all in the sphere of the raging flame.

Wintersky: Nyza you will kill us!

Nyza: And the dragon too!

Wintersky: And your egg!

Nyza immediately drops her hand, interrupting the next fire spell she was preparing to cast.

Celesta glances at the flames leaping off of everyone and decides against Fireball, casting Polymorph Any Object instead.

The dragon warps a bit under the heat, but remains functional even after Celesta's spell.

The dragon whips its tail, flaps its wings and bites.

The tail strikes Ferocious, a wing strikes Wintersky and Eregard each and the dragon bites Ringo.

Oliveryn takes his lute into his hand, clears his throat and starts to sing a battle hymn for the party.

Wintersky casts Mass Cure Serious Wounds.

Dale: Thank you, Ms. Sky, Ferocious was looking terrible.

Wintersky: Me too.

Luanes continues to hack at the dragon's head.

Nyza looks at herself strangely as her flames grow brighter with the healing.

Luanes' blows bounce of the dragon.

Eregard steps forward attacks the dragons wings!

Eregard smiles grimpy at Nyza, as his clothes smolder a little.

Though Eregard's strikes seem effective, they only leave the slightest nicks in the wings.

Dale mounts Ferocious and retreats from the dragon.

Sparta skirts the damaged wing and moves to the dragon's neck attacking in the hopes of the dagger severing the neck.

Sparta: Get outta here, Ringo!

Legeand continues hacking at the body, making deep cuts in the gold.

Nyza dismisses the raging flame spell and then begins summoning a creature.

Celesta (muttering): There has got to be a way to turn this off.

Celesta starts scanning the bookshelves.

The dragon raises its wings and head and roars menacingly.

Oliveryn throws down his lute and takes off running.

Wintersky desparately casts Vulnerability on the construct.

The dragon rattles oddly and drops a few golden scales.

Wintersky: Hit it!

Luanes aims for its throat.

Taevon's Mercy has much greater effect now.

Eregard throws down his swords and bolts for the stairs as well.

Dale dismounts as Ferocious flees.

Dale begins to summon a minor xorn.

Sparta: Let's do that again, Grandpa.

Sparta hacks chunks of gold off the dragon with his dagger.

Legeand ferociously beats upon the dragon with his sword taking slabs of gold of its body.

Legeand lets out another roar of fury as he slices around.

The integrity of the dragon is suddenly very questionable.

Nyza: As Nyza finishes her summoning, the air between Wintersky and the dragon sucks inward, forming a vortex. A huge being of ice steps out of it.

Nyza: There, see! No problem! No more fire against the egg, or the dragon.

Nyza fires another fire orb as the ice elemental attacks.

Luanes grunts in pain at the searing wave of heat.

The dragon explodes pummeling those surrounding it with molten and shattered gold!

Nyza casts Celerity and teleports down to the kitchen where the fire elemental just before the blast arrives.

Celesta casts Solipsism on Legeand in an effort to mitigate his frenzying rage.

Legeand swings away and nothing, letting everyone harmlessly retreat until he is spent.

Wintersky: Who is hurt badly?

Dale: Everybody?

Legeand: Falling over exhausted, Legeand pants and groans from his body's weriness.

Dale: I have a couple cure serious wounds spells saved if you are running low.

Celesta: When Celesta is certain that Legeand is done raging, she dismisses her spell.

Wintersky: Let me do this one and then we can see what is left.

Luanes looks around for the most injured.

Luanes: I can aid as well.

Wintersky: Let us get all of us together first. I have one more mass cure spell.

Luanes: Are any in need of healing?

Legeand: If not for feeling numb from letting out like that, I would probably be hurting more.

Nyza: It takes a few moments for Nyza to shake off the daze of the time-altering spell, but she eventually finds her way back upstairs to the group.

Luanes nods to Wintersky.

Celesta sits on the floor and leans against the bookshelf, holding herself around the middle.

Wintersky: Luanes, see to Celesta. Check her baby.

Sparta: Celesta, are you hurt?

The panic subsides and the others return along with Nyza.

Celesta: Pretty badly, I am afraid.

Luanes approaches Celesta, tending to her wounds.

Wintersky: As soon as the others return, Wintersky casts Mass Cure Serious Wounds.

Nyza likewise checks the integrity of her egg, although she still can only watch from a distance.

Luanes Lays Hands on Celesta.

Legeand leans up against the still fairly warm mechanical dragon, "How bad is Celesta?"

Luanes: Great Visaria, bestow your healing mercies upon this woman.

Healing energy surges into Celesta.

Celesta: Thank you, Luanes, and thank Visaria.

Celesta smiles sheepishly.

Luanes: You and your baby are perfectly healthy again.

Luanes smiles compassionately.

Wintersky chants, casting Cure Serious Wounds for all,

Luanes approaches Legeand to heal him, as well.

Celesta looks shocked, "Did I almost lose it?"

Luanes: You would have, yes.

Legeand: Well, good thing we have so many healers about.

Legeand looks much more tired than wounded at this point.

Luanes casts Cure Serious Wounds on Legeand.

Celesta sheads a tear, "Thank you, so much, Luanes."

Luanes: You are most welcome, Celesta.

Dale casts Cure Serious Wounds on Sparta.

Wintersky continues with a Mass Cure Moderate Wounds.

Nyza looks sheepishly at Celesta.

Nyza: Nyza is very glad you and the baby are okay. The explosion is a, er, miscalculation. Nyza does not hurt friends on purpose.

Legeand closes his eyes and relaxes against the dragon.

Wintersky: Oh, let us check your egg, shall we.

Luanes turns, walks a few steps and kneels, praying quietly.

Nyza: Please, yes.

Wintersky opens the haversack carefully.

The haversack looks the worse for wear, but its contents are fine.

Sparta: Feeling better, Sparta begins to search through the dragon rubble for a lock.

Wintersky: It seems fine, Nyza.

Legeand searches on his person and grabs the key and holds it out for Luanes, "Here, find that keyhole in the dragon."

Luanes: Thank you for bestowing your merciful healing, my Queen. It is so good to feel you presence in my heart once again.

Wintersky: Will it mature in the Haversack?

Nyza: It is not ideal, but kobold eggs are very hardy. But Tangleton would be better.

Nyza: At least it is okay...a big favor.

Nyza's body language seems a little off. Psychologically, she wants to breathe a sigh of relief, but she does not physically feel that need anymore.

Sparta finds the lock after a frustrating search, finally noticing that Legeand is sitting on it.

Legeand looks at Sparta, "What?"

Luanes: Are you tired, Legeand?

Legeand: Very, I can hardly move.

Legeand: That rage I had made me feel much more tired then normal.

Luanes whispers a prayer to Visaria, casting Second Wind on Legeand.

Legeand's energy flows back into his weary limbs.

Legeand takes a good breath and gets up with a grunt, "Thanks, though I am still fit for a nap after all that."

Luanes: Indeed, I think we could all use one after that.

The ground level of the tower.

The second story of the tower.

The third story of the tower.

The fourth story of the tower.

The fifth story of the tower.