Post by hubertbartels on Apr 14, 2024 14:20:36 GMT -5
Shattered Tower
All in all, we got two hours rest. Two hours before it was decided that the surrounding jungle was dangerous and we would need to find a place more protected than the outside of the ruins. Looking up from our resting spot, there was a large shattered tower, made of a cloudy crystal stone. Apparently, it had been hit by a massive series of lightning strikes, blowing chunks of cloudy crystal apart and toppling the top two-thirds of the structure.
Sergius pointed out that we would find shelter within the walls – he had go inside anyway to take rubbings of the ancient Velosian carvings. With great effort and struggle, we were able to lift the Magnavox off of its carrier and drag it over the rubble to inside the tower.
Darkness fell as we made camp on the second floor of the tower. Miranda and Cassander were on the first watch. When they came to wake Alessa and Zayd for the second watch, they reported the sound of drums in the darkness; drums and chanting.
Alessa stared out into the darkness. When the sound of the drumming stopped, Zayd sent her to wake the others. He said that something large was moving through the jungle. Alessa had woken the last of our party when a giant snake burst out of the jungle, glided smoothly over the rubble and up the stairs. It struck quickly, entangling Alessa in its coils as it tried to bite our ox. We killed it before it had a chance to poison anyone with its fangs. Sergius recognized that it was not local – it was a summoned. The giant snake with rows of tentacles was often pictured with the god, Yig. In an hour, the serpent had disappeared again.
In the morning, Sergius began taking rubbings from the walls of the crystal tower. We were free to rest, groom the ox or explore. Cassander found a door that would not open. On closer examination, the door was arcane locked and a human, not a serpentman, had done so. In the meanwhile, Sergius had found a window and while examining it, activated something that caused a stone serpent head to emerge from the wall and engulf his head. Sergius’ loud screams brought us running. In ten minutes, the stone serpent head released him. While he was captured by the device, Sergius was shown a long series of Velosian runes. Curious, Cassander studied the window and soon activated the serpent head. When the device released him, Cassander thought that there might be something else in his mind.
In the late afternoon, after Sergius finished taking his rubbings, we hauled the Magnavox back over the rubble, hooked the ox to the carrier and set out for Freeport. We should arrive around dark. Of course, there were more serpentmen and they were lying in ambush for us.
But Sergius stepped out on front and talked to the serpentmen in fluent Velosian. After a while, the serpentmen melted back into the forest. Sergius explained that these serpentmen were loyalists to Yig and thought that we – like the other serpentmen long ago – were corrupted by the Yellow Sign.
Back in Freeport, the guards were surprised by our Magnavox. They called in Captain Lydon. Captain Lydon was delighted by the addition to Swagfest and had his sailors take charge of our giant lizard. Each of us received one thousand silver pieces as a reward.
The money would help in our preparations for the annual cotillion, taking place in two days. Alessa would need time to find a gown and jewelry for the affair.
All in all, we got two hours rest. Two hours before it was decided that the surrounding jungle was dangerous and we would need to find a place more protected than the outside of the ruins. Looking up from our resting spot, there was a large shattered tower, made of a cloudy crystal stone. Apparently, it had been hit by a massive series of lightning strikes, blowing chunks of cloudy crystal apart and toppling the top two-thirds of the structure.
Sergius pointed out that we would find shelter within the walls – he had go inside anyway to take rubbings of the ancient Velosian carvings. With great effort and struggle, we were able to lift the Magnavox off of its carrier and drag it over the rubble to inside the tower.
Darkness fell as we made camp on the second floor of the tower. Miranda and Cassander were on the first watch. When they came to wake Alessa and Zayd for the second watch, they reported the sound of drums in the darkness; drums and chanting.
Alessa stared out into the darkness. When the sound of the drumming stopped, Zayd sent her to wake the others. He said that something large was moving through the jungle. Alessa had woken the last of our party when a giant snake burst out of the jungle, glided smoothly over the rubble and up the stairs. It struck quickly, entangling Alessa in its coils as it tried to bite our ox. We killed it before it had a chance to poison anyone with its fangs. Sergius recognized that it was not local – it was a summoned. The giant snake with rows of tentacles was often pictured with the god, Yig. In an hour, the serpent had disappeared again.
In the morning, Sergius began taking rubbings from the walls of the crystal tower. We were free to rest, groom the ox or explore. Cassander found a door that would not open. On closer examination, the door was arcane locked and a human, not a serpentman, had done so. In the meanwhile, Sergius had found a window and while examining it, activated something that caused a stone serpent head to emerge from the wall and engulf his head. Sergius’ loud screams brought us running. In ten minutes, the stone serpent head released him. While he was captured by the device, Sergius was shown a long series of Velosian runes. Curious, Cassander studied the window and soon activated the serpent head. When the device released him, Cassander thought that there might be something else in his mind.
In the late afternoon, after Sergius finished taking his rubbings, we hauled the Magnavox back over the rubble, hooked the ox to the carrier and set out for Freeport. We should arrive around dark. Of course, there were more serpentmen and they were lying in ambush for us.
But Sergius stepped out on front and talked to the serpentmen in fluent Velosian. After a while, the serpentmen melted back into the forest. Sergius explained that these serpentmen were loyalists to Yig and thought that we – like the other serpentmen long ago – were corrupted by the Yellow Sign.
Back in Freeport, the guards were surprised by our Magnavox. They called in Captain Lydon. Captain Lydon was delighted by the addition to Swagfest and had his sailors take charge of our giant lizard. Each of us received one thousand silver pieces as a reward.
The money would help in our preparations for the annual cotillion, taking place in two days. Alessa would need time to find a gown and jewelry for the affair.