Moongleam Tower
Atop the highest knoll of the rolling hills onwhich Everlund is built stands a simple, starktower of fire-blackened stone: the Harperstronghold built by Storm Silverhand and thebuilders she assembled after the Battle of Tumbleskulls (see the History chapter in thisbook). Notable among those artisans was thedwarven master stoneworker GwuildethThrock, now thought to be carving out his owndwarven kingdom somewhere beneath thefrozen High Ice of northern Anauroch, hismuch-knotted beard grown snow-white withage, and long enough for him to trip over
Gwuildeth designed this tower, and he wasvery proud of the everbright (magically corrosion-proof) silver-plated signalling-mirror atopthe tower, shaped like a crescent moon. On clearnights, reflecting moonlight or the leapingflames of a fire kindled in a roof-brazier, theflashes of this mirror can be seen a full daystravel distant (some 40 or so miles)
Any traveler can head for the steady gleam ofthe towers mirror, or its regular flashes (whichmeans that worse weather is known to be coming), but only Harpers, citizens of Everlund andSilverymoon, and veteran travelers in thisregion know the code of mirror-flashes used bythe Harpers of Moongleam Tower. Its mostcommon signals are given hereafter; note thatspecial ones may be added for special occasions, with meanings known or agreed-upon byonly a few individuals (usually Harpers)
Two flashes, pause, prolonged or (if a fire isused) very bright flash, pause, then two flashesagain. This cycle is used to convey the message:Danger around Everlund. Foes are known tobe near and active. Guard yourselves. Thiswarning usually means that orc raiders havebeen seen in the area, but may also refer to powerful roaming monsters, strike forces from Hellgate Keep, or rarer menaces
Four flashes, a long pause, and then fourflashes again: this means Harpers are needed
Rally here. This cycle can be alternated withthe preceding one, which usually means an orchorde or other powerful evil force is on themove, and Harpers must gather to fight it
Three flashes, a pause, two flashes, a pause,one flash, pause, two flashes, pause, and thenthree flashes again. This cycle means Danger,stay away. Keep clear of Everlund. This rarelyseen cycle signals a siege, magical battle, wildmagic effect, or monster attack so severe that travelers are advised to come no closer to Everlund
Six flashes, a pause, four flashes, a pause,and then six flashes again. Execute missionnow...go ahead...begin the agreed-upon task orprocess. This signal means something only toHarpers who know about a plan made earlier(and usually conveyed to Harpers by briefingsin Silverymoon, Everlund, or Twilight Hall). Itallows them to act without coming any closer tothe tower (and possible danger, or wastage ofvaluable time)
The tower itself is a massive fortress, withhuge storage-caverns deep beneath it. It is surrounded by a moat; spell-driven pumps devisedby six furiously arguing dwarven mastercrafters,long ago, allow the water to be pumped at highspeed into and out of caves under the moat
Intruders trying to dig their way into the towerwill encounter fastflowing water and drown
Intruders trying to swim the moat will be battered and then sucked down into water-filledcaves, to suffer a similar fate. Harmful or phosphorescent substances can be introduced intothe waters, to reveal or impede besiegers
Bathers in the tower can have an invigoratingwater-massage, plants within the tower can bemisted and floors rinsed, and so on
The tower has a standing Harper garrison ofsix wizards (four devotees of Mystra, NG hmW12 or greater, and two apprentices, of lesserlevel and any good alignment), priests of several faiths of those deities who blessed theHarpers (see the History chapter of thisbook), and 20 warriors (rangers and fighters of3rd to 10th level). It can accommodate 60 additional defenders, and almost 1,000 folk and livestock crammed into the storage cavernsbeneath. A system of tunnels linked to thewater-caverns surrounds these storage cellars
Intruders who tunnel up into the tower areafrom below are almost certain to get wetandto be noticed by the defenders!
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