Session 1: Floor1, opening the Spire

General Summary

Day 1 - 4/28/465

A modest halfling merchant, sits on top of The Garden Cafe, admiring the soon-to-be dawning sky.
She was waiting...as always, for her gracefully late (or was she just always so early?) friend to join in their daily ritual of Dragon's Chess.
Less than a mile from the shore of Urthspyre, a sloop braves the twilight sea. While its crew, busy securing a cargo of trade goods, preps for arrival, a passengering blacksmith gawks in awe of the massive spire emerging from behind the rising cliffs to the north of the city.
Up the street, a young man contemplates making today the day to break away from his entrapped life. He is filled with a growing angst from inaction thus far. He gathers his essential belongings, takes one good last look at his room, and attempts to leave without saying a word. To his dismay, in a chair departed from the dinning table, waits his expecting father almost as if the parent had predicted his intentions.
Sitting with his arms crossed in clear disapproval, he questions his son in a firm, yet concerning voice, "So you're just going to leave...just like that..... Simon?"
Simon attempts to continue past his father, avoiding eye contact. He knew his father wouldn't understand, his overwhelming anxiousness built up from a mundane livelihood, his ambition to enact some sort of change to the world around him. There were days where they wouldn't even share a word, let alone a conversation, and now...NOW he wants to play dad?
"Son..." his father called, but he continued toward the front door. "Son," he raised his voice, following him.
Simon placed his hand on the door, pulling it open, only to find it slammed shut by his father as he forcefully places himself between him in the exit.
"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WALK OUT ON ME," his father shouted.
"WHY," asked Simon as if demanding to know the answer to question that had lingered for eternity. "You sit here, and do NOTHING! Well I won't do NOTHING, I'm going to do SOMETHING."
"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE, JUST LIKE YOUR - " his fathers angry voice breaks, and his demeanor shifts. "I... I forbid it," he says weakly removing his arm from the door.
Simon seized the opportunity to worm his way between his father and the threshold of their dwelling.
"YOU'RE MAKING A MISTAKE SON," he yelled desperately standing in the doorway.
"THEN ITS MY MISTAKE TO MAKE," he retorted without looking back, disappearing into the dark streets.

A young elegant, yet extravagant female high elf makes her way up the final flight of stairs to The Garden Cafe. "If feels like Fen is always getting here earlier and earlier," she chuckles to herself as she greets an eagerly waiting halfling.
"Well its about time Mia, I've already been here for an hour already," exclaims the halfling as she greets her friend.
"An hour," she questions curiously?
"Yep. I've been practicing," he voice resounding with determination as she sets up the Dragon Chess set. After another humiliating defeat, Fen packs up her belongings in preparation for today's trip into the hunting grounds.
Mia, patiently waits as she secretly smirks at her halfling friend, hidden behind a cup of her own freshly brewed tea.
Soon after they both make their way into the streets below, Mia is blinded as sunlight pours over the marble walls of Urthspyre. She raises her hands stepping backward, nearly colliding with a determined Simon who barks in retaliation, "Watch your step."
Fen, caught up in playing back her "unforeseeable" defeat in her mind, unwittingly stumbles into Mia's rear, surprising the pair.
"What's all the fuss about," calls out Fen in a briefly muffled voice?
"My apologies, cleric," interrupts Mia realizing she has inadvertently cut off a gentlemen wearing holy attire.
"Well you should be more careful," remarks Simon as he attempts to press on, visible expressing his aggravation.
"He's awfully rude for a Clergymen isn't he Mia?" comments the halfling.
Before Mia can counter, a stranger approaches the group, asking for directions.
"Hello there, my name is Ka'Lem, bit new here..."
"Great..." mutters Simon, whose pathway is now blocked by a third annoyance.
Ka'Lem continues, "I don't mean to walk into your conversation, but I noticed you're the only ones out at the moment," he gestures toward the empty market square the four of them are gathered in. "I was wondering if you folks could point me to where I can learn more about the city's tower?"
"HA the tower, he says," teases the halfling. "That hasn't been relevant in decades!"
The elf calmly interjects. "What my friend means to say is, you must be new here. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Miaqirelle, and this is my lovely friend Fenwyse," she nods charmingly toward the presumptuous halfling at her side. "And this is..." as she waves her hand toward the cleric.
"Simon...., and I'm in a bit of.."
"I'm looking for any information you have...I'm a blacksmith, and hope to apply my mentor's craft here," continues Ka'Lem, his conversation taking precedence.
"That "tower" as you call it, hasn't been opened for all of existence to my knowledge," snarks Fenwyse.
"Well, I'm going to go..." attempts Simon."
Noticing the stature of the newcomer before her, Fenwyse perks up, "You know, we're heading to the Hunting grounds for materials, could use the help."
"Uh, Sure I guess..., not like I'm doing much of anything else right now," Ka'Lem responds, his ego a bit wounded from the remarks about his inquiries into the spire.
Simon, feeling like his presence is being ignored finally inserts himself into dialogue, "The hunting grounds you say? Mind if I tag along, I was probably going to head that way myself?"
"I don't mean to disrupt the little party here, Fenwyse, but Markets' gonna be settin' up soon," reprimands an approaching guard.
"We will be clearing out shortly, Marcus," after explaining to the friendly guard that she's leaving set up of her Wildcloak Wares stall to her brother for the day.
After some debate about the lack of Fenwyse's weaponry from Simon, the group makes its way passed the Southern Gate, following the road out of Urthspyre.
It takes the makeshift party two hours to reach their destination: The outskirts of the Hunting Grounds. Here they quickly encounter danger as boars relentlessly charge and assault their position. It doesn't take along however, for the group to collect materials and loot from their kills. The sun begins to lower, casting the bright yellowish green fields into a haze of dark orange. Soon after, a particularly brutal encounter occurs; barely allowing everyone to escape with their lives. ‏ Deciding the night would only bring even greater threats, the new companions decide to head back to town.
Upon arrival, Fenwyse visits one of her friendly contacts in the nearby business of "Grimbeard's." While not known for his taste in names, the dwarf owner of this establishment was quite adverse in dealing with typical weaponry. Successfully talking up the price, Fenwyse manages to coax 75% of the market value out of the merchant. He reminds her, that he is only being so accommodating as per her late former employee who was slain in the Hunting Grounds a few weeks prior.
Mia, heads back with Fen to her place for dinner with her family. Upon invitation, Simon, and Ka'Lem follow suit, with no place to retire to of their own for the evening.
Fenwyse's parents hurriedly prepare a massive feast as the party arrives. Mia insists on cooking her own food, as per usual. After exchanging pleasantries about the days events, and word of caution from Fenwyse's mother, the group heads off to sleep.

Day 2 - 4/29/465

Mia, and Fen complete their morning ritual, as Ka'Lem and Simon regroup with them in the Southern Market just in time to see a yew wand being sold at Wildcloak Wares.
Around noon, there is a mass public meeting where the halfling councilman, Bolton Winpenny is proposing the structure of a merchant's guild. After a bunch of arguing and people disagreeing with the idea of the taxes, Fenwyse is the first one to sign the contract.
Later in the day, Ka'Lem decides he wants to learn more about the history of the Spire, and leads everyone to the Arcane Archives. Simon, and the others are puzzled by Ka'Lem's curiosity as they find it strange he is so focused on the tower, as it has never opened. "This entire situation is preposterous," chuckles Fenwyse!
As the party enters the Arcane Archives, they are greeted by a podium at the end of a hallway. Beyond, the floor gives way to a grand library of sorts, though it appears inaccessible from the party's position. The bookshelves line the walls, up to the large buildings roof, and yet there are no ladders. There isn't even a means to climb down from the elevated platform Ka'Lem finds himself standing on; just the podium...sitting there inconspicuously by itself.
Mia, sensing Ka'Lem's bewilderment, walks over, tapping her staff on the podium. Arcane energy swirls down her Focus, surging into the stand causing wispy blue spheres of light to appear. Ka'Lem pauses for a moment...looking to Mia as if more were suppose to happen. He then asks a question about the history of the spire; in response a blue sphere speeds off into the darkness of the library. Moments later it returns, and a book materializes, only to levitate as it opens over the podium. Simon translates the elvish script at Ka'Lems request.
To Ka'Lems disappointment, not much information can be gathered from the apparent decades of research as ancient wizards, and scholars have not managed to crack the mystery of the tower or the secrets that might lay within.
Defeated, he agrees to letting Mia takes the party to the "Slooping Boar," the tavern at which she works as a chef. There Mia performs her duty as a hired hand at the Tavern, putting on a unique display of magic infused cooking for all patrons to see.
Again, the party returns to Fenwyse's dwelling, with the exception of Mia, for the night.

Day 3 - 4/30/465

It was perfect weather for another day out on the hunting grounds, thus the party ventured out again after their morning routines. It would be an exceptional haul in materials and loot by the early afternoon, but such good fortune demanded further commitment. The party decided to stay in the Hunting Grounds trying their luck even further.
As fate would have it, upon another successful boar being slain a supernatural gust spawned. Where there had been not so much as even a faint breeze, the grass, and dirt now spiraled around them. With a flash of light, and a burst of air, something slammed into the ground. A boar, two, three, maybe even four times bigger than the rest, now stood only meters away from the party.
It charges...tusks raised, growling with such intensity, hoping to impale it's nearest target. Ka'Lem, however, had other plans. He raised his shield, and in one fluid motion, redirected the giant boars tusks toward the ground, while stepping out of harms way.
Simon, Mia, responded in turn by unleashing a devastating attack against the boar slaying it within a few short seconds, leaving Fenwyse to stare in awe at her own inaction. It was becoming more clear that Simon was not at all a Cleric, but rather a powerful Sorcerer in the making.
Their celebration was interrupted by another flash of light, this time shining bright gold. Before them, a sparkling gem presents itself for the group to claim as a reward.
After further examination by one of the Urthspyre's most noted Mystic, the gem is revealed to be a stone tablet with a boar symbol on it. Curious, Mia brings it to the base of the tower, correctly assuming it somehow functioned with the sealed entrance. Drawing a crowd as the tablet fused itself with the left door, uncovering a sigil of a hornet on the right door, and an indent where another tablet might go.
Guards appear to seize Mia, and her companions, taking them to the grand hall. Once there, they are watched over by a Goliath known as Korag who is eager to participate in their quest.
During their a hearing, the council demands the party depart in the morning to the Ashenwood, the only place they know of that may contain 'hornet' akin to the size of the boar they fought previously.
The council informs the group they are not allowed to alert friends and family of their departure. Fenwyse assumes this means her parent's might assume she's died when she don't come back the next night...

Day 4 - - 5/1/465 to Day 11 - 5/11/465

The next day, Korag the Goliath guard joins the party.
With excuses made, and supplies gathered, a five day journey finds our soon-to-be-adventurers arriving in Ashenwillow. Near by the small hamlet is a forest dubbed "Ashenwood." With guidance from a local barkeep, and a foremen from sawmill, the party makes its way into the dense wood.
A confused bird is questioned by the druid Fenwyse, while Mia aimlessly follows a group of insects. Without plans of their own, the party trails Mia to a large tree, and split animal pathways leading off in different directions. Using her intuition, Mia would prefer to continue heading east, but somehow the adventurers go north-west instead.
The choice leads them to a quite stream, accompanied by a not-so-quiet brown bear. Despite Fen's protest, Korag, and Simon lay waste to the bear. Unfortunately, they discover afterward that it was only protecting its young. Fen, is not very happy about the situation.
The party progress further into the forest back in the direction Mia desired and later set up camp for the night. They split the evening watches up, but four giant spiders still manage to descend upon the party during the night. Ka'Lem manages to see them just before being bitten, and bangs his sword on his shield to awake the party. While most of the party makes it through the encounter unscathed, it appears the Goliath met an untimely end from a deadly spider's venomous bite. Ka'Lem loots Korag's belongings including a nice chain shirt. Fen is not that broken up about it.
The remaining members make their way to a small clearing littered with dying trees, and hornets nests. As the group argues on the appropriate action to take, Fenwyse erupts with thunderous arcane force that blasts all the hives to the ground. This causes six swarms of small hornets to attack the party in a frenzy. Shortly by the toward of the combat, A Giant Hornet Queen spawns much like large boar prior. The party is not ready, as it attacks with its stinger raised. Everyone managed to escape the venomous queen, and Mia end the fight by slamming a massive bolder into it with the Catapult spell.
Just as before, a golden light displays a familiar gem, which the party claims as a prize!
On their way back to Ashenwillow, and before setting up camp for the night, the party discovers a groggy Korag crawling about. Apparently the spider's had only paralyzed him, and no one thought to check his corpse for a pulse. Ka'Lem begrudgingly gives back his armor. It's almost like they wanted him to die.
Early the next day, the party rests briefly in Ashenwillow before setting out back to Urthspyre.

Day 12 - - 5/12/465 to Day 23 - 5/23/465

A few days pass as the road leads through the Ruins, which causes some debate as to whether everyone should stay overnight. Ultimately, the group decides to move on, finding it safer to avoid nightfall in the ruins, as its rumored to be dangerous. Before doing so however, Korag discovers what appears to be a mass grave just outside the remains of an ancient structure
Upon arrival to Urthspyre, It's very early morning, and nobody is out and about in town. After briefly visiting the council, the adventurers move directly to the Spire. As we go up the stairs and approach the doors, Fen holds the gemstone up and it converts into the hornet tablet, snapping loudly to the door. It reveals a giant jagged keyhole with the sigil of a skull, above.
They then reconvene with the council, who refuses to pay up until the key is obtained. This time the party sets out with a detachment of two dozen guards back to the Ruins. They arrive by midday, just enough time to set up within the rumble, waiting for whatever might come.
In the twilight hours of the next morning the graves nearby start to rustle, and twenty skeletons emerge, slaying guards as they spill into the Ruins.
As the party begins to react to the skeletons around them, something much more menacing appears... a large skeletal Minotaur with a great-axe materializes next to a centralized small pillar. There in the middle of the fray, on the elevated podium a skeleton key reveals itself...the last piece to the puzzle. The skeletal Minotaur immediately rushes toward Ka'Lem, connecting with a resounding blow. He shakes it off however, as most of the damage is absorbed by Fenwyse's Bear Totem. The skeletons continue their assault, scratching and scraping against the guards around the adventurers. Things start to look bad until Mia beings helping the guards fend off some of their attackers. This allows the guards to retaliate with vigor, wrecking the skeletal army. Simon, and Fen press on, coming to Ka'Lems aid in combat against the Minotaur. From a second story ledge, Mia casts Catapult on a busted pillar from the ruins and launches it at remarkable speed over her allies' heads. The skeletal Minotaur explodes into pieces from the impact. Guards and skeletons are still skirmishing further away, but the battle soon draws to an end as the party lends a helping hand. Ka'Lem picks up the skeleton key, and Simon goes for a chest that popped into existence after the Minotaur had perished.
The wounded guards, and party makes their way back to Urthspyre, about a two and a half of a days trip. Upon returning to Urthspyre, there's much celebration and such when the adventurers' families realize they're all alive - and that they've discovered how to open the Spire after centuries without progress.
Simon goes back home for the first time in weeks, and meets his father who is drowning himself in his own self-pity. Stunned at his son's return, they share a tender moment as Simon is told by his father how proud he is of his accomplishments. Later in the evening, that same day, a ceremony is held at the base of the Tower. One of the council-members, Bolton Winpenny puts on a display, calling forth a bright young age of adventurers, then gestures toward the party. Ka'Lem, overcoming the burdens he has placed upon himself, inserts the key between the tower doors. It disappears as an arcane light pierces between the two stone barriers that have sealed the spire for as long as anyone can remember. The doors have finally opened.

Under the vision of Simon's dancing light spell, Mia is able to notice an unfamiliar language engraved on a spherical crystalline structure in the center of a dark room before them. The object has three metallic rings, all with a sophisticated script, resting motionless. Whatever this thing is, it seems dormant. Behind the discovery is a massive opening, and a stair case to the left, with another to the right. Forward however, all onlookers are taken aback by a gigantic maze embedded into the depths of the tower below. It runs along the floor, and upward the tower's walls.
Different emotions fill our adventurers:

• Simon, the ambition to wield his mother's gift.
• Mia, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and discovery
• Ka'Lem, the passion to bring about change to his mundane life, and spread his mentor's craft in a new world
• Fenwyse, the eagerness to grow her livelihood

But above all, everyone who gazed into the dismal abyss like maze of the Urthspyre tower shared a feeling in common. What does this event mean for the future of the realm?
On this day, May 23rd of the year 465, the Council has declared the start of a new ERA.
The Age of Adventure!

Missions/Quests Completed

Prologue: Opening the Spire

Character(s) interacted with

• Marcus: The Guard
• Korag: The Goliath Guard
• Bolton Winpenny: Council Member
• Other Council Members
• Random 2 dozen guard attachment (-minus 2 for marcus/korag, ) , And 7 dead
• Gregory: The bar keep of sleepy hollow
• Bartholomew: Mystic shop owner
• Arcane Magic Shop owner and sales person/ halfling/elf
• Respective families of the Party
• Workers at the cafe
• Dwarf common weapon shop owner
• Lumberjack Foreman

Report Date

12 Dec 2018