Having cleared the level of Yellow Musk Zombies and immature plants, the party made their way up the stairs to the next floor.
…and found they’d accidentally cleared it by drawing the zombies downstairs.
The party set about exploring the level, while Venlana systematically torched the immature bulbous plants. The Yellow Musk was in the air, making the adventurers a bit euphoric. The air was noticeably more humid now.
Near moldy skeletons, the group found a Longsword +1 and a Dagger +1.
Previous sessions in this prequel to Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
BARRIER PEAKS EXPEDITION Prelude: The Tower of Mourning 1 – Vegepygmies
BARRIER PEAKS EXPEDITION Prelude: The Tower of Mourning 2 – Assembled Skeletons
BARRIER PEAKS EXPEDITION Prelude: The Tower of Mourning 3 – Bloody Footprints & Metal Man
BARRIER PEAKS EXPEDITION Prelude: The Tower of Mourning 4 – Yellow Musk Zombies
Rescue
The stairs up turned into a spiral. And immediately dumped them into a throng of enemies. It was a narrow, crowded chamber, with a bed on a raised platform.
With the assistance of AB-101 and his two assembled skeletons, they made short work of the zombies.
Then one of the immature yellow musk plants turned out to not be a juvenile.
The musk smell was strong throughout the room.
All players had to roll saving throws. Del-Li failed, and began walking toward the yellow musk creeper.
Fortunately, he was the only character entranced, and the party soon cut the creeper into landscape waste.
The party noticed a chest to the south, with a staff on top. Opposite was a mirror leaned up against the wall, with a note taped to it:
“Speak Before You Look. Command Words: Joanna Iverson.”
The party was pretty sure this was a reference to Lady Iverson, wife of the Baron of the tower. Speaking the words, a woman suddenly appeared.
(Zoltan the Dwarf Barbarian thought she’d been hiding behind the mirror! In reality, it is a Mirror of Life Trapping.)
Lady Iverson was a broken woman. She’d seen her husband and children slain (and raised as zombies!). Between sobbing and near-catatonia, they got little information from her. Lady Iverson only wanted to be escorted to civilization. They had her wait, while they cleared the rest of the tower.
The chest had thousands of gold pieces and a Staff of Fire on top. Pyromaniac Venlana immediately claimed the staff.
The party proceeded to the door in the north to clear the other half of this level.
Del-Li, who’d checked for traps at every door in the tower and confidently claimed them to be clear (no matter what his roll), was poked in the hand by a poison needle!
The gnome put a brave face on it, grimacing as his body resisted the poison (a good saving throw).
(It reminded me of a real-world incident. DEA agent shoots self in foot in a classroom.)
As Del-Li stepped aside, gasping for air, Ada stepped forward and quietly opened to door ever so slightly. And spotted at least 2 zombies shambling around in the next room. Venlana decided to try out her new Staff of Fire! (She had a surprise round).
Venlana commanded the staff to shoot a Fireball into the room. Then (rolling at the top of the initiative order) launched a 2nd Fireball!
The foes beyond were barbequed, including another yellow musk creeper.
The party mopped up what few survived the double inferno. They noticed a small quiver on a bench to the south, which fortunately had just been outside the Fireballs!
It turned out to be an Efficient Quiver (like a Bag of Holding, but for missile weapons).
The party braced for what they suspected to be the last floor of the tower, and AB-101’s competitor foe, 2-2B, who’d been developing these abominations.
Continued next session!
What we’re playing
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
During this adventure walkthrough / playthrough, I use primarily the original module, with some extras lifted from Goodman Games fantastic Original Adventures Reincarnated hardcover.
Amazon | DriveThruRPG (PDF)
Gorgeous hardcover Original Adventures Reincarnated #3: Expedition to The Barrier Peaks at Amazon
The most excellent map is by Dyson Logos
See Also:
Oh no “to be continued!”. Del-Li’s misfortune reminds me of a number of failed rolls in our own games. Once a player fumbled some roll so bad, he convinced himself that he had found a Magic Table! The poor party took turns carrying the heavy thing all the way back to town!
Dragging a “Magic Table” around, heh. That’s what really makes these games memorable, is these moments!
Especially when the players role play it or add to it. 😃