|
|
Mulachi's Tower
A Phelan Mini-Adventure
I ran this mini-adventure for the players in my Ironclaw campaign while they were passing through the Phelan territories. It was a big hit and they were thoroughly mystified throughout most of it. I think the entire run took only one... perhaps two sessions to complete. It could be set in a different part of Calabria without too much trouble, though you'd need to alter the rationale a little. Make Lunn and Ross into the wizard's nephews instead.
Mulachi's book was included to introduce some new spells into the game, and to hash out my rules for non-standard spells. If you don't like the way that I handled them, you can of course change their requirements to "Requires at least a d4 in the Career of Mulachi's Magic."
Premise
An old hermit wizard named Mulachi lived in a stone tower near a Phelan settlement for many decades. Old age, however, finally caught up to him recently, and he fell ill and died in town. Since he was believed to live alone, King Uscias of the Southern Clan decided to award ownership of the tower to some of his Fianna. Most were reluctant to take this bounty because of the rumors about the magical curses that Mulachi used to keep visitors away from his abode.
The brothers Lunn and Ross, however, were brave enough to challenge the spirits and King Uscias granted them the right to take ownership if they could. They were given the golden key that was found in Mulachi's robes, in the belief that it was probably the key to his tower.
But now Ross is dead, the key is missing, and Lunn is desparate. He dares not return to the tower alone, but he dares not seek aid from his fellows, either. If word got out that they were unable to occupy the tower, King Uscias might well bestow ownership on someone else, instead.
He was almost desperate enough to turn to the Druids for aid, despite the fact that they would almost certainly inform the King, when he learned that a band of foreign adventurers were passing through the town....
"Mulachi's Tower" is a short adventure set in the Phelan territories. It involves more problem solving than combat, though a powerful and experienced party might be able to resolve it through the use of brute force. It was originally run for a group of 5 assorted PCs who were probably about 30 point characters at the time.
The Setup This adventure is easiest to work in if the PCs happen to be travelling through the Phelan territories. While they are stopped at a town to resupply, a somewhat raggedly looking Fiann seeks them out. If the PCs have any known magic workers in their group, he'll be even more desperate to get their help.
This is Lunn, who has come to town on a pretense of buying supplies, but actually to see if there is anyone whom he could ask for aid without letting it become known that he is in trouble. As foreign travellers, the PCs seem perfect.
Lunn will introduce himself to the PCs in an unusually friendly manner, asking questions about their journeys and adventures and off-handedly inquiring whether or not they have any magic-workers among them. A successful Mind & Psychology roll vs a d6 will reveal (if the players haven't already figured it out) that Lunn desperately wants to talk to them about something but is afraid to speak about it publicly. Lunn will hint that he wants to speak to them out of everyone else's earshot more and more openly, until he finally just whispers it to whoever seems friendliest.
"My friends, I am in desperate straits, but I cannot risk the shame of having my problems aired publicly. Can I beseech you for an oath that you will keep my words in confidence?"Assuming that the PCs give Lunn any kind of reasonable assurance, he will go on and explain the details of his problem.
Here Lunn gets more haggard and reluctant to discuss what happened."A few weeks ago, the hermit-mage Mulachi came to our town seeking magical aid for an illness. But his ailment had progressed further than he thought, and he perished in the Druid's care. He was very old, though no one here knows exactly how old. He came to our lands many, many decades ago and received permission to build a tower in a desolate and rocky spot to the west of here."
"After his death, however, the King held a rite of gavelkind to distribute the land amongst the Feine. But no one wanted it. Everyone had heard the tales about the dreadful curses that Mulachi used to guard his tower against trespassers. My brother Ross and I, we... we stood up and said that we were not afraid of ghost stories and foreign spirits, so King Uscias said that the tower was ours to take. He gave us the gold key that Mulachi had been carrying and we went rushing off to claim our new inheritance..."
"I... I do not know what happened. We reached the tower and we were racing towards it. I remember that I had the key in my right hand. We were laughing and running to see who could reach it first... Then I woke up in the grass, lying on my back, pained and sore. My brother... Ross lay nearby, dead. The key... I must have dropped it in the grass somewhere, I don't remember. We were still at least ten paces away from the tower.""I buried Ross under a cairn of stones. I tried to find the key, but I was... I feared that whatever fell curse had struck us might come again. I didn't search for long, but came back to town to seek aid. Some magic protects the tower, but I dare not ask the druids for aid. If word reached King Uscias that we were unable to take the tower ourselves.... This was our family's best chance to become land-owners. And I must avenge Ross's death."
"You are foreigners, like Mulachi. You might know things about his foreign magic that I would not. Could you help me unravel this curse and claim the tower for my family?"
The PCs will probably have a lot of questions. If they ask about payment, Lunn tells them that he is poor and has little to offer, but he will grant them first pick of whatever treasures the tower happens to contain. He will also offer to split any foreign coinage found with them. Mulachi might well have brought some dinari with him when he came from the south. Lunn can't offer any specifics because he has no idea what is in the tower.
If the PCs ask about...
Mulachi: No one knows much about him. He was a wolf from the far south, with unusual coloring. He might have been a large coyote or wild dog, rather than a true wolf. It's said that he raised the tower himself using magic. The druids tolerated him because he kept to himself. He hated visitors, but would occasionally visit town to trade herbal remedies for supplies.
Mulachi's Body: It has already been disposed of in a funeral pyre by the local Druids. The Druids can describe his manner of dress if pressed (a light brown cloak with dark brown edgings and a rope belt) but won't think that it is worth mentioning themselves.
Lunn's injuries: Lunn doesn't really appear wounded, but he will allow the PCs to examine him if they wish. A successful Mind & Medicine roll vs 2d8 will reveal that Lunn is injured and has strange burns under his fur. If the PC in question has seen electrical burns before, they can identify them as such; otherwise they will only know that his wounds were not caused by an ordinary weapon.
The key: An ornate golden key that Mulachi used to wear on chain around his neck. Lunn believes that it is probably lost in the tall grass around the tower. A thorough search should locate it.
The Tower: It's about three to four stories tall and constructed of stone with a wood and thatch roof and a metal wind gauge in the shape of a bird. It has windows at the very top, but none on the ground level. It's not terribly large, being only a dozen paces across, but it is unusually tall for Phelan construction. No one likes to go there because of the rumors that it is guarded by a strange curse.
The Tower Outskirts
Assuming that the PCs accept Lunn's request for aid, he will want to leave immediately. He may request that the PCs leave town by a different route and then circle around to meet him, depending on how much attention their conversation has raised. Once they meet up, it is a three hour walk across rocky ground to reach the tower. PCs should make a Body & Hiking roll vs 2d6 or a Body & Riding roll vs 2d4 or suffer one fatigue over the journey.
The tower lies in a rocky area with little growth except for some clumps of tall grass and distant forests around it. The PCs can see a few large, black birds flying around the woods (probably ravens by their size) but nothing else of interest. There is a small trail leading from the tower into the woods. It eventually reaches a small stream, hidden by the woods, where Mulachi would fetch fresh water.
Searching for the key will reveal nothing. It actually isn't in the grass anymore, as it was taken by a local raven with an eye for shiny objects.
The PCs may decide to try and enter the tower themselves (Lunn will wisely insist on staying back). This will likely bring them into conflict with the tower's invisible guardian.
Sususelada the Sylph, guardian of Mulachi's Tower
Body: None, Speed: 2d12, Mind: d6, Will: d6
Sylph d12 & d6 (applies to Augury, Lore: Elementalism, and Weather Sense)
24 Magic Points. Adept at all Air Elementalism spells. Air magic is Enervated. Earth magic is Slaying. Immune to physical attacks.
Flaws: Curious, Capricious
Unusual for a Sylph, Sususelada is also Completely Invisible. Even if she does something to attract someone's attention (such as blasting a friend with a spell right in front of them), they still can only detect her presence by testing Mind & Observation vs a difficulty of 4d10 (if she is about to attack them, they can include Sixth Sense, too). If they have Second Sight, they can include that trait and reduce the difficulty to 4d8. Even once detected, it's very difficult to keep track of her because she moves so quickly. Only an overwhelming success allows the viewer to keep track of her position for more than a single combat round if she is moving about. Her physical form is something like a rush of wind. To Second Sight, she looks like a translucent stormcloud in a vaguely humanoid form. Scry Air is the most reliable way of finding her, but the caster has to be within a dozen paces for it to work (dangerously close).
Sususelada is magically bound to guard the tower from intruders. She can never travel more than 72 paces from it and will always be drawn back towards it. The core of the binding is a piece of chalcedony built into the base of the wind gauge on the roof, but this is pretty much impossible to determine without examining it from the roof or inside the uppermost chamber. Since she is Curious, Capricious and Invisible, she will usually be found floating overhead spying on anyone passing through the area. Her general attitude towards intruders is just to watch them unless they seem to be intent on entering or attacking the tower. If they do, she blasts them with Lightning Bolt (for single, not too terribly dangerous-looking foes), Thunderclap (for clusters of foes, particularly ones that have amused her) or Chain Lightning (for serious assaults). Note that targets who are not expecting an attack do not get to include Dodge or Block dice when soaking Thunderclap or Chain Lightning damage. Someone who approaches the tower slowly, without weapons drawn or other signs of hostility, will be allowed to get with a few paces of the door, but only someone disguised as Mulachi would be allowed to actually try and open it.
Sususelada is not sadistic nor particularly vicious. Unless she is actually attacked herself, she will use the minimum amount of force necessary to drive off intruders. If someone is knocked unconscious (as Lunn was), she will not attempt to finish them off, but will instead grow bored and wander elsewhere. So long as they do not resume their attempt to enter the tower upon awakening, she will ignore them. If someone is struck down and their friends run up to pull them to safety, she'll let them unless they go on charging past the victim towards the tower.
Using spells like Mold Earth or Destroy Earth on the tower will probably be noticed by Sususelada, who will consider it an attack and reply in kind. If she doesn't notice the actual casting, though, she may not realize that the PCs are responsible; she's simply not very bright.
She may also engage in playful antics if people stick around in the area but do not approach the tower. Spells like Mold Air will be used to cause sudden gusts of wind or Destroy Air might be used to frighten someone with a loud popping noise.
Her capricious nature also leaves her with another vulnerability: she is easily bored. PCs who are standing perfectly still are boring and will soon be forgotten about. Until she sees them move again, that is.
Hopefully, once the PCs have discovered the Sylph, they will either figure out a way to defeat her or seek additional information from the surrounding area. Their best bet is to track down one of the ravens that they occasionally see flying above the forest. The closest one is Scargan. If the PCs are unaware that ravens are intelligent and can talk, Lunn can suggest that they ask them, although the PCs may be skeptical until they actually hear Scargan talk.
Scargan the Raven
Body: d4, Speed: d12, Mind: d10, Will: d8
Raven d8 (applies to Disguise, Dodge, and Flight)
Second Sight d12, Magic Resistance d8
Relevant Skills: Flight d12, Observation 2d12, Fast Talk d12
Flaws: Lustful (vs ravens only), Soft-hearted
No Soak Dice
Scargan was once a real "ladies' raven" but he's getting on in years now. A few of his feathers have turned white and others have fallen out, giving him a bedraggled appearance. He'd love to lure a new girl to his nest, but he's been unable to impress the local ladies. He stole the golden key to add to his nest to impress the girls.
He's lived in the vicinity of the tower for many years, and can answer a number of questions about it.
If the PCs ask about...
The Missing Key: Scargan denies having seen it but promises that he'll keep his eyes open. PCs who ask can tell that he's hiding something by rolling Mind & Psychology and beating d12 & d10. He may also ask if there is some sort of reward for finding it, but will only be interested in shiny stones or bits of metal suitable for decorating his nest.
The Tower: Scargan warns them away from it. It's guarded by some sort of invisible elemental, a creature of storm and lightning. He's caught the occasional glimpse of it with his Second Sight and it scares the tail-feathers off of him. He thinks that it is some sort of Sylph; flighty, capricious and easily bored. He has no idea how Mulachi managed to bind it to the tower, but it apparently can't leave the vicinity.
Mulachi: Scargan knows next to nothing about the old man except that he regularly went into the woods hunting for herbs. He never saw the man hunt for meat, though he did look like a wolf. He got water from a stream that passes through the woods.
It's not hard to persuade Scargan to give up the key, especially if the PCs are willing to offer him any kind of shiny trinkets. If the PCs ignore his advice and keep trying to assail the tower, Scargan's conscience will eventually get the better of him and he will bring them the key, claiming to have found it in some bushes nearby. Even more usefully, Scargan can see the elemental, probably more reliably than any of the PCs. If they persuade him to help, he can tell them when the elemental is out of sight, letting them approach the tower unseen.
He can also tell them a trick to get closer to the tower safely: staying perfectly still whenever the Sylph comes over to investigate them. If they remain motionless for very long, she'll get bored and wander off. Once she wanders to the other side of the tower, they can start advancing again. If she's suspicious, give the character a Will & Mind roll vs 2d8 to remain perfectly still long enough for her to wander off.
The Tower of Mulachi
The door to the tower is not magically sealed, it's simply extremely sturdy and well built. The difficulty is distracting the Sylph while someone unlocks the door. If the PCs have figured out that her short attention span, it probably won't be too difficult.
If a PC actually makes it up to the tower and stops to listen, they may be able to hear a songbird singing inside. Roll Listen vs 2d8. There won't be any other audible noises.
Inside, the tower is a very simple affair. It has one large room at the base and a crude wooden stairwell leading up to a trapdoor about 20' up. There are several cabinets here and basic cooking supplies, including a firepit. The most distinctive feature, though, is a table with a large, golden birdcage on it. The cage is ornate and filigreed and looks very finely made. It has a single occupant, a tiny white songbird which flits about inside and sings very sweetly.
Until these strangers start rummaging through cabinets or trying to open the trap door; then the bird's song will change and its magical nature will become apparent.
The Celestial Songbird
Body 1, Speed 2d12, Mind 1, Will d8
Songbird d8 (applies to Flight, Acrobatics and Singing)
Joy d12 (applies when singing pleasing songs)
Relevant Skills: Dodge 2d12, Observation d10, Singing d8
Mulachi's most prized possession was a tiny white songbird lured from the ethereal heights of the upper atmosphere and captured in golden cage. The bird is quite tame, but dislikes strangers, particularly those who try to break things or mess with its cage. Whenever it is upset, it will sing a magical song of sleep. Everyone within 10 paces of the bird must roll Mind & Will vs 3d8 or be lulled to sleep (the sleep lasts for at least a scene, but it is not magically deep and the character can be awoken normally). It can repeat the song as needed, pretty much without limit. The bird is basically a kind of magical spirit of the air, distantly related to a Sylph.
Observant PCs may note that while Mulachi has been dead for weeks, the bird seems in perfect health. Closer inspection will reveal that the bird has neither food nor water, nor is the floor of the cage marked with droppings. In fact, the songbird only takes nourishment from song and laughter. It is "hungry" for affection and so will regard any intruders in a friendly manner... at least until they frighten or disturb it.
Its enchanted cage appears to be made out of gold filigree and appears quite fragile, but actually has 6d12 soak and 3 hit points. There is no door. If the cage is somehow broken, or the enchantment on it removed (3d12 difficulty) the songbird will flutter off and return to its home in the sky.
When the PCs first enter the tower, the songbird will slowly become more and more irate. It will flutter about and make strange, frightened-sounding calls. If the PCs start rummaging through stuff or climbing the stairs, it will start singing and try to put them to sleep until the offending activity ceases. Someone can distract the bird by whistling or talking to it nicely. A roll of Mind & Animal Handling (& possibly a Perform skill) vs 2d8 is necessary to distract it from what other characters are doing.
There is a rather simple way to get past the songbird without being put to sleep. When Mulachi needed some peace and quiet, he would occasionally dig out a white sheet and slowly and gently cover its cage so that the songbird was enclosed in darkness without being frightened. Any sort of cloak or other large piece of cloth could be substituted. The bird is used to this sort of thing, so a Mind & Animal Handling roll vs 2d6 is all that's necessary to do it without frightening it. If the correct white cloth is found and used, the difficulty drops to d4.
Mulachi's Herbal Remedies
The cabinets are full of small jars of herbs and powders. Mulachi was an accomplished herbalist and has an extensive set of ingredients. He also has three jars of Healing Salve prepared. The exact recipe he used for it is unknown, but the salve is extremely effective. There are 4 doses per jar, and each dose will heal 1 wound when applied to an injury. The whole process takes about a minute. Unfortunately, all of the fur around the wound will also fall out, which can be quite embarrassing, but the fur-loss is not permanent and it will grow back normally. The jars are not labeled, but a Mind & Herbalism roll vs 2d8 will reveal that the substance in the jars is probably some sort of ointment for salving woulds. If asked, Lunn may remember that Mulachi occasionally sold such things in town, but he has never used the salve himself.The trap door into the upper chamber is locked with a Mage Lock II, giving it a strength of 3d12. Getting past it will probably require either magic or a lot of brute force.
The Upper Chamber
The upper chamber was obviously used to prepare and cast spells. There is an iron brazier with a fire still burning in it, and the center of the room is dominated by a wide, smooth area with faded chalk circles and runes on it. There is a green cloak hanging from a hook and several cabinets which are closed. There is also an ornate wooden staff leaning against one wall.
If the PCs check around thoroughly, they will eventually notice a small, triangular wooden window in the roof which can be opened. This will reveal the base of the metal wind gauge. A Spot check vs 2d6 will reveal that there is a small, oddly colored stone actually built into the base of the wind gauge, held in place by small metal clasps. This is the source of the binding which keeps the Sylph here. Damaging or breaking the stone will free her, but messing with it in any way will immediately attract her attention, causing her to whirl down through the open window as a miniature whirlwind and attack any intruders. If your PCs don't have any way of detecting magic and can't fight the Sylph, you might state that the stone is glowing faintly, and then have the Sylph come in a great rush whenever the stone is disturbed.
The best reaction to the Sylph's arrival is almost certainly to smash the gem. It only has a d6 soak, and will be destroyed if it takes even one wound. It could also be ripped out intact (which would also end the spell) but that requires a strength check vs 2d10. As soon as the spell is broken, Sususelada will immediately emit a joyous cry and abandon combat. She will rush back out into the air and swirl around the tower, laughing wildly. After a round or two, she will soar up into the upper atmosphere and vanish.
At this point, the PCs have successfully removed the "curse" guarding the tower, and Lunn's family can occupy it safely. Depending on the sort of agreement that they came to, Lunn will probably give them their choice of the "treasures" in the tower. None of it is really useful to Lunn and he will be very grateful for their help, so the PCs may well end up with the healing salve, the songbird and most or all of the items listed below.
Mulachi's Iron Brazier
The iron brazier in the center of the room is enchanted with a bound Salamander. This causes it to burn with a steady flame that consumes no fuel. Unfortunately, it is also fairly heavy and weighs 2 stone. It would be a very useful item for Lunn's family, but he won't particularly mind if the PCs want it, as he is distrustful of magic. If the PCs drag it to a mage or druid, the brazier could probably be sold for at least two aureals, possibly more. While this isn't a particularly useful enchantment, such things are very difficult to come by.Mulachi's Travel Cloak
This green cloth cloak is well-worn and won't look particularly impressive unless a PC beats a 2d10 with a Mind & Observation check. Then he'll actually notice that the cloak occasionally flutters about a little, without any wind to move it. The cloak has a Sylph bound into it, granting an additional d6 to the wearer's Dodge and Acrobatics checks. It also causes the wearer to treat all Air damage as enervated and all Earth damage as slaying. Again, it's not a particularly astounding item, but its rarity would increase its value to at least an aureal, probably more.Mulachi's Book of Spells
This hefty tome is sealed in one of the cabinets. It is written entirely in the runic language of Berla Galleneh, a language which very few people know, even in Phelan. It contains information about Fire and Air Elementalism (but cannot be used to improve Earth or Water spells), Thaumaturgy and some new spells which Mulachi had apparently designed or discovered. This should be a major discovery for any character capable of realizing what they have found, and it is probably the single most valuable item in Mulachi's tower. Unfortunately, unless the PCs go to the trouble of getting it translated into Calabrese (a time consuming and probably expensive process), it will probably be almost worthless. Any character with an Elementalist or Thaumaturgy trait can roll Mind & Magic Lore vs a difficulty of 2d8 to realize that the diagrams in the book represent previously unknown spells, but they cannot learn them or cast them unless they can already read Berla Galleneh.
Mulachi's spells all require at least a d4 in Thaumaturgy and Elementalism to cast. Until the caster acquires at least a skill of d4 in casting them, they cannot be cast without reading directly from the book or another physical copy of the spell. All of them have additional casting requirements as well. Naturally, if you find these spells inappropriate for your game, simply ignore them. The tome is quite valuable itself, simply as a reference for learning both Elementalism and Thaumaturgy.
Avert Air II (requires the ability to cast Journeyman Elemental Air spells)
This spell is similar to the Apprentice Air Elementalism spell Avert Air except for its enhanced effect dice of 2d12. If the character ever manages to find a non-magical wind that actually inflicts damage (such as a sandstorm) then the spell will still provide 2d6 protection for resisting damage from it.
Cost: 2 Difficulty: 2d12 Type: Regular Effect: shield a target from hostile Air Magic and regular wind
Avert Fire II (requires the ability to cast Journeyman Elemental Fire spells)
This spell is similar to the Apprentice Fire Elementalism spell Avert Fire except for its enhanced effect dice of 2d12 and the fact that it can also protect against non-magical fire, though to a lesser extent (add 2d6 to your soak instead of 2d12).
Cost: 2 Difficulty: 2d12 Type: Regular Effect: shield a target from hostile Fire Magic and regular flame
Continual Light (requires Adept at Light and the ability to cast Journeyman Thaumaturgy spells)
This spell is similar to the Apprentice Thaumaturgy spell Light, except that the ball of light remains until the caster chooses to dispel it (which they can do at will).
Cost: 1 Difficulty: d10 Type: Delayed Effect: create a magical ball of light which lasts until dispelled
Destroy Air II (requires the ability to cast Journeyman Elemental Air spells)
Except for the enhanced effect dice of 2d12, this spell is similar to the Apprentice Air Elementalism spell Destroy Air. An effect roll of 2 destroys enough air to make a loud popping noise. An effect of 6 can empty an entire room or inflict 1 wound on a Sylph. An effect of 11 or more can empty a large room of air or inflict 2d6 suffocation damage on a single target (roll Body & Breath-Holding to soak) or inflict 2 wounds on a Sylph.
Cost: 2 Difficulty: 2d12 Type: Regular Effect: destroy a small area of air
Destroy Fire II (requires the ability to cast Journeyman Elemental Fire spells)
Except for the enhanced effect dice of 2d12, this spell is similar to the Apprentice Fire Elementalism spell Destroy Fire. An effect roll of 2 can snuff a candle, lantern or campfire. An effect roll of 6 can put out a burning person or a two pace circle of flames or inflict 1 wound on a Fire Elemental. An effect of 11 or higher can put out a five pace circle of flame or inflict 2 wounds on a Fire Elemental.
Cost: 2 Difficulty: 2d12 Type: Regular Effect: snuff out a small fire
Guardian Sylph (requires Adept at Command Sylph and Bind Sylph)
This spell binds a Sylph to a large piece of chalcedony or topaz, but without actually imprisoning it in the stone. Instead, the stone is ritually set in the center of a location which the Sylph is then bound to guard. It cannot harm the caster of the spell or those that he has placed under his protection (doing so requires using Command Sylph and beating a difficulty of 2d6 with Will & Elementalist), but anyone else is fair game. It can travel up to 72 paces from the binding stone, but no further. Depending on the personality of the Sylph in question, it may turn vicious and spiteful, or it may not particularly mind being a bound guardian. The Sylph cannot actually affect its binding stone, but it can instantly sense if anyone else touches it and will immediately investigate. Moving the stone is a very risky endeavor. The spell binding the Sylph is fragile and easily disrupted; whenever the stone is moved, roll 2d12 per round of movement. If a result of '1' comes up on both dice, then the spell ends and the Sylph is free. If the Sylph has been treated poorly, it will almost certainly seek revenge upon its master before departing. Actually damaging the stone will always end the spell immediately.
Cost: 4 Difficulty: 4d12 Type: Delayed Effect: set a Sylph to guard an area
Pass Mage Lock (Requires Adept at Mage Lock II or III)
This spell allows the caster to temporarily suspend the effects of a Mage Lock spell, allowing him to open a Mage Locked portal. As soon as the portal (or chest or drawer or whatever was sealed) is closed again, the Mage Lock spell starts working again. If the portal is left open for a full scene or longer, the Mage Lock will be dispelled. This spell has no effect on a Mage Lock cast by anyone else, only one created by the caster.
Cost: 1 Difficulty: d10 Type: Regular Effect: temporarily bypass a Mage Lock that you cast yourself.