We’d just put our backs down for a bit—me leanin’ on a good sturdy stone, hopin’ fer shut-eye—when I catch that barefoot twig-hugger Cha’Tima sniffin’ around the weeds like a truffle pig. He’s scribblin’ in some druid’s journal, collectin’ leaves, then trades a pinch o’ green nonsense to Icarus… for a sharp bloody rock. Icarus chews it like a dumpling—and bam, his face puffs up like an ogre’s backside.
Shadowstep, gods help us, decides he’ll “fix it” with that mystery purple potion o’ his—tips it right over Icarus’ swollen head, and the lad starts floatin’ like a balloon in festival wind. Dreafus lassoes him to a rock to stop him driftin’ away, and Cha’Tima makes up some green goo that actually works and brings the fool back down to earth.
Once the chaos settles, Cha’Tima whispers sweet nothings to a summoned bird and sends it scoutin’. Dreafus points to a clean-lookin’ house nearby—too clean for a place that’s been swallowed by vines. Bird comes back sayin’ there’s another camp way out by the city’s edge. Maybe more of our Caldea lot? Don’t matter much. I grunt, pull my cloak over my face, and get back to me nap.
Sun’s barely peekin’ over the ruins when I wake. That cursed orange glow’s still hangin’ in the air like a bad fart. Cha’Tima and Dreafus are packin’ already—but where in the Nine Hells are Gerhard and Istrum? Not a track, not a fight, just… gone. Place is cursed, I tell ye.
With no leads, we head to that odd-lookin’ house. Soon as I cross the threshold—FLASH!—a blinding white light smacks me beard-first, and next thing I know, I’m standin’ before some giant oak door all by meself.
Aye, great.
Inside’s a wide chamber with carvings about crop growin’—who carves farmin’ cycles into stone, I ask ye? Druids, that’s who. I take the side room, start hearin’ Cha’Tima’s voice echoin’ all around like he’s in me bloody skull. I shout back, and he hears me too—but neither of us can figure where the sound’s comin’ from.
Room smells faintly o’ ale. Now that does perk me up. I dig through every shelf like a badger lookin’ for truffles, but naught to be found. So I do what any sane dwarf would—smash the damned shelves to splinters with me axe.
Downstairs, there’s another room with carvings, a door with a fancy sun crest, and a tricklin’ fountain. Water smells clean. I mutter a curse and fill me waterskin, then stomp onward past more empty shelves.
Next room’s got fish—skeleton fish, I tell ye—swimmin’ in stagnant muck. I catch one bare-handed, and the thing snaps at me, bone jaws and all. What kind of twisted wizard dreams up this place?
Cha’Tima shouts he’s found three books—all blank. Then we meet up again, and he leads me to another fountain. I drop the undead fish into it—if the place wants weird, it’ll get it.
The books are titled:
- “How to Train a Dragon”
- “Planets”
- “Astral Planes”
I splash some fountain water on the pages, and bam—text starts appearin’. First one’s some bedtime tale about a knight raisin’ a dragon (soft stuff), but the other two? Full o’ stars and realms and other such arcane nonsense.
There’s one more door. The room feels… wrong. Furniture’s normal, but the air’s thick. The oak door looks off—wrong colour, strange fixin’s. Cha’Tima pulls out maps and matches ‘em with the starry book. Says the markings on the walls are older than the maps themselves.
Aye, this place is ancient—and cursed, most like.
We find a doorway where Cha’Tima first arrived. We holler out, and wouldn’t ye know it—Icarus answers back! Then Dreafus calls from behind us. Aye, great—more magical foolery. They come trudgin’ through with books o’ their own. More water, more words. Dreafus’ book’s called “How to Swim” (he’ll need it if I throw him in a river), and Shadowstep’s got “How to Fight a Dragon.” Suppose that’s the sequel.
Then we hear it—Icarus screamin’. Clear as a smith’s bell. We charge to find him in a new room, one with a huge island and old standin’ stones all atop it.
I stop, take a breath, and rub me temple.
“Moradin’s arse,” I mutter, “I need a drink.”
And by the forge, I will have one—if I live through this blasted tower.