Summary
In the northern port town of Skaalberg, a group of adventurers gathered to embark on a perilous journey. The town, established by empire colonists a century ago, stood as the region’s strongest military outpost. The area had been haunted by the legacy of the Skull Lord, a powerful necromancer who mysteriously vanished during the Battle of Snowgale twenty years prior, leaving scattered undead and demons in his wake.
The party set sail for two days to reach a mysterious isle, carefully managing their rations during the voyage. Upon reaching the barren, cold island, they encountered stark cliffs and sparse vegetation. As they ventured inland, they discovered a white cobblestone path leading through an unusual warm mist that smelled of lilacs, eventually bringing them to a towering white structure known as Fiadh’s Tower.
Upon entering the tower through automatically opening bronze doors, they discovered a gruesome scene. The ground floor contained a fallen 20-foot golden statue of an elven maiden and numerous dead blue humanoid creatures. While examining the bodies, which appeared to be one to two days old, their wizard Acantha cast invisibility but experienced an unexpected side effect of uncontrollably screaming in Draconic.
The party’s exploration was interrupted by skeleton warriors emerging from a stairwell, leading to their first battle within the tower. During this fight, several party members were gravely wounded, but they ultimately prevailed. After the battle, they discovered five bottles of valuable honeysuckle mead among the carnage.
Higher in the tower, they encountered Súigh, who appeared as a disheveled elven woman accompanied by four blue goblin-like servants. She spoke of betrayal by someone named Nathair and offered the party rest and aid. However, through magical detection, Junior discovered Súigh’s true form as a hag, though kept this revelation private.
At the tower’s peak, the party found a copper brazier burning with blue flame. Under Súigh’s guidance, they quenched their weapons in the flame, turning them cobalt blue and imbuing them with magical properties. They also discovered magical yarn that could be woven into light-producing garments, though this would require a special fae weaver.
The final confrontation took place in the tower’s lower chambers, where they encountered Nathair commanding skeletons to destroy statues. Despite initial attempts at negotiation, combat erupted. The battle proved deadly, with Junior falling in combat and multiple party members suffering severe wounds. When they finally defeated Nathair, they discovered he was merely an animated suit of armor.
The adventure ended with a tragic twist when Richard donned Nathair’s helmet and became corrupted by its power. Unable to remove the cursed armor, he transformed into Nathair himself and fled into the sea, destined to become an enemy of his former companions. The remaining party members returned to Súigh, who rewarded them with magical yarn and mead, though she hinted at more treasures yet to be found in the depths of Fiadh’s Tower.
Scenes
Introduction and Background
The party meets in Skaalberg, a northern port town, and receives background on the region’s history with the Skull Lord.
- New player Charlie joins the group
- GM Will explains the history of Skaalberg and surrounding cities
- The background is given on the Skull Lord, a necromancer who disappeared 20 years ago.
- Discussion of sailing to a mysterious isle
Journey to Fiadh’s Isle
The party sails to a mysterious misty isle where Fiadh’s tower is located.
- Party sails for two days to reach the isle
- Discussion of ration management for the journey
- Anchoring in a southern cove
- Beginning trek across the barren, cold island
Arrival at the Misty Isle
The party encounters strange environmental changes as they approach the tower.
- Party travels across barren, cold isle with cliffs and sparse vegetation
- Encounter mysterious warm white mist that smells like lilacs
- Find white cobblestone path leading north
- Discover 70-80 foot tall white tower with blue flame at top
- Bronze doors open automatically as party approaches
Ground Floor Discovery
The party enters the tower’s ground floor to find dead blue humanoids and a fallen golden statue.
- Find inscription reading ‘Fiadh’s Rest’ in Sylvan
- Discover fallen 20-foot golden statue of elven maiden
- Find multiple dead blue humanoid creatures and one-eyed monsters
- Acantha casts invisibility and screams uncontrollably in Draconic
- Party examines bodies and determines they died 1-2 days ago
- Found 5 bottles of honeysuckle mead
Initial Skeleton Battle
The party fights their first encounter with undead in the tower.
- Discovered a crudely dug tunnel to the south of the tower
- Two skeletons emerged from stairwell and attacked
- Orm was cut down by the skeletons
- Glog was nearly killed but revived
- Party defeats the skeletons
Meeting Súigh
The party encounters the disguised hag and her servants after clearing the lower level.
- Meet elven woman (Súigh) with four blue blue, dog-eared servants
- She reveals Nathair’s betrayal and undead invasion
- Recognizes Acantha and speaks their true name
- Party discovers magical spinning wheel and yarn
- Junior sees through illusion revealing Súigh as a hag
- Party rests and recovers
Tower Top Discovery
The party explores the tower’s peak and enchants their weapons.
- Discover copper brazier with blue flame
- Detect magic reveals charms against fae creatures
- Party quenches weapons in flame, turning them cobalt blue
- Súigh reveals more about Nathair and Fiadh’s treasure
Final Battle with Nathair
The party confronts and defeats Nathair in the tower’s lower chambers.
- Find Nathair commanding skeletons to destroy statues
- Combat breaks out after failed negotiations
- Junior uses invisibility and burning hands effectively
- Multiple party members severely wounded
- Nathair revealed as empty animated armor
- Junior killed in battle
- Richard dons Nathair’s helmet and becomes corrupted
- Party receives rewards from Súigh including magical yarn and mead
NPCs
Skull Lord
A powerful necromancer who raised an undead army 20 years ago but mysteriously vanished during the Battle of Snowgale. Now serves as a bogeyman figure in local legends.
Fean, Queen of Chaos
A goddess of chaos and insanity who is often inadvertently worshipped by those who wish ill on others.
Súigh
A deceptive hag who appears as a disheveled elven woman with braided hair. Commands blue goblin-like servants and claims ownership of the tower. Seeks Fiadh’s treasure and speaks Sylvan.
Blue Servants
Small blue humanoid creatures with long ears and bronze daggers who serve Súigh. Described as hardy beings who show complete devotion to their master. Many were found dead in the tower.
One-Eyed Monsters
Strange one-legged, armless creatures that appear to be mostly mouth, found dead alongside the blue humanoids.
Nathair
A mysterious warlord in black spiked plate mail who commands skeletons. Revealed to be an empty animated suit of armor with no flesh inside. Wields a black longsword with deadly skill and claims to be ‘warlord of the land of the gone’. His armor is cursed and transforms its wearer into Nathair.
Locations
Skaalberg
A bureaucratic port town in the frigid north of Daj Kodan, run by empire colonists with the region’s largest standing army. Has been established for about a century.
Vishrun
A city of empire-influenced locals, primarily composed of urbanized Enoq native people.
Khardruz
An orc stronghold to the far north, part of a fractitious alliance with Skaalberg and Vishrun.
Fiadh’s Isle
A barren, cold island with cliffs, small shrubs, and constant winds. Shrouded in mysterious warm mist that smells like lilacs. Home to Fiadh’s tower and surrounded by obscuring fog.
Fiadh’s Tower
An 80-foot-tall white tower with multiple levels, bronze doors, and no windows. Features include a fallen golden statue, spiral staircases, magical barriers, a spinning wheel room, and a top level with ramparts and a copper brazier burning with blue flame. Contains both above-ground chambers and underground tunnels.
Underground Chamber
A network of recently excavated tunnels and rooms beneath Fiadh’s tower, accessed through a crude tunnel. Contains destroyed statues, magical barriers, and evidence of recent activity including scattered brass-tipped pickaxes.
Spells
Invisibility
Used by both Acantha and Junior during the session. When Acantha cast it, it caused her to scream uncontrollably in Draconic. Junior used it effectively in combat against Nathair.
Alarm
Protective spell cast multiple times to secure areas of the tower, including the front door with doubled duration of two days.
Burning Hands
Combat spell cast multiple times by Junior, particularly effective against Nathair and his skeleton minions while invisible.
Turn Undead
Orm’s divine magic successfully destroyed some skeleton minions but did not affect Nathair himself.
Cure Wounds
Healing magic attempted multiple times during battles to keep wounded party members alive.
Detect Magic
Used to examine magical phenomena, notably revealing Súigh’s true hag form and the nature of the blue flame’s protection against fae creatures.
Light
Used to illuminate dark areas during exploration of the underground tunnels.
Items
Ship
A vessel acquired by the party that requires monthly crew payment, used to sail to Fiadh’s Isle.
Golden Statue
A fallen 20-foot tall statue of an elven maiden, broken off at the ankles, found on the ground floor of Fiadh’s Tower.
Magical Yarn
Silken, shimmering yarn found in the tower that can be woven into apparel that glows on command, functioning like a light spell. Requires a special fae weaver to craft. Enough material for one magical garment.
Honeysuckle Mead
Valuable bottles of mead worth 15 gold each, found in green tan glass bottles labeled in Sylvan.
Nathair’s Armor
Black spiked plate mail that corrupts its wearer. When worn, it possesses the wearer and transforms them into Nathair. Cannot be removed once donned.
Blue-Enchanted Weapons
Weapons quenched in the tower’s blue flame that gain special properties, causing them to flare with blue fire when striking enemies.
Brass-Tipped Pickaxes
Several small pickaxes with brass tips, sized for smaller beings, were found in the underground tunnel, evidence of recent digging activity.
Squishy Ball
A softball-sized spongy ball that bounces like a leather ball, used as an improvised weapon against the skeletons.
Dubious Heroes 
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