Characters:
- Ilai
- Fae’ael
- Taget
- Belrith
The party assembles and heads to the shelter with the fountain, resting there for the evening, grabing some temporary healing potions and preparing for the next day. The party updates Taget on our recent adventurers and Belrith’s brush with death. On the morrow, we fly Ilai air (Ilai summoning two giant eagles and casting longstrider on each.) The eagles make good time and we arrive outside the tower at around midday, the eagles not wanting to approach too close.
Belrith casts Aid on Ilai, Taget and himself before Taget goes to scout the tower. Taget takes one of the sending stones and wildshapes into a ferret as Fae’ael casts beastsense to see through their eyes. Her sense of smell enhanced she comments on both Belrith’s and Ilai’s quite pleasent scents. Taget explores the 35 – 40 foot tower. The tower used to be 3 stories tall, but now is only 2 stories, with a large pile of rubble on the second floor. There are two large gold statues flanking the entrance to the tower in front of as big iron door. Taget circles the tower finding a very small hole at the back of the tower that they manage to squeeze through.
Inside they find the bottom floor is in a ruined condition and contains a table, some bookshelves and a lot of books half chewed by mice. There is some broken furniture and there appears to be no threats. Taget hears one of the griffon’s arriving and communicating with Fae’ael decides to check the second level before they open the door and let the others in. Sneaking up to the second level, they see a griffon in a large nest sharing a deer heart with the griffon that just arrived.
There used to be a third floor, but it appears what was most of the third floor is now the griffon’s nest. Seeing the griffon’s settled, Taget heads downstairs to open the door for the rest of the party so we can negotiate with the griffons. However when they change back into their normal form and go to open the door a magical blast sends them reeling back, taking eight points of lightning damage. The rest of us hear a soft lightning blast, and go to investigate.
Belrith moves forward and casts embolding bond on Ilai, Fae’ael and himself just in case there is danger. As we both forward the statues in front of the door come alive and charge the party, slamming into Belrith for a critical hit, the other attacks Fae’ael who manages to dodge the attacks. Fearing a repeat of the last battle, Fae’ael comes forward to assist Belrith firing at the construct that attacked her. Taget decides to try the door again and gets blasted back for another 8 points of damage, they communicate via sending stone that the door is not opening and it hurts. They move away from the door and prepare an attack.
Moving up to Fae’ael, Ilai tries to blast the construct away, but it resists the thunderwave. Belrith dispels the magic on the door, and tells Taget through the sending stone that it should be open. He moves into a more advantageous postion. It is then we learn that the constructs can breathe fire, as the construct in front of Fae’ael and Ilai breathes on them, traumatizing Fae’ael a bit. She responds with a critical hit.
Taget opens the door, but takes another 12 points of damage as the damage spell was not dispeled. Frustrated they send out a fairie fire that the construct dodges. Ilai brings down one of the constructs with a blast of icicles evening the odds. Belrith, noticing Fae’ael’s fear at the fire and her trembling hands races to her side and casts heroism saying “The Fire of the world isn’t as damaging as the fire of your mind. I know you can do this, I believe in you.”
As he does so, the other construct blocks the door, breathing fire onto Taget who falls unconscious. Fae’ael shoots the construct in the back, but can’t get to Taget. Ilai teleports and brings Taget back up, as Belrith tries to bring the construct down with a Toll the Dead – however it reflects the magic back onto the cleric who has to resist his own spell. The construct then recharges it’s breath weapon and breathes fire down onto Ilai and Taget. Blostered by Belrith’s heroism and fearing for Ilai, Fae’ael uses Belrith’s embolding bond to teleport next to Ilai and take the damage instead of them. She then brings down the final construct, and heals Taget who had fallen unconcious again.
Breathing heavily the party spends 3 rounds healing each other up and discussing the fight and their approach with the griffons. Fae’ael retrieves the deer carcass she had hunted before, Taget casts enhancability on Ilai and we head up stairs. On the second floor Ilai casts speak with animals on themself and begins talking to the griffons they say. “We are neighbours and wish to greet with food. ” The griffon on the nest seems cautious and tells us not to come any closer. Ilai continues “We are here to protect your flock and ask to come and go from this tower in exchange for this protection.”
The griffon replies “Is my mate is not capable enough to protect my young?” And the party quickly confers to discuss our approach with the griffons, deciding to change tact. Ilai continues “We know you are great hunters – we mean no insult. We have healing magic and could offer aid there as well.” With a convincing argument and a guidance from Belrith, Ilai manages to get the griffon to listen who replies “There are many dangers in this land. Packs do tend to be stronger.”
It is then that her mate returns, a himbo griffon who is devoted to his mate and protecting her and their young. Ilai then makes their final argument. “Greetings again mighty hunter, we hope our pack might be able to come and go in peace. Perhaps even fortify this structure. That it might be a safer nest for all. ” The griffons are convinced with Ilai’s argument and respond that we may fortify the structure as long as noone disturbs their clutch of eggs. Ilai argres and explains “With your permission – we would ask small nature spirits to come to fortify this place. As neighbors and a neighboring pack – we are happy to assist in case of emergencies with healing magic and other aid.”
The griffons seem confused by the mention of healing magic and Belrith demonstrates healing up the rest of Fae’ael’s wounds in front of the griffons. They seem impressed and ask the party to check on one of their eggs. Ilai conveys this to Belrith who putting down his weapons moves up to check on the eggs with Ilai’s assistance. Two of the three seem very healthy and will hatch in a week or so, while the third one gives off quite a sickly vibe. Analyzing further Belrith recognizes that the sickness or disease has progressed quite far and only a revivify will save the third chick. Through Ilai he asks the griffon’s permisson to touch the egg and goes to cast the spell, but doesn’t know how to touch the body inside the egg. Fae’ael moves up and casts etheralness through her nature magic – allowing Belrith to reach through the etheral plane and touch the young griffon’s body, reviving it inside the egg. He blows on the embers of a fire, and the soul lights back up.
“I have reached in and revived the chick, I will now pray over the clutch to the deity of luck that they may have the best life. I have put my thumb on the scales of fate in their favor.”
Fae’ael joins Belrith in their prayer and the party retreats, having gained the favor of the griffon’s as allies, Ilai bids farwell – “So glad we were able to help. If you have other similar problems, we are always happy to help. We are honoured to be your neighbours and allies and look forward to meet your beautiful young.” And the griffon’s respond “We feel your hearts are true.” Before we leave them to their rest.
On the first level of the tower the party discover some documents talking about a Crystal Cave in the East and realize that there is about 10,000 gold worth of materials on the bodies of the constructs. Having no way to transport this currently, they drag the bodies inside the tower and close the door. After a long rest they return via Ilai Air and update the town on their new griffon allies – telling the nature spirits in the town to begin work on converting the ruined tower into a defensible location. They then take a well deserved break.
