The Tower of the Dead

The Story of the Once and Reborn King

Book One: From Ashes of Empire

Part III: The Phoenix Risng

Adventure Three: Finding Hope Anew

Act II: The Tower of the Dead

GM Notes
A new D&D3e book had just been released and it really intrigued both Viggo's player and myself. He created Viggo and we convinced Simeon's player to join us. Ruin didn't join until session 5 or 6 and he had to run an NPC cleric until Porta. This is one of the great campaigns. We played often and for 8+ hours at a time. Some of the best roleplaying ever. I remember having Viggo start at 4th level, 2 in Scout and 2 in Barbarian, with Simeon a 3rd level Rogue. By the time Ruin started Viggo was almost 5th and Simeon still 3rd, so Ruin started at the bottom of 4th, with the promise to Simeon that he would gain experience faster and someday have the option of playing the highest level character.

Chapter One: Wrecking Crew

Session 1 02/16/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
GM Notes
This adventure was supposed to be a little introductory quest but it ended up pretty much driving the campaign with all the plot hooks and NPCs that came out of it. It is based on the free D&D3e adventure Wreck Ashore.

Viggo, his sister Kristanna, and Simeon have sailed northwards from Tor and the events of Caravan to Ein Arris. As their route takes them past the Isenshoul penninsula they are almost wrecked in a storm when a bonfire on the beach, not the nearby lighthouse, draws them too close to the shore. Angry at this, they take their leave of the ship in Seawall with thoughts of punishing the wreckers. Seawall, however is under attack by local tribes of lizard-folk from the nearby marshes and cannot spare anyone. Viggo decides to raise money to roust the wreckers and is somewhat successful.

With the gold he gathers, he hires as many men as he can, mostly rabble — fishermen and dockworkers, naming them The Brotherhood of the Spear. One man of quality, Jireal, a hunter/tracker of the marsh offers to join them as well. They board Ruenon's father's fishing boat and set off for the lighthouse.

After a few encounters with the local fauna, mostly panthers and snakes, during the nights when they beach the boat, they decide that Viggo, Simeon, and Jireal will cross the penninsula on foot while the rest of the men will sail the fishing boat around the point and await further instructions.

Jireal leads them true through the marsh, his skills evident in every movement. Soon they hear sounds of battle and come across a lizardman, S'ska, of the Krojar's Point tribe, who is being hunted by some of the wreckers. Killing two of them quickly, Viggo releases the third, Artron, on condition that he leaves the wreckers and doesn't warn them. Artron, eager not to die, agrees, but swears vengeance for the humiliation under his breath. S'ska tell the party that his tribe are on good terms with the lighthouse operator and his family. Going to check on them he was assaulted by the wreckers. He is concerned for his friends and asks the party to see if they are still alive.

Session 2 02/19/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
Jireal scouts ahead and tells Viggo and Simeon that there are over a dozen men on the beach, wrecking. Wanting to see for himself, Viggo moves towards the beach. Coming out a bit south of the camp they spot some sentries walking the beach, on the lookout for lizardmen and the authorities from Seawall. Attempting to ambush them, the party fails to kill both of them before the main camp is alerted. The party withdraws into the woods, but the wreckers fan out and start hunting them. They are led by Ashia a beautiful woman who sparks Viggo's interest. He calls for a parly to which she agrees. He tells them to break camp and leave by dawn or he will be forced to kill them all and enslave her. There is some back and forth, but finally the party withdraws and makes it way towards where the fishing boat should be.

Finding the boat they rest before moving toward the wrecker camp in preparation for a dawn assault. When they near the camp they find that the wreckers have fled in a hurry, leaving much of their food, drink, and treasure. Celebrations begin, but it is a trap — the wine is drugged!

Soon most of the men except for Jireal and Simeon, who didn't drink, are passed out around the camp. Viggo is not unconscious but he is heavily drugged, his fortitude and years of drinking keeping him up. A plan is devised wherein one of the wreckers' left behind boats is loaded with the passed out men and piloted back to the fishing boat by the conscious ones, leaving the party behind, amidst clothing stuffed with straw to look like passed out men. Jireal and Simeon hide in the darkness outside the firelight, while Viggo waits in Ashia's tent.

Soon, the wreckers return and their trap is turned back on them. On that beach, on that penninsula, on that night, with no one to see, is fought the greatest battle of Viggo's life. Drugged as he is, his panther-like grace, mobility, acrobatics, and power end the wreckers almost singlehandedly. Jireal's arrow fire from ouside the circle is ended by Ashia's magic, and Simeon, his lightning thrusts from the darkness wreaking havoc among the wreckers, is too is felled by her enchantments, but Viggo manages to awaken the lad before his throat can be slit. Simeon soon returns the favor as Ashia is finally able to sleep Viggo and seemingly end the battle. Viggo takes the fight in close, grappling the sorceress and reducing her spells to uselessness.

Her men dead or defeated, she is forced to capitulate and Viggo enslaves her.

Session 3 03/03/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
The wreckers are tied-up and Jireal sent to recall the fishing boat which arrives late in the morning. Viggo and Simeon examine the lighthouse, finding that the family has been killed. Angry, they confront Ashia, who claims that her second-in-command, the dwarf Svingal, is to blame. He is a surly brute and refuses to answer questions put to him. The men load the prisoners, the loot, and supplies as best they can aboard the fishing boat and set sail for Seawall, about three days travel.

Arriving in Seawall they are hailed as heroes. The villians are turned over to the authorities, save Ashia, who Viggo plans on keeping, her training going well. Viggo buys a white bull and sacrifices it to the gods in thanks. The party, now flush with loot, make many purchases, Simeon paying special attention to Kristanna. Of the Brotherhood, several wish to stay on with Viggo, especially Ruenon and Jireal.

During this time, Artron the released wrecker from the marsh, has successfully made his way back to Seawall where he learns of Viggo's mission. He also learns Viggo's sister is still in town, and to have his vengeance, decides to kidnap her and take her north to Porta with the smuggler, Samos, in the hopes of selling her into the vilest of slaveries. She disappears during a shopping trip and it is several hours before she is missed.

Simeon puts his ear to the ground in an attempt to learn of her fate and discovers she has been taken by Artron, the freed wrecker and Samos, a local smuggler, to Porta. Viggo meets a rotund giant of a man, Dargon, captain of the Surf-runner while searching for passage to Porta. Dargon and Viggo hit it off immediately. Dargon puts his ship at Viggo's disposal and will be ready to leave with the tide at dawn.

Ruenon's father sends Ruenon with Viggo, as he has commitments in Seawall, but swears that he will continue to recruit others to the Brotherhood for Viggo. Jireal also asks to accompany Viggo and is allowed to come. Boarding the Surf-runner they find that it is an unusual ship, probably of elven manufacture. With dawn comes the sentence that has been passed on the wreckers — death by drowning at the tide-stake. Viggo and the rest watch from the deck of Dargon's ship as Svingal and the other surviving wreckers are staked to poles and the tide begins its inexorable climb. Svingal, being a dwarf, is the first to go under, his eyes boring into Viggo's each moment. Soon his head is under water and the Surf-runner passes out of the harbor on its way to Porta.

Chapter Two: Shatterhull Isle

Session 4 03/05/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
GM Notes
Ruin's player joined us this session or the next, but as the party was at sea he was forced to play an NPC until they reached Porta. This adventure is from Stormwrack, a D&D3e campaign book on ocean and underwater adventuring.

The Surf-runner is a fine ship and she makes good time. The only other crew the party meets, aside from Dargon, is the grumpy Ton-ton, an small oriental man, who acts as cook. Dargon eats prodigiously, never seeming to move from behind the captain's mess table. Twelve course meals are the norm and the food is like none any of the party has experienced before.

The second day of their trip a mermaid approaches and tells Simeon that his lady-love, Kristanna, and her kidnappers have been diverted from their course and wrecked on Shatterhull Isle. She asks that they follow her to the isle and rescue Kristanna and her tribe from evil witches that dwell on the island. The party is suspicious but decide they can't chance not investigating. Dargon confirms that many ships go missing in these waters.

Late in the day, right at the edge of the continental shelf, they spy a jagged island ringed with vicious reefs. Facing them is an inviting bay, easily deep enough for their ship to anchor. The party, still suspicious, have their doubts things are this easy, and soon, the illusion cast over the island fades, showing them the shark infested waters of their "safe harbor" are actually just as dangerous as the rest of the approaches to the isle. Deciding they still want to investigate, Dargon lowers them in a ship's boat and tells them he will wait offshore for them.

On the island, the party find signs of ogres living off the flotsam and jetsom that washes up on the beach. Combat is joined! Viggo's great axe drinks deep of ogre blood, as he manages to behead one in a single blow! The party follows the trail up the mouintain and reach a small twisting cave.

Session 5 03/08/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
GM Notes: I do believe Ruin joined us this session, bringing in a much needed cleric for the healing.

The party has entered the lair of the Daughters of Mahogra, the sea hag sisters: Ambraga, Gakara, & Kurula. The sisters have many undead at their beck and call and it is a harrowing delve.

Session 6 03/11/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Finally the party has killed all three of the sea hags, freeing the shipping lanes of a terror that has taken too many lives. They find that Kristanna is not here, the sisters having just read their minds to pluck a story that would draw them to the isle and their doom. One of the sisters offers up that Kristanna is safe, for now, her innocence her shield and her downfall once the powers of darkness sacrifice her.

Session 7 03/16/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

The party arrives in Porta after a few uneventful days at sea and more meals of epic proportions. They learn that the city is controlled by various gangs in a state of perpetual anarchy. Nominally the city is controlled by the city-state of Illien, but they seem to take a very hands-off approach to control, letting the gangs rule unchecked. As this is Illien's only port and that port has no laws or tariffs, it sees heavy shipping traffic, much of it illicit. Simeon, his life growing up on the streets making him streetwise, learns that currently the city is controlled by over a dozen gangs, each owing loyalty to one of two major camps: The Firehall Gang and The Market St. Gang. The central area of the city is considered somewhat of a no-man's land where most merchatn shops, inns, and taverns are located. This is where the party settles in.

It is here the party stumbles on Ruin who joins them with little fanfare. The party settles in and try to find out what they can of Kristanna. Viggo has continued to train Ashia and has almost conquered her, but she is still somewhat rebellious. More training is done.

Simeon locates Samos and the party confronts him. He has no qualms about turning Artron over to the party in exchange for his life. For his part, Viggo does not seem to hold the kidnapping against the smuggler and is happy to release the man. Artron however, is another story, and after finding out to whom he sold Kristanna, he is killed in a duel, his body dropped into the sea.

It would seem that Artron has sold Kristanna to The Market St. Gang and she has been removed from the city, on her way to "the safehouse" and from there, her final destination, The Tower of the Dead.

Chapter Three: Gangs of Porta

Session 8 03/21/06

EXP Awards Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
GM Notes
I have owned The Tower of the Dead adventure for a long time, probably close to 20 years, and I have always wanted to run it. It is made for the Powers & Perils game, but I felt up to the task. It also helps that I needed a lawless and dangerous city for Kristanna and her kidnapper to flee to and I incorporated it all into Arcallis.

The party are trying to decide their next course of action when they are approached by representatives of the Market St. Gang. Deciding that this might be the "in" they need to find out where this "safehouse" is, they agree to a meet.

Session 9 03/30/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 10 04/04/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 11 04/06/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 12 04/08/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

J'na

Chapter Four: Crimson Funeral

Session 13 04/21/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters
GM Notes
This is the adventure, Funeral Procession, from Dungeon Magazine #135. While it is a lvl 1 adventure, I tweaked it to be a challenge. It made a good introduction to the City of Zara (for which I am using the city of Saltmarsh from the DMG2)).

Session 14 04/25/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 15 05/02/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 16 05/09/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Chapter Five: The Black Ring

Session 17 ??/??/??

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

GM Notes
This was where the party found Light Sword, had run-ins with agents of the Black Ring, and were supposed to head out to finish Nilgeranthrib but they avoided that last part and took themselves right out of the adventure. Well, he is a lich, so he'll be there when they are ready.

Session 18 05/16/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 19 05/23/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 20 05/25/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 21 06/01/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 22 06/08/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 23 06/11/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Session 24 06/18/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

Chapter Six: City of Zara

Session 25 06/25/06

EXP Awards Ruin Simeon Viggo
Session Total 0 0 0
Starting

Cast of characters

GM Notes
I had some adventures to run in the city, but the campaign died here.


On to Act III: The Silent City

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