Grabenya's Tower
2JAN2025
Adventurers:
Olander – Halfling Sea Wolf
Rom – Goblin Priest
Scorch – Kobold Warlock
Yivena – Elf Thief
Zofi – Human Wizard
Rat McDiggers approaches the party at the pub and states that he has some information that he will share for a 50% split of the profit. The party haggles back and forth and Olander finally says "10% and we won't beat you up." Rat tells us that there is a wizard tower to the West, and he has seen a light on at the tower recently. He knows that there is treasure in the tower and obviously someone else is looking for it.
Ofelia – Zofi's wizard (Elf Wizard/Adventurer/Semi-retired. Likes to take money off adventurers in games of chance. Appears to be an "older" elf.) She says Grabenya was around a couple hundred years ago but has not seen her recently. Was mostly a potions lady. Thinks she had some magic on the water to keep it fresh.
We head to the tower, no random encounters.
We find a three-story tower that is capped by a wooden circular hut; it is covered in vines, and we notice holes in the towers along with spider webs. There is a well outside of the tower; moss covers the stone and there is a rope winch, with a terrible rope running down in the well. Yivena throws a hand-sized rock down the well; sounds about 25' deep. Zofi starts to turn the crank; the first couple feet of the rope are terrible, but the remaining has been replaced with a newer rope (about 10'). The last part comes up wet and muddy.
Rom replaces the rope with her 60' rope and starts to descend; she casts light spell. She can see that it is a natural pool in a naturally built cave. She hears the loud chittering of rats and three arrows come streaking in from the darkness. Two of the arrows hit and render her unconscious. Zofi cranks her back to the surface and can stabilize her.
They set up camp for the night; Zofi and Scorch take watch. While Zofi is on watch, she starts to hear some rustling in the woods heading towards the well. She quietly wakes the party. Scorch and Yivena sneak to approach and see Ratfolk making their way towards the well with supplies. Scorch scrapes his knee and lets out a yelp. Yivena backstabs one, taking them out; Scorch shoots another in the leg, wounding it. Kill two of the rats and capture another. Find various weapons and tattered armor. In the packs is a lot of items that appear stolen from people's houses. Zofi casts charm person on the rat; the rat is now her friend. They use some dolls from the pack to act out for communication and we learn there is a big rat and four regular rats in the well.
Party decides to follow their new friend and head towards the tower. The wooden patio is rotten and sagging at the base of the tower; the door is rotten and sagging as well. Scorch tries to quietly open the door; it is hanging on by one hinge. There is a set of stone stairs leading to two separate landings each with a door; in addition, we find a trap door. Our rat friend starts pointing at the trap door excitedly. The trap door leads up. There is also a staircase leading up.
South door – is shut. North door – is shut but the bottom is dissolved. Zofi listens at the South Door, doesn't hear anything. Yivena can see under the North door: storeroom with a grey slime. Scorch takes Squeaky's sword and touches the grey stuff; sword is okay although there is sizzling. Zofi pops the door open. Grey slime covers the floor and there is something sparkling in the corner.
Party decides to head up the stairs; Squeaky does not want to go up the stairs. Olander prods Squeaky up the stairs and is carrying the torch. The stairway comes out on a landing on the Western side of the tower. In the NW corner of the room there appear to be two dried-up husks of bodies. The bodies are only a few years old. Two giant spiders start coming down the wall towards us.
Combat