Chapter 9
Iqrotarus Tower
A small rest was in order. The group had agreed that it was best not to sleep but taking a few hours at Mema Hadwicks gave them a moment for Maggie to heal them, and for the group to recuperate some energy. They had also agreed it was best that they didn't have a drink, even though they needed one.
Well… Star needed one. Maggie had sworn off alcohol since she binged one cup of wine in Sunset Harbor, Da'La, being a profession, didn't drink while she had a mission, and drinking alcohol had no effect on Roddick. Roddick had then gone on about things like 'metabolism rate' and 'Manifest purification of toxins,' but there was no depth to how little Star cared. Star instead whiled his time in the small fenced in back garden of Mema Hadwicks.
The Garden was mostly a flower and herb garden, though rogue rows of vegetables were grown alongside them. The flowers here were exotic. Gnarled bushes of dragon’s tongue, lilies, tulips, passionflower, lavender, all and more could be seen in a multicolored row, where in the middle of the garden sat a skinny wooden outhouse, with a vent duct thankfully rising from the back.
Star sat on a small bench, carved from logs, under a large overarching peach tree, whose buds had just begun to show, staring at a long-plowed row, in which was flooded by water. It seemed, by Stars estimation, that somewhere along the line, somebody had mentioned the idea of Batarian water gardens to Mema Hadwick and she, cosmopolitan she was, had determined that this was a means of cultivating farmed water. The water had overtaken scum and let off a slight sulfury smell.
Star sat on the log bench, smoking a cigarillo. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Maggie, sans Da'La who was at guard at the back door, she was wearing a pastille green regency dress, with white gloves, her firebrand hair barely managing to be pulled into a knot at the top of her head.
"Nice dress." Star said, as she approached.
"My old dress was… worse for wear." Maggie said, sitting down, "Mema Hadwick insisted I borrowed from one of her daughter-in-law's. The daughter-in-law didn't argue, but it doesn't seem she argues with the woman."
"People don't argue with Witches." Star said, returning his attention to the water.
"What is that?" Maggie looked at the plowed section of water.
"Water Garden." Star said with a chuckle. There was a pause.
"So, are you going to tell me what this 'Lord Star' business is about?" Maggie asked.
"Not really." Star returned.
"Star, I'm your friend, what kind of friendsh--" Maggie argued.
"We'd known each other for a week, Mags. Let's not start acting like we're lifelong friends." Star snapped.
Maggie took a breath, visibly irritated, "Bull. Shit." She started, "We've nearly died together no less than three times in that week. You've wept in my arms, Star. We've been through more in this week than most 'lifelong friends,' whatever that means, have in their lifetimes. So tell me why she's calling you Lord Star."
There was a beat, and Star made a sound as if he was sighing. "I don't know." He looked at Maggie, who became more frustrated, "I'm being honest, I really don't. There are… gaps in my memory. I'm sure Da'La explained it to you."
"No, she hasn't." Maggie came softly.
Star looked toward Da'La, who stood at the door watching them, "I could have sworn she would have told you everything…"
"Give some people some credit, Star." Maggie said, "She could have felt it was too personal to share with me."
"My old memory box was broken, scattering my memories." Star said, producing the old broken locket from his pocket.
"So… Amnesia?" Maggie asked.
"No, they're still there, I think. Xericoz just rely on our memory boxes too much, and over time the memories of this place have become… hard to access. It comes more in impressions if that makes any sense." Star explained. "All I know for certain is that I am from here, and that," Star pointed at the obsidian rise that stood vigil on the cliff over the city, "was my home. That much I've only gathered from a letter posted by the Cladistic council and the declaration of the death of my Sister."
"Lady Moon." Maggie whispered.
"Yeah." Star seemed to trail off. "What about you and Roddick?"
"Oh, Merde, Star--" Maggie said, irritated.
Star interrupted, "You just went through this spiel about how we're friends, because of all of the things we've been through--"
"Ok, I get your point." Maggie conceded. "I'm just… mad, ok? Just, let me be mad at him for a while. I know it won't do anything…"
"I get it," Star gave Maggie a side hug, "Just don't yell at him when he's charging a spell, Ok, I don't fancy being blind sighted by a lightning bolt."
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Roddick entered the kitchen, holding, with some curiosity, a small sauce covered wiener on a small stick. "These are the strangest bits of food I've found yet…" He looked up to see Da'La, standing guard at the door, watching out in the garden. "So, question: Is she allowed to go anywhere without you watching her? Like, when she goes to the bathroom, you don't…"
"I stand guard at zhe door." Da'La said, staring out in the garden.
"Right, Da'La, is it?" Roddick asked, moving beside her to peer out the window.
Da'La gingerly placed her hand on the Wizard, and looking to correct more than push, placed him an arms distance for her, "Yes."
"Are you alright?" Roddick asked, hopping on to the island, and sitting.
"Vhat do you mean?" Da'La turned her eye to Roddick.
"The Stryzyga tossed you through a post." Roddick said.
Da'La sighed, "Yes, I have recovered with zhe help of Mon Divinica."
"Yeah, those healing spells are something else." Roddick said, "She's quite talented, whatever she it."
Da'La glanced at him, "She is a Ypfhar, a vorker of miracles, bestowed gifts by the 20 and 4 to do works here."
"Forgive my skepticism," Roddick said, idly, "I've met a lot of people who've claimed to have such power, and inevitably." Roddick saw Da'La's look, which turned completely to him, simultaneously curious about what he will say next, and offended, "Look, I'm not saying she's a charlatan. She obviously has healing abilities I can't explain--"
The sound of a door flinging open interrupted Roddick, to his slight relief. They heard heavy footsteps.
"Awright! Hate ta interrup' tha party," Came a loud voice from Mema's front room, "Got myself some werd there were some fugitives hidin' out here!"
Roddick and Da'La exchanged a glance, and shuffled to the beaded curtain, peaking in. In the front door was a man, wearing a leather vest, and a blue long-sleeved undershirt. His hair was orange and shaved on the side. He had a square jaw, with a scar on his right cheek, and hanging from his side was a large curved sword, that fattened toward the end: a Scimitar. Under his right arm was a bobby helmet that was buffed and scratched which the chin strap was broken and uselessly hanging down. Behind him were three other men in similar garbs, waiting impatiently at the door.
"Yoo an yer men ken better than ta barge to ma house, demandin' to see ma guests." Came Mema Hadwick, who had made a beeline toward them from somewhere in the middle of the room.
"So they are here." The man's lips barely moved as he spoke, looking as if he was chewing on something though nothing visible hung from his mouth.
"Yer bums oot the winda, Constable Peter, Ain't na'un that 'n concern yoo." Mema Hadwick shot back, "Noo why'un ya dauner back ta South Watch 'n lae iz alone."
"Tha's not gonna happen, old witch." The man narrowed his eyes and stared down Mema Hadwick. "If yer 'un harborin' fugitives, we're takin' 'em in, or we'll burn this old cabin to the ground."
Maggie and Star approached behind Roddick and Da'La, curiously. Roddick held his hand up, and gestured them the move back, as he watched the events unfold.
"Haud ye Wheesht." Mema lowered her voice in a threatening tone.
"Tha's it, men!" Constable Peter turned toward his men. Roddick only saw the terror in then mens eyes as he turned, and more sound came from Peter. Peter turned back to Mema, and his mouth had disappeared, sealed shut so that he looked eerily like a stuffed cloth doll.
"A said, Haud yer Wheesht." Mema said, angrily, as Peter grasped at the place where his mouth was. Panic overtook his eyes, as his men unsheathed their sword. "Yer off yer heids if ya think that's a good idea." Mema warned, "Noo take yer boss n' dauner on to South Watch, the lot o' ya."
The men sheathed their swords, and grasping Peter by his armpits, they dragged him out in a hurry, Mema stood at the door, watching them, calling bout, "An doo come beck if yun naed a reminder about what we blethered on about, here!" Her voice had returned to her friendly cadence, as she closed the door, and returned gaze to the party, who sat in stunned silence. "Noo what yoo lot starin' gaumless at? Go on! Chum along and get steamin'!" She picked up a glass of her peach concoction, took a long drink, and looked to her guest. She gestured like she was readying to conduct a band, "Camoan! Git to et!" The guests continued to drink with permission, the laughing and singing continued.
Roddick, Da'La, Maggie, and Star stepped through the beaded curtains.
"What in Merne's name was that about?" Maggie asked.
"It saems ya dun made an impression on the locals." Mema said with a smile.
"Did you know him?" Roddick gestured to the door.
"Constable Pete? Naw, he's not fae here." Mema said.
"Either way, I think that's a sign we ought to get on with our business." Star said.
"Waul, it's been quite the plaesure." Mema smiled.
"Thank you, Mema Hadwick." Maggie gave a short bow.
"Any taem miss, when ya need, staup on by an we'll have a blether." Mema opened her door.
The group moved into the front, giving a cautionary look down the street as they walked past the tacky lawn ornaments, and the giant mortar and pestle. They made it to the end of the yard, before Maggie heard a thundering voice.
"Mizz Maggie?" It was Lodak, he stood at the door, holding his Oboe.
Maggie turned and gave a smile to the giant man. "You got your Oboe fixed."
"Mister Roddick dun it fer me." Lodak nodded to Roddick, who looked away, "'e said it were, 'quite lit'rally the least 'e could do.'"
"Well, he did a good job." Maggie's smile became forced.
"Oi jus' wanned ta wish ya good luck." Lodak said.
"You're not coming?" Maggie asked.
"Naw, oi dun' fink foightin' is fer me." He smiled, sheepishly, "Oi unna jus' stay 'ere at Mema 'adwick's ta play music to 'er guests."
Maggie's smile widened. She reached into her bag and retrieved a small copper-bronze egg, "Hold out your hand." She said, Lodak obeyed, stretching out his lower right hand. Maggie placed the egg in his calloused hands, it looking comically small on his giant palm. It rolled over and unfurled into a tiny pegasus, which began to trot in the valleys and dips of his palm. He looked up at her. "I have no need for it, please, take it."
"Oi 'ill take care o' it, mum." Lodak assured her, and Maggie gave him a hug.
"Any time now, Mags." Star said, from slightly up the road. Maggie broke the hug and returned to the group.
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Iqrotarus tower was a tall, crooked, circular building, that bent and buckled in ways that defied architectural soundness. Two thirds of the way up the stone brick building, the tower crooked to one side, correcting not long after and standing as a kind of vertical lazy S. The roof was conical and metallic, that sheened a deep blue against the light of the sun, and on various heights and locations, small turret windows jutted from the surface of the tall tower. It looked as if it would fall over at any time, and all moments it stood was in defiance of the studies of natural law.
The most notable thing about it, however, were the grounds it stood on. While the streets of Twilight Run were certainly more spread out than the sprawls of Sunset Harbor, and the yards afforded to even the poorest house was quite large in comparison, the real estate afforded to this tower that stood in the middle of the city was, mildly, excessive. While lined on all sides with relatively close together housing, this land took up what seemed to be a full acre of land for a tower that didn't take up one eighth of that space. It was far enough to have a winding path leading to its front door from the street, and a small pond, in which its path split and winded to, in its back yard.
Across the street from the path that led back to the tower was a black archway, that stood between the buildings, that seemingly led to nowhere, having magic filigree, unpowered, carved in intricate designs all over its surface, Twilight Run's gateway, whose mystery of why it was not connecting to the other gateways, Roddick decided ought to be saved for another time. The group, Maggie, Star, Roddick, and Da'La, stood in the street, looking toward the tower.
"We might want to hurry up." Star said, as he looked down the road, warily.
Roddick nodded in agreement, as he made his way down the path toward the tower. The pathway, while certainly longer than most, spanning the length of the neighboring two houses, did not take long to traverse. "This is Heartylaugh's tower."
"Is that your friend?" Maggie asked, as she moved quickly behind, tightening the hood of her cloak.
"Student… Former student… kind of." Roddick said.
"That's about a vague as I could imagine." Star said, keeping his eyes on the streets.
"It's not simple." Roddick said, "It was a few hosts ago, so saying he was my student is kind of weird."
"Either vay, how are we getting in?" Came Da'La, who scanned the height of the tower for entrance points.
As if the tower had heard the question, the arch-like magenta door gave a clicking noise, and the door creaked open slightly. Maggie's heart went through her chest.
Roddick smiled, turning his glowing blue eyes to the rest, "Front door, I imagine."
"Wait a minute, is that such a good idea?" Came Maggie.
"It could be a trap." Star warned.
"Well, unless you brought climbing equipment, I don't really see another option." Roddick returned, as he approached the ajar door.
Roddick reached out, and pushed the old wooden door, that creaked open, revealing a small foyer, lit warmly by filigree carved into the ceiling emitting orange light, that flickered like a candle flame. A purple carpet connected the front door, with a more standard rectangular door, similarly painted magenta. To the right was a bench, that due to a subtle incline of the small hallway, appeared to shorten as it came closer to the end, and over the bench, a series of coat racks, with increasingly lesser space between them and the bench. Roddick assumed this was Heartylaugh accommodating for his taller guests but leaving himself room for the end.
Roddick entered, slowly. Followed by Maggie, then Da'La, and finally Star, who never quite took his eyes off the street. The group made their way down the short foyer, opening the door at the end, revealing a large chamber. The floors were polished hard wood, bookshelves dotted the circular walls, which were wood paneled until waist level, then gave way to the natural stone brick, there were old style sconces along the walls, which lay bare and torchless. They were seemingly decorative items, as the ceiling was covered in illuminating filigree, which now was turned off. The room was seemingly normal, that is except for the giant chasm between the front door and the stair door.
It looked as if some giant had reached into the room and pulled the two sides of the circular room in two, leaving a giant ravine in the wood in the center, whose bottom could not be seen. In the middle was a precarious land bridge made of one hard wood plank that held on to either side. The room was cracked in two, the crack leading up the wall on the right, and to the left, splitting in half a stone brick hearth, the split going up a painting of a man with white quill like hair, in purple robes, with a jolly smile on his face, which itself was covered in a quill like beard, his eyes, almost shimmered yellow in the painting.
In front of the hearth was furniture, a small sitting room before it was split apart, the split seemed to go through a cushioned chair, which had pulled in half, each half standing on each side of the chasm.
"That doesn't seem like a design choice…" Maggie said, as the group fanned into the room.
"It's a stalling tactic." Said Roddick, examining the scenery.
"Are we sure it isn't illusory?" Star asked, as he stepped toward the chasm. The sides of the chasm were made of wood, as if they too had been floored in the same way as the room.
"I'd notice if it were." Roddick answered.
"Right, well we have no time to waste." Maggie said, stepping toward the small bridge.
"Mon Divinica." Da'La stepped forward. "Perhaps I should try it first." Maggie nodded.
Da'La, light on her feet, slowly nimbled across the one wide plank, the group flinching as it creaked when she moved. Da'La, taking a moment, maneuvered to the other side of the plank, turning to the others.
Star moved next, he stepped on the plank and his heart stopped as he heard the creak. Taking another moment, he steadied himself and started making his way across, looking somewhat like a hardly balanced tightwire routine, another step, another creak. He stopped dead for a second, waiting. Taking a breath. He hazarded another step and heard a crack beneath. In a panic, he jolted forward, feeling the board give way beneath, he made a job toward the other side. Da'La held out her hand and he caught it, swinging into the wooden side of the ravine. A ringing in his head, as he felt himself being pulled to the surface. After a moment he found his feet and turned to see Maggie and Roddick, staring at the spot where the plank used to be. From the corner of his eyes, he could swear the painting now grimaced.
"How are we going to get across?" Maggie asked. Roddick didn't respond, as he looked down into the yawning pit. "Roddick, don't you have magic for this?"
"Don't you have a miracle for this?" Roddick shot back.
It was a fair point, Maggie looked up and down the room, then she spotted it. The hearth, it was cracked, but the separation was only a foot, it could be stepped over. She moved toward it leaving Roddick staring down into the abyss. Mirroring her, Star and Da'La moved over.
"What are you doing?" Roddick asked, as he began to follow her.
"Making my way across, help me with this chair." Maggie said, as she began to slide furniture to the side of the Hearth. Roddick grabbed the other side.
"That mantle is a bit… precarious." Roddick warned.
"Well, unless you have a flying spell, this is what we have." Maggie said, beginning to climb on the furniture. She pulled herself on to the mantle, which barely had enough room to support her, and she stood, leaning against the painting, and she shuffled toward the crack. She saw Roddick make his way to the mantle as well, standing and beginning to shuffle right behind her. Maggie approached the crack in the hearth. It was only a step. Her heart pounded as she, bracing herself against the painting, began to step across the other side. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the painting shift. It now looked angry, its eyes glowing red, the Mantle shifting slightly, and Maggie lost footing.
Flailing, Maggie began to slide from the mantle, trying to find something, anything, she could grasp on to, and Roddick caught her arm. Roddick braced himself by crouching and gripping the mantle, holding loosely on to Maggie, as she dangled above the chasm.
"Pull me up!" Maggie insisted, keeping her eyes locked on the endless fall.
"I don’t… quite have… the footing." Roddick said, as his feet began to slip to the edge.
Da'La backed up from her position. She made a dash, and in a single motion unsheathed her katana, and through it at the wooden chasm wall, and then using the chasm's corner as leverage, leaped from the side. The katana stuck into the chasm wall just under Maggie, and Da'La landed on top of it, using the side of the chasm as leverage. Maggie fell, Roddick's grip on the ground loosening, and he slid off the edge of the mantle, losing grip of Maggie. Da'La reached out, and caught her arm, Maggie screaming for a moment before noticing she had been saved. Da'La, using her leverage, began to swing Maggie side to side, and threw her toward Star, where she crashed, toppling Star, but safe on the other side.
Roddick managed to pull himself up back on to the mantle. He backed up, and then dashed toward the group, leaping from the mantle to the other side, landing safely beside Maggie and Star. Da'La, seeing the rest safe on the other side, gripped the hilt of her sword, leveraged her foot on the edge of the chasm, and in one swift motion, pushed herself off like a swimmer on the side of a pool and leaped to the other side, finding purchase on the ledge, and the group moved forward to pull her up.
Da'La reached the surface, and pulling herself to her feet, she sheathed her sword.
"That was incredible, Da'La." Maggie said to her Dek'Har.
Da'La nodded to her charge, "It is nozing compared to assisting you, Mon Divinica." Da'La managed a smile.
"Seems there's only one way to go." Roddick said, turning to the door.
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Da’La opened the door from the winding stairway that led to the second floor. The room was a sprawl of tables, which were covered with papers, scrolls, and calipers and instruments of all sorts, sprawling over the old wooden tables haphazardly, as if they were left where they were sat from an easily distracted library scribe.
The room, comparative to the entrance, was ordinary, though the tables were a bit lower than normal, only going up to Da’La’s knees. While most of the chairs that chaotically dotted the room were of similar sizes to the tables, a few, mostly pushed into corners, were ones in which any one of the party could comfortably sit in. While perfectly ordinary by themselves, they stuck out in the miniature sized room.
On either side of the room, between the two doors leading in and out, were two large statues, approximating humanoid shape. They were notably bulkier than people, their features thicker, the head of one nearly dome shaped, and stuck into a groove on the shoulders for want of a neck, the arm of the statue, of which there was only one, was like a set of stone pistons set into a bulky bolder that was cut roughly into a triangle, and seemingly set on its rocky torso. The other was headless, both of its arms were set into place, and at the center of its torso was an orange gem, finely cut, and the size of a fist.
The others followed after Da'la, "What is this place?" Maggie asked, looking around at the room of chaotic papers and haphazardly thrown instruments.
"Workshop." Roddick said, looking around, "Hartliff is a Transfigurer, least last I knew." Roddick picked up a set of calipers.
"I thought you said his name was 'Heartylaugh.'" Star said, inspecting the statues.
"Nickname, kind you get in college that sticks, even if it is stupid." Roddick explained, as he danced his fingers over the notes.
"You said you were his teacher," Star side eyed Roddick, looking back at him from the other side of the table, "How old are you?"
"Old enough." Roddick answered, pulling up a set of notes. It was plans in constructing the statue, each piece not only carved in detail, but filigree inside and out spanning the length of each piece.
"So, are Transfigurer notes always so weird?" Maggie asked, as she held up a piece of paper.
Roddick turned, and leaned over her shoulder, the paper was a notebook with a shop drawing of one of the arms, showing instruction details, but the lines all pointed to a short poem in the corner.
Iron on the fire
Let the water sing
One turn, two turn
Then we wring
One spoon of melit
Another spoon of cream
Two dash of bitter
To make the wizard dream
"It's a nursery rhyme…" Roddick said, bemused. Then Roddick turned the paper over, and the poem was written larger on the back. He picked up another, then another, all of them pointed to the same poem, repeatedly. He picked up a nearby book, flipping the pages, infinite copies of the same poem, getting larger and larger in text. He then looked up at the statue, and the gem began to glow. "We have to go." Roddick said, grabbing Maggie by the hand, and starting to the door.
"What's wro--" Star started, but the piston arm of the statue he was examining shot out toward him, thinking quick, Star leapt back and landed flatfoot on the small table behind him. The eyes of the statue began to glow a faint orange. With dust kicking off, it moved one flat footed leg forward, and with a creak and a pound, landed it on the ground.
"Iron. On. The. Fire." Came a voice from the statue, seemingly made of gravel, as it slowly made its way to another step. Star began to run down the table, as the leg of the statue came down on its surface, shattering the table in half, Star dove to an adjacent table, landing on his back and pulling his pepperbox.
Da'La came in from behind Star, pulling her swords and started a leap, as another piston arm shot up and grabbed her by the back of the coat. It was the other statue, headless, its gem glowing brightly, "Let. The. Water. Sing." a voice identical to the last emanated from the gem in its chest.
Maggie broke loose of Roddick's grasp, turning around to the rest, "We have to help," She insisted as she grabbed her Sigil and began to chant. Golden light surrounded Maggie's sigil, first turning her gaze to the headless statue that held Da’La and reaching out her hand. From the wall behind the statue, a translucent golden hand as large as the statue itself reached and grasped around the statue.
Star took the moment to charge a shot, the air condensing from in front of his barrel, and a bullet thundered out from his pepperbox, with a distorted trail of air following behind. It struck the headless statue holding Da’La and bounced off.
"One. Turn. Two. Turn." Came the other statue, as it approached the now distracted Star, the grinding of wood and metal instruments filling the air with its booming steps.
The headless statue holding Da'La turned its body, and hand that held it dissipated. Maggie stood, stunned, as the Statue threw Da'La directly at her. Maggie ducked as her companion flew over the top of her.
Roddick stepped forward, performing cat’s cradle in his hands, and then casting his bedewed hand at the statue as a bolt of electricity screamed through the room, and scattered harmlessly against the statue.
"Then. We. Wring." The headless statue sounded menacing as it stepped to the group. Maggie grabbed her sigil and began another chant, then pressing her palms out, connected by her wrist, a beam of light cast from her hand, and slammed against the statue.
Star backed up, as the other statue moved toward him, almost like an ineffable force. He shot its arm, it ricocheted off. Shot its head, harmlessly fell to the ground. He held his gun up, training his eye for his final shot.
The headless statue heading toward Maggie took another step against the continuous beam of Golden light, as if it were walking against mildly strong wind. "A. Spoon. Of. Me--.--Lit." the headless statue said. Da'La rounded behind Maggie, her sword's drawn, she leaped through the air in a gainer, her swords whizzing across the air as she spun toward the statue, held back only slightly by Maggie's light. Her swords sparked against the stone, as she landed behind in a dancer pose.
The statue with a head grabbed stars leg quickly and spun around as quick as it grabbed to slam star into another table. Putting him through it. Its eyes glowed a brighter orange, as a beam of light rayed out from its gem eyes and struck Star in the chest. A burning smell filled the room with Star's Screams.
The headless statue's arm swung backwards with force, connecting to the bottom of Da'La's jaw, sending her to the ground, the copper taste of blood filling her mouth. It made another Step forward toward Maggie. The gem in its chest glowing brighter and letting out a ray of orange light through Maggie's golden beam. Maggie said a quick prayer holding up her hands defensively and her light beam dropped in favor of an aura of golden light in which the ray crashed against.
"A. Spoon. Of. Cream." Came the statue with the head, as it stepped toward Star.
Roddick charged another bolt of lightning, and let it scream out of his hand toward the headless statue.
Star pulled his pepperbox up, and focusing his pounding head, and blurry eyes, aimed.
CRACK.
The sound of thunder and breaking of glass filled the room, as the gem eye of the statue with a head shatter into pieces, and the statue fell, slumping into rubble onto the ground. "The Gem!" Star yelled.
"Little busy!" Maggie said, putting all her concentration on the shield that was keeping the ray for scorching her body. The orange ray diffusing off the Golden barrier.
Roddick said a small incantation, forming a diamond window in his hands, aiming for a second, then with a flick of his hand, placing his hands-on top of each other, and shot two darts of light from his clapping hands. Filigree on the statue glowed as glyphs popped above the statue and absorbed the blast. "Problem!" Roddick Called.
The headless statue was within a yard of them, as it persisted forward, "Two. Dashes. Of. Bitters." It said in tune with its steps. Maggie dropped to her knees, nearly dropping the shield with it, as she felt the orange burning ray inching closer toward her.
Then Da'La leapt on to the back of the headless statue, and with a running jump, did a half-flip, a turn, and completing her flip crashed through the beam, the fire of it scorching through her scales, brought her swords down and cleaved the gem in its chest in half.
The statue stopped, the gem, now in pieces, crashed to the ground. "To. Make. The. Wiz--" Came the final voice of the headless statue, as the orange light from the crystal blinked out. Da'La grabbed her chest, smoke coming off it, and knelt to the ground.
Maggie dropped her shield, and a bead of sweat gathered on her pale freckled forehead, and she dropped to her hands, breathing, her red hair dangling toward the ground. Summoning the strength, Maggie pulled herself up and made her way toward her Dek'Har.
Da'La grunted, as smoke barreled from her chest. She gripped the charring scales on her chest, her undershirt split open from fire, the edges shimmering a pearlescent sheen around the blackened line.
Maggie spoke a small chant, and her hand glowed gold, as she hugged Da'La from behind. She placed her hand on the charred scales, and pearlescent color began to gleam again on to them, the charred scales springing to life like the blooming of a flower, the black receding to the shifting pearl of her underbelly. Da'La let out a sigh of relief, as the scorching pain subsided.
Star limped toward them, holding his chest. "Are you guys ok?" He breathed heavily.
Maggie stood, weakly, holding her still glowing hand and pressed it against Stars chest, his own blackened skin reverting to a grey color. "Yes," Maggie said, beads of sweat going down her pale face.
Roddick helped Da'La to her feet, who looked down at her exposed underbelly, and quickly buttoned her coat in embarrassment. Da'La picked up her blades and sheathed them, standing tall and examining the group.
"Golems." Roddick said. The depth in which the rest could not care, not resonating with him at the moment.
A moment of silence passed through the group, as they recollected from the encounter.
"Onward and upward?" Star said, forcing a smile through his eyes.
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The door to the third floor opened, and one by one the group piled out, with a notably confused look progressing on each of their faces. Not only were they expecting a stairway, not a floor as they opened the second-floor door that led up, but they were walking outside.
It was night, it was brumous, but the front yard of Iqrotarus tower stretched out in front of them. The small dirt path that led to the road from the tower, leading out to the fog. Star, who was the last through the door, turned to look back toward the workshop, but the door had silently closed behind him.
"Oh fuck." Star exclaimed, as he grabbed the handle. The door wasn't so much locked, as it was unmoving. Like a wall with a handle jutting out. "Oh, fuck this tower."
The rest looked at each other. "Did we just get kicked out?" Maggie asked, looking at what of the lawn she could make out through the thick fog. A faint blue glow came out in the distance behind the tower.
"Maybe…" Roddick said, as he made his way on to the long grass, walking toward the blue shimmer. The rest followed, trying to make their way through the fog. It was palatable, almost physical, as it rolled around them as they passed, a thick white sheet of air and cloud obscuring all vision with the exception of the blue glow that got steadily bigger as they moved.
It felt like a mile as they walked blindly, the tower disappearing from site behind the rolling fog. Finally, they came to the edge of a pond. It was larger than any of them remembered when they stood not an hour before outside of the tower. It yawned out from their feet like a lake, on which none of them could make out the other side. In the middle, a small dock floated steady against the gentle waves of the pond that was a lake. The water rumbled as they approached, and a wooden moss covered bridge, with rusted metal supports, and no handrails lifted, as if released from the bottom of the lake, slowly pushed out of the water and rose from the lake, connecting the edge to the dock in the middle.
"Who wants to go first?" Maggie asked, staring at the moss-covered bridge, already feeling her feet slipping against the soggy wooden planks.
Star sighed and stepped forward. He carefully stepped on to the first plank, balancing himself as his foot slipped slightly against the wood. Noting there was no handrail, he made his way across the bridge. After a few feet, he turned to the rest, "Well, come on." He insisted. The rest stepped their way carefully on the precarious bridge. They made their way across, holding each back in succession, moving toward the dock across the bridge in inexplicable lake.
As they approached the bridge, Star spotted it. In the middle of the dock was a wet burlap sack, sitting flat with something filling it. He approached cautiously, stepping on to the dock. It was as slippery, and moss covered as the bridge. The group fanned out on to the dock, carefully positioning themselves around the back.
"What do you think is inside?" Maggie asked.
"Knowing this place?" Roddick asked, looking around at the lake. His heart dropped as he watched the bridge that had just connect them drop into the lake, "Oh, no. Nononono." He reached out his hand uselessly as the moss-covered planks of the bridge submerged into the black water, disappearing from sight.
Star knelt in front of the bag.
"Star." Maggie warned, "We have no idea…"
"Yeah, we won't until we open the bag." Star untied the burlap sack, and peered in. Stones. The bag was filled to the brim with mossy stones. He looked up at the rest, puzzled. "Rocks." He said.
And then he felt something grip the back of his leg, and the next sensation was that of water enveloping him.
GMs Notes: Like Sunset Harbor, the idea behind Twilight Run was to set a set of challenges and present them to players to be done in any order. Each order having consequences good and bad. Iqrotarus Tower provided recon, the Pfharplace potions and buffs for the enemy, City hall training more highly trained enemies for random encounters, and the mooks filling the streets from South Watch, the police station in Twilight Run.
Again, I feel my players chose wisely their path through this, as it builds both drama, and still benefited them as they moved forward. But each challenge was built to be unique. Iqrotarus Tower being one of the more fun to start out with.
Wizards and Magic structures are fun for GMs and Storytellers, they're puzzles more than just encounters. Being built by capricious beings such as Wizards, magic structures like towers aren't restrained by the same logic often taken for granted by players. Thus, granting the GM some room to be a little creative. If done right, they be complete mindfucks for the players to go through.
Part of it is remembering that magic itself can be counterintuitive. It by its nature doesn't necessarily obey the same restrictions as normal circumstances. So magical buildings can offer a lot of opportunities: namely space to mess with your players. Imagine the "One Riker, one bridge!" scene in early TNG. This kind of room that loops back into itself until some puzzle or arbitrary limit is met can be quite fun. But you need to remember to find the balance here, it can be very easy to just frustrate your players if the goal is arbitrary or hidden. Personally, I just kept it simple: move forward. So long as my players did that, they would progress.
But I didn't always make it clear what "forward" meant, as will be seen next time.
This was the last session Roddick would be NPC'd, he player (Josh), finally way able to gain a schedule for work, so I finally would have my complete cast in the next week. For what it's worth, it was fun NPCing Roddick-Tem, but Josh picked him up the next session and ran with him well.
Written by: Jack Shawhan
Proofread and Edited by: Alhana Escher
Original Characters played by:
Maggie - Donovan Hill
Star - Stephen Kirk
Roddick-Tem - Joshua Horton
Schancier, Whispers of Ja Reyil, and all associated copyright Jack Shawhan, 2020
