Tower Aroxa

By Angell

After a long day off at a local pub, Angell returned to his home tired and intrigued. He had ordered many rounds of his favorite drink, firebreather, for the entire house that day. This earned him a certain social status among the bar patrons, and he was confronted with many stories. Usually the stories Angell heard were simple drunken banter, but he had one stick in his mind today. Whether it was true or not, he did not know, but he thought he should sleep on it, for he was too drunk and tired to make out even the simplest problems. One of such problems was hitting the bed as he passed out.

Angell woke up with a massive hangover and quaffed some potion he had been saving for such an occasion. Feeling better, he decided to confront the day ahead. He began by attempting to recall what the old elf had said. He remembered a reference to the warrior town of Tellerium, and a trail which led to a magical forest. Any further details were a blur. Figuring that this was substantial information to base an adventure off of, Angell packed up his supplies and paid Ganuk, the gnome mechanic and operator of the Iron Worm, for a ride to Tellerium.

Angell arrived at Tellerium and immediately started to ask questions about the fabled tower. Many simply shrugged and went on with their business, but a select few provided tidbits of information that proved very helpful. Angell found out that there was a dark, beaten trail to the tower. He had also found that many had taken that trail, but were never seen back in Tellerium. Angell was used to taking risks. This is what he did for excitement, and, as any good adventurer, treasure. He took a quick stop by the local stables and picked up a reliable mount, after all, what good was a cavalier without his trusty steed? With that, Angell left the town of Tellerium, taking in everything, for he knew he may never see it again.

Heading north of Tellerium up the road, Angell came across a darkened trail. He traveled the winding road until he came across a large forest. So far the stories of the locals checked out. He started into the forest, and a statue looked at him strangely, but then returned to its original form. Angell then knew that there was something strange about this forest, something strange indeed.

As Angell trotted down a path he came found a man standing by the road, the man asked if he was here to save the princess. Angell blinked in suprise and thought it over. "Yes," Angell said, "Of course that is why I am here." The man nodded and handed him a key.

He then stuck this in his pocket and tipped the man for his troubles.

A cave loomed in the distance and Angell knew that he must go in, it was calling to him. So he lit his torch and entered the deep, dark cave. Soon after he entered he was attacked by hundreds of angry bats. He tore through the cave slashing them down in mid-air, progressing deeper and deeper into the darkness. After reaching an abrupt dead end, he mount reared back as it attempted to stop quickly. Angell took a look about the room and noticed a bat different from the others. He attempted to run the bat through, but it soared into the air and dove at him swiftly. Angell was lightheaded and feeling the affects of poison quickly, so he chopped the bat in half and took the treasure from the bat. It was a shiny ring of metal, looking similar to a necklace. He wondered why this was so heavily guarded.

Angell left the cave and set up camp for the night near a glowing obelisk to heal his wounds and have a warm meal. Buffalo steak and cheese were on the menu that night. Angell’s mouth watered as he roasted the meat. He was about to sink his teeth into his prized sweet meat, when he heard a hissing from afar. He clutched his meat tight in his hand and lit his torch, heading into the darkness. The hissing continued, and it took him to the drawbridge of a large castle. Excited, Angell started across the bridge, and halted dead in his tracks at the sight of a huge hydra. The Hydra was eyeing him hungrily, and he began to back away, but the Hydra rushed to block his passage, ready to devour his meal. Angell then had an idea that he thought might save him. He rushed toward the castle and the hydra followed, shaking the ground as it ran. Angell flipped around and with great regret, tossed his steak directly at the hydra, distracting it just enough to escape to his campsite. "There is definitely something strange about this place." Angell thought.

As the sun broke the horizon, Angell was already prepared to go. He had studied his treasure most of the night, and found no use for it.

So he tossed it over the obelisk which he had camped by and started off. A great creaking and banging rattled the area and Angell drew his sword ready for the hydra. However, to his suprise, a door opened on the far wall! Angell entered the small cavern and saw some levers on the wall. He did the first thing that came to mind, he pulled on them. Another door slid open deep in the cavern and Angell entered it to find the foyer of the castle!

Angell was confronted by a giant troll which had skin that seemed to be made of stone. He charged into battle with the roaring beast and found it hard to pierce the troll’s skin. It swung its mighty arms and barely missed Angell over and over. Then Angell came up with an idea. He told his horse to flee, and jumped onto the trolls shoulders. He proceeded to bash the ugly troll with his shield on its tiny head over and over. Its head was removed with a mighty blow and the body fell to the floor lifelessly. Feeling more confident about his quest, Angell walked down the hallway to find his steed.

Angell walked down a hallway in the castle and noticed a gleaming sword incased in ooze, hanging from the ceiling. He stared in awe at it and knew that he had to have it. It was mounted very high on the ceiling and there was no apparent way to obtain the seemingly legendary sword. Disappointed, he headed down the hallway, hoping to find a way to get the treasure he had been seeking. He found a staircase and looked up, curious as to what was waiting for him. Oblivious to his future, Angell did the only thing he could do, continue upward.

Angell arrived at the top of the stairs and saw another staircase, he chose to stay on the second floor and explore, for he did not want to miss any important details of his quest. He rode south through the hallway and came to a door which he could not open. Then he remembered the key that the elf had given him, and unlocked the door. The only thing in the room was a small box, seeing nothing else in the room, Angell went and opened the box. There was a lever and he proceeded to turn it, and something shot out like an arrow through parchment. He searched the room and found a small tuning fork. He scratched his head and noticed a door to the west. He went into the room and pulled a lever, which proved to be not very smart, for he fell through the floor, and woke up the next day with a big bump on his head. His mount had broken his fall, and seemed to be all right, it was a sturdy mount after all.

After regaining his place in the tower, he headed further upward to the third floor. He went south again and found a room with an empty table. He opened the door to the west and found a circle in the middle of the room and nothing else. Confused, he went to the eastern room and saw another small and solitary box. He reached over and opened the box. Giant spiders began jumping out of the box and attacking him! He slaughtered spider after spider, but to no avail. The spiders just continued to pour out of the box. Something caught his eye in the box and he reached in for it. He slammed the box closed and ran west. His prize was a key similar to the one given to him by the elf.

Keeping his keys in hand and suspicions in mind, Angell treaded north through the halls of the third floor. Wary of levers and other traps, he progressed to a point where there was yet another locked door. He unlocked it and looked in, finding a strange book in the middle of the floor. He was beginning to become weary of all the trinkets and keys he had to collect and keep track of. Nonetheless, Angell took a long while to think. After a long examination of the book, an idea came to him! He did not have much hope that it would work, but he had to make an attempt to at least do something. He went back to the dark room with the mysterious circle in the middle of the floor, and tossed all of what he had found inside of it. At once a man appeared in a swirl of smoke and addressed Angell, telling him the secrets of the tower and how to slay the mighty dragon that held the princess.

Much more confident than before, Angell slept in the adjacent room. Tomorrow would be a long day.

Angell arose and found a few small potions sitting on the table. Surely, those had not been there the night before. He put them in his pouch, hitched his horse to the table, and walked down the stairs. He watched his step the whole way, for what good adventure ended with the hero breaking all his bones? He approached the room where the great sword hung from the ceiling, and pulled out the small tuning fork he had found. He approached a nearby wall and began hitting the fork against it. The vibrations from the tiny fork were so immense, that Angell was knocked to the floor. The sword fell from the ceiling and pierced the ground not an inch away from his head. He stood up and pulled the sword from the ground. He began to swing it in mid air. It left a flaming trail behind it every time he swung, and he was utterly satisfied with his treasure. After testing out his new weapon, he ran up the staircase, eager to slay the dragon.

As Angell ran up the stairs, he turned a corner to pick up his mount, and halted dead in his tracks. The room was spattered with blood and claw marks, the only thing left was a saddle and some horseshoes. Angell gripped his weapon tight and his eyes burned with rage. He had always had a certain connection with horses, ever since his days in Lasler. At first it was about treasure and pride, but now, it was personal. Angell walked up the staircase with his head down, eyes burning, and weapon flaming.

Angell found that his weapon was not the only thing flaming. There was an immense wall of flame directly in front of him. At first, Angell was puzzled, but then he remembered the potions he had taken from the table. They were no doubt from the man in the circle! He quaffed a potion and he was covered with ice so cold, that some of his equipment shattered. Shivering, he walked through the flame unscathed. After a long journey up the tower, Angell had finally found the dragon.

The dragon was guarding a trap door, and taunted Angell as he came in. Angell rose his head, and simply stared at the dragon for a few seconds. Then he went into a mighty charge and slashed the dragon multiple times, each time cutting deeper into the hardened scales.

The dragon lashed at him with his huge tail, but Angell was too quick on his feet to be thwarted so easily. Angell ran up to the dragon and made a few futile attempts to bash the dragon with his shield, but the dragon laughed and took in a long breath. Angell raised his shield, knowing what would come next. Flames spewed from the dragon, pouring over the shield and melting it in Angell’s grasp. He quickly discarded the shield, and became even angrier than before. "You eat my horse, take a lovely princess as a hostage for no apparent reason, and now you melt my shield!" Angell exclaimed, "Well that’s the last of your destruction, I will not allow it any more!" Angell ran up to the dragon, and plunged his sword directly into its heart. The sword exploded with roaring flame that incinerated the dragon from the inside out. Angell stood there looking at the severed head of the dragon, and went over to it, removing a small key from the inner jaw. "Could this be what I have been looking for this whole time?" Angell thought.

Angell did not hesitate, he walked over to the trap door and unlocked it, proceeding even further up into the castle. He found the princess, and she simply asked him why he did not come sooner. She ran down the stairs, leaving a handkerchief behind. "Perhaps she was not as lovely as I thought" Angell said. Being a gentleman, Angell could not let the princess be without her handkerchief. He went downward and searched almost the entire tower for her. He found her in the last available place to look, and knocked twice before entering. She quickly covered herself and screamed very loudly.

Embarrassed, Angell threw the handkerchief at her and ran out of the tower. Panting, he thought to himself sarcastically, "Smooth."

When Angell proceeded to exit the forest, he saw the statue, and put the legendary sword in its hands. He then said, "Maybe this way, the people here can be safe." As he left, he could have sworn that the statue winked at him, but he was probably just very tired. Angell walked the roads back to the town of Tellerium, where he was offered free drinks from the local patrons for being the first one to return from the wretched tower. He had a very busy evening and spent the next few days in the town telling his story over and over again.

Young children flocked from all over the town to listen to his tale. Angell became friends with many children, including a young minotaur boy that was listening to his stories.

After much excitement, Angell decided that it was time to leave. The children all came to the docks to see him disembark. He waved goodbye to all of them and promised that he would be back one day. Then, as he drifted off into the sunset on the trusty Merdraco, his adventure ended. It ended as any good adventure should, happily.