[000] Lakeside Interlude - Avandar's Tower

[Eris]

de Francisco approaches the 5 story tall stone tower. It is the tallest building in Lakeside and somewhat imposing with steep walls rising to a peaked top with what looks like a slate tiled roof. There are no windows on the tower, none at all! The only opening a simple wooden door on the outside.

Francisco knocks on the door and waits.

After a short wait he hears a voice call down to him from above his head, "Who are you and what do you want?"

Looking up he sees the head and upper body of what looks like a Gnome leaning out of a window. He could swear that wasn't a window there a moment ago.

> Bow. "Hello I am de Francisco Gillyglass, I am my compatriots are heading
> to the ruins and I have been told you might be interested in items
> available there. If you could tell me what you wish for, I would do my
> best to assist you in that endeavor."

"Wait!" calls down the Gnome, "I'm not Master Avandar, I'm just his servant Quint. You and your compatriots are heading for some ruins you say? What does Avandar want from the ruins, you ask? I imagine the old coot wants any and everything you can find that is the least bit magical, but you'd better ask him...I suppose."


> "I also would like some formal re-training in the art of magic, I wrote a discourse on the 8 types of magic and how they interact, I know all the laboratory procedures from my land, I could name you powders and ingredients, at least how I know them and have been trained in potion and intent for voicing spells. My Mistress was asHaar Didi Fasar."

"Pisst! Tosh!" Quint waves his hand at you, "I don't know anything about all of that!"

"You just stand there while I see if the Master will see you. Don't get your hopes up, he doesn't see anybody." Quint's head and body disappear back through the window and it simple disappears turning into a stone wall again.

After a short wait, the stone wall in front of de Francisco turns into a wooden door and Quint opens it, "Avandar will see you young man. Come with me."

Quint leads you inside and down a narrow corridor of stone about 10 feet long. This corridor opens into a circular room that is about 30 feet across. There is a large circular rug on the floor and there are sofas and chairs on the rug around a low table. Across from the entrance is an opening that looks like it leads to stairs going up.

"Wait here." says Quint, pointing at the grouping of sofas and chairs.

The room is remarkably light and airy. Large windows surround the room about 8 feet up...there were no windows outside, this must be some sort of magic!

Quint goes through the opening and you see him start up stairs.

On the low table is box with elaborate carvings and enameling all over it. It is hinged and is currently open. The sounds of birds and a tinkling stream seem to come from the box as well as a breeze of fresh clean air.

*Ahh, a magic music box, beautiful.*

de Francisco stays exactly where he was standing waiting for the mage. -at ease-

Another short interval passes and you hear voices coming down the stairs, "I do want someone to go up to the ruins and poke around in that library I heard about, but do I have to deal with some ruffian to do it Quint? Well, if I must. You say he wants to learn spells, too. Oh my! My last apprentice blew himself and half the tower to smithereens. I said I'd never take on another then and I meant it!"

Stepping out of the stairwell Francisco sees a tall thin man dressed in grey robes. He has white hair pulled back into a pony tail and a beard of white tied with a ribbon to make another pony tail, only in front. He looks to be a human and an old one!

"Quint says you are heading for Fastomel. The ruins. Yes?" the man says without preamble, "I have a map showing the location of an entrance to the basements of a tower there where a cache of scrolls and other tomes might be found. I'm looking for a particular scroll that will be in an onyx case with gold caps. It will have the words 'Woven Dreams' inscribed on the case. If you find this scroll and return it to me I will pay you 500 gold pieces."

"Oh, and my name is Avandar the Wise and I'm wise enough not to go into those ruins myself and to not take on any apprentices." Avandar says, "But, I tell you what, if you succeed in this task I'll teach you one, one mind you, spell! And if you can learn it maybe I'll have more work for you and more spells for you to learn."

The Wizard stops and looks Francisco in the eye, "Are you sure you want to do this sort of thing young man? There are easier ways to get yourself killed, you know."

[ateno]

de Francisco bows and stands. "Master Avandar, we are heading in that area for other reasons but I will accept your terms regarding the library and returning it to you. I would do it for the promise of relearning a spell, but I have others that would prefer payment. Thank you.

de Francisco bows again and stands and waits to be spoken to.

de Francisco

[Eris]

de Francisco bows and stands. "Master Avandar, we are heading in that area for other reasons but I will accept your terms regarding the library and returning it to you. I would do it for the promise of relearning a spell, but I have others that would prefer payment. Thank you.

de Francisco bows again and stands and waits to be spoken to.

de Francisco

"Humph! Never turn down gold, Lad! It always comes in handy." Avandar grumbles softly and then sighs as he reaches into a slit in his robes and pulls out a piece of parchment, "All right then, here is the map. Remember I want the scroll case with Woven Dream inscribed on it. Don't open the case, just find it and bring it to me. Is that understood?"

[ateno]

"Humph! Never turn down gold, Lad! It always comes in handy." Avandar grumbles softly and then sighs as he reaches into a slit in his robes and pulls out a piece of parchment, "All right then, here is the map. Remember I want the scroll case with Woven Dream inscribed on it. Don't open the case, just find it and bring it to me. Is that understood?"

"Oh, I will get my share, don't worry. And yes I understand, no opening just transport. Thank you Master."

de Francisco waits to be led out.

[Eris]

"Humph! Never turn down gold, Lad! It always comes in handy." Avandar grumbles softly and then sighs as he reaches into a slit in his robes and pulls out a piece of parchment, "All right then, here is the map. Remember I want the scroll case with Woven Dream inscribed on it. Don't open the case, just find it and bring it to me. Is that understood?"

"Oh, I will get my share, don't worry. And yes I understand, no opening just transport. Thank you Master."

de Francisco waits to be led out.

"Well then, I hope to see you again, with the Woven Dream.", Avandar nods and turns away heading toward the stairs.

Quint shows up at de Francisco's elbow, seemingly out of nowhere and says, "Come this way."

Quint leads you back to the door and hands de Francisco what looks like a flat stone, "Press this against the tower when you return. It will signal me to let you in." He then sends you out of the tower onto the street.

Turning back to say goodbye you see that the door that was there a moment ago is not gone and the tower sleek solid stone with no openings showing anywhere again.

[ateno]

Turning back to say goodbye you see that the door that was there a moment ago is not gone and the tower sleek solid stone with no openings showing anywhere again.

de Francisco nods smiles and heads back to tell his friends of the potential huge amount of money if we find it.

de Francisco

[joertexas]

Turning back to say goodbye you see that the door that was there a moment ago is not gone and the tower sleek solid stone with no openings showing anywhere again.

de Francisco nods smiles and heads back to tell his friends of the potential huge amount of money if we find it.

de Francisco

"That's great," Carsta replies. "How far is it to the ruins?"

[Eris]

Turning back to say goodbye you see that the door that was there a moment ago is not gone and the tower sleek solid stone with no openings showing anywhere again.

de Francisco nods smiles and heads back to tell his friends of the potential huge amount of money if we find it.

de Francisco

"That's great," Carsta replies. "How far is it to the ruins?"

GM: Everyone move over to The Duck's Pond Inn thread. Oh, and just so it's clear the ruins de Francisco is talking about are the same ruins the Priests want you to visit. They said two days travel by foot.