I am excited about tonight’s milestone- the start of the classic Dark Tower adventure. A lot has led up to this moment. After the funnel, Stacia became an unlikely cleric of Mitra, the first connection to the Dark Tower. Then there was the snake iconography of the level 1 adventure alluding to the evil Set. And there was the level 2 adventure, By Mitra’s Bone, Meet Thy Doom!, a prequel that really honored the Dark Tower and the highly influential Jannell Jaquays. It’s an introduction to the world the Dark Tower inhabits that was also a pretty wild ride in and of itself.
Dramatis Personae
PCs
* Calvert, Part man. Part ape. All Dwarf.
* Stacia, a visually disarming mix of manga and Dalí. An outtake from the film Cats that was even too disturbing for them.
* Nick, looks like a guy who has been kicked by a horse more than once. Maybe that's why he carries a halberd?
* Poundfoolish, halfling with a magic leg made of smoke, and a pox-covered face like a 15 year old's worst nightmare.
* þordis, a thief. A lady thief. She is currently corruption and dismemberment-free, so what's there really to report?
NPCs
* Moram, Infidel Bane, leader of the nomadic Mumchandar caravan, champion of Ishtar
* Old Cornelius, a befuddled but congenial priest of Mitra who maintains the local shrine with 4 acolytes that seem quite protective of him.
* Rufo the Ugly, picture Rizzo the Rat, but human
* Malicia, a strikingly attractive lady of suspected ill repute found at the Overlord Inn
* Ollem Hairy-Arms, ginger blacksmith with an attitude
* Beldar the Sodden, a drunk wandering around the village
But in the latest session, the party finally arrived in the village of Mitra’s Fist, aka Mitra’s Curse. An enterprising Stacia invested 10 gold into Livingstone and Jackson’s business. The terms of the investment weren’t exactly what she wanted, but the Dwarves promised to double her money. The party also learned some rumors in the days of travel to the outskirts of Mitra’s Fist:
- That the church of Mitra will pay handsomely for the capture of Set’s Tower
- Jewelry and art objects with lion images are more valuable than they appear
- Speaking the name of Mitra while wielding his holy symbol will turns away all undead
- That the village is abandoned
After saying their good-byes to Cizneros and company, they made their way down a weathered trail. And it looked like it had been recently used. It appeared Mitra’s Fist itself was far from abandoned. Before long they were in the outskirts of the village. A group of nomads known as the Caravan of Mumchandar were encamped there. Their leader, Moram, told them they were passing through the less travelled route to save time. They were traveling with a cargo of spices and a band of well-armored warriors.
Next, the party visited the Shrine of Mitra’s Tower. Inside the circular white marble building 4 acolytes of Mitra greeted the party. An old priest named Cornelius was doddering around by the altar, but walked quickly to Stacia when he got a glimpse of her majestic teeth. He was whisked away rather quickly by his four acolytes. They recommended that the party seek lodging at the Overlord Inn.
Before heading to the inn, the party explored the small village. They crossed paths briefly with Ollem Hairy-Arms, who is described in the book as follows:
The blacksmith, Ollem, is a large, hairy man with flaming red hair. He lacks a beard, but sports bushy mutton chops and appears to be about 30 years old. He has a gruff personality, and always seems to be in a foul mood.
He paid the party no mind as he made his way back to his workshop.
After the party explored the village they took their camels to the stables at the inn. Their they encountered a rather drunk, and rather belligerent man in robes named Beldar the Sodden.
At the bar inside the inn Rufo the Ugly, who is described as follows:
Rufo is an unkempt scrawny male human with greasy brown hair and a tinge of body odor.
Another charming resident, who at least shared a little information about the village.
Finally, the party met Malicia. This strikingly beautiful woman, dressed in revealing clothing suggesting she works in, err, entertainment? She flirts hard with Calvert (perhaps because he is like several fetishes rolled into one compact and asymmetrical package) but is whisked away by Stacia, who suggests that the party resign for the evening. And that’s where we left off.
Next session, the party will need to decide what to do next. Perhaps explore the tower on the hill, with no apparent entrance but lined with arrow slits? What could go wrong?
