The Tower (Encounter Card)

## Introductory Event

*An encampment of Empire soldiers surround the base of a colossal tower. With picks and hammers they gradually chip at the black stone.*

* *An older soldier greets your approach. "Captain Hardwick of the 6th Legion. What is your business here?"*
* *Behind him, Hardwick's soldiers begin to throw chunks of tower wall at each other in jest.*

1) Request to enter the tower.

*"I've sent far too many men up in that Maker-forsaken tower and they never return. So as far as I'm concerned, you are welcome to it."*
*"I've sent word to the Capital that this is a dog gone accursed mission. Haven't heard back of course, so Mervin over there suggested we topple the tower with force."*
*Behind Hardwick, a soldier hammers at the rock in a frenzy, a manic grin on his face.*
*"Mervin loves breaking things."*
**Continue to Tower Level 1.**
2) Ask what his business is.

*Captain Hardwick is taken aback and then laughs. "We were posted here to find a man who seeks to bring down the Empire. You're a man, maybe it's you!"*
*He chuckles incredulously, before continuing. "They say the traitor is hidden in this tower, betrothed to the sorceress within. Of course, they did'n think to tell us the tower is a death trap. I've lost many good soldiers in there."*

3) Ask what is in the tower.

*"No clue. There is a door on the first landing that will not open unless you provide an offering of apples to the gargoyle statue. Moreover, it permits only one soul to pass through."*
*"All the men I've sent through the door have not returned."*
## Tower Level 1

*You are at the tower.*

1) Enter the tower.

*Captain Hardwick signals you over. "Once you reach a safe landing, return to report what you have seen."*
*"...Maker watch over you." He adds gruffly.*
*You arrive at the first landing, and the first door.*
*True to Hardwick's word, the wooden door lacks even a handle, and your attempts to kick it open are futile.*
*There is a stone gargoyle beside it, its hand outstretched, its mouth a gaping grin.*
A) Appease the gargoyles. (Lose 20 Food)
*You venture up the stairs, preparing yourself for whatever is in store.*
**The player loses 20 Food.**
**The player enters a Maze of Traps.**
*Relieved, you pass through the trap level's exit. There is a stone lever by the exit, glowing with silver light. You take the risk and pull it...*
*A wreath of silver light passes through you.*
* *You feel a strange sensation in your kneecaps and watch, stunned, as your coins become baked potatoes, and your rations turn to silver.*
**The player's Food and Gold are switched.**

*You wonder whether there is a pattern to the silver light's magic.*
*Pulling the lever appears to have deactivated the traps. It is now safe to journey up to this point.*
*Stairs spiral up into the darkness.*
*As you ascend the stairs, you pass a dimly lit landing - empty, save for a primitively-hewn stone bear sat in the centre.*
1) Ignore the bear, and continue up the tower.
(continue below)
2) Approach the statue.
*Close-up, the statue's eyes are bored so deep into the stone that they resemble dark, endless pits. There is an inscription etched upon its snout.*
*"I laughed and she cursed me.*
*I walked for an age to see her, weeping.*
*I felt fury as she kissed her lover.*

*Grant me the face of my last hour."*
A) Make a happy face.
*At first nothing happens, and you feel quite foolish.*
*Then, golden liquid begins to leak from the statue's eyes. As it drips onto the floor it hardens into solid gold tears.*
**The player draws 1 Gold Gain Card.**
*After a time the golden tears abate. Your grinning and smiling is not rewarded with additional gold.*
*You find nothing else of interest on this landing.*
B) Make a sad face.
*The statue crumbles into dust at your feet.*
*You find nothing else of interest on this landing.*
C) Make an angry face.
*Grey gas pours out of the statue's eye holes, flooding the room. Not quick enough, you breathe a little in. You cough wetly into your hand - it's blood.*
**The player draws 2 Life / Max Life Pain Cards.**
*You hurry to the stairs, away from the gas cloud. It disperses after a time.*
1) Return to the bear statue.
2) Leave the bear alone and continue upwards.
D) Ignore the bear, and continue up the tower.
*You journey upward into the tower and arrive at another handle-less door - the distant sound of blades heralding more traps beyond the threshold.*
*Beside it another stone gargoyle.*
*Remembering your promise, you head back down the tower to report back to Captain Hardwick.*
*You report to Captain Hardwick about what you had witnessed within the tower. He notes it down and lets you go on your way.*
**Continue to Tower Level 2.**
B) Leave the tower.
2) Explore new lands. (Go to next level)

**The player moves to the next map.**
**The player encounters Carriage Ride.**
3) Explore around the tower.

## Tower Level 2

*You are at the tower.*

1) Enter the tower.

*Captain Hardwick signals you over. "Once you reach a safe landing, return to report what you have seen."*
*"...Maker watch over you." He adds gruffly.*
*You climb the tower, passing uneasily through deactivated traps, until you reach the next gargoyle impeding your progress.*
*The stone gargoyle's clawed hands wait expectantly for your offering.*
A) Appease the gargoyles. (Lose 20 Food)
*You hear ancient gears in the walls click to life, and the wooden door swings open.*
**The player loses 20 Food.**
*You venture up the stairs, preparing yourself for whatever lies in store.*
**The player enters a Maze of Traps.**
*Relieved, you pass through the trap level's exit. You pull the stone lever by the exit.*
*A wreath of silver light passes through you.*
* *You feel a strange sensation in your kneecaps as you watch your rations transform into fresh-baked vegetable pies.*
*Bizarrely, you sense that your notoriety has changed.*
**The player's Food and Fame are switched.**

*You wonder whether there is a pattern to the silver light's magic.*
*Pulling the lever appears to have deactivated the traps. It is now safe to journey up to this point.*
*Stairs spiral up into the darkness.*
*Suddenly, you hear a shriek like banshee, and a dark shape comes rushing down the steps towards you!*
1) Hit it!
*You draw your weapon and smash it onto its head!*
*The shape topples down the stairs into the light. With a sinking heart you recognise the sigil of the Empire - it's a soldier.*
*She may be one of Hardwick's own. While those in the encampment are tanned and fattened on fish, her face is gaunt and pale.*
*You wonder how long she has been in this place, and why she could not leave.*
*On closer inspection the soldier is still breathing, albeit unconscious.*
*You jog a little up the stairs and find that yet another door precedes this landing, with a familiar begging gargoyle.*
*You hoist the soldier over your soldier and head back down the tower to report to Captain Hardwick.*
*There is a flurry of activity from Hardwick's soldiers when you return with the body.*
*Captain Hardwick brusquely grunts his thanks as soldiers clap your back.*
**The player gains 2 Fame.**
2) Dodge out of the way!
*You lay flat against the wall and the dark shape rushes past into the light.*
*You recognise the sigil of the Empire in the split second before its head snaps around to reveal a soldier - her face is gaunt and pale, her eyes wild.*
*She waits, coiled with tension, at the bottom of the stairs.*
A) Slowly approach her.
*Her eyes glance nervously around, but she stays frozen like a statue until you are a step away. Then, fiercely quick, she draws her sword and slashes downwards! You recoil in pain from the blow.*
**The player draws 2 Life Pain Cards.**
*The soldier drops her sword as if disturbed by her actions. She looks fearfully into your face for a moment before running down the stairs.*
*You quickly note what's further up the stairs (yet another gargoyle-guarded door), before running after her.*
B) Ask her how she got here.
*She shakes her head violently as if trying to dislodge an unwelcome thought.*
*A voice, cracked from disuse, rasps from her, "Mariam?"*
1) Nod.
*Her voice breaks with emotion. "Oh! Mariam! I thought... I thought I would die here..."*
*She clutches your hand and sobs with relief.*
2) Say that you are not Mariam.
*"No..." She begins to cry, her tears cleaning tracks down her dusty face.*
*You quickly note what's further up the stairs (yet another gargoyle-guarded door) before guiding the weeping soldier gently out of the tower.*
*Captain Hardwick's surprise at the soldier's return to the camp is replaced by a mask of pity and fear as she alternates between mistaking her fellow soldiers for "Mariam", and weeping uncontrollably.*
**The player gains 2 Fame.**
*Hardwick stops you before you go. "Here, she has no use for it now, and you saved her." He smiles grimly. "As much as she could be saved."*
**The player draws a Weapon/Trinket Equipment Card.**
**Continue to Tower Level 3.**
B) Leave the tower.
2) Explore new lands. (Go to next level)

3) Explore around the tower.

## Tower Level 3

*You are at the tower.*

1) Enter the tower.

*Captain Hardwick signals you over. "Once you reach a safe landing, return to report what you have seen."*
*"...Maker watch over you." He adds gruffly.*
*You climb the tower, passing uneasily through deactivated traps, until you reach the next gargoyle impeding your progress.*
*The stone gargoyle's clawed hands wait expectantly for your offering.*
A) Appease the gargoyles. (Lose 20 Food)
*You hear ancient gears in the walls click to life, and the wooden door swings open.*
**The player loses 20 Food.**
*You venture up the stairs, preparing yourself for whatever lies in store.*
**The player enters a Maze of Traps.**
*Relieved, you pass through the trap level's exit. You pull the stone lever by the exit.*
*A wreath of silver light passes through you.*
* *You feel a strange sensation in your kneecaps and you watch your coins disintegrate, only to be replaced by... other coins?
Bizarrely, you sense that your notoriety has changed.*
**The player's Gold and Fame are switched.**

*You wonder whether there is a pattern to the silver light's magic.*
*Pulling the lever appears to have deactivated the traps. It is now safe to journey up to this point.*
*Stairs spiral up into the darkness.*
*As you climb, you notice more and more vines breaking through the tower masonry. You reach the next landing and your jaw drops.*
*Somehow, growing from the stone, is a huge tree. It seems ancient - craning your neck, you see its branches disappear high in the darkness above.*
*It sways gently despite there being no breeze.*
1) Ignore the strange, dungeon tree.
*You journey higher into the tower. The stairs spiral around and around the massive tree for what seems like an age.*
*Finally, you reach yet another barred door and its gargoyle sentry.*
*You head back down to report to Captain Hardwick.*
*You report to Captain Hardwick about what you had witnessed within the tower. He notes it down and lets you go on your way.*
**Continue to Tower Level 4**
2) Climb it.
*You grab hold of a branch and hoist yourself up.*
*As you navigate the twisted branches you feel like a child again. Dim light filters peacefully through the leaves, dappling the tower in a warm glow.*
*Hanging from a branch, you spy a pear glowing with a familiar silver light.*
A) Eat the pear.
*The pear is crisp and sweet. Its sticky juices clog your throat and you begin to choke.*
**The player draws a Life Pain Card.**
* *You feel a strange sensation in your kneecaps and watch, stunned, as your coins become baked potatoes, and your rations turn to silver.*
**The player's Food and Gold are switched.**

*You wonder whether there is a pattern to the silver light's magic.*
B) Climb back down.
*You sit on a branch in silence for a moment, before climbing back down and continuing your exploration of the tower.*
*You journey higher into the tower. The stairs spiral around and around the massive tree for what seems like an age.*
*Finally, you reach yet another barred door and its gargoyle sentry.*
*You head back down to report to Captain Hardwick.*
*You report to Captain Hardwick about what you had witnessed within the tower. He notes it down and lets you go on your way.*
**Continue to Tower Level 4.**
B) Leave the tower.
2) Explore new lands. (Go to next level)

3) Explore around the tower.

## Tower Level 4

*You are at the tower.*

1) Enter the tower.

*You return to the tower and find the Empire camp empty. Cursing, you realise that Captain Hardwick and his soldiers have decided to ascend the tower.*
*If they find the sorceress they will surely kill her!*
**The player enters The Brimstone Tower.**
2) Explore new lands. (Go to next level)

3) Explore around the tower.