The Lost Vineyard: Session Two

 

Ancient Stone Tower by William Henry Holmes

Márta Benedek awoke to find her companions fast asleep. Blaming the laziness of alcohol-drinkers, she squinted into the rising sun to see two figures walking towards the Megaron.

• Josian, a woman with short hair and a red scarf, marking her as a Lawful worshipper of Mercy in its original aspect, here to restart the winery
• Charl, a bearded man with colorful poofy clothes over chainmail, sporting a zweihänder and massive codpiece, here for the same reason

Márta explained that if they wanted to do anything with the land, they'd first have to deal with the giant monster sleeping in the tower. Her two new companions were confused by the lack of details, so she offered to show them, from a safe distance of course. However, upon approaching the tower, there was no monster to be found. Josian asked if Márta had meant if it was guarded by a monster in a metaphysical sense. Márta marched up the ramp to the tower's entrance. Inside was a gently sloping floor, as if to drain any liquid into the pit in the center. They spotted some bodies and something shiny at its bottom and ran off to retrieve Gwimbly's rope. When they returned with the rope in hand, Charl carefully lowered Josian into the pit while Márta kept watch for the giant monster. 

Josian excitedly picked the shining jeweled piercings out of the silt and decaying gore, finding a relatively intact corpse. Its head was crushed, but its gambeson was untouched, intricately embroidered with spiraling fern patterns. There was also the corpse's pack and a jingle of coins at its belt. She stripped the corpse of its belongings and called to be pulled up. However, just as the party was examining their treasure haul, the tower went dark as if a cloud had passed over it. Then there was a massive thump outside the walls. The wyvern had arrived.

The adventurers made a break for the human-usable exit as the wyvern poked its head around the wall that had crumbled into a talus pile. Márta stumbled down the ramp, slowed by her gear. The wyvern caught up to her with a hop and a flap of its wings. She blocked its pummeling clawed wingtips with her shield. Josian cried out to her god, strangely enough, it worked. The wyvern paused for a second, tilting its head rather than goring the human in front of it. Márta made a break for it. Unfortunately, the winged beast was faster and tackled her to the ground.

Meanwhile, Charl and Josian looked on in horror from the safety of the Megaron. Charl asked what sorts of spells Josian knew. She told him that she had a potion of shield and that while she could cast sleep, it was more unlikely to do anything to a creature so large. While she was distracted, Charl slipped the potion off her belt, drank it, and sprinted out into the open. He arrived just in time to roll initiative. Unfortunately, the wyvern was faster and tore them both to shreds.