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[Drakilian]

1199, April 1rst, 2:43 AM,
Balgrad,
Domain of Heldric Haikans, Emissary of Michael's Chosen

Having recently returned to Balgrad, Heldric has begun pulling strings with the reluctant aid of Julian in order to have city workers begin a massive excavation project - officially to expand the already existing catacombs below the city's cathedral, but mostly to create a proper, defensible haven and give the city's Nosferatu a proper warren.

As the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese (Heldric sometimes wonders if this decision was based on some gentle influence by the Patriarch of Constantinople) and budding capital of the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom, Heldric often finds himself astonished that such a great city could have been assigned to him. It is his responsibility to keep it safe.

However, when a letter comes calling from the very man who granted him the right to protect Balgrad, its aim to pull him away - well, Heldric might begin to wonder what option he has to refuse.

For on the 1rst of April, the year 1199, Heldric finds a dark-feathered raven waiting for him in his hidden haven, a bound and sealed letter at its feet, intelligent black eyes staring expectantly.

Reaching for the letter, recognizing Radu's seal and breaking it - Heldric reads over its contents.

My Dearest Friend,

There is an abandoned tower that lies deep within the Transylvanian alps, I am interested in claiming it as a fortress haven in case of emergency, however the mortal men and ghouls I have already sent have failed to return. I have chosen to tell you this because I trust in your ability to handle this matter discreetly and efficiently. You are a skilled individual, Heldric, and I would like to see those skills utilized.

I generously offer you a reasonable boon of your choice in return for you personally securing this tower for myself in whatever manner you find fitting. I hope you consider my offer, should you accept I will send Tiberiu to serve as your guide.

May your city prosper,
Count Radu Bistri, Prince of Bistritz.

[Forge]

Heldric knows he has no real say in the matter but he would aid his benefactor either way, the path says to take care of your allies so that they in turn aid you.

He quickly gathers some writing supplies and pens a short note.

Count Radu,

Thank you for your wishes, the city is indeed prospering and I have lately begun work to further the dream. I trust you are doing well and progressing the dream as well as always.

I would be honoured to perform this task for you, I will await your guide then accomplish the task efficiently.

Heldric, Prince of Balgrad

[Drakilian]

The Raven takes the note from Heldric and flies off towards Bistritz.

1199, April 2nd, 10:42 AM
Balgrad,
Domain of Heldric Haikans, Emissary of Michael's Chosen

Waking the next morning, Heldric finds another letter waiting for him, seemingly having been delivered by the same (very tired) bird - though this time the bird leaves before a reply can be written.

Breaking open the seal, he reads:

My Dearest Friend,

Thank you for accepting my proposal! Tiberius will be by Balgrad within four nights, I hope to see you by the abandoned tower soon. You may name the area after you secure it if you so wish, a petty thing but one I should like for you to enjoy.

Travel safely,
Count Radu Bistri, Prince of Bistritz

Is there anything Heldric should like to do in the few nights he has before Tiberius' arrival?

[Forge]

Heldric notes the time he will be away and prepares orders to be carried out in his absence, ensuring the works go ahead as he desires if things take longer than expected.

He does not like using weapons however he ensures Andreas has some armour to wear, he was getting too injured before. Somthing like chainmail covered in silk to muffle the sound slightly.

Finally he checks with his contacts in the shadows of the city for any rumours of the areas he is heading too.

[Drakilian]

Heldric puts in an order for chainmail from one of the city's smithies - even gets Andreas' terrible body measured for it and everything - but it'll be a while before the suit is finished.

Normally the measurements wouldn't be so necessary as all that save for the fact that Andreas' measurements were... not exactly those of a well-proportionned human being. Still, Heldric acquires his servant (in addition to the future properly fitted chainmail) an especially large suit of mail that, while more cumbersome than a properly fitted suit, works well enough for his purposes.

The silk to cover the chainmail (for both suits) also runs up Heldric a sizeable bill, but one that he can afford to pay now that he's getting proceeds from the salt mines.

Heldric's contacts unfortunately have never heard of the place he refers to - mostly because Heldric doesn't actually know anything about it save that it's "an abandonned tower in the transylvanian mountains". Strange that Radu would be so withholding. Perhaps there's a little more going on than Heldric is being told?

[Forge]

Heldric readies to leave, warning Andreas and Mr. whitey to be prepared. One ambush setting his bed on fire is more than enough. He assumes there is a lot that he isn't being told however he has aleady agreed and has little choice in the matter now.

"I really need a human ghoul to act during the day" he mutters as he awaits his guides arrival.

[Drakilian]

1199, April 6th, 1:42 AM
Balgrad,
Domain of Heldric Haikans, Emissary of Michael's Chosen

Having made preparations and informing Julius again that he would be leaving the city shortly, Heldric is prepared for Tiberius' arrival. Some two hours past midnight Mr.Whitey tells Heldric that one of Andreas' animal companions saw the man approaching Balgraad, riding a carriage led by four nightmarishly powerful black horses.

Heldric is there, waiting at the gates (with the mortals having been sent away) when the savage, red-eyed gangrel arrives.

"Good evening Prince Heldric", he calls from his seat.

[Forge]

Heldric nods in return "Good evening." He replies.

He heads right or the carriage door, scanning his surroundings just incase he is being carefully watched from any shadows "We should set out right away unless you have other business here, I cannot be away from the city too long." He adds, waving his companions to the carriage.

[Drakilian]

Tiberius returns Heldric's greeting with perfect courtesy.

"The tower is over two week's travel from here, i'm afraid there is little to do in that regard. If you would like I could request Radu use his own influence to help protect your city in your absence."

[Forge]

"Thankyou but that should not be necessary as I have made arrangements which should be adequate." he replies.

Once all of his companions are loaded in he heads inside himself pausing only to speak once more "Then let us be underway!"

[Drakilian]

1199, April 20th, 2:34 AM
The Transylvanian Alps,
Unclaimed domain.


It's been two weeks since Heldric and Tiberius departed for the abandoned tower within the transylvanian alps decreed by Radu to be one of his hidden fortresses. They have been well-supplied with the blood of beasts summoned by Tiberius, though only Tiberius has been satisfied with the diet.

The 15th night has so far proven to be almost unbearably cold. Even for Heldric and Andreas, normally immune to cold temperatures, the cold is a source of discomfort. To Mr. Whitey, it is almost fatal - were it not for the vitae running through the lizard's veins or the warmth he got from huddling with the ghoul animals he might not be alive now. Compounded with the unfortunate fact that a snowstorm has been raging for the past three days while showing little sign of improvement, and it has all made for a rather unpleasant trip.

 After several hours travel, Tiberius pulls the wagon to a stop.

"We're just about here."

The gangrel point to an overgrown, barely visible path that leads up what appears to be a treacherous cliffside - though Heldric cannot see the top through the raging storm.

"You'll find it up that path."

[Forge]

Heldric does his best to check the wether prospects, hoping or a break in the snow before communicating with the others "This cold in unnatural, why have a tower here in the first place?" He wonders aloud "Unless this cold is a defence of some sort..." He turns to their guide "do you sence an unnatural force behind this?"

While waiting for an answer he also quickly checks with Mr. Whitey if he wants to come or stay huddled in the carriage for a slight warmth.

[Drakilian]

The beastmaster scratches at the back of his neck idly - a nervous twitch no doubt, the dead don't itch.

"It's a bit late in the season for a storm like this but it's happened before. Might be something's up there causing it, but I wouldn't know what would be capable of it.

It's possible the mortals the count sent were killed by a storm like this, you should be careful on your way up. As for why the tower is here? No idea. It doesn't guard an important pass and it's on an isolated cliffside, it's very, very defensible - but little else. Honestly I wonder how Radu even knew to find the place."

Checking in with Mr. Whitey, Heldric is reassured by the beast that as long as they find shelter shortly, he can manage. Though being cold-blooded, Heldric knows the thing will not last long without some sort of fire...

Of course, Andreas has already called a small army of furry little critters to surround and bath mr.whitey is a sea of body heat. Perhaps it will suffice till they can find shelter in the tower.

[Forge]

Heldric sighs audibly, this was already heading in a direction he didn't like and he just felt in his, now cold, bones that it would get worse.

"Then time we started" he looks over to Andreas and Mr. Whitey "We move as quickly as possible, Andreas take the lead and ensure we have a path in the snow. When we reach the tower is needs be I will make a fire there but I am planning on being inside it making things easier."

He quickly salvages some spare cloth and bits of wooden items tht will burn if needed, fully aware he has no tinder box and hates fire anyway then signals their departure, cloaking his group (cloak the gathering)

[Drakilian]

Tiberius nods his head towards Heldric.

"You may send for me at any time when you require a guide back down the mountains. Just call any nearby bird to carry the message."

With that, the beastmaster turns and moves on back down the path.

---

one hour later

It's been an incredibly treacherous climb up the path - twice wind nearly blew Heldric straight off the side of the mountain, and once Andreas slipped and slid down to the edge of the cliffside, surviving only due to luck and his absurd upper-body strength.

Finally, the looming outline of the tower is visible through the storm some 30 meters away. Mr. Whitey - carried by Andreas so that he doesn't have to drag himself through the snow - purrs in satisfaction at the sight of shelter.

[Forge]

Heldric nods to himself. There was definitely somthing strange going on here but there was no way he could turn back easily, he would not only be abandoning somthing he said he would do for an ally but he might even make an enemy out of a very powerful man. Survival means thinking long term too, get the powerful one onside even if it means a smaller risk now.

"We move quickly, I will try and keep us cloaked but I doubt anything could see us through this storm anyway." He keeps to himself that if somthing is controlling the storm then they probably know of their presence already.

He signals onward, carefully trying to observe his surroundings as they approach the tower and look for an entrance.

[Drakilian]

Pushing through the storm while maintaining his cloaking is difficult, often his concentration comes near its breaking point - but Heldric manages well enough, given the surprisingly short distance he was from the tower.

Coming closer he sees that the tower is not whole - a large hole has been torn out of the top of the tower. Heldric wonders what could have possibly done this - a tower with walls this thick would require days of heavy siege in order to break open a hole that large - unless its remote location (seemingly prone to terrible snowstorms) resulted in the deterioration of the tower's condition.

He might have to get a closer look at the hole once he is inside. No doubt Radu will want it plugged up once it has been secured, though that shouldn't be Heldric's responsibility by that point.

Coming to the door of the tower, Heldric might be surprised to see that it hangs off a single hinge, open, having seemingly been broken down.

Nothing, so far as he can see, has stirred to attack him.

[Forge]

He pauses for a second, but only a second. Somthing powerful came through here. He glances at Andreas briefly considering if he was about to run into a potence user.

"Let's get inside. Somthing already opened the door so be very careful while we enter."

Assuming nothing bad happens instantly as they enter Heldric plans to pull the broken door too, just to block out the worst of the storm.

[Drakilian]

Andreas gets inside and sets Mr.Whitey down. Heldric follows him in soon thereafter.

Before he can do so, a gust of cold wind blows in and violently slams the door shut, throwing the area into complete and total darkness as the very mild moonlight visible through the storm is cut off.

Activating his gleam of red eyes, Heldric examines what he can see of the first floor of the tower with some apprehension.

A stairwell leads up to the second floor, winding up clockwise along the walls, built narrow enough that right-handed invaders would be forced up with their unshielded side open to attack, moving alone. It also leads down to what appears to be a basement.

A skilled, well armoured lone defender on this staircase might be able to hold back an army if he had to.

An empty doorway (the door is nearby on the ground, broken off its hinges) leads to a room that looks something like a barracks. Chests filled with clothes have been flung about, there's evidence of burn damage and splintered wood fills the area from broken beds. Plenty of kindling for a fire, at least; and there's no doubt some tinder and flint elsewhere in the tower.

A pile of ashes interspersed with bits of charred human bone dominate the center of this room. The castle's defenders, perhaps?

Another door leads to a room holding a few comfortable seats and tables, relatively untouched by whatever destruction befell this place. Heldric even spots a few playing cards strewn about the place, along with a few mugs containing some extremely foul-smelling beer.

What look to be old, dried blood stains bits of the floor here and there.

Andreas growls something out, Mr.Whitey translates it for Heldric.

Abandoned tower my cold, dead ass.

[Forge]

"Whatever it was before, it is that now. Assume we fight whatever smashed it's way in here and killed all the defenders." He says trying to sound resolute, knowing his companions know him well enough to read "prepare to flee if needed, survival comes first" between the lines.

He looks at the barracks, then the stairs "How is the cold taking you both? We have the means of a fire here if needed." he doesn't Disguise his look of disgust as he says it, he tries not to fear fire but relying on an open flame is a different matter.

He keeps an eye upwards, just Incase.

[Drakilian]

Andreas shrugs, naturally as unaffected as Heldric is.

Mr. Whitey, however, notes his discomfort.

The stone floor does little to help him preserve his meagre bodyheat.

[Forge]

Heldric sighs, his pet comes before stealth. He quickly heads into the barracks planning on making a small pile of burnable wood (In a large clear space so it cannot spread) with some strips of cloth against the tinder for easy lighting. He gets everything ready so that he can light a spark on the cloth then walk quickly away without looking back as the cloth and tinder lights the rest. (Burns a will if needed to avoid crazy).

if the flame takes and the small fire starts up he immediately signals Andreas to follow him up the stairs and Mr. Whitey to follow if called for (Cloak the gathering still in place)

[Drakilian]

After no small amount of effort Heldric eventually manages to spark a flame for Mr.Whitey to warm himself by.

Cursing, the Nosferatu quickly backs away once the fire takes hold of the wood, turning his eyes away from the hot, burning flame.

His beloved crocodile taken care of, Heldric starts moving up the stairs with Andreas in tow.

It's a lot colder up here, possibly because of the hole higher up in the tower that lets the cold in.

Upstairs Heldric finds evidence of a kitchen where a collection of blood-rusted knives lie next to a similarly blood rusted pot. The stench of rotted food and the dead is partially way-layed by the freezing cold temperatures in the room.

Along with the kitchen, Heldric finds another lounge - though not nearly so untouched as the last one. This room as a smattering of ashes spread about , and more broken furniture. There are also what appear to be 3-4 bedrooms here. Far more private affairs than the barracks up top.

Wind blows down from the top floor.

[Forge]

Heldric signals for Andreas and he to do quick checks of the rooms first. Heldric approaching the doors Silently first then signalling Andreas to open them and look inside if he hears nothing.

[Drakilian]

Each of the rooms are empty (Heldric having already taken a cursory look through most of them).

The beds are much finer than the barracks downstairs, the rooms larger than the space allowed to the inhabitants of the lower level. Heldric assumes that this is where the owners or commanders of the tower slept, whereas the lower level was for the guards.

There are some personal effects here and there, but nothing Heldric can use to identify anyone who used to live here.

Andreas growls and shakes his head at the rather ominous warnings left behind here. The tower has been gutted, and where the hell was the team Radu sent here?

[Forge]

Heldric sighs audibly "Andreas prepare for combat as we reach the upper floor. Use blood if you want just before we get there, survival always comes first and we can feed later." he turns, ensures they are replaced, at least until Andreas is himself and fails at Stealth, and heads for the stairs up, he pauses to convey that he is preparing himself (2 blood for Dex and 2 for Str, grow protean claw spikes) then heads up stealthily, even is Andreas gives himself away he could stay hidden and ambush an attacker.

[Drakilian]

Andreas clenches his fists, growls and flexes, the veins visible across his pale body standing out like hard cords, before he relaxes the tension. Heldric gathers that he was just easing the blood absorbed by his muscles just now.

He nods to Heldric.

A cold breeze blows down from above, shifting the memory of hair across Heldric's face. At the top of the stairs he notes the elegantly carved, ornate door that swings open, seemingly unharmed. It gives Heldric some hope that the damage upstairs might not be so bad.

The third floor of the tower is a single room, and Heldric is forced to stop cold in shock as he is proven irrevocably wrong.

Andreas chokes a little in surprise.

The hole in the tower was much bigger than Heldric thought.

About 8 feet tall, 6 feet wide and 3 feet thick, the force of the blast that ripped through the tower must have been tremendous. Scorched and warped, blackened stone lines the edges of the hole. Heldric knows very well that he would not want to have been up against whatever the hell did this.

The room is covered in snow and slick ice, and the floor leans somewhat towards the hole, Heldric has to carefully move about so as not to lose his balance.

A magnificent oak desk occupies the left half of the room, torn paper from what appear to be old manuscripts littering its surface. Its been split down the middle, its two halves pushing its contents into the bottom of the V formed by its body.

Several bookcases are strewn about as well, though Heldric notes a distinct lack of books.

Various other scorch marks litter the room, along with a few other holes in the wall - though none that penetrate the wall entirely.

[Forge]

Heldric very carefully looks out through the hole and checks everything including the walls and ceiling for clues as to what happened other than somthing resiculously powerful assaulting the tower and annihilating the occupants.

[Drakilian]

The holes in the walls contain nothing of note. The bookcases contain no books, the floor is covered in snow and wind blows in from the hole. It seems as if Heldric isn't going to get anything out of this.

Moving to the desk in order to exhaust his final option and look through the thing more extensively, Heldric is very thrown off to hear something moving under there... is that... whimpering?

Whatever it is can't know he's here, he's cloaked. Perhaps a survivor from the expedition Radu sent?

[Forge]

Heldric very very slowly and carefully approaches at an angle, trying to increase his view without getting too close. Should he be forced too he will close the distance signalling Andreas to be prepared to smash whatever it is clean out of the building if it attacks.

[Drakilian]

Crouching down, Heldric sees a terrified looking man huddled underneath the broken desk, his shallow, quiet breaths steaming in the air.

He whimpers again, Heldric realizes this is the sound that alerted him to his presence.

Listening very closely, Heldric notes that he speaks almost imperceptibly, words coming from his mouth as the barest whispers.

"please, please leave me alone"

All of a sudden his head snaps around to look directly at Heldric. His face contorts into a horrified grimace and he wails.

Could he somehow see Heldric?

"Noooo! Please no!"

He struggles to slide himself under the desk.

[Forge]

Heldric is taken aback for a second, clearly this person just saw through his cloak without breaking it. He was about to mumble that it had never happened before until he remembered the undead things the monks summoned "Going to have to work on this, twice in under a few years is too often." He mumbles as he reaches for the man to stop him getting away.

"Hold stil, I have questions for you." He says as he signals Andreas to block the other side of the desk.

[Drakilian]

The man screams when Heldric starts speaking, and scrambles all the harder when he feels Heldric's hand.

His eyes widen tremendously at the sight of the deformed Nosferatu.

Andreas looks perplexed at the man's reaction. Heldric understands his blood-brother's confusion - the man clearly is reacting as if he'd just seen Heldric. If it wasn't Heldric he was talking to, then...?

The man slips under the desk but can't escape Heldric's iron-hard grip on his leg. He drags and pulls as hard as possible, screaming his throat raw.

"NO, NO NOT LIKE THE OTHERS, OH GOD PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE!"

[Forge]

With the though of the dead not being affected by his invisibility and the man's seemingly just seeing him somthing occurs to Heldric. The ghost from the mirror, she was able to be seen by some and not others and was very dangerous.

"Stand by Andreas, I must test somthing" he pulls out the helm and slips it on, planning to scan the room as quickly as possible

[Drakilian]

Heldric releases the man to Andreas - and he dives straight for the hole in the wall!

Andreas moves faster than him and grasps at his leg, trying to stop him from jumping to his death.

"No, no please no oh god no!"

Shrieking, he turns and writhes helplessly in Andreas' iron grip. He shrieks and scratches at Andreas, trying to force the man to let him go. All his efforts get him is a solid smack across the face that knocks him unconscious and may or may not result in permanent brain damage.

Heldric, turning to look at Andreas, sees his blood-brother shrug, as if to say "he was annoying."

Putting on the helmet, Heldric's mind is instantly invaded by a bloody host of eager whispers, urging him towards madness.

He hears a long, falling whistle, and turns to face the source.

"That's one hell of a trick you've got there, vampire."

The aged man is dressed in what look like a noble's comfortable nightclothes. He sits in a chair, his legs crossed, by a complete version of the great oaken desk in the tower room.

What's particularly impressive about him, however, is the large patch of charred flesh on his chest. The way he died? It's rather distracting.

The room appears to be empty of other spirits.

[Forge]

Heldric would normally say somthing to Andreas but the man WAS annoying, and Heldric had touched him so he wouldn't last the week even if he got away alive. Best they used him for food before they left.

With the vision of the spirit arriving and the oncoming threat of madness Heldric decides to move things along quickly "Well as fellow unread it is easier to talk with you this way, though I assume you could make yourself seen and heard if I wasn't wearing it. My name is Heldric, Prince of a city a few weeks from here." he glances round the vision of the room "So I assume you rolled here before whatever destroyed half the place came?"

[Drakilian]

"Poor fellow, they really couldn't handle the fact that this place was filled with ghosts. Just their bad luck that they triggered the alarms too.

What a funny expression. Yes, I "rolled" here, I suppose, before the traitors came and killed us all."

Us? So there are more of them?

The man's voice is subdued and idle, as if he has little interest in what's actually happening but is so bored with everything else that he keeps paying attention regardless.

"Fellow undead, you say? Nothing fellow about you, you're still alive, in a way. I assure you I am very much dead. You're just another one of those filthy bloodsuckers. Do you have any idea how revolting you even appeared to be until you put on that helm? Now you look quite fearsome, really. A more uneducated wraith might even fear you."

[Forge]

"Ah this helm, it is useful but has it's drawbacks, from a rather powerful wraith general in the shadowlands so of course it would have drawbacks." He glances around at the area again while thinking over the insults, nothing new to a nosferatu but they can be turned back once you have heard them often enough "Oh appearances matter to ghosts? How shallow." With clear condensation in his tone before going back to a normal one "So you are a powerful educated wraith that simply sits here scaring the occasional human that turn up to die or go mad? That sounds... Boring."

He goes to lift the helm off his head before remembering why he was here in the first place "Ah yes, another Prince is interested in claiming this place and will probably be sending others to repare and occupy it. Those of my kind who can control and capture ghosts will be sent so you might want to clear out before they come."

[Drakilian]

The wraith listen's to Heldric, and at the end of his dialogue bursts into a fit of undignified giggles.

"Oh my, you have no idea where or what you're doing, do you?"

[Forge]

Heldric doesn't like playing with words or lying etc. He is also getting uncomfortable about wearing this helm longer so goes with honesty.

"None, I was sent here to find out why the others vanished and what was going on but it was clear from the start that somthing was suspicious." he fiddles with the helm a little "So what IS going on here?"

[Drakilian]

"Well, my soon-to-be eternal companion, you are standing in what used to be the last bastion of the mortal mages of House Tremere. We were wiped out a few short weeks ago by our former brothers and sisters. The destruction you marvel at, by the way, was not caused by the Tremere - the only ones capable of such power were too afraid to come to our tower and deal with us themselves, they sent children to do it. The destruction is the result of our fighting.

We could have held indefinitely, had Tremere and his Council not stripped the protective enchantments cast over the stones of the tower."

[Forge]

Heldric takes the time needed to think through the implications of what the wraith had said

"So you were the betrayed mages and lost your final stand here." he stops to think again "So, why are you still here? Are you bound to the tower or an object here or staying for revenge?" somthing then clicks in his head "And why would I become your eternal companion?"

[Drakilian]

The mage shrugs,

"It is the nature of the dead to haunt the places of their destruction. i'm not the only one here, just the only one in this room."

The dead mage raises an eyebrow, "Why, they're coming to kill you at this very moment. Hurtling through the air on stone wings ripped at by the freezing winds of the permanent storm Tremere placed on this area; warping their way through  space to the edge of the warded grounds. You triggered a good many alarms when you stepped through that door, I do not doubt."

[Forge]

Heldric swears to himself "So I get sent here and now I have to fight off whatever is coming for me. I don't suppose you could tell me what turned up last time someone triggered the alarm and how many?" He glances at the man "In a way you'd be getting revenge by helping me."

He calls out to Andreas "Andreas, prepare for battle and stay as still as you can. I will try and keep you hidden until you engage. "Mr. White should luckily still be cloaked too" he thinks to himself.

He turns back to the ghost "Is there anything here that would aid in our fight if you or the other ghosts could not?"

[Drakilian]

"Last time? Mercurius sent a dozen or so younglings and a battalion of gargoyles. The poor mortals were all killed quite summarily, except for that clever little fellow you've got over there.

Ha! Revenge, oh my blood-thirsty friend, if I could have revenge I would have had it when they tore down this tower and sent lightning through my heart. I'm practically powerless now."

[Forge]

"You say 'practically powerless' what CAN you do" Heldric asks while turning to look out of the hole "I wonder if we would have time to retreat before they got here" he mumbles to himself.

[Drakilian]

The ghost raises an eyebrow, "Retreat to where, exactly? No, i'm afraid all I can offer you is a perfect knowledge of this tower's layout and remaining magical defenses, as well as access to secret tunnels underneath the tower that lead to a fairy kingdom filled with gold and spiced blood wine sprinkled with gold dust. Well, okay, maybe that last part is a lie. There really are tunnels underneath the tower though. Mostly for storage. They extend some ways through the mountain, though there is no exit or entrance save the one in the tower. You might find them of some use."

[Forge]

Heldric sighs "It's better than staying here to battle them, survival comes first afterall." He glances at the hole in the wall again as if assessing his time until a battle.

"Ok what are the useable defences and how to we get to the tunnels?"

[Drakilian]

The ghost leans back into his chair and plops his feet onto the broken desk. Clearly the formalities of the living have little application to the mage.

"Well, most of us were killed when the Tremere attacked, and most of the defences were stripped from the tower's walls by Tremere's council. Any notable defenses we did have remaining we used up, so whatever you work with will have to be... improvised. I believe two of my apprentices were killed before they could make use of all their charms. Search the second-floor bedroom for an hourglass marked with the symbol for ice, carved in the third Prime Angel's preferred tools. Breaking it and spreading the sand over a large area will slow time for all within save you. Breaking it and blowing all of the sand onto a single enemy will freeze them in time. Both effects last exactly one hour and no more.

Another of my apprentices possessed a gift from myself - a skull made of True Glass, carved to smile in the twentieth way and bearing the marks of seven thousand blows from seven hammers forged from purest silver. Pour your enemy's blood onto the indentation made from the blows and smash it against any surface, for it will then turn as brittle and fragile as simple glass, and they shall feel each of the seven thousand blows strike them at once, their strength conserved in the enchanted glass of the skull.

I had entrusted that last one to an apprentice for safekeeping. I had intended to use it on the head of my "great house". Understandably this did not work out too well."

[Forge]

"Those do sound useful, though if you had those types of weapons and lost so completely I do not wish to remain here long. We can fetch those quickly, but then how do we enter the tunnels?"

He then relays the instructions to Andreas to begin fetching the furthest artifact first.