Upon escape from the Emerald Claw hideout, the party agreed to investigate further the plot against them and head to the Dragon's Nest Inn, despite the risk of being apprehended by the White Lions.
Selene d'Lyrandar approached the inn, disguised as an unassuming male, and signalled the others once she deemed it safe. Inside, they found evidence of the place being trashed, robbed, and the gnome owners murdered. They found planted clues to frame them for the deed. Due to the debris from where they were sat, that could tell that they must have been carried out into the alleyway through the backdoor.
As Selene tried to investigate in a neighbouring establishment, she was spotted leaving the inn by a young boy. She was almost successful in buying his silence, until the hulking Bludak Mal K'shaar made a appearance, fitting the circulated description of a huge green man particularly well. The boy's shouts attracted near by guards. Daellin and Elias Minch ran off down the alley way, ignoring the guards order to halt. They escaped eventually, though Daellin took an arrow in the back.
The others were arrested and marched to the military academy. Daellin and Elias managed to sneak close behind to see where they went (and climb into the compound, where they lost sight of the them). Bludak, Selene, and Smith were thrown to the floor in front of General Yorin Thaurum, leader of the White Lions. He gave them thirty seconds to explain their innocence. Selene dropped her disguise and quickly produced the papers containing Coyle's plans to frame and blackmail to party. Thaurum was convinced once he recognised the Emerald Claw seal, but press-ganged the party into working for him anyway, offering good pay, but also threatening to ignore the evidence and declare their guilt. He clearly recognised their potential.
They had no choice but to agree, and were sent to the Cathedral of the Sovereign Host to meet with Cleric Boyden, who would give them their assignment: To oust an undead force that had descended on the Tower of the Twelve, slaughtering researchers and White Lions, taking over the whole tower. Boyden was unsure of why this had occurred, but claimed to have researched enough to be able to bring down a force-field protecting the leader on the 13th floor, where Thaurum's troops had previously fought to. Before they left, Boyden ensured they enjoyed a hearty round of beer.
On the way to the tower the party saw an aristocrat's carriage being pulled along by skeletons. They also saw a Blood of Vol preacher beaten up by guards in the street. They reached a park below the tower and ascended to the 13th floor on a magical lift, only visible as symbols floating through the air.
In the tower there was clearly a sense of strong magic in the air - this could have been due to the magical nature of the tower, the presence of necromancy - or both. After leading through some dark corridors, Boyden set to work dispelling the force field in a room filled with slain White Lions. As he worked, zombies began to rise, and they party were forced to fight the tide of undead until Boyden broke the force-field.
In the next room, the magical field grew stronger still. The party had to solve a word puzzle involving buttons on pillars. They were attacked by rising ghouls, electrocuted by pressing incorrect buttons, and depleted by magical exhaustion as they worked. At one point, Bludak fired a magical bolt so powerful that a ghoul exploded. Eventually the puzzle was solved by Elias, and the party proceeded to the next room.
The room had newly drawn magical symbols on the floor, and stairs to the roof. A Wight stood at the far end with three skeletons in front of him. He stated to the party that they were too late; he had what he came for and was soon to be taking it back to his master - the Queen of Death - who he names as Erandis Vol. Battle ensued...
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