Tower Of Heaven

Arriving in Berthold City, the heroes met an old and tired Tertio Hubertus (now promoted to secundus), who caimed to want onlt to ascend and retire. But there were ptoblems in the tower; since the heroes last visit, certain powers of the towers had failed. Hubertus beleived this had to do with the automatons in the basement, but was sad to say that the paladins of the city had failed to reveal anything in their investigations. The heroes explained their problems, and an agreement was reached; the heroes would investigate the basement and Hubertus would give them any help they needed with awakening Mother Ariel.

The investigation of the basement turned out to be rather easy, as Princess Ariel convinced the automatons there to give the heroes 15 minutes to solve the problem. This turned out to be enough. The labyrintine basement turned out to be similar to that of the Temple Of Doom in Ganador City, and in the innermost room, the heroes found a damaged automaton. After a very fierce battle in which both Heroine Asra and Hero Rod were knocked out by fercoisous laser blasts, this automaton was finally defeated after Princess Ariel dispelled it's magical boosts. Once it was defeated, the mechanism it had been guarding could be re-activated, which sent a ray of golen energy into the clouds and activated a mask-like projecion of a huge, emotionless face. All it said was that t wanted to be left alone, so we did.

On the way out, we discovered a similar mask (but smaller) that claimed to be Primus. It congratulated us on re-activating the tower and instructed us on how to revive Mother Ariel. We ascended a giant elevator in the center of the tower to the very peak, above the observation platform we formerly thought to be the top of the tower. It turned out that Mother Ariel could not be saved while still holding all her divine energy - it had to be moved somewhere. Princess Ariel was the perfect host, a descendant so similar in both mind, body, and spirit. There was some agst here, as Princess Ariel migh absorb some of Mother Ariel's personality. Princess Ariel and Hero Rod talked a bit on how their relationship would change, but much was left unsaid as Hero Kim interrupted.

Finally, a huge ritual was set up, and the energy of the forest crystal and all of the dispersed energy from Mother Ariel was channeled into Princess Ariel. All the participants went more or less into shock, though Sir Jiro and Princess Ariel mannaged to hang on to consciousness. Intense light struck each participant through the chest and linked us all in a nexus of enegy before finally settling in the body of Princess Ariel.

Once the ritual was finished, the entire rom descened down to the observation deck, where we were joined by very nervous paladins. Princess Ariel led tem in procession tot he great cathedral, where she held a rounding sermon on Lord Io as the beginning and the end, the master of time and space. She expunded on the twin virtues of duty and intent, and urged the paladins into a crusade agains the drow now invading Nelia.

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