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“Who,” Trilvian’s companions asked.

“Klee-Fage,” Trilvian said. “I told you mages were the only ones who remembered her.”

“You did,” Balts said. “But, if she was as powerful as you said, I would think some non-mage would have remembered her. Particularly a rogue or a thief. They’d would have been among the first to try and raid her tower.”

“I think the other mages would have been first,” Merril muttered.

“It doesn’t matter who was first,” Trilvian said. “All that matters is that we have a map to her tower.”

“What about all the traps that’ll be there,” asked Balts.

“I figure a good portion of the mechanical traps would have been tripped by now or failed from lack of maintenance. And, with nobody there to reset them, they won’t be a problem. As for the magical traps, I can detect and disarm those.”

“What about ensorcelled guards,” Riva asked.

“Most likely dead,” Trilvian said. “Or, at least too old to do much. Of course, they could have been put into stasis. In that case, they wouldn’t know of any of the advances in arms in the last 400 years. You shouldn’t have any problems with defeating them, Riva.”

“What about golems,” Balts asked as Riva looked thoughtful. “400 years of development won’t mean a thing to them.”

“We can take any golem,” Trilvian said. “Remember, we’re experienced adventurers.”

“Yep,” agreed Balts. “All 5 years of it. But this will be our first solo dungeon. A raid on a wizard’s tower that even you say nobody has been able to find for over 400 years. We don’t know what kind nor how many golems may be there.”

“I doubt there’ll be many golems,” Crystal said. “All golems need magic to work. Or else they fall apart. You of all people should know that Trilvian. Unless this Klee-Fage made something to keep the golems charged, I don’t believe they’d still be active.”

“So we count on them being fully charged and ready,” Balts said.

“Exactly,” the others chorused.

“Anything else we need to worry about,” Balts asked.

“Let’s see,” Trilvian said. “We covered magical and mechanical traps, guards, both magical and otherwise. I doubt that they’ll be any modern people wandering around in there. We would have heard of any strange or unexplained disappearances by now.”

“That depends,” Merril said. “Where does this map say her tower is?”

“The Snake Mountains,” Trilvian answered.

“That’s over 300 leagues from here,” exclaimed Riva. “Just how long are you going to have us on this quest?”

“Not that long,” replied Trilvian. “I’m planning on us taking one of the mage ways from here.”

“Do you know how expensive those are,” asked Balts. “We don’t have enough money to pay for that and provisions.”

“They’ll only charge us a token fee.”

“And how do you know that, Trilvian” asked Merril. “Those travel mages are notorious about the high fees they charge.”

“That’s because people don’t help them gather the magic necessary to power the travel spell.”

“And just how many people can do that,” asked Balts.

“There are way,” Trilvian said.

“But,” began Crystal.

“They are almost as expensive as paying the travel mages,” finished Trilvian. She paused for a moment. “I’ll help them gather the magic. So you don’t have to worry about that.”

“So, what else do we have to worry about,” asked Riva.

“I think we have covered everything,” Trilvian said.

“Magical experiments gone wrong or left running way too long,” Crystal suddenly said.

Trilvian made a face. “Forgot about those, didn’t you,” teased Merril.

“The only way we can prepare for those is if we know what this Klee-Fage was specializing in,” Balts pointed out.

They all turned to face Trilvian.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Klee-Fage was very secretive about what she studied. And the way she cast her spells was so strange that nobody could figure out what her specialization was.”

“Not good,” Balts said “”We load for as much trouble as we can. I can already tell, this is going to be a rough one.”

“It may not,” Trilvian said. Her table mates stared at her. “Okay, it’s going to be bad. But think of the treasure we’ll find.”

“When do we leave,” asked Balts. “I want to make sure we have enough supplies.”

“In three days,” Trilvian answered.

“That’ll give me time to make sure this map is legit,” Merril said.

“You don’t trust me,” Trilvian asked.

“You, yes. Your map, not so much.” Merril finish her drink. “I’ll get started. My contacts will give us a lead before they start following us.” With that, the Halfling stood and walked away.

Trilvian put her hand in a pocket, then started searching through all her pockets and pouches. “That little thief stole my map!”

The others laughed at her.

Description
“Who,” Trilvian’s companions asked.

“Klee-Fage,” Trilvian said. “I told you mages were the only ones who remembered her.”

“You did,” Balts said. “But, if she was as powerful as you said, I would think some non-mage would have remembered her. Particularly a rogue or a thief. They’d would have been among the first to try and raid her tower.”

“I think the other mages would have been first,” Merril muttered.

“It doesn’t matter who was first,” Trilvian said. “All that matters is that we have a map to her tower.”

“What about all the traps that’ll be there,” asked Balts.

“I figure a good portion of the mechanical traps would have been tripped by now or failed from lack of maintenance. And, with nobody there to reset them, they won’t be a problem. As for the magical traps, I can detect and disarm those.”

“What about ensorcelled guards,” Riva asked.

“Most likely dead,” Trilvian said. “Or, at least too old to do much. Of course, they could have been put into stasis. In that case, they wouldn’t know of any of the advances in arms in the last 400 years. You shouldn’t have any problems with defeating them, Riva.”

“What about golems,” Balts asked as Riva looked thoughtful. “400 years of development won’t mean a thing to them.”

“We can take any golem,” Trilvian said. “Remember, we’re experienced adventurers.”

“Yep,” agreed Balts. “All 5 years of it. But this will be our first solo dungeon. A raid on a wizard’s tower that even you say nobody has been able to find for over 400 years. We don’t know what kind nor how many golems may be there.”

“I doubt there’ll be many golems,” Crystal said. “All golems need magic to work. Or else they fall apart. You of all people should know that Trilvian. Unless this Klee-Fage made something to keep the golems charged, I don’t believe they’d still be active.”

“So we count on them being fully charged and ready,” Balts said.

“Exactly,” the others chorused.

“Anything else we need to worry about,” Balts asked.

“Let’s see,” Trilvian said. “We covered magical and mechanical traps, guards, both magical and otherwise. I doubt that they’ll be any modern people wandering around in there. We would have heard of any strange or unexplained disappearances by now.”

“That depends,” Merril said. “Where does this map say her tower is?”

“The Snake Mountains,” Trilvian answered.

“That’s over 300 leagues from here,” exclaimed Riva. “Just how long are you going to have us on this quest?”

“Not that long,” replied Trilvian. “I’m planning on us taking one of the mage ways from here.”

“Do you know how expensive those are,” asked Balts. “We don’t have enough money to pay for that and provisions.”

“They’ll only charge us a token fee.”

“And how do you know that, Trilvian” asked Merril. “Those travel mages are notorious about the high fees they charge.”

“That’s because people don’t help them gather the magic necessary to power the travel spell.”

“And just how many people can do that,” asked Balts.

“There are way,” Trilvian said.

“But,” began Crystal.

“They are almost as expensive as paying the travel mages,” finished Trilvian. She paused for a moment. “I’ll help them gather the magic. So you don’t have to worry about that.”

“So, what else do we have to worry about,” asked Riva.

“I think we have covered everything,” Trilvian said.

“Magical experiments gone wrong or left running way too long,” Crystal suddenly said.

Trilvian made a face. “Forgot about those, didn’t you,” teased Merril.

“The only way we can prepare for those is if we know what this Klee-Fage was specializing in,” Balts pointed out.

They all turned to face Trilvian.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Klee-Fage was very secretive about what she studied. And the way she cast her spells was so strange that nobody could figure out what her specialization was.”

“Not good,” Balts said “”We load for as much trouble as we can. I can already tell, this is going to be a rough one.”

“It may not,” Trilvian said. Her table mates stared at her. “Okay, it’s going to be bad. But think of the treasure we’ll find.”

“When do we leave,” asked Balts. “I want to make sure we have enough supplies.”

“In three days,” Trilvian answered.

“That’ll give me time to make sure this map is legit,” Merril said.

“You don’t trust me,” Trilvian asked.

“You, yes. Your map, not so much.” Merril finish her drink. “I’ll get started. My contacts will give us a lead before they start following us.” With that, the Halfling stood and walked away.

Trilvian put her hand in a pocket, then started searching through all her pockets and pouches. “That little thief stole my map!”

The others laughed at her.