In the center of Iceclad lies one of the most ominous towers I have ever seen. On my first visit to Velious I stared at this massive tower, wondering what lay inside. The past Sunday (01/21/01) six adventurers wandered into the Tower of Frozen Shadow. This is a recount of their story.

The sun rose to meet the icy tundra of Velious. The land was quiet, peaceful but a sense of excitement was beginning to fill the air. Three nobles sat in the snow, shuffling the gear that was in their packs making certain they supplies they would need were there. Ahead of them rose from the ground a massive structure, a shade of dark. Moaning and groaning could be heard from its evil walls. Yet the three showed not a fear in their bones. They were ready.. Ready for whatever was to await them.

Soon another two showed and began sorting through their packs. So the five, a warrior, ranger, cleric, enchanter and shaman prepare for the journey. The enchanter and cleric began casting spells upon the warrior and ranger. They would need the extra protection and the resistance to magic.

Finally the leader, who obviously was the warrior, made the call to head to the door. The first floor would now meet their doom. As the party entered they noticed an calm, as if nothing could be wrong save the gloom that filled the walls. Not a sound could be heard. But as they stepped further into the entrance beast, undead ones at that, began the attack. Individually these beast would not even be a challenge, but the massive attack was very respectful. One after one, the beast begin to shrivel to the floor, shrieking as they gasped their last undead breath. Skeletons, and gnolls scattered all about. The party began to loot the corpses of these beings. A key!! This must be the way to the next floor. The cleric pocketed the key and the adventurers made their way to a mirror, oddly hanging on the wall. As they touched the mirror. They were teleported. The second floor was upon them.

As they searched about, they noticed that the floor resembled an old library. Probably used in the training of mages and wizards of years past. More undead. More undead filled the halls of books. The blade of the warrior and ranger sprung into action. These beast were much stronger than the last. Magic of all sorts filled the air, and the aura from the spells was amazing. The librarian sent student after student toward the party. Casting, hacking, slashing.. Yet, the party did not back down. and soon the librarian herself fell to the power of the adventurers. But the attacks did not end. More waves of undead came to fight. Casting forth all that they had learned in these darkened walls. The defeat soon because too much to bear and the angry librarian, respawned from hell, attacked with all her might. The battle seem to last decades, but in the end she was lying there motionless, finally calm in her death. But from her spirit body, a glimmering shined from her pocket. Another key. And the party moved forward.

The next floor appeared to be more civilized. The lighting was brighter, and sounds from the kitchen could be heard. Possibly someone was cooking dinner for a special occasion. On this floor there were living quarters and bedrooms. But the calmness soon ended as metallic beast began beating on the warriors. Meanwhile the ranger searched out a room, a bedroom with one of the familiar mirrors on the wall. They party decided to make camp in the bedroom and bring the beast to them. The battle became to intense at one time. The beast were just coming to fast for their sword to dispatch. The mirror, but they had no key. Upon touching the mirror the party was catapulted outside, back onto the frozen land. Strange. They rested for a bit and soon made their way back to the bedroom. But this time, they conquered the beasties with ease and soon yet another key fell. During this battle an incredible thing occurred. A sixth friend wandered into the tower to join the five. What an wonderful fate, as the beast were becoming ever stronger. An extra member would be needed.

As soon as the mirror teleported the party to the fourth floor, they were immediately attacked. Even with the addition of the druid the battle was almost too much. The walls on this new floor were much narrower, and the amount of undead that lined them were more frequent. The ranger soon found a trap, and so they knew then that care must be taken when wandering the halls. A rescue was mounted, but the party met the same fate and fell to a floor between floors. They were greeted by a zombie and some sort of oozing matter on the floor. These beast were nothing for the full party. Lucky that they all found the same trap. A flame sat in the center of the trap floor but as the party neared it, they were teleported back to the beginning of these maze. Hours, upon hours the party killed the zombies, ooze, and strange shadows that could not be seen by their humanistic eyes. The ranger spied a witch, by the name of Cara Omica but by the time the party reached her quarters, she lay dead on the floor. Her corpse was searched, and to their surprise another key....

Large Golems strewn the halls of the fifth floor. Standing at attention, watching over the wedding procession. The party made preparation and gathered their weapons. However, as they begin to make battle they noticed that the druid was no longer with them. Vanished.. The magical tower must have immense abilities, one such being the ability to flush the unwanted from its chambers. He had just disappeared. It was the only possible reason. Non the less, they turned and eyed down the hallway. Ceremonial sounds could he heard from the furthest chamber. The ranger pulled the first Golem, and the party began to attack. AHH this would be easy, they though. The Golem begin to lose life fast. But before the final blow could be deal, the Golem disappeared. Looking down the hall, he was spotted. He had gated so to tell the other Golems. Now, they all faced the party. The enchantress began casting wildly. If any could control these beast it would be her. The Golems stood there mesmerized by her beauty, save one which fell quickly to the melee of the warrior and ranger; and the spells cast upon it by the cleric. A few more Golems and they could move ahead. The ranger began running back down to the party, a Golem in tow but as she reach the party the tower again became angry and literally sucked the ranger out of her walls. The Golem was slain but now the party must retrieve their ranger. The enchantress and the cleric went to work.. And somehow unknown to myself were able to bring the ranger back up the tower walls. Now, the wedding party. The adventurers moved in.. Slaying them one by one. But as their battle continued one of the relative became very outraged. She attacked with all her might. The adventurers who were already worn from battle were beginning to be out matched. The ranger fell first, then the warrior. The relative turned and slay the enchantress next and turned her attention to the shaman and the cleric. The two fought with all their might, but without being able to use spells against this nasty undead they were no power. "RUN", the cleric ordered the shaman. The shaman turned and ran, ran to the same spot were the ranger had been sucked out previously. Hoping for the same fate. And thank the Tribunal. The Shaman was teleported out onto the ice covered tundra.

To be continued.....

The authors story really does not give due justice to the adventure. The Tower of Frozen Shadows is a WONDERFUL experience for the right party. Experience is plentiful, loot is decent. The real prize to The Tower of Frozen Shadows is the adventure.