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Firmament 0204 — Ancient Artillery
A frighteningly mundane intrusion into the ethereal landscape of the
firmament. A tower built of slabs of metal, all showing signs of fire
damage, rises as though stabbed into the glass like a dagger. Much of
one side has been torn away, revealing the inner workings that once
rotated a massive gun that remains sitting atop the badly damaged
highest levels.
The tower is inhabited by an order of Ancient Astrologists dedicated to
studying and understanding the firmament, the events that have shaped
it, and what lies above and past it. 1D4 are present at any given time,
though others wander this and other worlds. The cosmic forces they touch
regularly have reshaped them into something larger, stranger, and longer
lived than the humans they once were. Ancient Astrologists have stats as
Witch-Trolls from Only
Monsters Here.
The Astrologists can provide services similar to that of an earthly
mage’s guild or cult, though their eyes have been upturned for so long
that any information they bring to light about the mundane world is
wildly out of date. It is unclear to them that the kingdoms that once
spanned the wilds ever fell.
The first floor of the tower has entirely intact walls. It is kept dark,
enterable by an airlock, and is where the inhabitants sleep standing up,
their wolf companions curled patiently at their feet. The second and
third floors are for work, littered with notes and using the tear in the
tower’s armor to allow for star-and-sungazing. The fourth floor holds
the remaining ammunition for the cannon atop the tower (6 massive
shells), and the fifth the cannon itself. It is still operational, and
could be made to fire on any location within 10 hexes, though it would
take a crew of at least 5 to operate and extensive study for one
unfamiliar with it to learn its operation, and a mechanical malfunction
means it is only able to be aimed south to southeast currently. The
Astrologists know how to operate it, but refuse to do so.
In a basement is a store of treasure held in common by the Astrologists,
which any of them may freely use:
Ancient Astrologist’s Stockpile (as Magic User III hoard from &treasure)
300 coins bearing the face of Runalt
800 coins worth of wine
1 artifact: copied codex
1 map — accurately leads to a Magic User IV hoard, location and contents
TBD
1 magic item: Beached Plate
