MarkOliva

10/20/2012

2759

With the 81st Map of the Week we continue in the borderlands town of Óðinn's House in the Kingdom of Slovania. This week we take a look at the magicians' tower of Óðinn's Fortress, above the Outer Town south of the main settlement. Before the Austamæra Æsir god-king Óðinn led his followers eastward from Ása to Miðgarð, this structure served as his own personal mage's tower within the fortress complex. Only one other character, the Æsir fire deity Loki, was allowed to enter Óðinn's tower. Even the god-king's wife, the goddess Frigg, was forbidden to cross its threshold. In Óðinn's time, parts of the 70-foot/21 m high tower were different from its current state. The only entry to the tower was on the second story, from what had been the tower in which Óðinn and Frigg lived (Location No. 7 Key to the Floor Plan of the Magicians' Tower on the earlier overall map of the fortress). After taking over the abandoned fortress, the Northern Circle closed that entry point and opened a new door on the tower's ground floor. The tower is now open for use to all spellcasters of the Northern Circle. Before departing for Miðgarð, Óðinn and Loki emptied the tower of almost all magical devices and objects that were of any value, and they took them with them into the East. Only a black necromantic magical circle and some common objects used to make magical items were left behind. After taking over the tower, the Northern Circle, which is led by druids who practice white necromancy, destroyed the magical circle and all other objects that were tainted with black necromancy. The circle also closed a small trapdoor that had been built into the tower's roof. The low area between the roof and the ceiling of the 4th story is an empty attic. It no longer has an entrance. Spellcasters of the Northern Circle who come to Óðinn's Fortress all have magical ward sticks that allow them to enter the tower. Invisible flash flame traps greet all intriuders who attempt to enter the tower or the spiral stairway without a ward stick. The tower has no cellar.

Key to the Floor Plan of the Magicians' Tower (Location No. 6 on the overall fortress map)

Ground Floor

This level serves as a storage area for the circle's spellcasters. The ceiling is 40 feet/12 m above ground level.

1. Entry. A heavy wooden door about 6 inches/15 cm thick. Opening the door without a ward stick will trigger an invisible flash flame trap.

2. Spiral staircase entry. Crossing the threshold without a ward stick will trigger an invisible flash flame trap.

3. Storage area.


Second Story

This level serves as a library for the circle's spellcasters. The ceiling is 10 feet/3 m high. It has no windows.

4. Library area. It contains magical tomes upon bookshelves, scrolls and writing desks.


Third Story

This level is one of two working and laboratory areas for the circle's spellcasters. The ceiling is 10 feet/3 m high. It has no windows.

5. Magical laboratory.

6. Wall jakes. The hole of the jakes opens onto the area below.


Fourth Story

This level is the second of two working and laboratory areas for the circle's spellcasters. The ceiling is 10 feet/3 m high. It has four windows with shutters in each wall.

7. Magical laboratory.

8. Örn's crystal ball. Örn is the court seer of the ruling high white druid Arnfinnur.

Flash Flame Trap: Anyone who comes within 5 feet/150 cm (one map square) of the marked position is hit by a magical flame flash that causes d20 + 10 points damage in a Dungeons Daring 3E campaign and 12d4 points damage in an OGL 3.5 campaign. In Dungeons Daring 3E the difficulty level (DL) for disarming this trap is 30. In OGL 3.5 campaigns, there is no saving throw. The difficulty class (DC) for disarming it is 35.

You can get these floor plans in two versions:

1. The Fractal Mapper (TM) 8 map in FMP format, fully editable, from our Jörðgarð web page (7 MB).

2. As 4 JPG flat maps of 1280 Pixels x 1120 Pixels (2.1 MB), with the hyperlink below.

Both versions are released for personal and commercial use under the Open Game License Version 1.0a, which you can read on the Jörðgarð website at:

www.vintyri.org/joerdhgardh/joerdhgardh.htm

Next week: Óðinn's Fortress - þing Hall

Mark Oliva
The Vintyri (TM) Project
www.vintyri.org
info@vintyri.org