Shield Tower
Type: Location — Town fortification / Dungeon site Region: Yartar — west bank of the Surbrin River Role: Town guard barracks + Knights of Vindictus chapter HQ; site of Mythrades's escape and the Dark Gate Status: SEALED — compromised; bodies in the dungeon; Dark Gate open in the lowest level; Order of the Gauntlet summoned First Appearance: Session 063
Description
A fortified tower on the west bank of the Surbrin, where the Dessarin and Surbrin rivers meet at Yartar. It serves as both the town guard's barracks (~150 guards at capacity) and the local chapter headquarters of the Knights of Vindictus. Sir Titus operates out of this building.
The building is multi-storey:
- Ground level: Entry, barracks common areas.
- First floor / Armory: Weapon racks, loft ladder, a locked chest that once held a gray flame torch (now removed — retrieved by the party in Session 063).
- Lower barracks level: Standard bunks and common rooms.
- Dungeon level: Holding cells for prisoners. All cells open. Mythrades was held here pending trial.
What the Party Knows
Session 063: The party entered under Pass Without Trace. Armory located; gray flame torch retrieved from Titus's chest (still burning after weeks). Descended to the dungeon level.
- Ghost-soldiers appeared and vanished in flickers of blue-green light — dead guards moving closer each time the light blinked on.
- At the end of the hall: Mythrades's cell, locked. An inhuman voice — the cadence of Mythrades but no longer quite human — said "Would you like to enter?" and unlocked the door.
- Inside: guards flayed open on the walls in ritual configuration; a Dark Gate (portal powered by desecration of life) open and breathing at the center. Blue light shifted to deep red.
- Moist attempted Dispel Magic twice (DC 19). Failed both times. The portal held.
- Mythrades: "It is a waste of your time. My link to this world is far too powerful."
- Session ended cliffhanger.
Session 064: The party decided not to pursue Mythrades through the portal. They boarded the door and left. A hollow laugh followed them out. They reported the situation to Sir Titus: three guards confirmed dead by terror (hearts stopped, faces frozen in fear); ritual killings in Mythrades's cell; portal still active. Titus is summoning the Order of the Gauntlet.