Atomies and a Giant

After recovering and healing from deftly catching all of those crossbow bolts, the group started poking around the ground floor, looking for a way up the tower. Shortly, they turn their attention to the alcove with a floor covered in decoration and magic; as Zacarius moved up to assist Doyle in checking the alcove, the magic became active and started coating him in ice. When Doyle also grabbed the crystal key, he was also covered. Though Ash tried to break Zacarius free, both Zacarius and Doyle were teleported up to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, a pair of atomies panicked at the appearance of Doyle and Zacarius and turned invisible, while the bard who had been gently strumming her look stood up in shock. Meirul spoke with Doyle about why they were in the tower, but things devolved to combat when Ash and Kyezra arrived. The atomies struck at Zacarius, wounding him fairly severely while Meirul started performing an inspiring song.

Doyle vanished and positioned himself for a strike at Meirul's back, only to barely dodge up on to the table as Kyezra's cat came charging in to his spot. Meirul took several hits in quick succession and surrendered; the atomies were far more loyal to the tower's witch and fought (for a very short time) to the death.

While this had been going on, Captain Hestrig Orlov, who had been studying in the library, overheard the combat and began preparing for a fight. Enlarged and protected, she charged in on the group just as they executed Meirul and were searching through her possessions. Hestrig's first strike nearly split Doyle in half, but in a stroke of luck he managed to deflect the blade with the plate he had been examining. The rest of the group struck Hestrig quickly and took her down before she could do much more damage.

The group proceeded to investigate the library and the garden room across the hall from it, waking and angering a mandragora who latched on to Ash's face. Though the mandragora fought like a weed enraged, the group was able to put it down without any lasting injury.