Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Trick or Treat: Wizard's Tower

A tower of stark white stone rose high on a small hill. It sat overlooking a wide river that ran for hundreds of miles. Travelers often sailed down the river or rode on the path which ran parallel to the waterway. Rows of black stone cut off every few floors. Windows peered out of the tower in rotating patterns along the wall.

The top of the tower had a golden capstone. It a was a metallic pyramid which sat on top of the roof, used to channel forces and almost make the tower into a powerplant of sorts. Inside the walls were also white stone. The floors and furnishings were made of rare, dark wood. It had the properties needed to be conducive to the arcane.

Inside was a wizard dressed in a blue robe. He wasn't one for costumes, but he did wear a simple black mask across his eyes. As he touched up a few decorations inside the place, he spoke to one of his familiars. An open book was on a stand. A metal pole connected to a set of legs, which propelled the book around the room, following Cosmo.

"I think our guests will be quite pleased with the candy we conjure, eh Mr. Book?" Cosmo chuckled a little. The book flapped a few pages quickly in response.

A tall wooden door would welcome guests. On it was a sign that said 'BEWARE'. The winding path that led to the door was decorated to look like a graveyard. He even conjured real fog to float around the hedges which lined the trail.

Webs seemed to hang all over the high rafters of the inside of the tower. Candles and torches provided dim light between the book shelves which rose high above the floor. There were two bowls of punch set up, along with a few snacks.

Seven strolled leisurely along the path, looking around her. The glint of gold caught her eye, and she looked up with a faint smile. As a cold breeze blew past, her green eyes darted around from under her mask, taking the house in. It's very spooky. Nice.

With shoulders back and head up, she walked confidently onto the steps of the house. She had to wipe away a few cobwebs and look through the fog to see the doorbell, but she found it. "Trick or treat!" she said when the door opened, a smile growing on her face.

Dorian was tired after a long day of walking along the river ... she had encountered nobody for miles and she felt a little lost. Her dragonhide boots were comfortable, but still, she longed to rest a bit, and maybe speak to another human. When she saw the white stone tower, her face bloomed in a smile. Finally she would meet someone. She hurried her steps eagerly when she saw the Halloween decorations. Stopping for a bit on the winding path disguised as a cemetery, she waved her hand to clean up the grime, and smiled pleased when the dragonhide suit and the traveling cloak she was wearing were again presentable. She knocked, and stepped inside cautiously when the large wooden door opened with a creaking sound. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Yes, yes.. Please come in." A man garbed in an ornate robe and simple mask opened the door. The 'doorbell' was an actual bell since this was a medieval tower. There was no electricity as modern humans know it. Nor were there roads or cars. Just a dusty trail, a hill, some trees and a river. "The name is Cosmo, at your service." He offered a warm smile as he looked at the younger Seven.

"For you, I have quite the special treat." He stepped inside and hoped the newcomer would follow. The robed man raised his arms high and widened his eyes. "Candankerous Todistus". Cosmo waved his hands.

It was around then that the door opened and another walked in. Cosmo was nearby and noticed the movement, but he was mid-spell. Dropping his hands, there was a spark and a puff of smoke. Where the smoke had been was now a transparent green frog.

"A gummy delight fit for a princess or a swamp." The frog croaked and hopped towards Seven. It appeared made of green gummy candy. It looked up at Seven with eyes the same color as its gummy skin.

Cosmo turned his head to greet Dorian. "Ah... What a fetching guest!" His eyelids lowered slightly as he took a closer look at Dorian. She was just his type, at first glance. He knew he should stick to host-guest relations for now, though it might not be easy. Cosmo's greeting movements were warm and friendly as he bowed to her.

Making eye contact with Dorian and Seven, he asked, "And who might you both be? The name's Cosmo, in case you missed it.. M'lady." He turned to Dorian with a head bow on the last word. The wizard also tipped the tall pointy hat which sat on his head. He looked back to Seven in the hopes that she was enjoying the treat. "Please, have a seat. Help yourself to the drinks too."

There were various cushions and chairs of different odd shapes and sizes nearby. The decorated webs, fake or real, hung high above. A look up would show the various circular levels of each floor, around the tower's open middle. The center shot straight up to the roof and its capstone, so its power could be used for channeling.

The wizard's familiar, the pet book, peeked around from behind the table. It suddenly ran across an open space until is seemed to run behind a bookshelf. The shelf was definitely against the wall. Magic was afoot. Cosmo chuckled at his shy friend, the book.

((Sorry PC issues stalled me yesterday))

Dorian looked around curiously at the assembled party ... was she supposed to wear a mask? Fortunately, her wandless magic was good enough for most illusion spells, as needs must. She brought a hand to her face and suddenly an emerald mask appeared, made as of Welsh Green scales, and underneath her traveling cloak the top of her dragonhide suit changed into a matching silk blouse. It matched her eyes but Dorian felt she looked slightly ridiculous as a dragon lady, and she dispelled the scales with a huff as she glimpsed herself in a mirror ... no mask for her then. She laughed quietly then turned to a smile to her host and the other guest. "I am Dorian, Dorian Moreau, traveling witch."

Taking out her traveling cloak, she took a seat, while observing curiously around her. She smiled upon observing the book and its antiques, and nodded in thanks to Cosmo, her host. After a long day of walking, she could use a drink.

Unfortunately, one could not conjure food, otherwise Dorian would have been hard pressed not to magic up some wizarding candy to add to the pile. But one could conjure some party tricks. Her wand hidden, Dorian made as if she was reaching into a pocket of her cloak ... and pulled out some miniature carved pumpkins. As she was giving them out to the host and the girl who seemed the only other guest for now, she was wandlessly lighting them with a silent Lumos, also making them screech, while smiling mysteriously ... Next she remembered she had some chocolate frogs stashed away in her traveling bag ... Those were perfect. "There, she said with a happy smile handing them out, a few wizarding tricks and treats, to match the atmosphere and thank our host."

As Seven walked in, she stared curiously at the walls and room. A gummy frog walked up to her, and she nibbled on it, slightly dubious. Her eyes met Cosmos. "My name's Seven, nice to meet you. And thanks for the frog!" she smiled faintly as she finished it off. A book skittered away, and Seven wondered if it was edible. What if the webs are cotton candy? "Does everything in here move?" she asked Cosmo.

She looked around. Besides the book that had ran away, there appeared to be nothing else that was animate. As Seven sat down on a soft, green couch, a table moved over. On it, were several small drinks of various colors. She took one and sipped it, still in awe of the house. Seven looked up. The house seemed to be neverending, as it stretched up into the sky.

Cosmo laughed along with Dorian after she played with her scaly mask. "That's a fine illusion", he said excitedly about her mask's sudden arrival and disappearance. He was impressed. The only thing magical about his mask was the way it clung to his face without a strap. The interesting thing about spellcasters was that they came in so many different forms. Whereas Dorian was a conjuring witch, Cosmo was an arcane wizard. He came from the line of the wizards of old.

Cosmo still had a long journey ahead to become a great wizard. He spent much of his time studying the various books.

"Nice to meet you both", he said after they introduced themselves. As Dorian began conjuring pumpkins and handing out candy, Cosmo smiled warmly. "Excellent", Cosmo said. "The lights are a nice touch." Cosmo dipped a scoop into one of the bowls and poured it a goblet.

"Starlight punch", he told them both while offering Dorian a glass. The drink was simply fruity and a little sour, almost like a citrus blend.

On Seven speaking of things being alive, Cosmo chuckled a bit. "Oh no, just me and Page here". When he said the word Page, the book creeped out from behind the shelves. It walked over to Seven and started flipping pages rapidly. The wizard laughed. "She likes you", he told Seven.

"By the way.. Have any of you heard any good tall tales or spooky stories?" Cosmo was a fan of this season's spirit. There was something haunting about autumn, with its early nights and dying leaves.

Dorian smiled to herself, quietly savoring the fruity drink. Spooky stories? She had quite a few, both from her time at Hogwarts and afterwards. The adventures one could get into when one was an inquisitive cat ... she looked at Page with amusement ... for a book, it certainly seemed curious enough. Probably enchanted ... she caught herself trying to identify the spells which had been placed on it and she shook herself out of her reverie, as it was only polite to reply to such an invitation ...

"Oh, I'm certain we all have a few to share ... at my old school, for instance, at Halloween during my second year there was an infestation of ghosts. Angry and vengeful and rude ... Advanced stages of ectoplasm decomposition ..." she shuddered at the memory. "Now, the school already had its own ghosts, you see, which were bound not to scare the students, but these were unknown entities ... it turned out that they were being controlled by a wannabee necromancer ..." she shuddered again at the memory.

Seven looked at Dorian, interested in her story. "What happened to the entities?" She didn't really think her story was interesting enough, seeing as they treated the subjects relatively well in the lab that she grew up in. Page seemed to be staring up at her, and when Seven looked down, the book floated next to her, almost like a cat. "Does Page do this often?" she asked Cosmo with a smile on her face.

As Seven asked about the entities, Cosmo nodded and looked to Dorian. That was a good question. Surely the situation had to be sorted. "Ahh", Cosmo chimed in. "Necromancy is dangerous spellcasting. Invite a spirit in and it might not leave." The young wizard chuckled a little as he thought of the situation. Cast under the tower's base was a circle of protection. It should hopefully protect them from most frightful spirits.

As Seven asked about Page, Cosmo said, "She likes you." He grinned a bit as he watched his book interact with the guests. As it floated, it kicked its legs as if it were treading water. "I only animated Page quite recently." As the book floated in a figure-8 shape around and between the two guests, Cosmo chuckled.

Walking over to the table, he grabbed a goblet and scooped some punch into it. "Oh... Do go on about the entities", Cosmo said before taking a loud, unmagical sip. He didn't mean to interrupt. It felt pleasing to have company.

Dorian nodded pleasantly and continued her story, inwardly amused at the animated book's antiques. "Well, it caused quite a commotion. Normally, the Hogwarts (my old school) ghosts are a friendly sort, benefiting from the castle magic to linger on, sharing their knowledge ... We have four official house ghosts, all with interesting histories. Sir Nicholas, a knight who was improperly beheaded, the Fat Friar, an old monk, the Grey Lady, who is in fact the daughter of one of Hogwarts' founders, and the Bloody Baron, the scariest of all. We also have an unfriendly poltergeist called Peeves, but nobody would ever manage to exorcise him. And there are many other ghosts, including an old history professor who refuses to move on." Dorian could not help a slight grimace at the thought of Professor Binns.

She sipped her drink and fidgeted a little in her chair, uncertain as to how to continue. "But I digress. The ghosts which had invaded us at that Halloween were far from friendly. I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with necromancy, but it is a ghastly art. The ghosts were being controlled by a dark witch, although it may be more accurate to state that they were tormented by her." She stopped, looking at her host and the other guest, trying to gauge their reactions.

Seven's gaze drifted from Page to the woman as she told the story. She loved a good horror story, and this time was no different. "What did the Halloween ghosts do?" she asked Dorian. She finished her first drink and was handed another. This one was tangy, like citrus, but it was also sweet. She sipped it while listening to Dorian. She imagined a war between the old and new ghosts. "And what did the kids do?" She shook her head, a few stray hairs falling back into place.

"Necromancy is a dangerous art", Cosmo noted after her story. He moved to get Seven another drink. When he handed it to her, he told the girl, "Be sure to help yourself from now on." Cosmo smiled. She didn't need him to serve her, she was welcome to move around, explore and treat herself.

Once again he sat and listened to Seven's questions. Page returned to the ground and walked a few steps towards the center of the room. Its metal legs bent until the book sat on the wooden floor. She asked if Page acted like this often. "Why yes?" Cosmo grinned as he turned to his familiar. "Page likes attention."

The book quickly stood and leaned forward, not falling off her stand. Instead, the book bowed to the guests. It soon began to jump up and down, flapping pages back and forth.

Dorian smiled at the book's antiques, nodded at Cosmo's remark about necromancy, then turned to Seven to answer her questions. "Well, unbeknownst to the students, the ghost invasion of Hogwarts was caused by one single evil witch, at work doing a ghastly ritual in a little clearing deep in the Forbidden Forest, past the Centaur and the Acromantula territory. But only a handful amongst the brave Gryffindors, kind Hufflepuffs, smart Ravenclaws and cunning Slytherins dared to go after her and stop the ritual and a lot of perils confronted them on their way. This is really a long story, and I don't want to be a bad guest. Suffices to say they finally succeeded in the end."

She then stood up and bowed at both, her traveling cloak in hand. "And now I'm afraid I must take my leave. Thank you for the refreshments and the company."

A faint smile spread over Seven's face as she looked at Page. "Thanks," she said to Cosmo. The sun was setting, but the last rays of light passed through a window, and maybe they seemed more vibrant in the room, but it probably was Seven's imagination. "Woah," she murmured, almost childlike. She turned to Dorian when she got up to leave. "Bye! It was nice meeting you!"

Cosmo nodded to Dorian. "Safe travels. Happy holiday." He had hoped to tell a story as well, but it seemed the woman wasn't interested. So be it. Cosmo looked up at the clock. It was surprising that such an arcane facility would get so little traffic. The state of the world's spellcasters must be poor repair, if so few people would show up. Maybe his tower was far out in the middle of nowhere after all.

"Well Seven", Cosmo looked to the younger one. "Do you have any interesting stories?" Cosmo stood to attend to the fire. For all the magic in the room, it appeared the fireplace was nothing but nature skill. There was nothing magical about the way he used an iron poker to stoke the flame. Surely there should be some spell to embolden the flame.

"Well," Seven thought for a moment as Cosmo poked at the fire, then looked up at him, eyes shining. "In the lab where I grew up, there were all sorts of crazy creatures. There were people with animal parts attached to them. We didn't really celebrate Halloween, but the people there pranked each other on a regular basis. Once, someone told me that their friend had been strangled in their bedsheets. We never figured out what happened. What do you think?" Seven asked Cosmo.

Little Darby finds himself standing on the grounds surrounding the wizard's tower. He grins at the decorations. Someone's put a lot of time into this. He strides confidently up the path to the door and pounds heavily three times. Should be some good treats here.

Cosmo's eyes widened a little at her story. "Wow", said Cosmo. She had captured his attention. "That sounds like a most interesting place. It's great that you all had a sense of humor about it." Just as he tried to focus on imagining the lab, three knocks interrupted his thoughts.

"Ah!" Cosmo hurried excitedly towards the door. Opening it, he didn't see anyone at first. Not until he looked down. "Why, sir dwarf! Please, do step in."

Cosmo looked around the room. This wouldn't do. All of his chairs were too tall. "Minimus prexi. Chaireo!" The blue clad wizard pointed his dark hand towards one of the chairs.It shrunk to become just about the right size for Sir Murphy. "Would you care for a drink? I bet you'd like a special treat, yes?"

Cosmo smiled and walked towards the bowl of punch.

Seven smiled. "Yeah. People tell stories about labs being some kind of evil place, but they didn't really treat us that badly. They started to lie to people though, and that's why I left. It was fine before that."Seven broke off, remembering her childhood. She watched as Cosmo shouted a spell. Cool! She turned her eyes to the newcomer. "Hi! Nice to meet you!"