High Tower of Sorcery

• 

Area Designer:

Skylar (SillyMUD)

Reset Time:

25 min (occupied)

Directions:

Shadow Grove entrance: 4s14ws2w2sws3wnwn (from Midgaard Temple)

2n3sws2n (from Shadow Grove entrance)

Story / History:

Beyond the dark shadows of Haon-Dor and through a mystical Shadow Grove stands the High Tower of Sorcery.  A beacon of light and hope, the High Tower of Sorcery is ruled by an Arch-Wizard known simply as the Grand Master.

A master mage of surpassing strength, she labors unceasingly to protect the realms from evil. The few adventurers lucky enough to pass through the doors of the tower speak of unbelievable wonders -- golem guards of alchemical wonder, the floating hands which patrol the torch-lit halls, the many Arcane Sorcerers, each a Master of his or her Art. Clearly, this is not a place for the faint-of-heart.

Mobs of Note:

Edgar - (fragment of impenetrable darkness), golem maker - (ruined chisel), Grand Master - (emerald bracelet, shimmering cloak, page of power, small emerald ring, ward major),  master illusionist - (belt pouch, scaly gloves), master charmer - (golden flute), master enchanter - (dagger, small figurine, mithril hammer, small key, curved scimitar, long sword, short sword, scroll written on blue paper), master of darkness - (black coral bracelet, dark black cloak, sharp obsidian shard, ward minor), master of goodness - (emerald and ivory bracelet, white cloak, ivory hilted dagger, Moonbeam's Magic Wand, ward minor), master of neutrality - (long grey cloak, iron shod staff, ward minor), master scribe - (bound scroll, golden feather quill, scroll , tube), master spell binder - (holstered belt, silvery key, wooden stick), master summoner - (black wand, blackened wand), neutral master's apprentice - (glinting silver bracelet, grey robe), prisoner (chain shackles)

General Zone Strategies:

You'll need to make your way through the Shadow Grove.   Edgar, the lost adventurer, possesses an assembly item, the Shard of Impenetrable Darkness, which is invisible. If you are farming the shard, be sure to get all corpse to retrieve it. Occasionally, the shard is left on the ground, and if you're having difficultly loading it, try getting all in all of the rooms Edgar has wander access to.

The Grove also provides access to the Shadow Rift, a small, violent zone that contains Cthulhu-like worm servants and their queen.

In the Tower, watch for the aggressive floating eyes and hands. There are several secret passages that link floors in the tower. Explore the dungeons and find the chain shackles.

Magical Scripting :

In the library, near the Grand Master of Magic, there is a large book that offers a clue to the assembly of a scroll:

>look book

One entry in particular catches your eye:

A more powerful harm spell is within reach. Old harm scrolls can be recopied
onto parchment from this very tower, the spell itself written with feather
and the ink of a blood red potion.
 (glowing)

Equipment:

ITEM	TYPE	MOB	LOAD %	DISPLAY
adamantite, bar	treasure	large storeroom		mL 0 !rests
ashen	wand	The Necromancer		mL 0 !g fireball x 2
backpack, leather	container	on ground		mL 0 !rests
belt, holstered	container	Master Spellbinder		mL 0 !rests
beltpouch	waist	Master Illusionist		mL 0 !rests
black	owand	Master Summoner		mL 10 !twnr meteor swarm x 2
black	owand			mL 10 !rests meteor swarm
black coral bracelet	wrist	Master of Darkness		mL 20 pab! 1 dam 10 hp
black onyx bracelet	wrist	apprentice of darkness		mL 15 !rests 2 ac 1 dam
black rod	owand	cabinet		mL 0 !rests color spray x 3
blackened	owand	Master Spellbinder (in holstered belt)		mL 0 !rests disintegrate x 3 -200 align per use (if good aligned jedi)
boots, leather	foot	on ground		mL 0 !rests 3 ac
bound	scroll	Master Scribe		mL 0 !rests armor teleport pfe
bracelet, white gold	wrist	white robed apprentice		mL 0 !rests 2 ac 2 hit
bright red	potion	Mad Alchemist		mL 0 !rests poison
broom, straw	trash	closet		mL 0 !rests
chameleon poncho	about	on ground		mL 0 m! 5 ac 15 hp 10 mana
chisel, ruined	weapon	golem maker		mL 0 !c 2D3 4.0 avg 1 dex
cloak, dark black	about	Master of Darkness		mL 0 !g 6 ac -3 ss
cloak, long grey	about	Master of Neutrality		mL 0 n! 4 ac -3 ss
club, huge spiked	weapon	undread giant		mL 0 !m 2D4 5.0 avg
cowl, dark	head	The Necromancer		mL 0 !g 4 ac -3 ss "Now we will all die: you, me, Yamus, Narcisse. Even Deloria."
dagger	weapon	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !c 1D4 2.5 avg
dagger	weapon	storage room		mL 0 !c 1D6 3.5 avg 2 hit 2 dam
dagger, silver	weapon	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !c 3D3 6.0 avg 2 dam
dagger, silvery	weapon	battle mistress		mL 0 !c 2D4 5.0 avg 1 hit
dust, sparkling	wand	master illusionist (in beltpouch)		mL 0 !rests create light
effervescent	potion	Mad Alchemist		mL 0 !rests detect invisibility detect poison
emerald bracelet	wrist	Grand Master		mL 0 !rests 2 ac 1 int 10 mana
eyeball	trash	witches		mL 0 !rests
figurine, small	wand	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !rests calm x 3
flute, golden	wand	Master Charmer		mL 0 !rests -3 int charm
fragment, impenetrable darkness	component	Edgar	7.0%	mL 0 !rests !rent
glinting silver bracelet	wrist	Neutral Apprentice		mL 12 rb! 3 ac 1 hit -1 ss 10 hp
emerald and ivory bracelet	wrist	Master of Goodness		mL 13 cp! !e 7 ac -5 hp 5% mnR
gold, bar	treasure	large storeroom		mL 0 !rests
green	potion	Mad Alchemist		mL 0 !rests blindness strength
green dragonscale shirt	body	on ground Grand Master		mL 0 !rests 23 ac 5 acM 3 dex
hammer, mithril	weapon	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !m 2D5 6.0 avg 1 str -2 wis
invisibility	wand	aged wizard		mL 0 !rests invisibility x 3
invisibility	wand	spell teacher		mL 0 !rests invisibility x 3
ivory hilted dagger	weapon	Master of Goodness		mL 10 !c g! 2D7 8.0 avg 2 hit 2 dam
key, silvery	key	Master Spellbinder		mL 0 !rests to cabinet
key, small	key	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !rests to cabinet
kris, ebony	weapon	Grand Master		mL 0 tn! 4D4 10.0 avg 5 dam -3 dex
meat cleaver	weapon			mL 0 !rests 2D4 5.0 avg
metal wand	wand	cabinet		mL 0 !rests banishment x 4
milky white	potion	alchemist		mL 0 !rests recall
mithril, bar	treasure	large storeroom		mL 0 !rests
Moonbeam's	wand	Master of Goodness		mL 0 !e group restore
cloak, brown	neck	on ground		mL 0 !rests 4 ac -3 ss
heart-shaped medallion	neck	in altar		mL 0 !rests 2 wis -1 con
note	component	librarian		mL 0 !rests 2% save vs. petrify clue to diabolist pendant
obsidian	wand	cabinet		mL 0 !e animate dead
old	scroll	apprentice scribe		mL 0 !rests create food x 10
pair of boots, old	foot	on ground		mL 0 !rests 5 mov
parchment	note	apprentice scribe		mL 0 !rests !rent
parchment	note	young mage		mL 0 !rests !rent
pouch, leather	canteen	Mad Alchemist		mL 0 !rests
quill, feather	hold	Tatorious		mL 0 !rests
quill, feathery	wand			mL 0 !rb !e waterwalk x 2
quill, golden feather	hold	Master Scribe		mL 0 !rests 1 int
red and white staff	wand	cabinet		mL 0 !rests recall x 3
ring, seashell	ring	on ground		mL 0 !rests waterwalk
robe, black	body	apprentice of darkness		mL 0 !n 2 ac -2 acM
robe, dark black	about	apprentice of darkness		mL 0 !g 6 ac -3 ss
robe, dove gray	about			mL 0 !rests
robe, grey	about	Neutral Apprentice		mL 0 !e -2 mov
robe, white	body	white-robed apprentice		mL 0 g! 2 ac
rod, black	owand	Master Spellbinder (key) chased cabinet		mL 0 !rests color spray x 3
collar, spiked	neck	calico cat		mL 0 !rests -1 str 2 dex
scimitar, curved	weapon	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !mc 2D6 7.0 avg 3 hit
scroll	scroll	Master Scribe		mL 0 !rests blind curse sleep
scroll, written on blue paper	scroll	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !rests enchant armor
shackles, chain	wrist	prisoner	14.0%	mL 0 !rests -32 mov -30 mana
shard, sharp obsidian	weapon	Master of Darkness		mL 0 !c !g 2D4 5.0 avg 1 dam
ward major	shield	Grand Master		mL 0 !ctwp !g 7 ac -2 ss 5% mnR
shimmering cloak of many colors	neck container	Grand Master		mL 0 !rests -6 acM -5 ss
scaly gloves	hand	Master Illusionist		mL 16 !wtnr 6 ac 5 mana 3% mnR
silver, bar	treasure	large storeroom		mL 0 !rests
small emerald ring	ring	Grand Master		mL 15 !rests -2 con 15 mana
spectacles, pair of	head	inside book		mL 0 !rests 2 wis
spoon, silver stirring	hold	Mad Alchemist		mL 0 !rests
staff, iron shod	weapon	Master of Neutrality		mL 0 !rests 2D7 8.0 avg
staff, red and white	hold	cabinet		mL 0 !rests word of recall x 3
staff, wooden	weapon	on ground		mL 0 !rests 1D4 2.5 avg
stick, wooden	wand	Master Spellbinder		mL 0 !rests fly x 4
sword, long	weapon	cabinet		mL 0 !mc 1D8 4.5 avg
sword, long	weapon	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !mc 1D8 4.5 avg 1 dam
sword, short	weapon	Master Enchanter		mL 0 !mc 2D4 5.0 avg 1 hit 1 dam
white cloak	neck	Master of Goodness		mL 0 g! 6 ac -4 ss
the page of power	hold	Grand Master		mL 20 !rests 3 dam 10 hp
thick, leather-bound spellbook	component	librarian		mL 0 !rests recipes for: harm, restore, word of death, directed teleport, restore
tube	container	Master Scribe		mL 0 !rests
ward minor	hold	Master of Darkness		mL 0 !rests 3 ac
ward minor	hold	Master of Goodness		mL 0 !rests 3 ac
ward minor	hold	Master of Neutrality		mL 0 !rests 3 ac
wings, small pair bat	trash	witches		mL 0 !rests

Maps:

• 
  Original hand-drawn map of the Shadow Grove by Dank, c. 1993.
• 
  The first version of the Shadow Grove/ High Tower of Sorcery map, which makes me wonder how I ever found it.
• 
  Modern map created using Google Drawings
• 
  Dank's hand-drawn map of the Shadow Rift, c. 2009 after he made a shadow trump, got ported there and died horribly several dozen times trying to get his stuff back.
• 
  Dank's hand-drawn map (on graph paper) of the High Tower of Sorcery (Mage Tower) c. 1993
• 
  Michael French's High Tower of Sorcery first level masterpiece with mob annotations.
• 
  Michael French's High Tower of Sorcery masterpiece (levels 2-3) with mob annotations.
• 
  Michael French's High Tower of Sorcery masterpiece (levels 4+) with mob annotations.