The party ascends to the top of the tower until they are level with the gigantic beating heart. Animated halberds and vampire-spawn attack the adventurers. After a brutal battle, the party destroys the magical heart, the animated halberds and the vampire spawn.
Full write-up
As the party ascends one of the castle towers towards the gigantic heart at its top. With every beat of the heart, a thunderous pulse shakes the tower. Hadrioul uses *detect magic* and learns that the gigantic heart and the surrounding halberds are magical. Maulduk almost falls off the stairs. Hadrioul almost falls off. The human cleric attempts to secure himself by driving a piton into the wall, and that causes the magical halberds to come to life.
The animated halberds attack the adventurers. Honu casts *bless* upon Maulduk, Revali and himself. A golden nimbus appears around Maulduk as he rages and attacks. Maulduk has not recovered from the previous battle, and he is staggered by the halberds’ onslaught. Revali also finds himself surrounded and desperately fends off attacks from three sides. Hadrioul stumbles to the ground and reaches towards Maulduk. With a surge of effort, Hadrioul casts *heal* upon Maulduk. Restored, Maulduk throws himself into the battle and flies towards the magical heart. He rains down mighty blows upon the pulsating heart. Esmeralda, Hadrioul, Honu and Revali begin whittling away at the animated halberds.
Just as the tide seems to turn in favor of the party, five vampire-spawn attack from the shadows. Honu casts *spirit guardians* to create a circle of protection. Maulduk destroys the heart with a shattering blow, and crystalline fragments fall to the ground. Revali throws a fireball into the midst of the vampire spawn. Esmeralda goes down under sustained attacks from the vampire spawn. Hadrioul heals the entire party with *mass cure wounds* and turns to attack the vampire spawn. As the vampire-spawn attack, they suffer serious injuries from the divine magical energy of Honu’s *spirit guardians*. Despite being outnumbered and outflanked, the adventurers take down the vampire-spawn. In the aftermath of the battle, Hadrioul looks out from the top of the tower and sees that another taller tower lays to the south…
