Acropolis Ascendant

Bestiary of the Spire

The Spire of Ascension

Ten floors above Market Square, each ten ranks of Ascension higher than the last: their halls, their creatures and the legends behind them, what each boss does, and the Hall of those who slew them first.

The Hall of the Spire

FloorBossFirst slain byFallen
1the Warden of the First Circlenever slain yet—
2the Unbowed Kingnever slain yet—
3Druon Antigoonnever slain yet—
4the Blood Countess of Cachticenever slain yet—
5Koschei the Deathlessnever slain yet—
6Fenrirnever slain yet—
7the Headless Horsemannever slain yet—
8the Wendigonever slain yet—
9the Mapinguarinever slain yet—
10Cacusnever slain yet—

Fifth Circle Ascension 41+

Russia · ranks 41 to 50

The halls

1. The Wild BirchwoodWhite birches stand close in the snow, and the path keeps turning back on itself. Somewhere the trees laugh: the leshy is leading you astray.
2. The Pale RiverA slow river under willows, half frozen. Pale girls with green hair sit on the branches, combing it, and call your name.
3. The Marsh of the KikimoraA grey marsh of reeds and rotting logs. A spinning wheel turns by itself on a hummock, and the thread it spins is black.
4. The Hut on Chicken LegsIn a clearing of black pines, a hut stands on two huge chicken legs, turning slowly. A fence of bones runs around it, a skull with burning eyes on every post.
5. The Lair of Zmey GorynychA cave in the hills, its floor buried in gold and bones. Three long shadows move on the wall, three heads on one body.
6. The Palace of Koschei the DeathlessA palace of black ice under a grey sky, its halls full of frozen knights. On a throne sits a thin, ancient king, who cannot die while his death is hidden far away: in a needle, in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in a chest under an oak.

Its creatures

a leshy

a leshy

Level 138 · about 58,052 hit points · spirit · 2 of them · The Wild Birchwood

The master of the forest: a man with bark for skin and moss for a beard, as tall as the trees when he likes, as small as the grass when he likes. He leads travellers in circles until they drop.

the bark-woven gauntlets of a leshyhands · Ascension 41+
  • armor 48/48/48/45
  • +36 hitroll
  • +36 damroll
  • +3 strength
  • sneak
a rusalka

a rusalka

Level 140 · about 59,529 hit points · spirit · 2 of them · The Pale River

A drowned maiden of the river, pale and lovely, who tickles swimmers until they laugh themselves under the water.

the river-pearl circlet of a rusalkahead · Ascension 41+
  • armor 48/48/48/45
  • +36 hitroll
  • +36 damroll
  • +450 hit points
  • resists drowning
a kikimora

a kikimora

Level 142 · about 61,044 hit points · humanoid · The Marsh of the Kikimora

A small, bent spirit of the marsh and the house, all nose and elbows. She spins at night, and the thread she spins is bad luck for whoever finds it.

the spindle-girdle of a kikimorawaist · Ascension 41+
  • armor 49/49/49/46
  • +37 hitroll
  • +37 damroll
  • +500 hit points
  • resists magic
Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Level 144 · about 62,598 hit points · humanoid · casts spells · The Hut on Chicken Legs

The old witch of the forest, bony-legged, with an iron nose and iron teeth. She flies in a mortar, sweeps her trail with a broom, and eats those who cannot answer her riddles.

the mortar-iron greaves of Baba Yagalegs · Ascension 41+
  • armor 49/49/49/46
  • +36 hitroll
  • +36 damroll
  • +500 mana
  • flying
Zmey Gorynych

Zmey Gorynych

Level 146 · about 64,191 hit points · beast · The Lair of Zmey Gorynych

The three-headed dragon of the Russian tales, green and huge. Cut off one head and two grow back, unless you burn the wound.

the vambraces of Zmey scalearms · Ascension 41+
  • armor 50/50/50/47
  • +37 hitroll
  • +37 damroll
  • +550 hit points
  • resists fire
Koschei the DeathlessBoss

Koschei the Deathless

Level 149 · about 133,314 hit points · undead · The Palace of Koschei the Deathless

A thin, ancient king in black armour, so old his skin is like paper over bone. He cannot die: his death is hidden far from here. Here, at least, he can be beaten.

Its power. Deathless: once, below a quarter of his life, he rises again at half. A hand of grave-frost too.

Never slain yet: the first to do it is carved in the Hall.

the sword-kladenetswielded · Ascension 41+
  • 24d20 slash (average 252), frost, sharp, vorpal
  • +38 hitroll
  • +38 damroll
  • +400 hit points
the black mantle of Koscheiabout the body · Ascension 41+
  • armor 50/50/50/47
  • +38 hitroll
  • +38 damroll
  • +600 hit points
  • resists negative

In the game: spire shows the Hall, help ascension the climb.