Ashlyn waits whilst Khensu comes to his decision, and as he relates it she smiles and responds "It is good to have you with us!"
As Jarrith speaks, Ashlyn says nothing, but an expression of uncertainty briefly crosses her face, and then it is gone such that if you had not been watching her face, you would not have seen it.
Inside she is troubled by it, but her certainty, certainty of the wrongness of giving up against those cursed with unlife, still stands strong and resolute.
Questions partially answered, the group returns ahorse to the Castle road. They pass under the defanged shadow of Lysaga Hill, over the tall bridge over the Tser Falls, and soon make their way towards the towering edifice.
Dark clouds hang over the ancient brickwork, its harsh windows glaring down at those below. But for a moment, a bright ray of sunshine is seen to cast upon the front entrance. There, it seems, is the form of a man with noble bearing and noble dress. The form stays a moment bathed in the suns rays than vanishes into the shadow of the keep.
Castle Ravenloft waits.
*******
Elsewhere...
Madam Ewa sat, hands down upon the small table before her. Her cards... her cards were gone, the second to last price she was to pay for her betrayal. Her sisters were already dead, killed by those she was forced to help by her ancient duty. But even that ancient duty did not supersede the power of the Curse.
A moment ago, Ewa was but the only one in the tent. Of that, the hag was sure. But now, she heard the voice. Cool. Soft. Seething with anger that it would take many mortal lifetimes to acquire.
Even as you betray Me, you serve Me, hag. They cannot succeed as you wish. Everything they do serves my plan.
Ewa said nothing. She fingered the one card that remained.
The Dracolich. Death.
Soon, I will be free. And then you shall pay.
And with that, he was gone. Leaving her nothing to do but wait... wait for the end.
OOC
I've attached maps of the exterior and interior of the Castle that Jarrith, Khensu, Ashlyn, Tessa, and Jarrot have explored. Let me know your next steps.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
As they approach the castle, Ashlyn is somewhat surprised to see a ray of sunshine illuminating a noble figure standing before the front entrance. She looks carefully at the figure, trying to make out features so as to ascertain who it might be, whether it is the so-called Lord Sergei or someone else entirely.
[Spot (to try to make out the figure): 1d20+1]
Once outside the looming walls of the castle once again, Ashlyn grasps the symbol of ravenkind hanging from her neck and concentrates for a moment. A moment later four glowing spheres of light appear around her and rise to a height of 15ft providing a ring of light around the Lady. She turns to her friends and speaks "Light is our ally within these dark walls. If any of you wish I can cause any object you hold or wear to illuminate the area around you for a lengthy period of time."
[@Everyone: Ashlyn is offering to cast light on any objects held or worn by any member of the group. It will last for 50 minutes before she needs to renew it, and she can renew it as many times as necessary.]
[Ashlyn will have four dancing lights around her whilst she is awake and within the castle.]
Once the entire party is illuminated, Ashlyn will speak again, "Once within the castle we will need to find our way downstairs. I believe we should start with the staircase in the chapel. It seems as good a place as any in which to start, and perhaps the chapel will be a good sanctuary for us to use as a base of operations whilst within the castle."
Sir Khensu offers his symbol of the Silver Flame upon which to place the magical light. Once it begins glowing, he nods at the wisdom of Ashlyn's words. "Aye. The chapel was the one ray of light in an otherwise dismal place. Let us start there."
Jarrith waves Ashlyn off when she offers up some light to him as well. "Can't do the sneaky-sneaky with a lantern following me around." he chuckles to her. "By the way, everyone... while we're starting withe the crypts to get the sunsword reawakened... keep your eyes open for a young lady with flapping wings. She's the one who stole Khensu's pack."
He moves out ahead of the group to lead them into the castle grounds and through the ground floor to the chapel in the back.
(OOC: By any chance, was the vampire who stole the pack the same one we attacked in the chapel the first time? Or more to the point, does Jarrith know if the two vampires they've encountered in the chapel and inn look like the same person, or different people?)
She looks carefully at the figure, trying to make out features so as to ascertain who it might be, whether it is the so-called Lord Sergei or someone else entirely.
[Spot]
The figure bears a strong resemblance to Sergei, but the distance calls into question the surety of that fact.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DEFCON 1
(OOC: By any chance, was the vampire who stole the pack the same one we attacked in the chapel the first time? Or more to the point, does Jarrith know if the two vampires they've encountered in the chapel and inn look like the same person, or different people?)
If they were the same, there were vastly different in form. The one in the chapel was a feral beast, the size of a large animal whereas the one at the inn was humanoid and female.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
Marot had mixed emotions about heading back to the castle -- on one hand, the cure for this land, and the salve for his soul, was to be found therein, but on the other hand, the sheer amount of depravity and undeath appeared to be overwhelming inside.
Would they survive another trip inside its walls? Who would leave changed or altered, much like Janis on the last trip?
The warlock took solace in the warmth of the Flame as he steeled himself for the rigors ahead.
One nagging thought kept creeping back into his mind -- what were the Emerald Claw agents doing all this time? It had seemed like forever since Marot succumbed to their evil enchantments.....
OOC: Marot doesn't need any light -- he's got darkvision 60' AND can See Invisible within range of vision as well.
While some of the others seem resolute, and in Marot's case a bit grim, Avron's face is as bright as the sunbeam they saw as they approached. The scholar whistles a cheery complicated tune. Some may call his mood mad, but deep within his eyes a firmness stands there, but it is near breaking.
Without a word, but with enough nervous glances to make her emotions plain, Tessa followed the others into the keep. For the time being, she too sought the warmth and comfort of light against the ever-presnt cloying shadows- in her case, it was the steady glow of an Everbright lantern...
Lights lit and prayers said, the group slowly closes with the Castle. Looking up as they enter, it towers above them, the massive wooden doors a maw into the depths.
The warm light from the entryway still shines, its false hope failing to hide the sudden sense of wrongness that assails the senses. Even prepared, those that have been within the walls stutter in their steps. Only Tessa seems less affected, though a moment of true cold still creeps up her spine. But to Avron, Ladreth, and especially Ravika, the physicality of it is a bit overwhelming. What depths must evil go to taint a place for so long and so thoroughly? All the while, the flames from the gargoyles overhead flicker without care.
Shaking off the effects, the band makes their way through the forechamber and hall of statues to the chapel. The taint is less here, a welcome relief. But even here, the lights of the party are dimmer than they were before they entered as the Curse swallows the light.
While the newcomers take stock of the ruined pews, the fine altar, and the remains draped over it, Ashlyn and Jarrith turn to the right and find the circular stairs. The large grey flagstones of the spiraling stair lead up and down around a 20' wide stone core. Cobwebs fill the space, casting dancing shadows in the light that obscure anything within.
Jarrith frowns for a moment, his eye catching something perhaps. Pushing the webs aside, he descends a few feet down the stair only to be met suddenly by a solid wall of masonry blocking further progress. The wall seems as old as everything else, but the work is not that of the original builders. Someone or something sealed off the access to the lower level some time in the distant past. This way is barred; another most be found.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
"Blocked?" Marot asks as Jarrith returns from the shallow alcove.
"From my remembrance, the only other ways we found were up. So we are in the un-enviable position of having to go up in order to go down. How queer is that?"
He shakes his head. "This just won't do, won't do at all."
OOC: The stairwell @ K12 is the one that is barred to us, correct? From looking at the map, the only choice available to us is to go up @ K14, K21, or in the main hallway ~ K8?
OOC: The stairwell @ K12 is the one that is barred to us, correct? From looking at the map, the only choice available to us is to go up @ K14, K21, or in the main hallway ~ K8?
OOC: This is the stair at K18; K12 is not on the map. Down from K21 (the stair that also goes up to levels 2 and 3) has not been checked. You can also go up from here (K18); the stair in the entry (K8) goes up, though that seems to go to the throne room; and there are two doors that have not been explored in the room with the rotten cake where you found the portrait of "Ireena" (K37). See the note here.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
OOC: ok, the resolution on the map makes it a tad hard to read the small lettering. So, if I read this correctly, we are in K15 now. To our right, is K14 and stairs going up. To our left is the K17 (or is it K18?), which leads to a stairwell that goes up and down, but the down portion is blocked off with a masonry wall. That sound right?
OOC: ok, the resolution on the map makes it a tad hard to read the small lettering. So, if I read this correctly, we are in K15 now. To our right, is K14 and stairs going up. To our left is the K17 (or is it K18?), which leads to a stairwell that goes up and down, but the down portion is blocked off with a masonry wall. That sound right?
Yup. K17 leads to K18 (which is blocked going down); K14 leads up the way you went the first time to the second floor---it leads to the throne room.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
Jarrith shakes his head as he stares at the solid wall. "No going this way, it seems." He turns around and motions for everyone to head back up the stairs to the chapel again. "I seem to recall another staircase opposite and down the hall from the dining room. Perhaps we should go there and see if that one allows us to descend?"
"Yes. Yes. I had forgotten about that one -- perhaps we do not need to go up after all."
Looking around the chapel, basking in the aura of good,"I will hate to leave this place -- it is the only place in this wretched land that does not constantly attack my very soul...."
Ladreth had been not-surprisingly quiet since arriving at the castle. He puts a shoulder into the wall, testing its strength against his berth. Having never been in this place before he didn't quite understand the importance of this wall being here, only that its placement had caused some disappointment among the others.
Knowing his efforts are in vein the half-orc moves to rejoin the rest, his one clear eye roving the surroundings, his sense of dread filling his core. This unseen enemy was something Ladreth was ill-equipped to deal with. Place an enemy in front of him and watch his blade sing, but this, no, this frightened him.
Ashlyn frowns as they discover the wall blocking the stairway, and for a few moments she just stands there staring at the wall before she speaks, "Why is this stairwell blocked ... and why is it blocked partway down like this ... what is down there that we are not supposed to gain access to?"
Ashlyn pauses a moment and then turns towards Jarrith, Tessa and Ravika, "Do any of you have access to spells that allow you to shape stone? Perhaps you could prepare such for tomorrow so that we might pass this way then?"
"Meanwhile we could well continue to explore today. As Jarrith mentioned there is another stairwell by the dining hall ... let us try going down there and see where we might get to."
"So, you are saying that this wall was more recently built?"
"Hmm."
The warlock scratches his chin with his fingers.
"I could take a few shots at the masonry to see if I could put a hole in it."
OOC: Eldritch blast does 1/2 damage to objects. Per the SRD, stone has hardness of 8, hp of 15/inch. 4d6+1 (w/ PBS) eldritch blast would bypass hardness of 8 roughly ~ 40 - 45% of the time, assuming average d6 damage is 3.5...
After a few moments blasting at the wall, there is little result of Marot's efforts other than the distribution of a lot of dust and some non-trivial amount of noise that echos up the long shaft. Examining his handywork, the warlock notices only a bit of a scar in the wall. There is, however, a very fine crack in the construction, but it is part of its original design. Just enough to let gas pass through....
OOC: After 5 blasts, 2hp damage. That'll be a lot of blasting. Its not subtle, either.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
"This doesn't look like it is going to work well -- but I would absolutely love it if someone could seal that crack so any gaseous friends would have to find another route to their vile coffins. If only the Flame would bestow its skill in masonry, I would gladly spackle that crack shut." Marot was not fooled by the purpose of the cracks in the masonry.
"We'll need to going 'round and go through the entryway to find our way down."
![stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. III [IC]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/iconimages/playing-game/stonegods-expedition-castle-ravenloft-ch-iii-ic_ltr.gif)
Linear Mode
And yet another word from our sponsors
