stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. I [IC]

Half listening to the conversation as she assembles the party's campsite, Janis looks over at Jarrith with some amusement.

"Personally I find the whole valley somewhat refreshing, even if," a cloud crosses her face," even if I wish everyone were around to enjoy the..." Janis fumbles for the right word.

"Majesty? Yes, quite. The majesty of it all," Janis concludes, pleased with herself.

"Elsewhere," Janis waves vaguely in the air," everyone's fat and happy, worrying about ridiculous things like the embroidery on their hemlines and how much beer they can stuff into their fat happy bellies before they run off home to complain about their lot in life to their castellans. Here," Janis jabs a sharp-nailed finger into the palm of her hand, " They work for everything, and when they complain - except for that ridiculous Ireena girl- they've got their heads on straight worrying about sensible things. I approve." Janis cocks her chin primly and sets on returning to her work.

<Humming a little happy song in her head>

The group sets up camp in a local thicket, easily defendable from the outside. A cold meal is eaten. Ashlyn chews her lip as she examines Jarrith's wound---the bruise is still clear on his skin. But, unlike the necromatic plague, no other obvious sign of ill is clear.

Curses have a way of hiding.

Darkness has settled into early evening. Howls are distant now, far to the south and west. If the rock outcrop was the center of the werewolf's territory, no sounds gave it away. Ashlyn sat with back straight, eyes sharp, while Tessa sat nervously, her shoulder blade wavering between searing and cool. Marot was looking over the sleeping forms of his friends when a rare break in the fog made clear the heavens above.

Eyre, the Anvil, hung full in the starry sky.

The sound was wrenching. A wet, sickening slosh; the tearing of bone; hollow drops of something hitting the floor. The un-rightness of it all was enough to stir the Stormhand to wakefulness. But is was over between one heart beat and the next.

Jarrith was no more. All that remained was the massive, tarnished silver beast he had become.

Jarrith's Curse: Round 1


Janis is still lying down; Landreth and the bear are asleep. I am assuming it is dark unless Ashlyn kept her torch out (which I don't think you did).

M: 21
A: 18
b: 16 [sleeping]
J: 11 [werewolf]
L: 11 [sleeping]
T: 6
J: 4 [prone]

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, b: The Bear, h: various horses, J: Werewolf Jarrith, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, T: Tessa.

Marot the Deadly

Marot looks on in horror as he sees his friend suddenly transform into one of the vile creatures they had fought hours ago.

"By the Flame!" Marot exclaims,"Everyone, RISE! Jarrith has turned into a werewolf!"

"Quick, we need to subdue him -- perhaps there is a way to cure him of this disease or curse!"

If needed:

"May the Flame forgive me for what I am about to do...." He says as he raises a shaking hand towards his friend. Struggling to bring himself to do it, Marot once again channels the eldritch energy that flows through him, imbuing it with holy might, even though he knows that it won't make any difference. "May the Flame have mercy on my soul," He says to himself.

OOC: Still trying to figure out if Marot could bring himself to blast his friend..

Hold action until after Ashlyn/Were-Jarrith act. If talking to him won't work, then he'll hit his with an spirit blast (no additional effect on Jarrith, more for the roleplaying of hitting him with holy energy rather than straight eldritch), to soften him up so that others can subdue him.

Ranged touch +7, 3d6+1

Ashlyn moves over to stand before the beast, discretely drawing her dagger as she does. Speaking softly and evenly she tries to gain the attention of the werewolf, "Jarrith, Jarrith, Jarrith ... remember who you are. This isn't you. Contain the taint. Do not let it triumph. I would not want to bring you low ... but I will if I must."

[Move to H11 (move action)]
[Attempt diplomacy: 1d20+10 (action?)]
[Ready to attack if Werewolf attacks (If Ashlyn still has an action left)]

Janis opens one wide eye before muttering under her breath and immediately beginning to shift into a familiar looking black bear form.

Tessa stood facing the beast that their companion had become. She remembered, vaguely, that werewolves could infect those who survived their attacks- but she had not thought such a problem could take hold so quickly. She hefted her silver morningstar and her shield, ready to defend herself- but not willing to strike first, against one who might still be their friend trapped in such a horrific form. Even as she raised that shield, blazoned and consecrated to the Sovereign Host, she felt a sense of warmth, of strength, that brought with it the beginning of an idea. Perhaps Jarrith's affliction was not so simple as a disease, and perhaps the power of the Host might offer a solution... With a sigh, she dropped her morningstar and began to rummage through her Haversack in search of a particular scroll.

OOC: She only has Remove Curse on a scroll right now- and what's worse, the range is touch... I think that her thoughts and search ought to occupy her for the round.

Jarrith's Curse: Round 1

Nightmares coming true before his eyes, Marot calls to his companions to awaken. But he cannot bring himself to harm is friend, and waits... hopes that violence will not be needed. [Delays]

Throwing the cover off her torch, Ashlyn carefully approaches the beast Jarrith. As she says her words calmly, she can see they have no effect---any traces of the Stalker are gone. [Rushed Diplomacy fails]

The bear stirs from its slumber, and groggily stands. Smelling the beast, it roars a defiant challenge!

The beast howls into the night, its voice strong and chilling. Then, hot saliva dripping from its fangs, it bites at the sorrowful knight. Ashlyn is caught off guard and yells hoarsely as the bite crushes her left arm and ribs. It uses its momentum to shove the paladin to the blood-soaked ground. [Critically hit for 22hp; tripped]

Tear in his eyes, Marot shots forth a lance of holy energy at his Brother. The bolt hits the beast on the flank, barely wounding it. It is immediately obvious that this beast is much stronger than the ones they faced earlier. [11hp; lightly wounded]

As Landreth gets to his feet, his only protection the padding from his shorn plate armor, Tessa girds her weapon and shield---waiting for the inevitable. But she reconsiders, and stopping herself, pulls a fragile piece of vellum instead. Closer to the beast, Janis goes through a transformation of her own. The scrawny black bear with matching white streak snarls at the beast Jarrith.

Jarrith's Curse: Round 2


A: 18 [27/49, prone]
b: 16
J: 11 [lightly wounded; werewolf]
M: 11
L: 11
T: 6
J: 4 [wild shaped (black bear)]

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, b: The Bear, h: various horses, J: Werewolf Jarrith, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, T: Tessa.
Conditions: Pink Border: Prone

AC: 13 (+2 Dex +1 Padded); HP: 47/47

The sleep and exhaustion leaves Ladreth's face the instant he figures what has occurred. He looks at the spot the stalker once occupied and the beast who currently stands there now. The warrior woman is down, the bite vicious, and the stalker beast looks ready and willing to destroy her. He grips his sword tightly in his hand and moves to the side of feral creature, attempting to wrestle him away from the others.

Depending on where the bear goes, Ladreth's plan is to 5' Step to J-11 and attempt a grapple with Jarrith. Grapple check is at +12. He will make Attempts with both his attacks, using an AP on each to help success. He has 10 AP left before these are used.

Ashlyn gets to her feat and fighting carefully and precisely she lashes out with the silver dagger, her eyes so cold that a glacier would be warmer by comparison.

[Stand from prone (move action)]
[Attack +3(+8-5), damage 1d4+3; combat expertise +5 -> AC27]

[I'm going to assume Tessa's action is to try to end the curse.]

Jarrith's Curse: Round 2

Knowing what needs to be done, the Lady Paladin attempts to stand to face down the Beast Jarrith. But the Keeper seems to be with the Beast, and it tears through Ashlyn's weakened armor like paper. [AoO; Another critical! 23hp] Barely standing, but determined, the paladin slashes at the dirty silver mockery, but her arm is too weak to land the blow. [Miss]

The bear, confused by the smells, growls low. Bear-Janis understands: <Kill man-beast?> [Delays]

What was once Jarrith has no pity, and it lashes out at the blooded paladin. This time, her armor holds, but the world spins briefly as the pain throbs up her limbs. [Miss]

Marot, tears streaming down his face, shots forth more holy energy into that which was his Brother. The Beast yelps at the annoyance. [Hits; 10hp] On the other side, the brave Ladreth launches himself at the Beast, trying to pin it down. Distracted by its earlier savaging of Ashlyn, it does not counter attack. The two forms struggle, but, arm's bulging under the strain, the halfork manages to grab it fast! [Opposed grapple check with AP succeeds] But the wolf is too large to hold it place, and they continue to struggle. [Opposed grapple+AP to pin fails]

Tessa knew it had to be her now. A quick prayer to Olladra on her lips, she calls forth the words of the fragile scroll. As she yells out the last words and places her hands on the Beast, it howls with a wolf's and a man's voice! [Remove curse] The false-silver wolf's scream waver between man and beast, shifting from one to the other, and then, with a concussive force that knocks the gathered back, the curse shatters, and Ladreth is left holding a naked, bloodied, and unconscious Jarrith. [Will save + AP succeeds; curse broken]

Jarrith's Curse: End Combat

Final Status
A: 18 [4/49]
b: 16
J: 11 [10/31]
M: 11
L: 11
T: 6
J: 4 [wild shaped (black bear)]