stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. I [IC]
Ashlyn explains, "I wouldn't rule out negotiation ... perhaps through intimidation, particularly if the head of the snake has already been chopped off as it were. Like you, I doubt that we can negotiate initially, though we should not rule out the possibility completely. However I think that once we have dealt with the green lady, we might try intimidation or other forms of negotiation to deal with the cultists."
Jarrith nods. "Ah. Gotcha. Yeah, if that's a possibility then we'll see where it leads. Maybe they'd give up on a call of 'Surrender'... who knows? But at the very least we have to take out the Green Lady first. If there's nothing else, I'm going to head back up there now. You all try to get as close as you think you can without making noise that can be heard. You'll all notice my signal without any problems. Heh heh."Ashlyn said:
And with that, the Stalker sneaks back into the underbrush heading to where he was before.
James Heard
Explorer
Janis shrugs compliantly. It wasn't like she was going to be at her best in this fight in any case.
s@squ@tch
First Post
Marot the Deadly
"Curses!" Marot exclaims as Jarrith reports that the witches had already arrived.
"We have two choices, as I see it -- one, to attack the three witches now, or two, attempt to discover what they are attempting and disrupt it as it happens."
"I really don't feel strongly either way, as all we need to do is make sure that this Green Lady is either not summoned or defeated. But it would be easier on all of us if this Green Lady was not able to appear."
"Remember, my ability to convey Ladreth and Lady Ashlyn has a relatively short range, so we will need to get close to our prey."
"Curses!" Marot exclaims as Jarrith reports that the witches had already arrived.
"We have two choices, as I see it -- one, to attack the three witches now, or two, attempt to discover what they are attempting and disrupt it as it happens."
"I really don't feel strongly either way, as all we need to do is make sure that this Green Lady is either not summoned or defeated. But it would be easier on all of us if this Green Lady was not able to appear."
"Remember, my ability to convey Ladreth and Lady Ashlyn has a relatively short range, so we will need to get close to our prey."
James Heard
Explorer
"My urge and ability to kill those beasts who prey upon Barovia is impacted little by these discussions of tactics this night. Whatever you who whoop in the middle of things desire is fine, as long as I extract my pound of flesh and the village suffers none from it."
Janis sighs, considering her options if there were trouble later on tonight.
Janis sighs, considering her options if there were trouble later on tonight.
Jarrith quickly corrects Marot as he journeys off. "You mean the Verdant Lord. He's the one we don't want summoned. The Green Lady is the witch in charge and who we expect holds the Symbol of the Raven. We do want her there so we can get that symbol off of her."Marot said:
He then takes off into the trees.
pathfinderq1
First Post
Tessa kept mostly quiet during the discussion- she didn't have any really good ideas to offer, and she knew that prolonging the debate would only allow the witches an opportunity to continue their plans without interruption...
OOC: Still here, just not much to add
OOC: Still here, just not much to add
stonegod
Spawn of Khyber/LEB Judge
The Summoning
The group settles in as dusk deepens. None of the folk in rough clothing notice the hidden Stalker; they barely look at the horizon. They all wait impatiently for something, Jarrith occasionally hearing the words of "Where are they?" and "We must begin!" repeatedly.
Night finally falls, though the ever present mist hides the night sky. Unbeknownst to all, the evening is absent of moons, none haven risen yet. The perfect time for dark rituals. It is then that, with a dark shimmer, three figures suddenly appear in the darkness. One is a comely shaped woman in peasant garb, her face hidden with cloaks like the rest. The other is a bent, hideous matron, a sneer on her squinting features. But is the the thing behind them that grabs attention.
Standing in the middle of the runic circle, the human-like figure stands near 10 feet tall. Human, however, it is not. Wicked claws twist where hands should be, and its thorny visage and glowing eyes speak of of the shadows in deadly brambles. This could not be the Verdant Lord already?
As Jarrith shivers at the thought, the witches and the crone being to move to the points of the circle. With a gesture, the crone lights a sickly green bonfire at the center of the flame. Holding aloft something that briefly glints of silver, she chucks it into the flame calling out, "O Verdant Lord! We call thee! Use this, foul trinket of the enemy, as your seed! Come! Come!" The others being chanting in unison, the creature of thorn and darkness watching impassively.
The Summoning: Surprise Round
It was time for Jarrith to strike. Crouching along the wall, his silver weapons in hand, he snuck up behind the nearest droning voice. [Stealth] The eyes of the dark creature seemed to look right through him a moment, but then look on unseeingly. Thanking his luck, the Stalker uttered a quick prayer and then lunged at the witch. The rapier cuts through the man's kidney, and with a gurgle, the man collapses!
"To me! To me!" The Stalker cried. Just like that, Marot, the Lady paladin, and the silent brute appear to the north, ready for the coming battle.
The Summoning: Round 1
Map Key: A: Ashlyn, B: Green Lady, b: The bear, C: Fiend, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, T: Tessa, W: Witches.
Conditions: Moving through dense rubble (rocky-looking squares) cost 2 movement. Green area is a fire that provides light to 30 feet and shadowy illumination to 60.
The rest of the party is about 60 feet away at the edge of the clearing.
J: 21 [31/31, 5/5 turns]
J: 21 [35/35, 1 Con damage, 10/11 AP]
L: 21 [55/55, 10/11 AP]
W: 21
B: 20
T: 20 [35/35]
W: 19
A: 12 [49/49; 1/2 smites, 5/7 turns, 0/24 lay on hands, 0/8 AP]
M: 10 [41/41, 7/8 AP]
C: 9
b: 4 [36/51]
The group settles in as dusk deepens. None of the folk in rough clothing notice the hidden Stalker; they barely look at the horizon. They all wait impatiently for something, Jarrith occasionally hearing the words of "Where are they?" and "We must begin!" repeatedly.
Night finally falls, though the ever present mist hides the night sky. Unbeknownst to all, the evening is absent of moons, none haven risen yet. The perfect time for dark rituals. It is then that, with a dark shimmer, three figures suddenly appear in the darkness. One is a comely shaped woman in peasant garb, her face hidden with cloaks like the rest. The other is a bent, hideous matron, a sneer on her squinting features. But is the the thing behind them that grabs attention.
Standing in the middle of the runic circle, the human-like figure stands near 10 feet tall. Human, however, it is not. Wicked claws twist where hands should be, and its thorny visage and glowing eyes speak of of the shadows in deadly brambles. This could not be the Verdant Lord already?
As Jarrith shivers at the thought, the witches and the crone being to move to the points of the circle. With a gesture, the crone lights a sickly green bonfire at the center of the flame. Holding aloft something that briefly glints of silver, she chucks it into the flame calling out, "O Verdant Lord! We call thee! Use this, foul trinket of the enemy, as your seed! Come! Come!" The others being chanting in unison, the creature of thorn and darkness watching impassively.
The Summoning: Surprise Round
It was time for Jarrith to strike. Crouching along the wall, his silver weapons in hand, he snuck up behind the nearest droning voice. [Stealth] The eyes of the dark creature seemed to look right through him a moment, but then look on unseeingly. Thanking his luck, the Stalker uttered a quick prayer and then lunged at the witch. The rapier cuts through the man's kidney, and with a gurgle, the man collapses!
"To me! To me!" The Stalker cried. Just like that, Marot, the Lady paladin, and the silent brute appear to the north, ready for the coming battle.
The Summoning: Round 1
Map Key: A: Ashlyn, B: Green Lady, b: The bear, C: Fiend, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, T: Tessa, W: Witches.
Conditions: Moving through dense rubble (rocky-looking squares) cost 2 movement. Green area is a fire that provides light to 30 feet and shadowy illumination to 60.
The rest of the party is about 60 feet away at the edge of the clearing.
J: 21 [31/31, 5/5 turns]
J: 21 [35/35, 1 Con damage, 10/11 AP]
L: 21 [55/55, 10/11 AP]
W: 21
B: 20
T: 20 [35/35]
W: 19
A: 12 [49/49; 1/2 smites, 5/7 turns, 0/24 lay on hands, 0/8 AP]
M: 10 [41/41, 7/8 AP]
C: 9
b: 4 [36/51]
Attachments
James Heard
Explorer
Janis moves forward, readying a storm bolt against enemies approaching.
