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

[ethandrew]

AC: 21; HP: 47/47

Ladreth stands tall and firm, ready to defend his companions and provide a barrier between them and the unnatural beasts. He waits at the white lady’s words, hoping that they will do as she orders, expecting them to not.

Ladreth will ready an action to attack if it appears that they will attack. +15/+10 2d6+11. If he charges, standard modifiers apply.

 

[s@squ@tch]

Marot the Deadly

Seeing more of the horrid were-creatures made the events of the past day come crashing back into Marot's mind -- and he had just been able to stop thinking about Jarrith leaving the group for a moment.

Clenching his fists, he summons a bolt of dark eldritch energy from deep inside him and maliciously fires it towards the closest were-beast.

"You are an affront to the Flame, and you will perish!" Marot yells out.

OOC: Eldritch spear on Shifter in K3 - +6 ranged touch, 3d6.

 

[stonegod]

A Lost Flame

Khensu looks at Jarrith grimly, but then flinches when he mentions healing. Lowly, trying to shield it from the others, the shifter morns, "No, you do not understand, Brother. If you may still heal, the Flame is with you. But from me... it is gone. I hear it not, and cannot channel its warmth to heal or call forth Luminous. It is gone!"

A cough and sputter comes from the litter, indicating Urik's retained life. His eyes open, still filled with mirth and vitality, even if his body is weakened. His gaze falls on the two Lumin brothers. "Ah, Master Bronns. I heard you mention some nonsense about healing my wounds. Do not be bothered. I will be able to tend them well enough in time. The people need your healing more than I, those that will have it, and you have battles to fight." Hurrn looks at Jarrith intently, cawing once. Urik chuckles, though it is cut off. Wiping off the blood from his lips, Urik continues. "Mind him not; Hurrn thinks I am obstinate. And they say birds are flighty! Ha-ha!"

Propping himself up, the holy warrior looks intently at Khensu then back and the Stalker. "Let me tell you a secret of this land. All of it suffers, from the babe whose mother's milk is tainted by hatred for the young lady that has her husband's eye to the Burgomaster who keeps a great weapon for himself selfishly." Ireena stiffens at the barb, her lips tightening. "But it is those that fight who suffer the most. They are the ones who the Curse focuses on, tempting them by what they want and turning what they believe into ashes. My own mentor was such, so obsessed with the dark castle that he became enslaved to its will. I spoke of his death, but I did not say who was responsible for it." He steady look gives it no doubt.

"So trust me when I know what can and cannot be redeemed. The fact you still crave to hear your 'Flame' speaks that it has not all died. If you seek forgiveness, I cannot give you that. I cannot forgive that which needs it not. Atonement... My mentor sought it as he died, and as he lay in the shattered Castle chapel, it seemed it was given. So, if you seek to cleanse your transgressions... venture to the Castle and pray. But be warned, it will not be easy."

Another coughing fit wracks the big knight. "Now go! There are battle to be fought. No reason to dally over a frail man and his bird."

 

[stonegod]

Forest Trials

Forest Trials: Round 1

Enraged by the memory of Jarrith, Marot pours out dark purple energy that catches the off-guard shifter. [15hp; lightly wounded] Ladreth is more calm, drawing his sword and waiting patiently for the enemy to come. [Readies]

Tessa, realizing her weapon would better serve Ashlyn, holds if forth to the holy warrior, swinging up her crossbow out with her other hand. Janis, meanwhile, calls out a challenge to the Green Witch. But the manic laughter she hears from inside the cave is not the voice of that crone---it is a thing of sharp edges tinged with savage nature in sing-song.

"Come, come to see, to see. Come, come to bleed, to bleed!"

The voice still echoing, the shifters pounce. The one near the green pillar barks something, then pulls back into the cave. [O6 withdraws] The wounded one bounds through the forest, through it has to squeeze through the close together trees. This is fortunate for Ladreth, who swipes the beast from stern to stem with the blade. Even as it closes, the cut still festers. [Hit; 21hp before DR; moderately wounded] The other lopes up to the halforc, its pitted greatsword in hand.

Her face purposeful, Ashlyn takes Tessa's weapon and steps forward to engage the wounded lycanthrope. The silver weapon flashes powerfully with the Host's power, and the creature buckles under the blow, a gargled howl escaping its lips. [17hp smite; severely wounded] On the other side of the undergrowth, the bear roars a defiant challenge, but holds near the Stormhand.

Forest Trials: Round 2

M: 22
L: 13
T: 11
J: 9
H: 7 [E5: severely wounded, squeezing]
A: 5
b: 3

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, b: The Bear, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, H: Shifter Werewolf, T: Tessa.
Conditions: Pink Border: Prone

 

[James Heard]

Janis shrugs.

"So be it. The moon shall not save you."

Janis gestures with a flick of disdain from her wrist, which flings a tapestry of translucent cyan thorns which settle upon one of the werecreatures and seem to drag it toward it to the ground - pulling it into its more natural form.

OOC: Casting Countermoon on Werewolf d5 (the nonwounded one), Will Save DC15 or revert to its natural form (no alternate form or lycanthropy) for 12 hours.

 

[s@squ@tch]

Marot the Deadly

His teeth clenched, his left hand tightly formed into a fist, and his right grasps his mace in a death grip. It was clear that the pain in his soul had begun to rise iinto a fevered pitch.

Marot unleashed another blast of eldritch essence into the already wounded werewolf. His aura changing from peaceful to that of searing hate.



OOC: Eldritch blast on E/F - 5 -- Ranged touch +7, 3d6+1

 

[ethandrew]

AC: 21; HP: 47/47

Ladreth stays his position, hoping to cut off the rest of the group from any attacks. He grits his teeth and swings his sword hard into the squeezed, injured beast, hoping to cut him down and have his follow through wound the second as well.

Full Attack on the injured; +15/10 2d6+11, Cleave. If the first attack kills, obviously cleave and then 2nd attack on the uninjured. You know how it goes.

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn attacks, the morningstar a blur in the morning light as it moves in a complex pattern, striking out at the great beast twice.

[Attack +9/+4, damage 1d8+4/1d8+4 (full action)]

 

[DEFCON 1]

"So trust me when I know what can and cannot be redeemed. The fact you still crave to hear your 'Flame' speaks that it has not all died. If you seek forgiveness, I cannot give you that. I cannot forgive that which needs it not. Atonement... My mentor sought it as he died, and as he lay in the shattered Castle chapel, it seemed it was given. So, if you seek to cleanse your transgressions... venture to the Castle and pray. But be warned, it will not be easy."

Jarrith nods at the wisdom of Sir Urik's words. "Aye Brother... the Chapel! Remember the words of the gypsy when she made mention of Sir Urik's holy symbol? It had to be taken to the castle's Chapel, because that was one of the last vestiges of light in this cursed land. You may think that you have lost the Flame entirely... but believe me when I tell you that the reason I found you so quickly was because I saw Luminous outside for the merest of moments. He vanished quickly from my sight as the steed is wont do to... but he IS out there... waiting to be called again. So do not give up hope! I will prop you up as you will do the same for me... as it has always been and always will be. Come. Let us do what Sir Urik says. We have worked to do here in the village."

The Stalker stands up and pulls Sir Khensu to his feet. "If the other return from the woods with the Sunsword in hand... then tonight we will all venture back to Lysaga Hill and reclaim the Symbol of the Raven. With both items in hand, we can make our way to the castle and hopefully awaken them both... the sword in the tombs below... and the symbol in the chapel. And while we are at the chapel, we will pray. Pray to the Flame. Pray for forgiveness for our transgressions. And we will hear the Voice again. This I swear to you, my Brother."

 

[stonegod]

The Forest Trials

Forest Trials: Round 2

His anger burning, Marot pored the fury into his blasts. The Voice inside seemed to sing along to his rage, and the blow caught the wereshifter with enough power to fling it against the tree. [Critical hit; 18hp; near death] Landreth used the opportunity well, and with a might swing, cut down the first shifter and nicked the other. [26 hp before DR drops one; Cleave does 15hp before DR; lightly wounded] But using a move he picked from Tobias, he used the momentum to bring the weapon down at the neck, and the shifter scream-howls as its collarbone is shattered! [Critical! 36hp before DR; moderately wounded]

Aiming carefully, Tessa fired a silvery bolt at the beast, catching it in the leg. [5hp; severely wounded] Janis shrugs, and with a chant she learned in the Reaches, attempts to strip away the moon from the wereshifter. But its resolve is too strong, and it shrugs off the curse. [Will save succeeds]

From the cave, the sing-song continues. "Trees need blood, dance for blood. Grow in blood, give the blood!"

The wounded wereshifter barks at Ladreth, and using its sword as a distraction, forces the mercenary to overreach. That is when its jaws clamped shut on the halforc. It was a light wound, but its jagged teeth caused severe blood loss, leaving Ladreth feeling drained. [Greatsword missed; bite hits; 7hp and 1 Con damage] Even limping, however, it is agile enough to duck the lady paladin's swings. [Both attacks miss]

Forest Trials: Round 3

M: 22
L: 13 [33/41; 1 Con damage]
T: 11
J: 9
H: 7 [E5: dying; C5: severely wounded]
A: 5
b: 3

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, b: The Bear, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, H: Shifter Werewolf, T: Tessa.
Conditions: Pink Border: Prone