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

[DEFCON 1]

"Allow me to give you room Brother! Excuse me, M'Lady..." Sir Khensu steps between Ashlyn and the vampire to get into a better position, then infuses the swing of his greataxe with smiting of evil. (5' step to B9 / Attack with greataxe and smite: +1 to hit, +1d6+5 damage)

"Mighty kind of you, sir!" With more space available to him to set up a flank with Sir Khensu, Jarrith steps north a few steps before advancing and moving back down to the vampire. (Move to E7, D6, C6, B7) He then grins slyly before razing the vampire with a vicious rapier attack. (Lose Hide From Undead to power Razing Strike: additional +1 to hit, additional +4d6 damage for spell level and sneak attack dice)

 

[pathfinderq1]

Tessa scooped up her morningstar and shuffled carefully forward, taking care to stay out of the vampire's easy reach. While she had little enough confidence in her value as a warrior, especially when compared to her stalwart companions, she knew that she had to get close to provide healing- and someone would need it soon enough...

OOC: Retrieve morningstar, and move up to join the fight. Staying out of actual melee for now, but a 30 foot move forward should put her close enough to heal next round.

 

[stonegod]

Daylight Surprise (Round 4 Complete)

Khensu steps to the side, but twists his ankle on a rock forcing him to overcompensate his swing and miss. His follow-up swing also misses. But the attack is enough to distract the beast, and sneaking up behind him, the Stalker channels his holy power into his strike. With a savage slice to its neck, the creature howls as the Flame's might sears him! [Nat 20; 20hp before DR; creature near destruction]

That is enough for Marot. Screaming to clear the sounds in his head, he flings another holy bolt. This time its mark its mark is true, and with a sickening sizzle, the vampire dissolves into a vapor. The greyish gas swirls about the site once, and then, just as suddenly as it appeared, vanishes towards the southeast---and the Castle.

Daylight Surprise (Complete)

Status
A: 8 [23/62]

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn takes a deep breath as the combat concludes, and her eyes narrow as the vampire heads back to the castle in a gaseous cloud.

As she sheaths her sword, she focus's on the inner strength within her, and once again waves of healing energies emanate from her affecting all living creatures within sixty foot of her.

[Use 3xTurn undead -> Sacred healing for 45hp healing for Ashlyn (and anything else living within 60ft)]


Feeling much refreshed, Ashlyn turns to the others, "This concerns me, it seems that the undead in this land are different, for instance the vampires are somehow unaffected by what would normally hinder or destroy them. I would know how and why, and I suspect that the answers lie back at the castle."

 

[pathfinderq1]

Tessa nodded, her face allowing a trace of obvious worry to cloud her usual smile. "I would guess that the center of the secret lies back at the castle, certainly enough- but perhaps these fanes have a portion of the fault as well. Let us go, and see if we can wrest this place back from the dark powers which hold it, and place it under the grace of the Host, and the light of the Flame."

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn turns towards Tessa as she speaks and nods her head in agreement, "If what we read of the fanes in the tome is true, and if this Strahd is still around, which is perhaps not unlikely if he is indeed a vampire, then it would seem that these ancient sites have been corrupted and indeed provide this vampire with some measure of protection. However this daylight immunity displayed by the vampire we just encountered is something else again, and something far more worrying ... at least to my mind."

Ashlyn pauses a moment in her speech and then wonders aloud, "... I wonder if it is possible for us not only to cleanse these fanes, but to sanctify them once again. It would be a worthy task."

"Tessa, perhaps we might take another look at the tome at a more opportune time and see if there is anything further to be found regarding the fanes."

Ashlyn then proceeds to start walking up the hill, heading for the fane that they have already once visited.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Jarrith and Khensu continue up the hill with the others, neither of them saying much. The Stalker hopes that their eliminating of the threats up at the old monastery already will make their job easier with the fane. However, one though goes through his mind as they walk... how do you cleanse a fain anyway?

When they approach the ruins themselves, Jarrith whispers to the others to let him scout up ahead just to make sure that the area is clear. The last thing they want is to run into the remnants of the witch cult that were late to the previous summoning attempt.

 

[stonegod]

The ruins are still empty with only blood and burns signifying recent events. The keen eyed Jarrith soon finds something of note: Some footprints near the ladder to the depths. They are fresh, not almost a week old like their boots should be. Scratching his head about it, Ashlyn also notes something... another horse in the distance, this time to the north. It is tethered to a tree. Its placid and not hostile, and the saddlebags bear the mark of the Twelve. Someone from the expedition... or something else?

As the group ponders this, Khensu gets the uncomfortable feeling between his spine indicating that someone is watching them. Nothing is seen, however.

 

[s@squ@tch]

Marot the deadly

"Looks like not much has changed in the past several days." Marot says as he strides around the battlesite.

"At least, it does to me."

"Where does one place a 'fane' anyway? I hate to display my ignorance, but I'm not too sure what exactly a 'fane' is. Is it smaller than a house, but bigger than a breadbox?"

 

[stonegod]

OOC: By Tessa's description, the "fane" is likely the stone pillar full of dragonshards that was in the depths of the rock.