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

Marot the Deadly

Marot whispers under his breath,"I don't like the look of this -- it appears the undead figure to spring a trap."
With a quick gesture, Marot appears along the north wall of the coffin filled room.

OOC:

Use Flee the Scene to teleport to H5. Ready spirit blast will be next action after.

Janis struggles (I think, ENWorld ate our map) to see what is going at the front of the group.

Marot hops from place to place, and with a silvery bolt, splitters apart the coffin. Its hiding place spoiled, a gaunt form with iron bands about its hands and feet leaps up, just as another bursts from the earth! Jarrith is ready, however, and his holy power shines forth! The evil of the place represses it though, and they are barely touched! [Creatures save, 1hp]

Ghoul Grave: Round 6 (Partial)

The formerly interred ghast charges at the exposed paladin, but she manages to raise her shield in time to fight off its snapping jaw. But its foul stench follows, and Marot's gut twists in agony! [Marot sickened; rest make saving through]

Ghoul Grave: Round 6 (Partial)

G: 20 [-1hp, lightly wounded]
A: 19 [49/49, protection from evil 25 rounds]
L: 15 [sickened 95 rounds, protection from evil 25 rounds]
J: 14 [cat's grace 25 rounds, shield of faith 5 rounds]
I: 10 [-1hp, lightly wounded]
J: 8
M: 5 [sickened 20 rounds]
T: 5

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, I: Iron-bound Corpse, G: Hungry Corpse, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, T: Tessa.
Conditions: Dark Red Border: Dying, Lime Border: Sickened.

[Round 6 actions]

After indicating the presense of the two undead, Ashlyn is ready to ward off the Ghast's attack and she replies by attacking full out, as she speaks to her friends in clear ringing tones, "In the name of Dol Arrah, destroy these foul carrictures of unlife"

[Full attack, smite on first attack | attack +13/+4; damage 1d8+1d6+9/1d8+3]

Marot the Deadly

"I'm going to be sick!" Marot shouts as the stench of the creature overcomes him. Bile fills his mouth, and he is forced to quickly vomit towards the south wall.

"Marot, you cannot be weak, you CANNOT be weak, you cannot let them down again."

Regaining his composure, he quickly scans both the creature with the iron bands to see if he can recognize it -- is it a ghast, or something more sinister?. He then calls upon his innate powers and unleashes a blast of eldritch might at the unknown creature.

OOC:

Know(Religion) on "I" +11 (+13 -2 for sickness), Spirit Blast targetting "I" (+5 [+7(-2 for sickness)] ranged touch, 3d6+4 damage (does weakness affect eldritch blast damage? if so, then 3d6+2))

Tessa waited nervously near the back of the group- from here should could hardly see what was happening in there, and she didn't have much room to move up yet. She readied her weapons, though- just in case.

OOC: Full defense for this round

AC: 21 (23 w/ P.Evil); HP: 47/47; Sickened

Ladreth seizes the opportunity to strike at this foul beast, using his body to shield the others behind him from harm. Bringing his sword from down low, he cuts at its chest and back again, favoring power for precision.

Full Attack on G, using Favored Power Attack for 1, dealing +3 damage. +11/+6 to hit, 2d6+12, includes -2 penalties from sickened.

Frowning at the large mercenary's lack of movement, Janis shrugs and imagines blasting the undead before her with a storm bolt, heedless of her compatriot also within the area of effect. Without a line of effect that wouldn't likely lead to his death, and with her companions bottlenecking up the melee, Janis is content to merely dream of the sizzling smell of fried half-orc permeating the air instead of the sour stench of dead corpses.

Mustard. Maybe roasted, stuffed with apples.

"Don't just stand there you two, let us through!!!" Jarrith shouts at Ladreth and Ashlyn. The Stalker decides the only way to actually assist at this point is to get through the morass of people, and he begins tumbling his way forward. (Tumble through Ladreth and G spaces to square F7 / Attack G with rapier +1d6 Penetrating Strike due to flank)

Ghoul Grave: Round 6 (Complate)

Pushing back with her shield, Ashlyn's silver blade glows as she cuts into the dead flesh. [Smite hits, other misses; 14hp; moderately wounded] Next to her, the weakened half-orc grips his greatsword tight and easily decapitates it. [Hits; 17 hp; dead] Hearing the words of Jarrith, Ladreth staggers forward, preventing the other creature's charge.

And then, things got interesting.

A screech that drills into the mind suddenly reverberates through the cavern. For most, the noise in painful, and their minds reflexively shut it away. But for Jarrith, Tessa, and Ladreth, the screech changes---it becomes a song of hope, of triumph, of longing. The pain is forgotten, the battle forgotten. Only one things matters---the song. [Jarrith, Tessa, and Ladreth fail save vs. captivation] As Stalker and the priestess feel the irresistible urge to find the song---coming somewhere behind Marot---something suppresses the urge in Ladreth. The song beckons, but his stays his ground. [Warded by protection from evil]

The heavenly chorus calling him, the Stalker blithely walks forward. Around the earthen wall Marrot is against, he finds the source. One part of his brain sees a hideous hag with decaying flesh and a lizard-like underbelly. But the song washes that way. This is the source of rapture!

A grin on its dead face, the remaining undead lashes at Ladreth with its fetid teeth. The distracted half-orc cannot stop it from sinking its teeth in. The wound tingles, but he fights off the sensation. [5hp; Fort saves succeed] It then nimbly vaults over the coffins as it moves back, thwarting any attempt by Ladreth to counter-attack. [Tumble]

Putting away her thoughts of roasted orc, the Stormhand lives up to her name. Striding forward, a blue-white arc fills the space between her and the iron-clad creature. But the creature amazingly ducks the shock! [Reflex save; Evasion]

The sickness prevents Marot from identifying the undead creature, but it does not affect his aim. The holy bolt slams into the creature! [Hits; 15hp] Meanwhile, Tessa stumbles forward towards the song. Pushing past Jarrith, she is unfazed as the singer rakes her across the face with its filthy claws. Her flesh stiffens! [AoO hits; 3hp; Fort save fails; paralyzed]

Ghoul Grave: Round 7

G: 20 [-32hp, destroyed]
A: 19 [49/49, protection from evil 24 rounds]
L: 15 [42/47, sickened 94 rounds, protection from evil 24 rounds, captivated]
H: 14
J: 14 [cat's grace 24 rounds, shield of faith 4 rounds, captivated]
I: 10 [-16hp, severely wounded]
J: 8
M: 5 [sickened 19 rounds]
T: 5 [32/35, paralyzed 3 rounds, captivated]

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, I: Iron-bound Corpse, G: Hungry Corpse (Ghast), H: Hideous Corpse, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, L: Ladreth, M: Marot, T: Tessa.
Conditions: Dark Red Border: Dying, Lime Border: Sickened, Yellow: Captivated, White Border: Paralyzed.

[Round 7 actions]