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

Chapel: Round 2 (Complete)

Controlling herself, Tessa calls forth a flesh of flame before ducking behind a statue on the dais. The beast rolls with the flash, however, and the flicker of the sickly green aura indicates the futility of the spell. [burning hands for 13hp fire; Reflex save and energy resistance negate damage]

His voice stern with Flamebound faith, Jarrith calls forth the face of true daylight in the benighted church. But as the Castle's dark heart weakens the light, the Stalker notices the brilliant rays not reaching the beast. [True daylight; radius halved due to Castle's darkness] Striding forward, the Flame held before him, Jarrith is shocked to see the pure light has no effect as a pulsing red force surrounds the creature, shielding it! [No effect due to unknown ward]

Startled like Jarrith, Marot falls back, evoking more holy flame at the creature. It snarls as the first real wound appears on its flank! [spirit blast hits; 20hp; lightly wounded]

Sneering, the Stormhand remembers her training, and begins a simple, but effective, damaging incantation. But the leather is binding at just the wrong time, and the arm sweep is off, ruining the gesture and the spell. [I rolled exactly 10 on my d100]

Screaming, YOU CANNOT IGNORE ME!, the shifter charges at the beast's flank. His furor, combined with the menace from Marot, are enough to land a blow---but the dead flesh resists the blade, turning it aside uselessly. [Charge attack hits, 10hp; negated by DR]

The burgomaster's daughter loads another alchemical bolt, stepping forward for a clearer shot. Nearby, the lady paladin steps besides Jarrith, trying to repel the beast with the holiness of her symbols. It snarls, but is unfazed. [Immune]

All around know immediately---this is no simple creature of the night.

Chapel: Round 3 (Partial)

Dead flesh nits together again, wounds lessening as the party watches. The beast snaps its jaws at the cleric and paladin, but then lumbers for Marot, scrabbling unto the dais in its savage pursuit. The warlock ducks aside again, the beast's snout smashing into the floor. [5ft step; Miss]

Chapel: Round 3 (Partial)

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, b: The bear, I: Ireena, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, K: Khensu, M: Marot, S: Beast, T: Tessa, Z: Dead Karrnath Zombie.

Conditions: Cyan Border: Energy drain, Dark Red Border: Dying, Orange Border: Blind, White Border: Prone. Shadowy and dark regions marked (Ashlyn's everburning torch and Tessa's eternal lantern).

S: 28 [lightly wounded, fast healing]
T: 18
J: 14 [cat's grace 29 rounds; true daylight 1 round; 4/5 turns]
M: 7
J: 5 [32/38, drained 2 levels; mirror images (2 images), 29 rounds]
K: 5 [shifting 5 rounds]
I: 3
b: 3
A: 2

OOC: Janis intended to move closer to the creature. Sorry it wasn't clear, I didn't know exactly what the map would look like once it got to her turn so I didn't rattle off a square number.

Continuing her movement into melee range with the creature, Janis attempts her arcane spell again.

Ashlyn, disliking the situation, and the fact that their opponent seemed immune to ordinary vampiric weakness, resorts to an age old method for driving off monsters in the night ... she brings her blade around and calling on the strength of her faith, she smites the undead creature before her.

[Full attack: +13/+4, damage: 1d10+1d6+9/1d10+3; smite on first attack, weapon treated as good aligned to bypass DR]

[Edit: Since Khensu goes before her, Ashlyn should get a +2/+2 attack bonus due to flanking on her attacks above making it +15/+6]

"I see you only have eyes for me," Marot spits out towards the odd vampire.

To the others,"Someone activate the altar again -- this thing is close enough to feel its sting."

Never taking his eyes off of it, he steps backwards slightly more, until he is pressed up against the wall.

He gestures menacingly with his mace and says,"Lets finish this the old fashioned way, with cold iron against your skull."

OOC: 5' step to Y11, invoke Flee the Scene to X16.

Tessa's eyes widened in dismay as the vampire slogged closer, despite the attacks focused upon it. Even the hardest hits and most dangerous magics seemed to slow it hardly at all- and the glow of warding magics marked it as uncommonly well-protected. With her own offensive abilities limited, she thought for a moment, then called upon another sort of spell- perhaps those wards could be broken...

OOC: Casting a targeted Dispel Magic at the vampire, then drawing her wand of Magic Missile for next round.

Jarrith takes a step back and calls out to the Flame for its help for them all. "By the power of the Flame, guide our hands this day!" (5' step to V12 / cast Bless)

Khensu moves around the creature to set up a flanking position, then swings with his weapon. (Move to U8 / attack with axe)

Chapel: Round 3 (Complete)

Disbelieving her eyes, Tessa clutches the symbol of the Host in her hand. She forcefully attempts the break the ward... but nothing happens. She feels the spell fail, finding nothing to strip off the accursed creature. Which can mean only one thing... its wards were of a supernatural nature. They were no simple spells. [dispel magic has no effect on supernatural effects]

Stepping back, Jarrith calls forth a blessing of the Flame, briefly lifting the spirits of the gathered. [bless] Meanwhile, the warlock backs against the ruined stained glass, though he suddenly appears on the other side of the altar as well! [flee the scene]

The spurned witch angrily mutters the syllables to her spell again, this time with more success. The blue bolt slams into the beast, causing a minor wound. [magic missile, 4hp] Khensu seizes the moment to flank the creature, but its dead flesh deflects all but a scratch. [axe hits; 11hp before DR]

Rushing to the side, Ireena lets loose another bolt. The bolt strikes true, exploding into white flame... but the red glow mutes it, and the tip is not strong enough to pierce dead flesh. [Hits, damage negated by DR and energy resistance] Ashlyn, however, uses the distraction to step aside and cut at the monster. As she does so, she notes the dais glow softly white, though the dead flesh still turns away much of the force. [Both attacks hit; 28hp total before DR; moderately wounded]

Chapel: Round 4 (Partial)

Ashlyn's blow is enough to rouse the beast's attention, and it ignores the false Marot for the paladin. Its jaws crush Ashyln's shield arm almost through her armor... and though it stings, she is unscathed. But it then that she realizes her trusty shield is not readied. [Misses]

The dead flesh begins to undue some of the damage done to it.

Chapel: Round 4 (Partial)

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, b: The bear, I: Ireena, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, K: Khensu, M: Marot, S: Beast, T: Tessa, Z: Dead Karrnath Zombie.

Conditions: Cyan Border: Energy drain, Dark Red Border: Dying, Orange Border: Blind, White Border: Prone. Shadowy and dark regions marked (Ashlyn's everburning torch and Tessa's eternal lantern).

S: 28 [moderately wounded, fast healing]
T: 18 [bless 50 rounds]
J: 14 [cat's grace 28 rounds; bless 50 rounds; 4/5 turns]
M: 7 [bless 50 rounds]
J: 5 [32/38, drained 2 levels; bless 50 rounds; mirror images (2 images), 28 rounds]
K: 5 [bless 50 rounds; shifting 4 rounds]
I: 3 [bless 50 rounds]
b: 3 [bless 50 rounds]
A: 2 [bless 50 rounds]

Janis moves into melee with the creature, reciting a harvest blessing while reaching to unless the wrath of the seasons on its flesh.

Moving to U10, Casting Cure Moderate Wounds on the creature for 2d8+5 damage, touch attack

Ashlyn, realizing that she might just need her shield in the immediate future, readies it before striking once again, and with the same dedicated focus as in the previous round she smites the creature yet again.


[Attack: +15; damage: 1d10+1d6+9; smite on attack, weapon treated as good aligned to bypass DR]

Wanting to gain a better vantage point on the fight, Jarrith quickly scrambles up onto the altar so he can see the beast over the head of Lady Ashlyn. He then calls forth a prayer to the Flame for deific vengeance against the undead creature.

(Move to X12 / Cast Deific Vengeance: 5d6 damage, Will save for half damage)

Sir Khensu howls in frustration that his blows are not causing as much damage as he would like. "Damn you beast! Damn you!" (Full attack)