stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. III [IC] (Completed)

Gathering close, the group makes its way through the dark, cobweb infested stair. No one—no one living, that is—has step this way in some time. Jarrith keeps his blades handy, with Ashlyn's vigilant watch by his side.

The stair ends at a short, empty hall. Creeping forward, Jarrith makes is halfway to the door when he feels more than hears a slight... click.

Trap!

The Stalker, the Flame protecting him, launches himself forward, barely escaping the mechanism. As Ashlyn's eyes open wide in realization, two thick stone slabs drop with lighting speed, closing off the middle 10 ft. section of hallway. Terrible grinding noises issue from within, then the stones rise, revealing an empty corridor! [Jarrith succeeds on Ref; Ashlyn, Marot, and Avron fail]

Ashlyn presses against the stone in vain as its shoots up with amazing speed. Then the walls glow a sickly green, and Marot and Avron barely have time to register the magical trap before the sickly light fills the chamber. The trap is too strong for the mad archivist, who collapses unconsciousness.

That Which Lies Beneath (Surprise Round)

As quickly as it started, the stone rests, the slabs opening away to reveal a small landing at the top of one stair and the bottom of another. An alcove to the north holds a leering stone statue, while the alcove to the south is a disquieting piece made all of chains. There is little time to recognize them as they spring into motion!

The leering statue steps forward and claws at the Ashlyn, bypassing her startled defenses [4hp] But she has no time to react as a portrait on the wall before Marot that bears an uncanny resemblance to the missing Ireena appears to gesture and cast a spell! Everyone's muscles freeze for a moment, but Marot is held in place as the others fight it off! [Marot held]. In the other alcove, the chains around the statue begin to move of their own according, slowing building up speed!

Down below, the others stare stunned at the sudden void where their friends were. Suddenly, Ladreth cries out in pain something unseen claws at him, drawing blood! An airy hiss fills the room now! [Something hidden hits Ladreth; 11hp]

That Which Lies Beneath (Round 1)

Marot attempts to fight the magic hold him, but cannot, and remains frozen. [Save fails; still paralyzed]

The statuary and portrait continue their assault. The statue tears into the the startled paladin, but only one claw strikes true. [1 attack hit; 4 hp] The portrait laughs evilly and seems to cast another spell, but Ashlyn's muscles resist the compulsion. [Save made]. The mass of chains steps forward, lashing in all direction. The sleeping Avron and the paralyzed Marot cannot avoid them, and the chains cut a deep wound! They hold it together enough not to bleed and Avron is cruelly awoken. [No save for Avron and Marot; 30hp; Fort successful v. bleeding; the two are still looking very bad.]

[This is a split combat with those that were whisked away on the Prime Map (lower) and those downstairs on the Unprime Map (upper). No one is clear where the other group went other than 'up.'

Jarrith is up.]

That Which Lies Beneath (Round 1)
Map Key: A: Avron, A: Ashlyn, C: Chain Statue, J: Jarrith, K: Khensu, G: Leering Statue, L:: Ladreth, M: Marot, R: P: Portrait, Ravika, T: Tessa.

Conditions: Lime Border: Held; White: Prone.

Status
M: 22 [16/46, Paralyzed]
G: 20
P: 18
C: 18
J: 17
T: 17
A: 16 [57/65]
T: 13
A: 11 [11/41, Prone]
K: 9
R: 8
L: 6 [44/55]

Stuff Folks Know

[sblock=Jarrith][Listen]

You think the whistling noise is coming from behind you (towards the stair) somewhere.[/sblock][sblock=Ladreth]The attack came from somewhere ahead of you (away from the stair)[/sblock][sblock=Ravika][Listen]

Ravika's keen senses pick up the source of the airy disturbance—a large creature looms in the void between the Stalker of the Silver Flame and the rest of the group. [Ravika has pinpointed the creature, but it still has concealment (50% miss chance)][/sblock][sblock=Avron]Pressed against the floor, Avron is awakened suddenly by the pain of the attack. Glancing around, he is fascinated by the specimens before him.

[Kn: Nature]

The statue is a trick, a living creature of earth. Tomes have been written on the gargoyle, and their dim witted manner and cunning way of hiding. He knows their stoney hide can be easily overcome by magic.

[Kn: Arcana]

An interesting case, if unusual, is the "portrait." It is said that Dannon d'Cannith had a similar defense, a portrait of his lost brother that would rain down supernatural attacks on the unwary so long as it sees them. It is not a living creature, but a magical construct.

[Kn: Arcana]

But this one, this thing of chain and magic, Avron knows well. He had seen one in Morgrave once, constructed by a Cannith Mastermaker for military use. A golem of common material, its defense were a mass of chains that flay the flesh and strip away the vigor of those with lesser fortitude. Like all of their ilk, the golem of chains resisted all magic, save that of electricity which slowed it for a time and fire which hastened and repaired it.[/sblock]

Once she has a chance to react, Ashlyn gives a command to her raven and then steps towards what she deems is the most dangerous threat, the strange spellcasting picture on the wall. She then reaches out and grabs the picture off the wall and then drops it facedown on the floor beneath her feet.
She then draws her sword and turns to face the statue, which the sable raven has been flying around in an attempt to baffle it. As she faces the statue, Ashlyn yells to Marot and Arvon, "Get out of here, retreat past me and up the stairs. You should be able to pass safely."

[Korppi: Baffle vs statue (Will save vs DC15 or statue(G) cannot make AoO's)]
[Ashlyn: 5ft step to E'3']
[Ashlyn: Take picture off wall (Move action) - Provokes AoO if Statue(G) is not baffled]
[Ashlyn: Drop picture facedown on floor (Free action)]
[Ashlyn: Draw sword (Move action)]

That Which Lies Beneath (Round 1 continued)

Upstairs

Stalwart even in the face of surprise, Ashlyn calls Kopri to action. The raven darts at the creature again and again, and the statue can to little by try to fend it off. [Baffled][/size]

Moving aside, the knight reaches for the painting. It sneers at her as she does so, but seems to scream as Ashlyn wrenches it from the wall, revealing a safe behind. Dropping it so all it can see is the wall, Ashlyn guardedly draws her weapon, waiting for what is next. [Str check succeeds; portrait now has no LoS. Marot is still held]

[Jarrith still up downstairs; Avron then Marot upstairs]

s@squ@tch said:

OOC: I think Marot's only possible action is to drool.

Click to expand...

OOC: He gets to make save each round. Which I roll. Exciting it isn't

"What the--?!?" Jarrith shouts, as he rolls back to his feet following the dive forward. As he watches with amazement the corridor filling and then emptying of a large stone slab, he isn't paying attention when something attacks Ladreth.

The halfork's pained yell is enough to snap him back, and the Stalker takes a quick spy of the floor in front of him, noticing where the floor is trapped.

"You want me over there, people... you're gonna have to back up a bit! This section of the floor isn't safe for us to walk on, which means I'm gonna have to jump it!"

(OOC: If I can jump into an occupied space and then pass through it to finish my move in an unoccupied one, Jarrith will leap into Tessa's square on the way to stopping on the stair at C6. And if by some chance the invisible creature that attacked Ladreth is on this section of the stair, as opposed to the section beneath Khensu and Ladreth at AB7... then I will try to find and attack an invisible target.)

That Which Lies Beneath (Round 1 continued)

Downstairs

Jarrith braces himself and attempts to leap over the empty space. It is only as he feels something slam into his chest and tear his flesh that he realizes his mistake... whatever is in the room, is between him at the others! [Found at least one square containing a creature (A3). AoO for entering square hits Jarrith for 11hp]

Staggering back, the Stalker stabs at the air before him and manages to hit... something. But there is something off about the hit, something he cannot place without sight. [Hit, 6hp]

[Tessa, etc. up]

Status
M: 22 [16/46, Paralyzed]
G: 20
P: 18 [no LoS]
C: 18
J: 17 [29/40]
T: 17
A: 16 [57/65]
T: 13 [-6 hp]
A: 11 [11/41, Prone]
K: 9
R: 8
L: 6 [44/55]

Tessa had been caught off guard by the sudden and dramatic effect of the trap. For a moment she simply stood, looking almost comically surprised, as she turned her head this way and that, trying to figure out just what kind of threat they were facing. At first she was unsure even which direction the attack against Ladreth had come from- but Jarrith's reaction showed where at least one enemy was (give or take).

Tessa took a brief moment to put the lantern down at her feet, then raised her open hand and let the fiery power of Onatar pour forth...

OOC: Move action to put her lantern down gently; Defensively casting Burning Hands (Concentration +12 vs. DC 16); aiming the cone partially into the wall, so the effect hits B 2-4 and some wall but misses Jarrith. If there is any foe in those squares, it has DC 16 REF for half of 5d4 fire.

That Which Lies Beneath (Round 1 continued)

Downstairs

Tessa puts down her lantern and then calls forth the fires of Ontar within. The rush is undeniable, and suddenly all the area around her was filled with flame! A deep bellow filled the hall as something large was caught in the burst. [12 fire][sblock=Draconic Jarrith, Tessa)]Those that speak draconic recognize the bellow as a curse against the cleansing fire.[sblock=Jarrith][Sense Motive]

Jarith's trained instincts tell him something is off about the creature's reaction. It is as if it is fighting half-heartedly, as if its heart was not in it...[/sblock][/sblock]The hissing sound boils like a storm, and once again Ladreth feels something unseen tear at him, though another blow just smashes hard into his armor. [1 miss; one hit; 8hp] Jarrith then feels something crush his colarbone, a bite of sharp teeth. [5hp]

[Avron, etc. up]

Status
M: 22 [16/46, Paralyzed]
G: 20
P: 18 [no LoS]
C: 18
J: 17 [24/40]
T: 17
A: 16 [57/65]
T: 13 [-13 (12 fire) hp]
A: 11 [11/41, Prone]
K: 9
R: 8
L: 6 [36/55]