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

[stonegod]

Upstairs

It appears the woman frowns in the darkness, and then faster then Tessa can react, gazes intently in her direction. The cleric feels her mind reel a moment, but with determination, fights it off! A dark look coming over her face, the woman glances at Khensu a moment meaningfully.

[Some sort of mental effect that Tessa need an AP to fend off.]

Init
19 Khensu (no actions this round)
18 Woman
17 Tessa

[Tessa? You're about 10ft away from the pair. She's in darkness near the end of the hall window away from the down stairs. Khensu is next to her.]

Downstairs

Arik groggily stumbles out of the back room.

[Nothing is heard downstairs... yet.]

 

[pathfinderq1]

Tessa closed her eyes for the briefest of moments, focusing her will and her faith. When her eyes opened again, she raised her consecrated shield and drew upon the power of the Sovereign Host. The wand clattered to the floor at her feet, and she had no time to retrieve it- instead, some instinct within her reached deep down for some weapon, anything. As she did, a flickering lash of fire boiled down her arm and coiled in the air before her.

"Jarrith, Ashlyn! We've got trouble!," she shrilled, if the force of her incantation had not been warning enough...

OOC: AP spent- I'll mark it off shortly. Casting Magic Circle vs. Evil (standard), then summoning a flame lash (Move equivalent). If Khensu is not in the 10 foot emanation, her next action will be to move closer to him (5 foot step if has any action left, or next round). Current AC is rubbish, 14 with shield and DEX.

 

[stonegod]

Upstairs

Tessa imprecates the Host for protection from the vile, while calling forth a lash of flame. Khensu shakes his head, a look of confusion on his face.

In his room, the half-asleep Jarrith is suddenly roused with the sound of Tessa shouting. He notices immediately that his companion is gone.

Downstairs

Ashlyn, Urik, and Marot all hear a shout from above; to Avron, it is more muffled, but enough to let him know something is afoot.

[We'll start at the top of the round. Khensu has an action now. DEFCON:

Spoiler

Khensu knows he saw the woman and then had the compulsion to give her the haversack. That has now passed.

]

Init
19 Khensu
18 Woman
17 Tessa [magic circ. v. evil]
13 Jarrith
13 Avron
12 Urik
9 Marot
5 Ashlyn

 

[EvolutionKB]

Avron lays in bed, intently listening to the ruccus in the common room. Shivering in fear, he decides it seems harmless enough. Moments later a muffled yelling is heard. Cursing his stupidity, the scholar realizes the drunk as a distraction and clambers out of bed, still in his nightclothes. He quickly grabs his pack and rushes towards the door leading to the common room.

[sblock=Actions]Grab pack(which holds most of Avrons scrolls, potions, vials, other items when he is sleeping) and move towards door. If he has more time after the yell, he'll open the door and move into the common room.[/sblock]

[sblock=Stats]
AC: 12
HP: 41/41
Archivist Spells Prepared (CL 7th, +6 ranged touch, +5 melee touch):

• 0th—Create Water, Read Magic, Detect Magicx2
• 1st--Detect Undead, Healthful Rest, Produce Flame, Entangle(expended), Lesser Vigor, Shield of Faith
• 2nd--Lesser Restoration, Drifts of the Shalmx2, Web, Mirror Image(expended),
• 3rd--Lightning Bolt, Holy Storm(expended), Sleet Storm
• 4th--Arc of Lightning(expended), Spike Stones

Spell-like abilties
Shield 2/3 remaining[/sblock]

 

[DEFCON 1]

As Tessa's lash of fire flicks out towards them, the fog in Khensu's mind begins to clear a bit. It seems as though that once again he's been able to be manipulated... a weakness of the mind that he just cannot seem to steel himself against.

As reality sets back in for the shifter, he turns and sees the woman holding his haversack... and the realization of what he's done hits him like a ton of bricks. "You..." he mumbles almost to himself, but then with a feral growl loud enough to wake the entire building, the paladin THROWS himself at the woman! He comes crashing down on top of her, his giant arms encircling her and grabbing on for dear life! (Move action as needed - Grapple check to grab the woman)

As the blast of fire rings out in the hallway, Jarrith's head again flies off the pillow. This time... the violence inherent in the action is enough to keep the stalker awake, and Khensu's growl of anger cements it. Jarrith leaps out of bed, pulls both rapiers free from their sheathes, then moves as far as he can to the door of the room, preparing to enter the hallway.

 

[stonegod]

Reprisals Round 2 (Partial)

Upstairs

Khensu roars at his weakness, at launches his large frame and the shadowy form. She hisses, an unnatural sound, and slams her fist with surprising strength into the shifter's gut. The paladin stumbles back, the wrenching force of his drained life force forcing him to shudder. [Grapple provokes AoO which hits; 8hp and 1 negative level]

The woman smiles cruelly, then whispers low, The Lord sends his wishes. She then whistles loudly as a signal to something unseen. Tessa's eyes go wide as she sees the woman dissolve into smoke, taking the haversack with her! In a moment, she has vanished under the window pane and into the night!

Another vampire!

[Tessa's up]

Init
19 Khensu [44/52, drained one level]
18 Woman
17 Tessa [magic circ. v. evil]
13 ??
13 Jarrith
13 Avron
12 Urik
10 ??
9 Marot
5 Ashlyn

 

[pathfinderq1]

"Vampire!," Tessa cried out, half in frustrated anger and half in warning to the others. Even before she could take a step, the 'woman' had fled- and with the Haversack...

Tessa spat a few chosen oaths, then moved to Khensu's side. "Are you hurt? You'll need to stay close to me for a few moments, to prevent her from reaching out to your mind again."

OOC: Move to stand beside Khensu- with no other targets visible, Tessa thinks her best bet is to keep him shielded, and she will stay with him if he moves (to retrieve a weapon for instance) if she can.

 

[Stormwind]

...

 

[stonegod]

Reprisals Round 2 (Partial Continued)

Cursing, Tessa stands aside Khensu to ward him from mental influence. The paladin has small wounds, but likely suffers more from the vampire's life draining.

Downstairs, a sudden change comes over Ismark: His features become more feral, with dreaded fangs and claws. He launches himself at the nearby halfling matron, a look of pure evil glee on his face. She is caught helpless in his crushing embrace! [Ismark fangs out and tackle-grapples the matron]

Fully alert this time, Jarrith throws aside the bedsheet and dives for his rapiers. He flings himself at the door, heedless of anything else. Similarly, Avron slings his satchel over his shoulder and stumbles toward the door.

Seeing the matron in straights, the large knight leaps to his feet. "Ismark, you coward! Your father would weep tears of shame to see his son so. Fight me, you wretch! I am the one you want!" The undead son hisses at Ismark, but knows better not to rise to the knight's bait. Frustrated, Urik signals Hurrn forward and approaches with his outstretched sword. [Urik's test of mettle failed]

Then, without warning, a portion of the cold mists coalesce, forming into another emaciated and hungry shape. The undead spawn also bears a wicked grin, content to block the entrance.

The warlock, knowing he risks hitting the matron, focuses his holy rage on the new spawn at the door. But the bolt fires far wide of the mark.

[I'll allow Ashlyn to modify her move; everyone else has Round 3 actions]

Init
19 Khensu [44/52, drained one level]
18 Woman
17 Tessa [magic circ. v. evil]
13 Ismark
13 Jarrith
13 Avron
12 Urik
10 Vampire Spawn
9 Marot
5 Ashlyn

 

[Stormwind]

[Round 2]

As Tessa yells out warnings from above, Ashlyn is out from under her bedroll and on her feet.

Clad in just her sleeping tunic, with hair that more resembles a haystack than something you might expect on someone's head and holding a bare blade in her hand, Ashlyn looks on with surprise as Ismark changes. Recovering immediately, she pulls out the symbol of ravenkind from beneath her tunic and holding it forth she attempts to turn the undead spawn before her.

[Ashlyn will turn undead: Effective level 3; Turning check 1d20+6; Turning damage: 2d6+7]
[Note that Ashlyn is using the 'Symbol of Ravenkind' for the turning]
[Korppi harries the undead by the door (Will save vs DC15; causes -2 penalty to AC)]