stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. III [IC] (Completed)
pathfinderq1
First Post
OOC: Both rituals is fine with me as well. Tessa will do whatever she can to perform or assist in the rituals- otherwise she will help stand guard for the inevitable undead 'interruptions'. 
ethandrew
First Post
Realizing the group was going to stay here for quite some time, Ladreth looked to shore up the defenses of the place, blockading the entrance if there was anything large enough and not a vital sarcophagus. A pang of guilt wracked the half-orc over leaving Rakiva's body at the entrance to this tomb, and for a brief moment he considered going and getting it, to keep it in here lest something unsavory happen to it, but he saw what happened the last time the group split, and as much as he accepted his eventual fate in this land, this castle, he wouldn't bring it upon himself if it was something he could avoid.
Ditto pq1. We're here, might as well do both, prepare for the inevitable assault.
Ditto pq1. We're here, might as well do both, prepare for the inevitable assault.
Jarrith and Khensu watch as Ashlyn begins her process, and they both realize their parts to play in this part of the saga would be different. Jarrith glances over at Tessa and shrugs. "Question at this point is how to divide up our resources. You're the only one with the restorative magic necessary to get everyone back on their feet fully, so perhaps you should rest and reacquire your prayers? If Ashlyn's working on the sunsword, then either I, Marot, or Khensu might be able to work the ritual of unbinding, while Ladreth keeps guard."
He glances over at the sarcophagus and he pauses for just a little too long while looking at it. "Although I do wonder what we might find were I to open this thing up. We're dealing with vampires... and you need to destroy them within their coffins to end them permanently..." He takes a step or two towards it. "If this is Sergei's tomb... and our gracious Lord is a vampire as we all believe... we could end all of this right here with a swift stab of a stake through the heart."
Khensu 'ahems', and Jarrith turns his head back and smiles sheepishly. "Or I could awaken a monster and screw up the rituals and then get us all killed. One or the other, I imagine."
Jarrith stands and waits for other's opinions on this. He would like to open the sarcophagus now just to confirm the presence or non-presence of the Lord right here (so they have a better idea where he might come from if he arrives to attack)... but he will go along with the majority opinion on this.
He glances over at the sarcophagus and he pauses for just a little too long while looking at it. "Although I do wonder what we might find were I to open this thing up. We're dealing with vampires... and you need to destroy them within their coffins to end them permanently..." He takes a step or two towards it. "If this is Sergei's tomb... and our gracious Lord is a vampire as we all believe... we could end all of this right here with a swift stab of a stake through the heart."
Khensu 'ahems', and Jarrith turns his head back and smiles sheepishly. "Or I could awaken a monster and screw up the rituals and then get us all killed. One or the other, I imagine."
Jarrith stands and waits for other's opinions on this. He would like to open the sarcophagus now just to confirm the presence or non-presence of the Lord right here (so they have a better idea where he might come from if he arrives to attack)... but he will go along with the majority opinion on this.
Ashlyn pauses in her preparations at Jarrith's words before nodding to herself. All the signs she had noted, the ravens and the sunsword itself, seemed to indicate this tomb was something special, something holy or sanctified, but it never hurt to be certain. She took a moment to run her senses over the sarcophagus, checking for the presence of an undead aura within, or even the residue of such, yet she remained certain that she would not find such a residue within. Perhaps it was simple intuition, or perhaps it was faith and her iron belief in the blade that she was trying to awaken.
[Detect undead on the sarcophagus itself]
Even as she ran her gaze over the sarcophagus, she spoke, almost absent-mindedly to Jarrith and Khenzu "I do not believe that this tomb holds he who we met above, he who called himself Lord Sergei. I'm not sure precisely why ... but it the scenario you describe Jarrith, just doesn't ring true. Khensu, if you would cast your gaze over it you can verify it for yourself."
[OOC: stonegod, I'm making some assumptions here, so please correct me if any of these are inappropriate
]
[Detect undead on the sarcophagus itself]
Even as she ran her gaze over the sarcophagus, she spoke, almost absent-mindedly to Jarrith and Khenzu "I do not believe that this tomb holds he who we met above, he who called himself Lord Sergei. I'm not sure precisely why ... but it the scenario you describe Jarrith, just doesn't ring true. Khensu, if you would cast your gaze over it you can verify it for yourself."
[OOC: stonegod, I'm making some assumptions here, so please correct me if any of these are inappropriate
]
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Khensu nods at Ashlyn's statement, and allows his gaze to move over the sarcophagus (use Detect Evil). If nothing of import is discovered, he says "I believe Lady Ashlyn is correct."
Jarrith nods, and as the others continue their work, Jarrith sets about checking and double-checking the sarcophagus for anything untoward, before trying his best to open the lid... requesting Khensu and Ladreth's aid as necessary.
Jarrith nods, and as the others continue their work, Jarrith sets about checking and double-checking the sarcophagus for anything untoward, before trying his best to open the lid... requesting Khensu and Ladreth's aid as necessary.
stonegod
Spawn of Khyber/LEB Judge
There is no evil here other than that which was once but gone; strong it was, but it is here no longer. Jarrith & Ladreth work on the sarcophagus; it is well made and once the locks are removed, easily opened. Long dead remains are wrapped in a funereal robe and bedecked in fine, raven-graced armor. Marot quickly confirms that despite its age, it still glows strongly of protective magics.
While the Tessa works on the wards and Ashlyn works on her ritual, the others keep watch, rest, or busy themselves. Marot takes some time with the gathered magical items, putting himself to task to identify them. They are all from the dead necromancer, save the dead Sergei's armor. Most give him little trouble.[sblock=Items]- a pale hide made into studded leather armor: Vampire hide armor (+3 studded leather; DR 5/silver & magic)
- a pair of rings: Ring of Protection +1, Ring of Parting Prevented (1/d, puts of a death ward for 7 min. Activates automatically; cannot split time)
- a headband: Headband of Intellect +2
- bone amulet: Amulet of natural armor +1
- a periapt: Periapt of Wisdom +2
- a fine cloak of Karrnathi make: Cloak of Resistance +2
[/sblock]The vile fragment, however, is of such power that it eludes his easy identification. However, it seems to be instructions for the creation of an automaton of flesh and bone. It is a dark ritual, requiring several dead bodies and the dark power of the fragment.
Finally, the rituals begin to complete. On Ashlyn's side, a glow of daylight infuses the place, giving hope and respite in a place that long forgot both. It has an invigorating feel. Tessa's ritual, however, is less benign, with the recovered relics sparking dark magic. The entire Castle seems to thrum with power as Tessa's words reach a crescendo. Just as Ashlyn picks up her completed blade, the dead remnants from the relics fuse together into an undead abomination. Only now do Madame Ewa's words ring true: When you have all three relics, you must destroy what you have created.
The fight begins![sblock=Aslyn]Ashlyn intuitively knows the power of the sunsword. Its +2 bastard sword (but can be wieleded like a short sword). Against evil creatures, it is a +4 bastard sword. Against undead and similar ilk, it is treated as silvered and does double damage.
1/d, if you swing it over your head and declare "Feel the fires of day!" it begins to glow in a 10' radius (growing 4'/round until it is at 60'). It is natural daylight. When you stop swinging, the effect fades after a minute.
The sword, however, requires sacrifice. You give up 8 hp and take a -2 penalty to skill checks for 24 hrs after using the sword.[/sblock]The Blighted Relic
Everyone is considered healed as if from a night's rest: Please restore HP, spells, and such accordingly. You could have distributed the magic items before the combat.
Status
J: 16
A: 16
L: 12 [38/38, 2 drained levels]
B: 10
M: 10
K: 7 [38/62]
T: 6
A: 1
While the Tessa works on the wards and Ashlyn works on her ritual, the others keep watch, rest, or busy themselves. Marot takes some time with the gathered magical items, putting himself to task to identify them. They are all from the dead necromancer, save the dead Sergei's armor. Most give him little trouble.[sblock=Items]- a pale hide made into studded leather armor: Vampire hide armor (+3 studded leather; DR 5/silver & magic)
- a pair of rings: Ring of Protection +1, Ring of Parting Prevented (1/d, puts of a death ward for 7 min. Activates automatically; cannot split time)
- a headband: Headband of Intellect +2
- bone amulet: Amulet of natural armor +1
- a periapt: Periapt of Wisdom +2
- a fine cloak of Karrnathi make: Cloak of Resistance +2
[/sblock]The vile fragment, however, is of such power that it eludes his easy identification. However, it seems to be instructions for the creation of an automaton of flesh and bone. It is a dark ritual, requiring several dead bodies and the dark power of the fragment.
Finally, the rituals begin to complete. On Ashlyn's side, a glow of daylight infuses the place, giving hope and respite in a place that long forgot both. It has an invigorating feel. Tessa's ritual, however, is less benign, with the recovered relics sparking dark magic. The entire Castle seems to thrum with power as Tessa's words reach a crescendo. Just as Ashlyn picks up her completed blade, the dead remnants from the relics fuse together into an undead abomination. Only now do Madame Ewa's words ring true: When you have all three relics, you must destroy what you have created.
The fight begins![sblock=Aslyn]Ashlyn intuitively knows the power of the sunsword. Its +2 bastard sword (but can be wieleded like a short sword). Against evil creatures, it is a +4 bastard sword. Against undead and similar ilk, it is treated as silvered and does double damage.
1/d, if you swing it over your head and declare "Feel the fires of day!" it begins to glow in a 10' radius (growing 4'/round until it is at 60'). It is natural daylight. When you stop swinging, the effect fades after a minute.
The sword, however, requires sacrifice. You give up 8 hp and take a -2 penalty to skill checks for 24 hrs after using the sword.[/sblock]The Blighted Relic
Everyone is considered healed as if from a night's rest: Please restore HP, spells, and such accordingly. You could have distributed the magic items before the combat.
Status
J: 16
A: 16
L: 12 [38/38, 2 drained levels]
B: 10
M: 10
K: 7 [38/62]
T: 6
A: 1
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