Voadam
Legend
RR4 Islands of Terror
2e
Torrence Bleysmith: Count Rupert Bleysmith declared war on the neighboring duchy of Avergne, a land of infidels and heathens. He called upon his children and his retainers to gather together the army. He traveled the country searching for support among the other nobles. He left Sir August in charge of affairs while he was away.
Torrence, enraged at this perceived slight to himself, cast about wrathfully for some means of exacting revenge on his father and his elder brother. At last, he settled on a plan that would allow him to soothe his wounded pride. He began to sell the secrets of Staunton Bluffs to Commander Pierre Willis of the Avergnites in the hope that they would slay August during a raid.
August, however, was as adept at evading the traps as Torrence was, and it soon became clear to Torrence that he would have to personally oversee the murder of August. Even when he passed along the castle plans for the Avergnite assassins, they blundered and failed miserably.
Meanwhile, Torrence hid his feelings about August's superiority remarkably well and acted as August's chief advisor. August came to trust his brother in all things, seeing that Torrence had matured far more fully than he believed possible.
Eventually, Torrence arranged for the Avergnites to raid along the Staunton border, knowing that August had no choice but to personally repel the marauders. He suggested the best battle plans to his older brother, who agreed to follow them faithfully. That night, Torrence sent a dispatch to Willis telling him of his brother's location and how the Avergnites could best remove him from this position.
That next morning, August and some of Staunton's finest men rode straight into the Avergnite ambush. They hardly had a chance to draw their swords before they went down under a hail of arrows. Their blood spilled into the earth, turning it into a pasty, red mud. The Avergnites were heady with their victory over the hated Sir August Bleysmith. They rode even farther into Staunton, burning and pillaging everything in sight, contrary to the agreement with Torrence.
Torrence, aghast at their duplicity, attempted to turn back the tide of invaders, but it was too late. The Avergnites overran all the Stauntonian positions, slaughtering all the citizens they came upon. Willis and his men eventually arrived at the Bleysmith Estate and laid siege to Castle Stonecrest. Since Torrence had stupidly provided the maps of the castle, it fell easily to the invaders. So did the Bleysmith family, nearly alone in their estate, abandoned by most of their retainers.
Only Torrence escaped, hiding in the privy until the besiegers had gone. When he emerged, smeared with filth, he discovered the looted house in ruins around him. The defiled bodies of his family lay strewn about the estate like broken dolls. At the sight of his ancestral home violated like some commoner's house, Torrence broke down in a fit of grief, rage, and guilt. Had August survived the attack, the Avergnites would never have been able to advance this far. Torrence knew he would have to live with the knowledge that he had caused the downfall of Staunton Bluffs and the death of his family.
He retreated to the forests of Staunton to plot his revenge and vent his grief. He hoped to atone for his mistake by avenging the destruction of his family. Since he had studied some magic when he was younger, he was familiar with certain blasphemous rituals that would enable him to channel his anger. In his pride and wrath, he did not pause to consider the implications of his intended course.
At midnight of the fall equinox, the last Bleysmith began his sacrilege. With great workings of magic and dark promises, Torrence laid a massive spell on the surviving inhabitants of Staunton.
When the citizens arose the next misty morning, they felt compelled to take up whatever weapons they had available. En masse, they marched on the army of Avergne. Bleysmith, full of vanity, watched his makeshift army surprise the force of Avergnites. Torrence had been sure that his people could crush the army, since there were so many more of them and they had the advantage of surprise.
However, the Avergnites recovered from their initial shock much more quickly than anyone could have suspected. They slaughtered the subservient Stauntonians. The earth ran with the blood of guiltless citizens, the cries of the innocents echoing weirdly through the fog.
By now, half-crazed with shame and remorse, Sir Torrence Bleysmith hanged himself in the burnt shell of Castle Stonecrest. His dying thoughts were of revenge, hatred, and guilt. As his life faded from existence, so did the surrounding area.
The restfulness of natural death did not claim Torrence Bleysmith, however, for Ravenloft had other plans for him. His past, tainted as it was with pride, treachery, and disregard for human life, earned him a place in the demiplane.
Weeks after he hanged himself, flashes of reality and memory interrupted the utter blackness of oblivion in which Torrence dwelt. These glimmers grew longer and longer until at last they melded completely into a gray-washed, horrifying reality. His worst nightmares became his reality.
Sir Torrence Bleysmith had become a ghost, doomed to wander the halls of his castle and the woodlands of his domain. His rage and treachery combined with other darker forces to bring him back to a terrible unlife. He would see all that he once held sacred torn away and destroyed.
Skeleton: This was the main forge for the county of Staunton, the finest for miles. It contains those things common to a smithy including two anvils, hammers, trenches, and a good supply of iron. There are some finely crafted blades lying in the soot, held firm in the death grasp of the smith and his apprentices. If anyone tries to take the swords, the smith and his helpers return from the peace of the grave to defend their best work.
Ghast: The guards are the incorporeal forms of the few soldiers who remained loyal to him after his treacherous betrayal of his own countrymen.
Ghoul: ?
Zombie: The most dangerous prisoners were housed in these cells where the jailers could catch their mischief more quickly. Each of these cells contains a zombie wandering about constantly.
Spectre: The spirits of the Bleysmith family float through this room in a stately, eternal dance.
Skeleton Horse: ?
Zombie Sea: Sea zombies, also known as drowned ones, are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the very forces that hold Ravenloft together.
2e
Torrence Bleysmith: Count Rupert Bleysmith declared war on the neighboring duchy of Avergne, a land of infidels and heathens. He called upon his children and his retainers to gather together the army. He traveled the country searching for support among the other nobles. He left Sir August in charge of affairs while he was away.
Torrence, enraged at this perceived slight to himself, cast about wrathfully for some means of exacting revenge on his father and his elder brother. At last, he settled on a plan that would allow him to soothe his wounded pride. He began to sell the secrets of Staunton Bluffs to Commander Pierre Willis of the Avergnites in the hope that they would slay August during a raid.
August, however, was as adept at evading the traps as Torrence was, and it soon became clear to Torrence that he would have to personally oversee the murder of August. Even when he passed along the castle plans for the Avergnite assassins, they blundered and failed miserably.
Meanwhile, Torrence hid his feelings about August's superiority remarkably well and acted as August's chief advisor. August came to trust his brother in all things, seeing that Torrence had matured far more fully than he believed possible.
Eventually, Torrence arranged for the Avergnites to raid along the Staunton border, knowing that August had no choice but to personally repel the marauders. He suggested the best battle plans to his older brother, who agreed to follow them faithfully. That night, Torrence sent a dispatch to Willis telling him of his brother's location and how the Avergnites could best remove him from this position.
That next morning, August and some of Staunton's finest men rode straight into the Avergnite ambush. They hardly had a chance to draw their swords before they went down under a hail of arrows. Their blood spilled into the earth, turning it into a pasty, red mud. The Avergnites were heady with their victory over the hated Sir August Bleysmith. They rode even farther into Staunton, burning and pillaging everything in sight, contrary to the agreement with Torrence.
Torrence, aghast at their duplicity, attempted to turn back the tide of invaders, but it was too late. The Avergnites overran all the Stauntonian positions, slaughtering all the citizens they came upon. Willis and his men eventually arrived at the Bleysmith Estate and laid siege to Castle Stonecrest. Since Torrence had stupidly provided the maps of the castle, it fell easily to the invaders. So did the Bleysmith family, nearly alone in their estate, abandoned by most of their retainers.
Only Torrence escaped, hiding in the privy until the besiegers had gone. When he emerged, smeared with filth, he discovered the looted house in ruins around him. The defiled bodies of his family lay strewn about the estate like broken dolls. At the sight of his ancestral home violated like some commoner's house, Torrence broke down in a fit of grief, rage, and guilt. Had August survived the attack, the Avergnites would never have been able to advance this far. Torrence knew he would have to live with the knowledge that he had caused the downfall of Staunton Bluffs and the death of his family.
He retreated to the forests of Staunton to plot his revenge and vent his grief. He hoped to atone for his mistake by avenging the destruction of his family. Since he had studied some magic when he was younger, he was familiar with certain blasphemous rituals that would enable him to channel his anger. In his pride and wrath, he did not pause to consider the implications of his intended course.
At midnight of the fall equinox, the last Bleysmith began his sacrilege. With great workings of magic and dark promises, Torrence laid a massive spell on the surviving inhabitants of Staunton.
When the citizens arose the next misty morning, they felt compelled to take up whatever weapons they had available. En masse, they marched on the army of Avergne. Bleysmith, full of vanity, watched his makeshift army surprise the force of Avergnites. Torrence had been sure that his people could crush the army, since there were so many more of them and they had the advantage of surprise.
However, the Avergnites recovered from their initial shock much more quickly than anyone could have suspected. They slaughtered the subservient Stauntonians. The earth ran with the blood of guiltless citizens, the cries of the innocents echoing weirdly through the fog.
By now, half-crazed with shame and remorse, Sir Torrence Bleysmith hanged himself in the burnt shell of Castle Stonecrest. His dying thoughts were of revenge, hatred, and guilt. As his life faded from existence, so did the surrounding area.
The restfulness of natural death did not claim Torrence Bleysmith, however, for Ravenloft had other plans for him. His past, tainted as it was with pride, treachery, and disregard for human life, earned him a place in the demiplane.
Weeks after he hanged himself, flashes of reality and memory interrupted the utter blackness of oblivion in which Torrence dwelt. These glimmers grew longer and longer until at last they melded completely into a gray-washed, horrifying reality. His worst nightmares became his reality.
Sir Torrence Bleysmith had become a ghost, doomed to wander the halls of his castle and the woodlands of his domain. His rage and treachery combined with other darker forces to bring him back to a terrible unlife. He would see all that he once held sacred torn away and destroyed.
Skeleton: This was the main forge for the county of Staunton, the finest for miles. It contains those things common to a smithy including two anvils, hammers, trenches, and a good supply of iron. There are some finely crafted blades lying in the soot, held firm in the death grasp of the smith and his apprentices. If anyone tries to take the swords, the smith and his helpers return from the peace of the grave to defend their best work.
Ghast: The guards are the incorporeal forms of the few soldiers who remained loyal to him after his treacherous betrayal of his own countrymen.
Ghoul: ?
Zombie: The most dangerous prisoners were housed in these cells where the jailers could catch their mischief more quickly. Each of these cells contains a zombie wandering about constantly.
Spectre: The spirits of the Bleysmith family float through this room in a stately, eternal dance.
Skeleton Horse: ?
Zombie Sea: Sea zombies, also known as drowned ones, are the animated corpses of humans who died at sea. Although similar to land-dwelling zombies, they are free-willed and are rumored to be animated by the very forces that hold Ravenloft together.
