Enter Freely and Share the Warmth That You Bring: Expedition to Castle Ravenloft

[Sophistemon]

Zane looks at Katla and smiles broadly, revealing twin rows of slightly yellowed teeth. "Maybe not, mm? The door might have opened mechanically, via a series of weights and pulleys." He could find out easily enough, as he possesses a spell that would allow him to detect magical resonance. It may - he can't quite remember, exactly - be one of the first spells he'd ever learned, back at whatever school of magic it had been where he'd acquired his education. But it doesn't really matter how the doors open, only that they did. In any case, the wizard nods to Samuel. "Yes, yes," he says. "Go on, go in, go find an inn. We'll have to find a place to stay; I'll need my drink before too long. I haven't been this sober in years and it disagrees with me." He plucks an invisible, twelve-legged spider from his sleeve and casts it aside before it can lay its thousands of slimy eggs inside his skin. "The delusions are starting already and none of us want me going mad again, mm? That'd be trouble for all of us, I think, yes. I'm at my most coherent when I'm slightly sloshed, so let's not waste any more time." He points to the gate. "Chop, chop, all! In we go."

[Shadowcaller]

Tyri pays no heed to Katla's first comment, looking in awe at the gates in motion. It was like seeing the subtle motions of nature like how the thaw causes great chunks of ice to break loose during spring.

"We'll be on our guard." She promises Samuel, only really half-listening to him as she steps towards the gates, intended to enter. The druid wanted to see what possible wonders which could wait within. Sure, the whole place was foreboding but that it was no use standing here doing nothing and she found it easier to met these things with wonder rather than fear.

[Artemis97]

The party walks through the gate without any trouble. No traps trigger, and nothing leaps out of them from the underbrush. Once they pass, however, another fatigued groan emanates from the gate behind them. Faster than they had opened, the gate slams shut with a deafening clang. Birds, startled by the sound, take wing from the trees. The vines that cover the gates shake from the movement, and finally settle, looking as if they had never been disturbed at all.

[Gullara]

Katla prceeds with the others, none too pleased with the situation. She prefers foes she can see, understand, and stick something pointy into should the need arise.

So when the gate swings closed behind them again, it's safe to say that it does little to improve Katla's mood. She growls under her breath looks around for any sort of threat.

[Shadowcaller]

Unlike her companion, Tyri isn't looking for something to fight, instead she focuses on any more signs of the unique architecture she saw at the gate. Could it be possible to build something like that back home?

As the gates slams shut the wolverine next to her growls loudly. Distracted from her sightseeing Tyri kneels down to calm the animal down. "Shhh... it's okay." She says, but does take a look around, alarmed by Skrack's growl.

[TwoBitWriter]

Sheriff nods at Zane. "I know a few tricks about mechanical devices..." he glances back at the gate. "And traps of a magical nature. However, magic itself...I have little trust for." He follows this up with drawing his greatsword. He walks beside Katla, the massive blade resting on his right shoulder.

"I doubt there is much that you can't handle under arms, Katla..." Sheriff murmurs as they trudge along.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Samuel remains mostly silent, his eyes twitching from side to side ceaselessly, looking down at his feet, and up in the sky. Looking for any possible traps.

Finally, he pipes up. "Once we enter any buildings, you will not walk ahead of me, unless you want to end up caught in a trap."

[Gullara]

Katla chuckles and favours Sherrif with a toothy grin. "I am not in ground yet, am I? The thing I cannot handle will be the cause of my death. Nothing more, nothing less." She says confidently.

[Shadowcaller]

Tyri looks up into the skies as she calms down the wolferine which appears to have been startled by the birds. "Who would place a trap for us? The worgs? This is a clear sign of civilization which we just happen to be looking after, just look at the sun bringers." Tyri comments as she points at the ravens. "They are a good sign, we're on the right path." She tells the group while slowly standing up again.

[Artemis97]

Stretching ahead of our would be heroes is a dirt path cutting through the forest. It was not particularly well maintained, the underbrush encroaching on both sides, thick limbs closing in from overhead, shrouding it in shadow despite the rising sun. The road was still choked with mud from the previous night's rain, and a thick mist clung to the ground, writhing around the trunks of the trees. A slight chill will be felt, stepping onto the shadowy path.

[Sophistemon]

Zane cackles upon hearing the Sheriff's statement. "Oh, hoh -- he doesn't know!" the half-mad wizard rhymes, shortly before stumbling and catching himself only a fraction of a moment before tumbling to the ground. "Magic's no more frightening than that sword in your hand, child. There's nothing much too scary about a hunk of lifeless metal. But when you take that metal, and hand it to someone who knows how to use it, and you give them foul intentions... that's when you're right to be afraid." He lopes his way back into position. "But you needn't worry about old Zane -- no, no, he may not be normal, but he's not a threat and you shouldn't fear his magic. He's helped you once already, mm? Made that lovely floating cottage to keep us warm and dry?" At that point, he sees the patch that cuts across ahead of them. "Ah!" he exclaims. "A path! Fortune smiles upon us in her hateful, vicious way." He mutters something and picks at his ear. "No, no, I didn't mean it. It was a joke."

[Shadow of the Sun]

Samuel purses his lips as he sees the ravens - which he can see quite clearly - and looks at the path ahead of them.

"Personally, I would prefer it if we did not continue to follow the path. We were tasked to come here due to a crisis, and that crisis could lead to the road being watched by someone who is not as willing to let us pass as were the worgs."

His hand is resting on the hilt of his rapier, his eyes narrowed.

[Gullara]

"I doubt very much you cause fear. Not from Sheriff, not from me." Katla says distainfully. Even the suggestion that she would fear anything, let alone his tricks, is an insult.

The next target of her distaste appears to be Samuel. "But maybe you make this one fear. He already fears much." She bares her teeth in a mean looking smile. "If we are stopped we put them down."

[Shadow of the Sun]

Samuel gives Katla a return grin, which is rather mean in return.

"I don't have fear, my lady. I have caution. And be thankful that I am the member of my family you called a coward- were we in other situations, there would be a duel.

But you are useful to me, so I don't think I will run you through. Yet."

His hand is still laying on the hilt of his rapier, and his weight is on his back foot. He's ready.

[Sophistemon]

Zane cackles. "Oh, you people..." He wipes an eye and motions them forward. "Whichever way we go, however we decide, we need to be going now, please. I'm starting to see things that aren't there, and it won't end well for any of us if I start casting to get them away from me." He swipes at something in midair, and then frowns. "Damn. Almost got that one. In any case, if you two want to fight each-other, and I'm not saying that it isn't something that I'd like to see, you can do it in town, yes? Fights are best witness with a cold mug of something in your hand, anyway, mm? Come now, poppa needs his medicine!"

[TwoBitWriter]

Sheriff shakes his head and points forward with his massive sword, held aloft by one broad arm. "We go then..." he grumbles, stalking forward.

[Gullara]

Katla gives Samuel a hard look for a long moment... and then bursts out laughing. As if Samuel told a particularly good joke. "Come." Is all she says before following Sheriff.

[TwoBitWriter]

Sheriff fights a smirk himself, sharing it only with the warrior woman. His gaze travels to and fro. Everything he says indicates this as a strange and hostile land. If there were Wargs about, then there were possibly goblins, or worse, that allied themselves with that ilk.

The heavy blade resting against his shoulder provided comfort. They were not simple travelers, but hardened adventurers. The perils of this land would not take them so easily.

He looks to the sky, and frowns.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Samuel, as is his wont, is entirely focused. His mind is running furiously as his eyes dance from side to side, looking for any possible traps or ambush routes.

He doesn't doubt that he and the others could take any enemies they came across. But he has learned that prudence is more powerful than the might of man or beast- often by experiencing what happens when one his targets has not been prudent.

[Shadowcaller]

Tyri have already started walking along the path, more interested in the path ahead then at their argument. "Try to enjoy the sights around us instead of being at each others throats. Katla, can't you sing one of your famous traveling songs?" She suggests to the elf with an smile. Of course, infamous might be a better word to describe her songs.

[Artemis97]

As the group walks, the mists around them become thicker. Soon, the gate behind them is completely lost in a field of white. Strangely, the path before them remains relatively clear. Yes, the majority of the fog was concentrated behind them, now, flowing and building, obscuring the direction from which they had come.

[TwoBitWriter]

Sheriff pauses, sniffing the air as the mists surround them.

"Sorcery?" he asks, looking to Zane.

[Gullara]

Katla laughs. "Few would understand, and I would not want to offend the noble with crude barbarian songs." She leers back at Samuel.

...

The barbarian's earlier mirth is lost at the sign of a potential threat. No, not any threat. Something she could sink her ritiik into would be welcome. This mist is just frustrating.

[Sophistemon]

Zane grins and wags a finger. "I can't tell just by looking, warrior. I would have to use magic of my own to discern it. Shall I?"

[Artemis97]

The fog grows thicker, and forms into snaky tendrils that seem to wrap themselves around you. Horrific forms shape themselves in the mist. Gaping mouths and bony claws attached to monstrous forms that shift with the smallest movement of the air. The faintest hint of ghostly moaning reaches your ears, sending a cold trickle of fear down your spine.

[Gullara]

Katla's head whips back and forth as the... things emerge from the mist. She can't fight these. She doesn't stand a chance, none of them do. With a fear the barbarian has never felt in her entire life, she turns and runs down the path. She doesn't make it far, however, before she loses her footing in the slick mud and hits the ground hard.

[Sophistemon]

Shortly after addressing Sheriff, supernatural goings on begin to occur, and the stringy wizard begins to back away from the grasping claws, the gnashing teeth, the wailing voices. "Oh, no," he can be heard to mutter. "I must be more sober than I thought... damn that barkeep, I knew he was watering his wares! When I get back to town I'm going to turn him into a..." At that point, Zane begins his expeditious retreat, about-facing and booking it as hard and as fast in the opposite direction as his legs will take him... before abruptly slipping on the moist earth and crashing to the muddy ground in a tangle of limbs, robe, and beard. "Oh, no!" he wails, and reaches up to his face to tug on his mustaches. "No, no! I didn't mean it! I swear that I didn't mean it! I thought you could get out! I really, really did! I'd have never left if I thought you couldn't get out..." And then the panic overtakes him, and there are no more words, only a huddled, sobbing mess that has contracted itself into the fetal position, a weeping wizard hugging his knees to his chest in the mud, rocking slightly and truly, truly pitiable.

Get a hold of yourself, coward! his conscious mind retorts. Be sorry later, over a mug of crude beer. You know your hallucinations; are you sure that these are they? Where are the spiders? The bleeding walls, the ghastly cries for help as flesh is torn from bone? I don't see or hear them; do you? The wizard shakes his head, no. Then what do you have on you that you can use, Zane? What can you do to get yourself out of this? Because if you die here, in the mud, like a squealing baby, you're never going to make it right, and they'll have died for nothing! "No!", shouts the wizard, and he reaches into his belt pouch for a handful of finely-powdered iron, salt, and silver. He pushes himself up onto his knees and quickly scatters the concoction around himself in an uneven circle that, once completed, flares with light.

Actions:

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Zane is using his Standard Action to cast a Magic Circle Against Evil around himself.
Hopefully, this will be enough to keep the creatures at bay while he thinks of a plan.

[Shadowcaller]

The druids fascination over the landscape quickly wanes as the fog starts to descend over them. Of all things Tyri hated fog and darkness or rather what they did; clouding her vision, hiding the world from her.

"Keep calm..." She tells the group as the mist start to surround them but is perhaps talking more to herself. She seem slightly nervous though, this was no ordinary mist, it didn't behave in a fashion she was used to.

Then all of sudden Tyri freezes, was that movement in the mist? "Let's walk a bit faster." She suggests to the group as an sudden dread start to wash over her like the mist surrounding them. The world seemed to quickly grow darker and all of sudden she could see it.

Stopping dead in her walk, the druid simply turns around and flees as she feels her instincts taking over, all she knew was that she needed to get away as far from here as possible. Skrack have an similar reaction, and whimpers loudly before fleeing.

But as the two flee in panic Skrack knocks the druid over as he runs past her, causing her to slip down in the mud and fall prone while the wolverine quickly disappears into the fog.

[TwoBitWriter]

Too much

It was too much for even the likes of Sheriff. He nearly held his composure, and certainly his will held longer than his companions. But this was too much.

"We have no choice... we must flee!" He barks, dashing away from the specters and losing his footing in the soft mud. He falls to the ground with a loud swear.