From Across the Multiverse to Barovia: Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (IC)

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya Skye, Catfolk Knight

"Nay these are but scratches, yet I still feel somewhat leached by the sorcery of that creature (7 Strength damage). I do not know if it is within your ability to lessen that?"

"Fire would certainly flush these creatures out, but I fear it would draw attention to us. Perhaps we should encircle the house whilst one of us recovers Nicolae, then once we have him we can set fire to the house and protect him if we need to escape."

[TheFallenOne]

"These mindless creatures should be incapable of closing a door in our face in an attempt to avoid confrontation", Aswin pointed out, shouldering his hammer. "Something intelligent and malevolent is inside there, controlling them, and it fears destruction at our hands. Let us break down this door and press on inside."

[Sallera]

"'Tis those risen warlocks, I would think. They seem to hold sway over the rest of the shades." August nods his thanks to Arthros, tossing the glowing orb up and down as he waits.

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Will burn a couple uses of Black Candle to recharge the Radiant Sphere.

[Fireheart]

So...is it that we continue a frontal assault? If there are folk trapped below, we don't want to set fire to the home, nor do we want to leave them there as prey for the undead...

She taps her crossbow on her hip for a moment...thinking.


I wonder if we entered through one of the windows if we would be able to take the creatures more unaware?

[Sallera]

"Nay, I do not think they are capable of surprise. Their singlemindedness is easily distracted, but less easily confused. Now that we are aware of what lies within, let us simply destroy the door as Aswin suggested and deny them their hiding place. Either they will come to us, or we will destroy them one by one."

[TheFallenOne]

"Very well. Wise August, please step back and let another seeking the confrontation blade to bl... flesh I guess, take your place." Steeling his lifeforce against the weakening powers of the dark horde with the strength of Asgard, he lifted his massive hammer and brought it down on the wooden door with all his might.

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use Sheltered Vitality
full PA door. Hardness 5, 10 HP per inch, AC ~5. Haste should still be active, though not for long
(1d20+8)[16] (2d6+12)[20]
(1d20+8)[9] (2d6+12)[21]
(1d20+3)[5] (2d6+12)[16]

[Mahrke]

Isaac is the sort to fancy himself a tactical genius...but having feet on the ground, and danger all about is a far cry from sitting down in a comfortable chair, casting gaze over a chessboard. This is no game...and while his mind races, he finds himself unable to suppose a course of action, fearful of the too-real consequences if he is proven wrong. Instead, he can only stand and watch as the door before them is broken, leaning heavily on his cane, grimacing, and shaking his head.

"Something isn't right..." He mumbles, the next phrase said with a bit more volume. "This course of action for them, it makes no sense. The casters seem possessed of human intellect."He winces, watching the hammer smash against the sturdy door. "Something else is afoot here."

That frown continues to crease his lips as he ponders, eyes darting to the cellar door as he tries to place himself in the shoes of this undead intelligence. It most likely desired the spread of the disease...why would it not attack? Even a modest wound had the chance of claiming another. Either it is protecting something time-sensitive, and seeking to delay them...or it is marshaling its forces in an attempt to field a stronger resistance against his admittedly effective companions.

[Jeff the Green]

As Aswin's hammer bursts through the door, you notice that all of the creatures, whether carrion or carrion feeders, are crowded by the door, no longer hampered by the darkness August summoned. They appear ready to attack, though T'riss and Drifa are nimble enough to act before they have a chance to.

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Drifa and T'riss are up in initiative before the baddies.

August, Isaac, and Arthros notice that the deathlock is gone, T'riss must make a DC 15 spot check or move to notice (the cabinet mostly blocks her view of where he was), Arya and Aswin have to move to notice it.

[TheFallenOne]

The splinters of wood had not yet settled on the cold floor when Drifa lunged forward, ripping and tearing into the zombie blocking the treshold.

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how much time have we left on the Haste?

(1d20+16)[17] (1d8+13)[16] trip - (1d20+12)[15]
(1d20+16)[34] (1d8+13)[17] trip - (1d20+12)[30]

AoOs
Drifa (1d20+16)[32] (1d8+13)[16] trip - (1d20+12)[23]
Aswin (1d20+9)[26] (2d6+13)[20]

[Fireheart]

"Blessed Lady...I think they were expecting something like this." T'riss shoots the crossbow at the closest dead thing. Then quickly clasps it to her belt. Grasping the sickle, she waits to see if the creatures try to exit the doorway.

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OOC:
(1d20+11)[19] +1 haste, +1 inspire courage
(1d4+2)[6] +1 inspired
(1d6)[6] truedeath crystal

spot check
(1d20+11)[31]

[Jeff the Green]

Drifa bites the closest corpse's head off, much to her distaste, and it falls with T'riss's bolt buried in its chest. One of the undead rodents leaps forward to take its place, and it and the former human to its left bite, claw, and batter at August.

Unable to reach you, the undead wait motionless in they entryway. The maggots seem displeased to be hemmed in, unable to reach warm meat, and try to jostle their way through to the door. The undead ignore them, but do not yield, and the loathesome insects are unable to come any closer.

Suddenly you see a flash of light from an upstairs window. The undead caster that had disappeared shows himself long enough to fire a bolt of magic toward you. It hits the ground between Aswin and Isaac. You feel a horrible wriggling feeling on your skin, as though thousands of maggots are crawling on you, and as you look down you see that that is the case: they are jet black and surrounded by an inky cloud. The larvae devour the magical wards surrounding you, and as they finish their meal they drop to the ground, burrowing down as though to begin a long hibernation.

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Z2: Open door, move to D3

Attack: (1d20+8)[22]
Damage: (1d6+6)[10] plus DC 13 disease

R3: Move to E2 (provoking AoO from T'riss), attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[25]
Damage: (1d4+1)[3] plus DC 13 disease

D1: Dispel Magic SLA, area centered on C-2/D-1 (rolls in OOC post)

Note: R3 has only 9 HP left. I just wanted to let you know so you could move in if someone managed to dispatch it. D1 is at G1 upstairs and has cover.

[Mahrke]

Isaac shivers at the sight of these magic-eating harbingers of rot. Features are stern as he looks up to the second floor of the house...he felt like he knew these creatures. They were more intelligent...used strategy...wielded magic. They had his strengths....and his weaknesses.

"Transposition." The word is said with cold calculation as he swirls his finger upwards in the air, seeking to displace the space that this undead caster occupied with his own.

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Standard Action: Transposition

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Cost: 1 pp, Psionic Focus
Augments: Psionic Endowment
Targets: Isaac and D1
Effect: If D1 fails a Will save (DC 21), he switches places with Isaac.

Move Action: Recover Psionic Focus.
Set Trigger for Immediate Action: If the Deathlock succeeds against Isaac's Transposition, and tries to cast on his turn, manifest Transposition again as an immediate action.

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Cost: 5 pp, Psionic Focus
Augments: Quicken, Psionic Endowment
Targets: Isaac and D1
Effect: If D1 fails a Will save (DC 23), he switched places with Isaac.

Haste: One round remains.

[Fireheart]

"OOOOH, yuck." T'riss squeaks as the maggots crawl over her. "That's....oh, gross."

When the undead creature suddenly appears in Isaac's place, she lets another yelp but then rushes toward it swinging the sickle at the creature.

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OOC: Move 10 ft to -2B, activating skirmish!, attack deathlock

(1d20+11)[29] +1 from haste, +1 inspire courage
(1d6+4)[7] sickle dmg, favored enemy
(2d6)[6] skirmish dmg

AC 23

HP 39/42

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya to, was surprised by the creatures appearance, but her well honed reactions kicked in, and even as Triss's sabre flashed, Arya's sword swung as well.

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Attack roll: (1d20+9)[11]
Damage: (2d6+1)[7]
Fire: (1d6)[1]
Truedeath: (1d6)[1]

(Also to note, the Deathlock counts as in difficult terrain due to Bulwark of defense)

[Jeff the Green]

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T'riss's attack fells the deathlock, though she moves last in the effective turn.

[Sallera]

Entering the house on his own, even with the warlock removed, seemed a risky course of action for the old teacher, but he seemed to be wherever he wanted to be; no doubt he could remove himself from danger again if need be. Leaving the displaced creature to his companions, August sends another ray of light at the nearest shade.

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As I said in my last couple posts, August is in C(-1). I believe Aswin was in C0, since he was breaking the door down, but we might have to reconsider that a bit.

Attack Z4. If no one was blocking the door and it moved out to C0 to attack, 5ft step to B(-2) first.
Ranged touch: (1d20+5)[17]
Damage: (4d6)[14]

[TheFallenOne]

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I should be able to attack the door diagonally from the position on the map methinks.

Only able to reach a single enemy, Aswin and Drifa attacked the creature viciously.

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Drifa
(1d20+15)[27] [roll]1d8+13[/roll trip - (1d20+12)[28]
(1d20+15)[30] [roll]1d8+13[/roll trip - (1d20+12)[22]

Aswin
(1d20+10)[29] (2d6+13)[21]
(1d20+10)[25] (2d6+13)[25]
(1d20+5)[25] (2d6+13)[21]


all on R3. I suppose if it goes down and there are leftover attacks I will attack the wall next to the door instead to maybe widen the playing field with time.

[Jeff the Green]

Though the shriveled caster is surprised by its sudden appearence on the street, it manages to ward off Arya's attacks. It falls rapidly, however, to T'riss's attacks. On its destruction, the undead creatures in the house shudder, and a number of them hiss or issue screams and rattles like a north wind rattling through an abandoned house. Drifa swiftly fells the rotting rat that was standing in the doorway, and Aswin batters at the building's masonry, exposing and cracking the support beams in the wall.

One of the zombies steps forward and slams into August, while a maggot manages to barge its way through to the door. It lunges at Aswin, its black jaws extending out of its body to bite off chunks of his flesh.

The other undead and maggot jostle each other, each trying to reach their prey, though with little success.

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Arthros: Mass Conviction
Z2: 5-foot step to C0, Attack August

Attack: (1d20+8)[18]
Damage: (1d6+6)[8] plus DC 13 disease

Z3: Move to C3
Z4: Move to D3
R2: Move to D1
R4: Move to D4
M1: Move to C1, attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+8)[21]
Damage: (1d8+2)[9] and DC 14 paralysis

Mahrke:

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You find yourself in a room, about fifteen feet on each side, with a single open doorway apparently leading to the hallway. It was, you imagine, a bedroom before it was abandoned, based on the pallet and mildewy pillows strewn about the room. A dresser stands in the corner, and atop it sit a hand mirror of burnished bronze and a ceramic doll.

[Sallera]

Batting away the shade's rush with a shadowy shield, August takes a step back, unceremoniously trodding upon the fallen warlock's hand. Raising the glass orb, he once again releases a ray of focused light into the chest of the creature opposite.

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5ft step to C-2, another charge from the Radiant Sphere at Z2.
Ranged touch: (1d20+6)[13]
Damage: (4d6+1)[18]

[Mahrke]

The professor revels in the minor victory inwardly. Didn't expect that, did you? Cheeky bastard. He moves to the sill, to watch the melee in the yard below...he could feel his magic waning, the strain of warped time easing its tug on his consciousness. His spell was departing, and he doesn't even bother contemplating its restoration; the undead's lack of a leader, and the group's superior tactical edge in having access to such a grand bottleneck would assure their victory.

He looks over his surroundings, moving deeper into the room, and removing his ancient silhouette from sight of his companions below. He approaches the door cautiously, looking beyond it, checking for any of the undead, before closing it as quietly as he can. He could do naught against any foe he found, after all...and if he attracted the angry horde's attentions....well, what chance did a frail old man stand against them in close combat?

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Looking around the room after closing the door, mainly to inspect the various drawers and what-have-you. We will stay in this room, in case his companions need him.

[TheFallenOne]

Tales of battle ringing through the street, Aswin and Drifa kept attacking the creatures streaming out of the battered door. Rotten flesh started tainting the pure white fur around the wolf's muzzle, but she still kept the assault up without hesitation, and Aswin continued pounding the wall to make way his his massive mount to enter the building.

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Drifa attacks Z2
(1d20+15)[30] (1d8+13)[21] trip - (1d20+12)[24]
(1d20+15)[16] (1d8+13)[16] trip - (1d20+12)[17]

Aswin attacks M1 until destroyed, then the wall
(1d20+10)[30] (2d6+13)[18]
(1d20+10)[30] (2d6+13)[21]
(1d20+5)[10] (2d6+13)[22]

AoOs for next turn
(1d20+10)[19] (2d6+13)[17]
(1d20+15)[21] (1d8+13)[21] trip - (1d20+12)[29]

[Fireheart]

T'riss grins fiercely as Arya and her attacks bring down the undead wizard.

"Now! Let them come and fight." She shouts as she runs back toward the door.

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(Moves to B0)

Activates skirmish

Attacks are on Z2 if it still stands, otherwise they go to M1 (if she can reach) or hold until whatever comes out.

(1d20+9)[17] +1 inspired courage
(1d6+4)[8] sickle + undead favored enemy
(2d6)[10] skirmish

AC 23

HP 39/42

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya, unable to join the fray due to the press of bodies, hovers on the dge fo the battle, alert and ready to fight.

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Delay for as long as possible (after baddies if necessary) to see if a space clears for her to attack from. If not, then she simply does nothing this turn. (But she does it in style...)

[Jeff the Green]

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Delay for as long as possible (after baddies if necessary) to see if a space clears for her to attack from. If not, then she simply does nothing this turn. (But she does it in style...)

There's space at C-1 since August moved out of it.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya darts forward, blade slicing into the zombie before her.

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Move to C -1 or C0 if that zombie is already (truly)dead.

Attack: (1d20+9)[10]
Damage: (2d6)[8]
Fire (1d6)[4]
Truedeath: (1d6)[1]

[Jeff the Green]

Arthros moves forward, positioning himself to cure any wounds might be inflicted upon his allies. August's ray disintegrates one of the corpse's arms, and while Arya's attacks continue to glance off the undead creatures' thickened skins, the other warriors strike more true. Aswin crushes the maggot like, well, a bug, and spatters all those around it with slime, ichor, and bits of flesh. The bits of the larva's flesh seem to be unaware of their dismemberment, and crawl and flop mindlessly whether they landed on the ground, a zombie, or one of you. Drifa savages and knocks a zombie to the ground, and before it can even attempt to rise T'riss is on it like a panther, neatly severing its head and causing it to go limp.

Much hampered by the throng of undead, only two creatures, both corpse rats, are able to move forward to attack. One takes advantage of Arthros's open position to savage him, while the other lunges at T'riss with its yellowed fangs.

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Arthros: Move to B-1, ready action to cast cure minor wounds on Arya or T'riss if they are injured. Cast defensively DC 15 (1d20+11)[13]
Z4: Move to D2
R2: 5-foot step to C0, attack Arthros

Attack: (1d20+8)[14]
Damage: (1d4+1)[5] plus DC 13 disease

R4: Move to D3
R3: 5-foot step to C1, attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[18]
Damage: (1d4+1)[2] plus DC 13 disease

M2: Move to D1

Mahrke:

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There are clothes in the drawers, mostly belonging to a young girl of perhaps 8 or 9 years of age. They're all brightly colored, and range from the frilly and uncomfortable frock you expect was worn to church or similar occasions to simple smocks smeared with grass, mud, and food stains.

[Fireheart]

Ewwwwww! T'riss squeals. "Light!" she says followed by a string of words in her maiden tongue. You feel quite certain that they are not words meant for polite company.

"Yuck. Yuck. Yuck." She continues, punctuating each word with a swipe at the rat attacking her.

OOC:

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(1d20+9)[22] +1 inspired
(1d6)[3]

[Sallera]

"They shall fall soon enough. Let not their flesh bother you." Tossing the orb in the air, August catches it with arm straight up, releasing the last of its light in a lance overtop the heads of the melee before him.

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Sphere at Z4 (really, this time.)
Ranged touch: (1d20+6)[16]
Damage: (4d6+1)[20]

[Mahrke]

Isaac continues to take no action in the upstairs room; his companions were doing as well as he expected, and there was no need to tax his powers so soon in the day.

[TheFallenOne]

The feeling of everything around him moving preternaturally slow faded, but still Aswin pulled his arm back for another swing, now aiming to crush the bodies of the feculent rats taking the place of the previously disposed creatures. He aimed another strike at the remains of the wall, feeling close to breaking through.

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Drifa attacks R2
(1d20+15)[34] (1d8+13)[15] trip - (1d20+12)[30]

Aswin attacks R5 and wall
(1d20+9)[10] (2d6+13)[24]
(1d20+3)[18] (2d6+13)[20]