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

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Though as yet weakened by the creature's malign magic, Arya continued to fight, instead using her agility and speed to fight her more cumbersome foes.

Spoiler

Show

Attack R2, if it is dead, move forward one space and attack R5.

Attack roll: (1d20+9)[17]
Damage: (2d6)[8]
Fire: (1d6)[4]
Truedeath: (1d6)[5]

[Jeff the Green]

The battle has stalled. Despite your hits none of the enemies fall, and the same ones attack their targets again.

Spoiler

Show

Arthros: Ready action to cast cure minor wounds on Arya or T'riss if they are injured. Cast defensively DC 15 (1d20+11)[12]
R2: Attack Arthros

Attack: (1d20+8)[9]
Damage: (1d4+1)[2] plus DC 13 disease

R3: Attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[15]
Damage: (1d4+1)[3] plus DC 13 disease

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya continues to fight, again slicing at her foe two handed, but this time drawing on her teaching to cause the blade to burn brightly: she would make sure this blow felled her foe.

Spoiler

Show

Burning Blade.

Attack roll: (1d20+9)[19]
Damage (2d6)[3]
Fire (2d6+4)[10]
truedeath (1d6)[4]

[TheFallenOne]

Spoiler

Show

R2 should be tripped though with a roll of 30, so AoOs
(1d20+15)[32] (1d8+13)[18]
(1d20+9)[10] (2d6+13)[17]

The taste of the corpse rat's flesh was only a marginal improvement over the rot of the zombies, but still Drifa didn't hesitate, closing her massive jaw around the skull of the rat to crush it like a rotten egg. Aswin was still determined to bring the wall down, seeing that the rats posed little threat to his companions.

Spoiler

Show

Drifa attacks R5
(1d20+15)[19] (1d8+13)[21] trip - (1d20+12)[25]

Aswin the wall
(1d20+9)[18] (2d6+13)[21]
(1d20+3)[16] (2d6+13)[20]

[Fireheart]

T'riss continues to wield the sickle at the rats, and hoping that Aswin's attempts to bring down the wall soon yield fruit.

OOC:

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+9)[14] +1 inspired
(1d6+4)[9] +undead bonus

[Sallera]

The last of the light from August's orb lances through the mist, striking the shade in an attempt to bring it down before it could close with the others and pose a more noticeable threat.

Spoiler

Show

At Z4.
Ranged touch: (1d20+6)[12]
Damage: (4d6+1)[11]

[Mahrke]

As the battle continue to rage beneath his feat, Isaac frowns, and, slowly, decides to try to be of use. He quietly opens the door to the room, and looks around, before moving beyond the safety granted, searching for either another upstairs room, or the stairs.

[Jeff the Green]

The two skeletal rats fall, and are replaced by the remaining maggot and the humanoid corpse August had damaged with his blasts of light. They attack Arya and T'riss mindlessly, intent on obtaining their gruesome meals

The wall Aswin has been hammering at is nearly collapsed, but attacking through it remains impossible.

Spoiler

Show

Arthros: Ready action to cast cure minor wounds on Arya or T'riss if they are injured. Cast defensively DC 15 (1d20+11)[25]
Z3: Move to D2
Z4: 5-foot step to C1, attack T'riss

Attack: (1d20+8)[11]
Damage: (1d6+6)[10] plus DC 13 disease

R4: Move to D1
M2: 5-foot step to C0, attack Arya

Attack: (1d20+8)[14]
Damage: (1d8+2)[6] plus DC 14 paralysis

Mahrke:

Spoiler

Show

The door of the room opens into a hallway that stretches south (down on the battle map), at the end of which is a staircase, which will end at F10.

[Sallera]

"We make good progress. The last of these shall fall soon." Briefly touching the raven around his neck, August lets one of his hands flicker with the simple absence of light, the orb beginning to glow again as its emptiness is drawn away.

Spoiler

Show

Recharging the Radiant Sphere with a use of Black Candle.

[Mahrke]

Isaac cautiously approaches the stairway, and looks down it, trying to get a better vantage of the room, and trying to find out if there are any unforseen obstacles, other than the zombies, rats, and maggots that have proven to be manageable.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya continues to strike at her foes: her frustration at her weakness and at making such basic mistakes fuelling each strike.

Spoiler

Show

Attack M2 (1d20+9)[21]
Damage: (2d6)[9]
Fire (1d6)[1]
Truedeath (1d6)[6]

[TheFallenOne]

Drifa yanks on the leg of the advancing zombie, while Aswin raises his hammer to the sky. The weapon stays in place for a moment, and the Norseman's song of mighty gods and brave heroes seems to resonate within the pale gold metal of the hammerhead. Crying "Perish, thou impure being!" he brings the hammer down in a crushing blow.

Spoiler

Show

Drifa attacks Z4
(1d20+15)[31] (1d8+13)[14] trip - (1d20+12)[18]

Aswin
Smite Z4, ignore first 6 DR
(1d20+12)[24] (2d6+19)[24]
secondary on maggot
(1d20+3)[13] (2d6+13)[17]

[Jeff the Green]

Drifa and Arya savage the zombie, and it finally bursts into dust as Aswin brings his god's power to bear on it, but misses the giant larva on the upswing. T'riss attacks the maggot, and then quickly steps back to prepare for her next attack.

A corpse rat leaps in to replace the fallen zombie and attacks Aswin atop his wolf companion, while the maggot lunges at Arthros, its ichor and mucus covering him.

Spoiler

Show

Arthros: Ready action to cast cure minor wounds on Arya or T'riss if they are injured. Cast defensively DC 15 (1d20+11)[23]
T'riss: Attack M2, move to A-2

Attack: (1d20+9)[18]
Damage: (1d6)[5]

R6: Move to C1, attack Aswin

Attack: (1d20+8)[26]
Damage: (1d4+1)[3] plus DC 13 disease

M2: Attack Arya

Attack: (1d20+8)[17]
Damage: (1d8+2)[7] plus DC 14 paralysis

AoO on T'riss:

Attack: (1d20+8)[19]
Damage: (1d8+2)[3] plus DC 14 paralysis

Mahrke:

Spoiler

Show

There do not seem to be any creatures, alive or undead, in the way, and you can come down the stairs to appear at F10 if you so wish.

[Sallera]

"Hop aside a bit and make room, if you would." So saying, August unsheathes his battered longsword, moving into the gap and attempting to slice open the maggot's jaw.

Spoiler

Show

I propose a reshuffling! Because I'm running out of charges, and there aren't enough enemies left to justify blasting them. So if Arthros moves to B-2, Arya to B-1, and T'riss to C-1, everyone'll still be in range of what they were before.

August moves to B0 and attacks M2.
Attack: (1d20+3)[4]
Damage: (1d8)[5]

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Hearing the near silent scrape of August's blade sliding free from it's scabbard, Arya instinctively darts forward before August even need pose his question. She darts easily under her foe's guard and comes up to strike it a brutal blow.

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+9)[20]
damage (2d6)[5]
Fire (1d6)[4]
Truedeath (1d6)[5]

Edit:

Spoiler

Show

Move to B-1

[Mahrke]

The professor will remain upstairs. After all, prudence demands that, though a small part of him might envy the bravery and adventurous spirits that his companions possess, he need keep himself well away from hard; a frail frame doesn't do so well being nibbled on.

[TheFallenOne]

Aswin gave up his attempts on the wall, seeing that the swarm attacking them was soon to be wiped out anyway. The rat caused a minor wound on him, but the filth was immediately cleansed from his body by the divine power flowing through him, and his retalatory strike came down hard and fast.

Spoiler

Show

Drifa attacks R6
(1d20+15)[18] (1d8+13)[20] trip - (1d20+12)[22]

Aswin
Maggot, if down rat
(1d20+12)[24] (2d6+10)[16]
(1d20+7)[15] (2d6+10)[19]

[Fireheart]

As her companions move to get better leverage, it suddenly leaves T'riss an opening at the maggot. She runs forward wieldling the sickle in her hand and slices into the foul creature.

Spoiler

Show

OOC:
Skirmish activated by move to C-1

(1d20+8)[17]
(1d6+4)[7] +4 vs undead
(2d6)[10] skirmish

"Tis bad enough that these creatures are abominations but must they be so bloody persistant in death!"

[Jeff the Green]

The maggot and rat that have been attacking you fall rapidly, with Arya's blade mercifully cauterizing the wounds it inflicts to the maggot before it can burst and spew its vile fluids on you like its compatriot. The single remaining human zombie rushes out and manages to get one attack in on T'riss before it is likewise taken down, and the final rat barely makes it out the door before it is destroyed by Aswin's hammer and Drifa's teeth.

Mahrke:

Spoiler

Show

As you come down the stairs, you see an old, but solidly made longbow hanging on a rack on the back wall and quiver of arrows beside it. V35-P3R identifies it as a +1 Bane longbow. The Bane property affects creatures with the Shapechanger subtype and those in a form not their own (e.g. wildshape, polymorph, alternate form), rather than a type. There are (1d10+10)[15] arrows in the quiver, all of which are alchemical silver.

Spoiler

Show

Zombie's attack on T'riss: (1d20+8)[28] (1d8+4)[5] plus DC 13 disease.

You also find two mundane shortbows, (1d20+20)[35] mundane arrows, three vials of holy water, and four vials of quicksilver (CA)

[Sallera]

Sheathing his still unbloodied blade, August lightly steps around the pile of corpses to get a better look inside. "Let us hope that was all, for now. We should seek the lower floor, and find what drew the shades to this place. At the least, we will find nothing, and we can rescue Nicolae and return."

The orb's light chases away the shadows inside the house, although August's eyes peer into the furthest corners without difficulty. Exploring each room as he comes to it, he searches for any way down into the basement, hidden or otherwise.

Spoiler

Show

Search, if necessary: (1d20+3)[15]

[TheFallenOne]

"That was a good fight", Aswin said, dismounting from Drifa and stepping through the door. "And while I admire your courage of stepping into melee as well, maybe we need to give you some lessons on using that sword of yours, haha." His big hand patted August on the back with a thump.

Spoiler

Show

what, thought you'd get away with shuffling everyone so you can attack, then rolling nothing but a natural 1?

[Sallera]

"Ha, certainly, it is not my usual way of solving problems. I have rarely faced threats this numerous and persistent. I would not turn down the instruction; perhaps once we have discovered what we can beneath the church?"

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Arya ignores the banter of the humans and stalks inside the house, searching for Isaac, but prepared for any sign of danger.

Spoiler

Show

Listen: (1d20+6)[20]
Spot: (1d20+2)[12]
Move Silently: (1d20+8)[23]

[TheFallenOne]

"Sure, a bit of sparring will do you good, and I think that stance you used doesn't go well with a swing like that", Aswin answered with a smile. "I'll show you some things, and in exchange I'd like to hear more of your tales over meat and mead, maybe I'll make a song of it." He paused a moment, frowing. "Please tell me your place has mead, I pity you if not.
Come to think of it, please tell me this place has mead." He seemed genuinely unsettled by the possibility this might not be the case.

[Mahrke]

Isaac is near the back of the room, and his presence is immediately noticeable by the rather loud and unceremonious sound of his floating companion announcing its find.

"Magical anomaly found! Scanning. Entry located."
There is a brief pause before the thing continues.
"The Dopplebane enchantment, a method first brought to light by famed shamanism practitioner Gustaf Hinterwald, is effective against most shapeshifting entities. Weapons, such as this yew and sinew standard longbow are gifted with the ability to inflict grievous wounds on creatures such as lycanthropes, dopplegangers, and mages utilizing polymorph-school effects."

The professor gingerly picks up the bow, plucking on the string a bit, before gathering the quiver of arrows, and walking out to the main room of the house. He looks perplexed.

"Don't you think it odd, that someone in this place would leave behind such a potent weapon? Or, more particularly, would leave without these silver-tipped arrows? There isn't even a sign of a struggle...they were simply hung up on the back wall."

Then again, the professor's working theory indicated that this began, not as a traditional monstrous attack, but something more silent and subtle. A bow was of no use against microbes.

[Fireheart]

T'riss sheathes the sickle and loads her crossbow before heading into the building behind the others.

Keeping an eye on the open door behind them, she follows the others as they search for a basement or cellar entrance.

At Isaac's questions, she looks up at the bow and arrows as he brings them around to meet them.

"Perhaps, they did not leave? Is is possible that the wielder of the bow was one of the zombies we killed? Or perhaps one of the ones we hope to find hiding in the cellar?"

She gives him a fleeting grin. "That ability to switch places with yourself and the enemy is quite useful. Placing the caster in the midst of our blades was quite detrimental to its well-being. Good thinking, Elder."

[Mahrke]

Isaac bows his head and gives a warm smile.

"My tricks are for naught without such fine warriors as friends. Thank you, though." He sets the bow and quiver down on the nearest table, or other flat surface, before hobbling around the building, taking some time to inspect the various features. "I do hope that, if any fled to the cellar, they find themselves well." He peers down at the corpse of one of the zombies, examining it closely. "I bet this chap'd have a tale to tell under the microscope. If we find any phials, I should like to collect a sample for experimentation."

[Fireheart]

T'riss blinks rapidly and rubs her eyes.

"Vials, for experimentation? What are you planning to test? Is that safe? We still don't know how the curse is carried?"

Even as she speaks, T'riss continues to watch the entrance to the house; her bow at ready.

[Mahrke]

The old man pushes his spectacles further up onto the bridge of hise nose, shaking his head. "That's precisely it. We -don't- know how it is carried, and I want to find out. Moreso, if this plague's infectious agent is a traditional sort, I might be able to treat the blasted thing. If I can isolate how the disease is transmitted, maybe through controlled infection of some local fauna, we can take further precautions against being stricken ourselves."

[Jeff the Green]

Sallera:

Spoiler

Show

As August steps into rooms furthest from the front of the house—a kitchen and dining area—he immediately notices a trap door in the floor.