Expedition to Castle Ravenloft IC 2

[stack]

"Even the lesser undead can be troublesome, I prefer to remove them quickly."

[Kish]

You climb up to another landing. To your north and west is a simple wooden door; to your north and east a short stair ascends to yet another landing.

Spoiler: OOC

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Map; the stairs you just reached the top of are at E15 in the Spires of Ravenloft. Let me know if my map is unclear.

(Gallard's sword: Not glowing.)

[stack]

Brom waves the group ahead, through the wooden door.

[Vetril]

Gallard and Jonnel approach the door, ready for anything. The two stand next to it, signaling the others to stay silent for a moment. If the two hear nothing, Gallard steps up to slowly open the door, revealing what lays beyond; otherwise, they point out any sound to the others.

Spoiler

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Gallard and Jonnel move up to the door, then try to listen for any noise coming from the room ahead.

Gallard - Listen check: (1d20+1)[6].

Jonnel - Listen check: (1d20)[4].

[Kish]

Spoiler

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You hear nothing.

A low ceiling, supported by heavy beams, presses down on this room. The west wall curves with the outer shell of the tower and is fitted with three windows of leaded glass in steel latticework. Plush overstuffed chairs and couches sit invitingly near the bookcases that line the wall between the two doors.

Spoiler

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Map; you're in room 23.

(Gallard's sword: Not glowing.)

[neoseph7]

Ivyn Nadirna

This is a library. It may have magical writings we can use, scrolls. Id like to search if you don't mind the delay.

Unless the party decides otherwise, Ivyn will cast detect magic and search the room to the best of his abilities for magical items.

[Ionbound]

Elena walks into the room and says, "Hmm...This is the right tower? I can't help but feel that we would have seen some sign of this demon's presence before now..."

[Kish]

"It's probably further up, if we're in the right area," Ireena says.

Spoiler: Detect Magic

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Ivyn detects a moderate (equivalent to a level 4-6 spell) evocation aura from one of the bookshelves. He quickly determines that rather than from any of the immediately visible books, it's coming from a book that's sideways behind the other books on the lowest shelf. The book that radiates magic is small and bound in black leather.

[neoseph7]

Ivyn Nadirna

Assuming holding the book doesn't have any ill effects, Ivyn will hold it up and inspect the outer cover. Gallard: Does this seem particularly evil to you? More so than would be usual for this castle?

Assuming it isn't utterly evil, Ivyn will open the book and peer through the pages.

Spoiler

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Knowledge is power: taking ten on spellcraft, arcana, planes, religion for 27's.

[Kish]

Spoiler: Detect Evil

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The book shows no sign of evil.

Ivyn opens the book and looks through it. It's written in Infernal.

Spoiler: Infernal

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Oddly, the book seems to be a perfectly nonmagical journal kept by someone named Khyristrix who has small, neat handwriting. The last few pages of it read as follows:

13 Fireseek

Ivliskova was up here again yesterday, looking at my garden with naked covetousness and asking questions about the Dayheart that Strahd’s asked me not to answer for anyone. Her presumption of friendship is transparent and annoying, and she deflects being told “We are not friends and I’m not going to tell you anything” by acting like she thinks it’s a joke. Still, she happened to mention while she was trying to chat me up that Strahd has a plan to bring the werewolves of the forest under his direct control. This…could be something to be concerned about; if Strahd plans on shifting how he relates to those he’s allowed autonomy thus far, he’ll probably get to me soon. Assuming Ivliskova didn’t make it up out of whole cloth, of course—but it’s too dangerous a possibility to risk ignoring. Ugh, it is so frustrating to know I’m being manipulated and still see no choice but to do what she wants me to do. Will talk to the Necromancer.

20 Fireseek

The Necromancer and I agreed on a contingency plan. She’s far more reliable than Ivliskova; if we did wind up destroying Strahd together she’d certainly try to bind me immediately afterward, but she doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what she is. Anyway, we’re both going to arrange to have special magic items imported. Must be secretive; Strahd would likely attack us immediately if he knew about these.

23 Fireseek

The Necromancer told me that her informant in the village, a shopkeeper, seems to have disappeared. Unlikely to relate directly to Strahd. Anyway, her problem, not mine.

24 Fireseek

My mace has arrived; as far as my magics can detect it’s everything I was promised, though it feels strange to be carrying a silver weapon—like a story I once heard of a warlord who made himself invulnerable to everything but a fiery burst sword and then fought on the front lines of all his battles with a fiery burst sword until, inevitably, someone disarmed him and used his own sword to kill him. The Necromancer now has a ring that she claims should make her immune to all Strahd’s magic. Even if it does everything she says it does, I don’t know what she thinks will protect her from Strahd simply draining her blood. But regardless, we’re as prepared as we reasonably can be.

Spoiler: OOC

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Note that the current date is the 25th of Fireseek.

[stack]

"Can you discern anything of note?" Brom inquires.

[neoseph7]

Ivyn Nadirna

I can... actually. It's a journal written by the devil Khyristrix that tends to the garden. It seems he too is concerned with Strahd. Ivyn will quietly relate the findings to the rest of the party. I'd be on the lookout for this mace. It could prove useful. I'd say something similar about establishing a better rapport than "slash upon contact" with the fiend, but that's realistically not going to happen. Ivyn gives a scowl of disapproval in Gallard's direction with that last comment.

I also haven't found anything useful with magic detection, leading me to believe that this tome is trapped with a spell. Honestly I'm surprised it hasn't triggered...

Spoiler

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That seems like an appropriate place to end my train of thought. I can edit if needed.

[Ionbound]

Elena nods and says, "Perhaps it's like the Icon we found. It will only trigger when someone truly good touches it. So...Let's just leave it for now. There's no need to take the inner thoughts of a creature of evil with us."

[Vetril]

Gallard seems untouched by Ivyn's gaze. He eyes the books for a while, trying to get a feeling of what kind of man collected the tomes.
Jonnel, on the other hand, stares back at the gnome.

"Are you sure it is not a ruse? I would not trust a devil. Furthermore, what does such a creature need a journal for?"

The nobleman interjects.

"His motivations are mostly irrelevant to us. It is evil incarnate, and it must be vanquished. We shall find out soon enough if the information can be used to deal with the Count."

[Kish]

Ireena laughs. "It seems sending Bildrath away was a good idea. If the devil's journal is here, presumably the devil is nearby."

[stack]

"Further up, then, an be ready for...well a slightly different sort of evil than the evil we have been ready for already. Ready?"

Spoiler

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onward and upward!

[Kish]

The king-sized canopy bed in this chamber is veiled in black with gold tassels. Two overstuffed chairs flank a small table, upon which sits a decorative lamp. A closed door inscribed with decorative floral carvings occupies the east wall. Behind the door, you find a closet.

Spoiler

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Map; this is room 24.

(Gallard's sword: Not glowing.)

[stack]

Brom pauses, the relative comfort of the room off-putting given the setting. "Well, this is truly a wretched hive of darkness and evil. I suppose it may be a trick to hide some deadly trap." He shrugs, then opens the closet.

[Kish]

The closet is empty.

[stack]

Brom turns away, almost disappointed at the anticlimax. "I guess we search the room to be thorough, then move on."

Spoiler

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figure we all take ten, then go back and head up the stairs at F15

[Ionbound]

Elena nods and says, "Sounds entirely reasonable."

Spoiler: OOC

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Taking 10 on Search for a...9...

[Kish]

Spending 30 seconds to quickly look around the room (one round per square), none of you find anything hidden.

[stack]

(Up to 22, door E2)

[Kish]

Torn and broken couches are arranged neatly about the room, despite the poor upkeep of the place. Deep claw marks score the hardwood furniture; the once lush upholstery is in shreds.

Spoiler: OOC

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Map. You are in Room 25.

(Gallard's sword: Not glowing.)

[Ionbound]

Elena raises an eyebrow as she surveys the wreckage and says, "Huh...I wonder what happened here?"

[stack]

"in honesty, it is less unsettling than the undisturbed room. Let us take a quick look and continue."

Spoiler

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take 10 and head for the door D7

[Vetril]

Gallard moves to examine the scratches in the furniture. "Let's see", he simply says, looking for any sign that might help him to determine how recent the damage is.

Jonnel picks up one of the pieces of the shredded upholstery.

"Do you think it was the werewolves? I figured that if they tried to kill the Count, they might have tried to invade the castle."

"Who knows? Maybe it was the demon. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else decided to raise against Strahd."

"Either that, or they clearly did not like the Count's taste - at least for furniture."

Gallard lets out a small laugh.

[Kish]

As you move into the room, behind you, from out of nowhere, a thin white cat appears, its eyes glowing green. It hisses, "Your companions--they've all been subverted by Strahd! Kill them quick!"

Before you can react to the cat's words, a short old man's head pops up from behind the western couch and he launches a glowing blue-green sling bullet squarely at Jonnel. (5 damage to Jonnel.) Two more cats appear, one standing on the back of the hardwood chair to your right. They hiss, "They're more of a threat to you than anyone else here," and, "You cannot trust them."

Spoiler

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Gallard needs to make three DC 15 Will saves. If he fails the first, he believes that the rest of the party has been subverted by Strahd. If he fails the second, he believes that the greatest threat in this room comes from the rest of the party. If he fails the third, he believes that he cannot trust the rest of the party.
Attack roll: (1d20+4)[20]
Damage: (1d6+3)[5]
Map.

(Gallard's sword: Not glowing.)

PCs' turn.

[stack]

Brom summons a floating weapon to attack the obviously hostile felines. "They are spellcasters, be careful of them."

Spoiler

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spiritual weapon in C2 attacking C3
att (1d20+10)[24]
damage (1d8+2)[3]

[Ionbound]

Elena rushes towards the couch, aiming to gank the slinger before he can cause any more damage as she shouts, "Behind the couch! One more hostile!"

Spoiler: OOC

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Charge! Attack the man behind the couch!

(1d20+11)[28]
(1d8+3)[5]