Mazzy frowns and shakes her head. She attempts to pat Minsc on the arm, but can only reach his thigh.
"I fear this one knows nothing to help us find Strahd or Boo. Let us return to Monty's hidden door, and with Arvoreen's luck perhaps we will find something useful."
Okay, you return to the hidden door. Once Montaron determines it is free of traps, he opens it, setting off a light shower of dirt and dust. Most of it splatters on the floor, but some of it drifts free in the air. Beyond, you see an east-west running corridor pierced with arrow loops overlooking the entrance to the castle and front courtyard. A cold wind blows through the loops, making a low moaning noise. To the east, twenty feet of corridor lead to circular stairs leading up and down. To the west, 40' of corridor lead to a larger area, and a corridor after 30' running north.
Finishing the song about the erne and the duckling, Garrick start a new one, it seems to be a more contemporary song about a catfolk illusionist named Mistoffelees.
Okay, you take the stairway up. Partway along, you find Boo. He seems irritated at your slowness. You can feel and hear the wind blowing at you as you continue to climb. 40' up, you find yourselves coming out onto an exposed walkway near the top of the main castle building. It is drizzling, and the stones are wet and splattered. There is a wall pierced by crenellations that leads straight down to the stones 90' below, except for a 10' opening at the western side of the castle. The walkway runs around the outside of the castle. To the north, the stones are pierced by windows, allowing those inside to see out. The windows are dark. The walkway continues around the edge of the castle, with a guard tower at the front of the castle, the walls pierced with Arrow Slits. There are three windows you can see, and none of them appear openable from this side, unless you break the glass.
"I think it's time for some spellcasting before we proceed." Garrick removes his armor and cast Infravision on Skie and then strength on Montaron. He replace his chain mail and turn to Mazzy. "What's the plan?"
The window splinters into shards at the first blow, making a very loud noise. After breaking the extra shards from the bottom of the window, you can climb inside. This room is 30' east-west and 40' north-south. There is a single door in each wall except for the south, where you have entered through the window. Heavy curtains shroud the window, each layered in a thick coat of dust. The entire room is layered in it, along with the huge oak dining table, laid out with rich silk tablecloths, the finest of china, crystal goblets, and silver serving and eating ware. The center of the table holds a tiered wedding cake, formerly white, now covered in a thick layer of dust. A single female figure adorns the top of the cake.
"Alora would be thrilled to see this cake. It's bigger than she was. She would jump in and devour it all in one sitting... Then have three days of diarrhea from what is possibly centuries old dairy frosting."
"Skie..right? Could you and Monty check the two doors in here for traps?"
Mazzy pauses at the cake again, before nodding her head, reaching up and taking the figure from its top. She slips the figure into her pack as she starts to search the room.
She glances over her shoulder at Irina. "What is strange?"
Mazzy removes the figure and turns it over in her hands.
"My guess is that it is Strahds cake. Something must have happened to this girl."
Mazzy tosses the small figure to Irina.
"This could well be a clue as to how Strahd became the monster he is now. It matters not, we must destroy him, and tend to the living. Let ghosts remain in the past."
"But why would a vampire want or need a wedding cake?" Irina asked. She looked down, then bent and picked up something off the floor. It was a male figure, covered in dust like everything else.
Montaron glares at Skie. "sleep lightly, Taskmaster." he murmurs before checking the doors for traps, as well as searching the room for traps and secret doors
Oops. Garrick just remembered that Xzar had a pair of bracers (7 ac) from Alora and a necklace of missiles from Edwin. Hope they are still there once we return.
"Mazzy, you should know that I have a scroll of continual light here. We can cast it on a stone or an arrow, or maybe your shield, but it might ruin our efforts of future stealth (and it will also make it harder to sleep). So far I've decided against using it."
Comments
"I fear this one knows nothing to help us find Strahd or Boo. Let us return to Monty's hidden door, and with Arvoreen's luck perhaps we will find something useful."
"Let us take the stairwell up. We must make haste, as every second could bring the girls end."
He eventually decides not too, though as he follows the group, his eyes return to the rope as they leave.
"I think we should break these windows and have a look inside. Can anyone cast light?"
Mazzy moves to the first window and attempts to break it with the hilt of her sword.
"Skie..right? Could you and Monty check the two doors in here for traps?"
Mazzy pauses at the cake again, before nodding her head, reaching up and taking the figure from its top. She slips the figure into her pack as she starts to search the room.
She glances over her shoulder at Irina.
"What is strange?"
"This cake," Irina says. "Who was it for? Why is there no man on it?"
"My guess is that it is Strahds cake. Something must have happened to this girl."
Mazzy tosses the small figure to Irina.
"This could well be a clue as to how Strahd became the monster he is now. It matters not, we must destroy him, and tend to the living. Let ghosts remain in the past."
"Mazzy, you should know that I have a scroll of continual light here. We can cast it on a stone or an arrow, or maybe your shield, but it might ruin our efforts of future stealth (and it will also make it harder to sleep). So far I've decided against using it."
"Perhaps he was not always the villain that you have met. Monsters are made, as well as born."
Mazzy then turns her attention to Garrick, after a quick nod to Montaron. She thinks over his words.
"Let us hold out on casting it for now, I think torches would be wiser. I have heard rumor that some undead fear flame, let us hope it is true."
(OOC: Do we have oil or something? I'm assuming one of us has firestarting capabilities of some sort)