"My master is Lord Strahd," Cyrus says. "He is lord of these lands and lord of the Castle. Son of Barov and Ravenovis… It is his right to rule."
Irina, who has been listening to this, makes a quiet motion with her lips. It's enough to draw Cyrus' attention, and he smiles at her in a fawning way. "The mistress!" he says, happily. "I have been visited by her. My life can end happily… they said she was dead- but they lied to me!"
Minsc decides the little one has been gone to long, and he's getting worried. With axe in hand he motions for someone to go with him. Then he tracks Alora's movements.
Alora is going to retrace her steps and so will probably bump into Minsc. She doesn't know which way we should all go now. We keep coming to sets up stairs (and a lift that takes us right up to the top of the castle). Do we want to stay on this level or do we want to go upstairs? I'm a bit lost.
Quayle shakes his head as the effects of the cloud wear off. He stands up, goes over to Cyrus, and asks him how long he has been waiting for the mistress's return. He would also like to ask what happened to his leg.
Alora goes back into the kitchen. She doesn't want to talk to Cyrus because she thinks he is creepy (but if he mentions treasure in her hearing she will go and talk to him about it).
While the others are gathered around the cook she will go over to the door to the north, listen, check for traps, unlock it and look through the keyhole if there is one.
If she finds nothing untoward she will open the door.
Once more the room is untrapped and unlocked. She hears nothing within. She can see nothing through the keyhole, but a gray dimness. This 30' by 30' room is empty of monsters, but has more destroyed furniture within, all clumped near the walls. It also holds old and shattered bones clad in broken plate armor (non-salvageable, before anyone asks). Many weapons and shields are stuck deep into the wooden-paneled walls, most bent missing chunks or rusted. A few are missing hilt and crossguard. Whatever force drove them into the walls, it must have been tremendous. There is a door across from the one you entered from. There is also a dark archway on the eastern wall.
Alora walks into the room and edges towards the dark archway. When she gets there she peeps round the corner into the gloom - ready to flee screaming in terror if she sees anything nasty.
It leads to a 20' long passageway with 10' alcoves/rooms on either side. At the end of the passageway, dark stairs lead upwards. There isn't as much dust here, not allowing you to tell if they are well-used or not. Growing on the ceiling is more sickly yellow lichen, just like in the passageway you passed up on the other side of the hall.
Alora doesn't like the look of the lichen. Someone else can explore if they want but she's not going to. Instead she will head across the room to the door, go through the usual check, listen and look routine, and then, if she finds nothing, will open it.
You hear and see nothing, and the door is not locked or trapped. When you open the door, you see a shadowy room in perfect order. To one side is a cot, covered with a perfectly-made sheet and blanket, the top pulled taut and straight. To the other side, a heavy table stands with a chair, inkwell and quill perfectly in place. Lances and swords are hung on the walls in perfectly straight, set lines.
Alora is nervous about going into this room. Why would someone have a neat and tidy room like this in such a decayed part of the castle?
Before going in, Alora shines her lantern around to see if there is anything lurking in the shadows. If she doesn't see anything she will bang an iron spike under the door to make sure it can't bang shut, then she will go in, checking for traps as she goes. She is very wary of the weapons on the wall and is worried that they might start flying about attacking people (like they appear to have done in the other rooms down here). So if any of them starts to move she will high tail it out of here.
She will study the desk and see if there are any drawers or any writing paper. She will also check under the bed.
Finally, assuming the weapons haven't attacked her, she will study them to see if any of them look particularly shiny.
Alora shines her lantern in but sees nothing. She finds no traps in the room, but when she checks inside the desk, something dark with burning red eyes comes rushing out at her, and she can't slam the drawer shut fast enough to prevent it. She is suddenly facing a creature that looms over her. Her light goes out, shutting the room in absolute darkness. And she has a feeling that while it can see perfectly well, she is blind.
The others see the room plunged into impenetrable darkness.
Jaheira will run to the door, holding her spear high so that she doesn't risk hurting Alora. "This way child!" She will also try to use her infravision.
Alora trips over something in the darkness and falls flat on her face. She is suddenly seized with great fear that makes her wet herself. So is the rest of the party, with the exception of Xan (I kid you not- he's the only one who made his save! How's that for ironic?) Keldorn manages to shrug it off after a few moments of leg-shaking terror. Alora feels a clawing pain in her back (literally) and takes 10 points of damage.
EDIT remove fear anyone? Failing that, a dispel from Keldorn would be nice.
Quayle thinks bravely that there was only one of whatever that was, and it seems to be busy with Alora, so a small amount of discreet help may be in order. Turn undead would be favourite.
Does Quayle have a lantern? If so he will light his lantern once the fear wears off. He will then start turning undead (with the two items this should be at level 9?), and enter the room. He will immediately move to the left to allow others to charge in and do heroic stuff. If the lantern doesn't work he will also attempt infravision. Can he do all of that in one round? Does he have unlimited turn undeads?
Okay, the Lantern doesn't help, and neither does the Turning Undead. You can cast a spell, but it will be a few rounds for your own fear to wear off first.
"RUuuuuuuun" screams Imoen, running away in fear, when the fear ends, she will use her plain arrows against the shadows, and if they are unaffected by them, she will try to Hide in Shadows and backstab one of them, with a previous run to be able to Hide in Shadows.
OOC: If nobody knew, I am looking what is happening here all the time, Crevs sees all, know that, and keep role-playing.
We could wait for somebody to cast a light spell, or try to run blind. Imoen will not move, to avoid falling/crushing over things/getting hurt in the dark. And if she can see well, she will try to...no, she will stay there, and she will try to get safe-r.
Comments
Irina, who has been listening to this, makes a quiet motion with her lips. It's enough to draw Cyrus' attention, and he smiles at her in a fawning way. "The mistress!" he says, happily. "I have been visited by her. My life can end happily… they said she was dead- but they lied to me!"
While the others are gathered around the cook she will go over to the door to the north, listen, check for traps, unlock it and look through the keyhole if there is one.
If she finds nothing untoward she will open the door.
Merry X-mas all.
"Stupid sexy Khalid..."
Before going in, Alora shines her lantern around to see if there is anything lurking in the shadows. If she doesn't see anything she will bang an iron spike under the door to make sure it can't bang shut, then she will go in, checking for traps as she goes. She is very wary of the weapons on the wall and is worried that they might start flying about attacking people (like they appear to have done in the other rooms down here). So if any of them starts to move she will high tail it out of here.
She will study the desk and see if there are any drawers or any writing paper. She will also check under the bed.
Finally, assuming the weapons haven't attacked her, she will study them to see if any of them look particularly shiny.
Hang on, isn't someone else playing Xan? Sorry, getting back in character now.
The others see the room plunged into impenetrable darkness.
Alora draws her Luckblade to defend herself and backs away towards the door.
Quayle thinks bravely that there was only one of whatever that was, and it seems to be busy with Alora, so a small amount of discreet help may be in order. Turn undead would be favourite.
Does Quayle have a lantern? If so he will light his lantern once the fear wears off. He will then start turning undead (with the two items this should be at level 9?), and enter the room. He will immediately move to the left to allow others to charge in and do heroic stuff. If the lantern doesn't work he will also attempt infravision. Can he do all of that in one round? Does he have unlimited turn undeads?
OOC: If nobody knew, I am looking what is happening here all the time, Crevs sees all, know that, and keep role-playing.
OOC Or as The Doctor would say, Run!
As soon as she has regained control of her bladder, Alora runs for the door (and hopes that she doesn't take further damage from localised chafing)
Imoen will not move, to avoid falling/crushing over things/getting hurt in the dark.
And if she can see well, she will try to...no, she will stay there, and she will try to get safe-r.