Castle Ravenloft Adventure

I concur with the elf on both counts, Kalleth says. I seriously doubt whatever's warded in here is getting out. And I'm not keen on entering this dungeon without some sort of exit strategy myself. He shudders, muttering to himself, I'm not sure what would be worse. Being stuck down there, or being stuck down there with you people. On the bright side, there's usually something dangerous in these dungeons, maybe my head will be crushed or lopped off.... Kalleth disappears into thought for a moment, possibly fantasizing about ways of being put out of his current company's misery. Coming back to the real world with a start, his eyes shoot to the shambling abomination. Maybe we can get Lawrence here's tongue untied. Hopefully that'll come with a name better than Lawrence.

Well... i say we let the bard go first. If someone has to die i suppose he is the best candidate. Veraun says looking around. I dont care one way or the other, what i do know is this, if we're trapped in here... for any length of time... the bard goes, or i do.

Veraun approaches the runes looking and whistling a burial tune. Why not. We have a saying in my lands. No assassination, no advancement., and without a second thought speaks the pass phrase and procedes, literally dragging Beleth, through the runes.

Done and done.

Lucca looks to newly revived man with the chain. Without words being spoken their shared idea reveals it's self, both taking an arm of Bard, lifting him and proceeding behind Veraun across the runes. He turns his head back to Kalleth...

Might as well right? Maybe you'll get that wish and be rid of that head of yours.

Once across the runes. "Lawrence" utters his first words to Lucca. .......Shuun.... as he points a finger at his own gaunt face. Releasing Bard's arm.

Well met Shuun. Lucca says releasing Bards other arm and patting Shuun on the shoulder. He walks up to Veraun and looks back to Kalleth once more.

If we have the young lady guarding the door stay on that side of the runes, we'll have a safe way back should we need to retreat. If need be we'll return here and have her speak the word so we may safely pass through again. What say you?

Beleth shrieks and claws at the stone floor as his master yanks him by the tail.

"Wait, master! Let me stay on this side! That way, upon your return, I can speak the word and release you! The woman-mage is a stranger, a spy or assassin perhaps! But I am your faithful servant, my-lord. At the very least you will be saved! What concern are these other compared to you?"

He strains with all his impish might on the last flagstone.

"And what if something happens to her?! What if Strahd uses this chance to dispatch her, and thus us all?! If...I...stay...I can...help!"

Veraun gives a last firm tug and pops his imp across the threshold. He rubs his tail and looks up to his master pleadingly.

"Please, master, don't make me go! I can barely see my claw in front of my face! Let me stay here where it's safe...for you, of course. l would not, nay, CANNOT, betray you, mightiest of mages."

Bard (AND ONLY BARD), once past the runes

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Veraun (AND ONLY VERAUN)

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Bard seems utterly unfazed by the turn of events and the drow's acerbic words, allowing the elf and the revenant to carry him across the wards and into the darkness beyond.

I suppose Shuun is as good a name as Lawrence, he sighs as his boots drag on the stones beneath them. Turning a hopeful glance to Shuun, he asks, Though I don't suppose that I may continue to call you Lawrence?

They drop his arms, and with a small shake of his arms and rotation of his shoulders, he grins at Lucca, saying, A most excellent plan, good elf! Only, has anyone seen fit to enlighten her as to her crucial role? I daresay it will be impossible now if we are all on this side of the wards.

He stops, cocking his head and taking a deep breath.

Now this, he murmurs, this place feels... like home.

Kalleth, should he decide to join us, can catch her up before he joins us on this side.

Lucca starts scoping out the surroundings, carefully investigating for any sign of threat thus far.

As the party discusses their plan of action those who have stepped past the runes notice a faint shimmer in the air a bit down the hallway. Even Veraun, with his darkvision, sees only a shimmer of some kind. Slowly, they notice, it draws closer. As it comes into the flickering edge of the lantern light, a definite shape...or image...becomes manifest.

The thing floats about five feet off the ground a beautiful, translucent orb of wispy tendrils that flow and writhe as if in winds that aren’t there. It has a subtle green iridescent glossy sheen and is about 2–3 feet in diameter. Strangest of all, however, is that the orb or...thing...makes absolutely no noise. It merely floats there, still and silent, at the edge of your lantern light.

Dungeoneering DC 20

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Dungeonerring DC 25

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Intelligence check DC 15 (Bard only)

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DUNGEONEERING: 23

Kalleth lets out a long, prolific, and creative stream of curses in mixed draconic and...infernal? as Veraun crosses the wards. Damn fool drow. Inaudible muttering. I may find losing my head to be better than an eternity in a magical cage, but I wasn't exactly planning on entering a strange dungeon unprepared and hurrying it along. Kalleth was fully prepared to leave Veraun there when he thought he was the only one foolish enough to enter with no sure means out. But all of them....

I'll inform the weird one of her part...ideally there would be two left behind, one to end the wards, and one to go let the others know what we're doing. But I'm not leaving you fools here without my blade. He turns briefly to explain the girl's part to her. After making sure that she got it, he takes in a deep breath and mutters the command to bring the wards down, stepping passed the point of no return. Intently looking down at his boots as he steps across the wards, Kalleth looks up when he is across, stopped dead in his tracks, staring at a beautiful wisp of transparent green tendrils. Inexplicable dread gripped him as he briefly recalled the name of this...thing.

Fell taint.... He readied his sword. This feels like home? You must've had a strange home, Bard...very strange.

DUNGEONEERING - 17

Ignoring the ghostly orb Veraun sighs Fine you little bastard. Stay, and stay invisible and out of sight. Should ANYTHING happen inform me at once. Fail me in this and with my last breathe pain unchecked will rocket you back to the abyss. He then turns to the, fell taint did kalleth call it?, and proceed to move around it so he could get a better look at it.

Seems harmless. Veraun said, noting that the thing didnt move to give chase or retreat. Anyone know what they are, or do? Are they useful? Harmful? Should I kill it? Should I invite it to dine? What? Veraun took a playful swipe at the creature out of indifference and spite.

"Oh thank you, oh dark master! I shall watch vigilant over your route of escape!" Beleth giggles in relief and scurries back to the opposite side of the runes as Kalleth crosses. He turns, stands upright, and does a military salute with his bat-like wing.

The fell taint continues to float in the air, aimless. Veraun swipes his hand through the creature, only to watch his limb pass right through it. A faint feeling of moisture is the only tactile evidence of the thing's existance. It is incorporeal.

INCORPOREAL: The subject can pass through solid objects. In addition it is immune to physical damage unless the source has a Ghost Touch or equivolent effect on it. The subject's physical attacks bypass armor. Spells that do not have the Force keyword have only a 50% chance of affecting an incorporeal enemy. Spells with the Force keyword are not subject to this miss chance.

Anyone know what they are, or do? Are they useful? Harmful? Should I kill it? Should I invite it to dine? What?

Almost as if on cue the taint floats forward- to Bard- and stops inches above his head. An instant later Bard clasps his head, his knees buckling, and screeches in agony. The taint, for its part, merely floats above him, still perfectly silent, its tendrils gently caressing the air around it, like a jellyfish.

Bard takes 12 psychic damage and is dazed until the end of his next turn (DAZED: you can only take 1 action during your turn, and it cannot be a full-round action)

Anyone who passed one of the Dungeoneering rolls above...

Dungeoneering DC 13

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Dungeonerring DC 16

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IT BEGINS! ROLL INITIATIVE!

DM NOTE: I'm not usually this mean but Lance just made the set up TOO perfect!

DM NOTE: Clarification- when a post says to make a skill check, you roll once for that skill, not once per entry. So in the example above, you would roll once and read both boxes if you got, say, a 16, but only the first if you got a 14.

Characters inside the Crown De Sarth: Kalleth, Veraun, Lucca, Shuun, Bard
Characters outside: Solariel, Beleth

DUNGEONEERING: 16
Initiative: 23
Stance: Giant's Stance, deal damage is though one size-category larger (BS=2d8)
Attack: 35
Damage on Hit: 13

Kalleth removes a hand from his sword long enough to snap his fingers, as though remembering so long-forgotten fact. That's what they do, he says pointing at Bard, readying his sword again. He instinctively falls into an offensive combat stance, attacking the thing over Bard's head, spinning around out of the attack and slipping back into the stance, facing down the hallway. Get ready, gentlemen. Force or ghost touch takes 'em out. And we're about to have company. As much as Kalleth regularly complained about the danger of his work, it was only once Kalleth's adrenaline started pumping that he truly enjoyed himself.

I'm familiar with Fell Taints...but I wasn't expecting it to so casually attack... Lucca pulls his blades in a blur. They are fairly weak if you can actually hit them, as Kalleth said, Ghost Touch allows your attacks to connect, and your spells have abouuuuttt a 50% chance of hurting them.

Seeing Kalleth at the ready, Lucca plays along and stands in a defensive stance..........but as time passes slowly and silently.....nothing happens, no attack is sprung.

Perhaps they didn't hear you, dear Kalleth. Or perhaps they saw the welcome issued by our drow greeter.
He relaxes his stance, still keeping his blades in hand.

Lucca starts cautiously walking towards the entrance to the room -There doesn't seem to be any threat...perhaps we should proceed...-continuing his way down the hallway, his keen eyes watching for anything that would signal him to ready for an attack.

Well that looked pleasant. Veraun said as the bard fell screaming. Cant let that happen to me. Without a second thought Veraun reaches into the Fell Taint and releases Shocking Grasp.

Initiative - 18
ATK - 15
DMG - 21

Kalleth's face falls as time passes and no taints appear. He even allows himself to lower his weapon and stand upright in confusion and aggrivation a the lack of any more fell taints. Hmm. Shrugging, Kalleth replies to Lucca, That makes sense. The drow's manners could probably keep most things at bay. And coming from me that's saying something. He follows Lucca quietly along the hall towards the room, still at his stance, sword back at the ready. Veraun, I do believe that might have been a bit of overkill, he said over his shoulder, hearing the familiar sound of shocking grasp. Especially given that we don't know what and how many of what is around the corner. You might want to spare your spells. Just a thought.

Bard takes a moment to gather himself, having not fallen to the ground, though such an effort was hard to attain given how his head was spinning and the pain of its touch. A slight shake of his head seemed to dispel the odd and unfamiliar sense of vertigo, and he sighed slightly, gathering his scattered thoughts.

You... you could say it was strange, I suppose he says, catching his breath.

Oddly, the normally verbose musician seems to have nothing more to say concerning what had just occurred. A bit more careful, he makes his way forward, staying just behind the warrior, Kalleth.

Pink: mound of crystals Light Blue Dot: statue

NOTE: Lucca, Bard, and Shuun should still roll initiative. These rolls will determine how I adjudicate what happens BETWEEN battles.

The fell taint dissolves into vapor beneath Kalleth's blade. All too easy.

Lucca (and I assume Kalleth and Bard) walk a bit further down the corridor until they come to a larger chamber. The most immediate thing noticed is that a mist covers the ground up to about a height of 3 or 4 feet...

Nature DC 13

Spoiler:

MIST: The mist inhibits vision of all kinds. Darkvision or a lantern is required, and even then you can only see 30 ft in any direction.

Through the light of the lantern they can make out a mound or heap in the center of the room. Closer examination reveals it to be a pile of bright red or hot pink crystals in the rough shape of a very muscular and bulky humanoid. Some hunks, you can see, form definite humanoid qualities like a four-fingered hand and what appears to be a torso with a massive chest.

Dungeonerring DC 20

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Anyone who passes the Dungeoneering check...History DC 23

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Bard only

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Bard only (if he makes contact with the crystals)

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Looking around the rest of the chamber those present can also see a statue off to the right and on a ledge or hill about 5 ft in height. The statue is of a woman, though you can't make out much else. Up ahead you can see that the chamber curves a bit to the left before leading to another hallway. Water drips down from the ceiling in some places and the roughly hewn passages are cool and moist to the touch- you had almost forgotten that these ruins are buried underneath tons of mud and water.

Those present have a strange, only faintly noticable sensation or desire to step forward...as if beckoned.

NATURE: 19
DUNGEONEERING: 29
HISTORY: 24

Bard's stoicism is not lost on Kalleth, but he dismisses it as simply a side effect of having some eldritch abomination poking around in his head. Kalleth hated psychic things. One at a time, and relatively easy to dispatch was one thing...that got his adrenaline pumping and he was okay. But in a swarm...or something smart...that made Kalleth very nervous.

That's strange..., Kalleth notes suddenly as they make their way down the hall, more to himself than anyone, on the mist. That shouldn't be here.... He steps into the room, lights a lantern, and sets it down by one end of the mass of pink crystal...by what looks sort of like a half-formed crystaline face. The thought causes a shudder to roll down Kalleth's back...partly the eerily human and simultaneously inhuman nature of the face disturbs him. But partly it is the shock of recognition.

Psychic things...things of thought and mind that roamed without the constraints of body and space...these things had always unnerved Kalleth, who despite all outward appearances of being simply a cranky warrior, was fairly cerebral at his best. He didn't like things to have access to his thoughts, and to be unbounded by space. As much as he snarked and griped at danger, psionic creatures actually did frighten him. It sets him on edge, the recognition of what this thing is...or perhaps was, and he grips his sword tighter.

What happened here? What was an ashardi doing in an ancient Turathi ruin? And was it just in a heap? And if so why? And why was it so BIG? The more Kalleth thinks about it, the more he becomes worried.

I don't like this, he breaks the silence, his tone neither his usual grumpy-old-man nor his occasional playful snark. The compulsion to move on unnerves him even more. He turns his glance to the statue of the woman. Lady deSarth perhaps? As he circles around to the other side of the ashardi he wonders to himself once more what happened to this psionic heap, and what fate worse than death might await them if a being of pure thought lay seemingly incapaciated on the floor.

Do either of you know dancing lights? he asks Bard and Veraun. Or does one of you wield a weapon that doesn't require two hands? Kalleth grips his sword tightly, still a bit unwilling to proceed with anything less than both hands on his sword, wanting as much strength behind his attacks as he can muster, especially since, as far as he knew, he was the only one who could hit something without a body reliably....

Feeling the pull and noting the seriousness in Kalleths voice Veraun stops. Stock still he expands his mind outward searching for an indication of what might be putting out a call like that. Being familiar with moving underground Veraun is less worried about the mist and the pink rocks than he is the statue and the desire to proceed ever forward.

INITIATIVE: 27
NATURE: 21
DUNGEONEERING: 17

Bard's eyes are completely taken up by the pink crystals for a long moment, before Kalleth's voice brings him from whatever reverie he had been lost in.

Dancing Lights? He asks. Are you sure you wouldn't rather want daylight?

His eyes turn back to the mass of crystal, and he slips up to the heap. A few hummed words escape his lips, and a bright light slowly dawns into being at the top of his staff, shedding its rays and illuminating the room. The pink crystals glow, and Bard, almost gently, rests his hand atop the crystal corpse. Almost immediately, he draws his hand away and casts his eyes about the room, alert.

Spell Cast:LIGHT - 30 minutes of light for a radius of twenty feet.

Well, yes, daylight would be better, but can you move that light with us? Kalleth asks Bard, his voice coldly analytical...an attempt to take the edge of his unease...one that was failing. Seeing the light lingering on the tip of Bard's staff it seems like a silly question, but magic is a strange thing, not always logical, and certainly not always as helpful or useful as Kalleth would hope. The warrior steps back a pace, deciding somehow that if he consciously chooses to move backwards he will not fall pray to the ceaseless, droning psychic call to advance, despite knowing that if the compulsion is strong enough it will surely not work that way.

He looks to Bard...Bard? What was wrong with him? What had that touch shown him? Bard? Kalleth has a hard time recognizing the look on Bard's face, but his unusual stoicism edges Kalleth's nervousness that much closer to paranoia. Kalleth's eyes try to follow Bard's gaze, finding nothing as the bard's eyes dart about. He takes another step backward, part of his hope that the further back he steps the weaker the beckoning voice in his head will become. Kalleth hates things poking around in his head...putting thoughts there that don't belong. Thoughts that are not his own. Bard? the last call of Bard's name is more...forceful. Sort of a call back to reality as the bard continues to scan the room. Do you have any idea what's going on...what happened here? Kalleth uttered one final phrase, his voice hardening into determined stoicism. If I don't know what we're up against I can't kill it. Hell, if it didn't make sense it might at least get a rise out of somebody.

The mask of bravado would do for now. That's right. Whatever comes, you'll just kill it, Kalleth. Cut its head off, or slice it in half. End its miserable life like you always do. Kalleth was still not so sure...metaphysical beings...thought embodied. Psychic leaches. Kalleth hoped his blade was enough, and that he remained himself long enough to find out.

DM Note: As written, Daylight creates a zone that does not move with its caster. I will allow you, as a Merciful and Just DM, to maintain the Daylight spell as a minor action each turn and have it move with you. This effectively removes the need for a lantern until the spell ends. Unfortunately....

Bard's spell of light reveals more than must the crystals and the statue- in its glow you can make out more ungulating shimmers. Before you can even blink they coalesce into fell taints...but not all of them are the strangely beautiful wisps as before.

One of them looks like a stretched piece of blue cloth with vertical, toothed mouthes running along it. At its ends are copious tentacles.

The other is a purplish mass of pulsating tendrils wrapped into a tight ball, giving the whole thing the semblence of a nightmarish and disgusting heart.

Dungeoneering DC 22

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Dungeoneering DC 25

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Initiative
Bard-Kalleth-Taints-Veraun

1-Dot = green wisp; 2-Dot = blue cloth; 3-Dot = purple heart

DUNGEONEERING: 29 (+2 from Bard)
Stance: Dancing Blade Form (gives reach on Kalleth's turn)
Maneuver: Sapphire Nightmare Blade - opponent is flat-footed, +1d6
Attack: 32 v. flat-footed AC (+2 from Bard) against the Fell Taint Gigas
Damage: 25 (+5 from Battle Cunning, +2 from Bard)
Final Stance: Giant's Stance

Veraun, Bard...take out the...heart...for the love of the gods take out the heart.... He falls into a different stance, one that allows him greater range of motion. He attacks the cloth, hoping he can take it out himself.... And hoping to god the others will concentrate on the heart. The heart invades your mind...take it out...! He felt crazy saying it...but it was true, he was certain of it. He hated being caught off guard...and my god he hated psionic creatures.... The cloth...it makes them more durable, he said as he swung an attack at it, then fell into a tighter, more aggressive stance.