MotRD: Expedition to Castle Ravenloft [IC]

[Chambers]

Masque of the Red Death:
Expedition to Castle Ravenloft
---

London, England
April, 1897

Professor Delacroix was still confined to his bed recuperating from the near fatal attack by the cultists. "The book is hidden in the depths of Castle Ravenloft, ancient hom eof he Dracul line. I hear occasional news of strange happenings in the surrounding countryside..." He coughed and the handkerchief he pulled away had a dark, wet stain on it. "I will be fine. Guard yourselves instead! That world is not like the world you know. Myth and legend live side by side there and they have little use or patience for the advance of modernity."

He eyed each of you in turn. "Find the book. The cultists must not recover it. I do not know how long it will be before they can reorganize and head off for it...you must use this headstart wisely. Destroy it if you must...all our lives are forfeit if they acquire the Necromonicon."

---

The ferry across the channel, the train to Paris and then Budapest from Munich. Hundreds of miles rolled by as you crossed the continent, your passage East mimicking a passage back in time. Older customs and rituals hold here where the fragile light of science and reason has not found shelter. The train from Budapest to the city named Bistritz, sitting squat and flat beneath the dark gaze of the Carpathian mountains. A hired coach to take you up the Burgo Pass, to a place where the road splits. One way leads on to Bukovnia, the other Barovia.


Burgo Pass, Romania
May, 1897

The driver pulled back hard on his reins and the exhausted horses whinnied as they skid to a stop. The road forked, the higher path going up into the mountains, bordered on each side by green woods. The lower road, heading out of the pass and on to Bukovnia. Barovia is where you are headed, the higher road is your path.

The horses stamp their feet on the ground, their breath like white clouds in the night. The high air is cold and a fog begins to seep along the ground as the hands on your watch tick closer to midnight. The driver climbs up onto the roof of the carriage. "Ve go no further. Take your bags." He says in badly accented German. He tosses your luggage down in a rush, not caring if its caught. "Hurry. Ve must leave, now. Cannot stay." He says, climbing back onto his seat, waiting for you all to exit the carriage.

[GodGoblin]

"Well this is just wonderful. Why do we never find these cults in the south of France." Richard picks up his dropped luggage and continues "So.. Where to now chaps?"

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind shrugs as she grabs her bags and drags them out of the way of the carriage

"Because freezing is good for the evil soul?"

She stamps her feet a few times and shoves her hands into the pockets of her coat for warmth.

[Zore]

George hefted his pack onto his back, the fur-coated leather a bit worse for the wear but still perfectly functional. With a snap of his fingers Cornelius squeezes through the carriage door and sits down nest to him, panting a bit at the chill. He idly scratches the dog's head as he looks around at their surroundings.

"I rather like the cold actually, reminds me of the arctic," He commented offhandedly, "And at the very least it is not infested with insects like New Orleans. It took months for poor Cornelius to regrow all the fur he scratched off down there."

[Bandededed]

Cecelia sighs as she hefts her bag - she'd been able to keep the mud off of it, at least. After settling it on her shoulders, she joins the conversation.

"Bah. I'd take grasslands any day, but nooo, the cultists always choose the uncomfortable places. Three silver this place is run-down when we get there, and not just a little bit,"

[Lady Moreta]

"I think it has something to do with keeping their members. If cultists got too comfortable, they might forget what they're cultists for.

Rosalind peers around curiously, stamping her feet in the snow.

"Which way are we meant to be going?"

[Cardea]

Donnley crawled his way towards the carriage door, and tries forces his way out of it. Regretfully, as he pulled his frame out of the vehicle, its doors warped to accommodate his size. He stands, and looks at the fork in the road. "If we do not have any direction, why not flip a coin?"

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind fishes a coin out of her pocket with a grin and starts flipping it.

Abruptly she stops and stares towards the higher path.

"I swear the cold is making idiots out of us. Or me at least. We go that way" she points up the higher path.

[Bandededed]

Cecelia looks at Rosalind askance. "You're sure? I could have sworn..." She looks off into the distance and mutters for a moment.

"No, no, no," Shaking her head suddenly, she starts off in the direction Rosie indicated. "If there's one thing I've learned travelling with you, Teach, it's that I'm certainly not the one to give the map to," she says with a grin, bumping the woman lightly on the way past.

[GodGoblin]

"Right the high road it is then! Lets get to Barovia and find somewhere warm to put these bags down" Richard then starts to stroll up the path using his cane to help him up the steeper parts.

[Lady Moreta]

"That suits me!" Rosalind hefts her bag over her shoulder and starts up the path. She catches up to Cecelia and tugs on a lock of her hair

"Indeed. I learnt my lesson there. Ancient languages - yes. Maps? Definitely not." she grins

[Seabody]

Yang silently smiles at the proceedings. Once the girls begin there decent he falls in line beside Richard. Eying Richard's cane he stays close, especially during the steeper parts of the climb. We'll I'm glad we've at least decided where we are going. Don't complain too much about the cold though. It's good for us, it will keep us alert.

[Zore]

George gives a short whistle through pursed lips and Cornelius bounds to his feet, racing ahead of the group. After the experiences the group had had in the night whilst investigating all manner of cults and occult groups, it never hurt to be careful. He himself fell into the group, making sure both his sword and pistol were free to draw.

"This fog is going to muck everything up. Cornelius should warn us if anything comes from ahead, but soon we might not be able to see the ends of our own noses." His tone is still light, but he keeps his eyes and ears sharp about the group.

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind links her arm through Cecelia's for balance, grinning back at George

"I've never been that fond of the end of my nose" she grins. "But point well taken, consider my eyes peeled."

Her words are joking, but she is still keeping a careful watch on their surroundings. At least as much as she's watching her feet on the icy path.

[Bandededed]

"You know," Cecelia says with a wry grin at Rosalind, rubbing her head where the hair'd been pulled (it hadn't really hurt, and she didn't think she'd get any sympathy, but it was worth a shot), "It's not that bad of a nose. Perhaps you should give it a chance,"

With a glance toward George, she adds, "It's lucky we're taking the higher path. We'll stay out of it a bit longer," She seems confident, but her right hand can be spotted loosening her short sword in it scabbard.

[Chambers]

The driver grabbed the reins and hesitated for a moment. "God be vith you." He says before crossing himself and then cracking the reins over the horses. They took off and the coach speed down the lower path.

The fog seems to follow you up the road staying low around your feet. The forest on either side of the hard packed dirt road is silent and thick, the trees hang still in the dead air.

Up ahead around a bend Cornelius barks and then growls. Coming around you see him back up on his haunches, growling at a massive wooden gate spanning the length of the road. One of the doors has been completely torn off and it lays on the ground, broken and splintered wood sticking out. The other stands open and in the distance beyond the gate you can make out what appears to be a small village a few miles ahead.

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind shoots a wry sideways glance at Cecelia, then turns and stops abruptly as Cornelius barks. She stares silently at the broken gates ahead of them, her free hand finding its way into the pocket of her long coat. No doubt she is playing with the small derringer there.

"I assume that's where we need to go," she says. "Uninviting sort of place, isn't it?"

[Bandededed]

Cecelia grunts her agreement, slipping her arm free and half-stepping in front of Rosie, out of the woman's line of fire, but still between her and danger. She hesitates for a moment, then slips her sword from it's scabbard, her newly freed hand resting on the handle of her revolver.

"George," she says slowly, "Could you tell us what's upset Cornelius? I'm hoping that gate smells funny, because I don't see anything..."

[Zore]

George walks to Cornelius, slowly bending down and giving the dog a quick pat on his head. He carefully draws his pistol and scans the area.

"It looks like something broke this gate." He said to the others, "And from Cornelius' reaction I'm not so sure whatever it was is friendly."

[Cardea]

Donnley takes in the scene. He sets his luggage near the doorway, and bends over to pick up the splintered off door. He holds it underarm, and shifts it's weight to something more comfortable. "I'm willing to bet something is being rude, and doesn't know how to use a door. I'm going to demonstrate."

[Seabody]

Yang walks to the gate and peers down the road checking either side where it meets the woods. If someone knew we were coming here this would be a prime place for an ambush. I think we should be very careful going forward.

Perception check for noises or anything out of place down the road, rustling leaves (since it's so still) or the such. 1d20+9

[Seabody]

Sorry for double post: botched the roll by accidentally hitting preview.

[roll0]

Well that's a solid first roll for the game... ouch.

[GodGoblin]

"Agreed, it certainly doesn't look like a peaceful entrance. But its more than likely connected to the castle and that blasted book, so lets continue on shall we?" Richard continues to stroll leisurely through the gate

[Bandededed]

Cecelia quirks an eyebrow as Richard walks forward without really looking around. Tossing a quick "Watch my back," to Rosalind, she moves up beside him and says, "It would really be unfortunate if whatever did that jumped you when you weren't looking," while examining the area carefully herself.

Perception - [roll0]

[Lady Moreta]

"Certainly. Where's it going to go?" Rosalind tosses off the joke lightly, but her face is serious as she moves to keep an eye on Cecelia. She takes the derringer from her pocket and briefly checks it's ready to fire. She scans the area as carefully as the others, then closes her eyes and concentrates.

Perception as well:
[roll0]
And Sixth Sense, in case of anything creepy:
[roll1]

[Zore]

George scans the area as well and bends down to touch the broken door, hoping the strange supernatural insight he had sometimes tapped into could tell him more.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[GodGoblin]

"Ah my dear do not fret, if anything is going to eat us it will be far too late by the time we see it anyway" Richard says without breaking stride

[Lady Moreta]

Without opening her eyes, Rosie snorts

"Oh, well I'm sure that's very comforting Richard" she says sarcastically.

[Bandededed]

Cecelia hesitates a step, then smirks at the man, maintaining the new distance between them.

"I guess I'll just let you lead, then,"

[Chambers]

The fog creeps up around you as the group pauses at the ruined gate. The dark woods hold their silence as George holds his hand against the wrenched gate. Donnley is able to find a heavy plank, twisted off the main door, itself almost the size of a regular door. Those with keen eyes can see a few wisps of gray smoke rising above the village, but no other danger makes its presence known.

Cornelius sniffs and trots over to Rosie, rubbing his body against her leg. The motion and presence awaken her and brings her out of the trance.

George
The wooden beam is hot to the touch, a shock to your body as the rest of it is chilled by the midnight air. The heat soon fades and your body is battered by a powerful wind that blasts pasts you accompanied by an intense shrieking, almost too high a register to hear. The shriek is cut off as it is overpowered by a immense cracking sound that seems to come from all around. You instinctively duck from the hundreds of flying slivers of wood...

...and your hand comes off the beam, your companions still standing at the gates.

Rosie
Stilling your mind and deepening your breath you close your eyes and reach out with your other senses. The ground beneath you seems to drag you down as if under a heavier gravity. A gray light begins to creep in at the edges of your vision and it fades into view, eventually covering everything. The gray fog is impenetrable to your sight and the heavy pull of the earth begins to moan...a deep, sad song with power but no words. You feel yourself sinking down into the earth, enthralled and overwhelmed with sadness, when something moves against your leg...

...and you open your eyes to see Cornelius standing against you, looking up at you and licking his nose.

[Zore]

George breathes heavily and holds his right hand. Swallowing he looks at his companions and speaks, "Something, and I have no idea what, heated this gate like a hot iron until it exploded..." He shakes his hand again in a vain attempt to dispel the memory of the immense heat.

[Seabody]

Yang coolly surveys George as he informs the group of the gate's demise. His expression is like stone and only for a second do his eyes shift away from George and toward the gate itself. That is... most unsettling.

[Lady Moreta]

Rosie stands quite still after her retort to Richard, sinking herself further into herself and allowing her subconcious to rise to the surface. Her shoulders slump as if carrying a sudden weight, and her knees bend and buckle slightly. Her expression changes to one of extreme sadness and tears slip from behind closed eyes. Her head is tilted to one side as if listening to something, as she slumps towards the ground.

Her eyes snap open and she stares down at Cornelius, leaning against her knees. In what seems to be a controlled collapse she drops to the ground next to him, wraps her arms around him and buries her face in his coat whispering something.

"Damn. Damn damn damn."

She pulls back, tears streaking her face, looks at the dog calmly licking his nose and chokes out a laugh

"Cornelius, that's disgusting."

[GodGoblin]

Richard trys to catch Rosie as she falls but dosnt reach her in time, instead he puts a comforting arm around her shoulder. "I will never understand why you put yourself through those nightmares, but tell us what did you see?"

[Bandededed]

Cecelia turns to look at George when he speaks, and only sees Rosalind falling out of the corner of her eye. Snapping around, she bites out "Ro-!" but Rosie's already standing back up, and Richard is there...? Fast...

She snorts. Maybe I'm just slowing down.

Aloud, she says, "Is everyone alright?"

[Lady Moreta]

"Because sometimes it's necessary," she replies. Her expression turns wistful and she adds under her breath "And because one day I might see..."

She looks directly at Richard, one hand still buried in Cornelius' coat and frowns as she attempts to order her thoughts.

"Not really very much," she admits. "The earth was heavy - like it was trying to drag me down. And there was a light - grey, almost like a fog. I couldn't see through it and it was everywhere." She shudders involunterily, "Then the earth started to moan, to sing - it was so sad... so very sad..." her eyes have slipped out of focus and she stares at nothing, more tears start to fall. "It was powerful... so much power... pulling me down, into the earth. So much power, just pulling, and weeping, and pulling..." She trails off, staring into space, eyes wide, but you can tell she's not seeing anything. At least, nothing of the surrounding scenery.

[Seabody]

She is right Richard, it is sometimes necessary. It might not be pleasant but it can help point us in the right direction. Yang never seems to waiver for a second while he says this, although anyone with good perception might catch his eyes dart toward Rosie as he speaks. In any event, we should continue forward. We are unlikely to find the answers we seek out here. At this Yang starts walking through the gate and toward the town ahead.

[GodGoblin]

"Yes I suppose you're right, you usually are. But whatever happened here there is no denying it was powerful" Richard then stands and offers Rosie his hand to help her up. "Anyway as Yang said, best to keep moving"

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind snaps out of her abstraction as Richard offers her a hand up. She scrambles in the dirt for the derringer she dropped, then stands.

"I'm fine," she assures Cecelia. "I suppose it is best to keep moving. In that case - you first." There is a glimmer of humour in her eyes as she gestures to Richard with the gun still in her hand.

[GodGoblin]

"As always" Richard says with a smile and he continues to walk into the town

[Bandededed]

Cecelia nods to herself at Rosalind's answer. Face studiously blank, she waits for her friend to catch up.

When Rosie nears, she says "You're not supposed to scare me like that, you know," with a hint of reproach and a sidelong glance, though a bit of a grin gives her away.

[Chambers]

Leaving the ruined gate and following the hard road, the midnight moon shines bright on you, reflecting off the mists that now swirl around your ankles. The town is a only a mile or two ahead and once past the gate the land spreads out, the forest yielding to pastures and rows of farmland. Pieces of farm equipment stand in the middle of the fields, heavy plows, buckets and carrying rods dropped on the ground. A spilled basket of grains lays in the road.

As you get closer to the village you see a castle rise up from above the tree tops beyond the town. Low clouds scrape across it's towers and the moonlight shines through gap holes in the wall. Standing high atop the edge of the mountain the castle seems isolate and cutoff from the world. A scream from nearby snaps your attention back to the village as a cloud passes in front of the moon, hiding it's light and the castle in the sudden darkness.

You are close enough to still see the village though, and the remains of the outlying buildings show clear in your vision. Nearly all the buildings you see on the outskirt of the town are burnt to their frames, nothing left but empty husks. A wind blows from the west and carries the rich charcoal and firewood smoke towards you, only to be replaced a moment later by a wretched stench of decay and filth.

Let's say you are about 100ft from the village. You are approaching from the right side of the picture.

Barovia (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek/oct2006/02_CastleRavenloft_72_ppi_n290eui.jpg)

[GodGoblin]

"Oh my.. What on earth happened here?" He says to the others before he stops and strains his eyes to try and see any movement within the village. His grip on his cane starts to tighten.

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind chuckled and gave the other woman's hair another quick tug.

"How would you like me to worry you instead?" She teased.

Her head snaps around as the scream is heard and she shudders.

"It's not a very inviting place is it?" she muses. "Where to first? The village centre?"

OOC:
Wondering, do we have a map of this area, or are we just going to find everything as we walk around?
Looking at the map, can we actually see down the street to the village centre? I use the metric system so I'm not sure exactly how far 100ft is.

[GodGoblin]

OOC
Sorry forgot to roll perception check [roll0]

[GodGoblin]

OOC

Sorry forgot to roll perception check [roll0]

Damn 60 second waiting time, messed up the roll

[Chambers]

Walking closer to the town the husks of the buildings rise up from the fog and the hard packed earth changes to slick, wet cobblestones. A dilapidated wooden sign reads in French, "Welcome to the Village of Barovia." As you get closer nothing movies nearby, the few houses that aren't burned boarded up and lightless. Faint sounds, as of something groaning, echo hollow from somewhere deeper in the settlement.

Consider yourselves to be in the rightmost square on the road. You can see 80ft ahead of you (two squares) or 24.384 meters. :smallsmile:

[Bandededed]

Cecelia is about to reply when the scream echoes out.

"No, no it isn't," she answers her friend. "I'd almost rather camp outside this place then enter it... Looks like whatever hit that door got the town, too,"

[Seabody]

Yang's hands clench into fists at the sound of the scream, his face however remains passive. I think you are correct Rosie, the center of town is the best place to start. Anyone that is left here would have probably congregated there.

Perception to determine general direction of scream:
[roll0]

[Zore]

"Definitely begin at the center," George added, "We should stay close to each other, no one goes out of sight of the others. Whatever it is that's causing the problems around here, we have a much better chance as a group."

[roll0]perception check.

[Lady Moreta]

"Wait. Before we go, I have something that might help." Rosalind interrupts. She's rummaging around in the pouch attached to her belt, she tugs out a small piece of copper wire and wraps it around her finger, murmuring in latin as she does.

"Now we can stay in touch, even if we get separated." She frowns, peering ahead through the fog. "If we find nothing in the town centre, then the church or some sort of town hall would be other places to check for any people."

Casting message
And have another perception check :smallsmile:
[roll0]

[Chambers]

The streets are choked with mist, limiting vision to only a few dozen feet. The buildings here at the edge of town look abandond, burned out, or barricaded. Garbage litters the ground, and a carrion stench assaults your nose. Ahead, an overturned haycart blocks the street.

George notices something moving behind the cart and you wait a moment as figures lurch out from hiding. Half hidden by the heavy fog...they look like people, are dressed like people, but their stance is off, an unbalanced gait that looks like they should topple to the ground with every step. One turns his head towards the group and you can see his eyes burning red through the fog. He lets out an unsettling howl and his two companions whip around and stare at you.


http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae206/unnamedhero91/zombie2.png

Z = zombie

R - Rosalind, G - George, C - Cecelia, Y - Yang, W - Richard, D - Donnley

---

George's Perception check spotted them so they don't get a surprise round. Everyone go ahead and post their actions for the round and then I'll consolidate them and post the enemies actions.

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind breaths in sharply and her free hand goes to her throat. She hurridly tugs out a solid-looking silver cross from beneath her top and holds it out in front of her.

"In the name of the Lord begone!" she cries

Using turn spirits... works like turn undead, so assuming I'm reading this right...
Range: Can't hit those with full cover, so definitely not the one right behind the cart, but definitely the one not behind the cart... and what about the third one - how much cover does he get?
Turning Check: using WIS instead of charisma, as per the turn spirits ability [roll0]
Max Hit Dice: From that check is 7HD (according to the SRD)
Turning Damage: In case it works [roll1]
Never done that before, let me know if I've done something wrong

[GodGoblin]

"Well here we are again" Richard steps forwards to fill the front line and places both hands upon his cane.

[Bandededed]

"Oh look, shambling undead. The horror..." Cecelia says blandly, as she steps forward and draws her revolver.

"Hey ugly! I don't appreciate that look," she announces, gunfire cracking through the evening air.

Move forward 3 squares and draw revolver. Attack zombie nowhere near the cart.

Revolver [7/8] [roll0], [roll1]

[Seabody]

Yang wrinkles his nose at the sight of the zombies. I'm going to stink after this. With that he strides forward, fists clinched.

Double move action to move forward six spaces.

As an aside, it may be useful to add in some chessboard type markings to indicate specific squares.

[Cardea]

Donnley grips his piece of door, and charges at the nearest person. He swings his 'weapon', making sure not to wound, but to pacify.

To Hit: [roll0]
Nonlethal Damage: [roll1]
Nonlethal Precision Strike: (Half Damage): [roll2]

[Chambers]

The retorts from Cecelia and Georges gun echo loud against the buildings and their shots strike true, slamming into the figures. They merely grunt though as blood and other fluids pour out of the wounds, not even flinching. A wave of inivisble energy spreads out from Rosalinds cross and passes over the figures and they howl in pain as it washes over them. Their whole bodies twitch for a moment and their eyes roll in their sockets before it passes. Two of the figures lurch forward towards Donnley and Yang and swipe their hands at them but each misses. Cornelius whines and a moment later the door next to George bursts open and another figure leaps out into the street.

Now that you are closer to the figures you can see them better and realize that they are, or were normal villagers. Something has overtaken them, driven them to madness by the looks in their eyes. Their skin is pale and dirty, open sores running all over their body. They give off a foul stench of rot and sweat, their clothes covered in dirt and grime.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae206/unnamedhero91/zombie3-1.png

Z = not-zombies :smallsmile:

R - Rosalind, G - George, C - Cecelia, Y - Yang, W - Richard, D - Donnley

---

The gunshots seemed to do less damage than they normally would. Rosalinds turning damaged the creatures but did not turn them away.

[Bandededed]

As her combat focus descends on her, Cecelia mumbles "Not so undead, I guess..." before moving forward

"Kill them or stop them?" she asks aloud as her foot flashes towards the nearest creatures foot, in an attempt to drop it to the ground.

Move to F10 and draw shortsword.
Unarmed trip attempt V touch AC: [roll0]
Str check to trip: [roll1]

If successful:
Attack w/ Shortsword: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

If I'm allowed, I'd like to make that a precision strike. If so it'll do [roll4].

[GodGoblin]

"It seems they are already dead! Lets us put them to rest"
Richard suddenly produces a short rapier from within his cane and in the same movement punctures the rapier into the creature that swung at George.


Target is flatfooted due to 'Flick of he wrist'
To hit [roll0]
Damage [roll1]
Sneak attack [roll2]

[Seabody]

Yang easily doges the strike from the horrid villager and delivers his counter attack. He lashes out at the attacking villager with a left jab and a right cross followed by a left uppercut.


3 Attacks:

[roll1]
[roll2]

Damage (assuming hits):
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]



Sweet a critical hit!

Confirmation:
[roll]1d20+9

Critical Damage:
2d8+13

[Seabody]

Sorry for double post: would not let me edit in critical damage:


Confirmation:
[roll0]

Critical Damage:
[roll1]

[Lady Moreta]

Rosalind watches the affect of her turning dispassionately.

"Well, it did something" she comments. "Let's try it again."

With a grim smile she cries out again, pointing her cross towards the shambling figures.

Turning Check: [roll0]
Max Hit Dice: bother... I don't have access to the table from the SRD at work. Will fill this out when I get home. - home now, that makes 9HD
Turning Damage: [roll1]

[Cardea]

Recovering his balance from his previous, failed attempt, Donnley swings his piece of door once more. "Go, DOWN!"
To Hit:[roll0]
Nonlethal Damage:[roll1]
Half-Precision Damage Non-Lethal:[roll2]