Curse of Strahd Solo Run (IC)

[RandomWombat]

"I know," the man looks up at the stone ceiling, a bleak grey just like the sky outside. "But this place, this house... it will not allow us to leave. Curses in Barovia hold power, outsider. Even for those who have none." He turns and faces Kellon, face grave. "All of the evil, every sin and torment that unfolded here, the misplaced faith of our followers. It has transformed this place."

While they speak, Gweyir examines part of the wall near Spider, which is a soft clay rather than stone. She pulls part of the clay away, revealing a door underneath. "Where does this go?"

"A hidden escape tunnel, into the den," the old ghoul answers. "You all can leave... but no Durst can leave this place."

"You said that the house will not allow you to leave?" Anton asks, crossbow put away and lamp back in hand as he walks over. "It is some form of genius loci, a place with a mind?"

"I believe so."

"Then... what do we do?" Rose asks her father, looking up at him.

"Its thirst for blood must be slaked with sacrifice, in the pits below this temple. Then, it may allow you both to leave." Turning to Kellon again, Gustav fixes him with a look. "I would much prefer to be free of this place... to perhaps be reborn as a better man in the next life. But if anyone should pay the price for this, it is I."

"Papa, no! We just got you back!" small ghost hands tug at his robe, barely moving it.

[Prehysterical]

Kellon looks around the chamber, seeing the entire place in a new light. The house itself as an adversary...

He scratches at the stinging welts from the centipede bites on his leg as Gustav offers himself up as the sacrificial lamb. "Don't be so eager to walk the plank, sailor... There might be another way." His head turns toward Gweyir as he asks, "Any of that healing magic left? I'm completely spent."

[RandomWombat]

Though his face looks uncertain, Gustav nods slowly, not commenting on the chance of an escape.

"Barely," Gweyir answers. "I don't think we're in any condition to fight a house like this. We need a safe place to rest."

"That, I can offer," Gustav intercedes, walking down the small corridor to the side of the temple chamber. "The house's power is not as strong outside of the above, and the pit below. The bedchambers used by the cult we gathered should still be serviceable. And I have some things to offer..."

"Ng," the zombified man pulls himself off of the floor, limbs creaking and cracking like those of an old man. "I do not suppose you mind, if old Sokol tags along, ay?"

Gweyir reaches down and helps him up, though her nose wrinkles a bit at the smell of him. "Who... are you, exactly?"

"He is one of our many victims..." reaching out with a hand, Gustav places it against the door ahead of him. The door twists and morphs, forming many bloodshot yellow eyes and a twisted mouth.

Spoiler: Kellon Arcana

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The door is a Mimic, monstrosities that can take the form of mundane objects and lie in wait for their prey.

"Pass Word" the door croaks.

"Wind in the wealds."

"Welcome Home" the door recites again, opening into a small room. A chandelier is suspended above a table in the middle of the room. Two high-backed chairs flank the table, which has an empty clay jug and two clay flagons atop it. Iron candlesticks stand in two corners, their candles long since melted away.

Gustav walks into the room and takes a seat at the table, Thorn and Rose following behind him like little ducklings that finally found their parent.

[Prehysterical]

Unsure of how he feels about Gustav's "offer", Kellon nonetheless follows him into sanctuary. They really don't have much of a choice. As he steps through the doorway, Kellon fights his imagination; the image of teeth crunching down and trapping him is too strong...

Kellon elects to leave the seat open for someone else, perhaps like the this-shy-of-falling-apart zombie. "How long has this curse kept you?"

[RandomWombat]

Sokol seems to simply lean back against the wall and slide down to the floor, and Gweyir simply leans on the back of the chair, still somewhat wary.

"It is difficult to say. I seldom see the light of day, such as it is. It must be years now," the ghoul leans back in his chair, eyes closed. Though it seems strange to think that undead could tire, he looks every bit like a man who has not slept in all those years. "We lured in some adventurers, playthings that Strahd had drawn into his domain... much like you, I imagine. In answer he slaughtered us all, for we had taken away his fun. But when the curse woke us, Elisabeth and her followers believed it a blessing. Undead immortality, as that of Strahd himself."

"I'm a bit confused, if you don't mind answering another question," Anton interrupts. "The little ones refer to Strahd as a devil, but you say he is undead?"

"Strahd is a vampire, and more. He is Darklord of all Barovia, and the Mists move to his whim. The towsfolk, they call him a devil because to them he is one. Poisoned deals, twisted words and terrible pacts. These are how he entertains himself."

Anton nods, taking a seat in the other chair and crossing his legs thoughtfully as he brings down his journal to mark some things down.

The question answered, Gustav returns to his previous topic. "This way," he motions aside, to the hallway the ghouls had attacked in. "In a hallway near the stairs is a pit of spikes covered loosely with boards. It is simple enough to go around if you know that it is there. Go further on this floor, and you will find the cult's bedchambers. Any of their things are yours' if you wish." Then he motions behind himself, down a shorter hall into what Kellon can see is a bedroom with a bed for two. "And in... our bedchamber, Elisabeth and I, we kept some trophies from past visitors. They are yours' as well. Perhaps something here will help you. I will be here... when you are ready to face whatever comes next."

[Prehysterical]

How powerful was this vampire? He really did seem to have the reach of an archdevil...

Before Kellon goes to search the bedchambers for items, Kellon asks Gustav, "Why does Strahd bring adventurers to Barovia? We are from different planes and Anton here received a personal invitation. Why us?"

[RandomWombat]

"That, I do not know," is all that Gustav can say. "He chastised us for ruining his entertainment. You may just be here to shake up the dreary monotony that is Barovia."

Gweyir's frown deepens, and she clutches the back of Anton's chair. "So we're just toys, then."

[Prehysterical]

The thought that some being specifically picked them out like a fish at market is... disquieting.

"Right now, it's all we can do to break the curse on this house. See what you can find." Kellon goes on to inspect the Durst bedchambers.

[RandomWombat]

Gweyir follows him, while Anton finishes with his journal and closes it. He helps Sokol up and they begin making their way to the cult's quarters, alongside Spider following behind. Rose and Thorn linger with their father.

Within the Dursts' bedchamber is a wooden bed with a rotten feather mattress. A few iron candlesticks sit on the nightstand, and the wardrobe contains a few robes and dresses. A crate in the corner contains a pile of unlit torches, which still seem to be good enough to use.

A chest at the foot of the bed contains a folded cloak with a slight silvery sheen to it, an unlocked wooden coffer containing four healing potions, a chain shirt, a mess kit with light metal kitchenware and utensils, a flask of alchemist's fire, a bullseye lantern, a set of lockpicks and other thieves' tools, and a spellbook with a yellowed leather cover.

"What do you think of all this?" Gweyir asks, as they sort through the contents.

[Prehysterical]

It seems to be a real mixed bag. "Definitely taking the alchemist's fire and healing potions. The lockpicks might make for a good gift for Spider. We should take the spellbook and cloak to Anton for him to take a look at it."

[RandomWombat]

"Oh, I meant the situation," Gweyir corrects herself with a short laugh. "But yes, most of this should be useful. Druids cannot wear metal armor, but maybe that dead guy could use the chain." She helps collect the assortment to bring back to the others and stands up.

"I don't know how the wolf pirates fit into things yet, but they must have something to do with Strahd. They lured us here just like 'Arrigal' did to Anton, right?"

[Prehysterical]

Kellon stops for a moment. He never considered the possibility that the pirates may somehow have been involved with Strahd. Eventually shaking his head, Kellon moves on to the cult bedchambers. "It's possible, but who really knows? We know so little about this place. Even the people who actually live here are in the dark. If my powers were greater, I could ask the gods for answers, but right now, all we can really do is survive... and do what little good we can."

Once they enter the chamber, Kellon proclaims, "Anton, bring those magic rectangles of yours out here! I got a spellbook to tempt ye! Spider, I have a present for you, too!"

[RandomWombat]

The large chamber between the cultists' quarters is dotted by wooden support beams holding the place together, and in the center is a well whose water has long since turned stagnant and rotten, tainted like the rest of this place.

Anton gets up from on one of the ratty old beds and comes out with an intrigued look, and Spider crawls out from a little secluded corner it had found in one of the other rooms. "A present? For me? Thank you, thank you!"

Reaching out, Anton accepts the spellbook and takes a look at it. "Hmhm, I see." He flips it open and looks through a few of the pages. "A little more advanced than my own. I will have to decrypt their spell codes and see what they've researched." He motions to a pile he's made next to the well, "I've assembled everything of value we found in the rooms, and tossed away a few... unsavory things."

Spoiler: Cult Quarters Loot

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-11 gold and 60 silver pieces
-Three moss agates in a folded piece of black cloth
-A black leather eyepatch with a cornelian sewn into it
-An ivory hairbrush with silver inlays

Gweyir drops the chain shirt on the ground next to Sokol, who is sitting against the wall again with an arm hung over one knee. The man appears to have acquired a tarnished silver shortsword from among the rooms, as well. "You alive down there?"

"No," the undead man answers, his sharp yellowed teeth bared in a rictus grin.

"Well, here's some armor we found. Might help you stay whole, if not alive. Have you been down here a long time?"

Sokol picks up the chain shirt and holds it up in front of him weakly, taking a look. "Since before the mister and missus were undead monsters - and I suppose before I was as well, ahaha! Ah, but I have lost count. There is no way to tell one day from another down here."

[Prehysterical]

Kellon give the thieves' tools to Spider. "No more bones for you, little mister! Now, you've got some real lockpicks!"

He hands Anton the cloak and asks, "Could you do your book learnin' with this and some of those things over there? 'Tis plain that this cloak has some sort of enchantment on it."

Looking to Solok, Kellon asks, "You weren't one of the cult, so how did you end up here?"

[RandomWombat]

"Ooh, it's so shiny!" Spider marvels at the set of 'brand new' thieves' tools and drags it aside to compare with the bone ones and take a look at what's what.

Accepting the cloak, Anton nods. "I took a look at the personal effects there, nothing magical. Just a few tradable baubles." Holding the cloak draped across his hands, he peers at its gleam. "This certainly warrants a look, however. I shall inform you what you find." With a nod, he shuffles off back to the room he'd chosen, taking a seat on the bed and laying the cloak out on the nightstand.

"The usual way, I imagine. The Dursts were an important family here, before everyone caught on that folks started to disappear around them," Sokol explains, laying the chain shirt beside his spot and throwing his arms wide and gesturing as he talks. "I was a guard for the farmers, out across the bridge. When the Dursts invited me over for dinner, I thought I was getting a raise! Surprise to me, after the night of drinking and dancing, they bring me downstairs. And then I thought I was getting an orgy! Ahaha! Not an orgy, no. Much less fun, will spare you the details."

[Prehysterical]

A more childish part of Kellon is put out that the eyepatch isn't magical... It looks quite nice with the cornelian set into it. He wonders sort of person it originally belonged to... Surely they were not the first seadogs to be taken into this world.

This Sokol fellow was taking his undeath rather well... Kellon wonders how long he has been down here and how he has not gone mad from it. "Is there anything that we can do for you? Those shadows practically keelhauled you."

[RandomWombat]

Sokol holds a hand in front of his face. The blue flesh is still an even more sickly grey. "Simply wait for it to go away. Whatever curse made me like this, I heal eventually." He rests his arm once more over his knee.

"I have a touch of druidic magic from the Feywild that can restore things to an unharmed state. It doesn't involve any positive energy, so it should work on undead," Gweyir mentions. "If need be. It might not be a bad idea to do what I can with it while we rest, even if it's not much." She focuses, and a shimmering glow surrounds Kellon and Sokol, restoring some of the necrotic drain that their bodies have suffered. "That's all I can do. But just in case this house decides to throw something at us."

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Gweyir uses Balm of the Summer Court, healing Kellon for for 1 and Sokol for 2. They both gain 1 temporary hp as well, though that will fade with their rest.

[Prehysterical]

A sudden thought occurs to Kellon and he slaps his forehead. "Damn! I just remembered that I left our rations up in the master bedroom!" Gustav had warned them that the house might be dangerous at this point, but Kellon thinks he knows a way around that.

"Spider, me lad, would you be willing to do us a favor? I left seven packages of rations on a table in the master bedroom on the third floor, the room where we first met. Would you be a good shipmate and get them for us? We need to keep our strength up and give our bodies fuel to heal."

[RandomWombat]

"Okay! I'll be back super fast!" Spider chirps confidently, scuttling away into the darkness without hesitation. As it goes, Gweyir takes the alchemy jug from Anton's room and a wooden cup, using some of its fresh water contents to clean out the cup of dust and cobwebs first, then using it to take a drink.

"You said before there might be another way besides appeasing the house with a sacrifice," the elf says, going at first to sit upon the edge of the well, then rethinking the wisdom of that and instead leaning on one of the least worn down wooden supports. "Any ideas in mind?"

[Prehysterical]

Kellon softly taps the shaft of the spear against his beak in thought. "A few... None of them foolproof. It might be possible for me to consecrate the shrine and expunge the place of this evil, but it might well be beyond my power to do so. Even if it is possible, we would have to round up every scrap of silver in this house and find a way to grind it into powder. The dust is essential to the ceremony.

Another thought that occurred to me is the manner of the sacrifice. If the house demands a life or soul, our keel is shot. But, if a blood sacrifice is all that is required, we all could make a blood offering. Between three living bodies and our healing magic, we could easily donate enough blood to be equivalent to one sacrifice."

He sighs wearily. "More than anything, I told him that so that the mad fool wouldn't just go straight down the hole. The man has a deathwish. It is good that he wants to repent and save his children, but I would prefer that they enter the afterlife together. The family has been broken enough as it is. They deserve some measure of peace."

[RandomWombat]

"Aye, I think it would take a lot to consecrate unhallowed ground such as this," looking up towards the stony ceiling, Gweyir hums uncertainly to herself.

"If I may," Anton cuts in, speaking aside as he performs the ritual identification over the cloak, "A genius loci is alive, in a way. Difficult to truly kill, certainly, but it should be possible to tire it out. Were we to draw enough of its attention below and weather what comes, its control over the house above could be loosened. Perhaps its grip on the Dursts as well."

As he speaks, the ritual comes to a conclusion and he goes silent to form the rectangle between his hands. "Cloak of protection," he relays, rather simply. "Nothing odd about it this time. With attunement, about as solid as a shield, and it offers a measure of protection against magic and the elements."

[Prehysterical]

Kellon hums thoughtfully. "One of you lot take it. Probably need it more than I do.

So, Anton, you say "difficult to kill"... What does it entail, exactly? Guessing it isn't as simple as stabbing the timbers 'til she screams murder."

[RandomWombat]

"The simple act of burning it down would destroy the house, but not the malevolence inhabiting it. Worse case scenario, every broken bit of wood and ash is now carrying that around with it," he relays as he brings the cloak out and offers it up. Sokol doesn't seem to be moving from his spot right now, so Gweyir accepts the cloak.

"As you suspected, yourself, we would need a way to consecrate this unhallowed ground. Such a task may be beyond us for now. I would suggest we leave a sign or something, warning future adventurers of this house's true nature before they enter seeking a rich family's abandoned loot."

Spider soon returns, carrying with it the bundle of Kellon's rations - only slightly nibbled on. Spider clasps it between two forelegs and holds it up to Kellon. "Here you go!"

[Prehysterical]

Kellon accepts the delivery with a nod of his head. "Good on you, sailor. You know how hard it is for me to get up and down stairs." He sets them down on the table and separates them out for the others. Gweyir has the right idea, so Kellon cleans out a cup and drinks a cup before filling it up again to have with the dry rations. Kellon continues talking while eating.

"Well, if I know adventurers, they'll take that as more encouragement than anything else. Still, you're right. Maybe we can't do anything about it now, but at least we can stop this accursed place from killing anyone else. And if your idea of distracting the place to let the Dursts escape works, that'll be sure to shiver her timbers," he chuckles as he envisions the house's rage.

[RandomWombat]

As the others partake of the dried rations, Spider creeps away in the direction of the grick, and the image of what follows is perhaps best kept from the mind. There are not a great deal of alternative options down here, where any small pests have surely been picked clean by grick and ghoul both.

"Alas, there is little else to be done. As Darwin once said, idiocy is the cure to itself," taking the jug next in turn, Anton cleans himself a cup to take a drink.

"Once we get out of here, we should see about that tavern the butcher lady mentioned. If the barkeep doesn't turn away outsiders, maybe we can figure out where to go next."

[Prehysterical]

Kellon chuckles. "I like this Darwin of yours." Not just for the words, but Darwin sounded like a name for a turtle-lover, for some reason...

He holds up a hand to forestall Gweyir's suggestion. "Let's get out of here alive before we worry about that, eh? No sense raising our sails if we're still anchored."

Finishing off his glass, Kellon continues, "Speaking of which, I am going to do us all a little favor and check that staircase on the other end of the hall. I've had enough surprises for one day and the thought of a ghoul catching me in my sleep makes me scales crawl."

[RandomWombat]

"Not a terrible idea, all told. I'm feeling quite fine myself, so I shall join you," Anton offers, picking up his lamp once more and following Kellon down the hall. Remembering Gustav's warning, they take the long way around, avoiding a precarious hop over the concealed pit of spikes.

From down the stairs, the chanting can be heard more clearly than before.

"He is the Ancient. He is the Land. He is the Ancient. He is the Land. He is the Ancient. He is the Land. He is the Ancient. He is the Land."

It repeats, over and over, echoing up from below and bouncing through the halls.

[Prehysterical]

Looking down the stairs, Kellon has some internal debating before looking over his shoulder at Anton. "If that lot are in a room at the bottom of the stairs, we would be in for an ocean of trouble. Not easy to fall back on those stairs... I suggest that we have someone stand guard at the entrance to the bedchambers while we take turns getting rest. I'm out of magic, so if this turns bad, we're sunk."

[RandomWombat]

"I'm quite dry, myself. But I can perform a ritual of Alarm. It will hold for eight hours, and raise a klaxon should something cross the threshold. Once spider returns, I can take first watch and prepare the spell," Anton offers as the two of them linger above the stairs.

[Prehysterical]

"How about you do it now and I will stay here and cover you while you perform the ritual? We don't need anyone being left alone down here. It's an open invitation for death. As your friend Darwin would put it, "Let's not be our own cure.""