[IC] Expedition to Castle Ravenloft

[The Commander]

Lord Zinro Varanash

"Very well." Zinro stood over the items and began to chant once again, removing his Pearl of Power from the Bag of Holding and focusing on it as he ran his fingers over the armour and the broken sword.

Spoiler

Show

Ritual Cast Identify, first on the Armour, and then on the Sword. 11 minutes for each, for a total of 22 minutes needed.

[dangelo]

The chamber was an island of light in the quietness of the catacombs; Only the incantations whispered by Lord Zinro broke the silence. An eerie uneasiness settled among the adventurers as the minutes went by, watched by stone angels in the alcoves above.

Sergei's suit of armor had seen many battles, and protected him from several killing blows, but none for the land of Barovia. It had been commissioned by King Barov to clad his son's body and keep him safe when protecting their realm, but never to conquer other lands.

Moving to the sword, Zinro was granted a glimpse of the moment the weapon was destroyed: Striking against Strahd's helmet and shattering it in a thousand pieces. Sergei himself was fallen on the ground, his younger brother above him, sword in hand, sinking it into Sergei's chest. Strahd was still human back then, but his face as already tainted with evil.

A note of sorrow came from the broken sword, almost as the weapon still lamented the way things ended.

Spoiler

Show

• Full Plate +2
• Longsword +2, Versatile, Finesse
  The longsword can be "activated" with a bonus action. The actual effect will reveal itself once it's activated.

[dangelo]

The chamber was an island of light in the quietness of the catacombs; Only the incantations whispered by Lord Zinro broke the silence. An eerie uneasiness settled among the adventurers as the minutes went by, watched by stone angels in the alcoves above.

Sergei's suit of armor had seen many battles, and protected him from several killing blows, but none for the land of Barovia. It had been commissioned by King Barov to clad his son's body and keep him safe when protecting their realm, but never to conquer other lands.

Moving to the sword, Zinro was granted a glimpse of the moment the weapon was destroyed: Striking against Strahd's helmet and shattering it in a thousand pieces. Sergei himself was fallen on the ground, his younger brother above him, sword in hand, sinking it into Sergei's chest. Strahd was still human back then, but his face as already tainted with evil.

A note of sorrow came from the broken sword, almost as the weapon still lamented the way things ended.

Spoiler

Show

• Full Plate +2
• Longsword +2, Versatile, Finesse
  The longsword can be "activated" with a bonus action. The actual effect will reveal itself once it's activated.

[Waistcoatwill]

Bori

Bori peers over Zinro's shoulder as he analyses the relics of Strahd's brother.

Half a sword is probably a better-sized weapon for me than any of you. When we get a chance I can speak to the heart of the blade and try to learn what it does.

An involuntary shudder runs through him as he glances round the chamber and back out that the catacombs. Nethis nuzzles him soothingly.

Is there anywhere else we need to go on this level? I think I've had my fill of tombs!

[TaiLiu]

"Very well." Zinro stood over the items and began to chant once again, removing his Pearl of Power from the Bag of Holding and focusing on it as he ran his fingers over the armour and the broken sword.

The chamber was an island of light in the quietness of the catacombs; Only the incantations whispered by Lord Zinro broke the silence. An eerie uneasiness settled among the adventurers as the minutes went by, watched by stone angels in the alcoves above.

Sergei's suit of armor had seen many battles, and protected him from several killing blows, but none for the land of Barovia. It had been commissioned by King Barov to clad his son's body and keep him safe when protecting their realm, but never to conquer other lands.

Moving to the sword, Zinro was granted a glimpse of the moment the weapon was destroyed: Striking against Strahd's helmet and shattering it in a thousand pieces. Sergei himself was fallen on the ground, his younger brother above him, sword in hand, sinking it into Sergei's chest. Strahd was still human back then, but his face as already tainted with evil.

A note of sorrow came from the broken sword, almost as the weapon still lamented the way things ended.

Yikkol does a final sweep of the crypt as Zinro does his thing, ensuring that the party isn't leaving any valuable vampire-fighting tools behind. She pays special attention to the south tomb—the one directly opposite Sergei's.

Bori peers over Zinro's shoulder as he analyses the relics of Strahd's brother.

Half a sword is probably a better-sized weapon for me than any of you. When we get a chance I can speak to the heart of the blade and try to learn what it does.

An involuntary shudder runs through him as he glances round the chamber and back out that the catacombs. Nethis nuzzles him soothingly.

Is there anywhere else we need to go on this level? I think I've had my fill of tombs!

Yikkol feels antsy, too, but for more violent reasons than Bori. The sooner the party finds the treasures and kills Strahd, the better.

"There's two paths we can take," Yikkol says, partly to Bori but mostly to the party at large:

1. "I spotted a hidden door nearby, though I'm unsure where it leads."
2. "Alternately, we could head back to the chapel and then up the stairs."

"Where to?"

[The Commander]

Lord Zinro Varanash

Zinro finished chanting and returned the Pearl to his Bag.

"The armour is truly exceptional plate armour; it has been magically enhanced to provide better protection than normal armour. Aside from this, there are no other additional properties. The sword has also likewise been magically enhanced to swing and damage more effectively than a normal longsword. I believe it can also be wielded dexterously. Finally, I believe that, despite being broken, the sword can be 'activated' to return it to it's former glory. I guess that whomever is bonded to the sword will be able to activate it."

Zinro listens to Yikkol's scouting.

"My vote is to continue exploring this area: the hidden door."

[truemane]

Rue Dhampir Barbarian 8/Fighter 2 AC: 17 HP: 128 PP:16 PIv: 11 PIs: 16 Rage: 3/4 (LongnRest) Empowering Bite: 4/4 (Long Rest) Second Wind: 1/1 (Short Rest) Action Surge: 1/1 (Short Rest)

Rue was surprised by how calmly her companions accepted her confession. She had received much worse, much more violent responses, from people who did not even know who Strahd was, or have any reason to hate him. Her heritage, her unliving living nature, was enough.

But all the same, she kept herself to herself, knowing that their errand had a long ways to go, and compassion that flows freely in quiet and safety trickles and stops in danger.

Another attack by Strahd. And then another. Maybe a death? And they would turn on her.

Everyone always did.

She had no interest in either magical armour or weapons. She was skilled (either by dint of training or natural ability) in a wide variety of armaments but her long, strange life had taught her to depend on her own talents. Anything you possessed could be taken away. And that made possessions a vulnerability.

She spent her time carefully walking around the crypt, seeing if there was anything helpful or alarming she could learn. At any point, if she was out of sight, she even climbed the walls and pillars and investigated the ceilings. But she was careful not to be seen.

When everyone seemed ready to move on, she nodded at Zinro.

"Anything the Devil has taken pains to hide is most likely something he does not want anyone to find. I vote the secret way as well."

Spoiler

Show

Her poking around is just fluff, but if you feel like a Perception or Investigation Check is merited, let me know.

[Dr.Samurai]

Asha Astral Elf Armorer Artificer AC: 23 HP: 101/103 THP: 10/10 PPer: 16 PInv: 19 PIns: 12 Conditions: Immune to Surprise, Adv on Init, Necklace of Adaptation Concentrating: -- Asha regards the relics Lord Zinro has just identified. The armor could be incorporated into the Bionoid, he says, gesturing at his own armor, but the effect will be largely the same. If someone else can make use of it, please do. And I agree we should inspect the secret door. Better to uncover all areas here, so we aren't surprised later.

[J-H]

Herbert Raycraft Human Life Cleric AC: 20 HP: 73/73 PPer: 18 PInv: 10 PIst: 18 Conditions: -- Concentrating: -- Aura: 30' Prot from Evil (Fiends/undead): Such creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against us, and we are immune to charm, fear, possession by them

Herbert steps over to speak with Rue and encourage her while the magical armor and sword are analyzed. "I have worked with many priests and priestesses of Pelor. Some were from stable merchant families; a few were from the nobility; and some came to the priesthood because we were a source of healing for them. One acolyte, I'm certain, joined to get away from a life of crime, but he did so earnestly. It was their faith, and their choices, that defined them. Not who their parents were. When we die, our gods judge us not for the actions of our parents, but for the choices we make."

He chooses to trust in his existing armor and its protection of his vital organs. Surely someone else could benefit from the enchanted plate.

[dangelo]

During the twenty minutes the party remained in Sergei's tomb, silence reigned in the Ravenloft. The quietness was only disrupted by a faint clanking of chains being dragged across the catacombs. Just as it started, the sound slowly died out in the distance, as whoever dragged the chains climbed the staircase and left that area of the castle.

Finally, it seemed safe to leave the tomb again. The portcullis had to be lifted and held in place by a strong pair of arms, so the other adventurers could pass through before it was released. It clanked back to its closed position, the iron grating sinking deep into fissures in the floor.

They left Sergei's tomb and turned right, facing west. The stonework around that hidden passageway was made of a different stone than the rest of the castle, denoting it was newer than the other areas of Ravenloft.

This tunnel is cut into the Pillarstone of Ravenloft itself. Its surface is slick, and its ceiling is barely 6 feet high. A lingering fog limits visibility to a few feet.

Spoiler

Show

Herbert:
Initiative: (1d20-1)[19]
Perception: (1d20+8)[16]
Stealth: (1d20-1)[19]

Yikkol
Initiative: (1d20+4)[24]
Perception: (1d20+10)[23]
Stealth: (1d20+12)[25] or (1d20+12)[23] (Supreme Sneak)

Zinro:
Perception: (1d20+5)[10]
Initiative: (1d20+2)[4]
Stealth: (1d20+2)[15]
Dot's Stealth: (1d20+4)[5]

Bori:
Initiative: (1d20+5)[6] or (1d20+5)[13] (Sentinel Shield)
Perception: (1d20+5)[13] or (1d20+5)[17] (Sentinel Shield)
Stealth: (1d20+5)[16]

Rue:
Initiative: (1d20+3)[7] or (1d20+3)[7] (Feral Instinct)
Perception: (1d20+6)[10]
Stealth: (1d20+7)[27]

Asha:
Initiative: (1d20+2)[14] or (1d20+2)[14] (Helm of Awareness)
Perception (1d20+6)[24]
Stealth: (1d20+6)[9] (Heavy Armor/Boots of Elvenkind)

[dangelo]

Yikkol scouted the way ahead, stepping lightly and testing each stone tile before putting hall her weight onto it. Slowly and cautiously, the party advanced through the narrow corridors, trusting only their hearing to guide them in that silvery mist.

There was a loose stone tile halfway down the corridor, and Yikkol spotted it right away. It was an actual trapdoor, designed to open under the weight of any adult person. Beneath it, a vault descended into a gaping chasm, but once the trap was identified, it was easy to avoid.

The rough-hewn corridor ends at a stone staircase that descends to the south. Flanked by walls of rough masonry and relatively free of dust, these stairs descend before ending at a lonely door.

This room is thirty feet square, rising to a twenty-foot-tall flat ceiling. A stone brazier burns fiercely in the center of the room, but its tall white flame produces no heat. The rim of the brazier is carved with seven cup-shaped indentations spaced evenly around the circumference. Within each indentation is a spherical stone, twice the diameter of a human eyeball and made of a colored crystal. No two stones are the same color.

Overhead, a wood-framed hourglass as tall and wide as a dwarf hangs ten feet above the brazier, suspended from the ceiling by thick iron chains. All the sand is stuck in the upper portion of the hourglass, seemingly unable to run down into the bottom. Written in glowing script on the base of the hourglass is a verse in Common.

Two nine-foot-tall iron statues of knights on horseback, poised to charge with swords drawn, stand in deep alcoves facing each other. The brazier sits between them.

[The Commander]

Lord Zinro Varanash

Zinro cautiously approached to read the verse written on the hourglass. "What purpose does this room serve, hidden as it is?" He muttered, mostly to himself.

[Waistcoatwill]

Bori

Bori graciously takes the broken blade from Zinro and outs it in his pack for when he gets a chance to commune with the spirits within. He follows along the misty passage, extremely glad of Yikkol's scouting ability.

Eying the horsemen on either side of the fin chamber suspiciously, Bori and Nethis place themselves to Zinro's left, between him and it.

If this was a copper dreadful, it would either just be a trap to amuse the maniac who built it or guard the secret to their downfall. Considering what we've seen so far I'm guessing it's the first one.

[dangelo]

As Lord Zinro and Bori inspected their surroundings, they actually found several other exits to that room:

To the north, three identical staircases lead up. The party arrived through the middle one.

To the south, an open archway lead into a bigger room, but its contents were hidden by velvet curtains.

Spoiler

Show

Those three doors in the background are the three staircases above mentioned. The party came from the middle one.

The inscription read:

Cast a stone into the fire:

Violet leads to the mountain spire

Orange to the castle's peak

Red if lore is what you seek

Green to where the coffins hide

Indigo to the master's bride

Blue to ancient magic's womb

Yellow to the master's tomb

However, not all flames were available. Four of them were missing: green, blue, indigo and violet.

[J-H]

Herbert Raycraft Human Life Cleric AC: 20 HP: 73/73 PPer: 18 PInv: 10 PIst: 18 Conditions: -- Concentrating: -- Aura: 30' Prot from Evil (Fiends/undead): Such creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against us, and we are immune to charm, fear, possession by them

Herbert follows Yikkol and the others, keeping his armor from making noise as best as he can. As he enters the room, his adamantium plate reflects the light of the white flame.

He looks suspiciously at the statues and the hourglass.
1. Is there evidence of the statues having moved more recently? Less dust, disturbed dust, prints, dents in the floor, etc.
2. Is there an obstacle in the middle of the hourglass, or is the sand held back by an invisible force?
3. Any other markings?
4. Any significance in the gem patterns?

Spoiler

Show

Disadvantage on that stealth check, (1d20-1)[16]
New perception check, if called for (1d20+8)[10]
Or investigation (1d20+1)[17] if that fits better.
Religion (1d20+4)[10]

[The Commander]

Lord Zinro Varanash

Zinro mused to himself for a moment. "Perhaps this room is a means of teleportation, scrying, or communion with other locations? Perhaps the hourglass is a means of keeping time on the spell?"

[Dr.Samurai]

Asha Astral Elf Armorer Artificer AC: 23 HP: 101/103 THP: 10/10 PPer: 16 PInv: 19 PIns: 12 Conditions: Immune to Surprise, Adv on Init, Necklace of Adaptation Concentrating: -- Asha moves in with the others and takes stock of the room, Mind the statues, he says to the others, gesturing at the towering horsemen flanking the brazier. Zinro muses to himself for a moment. "Perhaps this room is a means of teleportation, scrying, or communion with other locations? Perhaps the hourglass is a means of keeping time on the spell?" At the very least, Asha says, it's a waypoint between the three locations that can access it. Secretly, of course. He moves toward the brazier and reads the inscription on the hourglass: Cast a stone into the fire: Violet leads to the mountain spire Orange to the castle's peak Red if lore is what you seek Green to where the coffins hide Indigo to the master's bride Blue to ancient magic's womb Yellow to the master's tomb What did the old woman say? A brother of light to the brother of shadow. That's Sergei's tomb. We found that treasure, I think. The armor is remarkable, but the sword we don't yet know it's full powers. The other treasure was in the highest tower, and the other hidden behind a great beauty. So... orange and indigo? Asha says, looking to the others.

[J-H]

Herbert

"To have something available is not the same thing as to require its use...although those over-fond of strong drink would disagree. Let us continue our explorations here, and find what there is to find, before we go off to some other part of the castle. Who knows if we will be able to return?"

[TaiLiu]

Herbert steps over to speak with Rue and encourage her while the magical armor and sword are analyzed. "I have worked with many priests and priestesses of Pelor. Some were from stable merchant families; a few were from the nobility; and some came to the priesthood because we were a source of healing for them. One acolyte, I'm certain, joined to get away from a life of crime, but he did so earnestly. It was their faith, and their choices, that defined them. Not who their parents were. When we die, our gods judge us not for the actions of our parents, but for the choices we make."

Yikkol nods as Herbert speak. "Your words are wise indeed, your holiness. I apologize, Rue. I should not have judged you on your heritage."

Sergei's suit of armor had seen many battles, and protected him from several killing blows, but none for the land of Barovia. It had been commissioned by King Barov to clad his son's body and keep him safe when protecting their realm, but never to conquer other lands.

Asha regards the relics Lord Zinro has just identified. The armor could be incorporated into the Bionoid, he says, gesturing at his own armor, but the effect will be largely the same. If someone else can make use of it, please do.

Yikkol Four-Eyes has picked up the armor and is examining it. She reaches inside and fingers the fine chain shirt hidden inside. Mithral. It looked beautiful in the torchlight and glistened with powerful protective magics.

The armor was too heavy for her to her to comfortably wear, but this light chain would be useful. She throws it on underneath her clothes, leaving her studded leather armor in its place. She then allows his holiness to close the coffin before leading the party towards the hidden passageway.

Yikkol scouted the way ahead, stepping lightly and testing each stone tile before putting hall her weight onto it. Slowly and cautiously, the party advanced through the narrow corridors, trusting only their hearing to guide them in that silvery mist.

There was a loose stone tile halfway down the corridor, and Yikkol spotted it right away. It was an actual trapdoor, designed to open under the weight of any adult person. Beneath it, a vault descended into a gaping chasm, but once the trap was identified, it was easy to avoid.

The rough-hewn corridor ends at a stone staircase that descends to the south. Flanked by walls of rough masonry and relatively free of dust, these stairs descend before ending at a lonely door.

This room is thirty feet square, rising to a twenty-foot-tall flat ceiling. A stone brazier burns fiercely in the center of the room, but its tall white flame produces no heat. The rim of the brazier is carved with seven cup-shaped indentations spaced evenly around the circumference. Within each indentation is a spherical stone, twice the diameter of a human eyeball and made of a colored crystal. No two stones are the same color.

Overhead, a wood-framed hourglass as tall and wide as a dwarf hangs ten feet above the brazier, suspended from the ceiling by thick iron chains. All the sand is stuck in the upper portion of the hourglass, seemingly unable to run down into the bottom. Written in glowing script on the base of the hourglass is a verse in Common.

Two nine-foot-tall iron statues of knights on horseback, poised to charge with swords drawn, stand in deep alcoves facing each other. The brazier sits between them.

As Lord Zinro and Bori inspected their surroundings, they actually found several other exits to that room:

To the north, three identical staircases lead up. The party arrived through the middle one.

To the south, an open archway lead into a bigger room, but its contents were hidden by velvet curtains.

Spoiler

Show

Those three doors in the background are the three staircases above mentioned. The party came from the middle one.

The inscription read:

Cast a stone into the fire:

Violet leads to the mountain spire

Orange to the castle's peak

Red if lore is what you seek

Green to where the coffins hide

Indigo to the master's bride

Blue to ancient magic's womb

Yellow to the master's tomb

However, not all flames were available. Four of them were missing: green, blue, indigo and violet.

Zinro mused to himself for a moment. "Perhaps this room is a means of teleportation, scrying, or communion with other locations? Perhaps the hourglass is a means of keeping time on the spell?"

At the very least, Asha says, it's a waypoint between the three locations that can access it. Secretly, of course. He moves toward the brazier and reads the inscription on the hourglass:

What did the old woman say? A brother of light to the brother of shadow. That's Sergei's tomb. We found that treasure, I think. The armor is remarkable, but the sword we don't yet know it's full powers.

The other treasure was in the highest tower, and the other hidden behind a great beauty. So... orange and indigo? Asha says, looking to the others.

"The indigo is missing," Yikkol says. With her chin, she gestures at the missing orb.

"But this magic item seems risky. What does it do? If it teleports people, will it only teleport the person who tossed the stone, or will it teleport everyone in the room?"

"To have something available is not the same thing as to require its use...although those over-fond of strong drink would disagree. Let us continue our explorations here, and find what there is to find, before we go off to some other part of the castle. Who knows if we will be able to return?"

"A wise suggestion, your holiness. There's a part of the room obscured with curtains. Zinro, what do your magic senses say? Is there an alarm on it?"

[The Commander]

Lord Zinro Varanash

Zinro, what do your magic senses say? Is there an alarm on it?"

"If you give me ten minutes I can open my senses to magical auras once again." As soon as he finished speaking, Zinro was already muttering the incantations to raise his awareness to all things magical.

Spoiler

Show

Ritual Cast Detect Magic and then sweep the room with it

[dangelo]

He looks suspiciously at the statues and the hourglass.
1. Is there evidence of the statues having moved more recently? Less dust, disturbed dust, prints, dents in the floor, etc.
2. Is there an obstacle in the middle of the hourglass, or is the sand held back by an invisible force?
3. Any other markings?
4. Any significance in the gem patterns?

When inspecting the stone floor up close, Herbert found signs that the statues had indeed moved in the past, but not recently. There were marks on the floor, but the statues themselves were coated with dust.

In the hourglass overhead, the sand was magically kept from falling. There was nothing physically blocking its path

Besides that, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"If you give me ten minutes I can open my senses to magical auras once again." As soon as he finished speaking, Zinro was already muttering the incantations to raise his awareness to all things magical.

Somewhere around Castle Ravenloft, a flutter of bats chirped and squeaked wildly. The sound reached the adventurers in the Brazier Room, muffled by several layers of stone walls. While the creatures themselves were far away and couldn't harm them, they were an awful reminder of how this castle was alive and full of horrors.

Surprisingly, there was little for Lord Zinro to detect. The brazier was indeed a teleportation device: once the stone was thrown into the flame, a portal would be opened. Judging by the structure of the spell and the laws of arcane magic, it was probable that the portal would remain open for a small window of time before closing again. There were very recent traces of magic that indicated it was frequently used by someone to get around the castle.

[Dr.Samurai]

Asha Astral Elf Armorer Artificer AC: 23 HP: 101/103 THP: 10/10 PPer: 16 PInv: 19 PIns: 12 Conditions: Immune to Surprise, Adv on Init, Necklace of Adaptation Concentrating: --

Asha moves to the brazier and looks into the flame to see if he can make out the stones that are missing from the rim.

[Waistcoatwill]

Bori


Reluctant to move away from marking one of the ominous statues, Bori stays still until Herbert and Zinro finish their examinations. He edge's over towards the curtain and triesnto peer through.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Stealth (1d20+5)[13]

Perception (1d20+5)[6] or (1d20+5)[16]

[The Commander]

Lord Zinro Varanash

Zinro completed his magical investigations and nodded to himself. "As I suspected: this is a teleportation device. Throw in a stone and it connects with the appropriate location mentioned by the Hourglass. I imagine the Hourglass is simply a timer for how long the portal remains open." He looked at the statues. "I don't sense any magic from the knights; although if there's some kind of mechanical trigger to them then I wouldn't perceive that."

"I think we should remember this room, but continue exploring at this level for now."

[dangelo]

Dark, low shapes thrust up out of the still, brackish water that fills this fifty-foot-square room, the ceiling of which is festooned with hanging chains that look like thick, black web strands. A balcony set into the north wall overlooks the room and has two large thrones atop it, with a red velvet curtain behind them.

Spoiler

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[Waistcoatwill]

Bori

Bori's eyes widen as he looks around the incredibly creepy room. He seeks out with his Mask Weaver training to get a feel for the spirits of the objects and any creatures inside the room. Looking for the hidden taint of undeath.

Done, he scuttles back to report his findings.

It is just so creepy. I main, what could you possibly watch in their? Were they drowning people for their own amusement or something?

Spoiler: Action

Show

Divine Sense - 3 uses remaining.

[dangelo]

While darkness shrouded the vision of men and wrapped their hearts in fear, Bori's spirit was beyond such influences. He faced the darkness with the courage of a champion and had evil reveal itself to him. The dark, low shapes on the water were creatures of the night, lost undead who would never again see the light of day. They just stood in the water, waiting, waiting...

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Awesome artwork straight from the book:

[TaiLiu]

Somewhere around Castle Ravenloft, a flutter of bats chirped and squeaked wildly. The sound reached the adventurers in the Brazier Room, muffled by several layers of stone walls. While the creatures themselves were far away and couldn't harm them, they were an awful reminder of how this castle was alive and full of horrors.

Yikkol shivers, though she stills herself by thinking of Strahd's death and her mother's bones.

"What an awful reminder," Yikkol mutters to herself, "of how this castle is alive and full of horrors."

Bori's eyes widen as he looks around the incredibly creepy room. He seeks out with his Mask Weaver training to get a feel for the spirits of the objects and any creatures inside the room. Looking for the hidden taint of undeath.

Done, he scuttles back to report his findings.

It is just so creepy. I main, what could you possibly watch in their? Were they drowning people for their own amusement or something?

"Maybe it was an old throne room," Yikkol suggests, "and Strahd put it in a dark corner to forget that he was once a prince."

Zinro completed his magical investigations and nodded to himself. "As I suspected: this is a teleportation device. Throw in a stone and it connects with the appropriate location mentioned by the Hourglass. I imagine the Hourglass is simply a timer for how long the portal remains open." He looked at the statues. "I don't sense any magic from the knights; although if there's some kind of mechanical trigger to them then I wouldn't perceive that."

"I think we should remember this room, but continue exploring at this level for now."

"That's a good idea. Should we take the orbs just in case? Some have been used already."

Also: "Left door or right door?"

[Waistcoatwill]

Bori

It looks like the water is full of undead as well, definitely don't recommend going in there!

He happily joins the others in consideration of the remaining doorways.

I'm happy with either direction. In the mean time, if we want to lay a minor trap for anything these statues can get up to, I can pour a quart of oil on the floor. It might slow it down a bit if it starts moving.

[dangelo]

The party had entered the castle from the west, and moved eastward until they found the Chapel; The Catacombs were located directly below the Chapel, deep underground. From there, a nondescript corridor cut into the bedrock of Ravenloft and led them to the Brazier Room. Following that logic, one could assume that the right door should lead deeper into the castle, while the left would do the opposite.