The party are within Castle Ravenloft and prepare to leave the deconsecrated ossuary via the now unlocked door at the SOUTHERN end. The morale sapping effects of this bleached bone strewn chamber are grimly etched upon the faces of all those of pure faith. Not so Galan and Mirafir, while Frimly blithely hops and skips his way through the skulls and femurs, whistling inanely.
Father Tobias, does not countenance such nonchalance in the face of danger, and mutters something barely intelligible and certainly impolite in the direction of the Thief.
Ahead, a short corridor reveals an entrance way to the west, which looks to have been barracks for anywhere between a dozen and a score of soldiery. It has clearly been abandoned for many years, the cots are long rotten and draped in a dusty gossamer of decayed fabric.
Frimly moves onwards to recon another entrance way to the east. Behind him is Galan, protecting his rear, swords poised and ready.
GUARDS’ RUN:
This 10’ foot wide arched corridor is cold and moist. The cold seems to emanate from an open archway in the WEST wall.
As Galan casts his gaze in to the barrack room, silver armoured figures come running towards him, the crest of the ancient order of the Silver Dragon emblazoned upon their battle shields. As suddenly as this happens, a blur of movement can be made out in the gloom. Some Phantomesque creature appears to strike down the Knights one by one in most rapid succession. What else has Castle Ravenloft to punish us with?
GUARDS’ QUARTERS:
Sickly, yellow lichen covers the ceiling of this cold, damp, 10’ foot wide passage running EAST and WEST. Opening off both sides of this passage are 10’ foot square alcoves that contain rotting cots, rags, and the skeletal remains of, what appears to be, castle guards. A deathly silence fills the hall.
This lightning quick phantom then passes directly through Galan, he steels himself against the supernatural assault, but he appears to be unaffected.
Father Tobias and Thora who are standing watch by the entrance, do not fare so well, and upon sight of this peculiar menace become struck with uncontrollable and awful paroxysms of terror and fear. Without thought or reason they both hurtle away towards a spiral stairway that is to the EAST of the corridor. They flee upwards with the rest of the party in hot pursuit trying to avert yet more disaster.
Some form of Apparitions appear and scare Thora and Father Tobias who run up the spiral stairs, passed the ground and 1st floors to finally stop on the 2nd floorof Ravenloft Castle.
Blessedly the fearful effects are short lived and have subsided by the time they reach the second floor. The party now find themselves outside on the parapet of Castle Ravenloft.
WESTERN STAIR:
The long, hollow sigh of the wind breathes a semblance of life into this otherwise featureless staircase.
PARAPETS:
You stand on a ten-foot-wide walkway that encircles most of the keep. The drizzle of rain continues, punctuated by the occasional clap of thunder or stroke of lightning. Far below these parapets are the shining wet cobblestones of the courtyard.
The PCs head through Castle Ravenloft and towards Count Strahd’s Study through the broken window leading into the Dining Hall of the Count.
This may well serve the adventurers a benefit. There is a Magical instrument in there that Frimly would like to examine. The ‘Magic Lute’ is still in position and Frimley places it warily in the ‘Bag of Holding’, for later inspection, suspecting yet another of Strahd’s traps, but hoping that the Magical emanations may just offer something of use.
CASTLE RAVENLOFT:
Mirafir sleeps for 4 hours while Father Tobias prays. They are guared by Thora and Ireena.
The Daggerford expeditionary force, agree that these plush rooms may serve as a place to rest and recuperate. It will also be the last opportunity to recharge spells for both Father Tobias and Mirafir.
The fire has been relit and the unseen servant has carried out its duties, restoring order to the chambers.
Thora and Ireena stand guard with the magic users while the rest of party head up the main spiral stairway to the witches’ quarters to examine them further and perhaps unearth something of use. Galan’s Sunsword detects no undead. Where then has the laconic Vampire Spawn that he had earlier spied, disappeared to?
On the 3rd floor, the Witches’ quarters, there are leather bound books on rickety shelves, but little else of interest catches their attention and so they proceed to the floor above.
The PCs continue up to the 4th floor.
In the cauldron room, the vast pot is still bubbling, heated by a ‘Magical Flame’. Resting on a rustically carved lectern lays a big black book, pages open and apparently unscathed by the fiery bomb that was ignited within the room. The blackened and scorched bodies of several of the witches bear a reeking testimony to the ferocity of the conflagration.
In the adjacent room the hags had clearly been concocting various potions, tinctures and ointments. Five of these Potions were seemingly useful and are quickly stowed in the ‘Bag of Holding’. Yet more are half filled and of unknown provenance.
They move on to the top to the Barovian Withces tower where they prey over the dead body of Ismark.
The party proceed to the roof where Ismark’s disembowelled body still lying, prostrate and stiff with rigor upon the sacrificial altar. It is a grisly sight indeed and a stark reminder that a gruesome death awaits every creature in this vile land.
In the absence of the Cleric, the Paladins offer prayers for him and anoint Ismark’s wretched body with Holy Water.
With rituals completed, it is Sir Ly who wonders to the whereabouts of the ‘Glowing Long Sword’ found in the prison dungeon – that the poor wretch had been using? Far below them are the parapet walls upon which curious lights seemingly patrol.
Then, in the sudden glare of a lightning flash a strange Metallic Humanoid shape can be made out upon the same parapet walls.
The PCs head back to the Study in the heart of Ravenloft Castle ans wait the hour needed for the Wizard and Priest to gain some strength and power.
4 hours have elapsed and with half of their spell points recovered the Father Tobias and Mirafir rouse themselves and start to look about the Count’s apartment. Beyond, behind the door that led to where Gertruda had been sleeping, Frimly can hear the sound of light breathing from within.
In a pincer movement the warriors split forces, taking a doorway each into the bedchamber beyond.
The manoeuvre is executed with aplomb and standing there, unharmed is the buxom, Gertruda. She immediately throws herself at the tender mercies of Sir Ly, like a duckling to the first thing it encounters.
Sir Ly stares at tender breasts heaving beneath her lacy silk negligee. Gazing over the young Paladin’s broad shoulders, she fixes her steely gaze upon Mirafir and sniffs an indignant curse at him for having abandoned her.
The PCs decide to go through the door in the NORTH-EAST of the study which they know to lead to a corridor with alcoves and statues.
Thora, Galan, Mirafir and Father Tobias then enter the unsearched corridor that leads off of Strahd’s study. After 20’ feet or so the corridor turns west and stretches into the dark on for a further 50’ feet, on each side of which are alcoves containing life sized humanoid statues. Each looks out with pure and utter terror etched upon their stone faces. There were no emanations of Undead or Evil here. So Mirafir sent forth an unseen servant that carried our ‘Continual Light Gem’ to aid the Paladins and would perhaps draw out or alert them any trap that may have lurked ahead. But nothing happened and so Thora declared she would lead a path through those petrified statues.
The PCs detect no Evil or Undead. Galan and Mirafir can both hear many voices whispering.
Galan and Mirafir, curious as to the nature of these totems peered closely at them, and unbeknown to the others they heard strange utterances and whisperings.
Mirafir called out:
Mirafir: “Can you not speak clearly so we can understand what you say!”
But he has heard the curt, indignant response:
Statue: “Yes I can and my enunciation is perfect and far better than yours, boy!”
Mirafir: “What happened to you?”
But Katerina Von Zarovich, spoke no more.
At the end of the Hall of Heroes stairs lead down to the 1st floor.
A stairway led them downwards and north then EAST, terminating in a corridor that heads SOUTHWARDS. A door on the WESTERN side was closed. Thoughts then turned to Secret Doors….or rather the lack of them.
At the door Frimly hears nothing but when they open the door they find inside 8 beds and Helga Ruvak.
Frimly heard nothing at the well maintained door, but he could see a flickering glow of light from beneath the door. The unseen servant opened the door and within were 8 immaculately kept beds and a comely young lady sporting a finely worked gold pendant necklace.
Thora called out to her. Helga Ruvak, the bootmakers daughter replied. She had been imprisoned by Strahd and was yet another of his myriad consorts, though no Evil or Undead emanations could be detected upon her.
Helga entreated and begged the party to take her with them. Thora was in no way convinced and bluntly refuses.
Thora: “We’ve no place for yet another liability, slowing us down, anyhows I dinnae trust her!”
The Dwarf maiden declared. Helga Ruvak was unceremoniously locked within the dorm, the heavy door muffling her audible sobbing.
The others then searched the corridor looking for Secret Doors, as they were all alerted by the odd cul-de-sac termination of the corridor. Before long Mirafir did indeed find a hidden door, and equally quickly discerned its opening mechanism. It led to the internal battlements and on to the Heart Tower staircase.
The Secret Door leads to Turret Post Access Hall to the NORTH of Castle Ravenloft.
The PCs leave Helga Ruvak and Gurtruda locked in the Maid’s Hall.
The PCs head back to the Brazier Room hoping that the door which they left through, leading to the Observation Balcony overlooking the Torture Room.
The PCs cross the Dungeon’s and Torture Room and climb up onto the Observation Balcony.
The door is open as they left it, thank St. Cuthbert for this stroke of luck, or is it another Castle Ravenloft trap?
