8th Day of the Claw of winter (February): DAY FOUR
The Vampire Vs the Wand of Illumination (4:15 am):
Vicross, ‘Wand of Illumination’ held in his hand, and Sir Ly are searching for Secret Doors in the Pillar room Guard Room after they had spent a long time looking in the High Priests Tomb, where the Vampire has taken up residence, the False Treasure Room and the Treasure Room.
The ‘Wall of Ice’, which had been conjured up by the Vampire, our Heroes believe, is cancelled and the creatures that were banging on the Guard Room’s Bronze Doors turn out to be Ghouls and 8 of them rush in.
The Ghouls are all destroyed by the ‘Wand of Illumination’ which is wielded by the Wizard Vicross Silverkin.
Vicross and Sir Ly plan their next move which is to send the Paladin into the adjacent room, the Lower Foyer, and attempt to rush to the stairs which they entered the Crypt by and hoping that this would draw out the Vampire and then use the ‘Wand of Illumination’.
Vicross moves the ‘Unseen Servant’ and ‘Continual Light’ as close as he can to the Lower Foyer and waits, Sir Ly moves out and makes his way to the stairs. Due to the large Bronze Door, Sir Ly only as he moves into the chamber can see 4 stone statues on either side of the chamber and to the West is the Vampire within a faintly shimmering magical sphere. Sir Ly has seen this Spell be used before and knows it to be a ‘Minor Globe of Invulnerability’ and can now smell the familiar smell of Ozone produced by the Spell.
Sir Ly calls out a warning to Vicross and rushes over to the stairs only to smack into, and take damage from, an ‘Invisible Barrier’. Vicross streches out his hand holdinh the ‘Wand of Illumination’ .
Sir Ly: “A Wall of Force’, this all feels like Ravenloft Revisited.”
The 2 statues by the Vampire now appear to shed their stone exterior and beneath are 2 Skeletal Warriors, both wearing Circlets upon their brows. So too is the Vampire Sir Ly can now see as he faces his foe.
Vicross moves the door outwards from the Guard Room and into the Lower Foyer, to be able to get a clearer view and to aid the Paladin.
Vicross: “Feel the righteous light from my Wand Evil Creature.”
6 Changes left in the ‘Wand of Illumination’ as the silent Vampire and Skeletal Warriors all take damage from the bright burst of Magical Sun Light. The 2 Skeletal Warriors hold their position in front of the Vampire and it begins to cast a Spell, while all 3 look towards the Wizard and ignore the Paladin.
The 2 other statues now also crack to reveal 2 more Skeletal Warriors which immediately head off towards the Paladin. Sir Ly takes his ‘Potion of Speed’.
Vicross: “Somethings not right here.”
Sir Ly: “I can not remember those Stone Statues when we first came in.”
Vicross successfully disbelieves the Illusion of the Vampire and it turns out the Statues and Skeletal Warriors were also Illusions. The Wizard then communicates this to Sir Ly and he also manages to disbelieve the Illusion created by the Vampire. The Vampire and Skeletal Warrior Illusions continue their attacks, now with no effect on our Heroes, meaning the Caster is still controlling it or has left it to run alone.
Vicross, curing that he used his ‘Wand of Illumination’ and Sir Ly look about the Lower Foyer and see that they have 2 corridors heading North, that they had not as yet investigated, and the Southern stairs heading up and out of the Crypt of the Vampire. Vicross and Sir Ly choose to look down the Eastern corridor and discover it to be blocked by thick Fog starting some 10’-15’ feet down the corridor. Sir Ly needs to take advantage of his Potion of Speed and Vicross contemplates casting a ‘Dispel Magic’ spell but he has very little reserves left. And so Sir Ly volunteers to check the Western corridor and rushes off. Vicross stays in the Lower Foyer with his ‘Unseen Servant’ holding the Sling Bullet with ‘Continual Light’ cast upon it.
After a very brief dash Sir Ly had covered the 240’ feet of corridor heading northwards and reached another smaller chamber Small Room.
Bits of broken pottery are spread about the room. Several bone piles can be seen as well.
Sir Ly enters the room and begins to take a closer look and as he does he realises that the bone are those of Large Dogs or Wolves. The Bone of the Wolf Skeletons animates and attacks Sir Ly. Sir Ly takes little time killing the Skeletons and Vicross, in the meantime, makes his way to Sir Ly with his ‘Unseen Servant’ in front of him. The pottery shards are the remains of vases that contained the ashes those that died for Ilmater. One bronze urn remains undamaged.
Vicross casts ‘Dispel Magic’ on the ‘Solid Fog’ and the Wizard successfully removes the wall of fog. Beyond the corridor heads northward for some 30’to 40’ feet and then turns to the East.
In the North-West corner is a Wooden Iron Banded Door and Sir Ly moves over to open it.
4 massive Stone Sarcophagi are spaced evenly in this room. The walls are painted a light yellow, with scenes of 4 Elves fighting Demons, Giants, and other Evil Creatures. The Sarcophagi are elaborately carved, and have several inlaid Gemstones.
As Sir Ly takes time to look within the Curates Tomb, he is assailed from the front and the rear as 2 Shadows materialise and attack the Paladin. Sir Ly is still under the influence of the ‘Potion of Speed’ and is a blur of sword stokes. However, one of the undead creatures lands a chilling blow and the Paladins very core and his Strength ebbs a little.
Vicross unleashes his ‘Magic Missile’ at one of the Shadows leaving him with little power.
Sir Ly thinks he is triumphant but is dealt a cruel lesson as another 2 Shadow appear to battle with the Lawful Good Paladin.
Vicross: “4 Tombs Paladin that should have alerted you.”
Sir Ly finishes off the 2 Shadow and sustains no further damage.
Sir Ly: “This appears to be a dead end and I still have the Potion coursing through my veins, let us to the other corridor.”
Vicross: “I will need to cast ‘Dispel Magic’, there is no guaranty it will work and it will leave me with very little power. I suggest we leave.”
Sir Ly: “We cannot do that now we have come so close to the end.”
Vicross: “Yes, but who’s end are we talking about?”
Sir Ly, having only a few minutes left of his ‘Potion of Speed’ moves off westwards and double speed. Vicross and the ‘Unseen Servant’ follow behind the Paladin some 120’ or so behind. Sir Ly is faced with a long 60’ foot corridor heading East with a door at the end of the corridor, West, and another on the Southern side of the corridor some 20’ feet before the aforementioned door. Sir Ly decides that the Vampire must have fled to the far room and rushes over to it. 20’ feet in front of the door, Sir Ly manages to avoid the Pit Trap which opens as he dexterously hops to the edge. He continues to the door, a wooded iron banded door as others he has seen, and sees that it is not locked opens the door to Patriarchs Tomb.
A heavy Bronze Door leads into an Ornate Crypt. A pair of massive stone tombs is present, one with a heavy copper lid. The lid of the other is lying against the wall, the tomb open. Several arms and legs can be seen protruding from the open sarcophagus, and 6 Elf Bodies are lying on the ground.
Sir Ly is intent on making his way to the North-East corner of the room, behind the closed Stone Tomb, there to make a stand while he waits for the Vampire and then, Saint Cuthbert Willing, Vicross. As he moves passed the bodies of the Elves on the floor and to the Stone Tomb two things happen. First, Sir Ly is struck by an ‘Invisible’ foe and second, the Elven bodies rise up and reveal their true nature, Zombies.
The ‘Invisible’ assailant is revealed to be a Vampire Spawn, just like those of Ravenloft yet it looked different somehow, a poor copy of the original. Sir Ly now knows why he feels weaker, a drain of his very Constitution, due to the Ice Clod blow.
Sir Ly, with just a minute left of his ‘Potion of Speed’ unleashes several crippling blows to the Vampire Spawn. Meanwhile the Elven Zombies draw closer to Sir Ly yet allowing the Vampire Spawn to attack freely as it perched on the Stone Tomb, clawing and biting at the Paladin.
Vicross reaches the corridor, can see the Pit Trap which is open and elects to first check the closed door on the southern wall just before the Pit itself.
The walls are filled with empty alcoves, and the shattered remains of multiple coffins are scattered about the chamber, bits of stone and ceramic everywhere. 8 gaunt rotting Humanoid corpses are squatting in the north-west corner of the room, gnawing on dried bones.
Vicross takes a quick look inside the Ruined Crypt and can see they appear to be huddled as far away from the south wall as they can. Vicross closes the door and wonders why they did not hear the Paladin rush past, the Pit Trap open or hear him enter and leave the room.
Vicross: “Maybe orders, fear or just hunger.”
Sir Ly is triumphant and dispatches the Vampire Spawn without, miraculously, sustaining another drain attack. Yet the fight is far from over and there are 6 Eleven Zombies to deal with. Slow and cumbersome though they are I must try and not be surrounded. Sir Ly fights with 4 Zombies while the others move to gain an advantage and surround the Paladin. Sir Ly kills of the poor corrupted Elven folk and his dead comrades all miss the Paladin.
Sir Ly continues to fight but he is surrounded and the Elven Zombies suddenly change tactics and they all over bare the Paladin. Sir Ly attempts to struggle but the sheer weight of numbers is too great for the Paladin and he is unable to break free. The Eleven Zombies, still holding onto the Paladin, have one of their numbers unexpectedly make a grab for Sir Ly’s ‘Flametonge’ and it is successful in its attempt. The Elven Zombie runs out of the Ruined Crypt with the Longsword of Sir Ly. Meanwhile, Vicross is slowly making his way to the Ruined Crypt when the Elven Zombie emerges from the chamber and runs into, and down, the Pit Trap set off by Sir Ly. Vicross moves into the chamber and over to the battle. Vicross endeavours to strike one of the Undead but is fruitless in his attempts.