2018-04-15
Contents |
Approaching Castle Ravencroft
As they approach the castle the weather worsens significantly, cloud cover thickening until thick stormclouds are overhead shedding rain to cover the ground.
The carriage comes to a stop at twin turrets of stone before a 50 foot wide stone chasm. An old drawbridge stretches across the chasm, rusted chains howling in the wind.
After brief consideration of some kind of preparation, Lekki casts an Unseen Servant ritual, Sardalis casts Detect Magic and Pavel attempts to dry everyone out as much as possible with a torch.
When Sardalis pushes open the door organ music is heard, 8 stone gargoyles overlooking a huge entry hall.
Double doors of bronze stand to the east with a motionless clay figure which they recognize to be a Clay Golem guarding them. To the west another set of bronze doors appears to be the source of the mournful organ music. To the north is a staircase with a well dressed figure descending.
"Welcome esteemed guests to Castle Ravenloft. My name is Rahadin, and I am the chamberlain of this estate. My Lord is awaiting you in the dining hall. He points to the double brass doors to the south".
Rahadin appears to be a Dusk Elf, dressed in studded leather armor with an expensive coat and boots. A scimitar hangs from his belt, and he carries himself in a way suggesting effortless movement. His demeanour appears to be warm yet anticipating something that they are not yet aware of.
As they head to the south torchlight flutters against the walls of this vaulted hall. To the east, an arched hallway stretches for twenty feet, ending at a spiral staircase that goes up and down. Next to the hallway, a suit of armor, oiled and glistening, stands at attention in a shallow alcove. To the west, large double doors hang slightly open, and a steady bright light escapes through the opening. Swells of organ music come from behind the doors, spilling their melody of power and defeat into the hall.
Lekki asking Sardalis what he thinks of the suit of armor displayed but Sardalis sees nothing special about it.
Three enormous crystal chandeliers brilliantly illuminate this magnificent chamber. Pillars of stone stand against dull white marble walls, supporting the ceiling. In the center of the room, a long, heavy table is covered with a fine white satin cloth. The table is laden with many delectable foods: roasted beast basted in a savory sauce, roots and herbs of every taste, and sweet fruits and vegetables. Places are set for each of you with fine, delicate china and silver. At each place is a crystal goblet filled with an amber liquid with a delicate, tantalizing fragrance. At the center of the far west wall, between floor-to-ceiling mirrors, stands a massive organ. Its pipes blare out a thunderous melody that speaks in its tone of greatness and despair. Seated at the organ, facing away from you, a single caped figure pounds the keys in raptured ecstasy. The figure suddenly stops, and as a deep silence falls over the dining hall, it slowly turns toward you.
Sardalis talks about how magnificent the castle is and Strahd asks if Sardalis is in the market to buy.
Pavel gets the sense that Strahd is very disengaged with the small-talk and interrupts to ask if Strahd wanted to discuss something particular.
Strahd discusses the nature of power, that great power can be gained. He asks Pavel to consider how he would feel if he was able to overpower the thing that terrified him.
As Sardalis approaches the organ a fierce, bone-chilling wind blows through the castle, extinguishing all of the lights and followed by the sound of doors thudding shut, the portcullis slamming down and the drawbridge pulling up. The others suggest that he should sit back down and he does so momentarily, taking a fistful of food peevishly and then going back to the organ and investigating further, finding that one of the pedals causes the organ to shift, opening a disguised entrance to a 2 foot wide passageway.
Lekki asks the others if they plan to go along with being as entertaining as possible. Pavel didn't really get the impression of motivation but the others understand more fully that the implication is that the only way out is through.
Sardalis finishing playing the organ and announces that they do not want to be a plaything and Shatters the organ with his magic.
Gathering the non-perishable items they gain a couple of days worth of rations each, and Lekki also gathers the silverware.
Into the Darkness
Leaning against the walls are mirrors of various sizes, none of which appear to be the mirror Delg was in.
The mirrors look like they would have been gathered from various rooms in the house and stashed here.
Sardalis takes one and examines it, and Pavel takes one also not quite understanding why they would be important but basically mimicking the smarter man.
A high, domed ceiling caps the thirty-foot-wide octagonal room before you. Frescoes faded with age adorn the ceiling, but their images are impossible to make out. Tall, thin arrow slits look out over the courtyard.
They see a weapons rack containing four mundane looking short swords and one gold-hilted short blade. Two Full plate armour sets flank the entrance to this room.
Sardalis detects magic from the gold-hilted sword in a rack and tells Pavel it is important. Pavel checks for traps and finding none, snatches the blade up. Instantly the two suits of armour spring to life, and the remaining swords in the rack fly skyward. Pavel draws the newly-acquired blade from its scabbard in a panic.
Sardalis casts beam of frost and runs out into the corridor, yelling at his companions to draw them out into the corridor.
Pavel is slashed by two of the 4 swords which stab at him, and he flings an eldritch blast at the sword in front of him before turning and racing to follow Sardalis' instructions. Lekki follows also, turning and summoning a bonfire in the corridor they just ran down.
As the swords and armor follow around the corner as Sardalis unleashes a Shatter spell, causing two already damaged swords to shatter completely and snapping the blades of the others completely. The remaining weapons swoop in to slash at Lekki, causing minor lacerations a moment before one of them explodes in a shower of luminous metal when hit by Pavel's Eldritch Blast. Lekki swings their staff hard against the remaining blade, green flame wreathing their weapon which jumps to the closest suit of armor, blowing off chunks of the arms and leaving only the torso, legs and helmet which it uses to headbut the Tiefling in the solar plexus.
It is joined by the other suit which marches through the bonfire directly and drop-kicks Lekki in the chest as Sardalis sends a firebolt streaking towards the heavily damaged armor blowing more pieces off it.
Pavel swings at the prone armor with the newly acquired sword, denting the chestplate a moment before Lekki swings down with their staff obliterating it and its double with their green-wreathed staff.
Pavel barricades the corridor as best he can with the weapons rack while the others cast rituals, Sardalis to identify the new sword and Lekki to Detect Magic.
| Luckblade |
|---|
| Weapon (shortsword), legendary (requires attunement)
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. While the sword is on your person, you also gain a +1 bonus to saving throws. Luck If the sword is on your person, you can call on its luck (no action required) to reroll one attack roll, ability check, or saving throw you dislike. You must use the second roll. This property can’t be used again until the next dawn. |
They decide that Pavel should continue to use the Luckblade, Sardalis explaining to him that he will begin to see benefits after a day.
Descending into the Basement
As they go downstairs they investigate skeletal remains in what appears to be a guardsman's barracks or possibly a sick-bay. A door in the north wall has a prominant emblem of two crossed bones.
As Lekki prods at a skeleton gingerly with their staff and all of the skeletons spring to life, one attacking Pavel as it animates, gouging at his flesh.
Lekki casts Sacred Flame on the skeleton about to attack Sardalis and takes a step back into the corridor. Pavel bolts away from the skeletons attacking him and sees an opportunity to attack one of the still-forming creatures and does so, ducking out of its line of sight as he knocks out several ribs. It rushes towards Sardalis but fails to harm him as he summons a pool of grease between him and the rest of the skeletons. The mindless remains charging towards the Tiefling slip and hit the floor.
Pavel swings the sword again and bisects the skeleton he attacked earlier as the grease-coated skeletons struggle to their feet only to slip over immediately again, one of them burning up only to be replaced by its fellow which manages to get a slash out before being consumed by the fire.
Lekki steps forward to smash one of the struggling skeletons into pieces, Pavel ducking around the corner to finish the final undead.
Sardalis is the only one which had any previous experience with animated skeletons, and he realizes that they were likely going through the motions of sleep.
Through the Bone Door
Dark stains cover the floor of this area. Large oak tables, scarred and beaten, lay scattered like toys about the room, their wood crushed and splintered. Replacing them are furnishings made entirely of human bones.
The walls and the twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling are a sickly yellow color, not because of faded or timeworn plaster but because they are adorned with bones and skulls arranged in a morbidly decorative fashion, giving the room a cathedral-like quality. Four enormous mounds of bones occupy the corners of this ossuary, and garlands of skulls extend from these mounds to a chandelier of bones that hangs from the ceiling above a long table constructed of bones in the center of the room. Ten chairs made of bones and festooned with decorative skulls surround the table, resting atop which is an ornate, bowl-shaped vessel made of yet more bones.
The doors to the north and south are sheathed in bone, but the steel-banded double doors in the center of the east wall are not. Above these eastern doors is mounted the skull of a dragon.
Sardalis and Lekki realize that this is an area of desecrated ground. Undead standing on desecrated ground have advantage.
They are aware that holy water can be used to cleanse a 10' square area of descrated ground.
