6. Dawn of a New Night

[Storm11]

Castran thinks we should explore it and see if it's secure or leads off further.

He can alter his self into a gargoyle and fly up the bell tower and see if he can find a more secure place, perhaps a balcony we could climb to that the corporeal undead won't be able to reach perhaps.

[Stirling]

Once freed from the web strands Agrippo will set about removing the zombie bits and pieces and place them in the fireplace, grabbing a spare limb and thrusting it at the nearest lay-about, "c'mon don't stand there swinging a leg, time for a bar-b-q, well lets burn them good and crispy so they won't animate and follow us again. How is little Iluq doing anyone healed him up yet?".

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 10:10 PM
Weather: Light rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Beyond the Fireplace
**************************************
Robert heals Bragar and Agrippo, Fendt cleans bits of zombie off his mace, Agrippo drags zombie remains back to the fireplace, and you discuss what to do next. The popular option appears to be holing up and hoping that time will allow Iluq to recover from the spider venom's paralysis. Fafnard's body, slumped in a corner, serves as a reminder, however, that not everyone survived the spiders' bites.

The biggest questions of the moment seem to be (1) whether to open the secret door to your north or try to find some way to secure it, (2) whether to attempt to rest now or wait until light, and (3) how to fortify the area if you do rest, including whether to start a fire in the fireplace behind you, potentially blocking most intruders but also seemingly trapping you in these secret passages until the fire has died out.

How will you proceed?

Status: Agrippo: 32/52, Tibbius: 10/10 (poisoned, slow poison; -1 to rolls), Iluq: 13/34 (poisoned, paralyzed), Tumbler: 24/39, Robert: 16/34; Fendt: 17/19; Castran: 13/23; Melampus: 21/30; Bragar: 31/42
Effects: None

[Cwreando]

Robert says, "Let's have Tumbler check it over for traps first. A couple of you can listen at the door without touching anything to see if we hear anything on the other side."

Robert listens and moves out of the way for Tumbler to look it over. He the starts moving bodies and body parts to the fireplace and will cast produce flame to get things going when they are ready. He looks around for wood or other fuel for the fire.
"Once we start this I think we will be locked in here to a certain degree because of the way we access this through the fireplace. I'd suggest we see where that secret door goes once Tumbler looks it over so we can have a way out if we do light the fireplace up."

[OGRE MAGE]

Tibbius snaps out of his lethargy and takes a listen at the secret door.

We are not leaving Iluq here like that or he will become vampire rat food. Lest see where this door leads before we secure ourselves in.

[Zhym]

Tibbius presses his ear to the stone secret door. He hears nothing.

[Dram]

Bragar- Starts moving body parts with the rest of them. If we open that we may be in for fight and we do not have anymore spells in the group left from I can tell. It may be the doom of one more of us if get ourselves into fight. He looks over the group to there reactions.

[Zhym]

FYI for the new folks who might not have read back: Agrippo has a sword that was formed with the blade of his old sword and a hilt the party found in one of the towers. When undead are near, the sword flares with a bright light.

The sword is currently dim.

[Zhym]

MonkeyWrench: Please roll 1d100 and post the result here. Lower is better.

[MonkeyWrench]

There you go!
[1d100] = 37

[Zhym]

Thank you. Carry on, everyone.

[GreyWolfVT]

Fendt checks on Iluq and remains relatively silent.

[Dram]

Bragar- So what is the plan, do we secure ourselves in here or do open the door.

[Storm11]

Castran

There are still many spells left to us. Just not any healing magic. We won't get to rest here during the night without more attacks, we need to find a more secure location that has no other unexplored secret exits if that is your wish!

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 10:20 PM
Weather: Light rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Beyond the Fireplace
**************************************

Tumbler checks the door and finds no traps. He also listens and hears nothing.

Bragar joins the others in moving zombie parts to the cold fireplace. Fendt checks on Iluq. The cleric is still motionless, but appears to be alive.

You debate your next move. Time passes.

Status: Agrippo: 32/52, Tibbius: 10/10 (poisoned, slow poison; -1 to rolls), Iluq: 13/34 (poisoned, paralyzed), Tumbler: 24/39, Robert: 16/34; Fendt: 17/19; Castran: 13/23; Melampus: 21/30; Bragar: 31/42
Effects: None

[Storm11]

So what do you guys think we should do?

I am happy if we want to try and hole up here for the night.

Castran has alter self memorised so could transform into a gargoyle and check the bell tower and burn away the rest of the webs with a torch, maybe even secure a rope to higher ground if there is some to stop zombies attacking maybe.

If we are staying he also has Wraithform and a potion of invisibility so he could go invisible and go through the secret door that's unexplored and check out what's there whilst you rest, just to see if there is danger there or another exit.

We still have a fair few spells at our disposal. Ice storm! Strength! Fly, Haste, Prayer, Enlarge, Hold Persons, Augury, resist Fire.

I know we are quite injured, hell castrans only got 13 Hps left. But we should really maximise are chances of resting if that's our course. Don't we have any healing potions left off the dead paladin?

If we can get to a place that is more easily defensible, or higher so the zombies have to actually climb to get us, we may make it. Castran could shroud us in an illusion to hide our where abouts and possible let the undead pass us by unnoticed.

We only need four hours of rest each to be able to recover some cure light wounds and get us all to maximum Hps.

Am just thinking options here really. What say you all?

[OGRE MAGE]

Tib will open the secret door.

[Zhym]

Date: Nouluna 5, 1221
Time: 10:22 PM
Weather: Light rain
Moon: Full
Location: Castle Ravenloft, Beyond the Fireplace
**************************************

After much debate, Tibbius—the most fragile of all of you—steps forward and opens the door.

The plundered riches of Strahd's secret treasure hoard lie before you.

The sight of so much treasure is nonetheless rather unsettling. In any other treasure vault you've seen, everything was jumbled together in a great pile. Strahd's treasure, however, is obsessively organized. A ledge runs around the perimeter of the room. Directly across from you, gold coins are arranged on the ledge in groups of precisely ten rows of ten columns of coins stacked exactly ten high. There are sixteen of these groups arranged in a four by four grid, plus another that is incomplete. On closer inspection, the gold coins seem to be further sorted by realm of origin.

Silver, platinum, and even copper coins are likewise structured in meticulous arrangements. Because the room is so compulsively arranged, Tibbius (the most mathematically inclined of the group) is quickly able to calculate that there are exactly 51,220 cp, 24,105 sp, 16,383 gp, and 1,055 pp.

To your right, a small velvet-lined display case topped in glass holds 25 gems and jewels, arranged in a five by five grid according to color, size, and quality.

On the ledge to your left rest three maces, each engraved and inset with precious metals. A scimitar lies near them, its blade covered in intricate etchings.

Between the weapons and the gold are two vials of a thick-looking pink liquid. Each is labeled, with flawless penmanship, "Antidote."

In the middle of the room is a tall bookstand on which rests an ancient tome bound in thick black leather with brass hinges and fastenings. A single word is worked into the leather of the cover: Strahd.

Map 5l.png (58.18 KiB) Viewed 562 times

Secret doors are numbered for easier reference.

Status: Agrippo: 32/52, Tibbius: 10/10 (poisoned, slow poison; -1 to rolls), Iluq: 13/34 (poisoned, paralyzed), Tumbler: 24/39, Robert: 16/34; Fendt: 17/19; Castran: 13/23; Melampus: 21/30; Bragar: 31/42
Effects: None

[Storm11]

now THIS is a place to rest! says the gnome looking around at the wealth displayed.

[Stirling]

Agrippo fist pumps the air, "yes, some hard earned coinage for our labours. Strahds' pickings of the village no doubt. Don't touch anything yet though, check for traps...my those jewels look inviting...perhaps old Sgt here should keep watch over them don't you think?....wouldn't surprise me though if some ghost picked up that scimitar and started on us if we did anything. can anyone detect evil here? "[

Agrippo will pick up Iluq in some kind of firemans lift and carry him around the room so he can have a look at the goodies, moving his head along like some ventriloquist doll with one hand (hesitate to say where the other hand is ha!), " ah potions I see" Agrippo mimics Iluqs' elven voice, "perhaps I might try one of those", Hand nods head in agreement, "open wide , hmm down in one hmm yummy!"

Agrippo will feed Iluq one of the potions if it is tested to be spider anti-venom.