11. Beneath the Castle

[Inferno]

"There you are!" Agax exclaims. "Do be careful. I recall a green slime attacked one of our predecessors in a gate tower."

When he sees the ladder, he adds, "Well. The bears can't go this way either. Any solutions?" he asks, looking at the group.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog scratches his head "Nope."

[Zhym]

As you try to decide whether to abandon the bears or concoct a scheme to take them with you, you get a better look at what occupies the room below. Massive iron chains, each link bigger than a full-grown man, stretch from as far as you can see down in the tower below you, angling to a metal-rimmed hole in the north wall perhaps 20' below you.

[Inferno]

After a brief discussion on next steps, Agax gently guides poor Shinyah near the bears, to calm them. Then he slowly, non-threateningly shows them his rope and lets them sniff it.

"Who would like to try to weave a harness for the bears?" he asks softly. "I shall stand ready to weave spells upon the bears should they become agitated."

[Zhym]

Date: Trieluna 13, 1222
Time: 11:30 PM
Weather: Stormy
Location: Castle Ravenloft; Castle Wall
**************************************

Agax guides Shinyah toward the bears, hoping to calm them. He shows the bears a rope, offering to let them sniff it.

But the bears, it seems, have had enough. Their friend Shinyah isn't right. They followed him in this strange place, but then something happened. And now the man in the weird skin is coming at them with a rope. They snort and clack their teeth as Agax approaches, then turn and flee, running away along the top of the wall.

I rolled a reaction/morale check for the bears. Higher=better. +5% for Agax's charisma, -10% because of Shinyah's state:

Bear morale check: [1d100] = 17
Bear reaction: flee (1-5) or attack (6)? [1d6] = 3

----
Status: Gragog (F8): 57/60; Bragar: 42/42 (C7); Agax (MU7/C4): 45/45; Petyr (F3): 23/23; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Honeynose: 24/24, Treescratcher: 29/29; Mindless: Castran: 23/23 (F5/I6); Shinyah (D7): 38/38
Effects: Phantom Armor (Castran): 6 pts; Invisibility (Castran)
Light sources: CL coin (60', held by Shinyah); CL gem (60' Agax's staff)

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog "Well there...that just happened. I'm going down the ladder care to join me Agax and Bragar?" watching the bears flight from the castle the half-orc warrior descends the ladder.

[Inferno]

Agax the Dreamer hangs his head, crestfallen "Very well."

He peers up into the structure with his lantern staff for any more emerald amoeboids, and then checks the ladder to see if it is sound.
If nothing is amiss, he descends the ladder behind Gragog.

[Dram]

Bragar - Very well then. lets be off.

[Zhym]

Date: Trieluna 13, 1222
Time: 11:32 PM
Weather: Stormy
Location: Castle Ravenloft; Castle Wall
**************************************

The bears run off but stop midway toward the next tower. They turn look back toward Shinyah. Honeynose—or is it Treescratcher?—shakes his head from side to side. The other one stands on his hind legs for a moment. They watch you warily.

Leaving the dumb beasts to whatever fate awaits them in the castle, you proceed down the ladder into the tower. It is a hundred feet, more or less, to the base of the tower. A huge heavy chain leads from a hole in the outer castle wall to a large spool. Gears and machinery are connected to the spool, nearly filling the floor of the tower. There appears to be no way to operate the mechanism, however—no handles, cranks, or the like. However it works, it's not by hand.

----
Status: Gragog (F8): 57/60; Bragar: 42/42 (C7); Agax (MU7/C4): 45/45; Petyr (F3): 23/23; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Honeynose: 24/24, Treescratcher: 29/29; Mindless: Castran: 23/23 (F5/I6); Shinyah (D7): 38/38
Effects: Phantom Armor (Castran): 6 pts; Invisibility (Castran)
Light sources: CL coin (60', held by Shinyah); CL gem (60' Agax's staff)

[Inferno]

Agax investigates.

Finding no controls, the dreaming wizards says ruefully, "Hm. This won't do. This won't do at all! Do you think this will do? No. I didn't think so.
"I'm afraid we'd best climb back up the ladder! Dreadfully tedious, I know. But from there, I can cast a few select spells to enable us to fly to freedom," he beamed.
"Shall we?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog sighs and shrugs "Guess so."

[Zhym]

Date: Trieluna 13, 1222
Time: 11:40 PM
Weather: Stormy
Location: Castle Ravenloft; Castle Wall
**************************************

After looking at the machinery and finding no way to operate it, you climb back up the ladder. You once again stand on top of the wall. The bears are sitting, seemingly forlorn, about 50' away.

----
Status: Gragog (F8): 57/60; Bragar: 42/42 (C7); Agax (MU7/C4): 45/45; Petyr (F3): 23/23; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Honeynose: 24/24, Treescratcher: 29/29; Mindless: Castran: 23/23 (F5/I6); Shinyah (D7): 38/38
Effects: Phantom Armor (Castran): 6 pts; Invisibility (Castran)
Light sources: CL coin (60', held by Shinyah); CL gem (60' Agax's staff)

[Inferno]

Agax looks over the edge of the abyss. "Hm. I still don't know how to save poor Shinyah's bears. But I was thinking. We have no end of rope among us, you know. What if we tie the ropes together, and then to a grappling hook. We secure the grappling hook in one of the thicker trees beyond the "moat" and ride the rope down and across?"

"Much less spectacular, of course," he frowned. "But... sometimes simplicity has its virtues, don't you agree?" he grinned.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog "Simplicity works for me. If you hadn't noticed I'm more of a simple being."

[Inferno]

"Hm. Yes," Agax agrees with a manic grin. "On the other hand, it's not nearly spectacular enough. I rather think I should transform, and ferry us all across the chasm! Wouldn't that be more stylish?

"First, Bogdana and Castran.
"Then, Petyr and Shinyah.
"Finally, Bragar and Gragog.
"Ready?

"Shadowfax! Brego! Hasufel! Bill!"

Casts Polymorph Self and transforms into a giant black pegasus!

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog shrugs and awaits for the mage to do his flourish of spell casting and showmanship.

[Dram]

Bragar- I be wantin go with the rope thing ya know. Dwarves werent made fer ridin a horse. He then sees the mage change into a horse.Well I guess there is first time fer everything.

[Zhym]

Date: Trieluna 13, 1222
Time: 11:45 PM
Weather: Stormy
Location: Castle Ravenloft; Castle Wall
**************************************

"Shadowfax! Brego! Hasufel! Bill!" chants Agax. He lowers his arms to the ground. They morph into horse's legs. His colorful robe fades into a pale white and clings to the shape of his body. His hind legs lengthen and narrow at the bottom but spread into large round muscles at the top. His face stretches forward. His back sprouts great feathery wings. His shining staff melts into his body, extinguishing its light. In mere moments, a magnificent pegasus, creature of myth, stands where Agax had been.

Bogdana hoists the invisible gnome onto Agaxasus's back and climbs on after him. His back is wet with the rain. The winged horse-mage beats his mighty wings and carries the two of them to the other side of the chasm. Although Agax wears no saddle, his riders have only his mane to hold on to, and they are buffeted by the storm, their ride is smooth. Both make it across safely, though Agaxasus, having flown out of the range of Shinyah's light, must land by instinct, by feel, and by the occasional flash of lightning.

The Agax pegasus returns to the castle wall, where Petyr and Shinyah are next. They also manage the short ride across the chasm without incident. Shinya's light goes with him, leaving Gragog and Bragar standing in stormy darkness on the castle wall.

Because the trip is so short, I rolled a d20 for each rider. Anything but a 1 means the rider makes it across safely. A 1 would trigger a 3d6 dex check.

----
Status: Gragog (F8): 57/60; Bragar: 42/42 (C7); Agax (MU7/C4): 45/45; Petyr (F3): 23/23; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Honeynose: 24/24, Treescratcher: 29/29; Mindless: Castran: 23/23 (F5/I6); Shinyah (D7): 38/38
Effects: Phantom Armor (Castran): 6 pts; Invisibility (Castran); Polymorph Self (Agax): 13 turns
Light sources: CL coin (60', held by Shinyah); CL gem (60' Agax's staff) (not active while Agax is polymorphed)

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog takes out a torch and lights it "Well lot of good that does us now." the half-orc says to the dwarf. "Now what?"

[Inferno]

Like something out of a dream, Agaxsus soars through the rain and the lightning in joyful, anarchic defiance of gravity.

Returning to retrieve his final two passengers, he alights beside them on the rampart wall of ominous Castle Ravenloft and softly says, "Neigh."