The Duel of Blighted Canvas - Round #4 - Dormark's Turn

Dormark's Turn

Rushing forward, Dormark wastes no time in dealing the finishing blow to the painting already marred by Ferelyon's voracious assault. Just as before, as the enchanted canvas is shredded into oblivion, a malevolent surge of dark arcane energy is unleashed. With this fourth painting's destruction, the palpable sense of despair and gloom begins to lift, as if the tethers binding Jeze'baal's nightmarish realm to the world are slowly unravelling. Five paintings yet remain.

Sandu - With the fourth painting lying in tatters at Dormark's feet, the oppressive weight of despair begins to lift from your shoulders. A glimmer of hope flares within you. If the remaining paintings can be destroyed, perhaps Jeze'baal's sinister influence can be prevented from further contaminating Barovia. It falls upon you to remove the threat once and for all, it is your turn.

Battlemap:

Sandu watched Vauquelin's body drift apart at the seams as if in slow motion. When the body parts hit the floor there was a brief moment of silence as Sandu's brain processed the fact that the demonic figure was, indeed, cleaved in twain. He was shaken out of the momentary stupor by Rahadin's shout and the following footsteps as his friends assaulted the fiendish paintings on the walls. Sandu turned towards the two paintings closest to him and hoped they would prove as vulnerable to his magic as flesh and blood was. If not, he still had a dagger tucked behind his belt.

Targeting the painting closest to Sandu with Eldritch Blast
1) 17 to hit, 9 force damage
2) 13 to hit, 11 force damage
In case the first beam destroys the painting, the second beam goes to the next closest painting. If not, both beams on the closest painting.

The Duel of Blighted Canvas - Round #4 - Sandu's Turn

Sandu's Turn

Unleashing potent eldritch beams from his outstretched hands, Sandu's spells tear through the two paintings to the northwest with forceful precision. Once again, the arcane destruction of the paintings triggers violent explosions that ripple outward. As the paintings are obliterated, a change takes place - many of the living dead figures fade from existence, their link to Barovia severed, yet their twisted connection to Jeze'baal remains. The room itself undergoes a transformation, the opulent decorations and colours receding into the bleakness of abandoned neglect as if time itself had eroded its vibrancy.

Rahadin's Turn

Clutching at his injuries, Rahadin boldly moves towards the two southern paintings, his scimitars at the ready, a determined gleam in his eyes.

• Scimitar #1: Attack: 29, Damage: 14
• Scimitar #2: Attack: 15, Damage: 11

With a frenzied flurry of strikes, Rahadin's scimitars slice through the two southernmost canvases, rending them asunder. Each blow sends shockwaves through the room, as the tenuous connection between the nightmarish realm and Barovia all but shatters. What was once a luxurious abode with plush furnishings and elegant wallpaper now stands revealed in its true, neglected state—a decrepit, boarded-up building with the trappings of despair.

Ioben's Turn

With only one painting left, Ioben steps forth, his voice quivering with emotion. "I was close to losing everything," he mutters, the tremor of anger in his voice growing. He raises his voice to a shout. "You were supposed to help Barovia, not destroy it! To bring light to the land, not darkness!" Trembling with anger, he summons an ethereal blade into his hand and aims it at the last remaining painting. With a fierce scream, he lets the blade fly.

• Action: Psychic Blade: Attack: 12, Damage: 7 (psychic) + Sneak Attack: 12 (psychic)

The ethereal blade crackles with otherworldly energy as it streaks through the air, unerringly finding its target. With a tremendous explosion, it obliterates the last remaining painting. Malevolent energies surge from the final canvas before dissipating into nothingness.

As the remnants of Jeze'baal's domain dissolve, it takes with it everything associated with her wickedness - the interior decor, the living dead, the blood, the gore, Vauquelin's lifeless body. Like a veil of darkness being lifted from a blind man, the oppressive atmosphere and unease wash away from the place.

Ioben, overcome with emotion, slinks to his knees, his shoulders shaking with inconsolable sobs.

Aftermath

Rahadin wastes no time, vanishing into the shadows, already plotting his return to his master. The party stands victorious, their efforts culminating in the destruction of a pressing threat to Barovia. Unbeknownst to them, they've severed one of the malevolent dark powers from its prize, though many others still lurk in the shadows.

For now, they've struck a significant blow against those who seek to claim this land. It's a hard-won victory that has steeled them for the trials and battles that lie ahead. But there's a cost, and that cost lies crumpled and broken on the floor - Ioben. His fractured mind grapples with the person he has become, struggling to find inner peace.

While the nightmarish realm seems to have receded, the darkness and mist of Barovia persist. The creaking of a door shatters the party's reverie, and they grasp their weapons, ready to confront a hidden foe. However, instead of an enemy, they find the reassuring presence of Baern in the doorway.

"By the gods," he begins, taking in the weary faces before him. "You all look like you've aged a couple of decades. I was hoping I'd find you here... after the house changed, that is. Gone is the spectacular residence, replaced by this decrepit old building. Do you think it was all an illusion?"

ALL - End of Initiative

LEVEL UP - Level 6!

Congratulations everyone!  Severing one of the Dark Power's grips over the land represents a campaign milestone.  All characters are now 6th level.

"My friend what we saw was another reality, gruesome but just as real as this world is. The man that stole from me was here, but I do not know if he is here any longer, but for now we must rest. Ioben are you alright do you need a hand," asks Dormark walking over to his down friend. The warforge was beaten, but somehow, he came out of the fight looking stronger than he did before. He passed through the flames of this challenge to be tempered anew.

(Threw in a little flavor for the soul of the forge feat.) 

"Stolen... yes", Galqarin begins frantically searching for his missing staff.

Sandu let out a sigh, only vaguely aware he had been holding most of his breath. Next he opened his eyes, having closed them as he braced himself against the explosion of the last painting. The eerie quiet that followed in the aftermath had him on edge. Rahadin was gone, for good or ill, and everything else of the nightmare realm slinked away. But Sandu was still tense. He had experienced too much here that he feared he might never relax again.

The creaking of an old door made him actually jump in fear and surprise, though his shoulders dropped upon the sight of a familiar face.

'An illusion?' Sandu replied. 'Perhaps, though I fear it might have been more real than I care for.'

Sandu made a quick sweep of the room, both to make sure all corruption was gone and to see if something tangible remained, so he could convince himself of his own statement.

Dallid takes a peek in his bag to see if the moving hand is still there and moving