You head back to the Foyer, determined to leave this accursed place but stop short. Instead of the front door there's nothing but a blank wall. Without conscious thought you draw your weapons and place yourselves back to back in a defensive posture. The air is suddenly filled with malice.
(OK, I'm trying to figure this out. If Vicki enters rage it ends early if she hasn't attacked a hostile creature at the end of her turn. And her storm aura does electrical damage to creatures. Question is: is the house a creature?)
In their defensive spot, Ellie whispers under her breath while tracing runes in the air, summoning a force of blue energy to envelop her before dissipating back out of sight.
Ellie looks doubtfully at her dagger still strapped to her belt, unsure it is up to shape to tear down a wall. She wasn't even sure it'd break or not.
"I'm, umm, not sure I can help with remaking a door. My dagger isn't really as effective as your giant hammer, and... I don't have any fire on hand, either. Maybe we should get to higher ground? In any case, maybe this could help."
Ellie murmurs a quick incantation and touches Vicki's arm on the backswing, careful not to get in her way.
(Guidance on Vicki, unsure how applicable it'd be in this situation, but...)
Sorry about the delay in posting. DDB has been acting up on me.
(Victoria) Despite your attempts to make a new door it becomes apparent that your efforts are for naught. You manage to only make a small hole in the wall, and as you and your companions watch the wall repairs itself.
The malice you felt earlier is replaced by smugness.
(Because Vicki isn't particularly bright I made an Int check & rolled 17 including the Guidance. Hopefully that's enough for her to have an idea & if so I'll say it.
Also, I realized I had oil but no way to ignite it so I added a tinderbox but wanted to see if that was OK.
And this IS the house the ghost kids were talking about, isn't it? )
Yes, but I'm also planning to have each one of us use Ellie's Gjidance to boost skills like Arcana & History to see if we've heard of "Evil Houses" before, then combine our efforts in a help action, possibly with boosted Investigation, to see if we can think of a way to fight it.
Thus my asking if this was a plan that Vicki could think of.
After realizing that you're unable to egress the house the way you came in, you reason that there must be more than one exit. You remember that houses this size often have Kitchens with door leading outside to the back.
You return to the main hall. Nathanial as your companions discuss their next move you notice a loose brick above the mantle of the fireplace. Cautiously, you remove the brick. Inside is an envelope with a broken seal exactly like the one given to the Party at the Inn. Carefully you open the envelope and remove the letter within. By now Ellie and Victoria have noticed and have gathered around you. Taking a deep breath you open the letter.
It reads.
My most pathetic servant,
I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth.
You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a stillborn son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.
"So it looks like the house isn't blessed by whatever cursed this place. This Strahd Zarovich. Let's keep searching for the exit."" And Vicki leads them from one room to the next.
"This Strahd von Zarovich sounds a delightful companion," Ellie says with some sarcasm. She follows Vicki as she leads the way. "Yes, let's find that kitchen."
I wonder if you know of this von Zarovich. He sounds powerful, maybe he can help us.
“Count me in, something feels off here.”
You head back to the Foyer, determined to leave this accursed place but stop short. Instead of the front door there's nothing but a blank wall. Without conscious thought you draw your weapons and place yourselves back to back in a defensive posture. The air is suddenly filled with malice.
Nate draws his bow and nocks an arrow. Quickly looking around he tries to identify the source of the palpable animosity.
(OK, I'm trying to figure this out. If Vicki enters rage it ends early if she hasn't attacked a hostile creature at the end of her turn. And her storm aura does electrical damage to creatures. Question is: is the house a creature?)
In their defensive spot, Ellie whispers under her breath while tracing runes in the air, summoning a force of blue energy to envelop her before dissipating back out of sight.
"So its the house, then. Its just a giant trap."
(casting armor of agathys)
“Perhaps we should get to higher ground and maybe escape through a window. Might be worth shot. I do not like feeling like a fish in a barrel.“
"Yes Ellie. There was a door here. I'll make another one! AAARRRGGGHHHH!"
(rage, attacking the wall with her maul, 15 to hit, 8 damage + dex save 12 or take 6 electrical damage. I'm curious to know a house's dex.)
"Melee weapons or fire might be useful!" Victoria growls.
Ellie looks doubtfully at her dagger still strapped to her belt, unsure it is up to shape to tear down a wall. She wasn't even sure it'd break or not.
"I'm, umm, not sure I can help with remaking a door. My dagger isn't really as effective as your giant hammer, and... I don't have any fire on hand, either. Maybe we should get to higher ground? In any case, maybe this could help."
Ellie murmurs a quick incantation and touches Vicki's arm on the backswing, careful not to get in her way.
(Guidance on Vicki, unsure how applicable it'd be in this situation, but...)
Sorry about the delay in posting. DDB has been acting up on me.
(Victoria) Despite your attempts to make a new door it becomes apparent that your efforts are for naught. You manage to only make a small hole in the wall, and as you and your companions watch the wall repairs itself.
The malice you felt earlier is replaced by smugness.
(Because Vicki isn't particularly bright I made an Int check & rolled 17 including the Guidance. Hopefully that's enough for her to have an idea & if so I'll say it.
Also, I realized I had oil but no way to ignite it so I added a tinderbox but wanted to see if that was OK.
And this IS the house the ghost kids were talking about, isn't it? )
Are you planning on burning down the house?
Hopefully not with us inside lol
Yes, but I'm also planning to have each one of us use Ellie's Gjidance to boost skills like Arcana & History to see if we've heard of "Evil Houses" before, then combine our efforts in a help action, possibly with boosted Investigation, to see if we can think of a way to fight it.
Thus my asking if this was a plan that Vicki could think of.
Sounds fancy, I'm in!
After realizing that you're unable to egress the house the way you came in, you reason that there must be more than one exit. You remember that houses this size often have Kitchens with door leading outside to the back.
(This is the result of the plan???)
"Alright. Let's look for the back door".
“If the house is cursed and keeping us inside, there must be a way out. Perhaps we just need to teach the end of this ‘maze’ to unlock the exit.”
You return to the main hall. Nathanial as your companions discuss their next move you notice a loose brick above the mantle of the fireplace. Cautiously, you remove the brick. Inside is an envelope with a broken seal exactly like the one given to the Party at the Inn. Carefully you open the envelope and remove the letter within. By now Ellie and Victoria have noticed and have gathered around you. Taking a deep breath you open the letter.
It reads.
My most pathetic servant,
I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth.
You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a stillborn son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.
Your dread lord and master,
Strahd von Zarovich
"So it looks like the house isn't blessed by whatever cursed this place. This Strahd Zarovich. Let's keep searching for the exit."" And Vicki leads them from one room to the next.
"This Strahd von Zarovich sounds a delightful companion," Ellie says with some sarcasm. She follows Vicki as she leads the way. "Yes, let's find that kitchen."
I wonder if you know of this von Zarovich. He sounds powerful, maybe he can help us.