Tunder looks at Mirela to give her a chance to open the door before he hacks it down.
Realizing yet another door is locked, Mirela nods quickly at Tunder. Pulling her tool kit from her backpack for the second time in a day, Mirela grins sardonically and murmurs "For a run down dump of a mansion, there sure are a lot of locked doors."
"Hurry, Mirela. It sounds like someone in trouble. Maybe Foxglove has another victim kept here." He tries to call out to the person through the door.
"Hello? Can you hear me? Are you ok?"
Selena lets Miri move up to inspect he door and try to open it. Belated she remembers that she created a scroll of knock earlier. Miri, if you need some help I can try with a spell I prepared before. It might help, but your skill is much better than my spell.
Mirela's attempt to open the locked door ends only in frustration, as she feels like she's right on the edge of success, but cannot get the touch just right.
As Barek calls out, the wailing on the other side only rises in volume and intensity, but no answer is forthcoming.
If Mirella let's on that she can't get it open, Tunder will make sure he has room to swing and open the door his way.
Barek stands back as he sees Tunder getting ready to swing at the door. He yells to the person inside. "Stand back. We're coming in!"
Selena thinks about using her scroll but holds off as it seems that Tunder is making headway into the room his way. Instead Selena turns around to watch behind them as the racket his will make will surely alert anything that is living, or undead, for that matter.
Tunder chops with axe against the door, and all the heroes shudder in horror as the house almost seems to cry out against the blade. The dwarven axe seems to only glance off the door, leaving but a scratch for the trouble.
A little frustrated with herself, Mirela stands back as Tunder tries to open the door the more direct way. As the his axe glances off the door, Mirela marvels a moment at the barrier between them before turning to Selena with a bewildered smile "Maybe it's time for that spell Selena?
Selena nods to Miri and gets out her scroll that she made recently. Holdingit in 1 hand and her staff inthe other she intones the arcn=ane words of power to complete the spell. As the spell finishes the door glows blue with energy as whatever is holding the door closed is worked hopefully free.
knock spell caster level check
Tunder pauses after his first swing. Without moving his head, he looks all around. "Yeah, Selena. Use magic. Tunder moves out of the way.
After Tunder's strike was as successful as Mirela's lockpick, they finally turn to Selena's arcane power. Using her scroll of Knock, the wizard is able to unlock the bound door. The door slowly creaks open on its hinges.
The room beyond is cold and damp; an old armoire stands near the east wall. The ceiling slopes down to only four feet high to the northeast, leaving only a little room for a small window. A full-size mirror in a dark wooden frame of coiling roses leans against these bricks, angled toward the tiny window.
Sitting in an old easy chair staring into the mirror and rocking back and forth is a pale form of a woman. Her long black hair is stringy and matted. Her dress, Varisian in form and color, is torn and disheveled, and her pupil-less eyes stare lifelessly into the mirror where her own reflection has her captivated.
Barek stares at the woman's form. "Uh, miss, are you ok? Come now, you're free. Who did this to you?"
"The woman from the portrait..." Seldon murmurs. "Barek! Be careful not to rouse her anger. This creature is a revenant, a restless spirit of vengeance. If she flies into a rage we don't want to be caught in it..."
As of now, the woman doesn't even seem to hear Barek speak or notice the group arrvie in the doorway. She only sits in the chair, staring at her own reflection, and keening softly.
As Seldon describes the creature before them Selena steps back and gives the creature and everyone some space. She was glad that her magics were up to the task but a bit horrified that she perhaps released this creature out on the world. Perhaps if they knew what it was that she sought then they could wuell the restlessness and send her spirit to its rest.
"Undead? So I kill it?" Tunder whispers to Seldon.
The keening from the revenant woman sitting in the chair rises slowly in pitch and volume until it becomes a shriek, her features cast in hatred and revulsion at the reflection in the mirror, and then just as suddenly, falls back to a low moaning again.
"I'm not so sure..." Seldon says. Putting faith in his warding spell, he creeps toward the woman and throws a dustcloth over the mirror, backing away slowly.
"Seldon, be careful! What on earth are you doing?!" Barek yells at him as he moves close to the undead. He quickly follows the elf, ready to fight the creature.
Tunder switches to Iona to better cover his crazy elven companion.
The instant the cloak covers the mirror, blocking the reflection, the revenant stands bolt upright with a shriek.
Her eyes seem to glow red and she says in a toneless voice. "Aldern! I can smell your fear! You'll be in my arms soon!" She turns and heads for the door, walking slowly, but with distinct purpose.
Standing in her way, his crossbow at the ready is Tunder.
will save
The shriek was unearthly and nothing living could sound like that. Selean was about to send forth a disrupting ray to try and kill the undead creature when she heard its voice. It seemed to be wanting to go after Aldern. That was enough for Selena. She gladly moved out of the way and into one of the nearby rooms to let the creature pass. There was no way she was going to get involved between a fight between undead. she didn't even know if she wanted to be around for it but if the creature was going after Aldern then maybe it knew where he was.
Let her go and follow after. she may lead us straight to him!
Recoiling in disgust as they enter the room, Mirela pays little attention to the fact that the woman before them is strikingly familiar. Upon hearing Seldon whisper, the young varisian freezes in her tracks after realizing who the undead woman before might be. Watching in silent horror as the elf priest approaches her, Mirela only manages a small squeak as she tries in futility to stop Seldon "No Selon, wait..."
As the remains of Aldern's obsession before her gets up, Mirela reaches down and somehow manages to find her courage. Glancing over at Selena with a nod, Mirela steps aside to allow Iesha to pass. Holding out her arm, she motions at Tunder and Barek to also allow her to pass unharmed.
The undead's scream shakes Tunder. He quickly steps aside and runs from her as fast as his dwarven legs will carry him.
Not wanting to leave a companion this house's fate Selena will follow after Tunder but not get in the way of the undead creature. Tunder, stop! You don't know where you are going or what you are running into! Somebody help him.
Tunder cowers in fear as the motivated revenant rushes past. In the hallway, Miri and Selena both wisely choose to move aside as the walking corpse passes by.
The revenant blows past all three without seeming to even notice them, and turns the corner, headed for the attic stairs.
Like Tunder, Barek moves away from the undead, fearful that it will approach him. He lets it pass without incident.
As the mne of the group cower in fear Selena looks to Miri, Do you want to stay with them or follow the revanant? I would hate to leave them like this should there be something else up here bt this might be our best chance at Aldern.
As Miri takes off to follow teh creature Selena hurries back to the men to wait till the effects of whatever they are under wear off. The problem was that Selena didn't know how long they would be like this. Hopefully now that the revanant was out of sight they would snap back to their original selves.
Seldon, coming to his senses, will curse as he sees Miri disappear down the stairs after the wailing creature. With nary a sidelong glance, the elf follows after her.
Revenant Chase - Round 1
25 Mirela
19 Barek (frightened 2 rounds)
15 Seldon (frightened 1 round)
14 Revenant
5 Tunder (frightened 4 rounds)
3 Selena
As Seldon, Barek, and Tunder all cower in fear, Selena chooses to stay with the boys, while Mirela goes after the vengeance minded revenant which heads down the stairs to the second floor, moaning as it goes.
End Round 1
Revenant Chase - Round 2
25 Mirela
19 Barek (frightened 1 rounds)
15 Seldon
14 Revenant
5 Tunder (frightened 3 rounds)
3 Selena
Mirela follows the undead woman, heading down the stairs to the second level. As Miri catches up, the revenant pushes open the door, and stumbles out into the hall, headed for the next flight down. "Aldern...Aldern...I'm coming for you." she cries as she goes.
Seldon shakes off the effect of his fear, and quickly follows after her.
Selena still stands guard over Barek and Tunder.
End of Round 2
Revenant Chase - Round 3
25 Mirela
19 Barek
15 Seldon
14 Revenant
5 Tunder (frightened 3 rounds)
3 Selena
Though her heart was pounding with fear at the possibly finding Aldern as she followed the revenant, an adrenaline induced intoxication seemed to drive her feet forward.
Moving quickly and keeping Iona insight, Mirela nevertheless had the presence of mind to at least keep a safe distance between herself and her charge.
Glancing back for just a moment, Mirela cursed very quietly to herself before continuing to follow the screaming corpse "Damnit it all, please come to your senses gentlemen!"
Selena's curiosity about the mirror being magical is but to rest when she divines no magical auras in the attic chamber. For all intents and purposes, this appears to be an ordinary mirror.
Seldon is hot on Mirela's heels, cursing his momentary lapse of mental control. He glides down the stairs as the cacaphony down the hall is suddenly silenced by the creaking and slamming of the door. Fumbling with the latch, he cries out, a frightened edge to his normally calm, serene voice. "Mirela!"
Barek shakes himself from the fear that gripped him as the haunted woman passed. He sees Selena standing over them looking down the hall. "Selena!" He looks over to Tunder to see the dwarf crouching down, trying to get away from the woman's presence. He only nods to her, hoping she knows his gratitude in their moment of weakness. "Bring him out of it when you can. I'll catch up to the others."
He rushes out the door.
The mirror wasn't magical but it had some effect on the creature. Perhaps it could again. muses Selena. Moving over to it she tries to pick it up to see how much it weighs. Should the creature try to turn and attack the group Selena wants the mirror to have to try and make it cower again.
As she moves to the mirrow though she points down the hall to Barek and Seldon. Miri went that way. Hurry and you can still catch her. I will be with Tunder till you return or he snaps out of this. Try to mark a wall or something so we know where to find you.
If only I had thought to prepare a message spell then we could communicate at least to each other and keep track of where everyone is. Selena shakes her head resigned to waiting till Tunder recovers. Hopefully it is soon and the rest don't need them to help out.
Revenant Chase - Round 3 - concluded
The mirror is big enough to be bulky, but not heavy enough to weigh down the curious wizard.
Mirela follows the the undead creature, stopping to peek around a corner, watching its lumbering,but steady advance, now on the second floor of the manor house.
Barek rises from his fearful crouch, shaking the cobwebs from his head. He rushes after Mirela and Seldon, leaving Selena and the still afraid Tunder in the attic-room.
The revenant herself moves through the hallway of the upper floor to the stairs and begins to descend.
End of Round 3
REvenant Chase - Round 4
25 Mirela
19 Barek
15 Seldon
14 Revenant
5 Tunder (frightened 1 round)
3 Selena