It's easier to pretend it's a monster by Calling him "the Beast", and judging him only by his appearance
Putting their heads together, Sophie and Stefan remember the following facts about your next objective:
Schloss Caromarc is the dwelling of Count Alpon Caromarc, the former ruler of Vieland who abdicated his position when the Palatinates threw off the heavy yoke of the aristocracy.
An eccentric recluse, Count Caromarc has built a dwelling that both attracts and deters visitors. Known as the Hanging House, Schloss Caromarc lies to the northeast of Dippelmere Swamp, and is actually several buildings built into the walls of a gorge above a waterfall. Although the lower parts of the house are as luxurious as one might find in any city, the further up the gorge one goes, the more treacherous and inhospitable the buildings become.
Paranoid about his experiments and discoveries being stolen, the eccentric Count Caromarc has, it is rumored, trapped parts of his castle to prevent theft, and constructed numerous guardian creatures to serve and protect him.
Justice Daramid admits she has no additional information about the place or the Count besides what you already know.
"Please don't think I'm judging it ... him, Miss Deberth. In fact the judges ruled him innocent of the crimes he was accused of. I will accept their judgement rather then make my own - they had more facts than did I."
His face grows darker.
"Whether that makes him innocent of any crime is another matter. However, who among us is entirely innocent. I will not be the judge of that either."
Tara shifts uneasily at the mention of innocence, contemplating how to respond. "Right, um, I'm sure that we have some quick stops to make to prepare before we leave town. I know that I need to pay out my bill for the inn and pick up a few supplies. Dr. Herzog, did you need some assistance in bartering some of the items we found for more funding?" As she speaks, Tara attempts to readjust the straps on her pack.
my mother Always told me that only Pharasma can judge truly and fairly. That doesn't stop people to try to judge one another, unfortunatly.
Silas nods.
"Yes, the Lady will judge us all fairly," he says. "But who amongst us, Miss Deberth, if given a choice, would wish to receive the judgement we truly deserve."
The man smiles and stretches.
"But this is a discussion more suited for priests and philosophers than a simple swordsman like myself. Let me retrieve my kit from the inn and I'll be ready to leave."
"Thank-you, Ms. Eliade. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated in liquidating some of the items we... liberated... in our earlier endeavors. I would also like to stop by The Ebon Scroll, a purveyor of items arcane and enchanted. I've been treating the proprietor's gout for years, and I do like to patronize the businesses of my clients. Given the amount of gear I seem to have accumulated in our travails, I would appreciate owning an extradimensional container of some sort or other. These items we have accumulated, whilst useful, are a tad... heavy."
The 24 mile journey to Schloss Caromarc occurs without any incident as the group follows a road that hugs the western bank of the Lesser Moutray River allowing you to completely avoid the Dippelmere Swamp that surrounds the area.
Eventually, the fens give way to a deep, rocky gorge at the northern edge of the swamp, where a peculiar building, or rather group of buildings, clings to steep cliff edges above half a dozen plummeting waterfalls. Beyond a fortified gatehouse, a stone bridge arches gracefully over the raging torrents below. Perched precariously beyond this is a fine, fortified manse and a ruined building that appears to have partially collapsed into the river below. A slender rope bridge, replacing the fallen remnants of a stone bridge, links to a strange tower pierced with beautiful stained glass windows depicting bizarre beasts. A further building teeters to the north of this, but how it is reached is impossible to see from here. Far above, a great tower rises from an isle of stone to the sky, ending in a great steeple topped with a huge lightning conductor.
As you near what appears to be a gatehouse, you see two squat-looking dogs waiting outside.
As the group approaches the gate tower and notices the dogs, Silas - dressed now in worn half-plate - slides down from his horse.
"Dogs and horses are not a good mix," he says as he continues forward leading his mount.
"I suggest you do the same."
The doctor squints suspiciously at the dogs.
"There is something curious about those curs..."
Silas slows up as the doctor comments on the dogs.
"Something we should be concerned about, Doctor?" he asks, placing his hand on his sword.
Tara almost cries in joy at seeing Schloss Caromarc in the close distance. With a white knuckle grip, Tara continues to lead her horse, Pepper behind Sophie, until the caravan comes to a halt. "Is it time to get down already?" she asks hopefully, however her expression turns back into exasperation as she notices the strange animals.
"I don't think that those are dogs, Mr. Womarsh."
"Then let's see what they are and how friendly they can be," the large man says. He drops his horse's reins to the ground, steps on them, and in a firm voice he says, "Stay!"
He turns back to the 'dogs' at the gate and pulls his shield around and draws his sword. He then begins advancing on them.
"Now you're going to be good dogs, right?" he says as he gets closer.
Dr. Von Herzog and Tara recognize the creatures as magical beasts known as Trollhounds. These creatures regenerate if not under the effects of acid or fire and their salivia contains an infectious disease that they spread with their bites.
As the group gets near, the trollhounds begin to howl balefully in an aggressive fashion.
Initiative (Round 1)
Silas <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Sophie <= Up
Tara <= Up
Stefan <= Up
2 Trollhounds
As Silas moves closer , he stows his sword and unslings his longbow. Taking careful aim, he fires.
He curses at himself for not taking the cold breeze from the river into account as the arrow goes wide.
Sophie murmurs a prayer to the gods, drawing her longspear in preparation.
"Trollhounds! Their metabolism is astoundingly high, and and any wounds will heal before your eyes! Yet, they cannot heal burns in that manner: Use flame or caustic chemicals against them!"
Upon watching Silas move ahead to the trollhounds, Tara slides from her saddle. Fumbling around her bag, she eventually locates one of the alchemist's fires she had picked up earlier. "Their bites also spread an infectious disease! Be careful!"
Silas moves closer while drawing his longbow, then fires a shot at the closest trollhound, but due to wind conditions the projectile goes wide.
Sophie draws her longspear and uses divine magic to give her aid in battle.
Tara draws a flask of alchemist fire to undoubtedly aid in destroying the trollhounds.
Vivian get down from her horse and shoots at the strange hound
I got some fire and some acid, that would come handy..
Stefan dismounts, then mutters, "Scroll tube," while reaching into his newly-purchased satchel. Without looking, he pulls a scroll tube from the bag, opens it, and retrives a scroll from within. He unfurls it, then reads the arcane symbols aloud in a clear voice. There is a brief hum and shimmering as the scroll's magic is releasedT. he scroll then bursts into flames that immediately extinguish, ask falling to the ground. The air around the doctor's body itself shimmers slightly.
Vivian fires an arrow from her shortbow, but due to range and soft cover, the projectile misses its mark.
Dr. Von Herzog pulls out a scroll from his case and casts it, giving himself magical armor.
Tara moves closer to the trollhounds.
The creatures continue to howl as they both run up to Silas and snap their hideous maws at him.
Initiative (Round 2)
Silas <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Sophie [Heroism Active] <= Up
Tara <= Up
Stefan [Mage Armor Active] <= Up
2 Trollhounds
Silas snarls back at the dogs in return. As they approach, he drops his bow and draws his sword and shield . With a great cry he slashes at one of the beasts.
His stroke carries through to strike the other.
Stefan moves forward, stepping off the path to the south to allow his friends to continue unhindered. He then retrieves a flask of alchemist's fire and throws it at one of the trollhouds.
Tara watches nervously as the trollhounds approach. Taking a step to ensure that Silas will not be flanked, she draws her dagger before chucking the acid vial at one of the slobbering monsters. "Take that!" she shouts as the vial makes a perfect arch above Silas's head, only to shatter against the trollhound's thick skull.
Vivian moves into the fray and attacks a trollhound too, her blade hitting flesh easily
Silas slices into the northern red troll hound then follows up by cleaving into the yellow one.
Dr. Von Herzog tosses an alchemist fire at the yellow trollhound that lights it on fire, while slightly burning its red companion and Silas.
Tara makes a beautiful throw with her alchemist fire that hits the red trollhound soundly in its ugly face. It too lights on fire while the yellow trollhound and Silas get slightly more burned.
Vivian attempts to tumble into difficult terrain to attack, but she is slightly too slow and opens herself to attacks from both trollhounds. Fortunately for her, their diseased bites both miss.
Perhaps in retribution, Vivian hits the yellow trollhound with her magical sword in a critical area. The creature now looks very close to defeat.
As each of the missiles hits and splashes back at him, Silas spares a look of annoyance at each thrower.
Sophie moves closer, pulls out her spear, and drives it at the trollhound on Silas's right.
for
Sophie moves up while drawing her spear and impales the red trollhound with it. The creature drops to the ground.
From the battlements of the gatehouse emerge three Large-sized humanoid creatures with rough, green hide, clawed hands, and tusked underbites. Two of them seem prepared to toss large stones in your general direction, while the third sets up a crossbow.
The alchemist fires on the trollhounds continue to burn for 6 more seconds, which is enough to further damage the unconscious red trollhound and drop the yellow trollhound. You are aware that if you don't finish them off, they will regenerate to harass you again.
Initiative (Round 3)
Silas [2 Damage] <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Sophie [Heroism Active] <= Up
Tara <= Up
Stefan [Mage Armor Active] <= Up
3 Large Humanoids
2 Unconscious Trollhounds
"We're not equipped to stage a seige," Silas says. "Let's just hope that door isn't too stout."
With another battle cry, he charges forward towards the doors.
Drawing his dagger, Stefan moves up to one of the singed and unconscious trollhounds. Remembering his anatomy lessons, he cuts the beast's throat.
Offering Silas a sheepish smile as he glares at her for splashing him with some fire, Tara moves up to the other trollhound, drawing her dagger in preparation of finishing off the creature.
Confident that Stefan and Tara have the trollhounds under control, Sophie moves forward, whispering to herself... a moment later, an ancient-looking longbow appears in her hands.
Silas moves at top speed towards the gatehouse. From his closer position he sees the two-story stone gatehouse clearly leads into the castle, topped with a crenellated tower at each corner. The main gate is closed. In three of the towers stand the large humanoids.
Sophie uses her oracular powers to summon a longbow to aid her.
While the alchemist's fire is still burning, Stefan reaches into his satchel to retrieve a flask of lamp oil. He then moves right up to the burning and unmoving beast, and pours the oil onto the flames, which rise higher.
Dr. Von Herzog moves closer and tosses lamp oil onto the red trollhound, causing more burns. The creature is still breathing, however.
Approaching the downed trollhound, Tara takes a moment to mentally prepare herself before she plunges her sharp nails into the creature's jugular. Grimacing at sensation, Tara mentally counts to five before pulling her hand free. Staring at the blood on her hand in sick fascination, Tara is horrified to feel a sense of exhilaration at ending a life with her own hands.
In one swift move, Vivian's sword plunges into the foul creature's heart
Tara sticks a claw into the yellow trollhound's neck, but the disgusting creature continues to survive.
Vivian finishes the yellow trollhound off as she sticks her blade into its heart.
As the flames on the red trollhound die out, the creature's wounds begin to close.
The ugly humanoid with the Large crossbow fires a bolt at Silas that misses. That's followed up by its two companions who toss rocks at the fighter that both also miss.
Initiative (Round 4)
Silas [2 Damage] <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Sophie [Heroism Active] <= Up
Tara <= Up
Stefan [Mage Armor Active] <= Up
3 Large Humanoids
1 Unconscious Trollhounds
Thinking quickly,Vivian walks to the second dog and puts an end to its life
Let me take care of this beast, our new companion might need your assistances, and I'm the most able to kill it outright!
Silas closes the distance between himself and the door. Upon reaching it, he attempts to test it to see if it would be at all possible to force it.
Vivian sticks her sword into the other trollhound and it stops breathing. She then remembers that it will regenerate back to life unless someone throws fire or acid on it.
Silas makes it to the front of the gatehouse to find that the strong wooden gate is bound with iron and appears to be barred from within. He figures he can either bust it open or chop through it with his weapon.
From behind the secured gate he also hears a shrill voice cry out, "Longshanks, get lost!"
It takes a moment for Vivian's words to process and snap Tara out of her daze. "Wha- oh yes! Thank you, Miss Deberth." Following behind Silas, Tara pulls out her dagger attempting to provide help.
"Some day I should take the time to examine such creatures' regenerative abilities... it may even be possible to make some sort of curative out of its bodily fluids. Alas, now is not an opportune time..."
Stefan then raises his iron-shod walking stick and brings it down hard onto the creature's skull.
Sophie raises the bow and looses an arrow at the nearest troll-like creature on top of the tower.
for
Tara moves closer to the gates, while Dr. Von Herzog finishes off the other trollhound with fire and his walking stick.
Sophie then fires an arrow at the large yellow creature in the southeast gatehouse tower and hits it.
The red enemy fires his crossbow again at Silas that misses once again.
The yellow humanoid begins to rapidly self heal, nearly pushing Sophie's arrow out in the span of a few seconds. It retaliates by tossing a rock in the general direction of the oracle that lands far away from its intended target.
The purple enemy turns its aggression towards Tara as it also lobs a big rock that similarly misses Tara by a large margin.
Initiative (Round 5)
Silas [2 Damage] <= Up
Vivian <= Up
Sophie [Heroism Active] <= Up
Tara <= Up
Stefan [Mage Armor Active] <= Up
3 Large Humanoids
Confident that he's not going to be able to shoulder his way through the barred door, Silas takes a go at it with his sword.