Might as well
Once you collect the scraps of loot left behind, you try the next door.
Upon opening the door, your come face-to-face with a huge fiendish hound. This creature resembles a powerfully built wolf the size of a large draft horse, with ebony fur and burning, fiery red eyes. You can smell the sulfur and feel its hot breath on your skin as it stares at you with barely held restraint. Behind it, is a revolting withered corpse of a woman dressed in revealing clothes, its bare skin wet with fresh blood.
The "woman" speaks. "Hold! It has been many centuries since I've felt so "alive". I know that you think you can lift the curse over Castle Scarwall. I find your zeal and eagerness to do so both amusing and pitiful. Scarwall is doomed to be forever cursed. Even a group of powerful adventurers like you can not do much to change that. Since you are destined to fail, I feel no compulsion to defend the castle. Let us instead be civilized creatures and talk. In fact, since you amuse me so, I am willing to answer any questions you may have about Kazavon’s last days or the doom that came to Mandraivus—yet not for free. And don't mind the hellhound there. He won't bite unless it comes to that."
The description of the room is: A single bunk, its mattress sagging and decayed, slumps against the southwest wall of this bedroom. A desk covered with old scrolls sits to the north.
Tyrandro leaves the talking to the ladies, but readies a shot at the hound for when this goes down and braces himself for evil magic to come.
Very well, it would be refreshing to not have everything come down to combat. Please tell us more about this Mandravius.
"Not so fast! I said the information is not free. My price is blood. Your blood, since you asked the question." says the creature pointing a bony finger at Ayako. "Don't worry. I desire merely a sip. Less than a minute's worth. For someone as hearty as you, you'll hardly miss it. And you need not fear becoming undead unless you happen to die. While I would love nothing more than to suck all of you flesh-bags dry and bathe in your sticky sweet fluids, I will restrain myself. Now get over here. I'm tired of waiting!"
Ayako identifies this creature as a Sayona. Occasionally called “weeping vampires” for their ability to cry tears of blood, sayonas are powerful and intelligent undead creatures that hunt mortals to steal from them what they envy most: the ability to exist within living flesh. While they aren’t true vampires, similarity between these two creatures creates substantial confusion to those unfamiliar with sayonas. While sayonas and vampires sustain themselves off mortal blood, sayonas don’t consume the blood, but rather absorb it through their skin (even when using blood drain), using it to transform their twisted forms back into some semblance of the beauty they had—or believe they had—in life.
"Yeah, no." Tyrandro voices, before he opens combat.
Uhh....Well so much for that. Ayako gets ready for combat
"Did you really want to share with her? She's ugly." Iolana casts Magic Circle Against Evil.
Seb waits to see what happens next.
Come now, beauty is only skin deep. I do insist that we can call a halt to feeding if I become too faint.
"Sorry, I overreacted here." Tyrandro tries a lame excuse.
Considering how hostile this place has been, a little jumpiness can be forgiven.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The hellhound squeezes to the side to allow Ayako to approach the sayona.
The sayona takes Ayako's hand and scratches a line across her palm with a clawed finger. Immediately, Ayako's body freezes with paralysis leaving her unable to resist. The sayona then places her palm into Ayako's and begins draining Ayako's blood directly through the undead woman's skin. As she does so, her undead form shifts from a desiccated corpse to a voluptuous blonde of flesh and blood. Once the paralysis ends, she breaks the connection and smiles wickedly at Ayako. She licks her now full pink lips and says, "Thank you. That was delicious. It has been too long since I've tasted the living. Well, you held up you half of the bargain. I'll fulfill mine."
"You asked about Mandraivus, yes? Mandraivus is the paladin hero of Lastwall who defeated Kazavon when all others could not. But you must know at least that much already. Mandraivus led a secret cabal of heroes and mercenaries known as the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye. This group discovered that one among Kazavon’s minions was willing to betray the warlord: his chamberlain, Kleestad. The chamberlain gave Mandraivus the information he needed to strike at Scarwall when its defenses were lowest.
The atrocities the heroes found within Scarwall tested them to their limits, and when they reached Kazavon, a terrific battle took place. It was during this fight that Mandraivus’s group discovered the warlord’s great secret—the champion of Zon-Kuthon was no mere man, but rather an insane great blue wyrm who preferred living as a human rather than a dragon. During the battle, Kazavon was forced back into his draconic identity as Mandraivus struck a lethal blow with his legendary weapon, a magical bastard sword named Serithtial.
Yet Kazavon’s corpse did not lie quiet. It seethed with dark energy, beginning to knit back together once again. The cabal used fire and acid and holy light, but in the end, seven skeletal fragments proved impossible to destroy. Mandraivus ordered his remaining followers to each take one of these relics and scatter them to the corners of the world. None would know where the other members went, least of all their leader. Mandraivus remained behind at Scarwall with a few loyal retainers to watch over the castle itself and prevent it from being reclaimed by the minions of Zon-Kuthon.
The victory proved short-lived. The orcs of Belkzen gained strength and attacked Castle Scarwall soon after Mandraivus’s cabal scattered. The defenders were overwhelmed, and as Mandraivus was slain, the curse of Scarwall took hold. The slaughter of first Kazavon’s armies and then Mandraivus and his soldiers had suffused the fortress with negative energy, and an instant after they seized the castle, the orc invaders found themselves facing a host of vengeful spirits and slavering undead. Only a single orc survived to make it across the causeway from the castle, the flesh of his face blanched completely white from the horror he’d witnessed. He brought word to his people of the haunting of Castle Scarwall, and the tribal warlords declared the site forever taboo.
I am Risibeth, Kazavon’s war commander, the officer responsible for coordinating all troop movements and activities outside of Scarwall’s walls. As such, I was the only commander outside of Scarwall at the time Mandraivus attacked, and thus survived that slaughter. Upon hearing of my master’s fate, I approached the orc tribes. It was my arrival as much as anything else that resulted in the swift attack on Scarwall by the orcs in the day after the Esoteric Order agents fled Scarwall to the ends of the world with Kazavon’s relics. Yet I underestimated the grudge the orcs held for Kazavon. When one of the orc priests learned the truth of my identity—that I was a blood-drinking, undead sayona posing as a living woman—he used his ability to command undead to seize control of me. I never intended to return to Scarwall, but I found myself among the vanguard of the orcs when they attacked the castle a few days later.
The curse of Scarwall is a freedom of sorts. For when the curse drove off the orcs, I was freed from their control, however, I then became bound to the curse as any other denizen of Scarwall and am unable to leave. But oddly I would likely remain here in the War Tower basement even if I weren’t compelled to do so. The one thing I regret is the lack of fresh blood to drink. It has been many centuries since someone so tasty has come along. Stay won’t you. I won’t give up this new supply so soon."
Mushu squeals in dismay and bounces up and down as Ayako becomes even paler as her blood is drained and float the wand over to heal her.
Ayako reels from the draining and quicly heals her shaking form
Umm. Ughh.. I must say, Laori would no doubt adore that sensation.
"I'm afraid we just can't stay. We have other appointments here in the castle. Do you have any idea how to break the curse that keeps the undead here? We have a friend we need to free from the walls." She taps the pouch with the tarot cards gently.
I am afraid I will need a little time to rest and replenish, you were quite the thirsty one weren't you?
What of Kazavon’s final days?
"I'm afraid we just can't stay. We have other appointments here in the castle. Do you have any idea how to break the curse that keeps the undead here? We have a friend we need to free from the walls."
Risibeth responds, "Mithrodar, the chained spirit, maintains the curse that binds us all to this castle. Four others act as anchors that both strengthen Mithrodar and the curse infusing the castle. I can sense that the curse has been weakened in the last few days. I'm assuming you've destroyed some of the anchors. However, given time, Mithrodar can replace anchors lost. The general Gorstav, who shares this tower with me, was once a spirit anchor. The shadow dragon, Belshallam, a relatively new arrival, destroyed Gorstav, severing the link with Mithrodar. Gorstav came back from undeath a second time since one cannot escape this castle even in death. Comically, the dragon became the new anchor instead. I don't think it was too happy about that. Mithrodar himself cannot be vanquished unless all the anchors are eliminated first. It is very unlikely that you will succeed. Perhaps instead, one of you will become an anchor instead. Then we can come to a further agreement to satiate my thirst. You need not be dead to serve as an anchor. The shadow dragon wasn't. And I'd prefer it that way. Fresh blood is so much sweeter."
"If you are truly dead set of seeking these anchors out. The latest four that I am aware of are the dread skeleton, Lashton, on the causeway; the shadow dragon, Bellshallam, in the livery; the ashmede devil, Nihil the Ashbringer, in the Lord's tower; and the demilich, Zev Ravenka, in the Dark Shrine of Midnight."
"But know this as well; destroying Mithrodar may break the curse and free the remaining undead from their bindings to this castle allowing them to leave if they so choose, but something even more evil lurks beneath the castle. The traitor chamberlain, Kleestad, dwells deep in the earth. Transformed and cursed by Zon-Kuthon himself for his betrayal. Unless he too is purged from this place, evil will inevitably return. This castle is destined to be cursed for all eternity. Your struggle against the will of the gods is amusing but ultimately futile."
I am afraid I will need a little time to rest and replenish, you were quite the thirsty one weren't you?
"Go then!" Risibeth says. "Leave an old woman to her solitude. But don't doubt, I'll be seeing you again real soon."
"Does someone take notes?" Tyrandro asks, as he has already forgotten half of the names the woman with no name - or did she mention it - told about.
The dragon has been slain, and we have disposed of a skeleton on the causeway. So it seems we have two left. Ayako gives a polite nod to Risibeth and users everyone out.
Does anyone know what a demilich is?
"Half a lich? Probably an undead." Tyrandro comments, being only demi-helpful on that topic.
Let us head to the Lord's Tower to finish of this devil. Ayako tries to call to mind what the ashmede devil might be.
"A really bad ad powerful undead. Don't some of the undead lich things keep their souls or something outside themselves and can't be destroyed unless we destroy the thing holding the whatever. Maybe the headboard was the thing. We should ask Laori."
Once out of earshot.
"That 'lady' back there is much less of an eyesore after sucking you almost dry. But I'm still not sure it was a good decision to let her do that." Tyrandro tells Ayako.
MMm..Well it isn't like we are really expecting to come back here ever again..
"Assuming we can get free from here. I don't want to become an anchor for this place."
Well let us head upwards then and seek out this devil. Ayako will start doing so with the others.
Ayako tries to call to mind what the ashmede devil might be.
Ayako recalls that Ashmede Devils are powerful serpentine humanoids with huge black bat wings extending from their backs. They swing vicious-looking scythes in their claws.
When the laws of hell are violated it is the ashmede that deliver Asmodeus’s justice. As Asmodeus’s enforcers, the judgement devils track and bring annihilation to any devil who moves against Asmodeus. There is no trial, no plea, and absolutely no warning. Ashmede track violators across the multiverse if necessary.
When a mortal breaks an infernal pact, it is the ashmede that first travel to the Material Plane to collect his soul. The ashmede are not careless combatants. They study their foes, learn their weaknesses and strengths, and strike when their targets are at their weakest. They weaken opponents or scatter other combatants with magical attacks. They then focus on their target, concerned with completing their mission and obeying Asmodeus’s law.
"A really bad ad powerful undead. Don't some of the undead lich things keep their souls or something outside themselves and can't be destroyed unless we destroy the thing holding the whatever. Maybe the headboard was the thing. We should ask Laori."
Shadowcount Sial speaks, "I can answer that. A demilich is unfortunately a more powerful version of a lich. Some may believe that liches do not age. However they do. After centuries of unlife, their bodies eventually decay and crumble. The most tenacious of liches survive as just their skull. Despite their tiny appearance, they are both extremely deadly and extremely difficult to damage. Their skulls are harder than any steel and are immune to most magics. The one thing one your side is that they no longer have a phylactery that you need to search out. Their skull itself is their phylactery now. But even so, they will rejuvenate if the proper ritual is not followed."
"The Lord's Tower is most likely the round central tower overlooking most of the castle. We would need to return to the central portion of the castle and find a way up."
That is disturbing. I have little that can harm the undead and can only help speed our actions and protect ourselves against any death magic.
"Okay. If we find a talking or moving skull, I shoot it 'til it breaks and then you do some magic mumbo jumbo to make sure it stays broken." Tyrandro summarizes it in a way that leaves everything out that is not his cup of tea. "Laori will be disappointed about that."
I wonder if we could convince Laori to do so, or go back to our least favorite city to find someone who can do it. Or maybe try to drop it on The Queen's lap and let it do the work for us?
Our luck it would be related to the queen and happy to help her out. Sounds like my new favorite spell isn't going to work on it. Too bad. I'd have loved to turn it to dust. It sounds as if we need to prepare for the lich a bit better than we have for the creatures we've faced."
"This demon. Maybe he's ready to leave, and will help us get him free without a fight." she gives Tyrando a grin at the look she knows is coming her way. "Yeah I know not likely or there would be a deal with the devil I don't want to make."
If it is a spirit anchor, than it can't leave. Plus that chained spirit won't let it go unless it is destroyed. So it looks like a fight no matter what
You make your way back to the central part of the castle and head up past the first and second floors (which you've mostly explored) to the third floor of the castle. The staircase you take leads to a long hallway.
This dark hallway is made even gloomier by the presence of thick sheets of cobwebs that hang from above and drifts of dust and fragments of bone on the floor below. Portraits hang askew on the walls, but all of their subjects have been lost to a layer of mold and grime.
Tyrandro notices that one of the ruined portraits is in fact not ruined at all, and that its subject is singularly disturbing: Tyrandro sees himself being beheaded by Kazavon. One blink later, the portrait reverts to its true state—a moldy sheet of ruined canvas on which no details can be discerned.
So shall we explore? Ayako casts Align weapon on Tyrando's bow and Sebastion's rapier.
"This demon. Maybe he's ready to leave, and will help us get him free without a fight." she gives Tyrando a grin at the look she knows is coming her way. "Yeah I know not likely or there would be a deal with the devil I don't want to make."
"I think this castle is taking its toll on you two. You would make really strong replacement anchors."
Marching on past a gallery of damaged paitings, Tyrandro flinches shortly at one of them.
As Ayako asks, Tyrandro suggests "Sebastian, are you taking the lead?"
Let us try the northern room
"Yes I'll go first. Careful everyone." he looks determined. His face has aged some from the young man who arrived at this castle. Dying will do that do you.
He listens at the door, and then carefully opens it.
Iolana gives everyone Stoneskin, and gives herself Mage Armor as well as a Circle around herself to protect from evil.
The northern door opens into a library.
A few shelves line the walls of this room, holding a modest collection of books and scrolls. A table with a comfortable, velvet-lined chair stands between the chamber’s arrow slits. The melted stumps of two thick candles rest upon it. Two arrow slits to the east have rotting shutters that no longer serve to keep the damp out of the room.
The books here feel brittle to the touch. Most are historical and geographical works relevant 7 centuries ago, from which you could learn much about the history of Belkzen, Ustalav, and even the reign of the Whispering Tyrant given enough time and research.
Perhaps we can come back here to do some fine reading later.
"Oh, books." Tyrandro replies, reminded of his private teaching lessons as a kid.
Let us keep going clockwise.
Seb takes a look into the room, and can't see anything interesting. "Clockwise is fine."
Iolana shrugs. She casts detect magic in the room just in case. "I can't believe we looked into a room and nothing tried to kill us."
With Tyrandro and Iolana aiding Ayako (+2 each) you are able to discover the hidden treasures in the library. Iolana's detect magic reveals the scrolls tucked within the shelves and a second glance at the books afterwards makes you notice the hollowed book.
After that, you proceed clockwise according to your plan of exploration and find the next room to be an "L" shaped storeroom.
This room contains a wealth of ruined crates, rotten firewood, moldy barrels, and other mundane supplies that are long past their prime.
Nothing of import can be salvaged from the main storeroom here.
"Aaaand again nothing. Maybe our reputation precedes us?" Tyrandro muses. "Have you heard that axe's puppet orc somewhere?"
Laori would no doubt like the animate dead scroll
You leave the seemingly empty storeroom (unless Iolana or Sebastian aid in the search) and move on to the next room.
You try to open this door but it is wedged shut from the inside. If you want to open it, you'll need to use force.