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Lorant recalls the following information:
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.
So, assuming hostilities, opfor is constructs, undead, maybe some outsiders, presumably of the lawful kind as only idiots would use demons or daemons to guard things?
Dylan pauses
Lorant, you think you can get us a writ of being allowed to investigate the castle from the judge? Or some official identification as deputees or something? If we run into like, Axis based protection things its really usefull to have such things, if we dont they may just attack or expell us, and we would have to fight them, and thus piss of Axis, and Axis always pays its debts.
If I had a mercenary castle I would absolutely have guard on it with orders to kill or capture intruders on sight.
"Would the former Count Caromarc even have the ability to create those kinds of defenses? From what I recall he was an intelligent man, and a scientist, but not a wizard or anything..."
I always assume nobles to either be magic users, or have magic users in their payroll, or they would be hard pressed to maintain their position against people with access to magic.
Dylan pauses
Our client refered to the count as his father, thus the count is likely his creator. I dont quite know what the "beast" actually is, but its not something someone could create without serious prowress in either the divine or the arcane arts. And anyone with such serious prowress will have guards and traps in place, if the guards are sapient, they may react differently to a "legal search" then to "looters".
So, are we ready to pay the Beast and his "father" a visit?" Lorant asks.
Dylan is entirely ready to move on, ideally after gaining some type of "search order" from whatever the local government is.
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After everyone has had time to make ready and Dylan has acquired a writ, the party sets out for Schloss Caromarc. The journey is arduous, as much of it is spent slogging through the seemingly endless Dipplemere Swamp. Finally, 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.
Lorant looks up at the Schloss somberly. They'd have to make sure the Beast was safe quickly, because a mob rampaging through such a precarious place was sure to get people killed, whether by whatever defenses the former Count had left to deter unwanted visitors or simply by accidentally pushing someone out a window or breaking that rope bridge.
"Judah, Dylan, can your 'friends' scout ahead to see what might await us in the gatehouse?"
Give me a moment
Dylan focuses
Remember, no more then 100 feet away from me He says to his phantom as she emerges from him
Or 50 if I am incorporeal yes yes numbnuts
She replies to him with an extended tounge
Oh, Hi Lorant, you look great today!
She flutters he spectral eyelashes at him as she moves toward the gatehouse
Now you see me, and now you mostly dont!
And now Miss Cheeki Breeki, I mean Scout, goes and flies off
He begins concentrating on maintaining the etheric tether
"Judah, Dylan, can your 'friends' scout ahead to see what might await us in the gatehouse?"
"Mmm, sure. Give me a minute," Judah said. |
"Scout, report back, keep out of sight, don't hurt anything," Judah said, being very careful with his instructions and wording.
Without a sound the amorphous thing rearranged itself into a serpentine beast and burrowed into the ground.
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A two-story stone gatehouse leads into the castle, topped with a crenellated tower at each corner. The main gate is closed. Outside the gatehouse are two large dog-like beasts that sniff the air and growl continuously. Beyond this portal lies a broad chamber with a vaulted roof. Two large fires burn in the room, and spiral stairways climb up in each corner toward the ceiling. The gate on the far side of the room is barricaded with timber and furniture. The room is occupied by three small goblins and two large, hulking figures with protruding fangs and rough, green skin... trolls!
Beyond the barricaded gate lies a broad stone terrace that has no rails at its edge. To the north, a stone bridge arches above a waterfall that drops into the river two hundred feet below. A single troll and another of the dog-like creatures stand guard here. Finally, beyond them is a slender stone bridge that arches gracefully over a roaring waterfall here, linking the gatehouse to a fortified manor house clinging to the cliff on the far side.