After a few more minutes, the courtyard erupts in noise, as if the Red Rock Revel had begun again! Fey voices singing, belching, and chattering fill the air, but through the gaps in the partially open gate, you only see Aerel looking around confused. First, he dives like he's trying to hide behind a rock but manages to collide with it. Bouncing off that, he tries to move for the exit but just before he reaches it, he's hauled up by some otherworldly force to dangle over some of the old dark-stained rocks. A splash of fresh blood falls over the stone from a sudden wound on Aerel, and then he's dropped.
Panting, he manages to get to the gate and to safety. The sounds of the Revel fade as if it never had been.
You think that was some sort of haunt, a localized area of negative emotions and horror caused by traumatic events.
Looking quite shaken, Aerel returns to the others. ”I don’t know what that was, but the place looks empty. Once I entered, it was like I was in the middle of that party! I think I need to sit down for a moment.”
He has a nasty gash on his forehead and a wound on his neck from a ragged bloodletting. In fact, he appears a bit pale.
William says "Well, that's a first. I think that was a haunt. It's a quasi real phenomena formed from negative emotions or a horrific event."
"I am sorry for sending you into danger, Aerel. I have great faith in your scouting skills but had no idea there would be such a danger that you couldn't see."
Benedict nods. "Yes, I have heard of such things. William, do you think it will still affect us if we go in? Or has the effect passed?"
William shrugs, "It depends on the haunt. I believe there is usually a way to "cure" them, make them go away permanently."
William thinks on what he knows about haunts, and considering how recent it is, it probably has a local anchor, possibly even someone who was involved in the Revel that, once killed, will dispel the haunt.
William paces back and forth thinking for a moment. "We may be able to end this. There is probably a local anchor, maybe someone who was involved in the Revel. Their death would dispel the haunt."
"I am sorry for sending you into danger, Aerel. I have great faith in your scouting skills but had no idea there would be such a danger that you couldn't see."
Aerel waves off the apology with a wry smile. "No, no, my role is to take point and make my friends aware of potential danger." He points into the walls of the keep, "Be wary, there appears to be a haunt in that place."
He stands and checks his forehead to see if it is still bleeding freely and sees that it isn't. Checking his gear and squaring his shoulders, he asks, "How do we proceed? How do we find this local anchor?"
"We learned from the Spriggans that the Red Rock Revel was hosted by Halk, the First Drinker. A fey of some kind, I imagine. Probably a Korred, as they seemed to be the most numerous. Maybe somehow the haunt is tied to him. I imagine he would be in the fort. Maybe we can get there without going through the courtyard? Perhaps climb the walls or build a ladder?"
How rough do the exterior walls of the fort's keep building look? And how tall is the building?
If needed, Benedict can use Barroom Brawler to pick up Advanced Armor Training (Adaptable Training - Climb). That would give him a +13 Climb check for 1 minute.
The fort's exterior walls are three feet thick, fifteen feet high. The towers are each 45-feet tall and topped with crenellated battlements. Climbing the walls require a DC 20 Climb check.
[ooc]Keep in mind that the last time you were here, Aerel (and I think William) used a rope and grappling hook to climb the walls. They recall there was a trap door leading down into the tower.
The main building of the fort is three stories high, with a balcony on the third floor overlooking the courtyard.
Aerel also should know that the haunt didn't trigger until he stepped into the middle of the courtyard. Skirting around the edges might avoid its effects.
William says "Why don't we go in like Aerel and I did last time and use a rope to climb up and then in?"
"I'll feel more comfortable knowing someone's got overwatch, but I think I can stay out of the middle of the party and avoid the haunt. I'm willing to risk it again."
The entry hall is in greater disarray than before. The remains of the construct the group fought still lies in one corner, and the rest of the hall is filled with busted furniture and filth. The corpses of two dead korreds and one small fey with a blood-stained cap and heavy iron-shod boots lay amidst the ruin.
The door to the kitchen hangs open, revealing it to be empty as well, though a mess with piled, dirty dishes and rotten food.
A stair leads to the upper floor, while doors lead both north and south.
Aerel attempts to stealthily scout ahead, taking time to listen periodically and looking for traps.
Going up the stairs, the group reaches a long hallway that turns to the right after leading past a set of closed double doors. Opposite the doors is a passage leading to the collapsed tower, where daylight streams in.
Aerel listens at the double doors.
Aerel hears the sounds of some kind of struggle, along with the clinking of bottles beyond the doors.
He steps back and shares as much with the rest of the party.
"I have an idea. Wait here a moment and ready yourself if you hear a shout - I may be leading them back to you."
He heads forward around the corner, thinking there may be symmetry in the tower's design.
Aerel turns the corner and sees a long hallway that turns once again to the right. Several arrow slits look out on the forest along the eastern wall. The walls of this gallery are scratched, seared with fire, and stained with old blood.
If he goes to the end of the hall, he sees two more double doors and an additional door leading south (all of them closed), with a set of stairs leading upward.
Benedict draws the MW Cold Iron Scimitar, and stands ready while Aerel slips away.
Aerel listens at the new double doors.
Similar sounds come from the double doors on the opposite end of the hallway.
He tries to quietly open the door just a crack to see what lies within, prepared to run back to the others.
A dozen bunk beds have been rearranged in this room. The straw mattresses have all been stacked to make a ludicrously high bed, and the medal bed frames have been pounded into uneven shapes and stacked to the north to create a dais surmounted by a metal throne. Scattered empty bottles, casks and cups litter the surrounding area. Four squat stone blocks, each about two feet square, stand around the room, sealed to the floor.
Arrow slits overlooking the courtyard let light in, illuminating three ogre-sized creatures wrestling with each other while a korred sitting on the throne watches on with a bored expression.
No one seems to notice the door cracked open.
Aerel withdraws as silently as he can, not risking the closing of the door.
He reports to the others quietly, "Another door on the far end opens into the same room. A korred upon a throne of junk and three spriggans wrestling to entertain him. The spriggan are all grown to their ogre forms. Not sure how often they can do that..."
"We can fight them on two fronts if we wish. Or we can set a trap for them on the other door if they try to run. Or we can just open the door and open fire knowing how many there are." He looks at Benedict.
"I could try to get rid of the Spriggans with a shapechanging trick, disguising myself as one of them in their gnome form.
I could say that the humans who raided the fort before were captured by the Ironfangs, and the Ironfangs are now on their way here with the dragon to kill the Spriggans and Halk. I assume the Korred is that Halk, the First Drinker, the one who called the Revel.
But... I can't change size like the Spriggans do, and I can't speak Aklo which seems their preferred language. So maybe it is better to just go with Grum's plan.
In that case, I would say fight on two fronts. Aerel, William, and I will circle around. Grum and Amkarang will open this door and draw the Spriggans' attention, then I will open the door and provide a block while the archers take down the Korred king.
I also hope that taking down this Korred eliminates the haunt."
"I wondered if something like that wouldn't be best."
William nods, "Sounds good to me."
After a moment to make sure everyone is in position, Amkarang and Grum open the door, causing the wrestling match within the room to pause.
The spriggans look at the two intruders, then to the korred on the makeshift throne. Halk looks over his throne and cackles madly. "Look! The Revel can continue! New blood! New blood!"
The spriggans shrug and draw their weapons.
Amkarang steps into the room and readies to trip any spriggans that might move towards him.
William says to Benedict, "Open the doors, it sounds like they are engaged and I am ready to fire!"
Benedict opens the doors, steps in, and uses Total Defense (AC 31).
Aerel nods his agreement, a cold iron arrow nocked and pointed at the ground until the door is open.
As the door opens, Aerel brings his bow up and fires at the creature on the impromptu thrown.
When the doors open William scans the room quickly to pick out his target and let's three cold iron arrows loose at the beast on the throne.
Halk takes three arrows from the archers that wound him severely. However, he survives the barrage and begins to sing. It's an aggressive chant that seems to inspire the spriggans into a rage. They bellow and snarl under the effects of Halk's song.
He then hops down from his throne to take cover behind it so he's less of a target from the archers.
Benedict will remain where he is and use Total Defense (AC 31), trying to block the Spriggans from getting to the archers.
(Although since the Spriggans probably have reach, the archers may want to 5' step back).
He has the Hemlock Banner in his hand, so allies within 30' get the Flag bonus.
The extended reach of the large spriggans allow for two of them to tag Grum with their morningstars as he closes. But he deals a vicious wound.
Halk's song has their blood up, and their combat prowess is far greater with him urging them on.
With Halk hiding William shoots the spriggan dead ahead and takes a step back.
Only one arrow manages to catch the spriggan in the back. It grunts in pain, and it looks like it should be dead but for its rage.
The one on the end turns around to deal with the archers, but has to go through Benedict.
The other two, already having drawn blood, focus on Grum.
None of the spriggans are able to get through the heroes' defenses!
+11/+11/+6 with PBS, RS, DA (1d8+9/x3/30' range)
Aerel growls at the loss of line of sight to his target, but listens to Benedict's advice, stepping back 5' and opening fire on the spriggan attacking the flagbearer.