Castle Amber: A D&D Adventure

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:55 pm

Before Rachelle goes to face the Beholder, Rob takes of his Cape of the Mountebank and lends it to her, explaining briefly how to activate it.

"If things go badly down there, this might help you make a hasty retreat. Just take the anti magic amulet off first..which might mean the cape isn't worth using-- but just in case."

Then Rob finds the The Enchiridion of Kurda and continues reading it.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:04 pm

Kalar had given easy to follow directions to the beholder, but Rachelle still took her time. She wasn't sure what kind of game Kalar would be playing if he was simply sending her into a trap, but she still didn't fully trust the path she was directed on. She reached the door Kalar said the beholder was behind and waited. She checked the amulet, it seemed to be working. Then she looked back at the bloodhulk that was standing several feet away from her, checking if it was ready. It seemed silly to check if the undead thing was ready, but Rachelle was alone and felt she needed to check with someone first. Anyone, she though.

The others began studying their magical books back at the wagon. Voulton took an interest in The Fiendish Fragments of Gimli and Rob had settled in for the The Enchiridion of Kurda. Kalar decided to further study the books as a whole, trying to unlock the locked ones. The Undead Book of Durin opened easily in Kalar's hands, as if it had never been locked. The Fiendish Incunabulum of Gamin seemed to need some sort of mirror to open it. The Fell Articles of Banor has an open mouth that Kalar saw as a vampiric mouth. Perhaps blood would be involved in it's opening.

Rachelle opened the door to see the beholder. The beholder was looking intensely at a large tapestry of a swirling vortex on the north side of the wall. It did not seem to notice Rachelle in the slightest.

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 4:12 pm

Rachelle, as quietly as she can, walks up to the beholder.

"Nice tapestry, isn't it? Do you know what it's about?" she asks.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:05 pm

"Huh?" says the beholder. The beholder shakes as if dismissing a bad hang over. A green beam hit Rachelle in the chest, to no effect. The bloodhulk, seeing the ray rushed in. The bloodhulk didn't get very close tot he beholder before receiving a ray to the face. It quickly turned to stone. Rachelle took another two rays before the rays stopped.
"What are you?" asked the beholder.

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:10 pm

"Immune to your rays, it would seem", Rachelle replies. "Now, could you tell me what this tapestry is supposed to be?"

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:16 pm

"Tapestry?" the beholder said, and then looked back over at the tapestry. His state of daze that Rachelle found him in returned. Rachelle felt no similar effect while looking at the tapestry.

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:22 pm

Rachelle walks in between the beholder and the tapestry. "Yes, the one you seem to be incapacitated by".

...wasn't there a similarly enthralling piece of artwork back in the castle?

"Anyway, would you happen to know anything about a place called Castle Amber? This place seems to remind me of it," she continues.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 10:57 pm

"I don't know what you're talking about," the beholder said, once it had shaken off the affects of the tapestry for a second time. "I was summoned here some time ago," The beholder looks off in a daze, this time it seemed to be thinking. It fires off another ray at Rachelle while thinking, to no effect. "I think I have been here for a very long time. I wish to leave. Will you allow me to leave, strange lizard creature?"

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:06 pm

"Where would you want to go from this place, though?" Rachelle asks. "This country is bounded by strange mists, so there's not that many places you could go".
Rachelle pauses.
"...and if you keep on firing off those beams of yours you won't get very far before the Inquisition strikes you down; several of them have the ability to ignore all magical effects aimed at them, and they think poorly of any magic-users".

Another short pause.

"What has kept you from leaving this place, anyway?"

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:30 pm

"The effect of that tapestry," the beholder said. A brief silence followed, then a green ray hit the tapestry. It burst into dust. "Now that I'm free, please direct me out of this small room," said the beholder.

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 11:38 pm

"Before I do that, do you have any way of promising me that you won't attack the rest of my party the moment we get out of these ruins?" Rachelle asks.

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 12:26 am

"I promise," said the beholder. Then it began trying to fit it's bulk through the doorway. It had a lot of trouble doing so and the bloodhulk that had been turned to stone sat in the way, making it harder. Rachelle thought the floating monster might burst as it squeeze through. But it finally made it's way into the room full of bones. One look at the next door caused a loud sigh to come from the beholder.
As Rachelle moved out of the way of the squeezing monster, she noticed the wall revealed by the destruction of the tapestry seemed odd. Her training as a young elf had prepared her to find secret doors. She remembered visiting a mystical castle with her family as a young elf, in order to explore it's many secret passages. This secret door she now stood in front of seemed like such a simple trick to her as she looked at it. One of the stones on the wall didn't match the pattern the rest had made. It also didn't have at mortar around it. She knew if she pushed on that stone, it would activate the secret door. Only the lumbering beholder and the thought of potential traps stopped her from investigating further.

Feenicks · Post by **Feenicks** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:37 am

Rachelle decides to leave the deceptively simple hidden door alone for now, and begins to lead the beholder out of the dungeon. At the last door before the entry corridor, she excuses herself, runs up to the surface, and warns the party that a beholder was coming and she didn't really trust it enough to leave the party alone.

BMR · Post by **BMR** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:37 am

While waiting for Rachelle, Kalar uses his sword to attempt to identify the Undead Book of Durin and to check for traps. Once he's sure there are none, he'll put it away to read later.

As for the Fell Articles of Banor, Kalar will reach into his pack to grab the flask of blood he'd kept from all the way back in the castle. Just in case something bad happens, he'll place the book on a surface first, and then pour blood the blood into the open mouth.

Lacking a mirror of any sort, Kalar will just put the Fiendish Incunabulum of Gamin away for now.

When Rachelle appears though and explains that the beholder is coming, Kalar puts the books away for the time being.

"If I recall correctly, those things have some sort of ray that would be of particular danger to me. If you don't mind, I will keep away for now, as I would rather not be slain instantly by it. I will, however, keep an eye on everything from the skies."

With that, Kalar mounts Bill and ties himself in, taking his time in making sure that the knots will at least keep him from falling over. With that done, he'll head up into the sky. He'll stay anywhere from fifty to a hundred feet up, and while there he'll scout around for anything suspicious. Of course, he'll keep well away from the fog wall. He also orders his minions to disperse as best as they're able, and to keep to the rocks where they will be out of sight for the most part.

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:49 am

Rob mounts Stumpy, and rides a little way off. He doesn't know much about Beholders, but takes the cue from Kalar