Entry 16

Since we are in the castle we decide to explore. Maybe luck upon the dragon skull, clockwork man, or the fireplace per our fortune. We climb to the 2^nd floor entering a web-filled long hallway. Stone-on-stone scrapping and a low moaning has us on edge, ready when the vampire swoops from the ceiling. Spells and arrows wasted on a mannequin, hung by cables, the scrapping sound was the mechanism pulling it along the hall. At least we take note of a secret door midway along the leftside.

We press forward to the double-doors entering a great hall with a wooden throne atop a marble diaz. A side door opens to reveal an accountant chained at his desk. Imprisoned going on 20 years, not concerned we liberate a chest or two of coins (platinum and gold) and a magical book.

Back at the throne Morthos studies another secret door as Domine checks under a long carpet. Delay as the group has to kill the ‘Gibbering Mouther’ the cleric disturbed. The secret door opens to a long perimeter wall with arrow slits and archer towers. Dom finds a magical pair of boots. Stairs lead down to another archer wall, so we return to the throne only to encounter swarms of bats. Reluctantly we return to the secret door in the long hallway. It’s a room best described as the maintenance floor for an elevator. Gearbox, cables, and a lever to control the direction.

Maybe later; instead, we return down to the 1^st floor chapel and the western stairs. Alcoves with helmed knight statues flank the entrance to the stairs, spiraling around a hollow central shaft. We climb continuously…no landings…no doors (obvious or secret)…until we reach the 8^th floor. But it is only a 50ft walkway around the central shaft. At least Xoji finds a magical potion of water-breathing.

We climb down returning to the chapel and another set of stairs. Up to the 2^nd floor where we find the back entrance to the accountant’s room. Up to the 3^rd floor, more alcoves with statues. But when we shine a light upon them, they melt into swarms of rats! Beyond them, a steel door engraves with a king on his horse and packs of wolves. We enter to find dust, decay, and an oak table set with china and a wedding cake with only the brides’ figure…the male knocked to the floor. Morthos takes the magical lute and harp.

The adjoining room is a well-kept study with a blazing fireplace.  A luxurious rug covers part of the stone floor. Full bookcases. But most striking is the hug portrait handing over the fireplace mantel…exact likeness of Ireena! But we are already fixated on the fireplace, remember the fortune card reference to “a fortress inside a fortress behind fire.” Morthos  casts ‘Ray of Frost’ to extinguish the fire but doesn’t find any secret panel till Xoji lifts the fire-poker to help move the logs.

But Xoji cautions patience to search more of the floor before entering the expected vault. So in the next room we find a large canopy bed and a sleeping woman. Upon waking, she reveals herself as Gertruda…the missing daughter of “Mad Mary” back in Barovia. Dom gives her the one-eyed doll he has been carrying for so long. She vaguely remembers as she is under some kind of spell. Or at least she doesn’t remember much. Not see the water in the adjoining bathroom tub as the blood it is!

We return to the fireplace panel. Xoji and Morthos having to crawl for entrance into a 10x15 ft room. Coins scattered about the open chest, and a skeleton fallen against the corner wall, clutching a torch in one hand and his throat in the other, “Probably triggered a gas trap opening the chest.”

Morthos finds another secret door on the back wall. It only opens when Xoji puts the torch back in the sconce. As they enter a cobweb chocked room, the rest of us enter the treasure vault then enter their room. The secret door slamming behind us! Morthos burns away some webbing which reveals a side door for future consideration. Instead, we continue forward to double-doors that open into a circular windowed room. A silk rope dangles from the ceiling where it is attached to a bell. Outside the windows we can see the domed roof of the chapel. And Morthos finds another secret door.

An octagonal vault with  the ceiling painted a black background to an unfamiliar constellation of stars. But more intriguing…a large adamantine cube 20x30ft occupies most of the room. No doors or windows; only arrow slits thru which we can see piles of coins on the 1^st floor and vials, gems, jewelry, and hardware scattered on the 2^nd floor. We begin plucking patches off the “Robe of Wondrous Items”…a bag of coins, a silver coffer, 2 scrolls, a 24ft ladder, and even a rowboat and horse. Till we pull an iron door that we place on the fortress. And loot the place!

It’s now a rush to get outside to the portcullis and draw-bridge. “Dispel Magic” to lower the bridge and muscles to raise the portcullis. All the while fighting off a ‘Gelatinous Cube’ so we can climb in Esmerelda’s wagon and high tail it to the windmill.