Curse of Strahdanya | Ep. 43 | Blood Moon: Part 2

You are back beneath a blood moon and listening to Karsus Dradanya, a legend of a ventrospod cast. Last time, I faced off against the Astorian Expedition for the final time, and the duel for our fates and the fate of all of Barovia began. The battle was brutal and bloody, but despite all of my power and the might of Castle Ravenloft and the eldritch pact I had made centuries ago, I was finally defeated. However, this time, my defeat ended in an explosion of primeval otherworldly power that instantly killed the entire expedition and ripped these souls from their bull days. From the crimson ooze that coated the room and avatar of the entity known only as the blood queen took form. This cosmic horror, the true curse of Barovia, attempted to corrupt their souls and turn them into her heralds, until the foul ritual was interrupted by none other than Sergei. My brother called upon the morning lord to banish the eldritch entity from the room and resurrect all five of our protagonists. Despite my defeat, this is not over. This episode is brought to you by our generous supporters on Patreon. We now also have a merch store where you can browse more than 20 amazing eventor steam designs. You can buy a shirt or make a mapator in yourself by following the link in the show notes. We are eternally grateful for your support. Now, let us proceed with part 2 of chapter 21. Bloodmoon. The five of you stand in the crumbled throne room and you see that the throne room seems to have been purged of the veiny corruption. However, the pulsing glow from the splintered doorway at the end of the hall shows that is probably not for very long. Then you hear an exhausted sigh behind you, followed by the clanging of plate armor on stone, is Sergei falls to one knee, single hand on the stone to support him as he breathes heavily. He looks like he spent every last bit of energy that he had. His cursed mortal wound appears to be healed and he hears voice as he struggles to catch his breath. Thank you, morning Lord, what you are radiant, sunrise. He breathes in and out as he looks out at all of you trying to regain some semblance of control. Well, music, pick up my lantern, run over and try to give him a hand and lift him up. He reaches up and he grabs your hand. He looks up to you, his eyes, dark circles beneath them, he looks wounded. He doesn't look wounded, he looks healthy, but he looks tired, exhausted. Thank you, my friend, as you slowly pull him to his feet. That divine power was that, was that him, was our one Lord. Yes, credible. I called to him and he replied, I owe you many gifts, Sergei. Thank you. You pass you on the back. Did you all see the same thing I did? Incomprehensive maternity. I don't even know that, putting words in what we saw. I'm just nothing. Like everything I want. Do not think of it. Why would we think of it? I don't know how much more brain to take. I cannot hide the leave in the destructive power of fire and the renewal that it breathes, but not in the sake of whatever. That is our point towards the tower. Though it shrieked, turned away from the morning Lord, I cannot know how long we have, and he points towards the door. It's hold on the castle is through. It is one with this entire place. While it breathes, this castle will breathe. We need to make a choice. And I am not strong enough to join you on this journey. I will. You see, for just a split second, a look of disgust on his face, but it is replaced by resolve and an understanding of what needs to be done. There are many innocents still in Barovia that need to be rescued, and I do not think Esher alone will be able to fulfill the duty. I will join him. It is the least and the most that I can do. You can't go. What will happen if that happens again? Upon my sister's death, I could feel the blood curse ever from me. It allowed me one moment to speak to my God. I do not believe he will answer me again this day. If that happens again, not even he will be able to help you. But what you are going to send this after that thing? I mean, how do we even hunt someone like that? He is not a monster. It is incredible. It is not a god. Even though he is weak, he steps towards you quickly, and he grabs your hand in his. If there is anyone in this land or all lands that can cleanse Barovia of these curse, I know it to be you. The Shepherd has found his flock. You know what you need to do to lead them home. I don't know. Shepherd, do not think about what you saw. I do not know what you saw. It was not as awful as what I saw. But we all saw the same thing. In the light of the divine, that creature freaked and fled. Cowardly, I do not care where she is in this realm beyond the stars. It matters not. I am scared. Yeah. I liked it. I wanted it. It is everything I was doing to me. I couldn't have been all thrilled. I felt the same, I felt powerful. Yes. I could see what I am capable of in this land. You ought to make power. How can one reject such a thing? Whatever that thing is, she will not bring the glory that you seek. She will twist and work your mind. In for you to do unfathomable, unfathomable thing, I can't say that. I can't do that. I am going to say it. I have said a lot. Because Hester, you will not give me a right mind. I would have needed must be. Can I kill you? Normal again. Thanks to the morning Lord and the snowy. Thank you. I was on the verge. In that moment I could see myself, my multiple coil, shattered below me. And I was okay with it. Would have a pleasant, multi-colored being I was becoming. But if I wanted again. A retirement commons, Professor, you will make the right decision, won't you? Pray to Garek's, he will shield you. I don't know, Sarnax. I hope so. If you had the opportunity again, will you take it in your current mind? I don't know. You must think on your intentions, Professor. We may all be hired colleagues. But we have endured much and so have the people of Peruvia. Think of Arabal. Think of your daughter. Think of hope. Think of light and happiness. And do not allow temptation to shroud your mind. Kanai is right. She is Clayton. She will not give you what you want. She will use you as a pawn, as a tool, or whatever her goal may be. It is not, it does not do you to think on what could have been or what could be, but what needs to be done. Sarnax, you are like me. Yes. Soak with my God has done. I have. I think you know what needs to be done. We must destroy the heart. That is where she is. But I gave so much of myself, so much of my being, so much almost all of it. And it did nothing to that heart. What if I am not as strong as you, Sarah Gaye? I believe my faith to be stronger than any's. You see a tear rolled down his face. I am only here because in her final moments, my sister shielded me from the blast. When she turned her back on me, and shown me light on you. Are you saying that we were saved indirectly by the Countess herself? Not to you. Not to me. And then you saved us. As a relative quiet falls, you hear the faint sounds labored of raspy breathing from beneath a pile of loose rubble in the corner of the hall. Sarah Gaye straightens himself as he looks towards an area of the throne room. The rubble begins to move. She's there. Please. I immediately try to walk, run over to it. You ready? As the pieces of stone and glass and metal are pulled away, or pushed away, you see glimpses of pale skin marked with streaks of blood. After a minute of excavation, she sees the broken form of stradonia of anxerovich, shockingly still drawing breath, but very clearly on the cusp of death. Her body is riddled with the wounds you delivered in that brutal final battle. Her hair is tangled and matted in her own blood, and she's covered from head to toe in the ashy stone dust from the walls of her destroyed throne room. But her neck is bare. The choker that had once collared her is no more. The skin underneath is untouched, Christine, free. The sunken red eyes and bloody tears, as are the jarring veins and withered undead flesh. Her irises have returned to green, but are different than you remember. They're brighter, like emeralds casting a distant stare. As she weasers, the trickle of blood runs, running down a face with color returns to it. Her dry mouth hangs open, and within you see no fangs. Before you is no vampire, just a woman whose time has run out. At the night sky through the open holes in the crumbled ceiling. Before her gaze slowly and painfully shifts to all of you. Tridonia simply takes in the sight of the five who finally killed her. Then she speaks. I am truly not different than her. My hubris was my downfall. And so too shall it be hers. She looks between all of you. Her eyes, heavy, and her lint. I want to walk up to her, and I'll kneel down to her, holding the lantern over her head. How stridonia, how will it be her downfall? She looks to you, and at first is your eyes make contact. She almost shrinks away for a second, but the pain is too much. She meets your gaze. For the first time, not above you, not looming over you, but beneath you. And as she looks up to you, she says, the blood queen is far more powerful than anything I have known. You have known. And she knows it. Like I knew it in my undess. I allowed five mere mortals to let me fall as their blades at their hands. She too will not expect you. She too will underestimate you. Her hubris will be her downfall. For how could the mortal defeat be a power? She takes a gulp and you see more blood begin to spill from the sides of her mouth. She coughs it up, my sword, taking it. Stridonia raises a frail hand to point towards a pile of rubble nearby. And the convultered stone protrudes the silver hilts of the Countess's blade. Its cross-guard shaped like the raven is the bizarre of its family. Conor. Yes, I do. Immediately walk over to the rubble and very gingerly pull it out. You retrieve the sword. And despite having been buried beneath the ruins of the ceiling, it's still somehow in pristine condition. The silver blade gleams with the foreboding reflection of the looming blood moon. And as you hold it, to me by my father. Like my mother, he kept many secrets, but he whispered one to me on his deathbed. The sword he wielded was forged with the most ancient power in all of the vandres. The power of the prime ones. The powers of Stryga are homeland. The power of death itself. He said it was a power harnessed by his secret order, strong enough to imprison a and near forgotten god of entropy and madness. Then, despite the pain and weakness of her own lingering deathbed, you see the hint of a smirk creaked to her brittle lips, indicates the power that will lead to her downfall. But a sword I brought down all of the divine fire I could master and a sword even enchanted. Can it truly do what you say it can? In my prison of everlasting death, in her whisper's visions and dreams she told me much. She showed me much, too much. She is powerful and she knows it, but that pride is her greatest weakness. When in her hubris, she revealed to me that she hates and fears the power of the prime ones, who surpers and impulsers, she calls them. My single goal became discovering and hardening the secrets of my father's sword and I succeed. A cough forces its way out of her mouth, but despite her frailty, there's a mix of smug satisfaction and hateful retribution in her words. She looks to you. You and I, we're not that different. She lacks that you can hear the pain in it. I hope this is vengeance. I hope I do not go down your same path. And I'll stand. There is more that you must know. Souls have power. It is why she's kept this land hidden in the mist. Provia was her prison, but also her sanctuary. Nine out of ten barovians are born without souls, because she has already consumed them. Growing in power, year after year, decade after decade, century after century, biting her time until tonight. Trudania attempts to raise an arm to gesture at the crimson moon above that she wins as in pain and her hand falls to the crumbled stone she rests on, but the remaining ten percent the souls killed by my hand in my name from the misery of this land and of course all those who have wondered here for the mist are in that sword. It's not much, but the power of Strega herself it will be enough. The nature of my pact made me unable to ever raise my blade against her, but you can. Her eyes widen with a manned exhaustion and she gives you a desperate pleading look, plunge, deep into the heart of sorrow, my sorrow, and it will become vulnerable. Destroy the heart and you destroy that abomination, and then pray it's enough to send her back to the void from which she came. It is your only hope of leaving this place, the only hope of saving the realms of the living and the dead. Her arrogance is your greatest advantage. She comprehends all, but cannot comprehend the mortal as a threat to her. She knew my every move but was blind to my threat to me. She will not expect you to defeat her, and that is exactly why you will. Stradonia's ragged breathing continues to slow. She extends her quivering hand toward Sergei, who immediately kneels and takes it, clasping it in his palms, he looks down at her with tears in his eyes. I am sorry, Serge, for becoming the monster or mother-fiered I would be, but I do not ask your forgiveness. I do not seek redemption, there is no such thing for me. I do not even seek justice. I only want vengeance, and although I have no right to ask, I have but one request. With me sitting on my throne, dear Sergei, raven loft is where I belong. It is what I deserve. Sergei gives her hand to squeeze. Think not of such things. He leans down and he slowly caresses her face. It is time for you to rest, sister. Sleep, and be at peace. Stradonia's eyelids flutter and her soft shallow breathing is no longer audible. Her grip on this life is slipping away. Her weary head slowly turns to you, Victoria. She can only lift her finger to call you in close. Oh, brush down and kind of put her head into my lap and you hold her. Victoria, my love, she reaches out her frail hand. You can see where the skin is beginning to whither and though she does not age. You can see that she is dying. Thank you. I got you. You're going. And I'm so sorry. I can never say sorry enough for what I've done to for breaking your heart. I don't wish to leave you like this, but know that of all my life you are the first, the only to see me for who I am. My wickedness sent my life and to accept me and to love me for both. And I will never forget you. Stradonia gazes into your indigo eyes as hers lose focus and her gentle hold on you releases. A feel warm. One last breath as soft as the light of a crescent moon escapes her lips as she steals. The long, cruel, sorrowful life, Stradonia Banzarovich is finally over. There will be death, a kiss of lips and just kind of hold her. Sarah Gaye stands over you. He allows you to cry over the now dead body of Stradonia Banzarovich. And as you move away, he scoops her off effortlessly, easily. As he slowly holds her in his arms, her body limps so small in this moment, far smaller than you've ever seen it before. As he carries her, the sound of his steel boots clanging against the stone of the ruined throne room. As he places her limp lifeless body to throw in castlery. He kneels down clutching onto her hand as he weeps. She has done terrible things, evil things, unforgivable things, but no matter the nature and the depth of that evil, in the light of the divine, and all can be redeemed. All can find salvation. I pray, I say one prayer for the die, and I hope that wherever she is, perhaps with time, her soul may no rest. She never had a chance. You never had a chance. We know this. Despite your agency, you did do terrible things. And so have I. I hope that I do not end up like you, but this lamb has made me believe that I will. So I will let you be an inspiration to me. You will not hold in your hands and I hope you rest. Professor, your fear is well-founded, but there is something that you have that she doesn't have. Time. There is time to change your fate and change your destiny. Do not go down that path. Claw your agency back. Whatever it takes. You're right. I have time. I may be damned. We found we may be damned, but there is time. I can figure this out. I think great for course. What am I saying? I profess a latent as a top archaeologist in the salary of university. It's been my life's work to discover this place and here we are at the end. Am I right at the end? Together, all still drawing breath. We can do this. We. We can defeat to a vile creature. Isn't that tower? If we work together, I have control over the Arcane. A powerful divination with it. What am I doing? Fates is on our side. I will steal myself. Thank you, Shraddanya. Thank you. Anima. I will lose an eighth-level spell slot. On my forehead, an eye open can blow as I cast mind blank on myself. Which all reads? Your race is all of your memories? You think. Until the spell ends, last 24 hours. I'm immune to slightly damage. Any effect that what sense of motion to read my thoughts, divination spells, and the charting conditions. Even spells, or the spell even foils, which spells and spells or effects of similar power used to affect the target's minor, to gain information about the target. Yes, that is the fire that I have seen in Professor Clayton Azaran of Miss Hallory University. We all have a fire within us. Let us ignite it and consume that blood queen in it. It matters not. I've been saying it's in three came here. I can't where she comes from. They all burn all the same. Then I'll suddenly calm and I'll walk over to Victoria. I'm going to extend my hand and try to grab one of your hands and mine if you'll allow me. You deserve to grieve. You have every right to do it. I have the right in you every step of the way for you feelings. But I am not one to judge. I do not understand such things. Although now I believe I am beginning to perhaps too late. But your strength in the midst of all this will be what we anchor our hope on. Thank you, Professor Sommex. You just never do it. Never. One more will come today. It will be her and I'll point up towards the tower. Exactly. Sergei Ryzen's lets his sister's hand drop. See as he turns and steals himself as he looks out the windows towards the balcony to the blood moon in the sky. I can send him home and he begins to march and move towards the open doors. As he makes his way out onto the balcony, you hear a sharp intake of breath. You might want to come look at this. Oh no. You stand on the balcony and look down to the valley far below and you see the culmination of the blood queens' plans. From the stones of Castle Ravenloft's foundations, the veins of Eldritch corruption that runs through the castle and out, extending out the land all around you. They light up the dark ravines with an awful crimson glow as they pulse with the rhythm of a frantic heartbeat, snaking and slithering deeper into Barovia and toward the mist beyond. All of the land that they creep into becomes immediately corrupted into twisted, abominable, fleshy reflections of the blood queen. And now you notice that gray mist that perpetually surrounded and shrouded Barovia has turned to a blood red and is thinned considerably as its shifts and moves, drifting past Barovia's borders. And for the first time, since entering this cursed land, you can finally see past these borders into the realms beyond. It is not the familiar sight of Stryka, of a mantras, of the worlds you came here from, but a bleak land of graze, blacks and white and completely devoid of all color. The landscape you can see is jagged, barren and desolate, dominated by spiraling crags with four-learn peaks and plummeting gorges filled with inkiabis. The shadow fell, surrounds Barovia, and the ever-creeping veins and miscell blood now threatened to invade the plain of shadow and death. You look around the throne room, you see the tendrils begin to spread, the veins beginning to reappear and pump. Time is running out. We need to go. This is the shadow fell. She's done it. The shadow fell, the realm of death. I spent much of my career studying it. She's broken the walls around Barovia. She can now infect everything. The visions we've seen, they're coming true. I should look into the material of plain. The homes? No, not yet, but she will. If we don't stop her, the visions, if they are true, and I believe they are, she will stop the shadow fell, but nothing will stop us from the rest of the reality. So we must go now, Kanna. You have Shraddanya's sword. You are the only one cut out to wield it. When the time comes, there will be an opportune moment. Please use it. I promise I will. I'm going to run it straight. I've never seen anything like this before in my entire life. I probably never will again. There's a very good chance that nothing we do to this queen is going to do anything. All we can try to do is make sure no matter what happens with your dying breath, you get that fucking sword into the fucking heart. That's all we got. It's the only chance we have. I'm sorry. It's a good idea. You're right. You've seen terrible things in the heart. I can't fathom what we will face with the blood queen there as well. You just steal it ourselves. Understand? Yes. It's one all of you. I am the only one fit to wield this. We have time comes and you have a chance to leave. Leave me with a heart. No, Connor. We will never leave you. We are here together. We are the As-Ran expedition. We stand together. We die together if need be. And we get out of here together. And I will do whatever it takes to make sure all of you make it out. Including yourself, Connor. You are young. You have a life ahead of you. You will not fall here. You together are not at all. Yes. And Shepard. Yeah. How are you feeling? I don't know. I mean, I feel fine. Now, Derek's keeping it close. Give me a strength I need here. Does what you saw in her visions? Does it give you doubt in your faith? Does it shake you? Do you doubt the power of Garex? No, no, no. I don't doubt Garex at all. I don't. Do you doubt yourself? Yes, of course. If you do not doubt Garex, why in your right mind would you doubt yourself? It was Garex, the fire Lord, that chose you to do the Shepard. You are here in his light. You wield his flame in your pistols. Do not doubt yourself, Shepard. We all have a flame within us, but none is more wild than you. Yours is the strongest of all of us. We will anchor our hope onto Victoria's love and her courage, but your fury will guide us to victory. We're almost done. Almost to not doubt yourself. Thank you. You're welcome, Shepard. I will look at Sarah. He's still there? Yes. Sarah, you should go. If everyone out, try to save as many as you can and get them in the hell away from whatever the hell that red bloodshed is, probably get Shudanya. I'll turn everyone else. As a next magician, let's end this for good. Yes, Professor. So lead the way. So on next light is path. I always do. Sergei turns and almost a golden light as he begins to move towards the exit of the room to leave. He quickly spins on his heels. The morning Lord spoke to me one more word of advice and I nearly forgot. He told me to lift the veil and face what's beneath, steal your mind and drive forward. I do not know what this means, but I hope that you will come to. Goodbye, friends, and good luck. Thank you, Sergei. Thank you, Sergei, and I'll stop them. I'll kind of avoid the gaze of everyone else. As I look up and I'll say, it was the morning Lord's intervention that brought us back. That was the power that he shrieked away from. Is that right? He looks at you. He stares deep into your eyes. He twats. The power of the divine. Yes, thank you, Sergei. He clasps his hand on your shoulder. You believe in me. You believe in all of you. He turns on his heel and he marches from room. Oh, it's shopping. All right, and I will set out towards this is the same tower, but we went to the forum, right? Do I feel like I'd be able to find all of that? Yes. All right, then I start heading to leave the gang. The five of you begin your final race to the heart of sorrow to stop the blood queens, eldritch machinations. I need everyone to roll for initiative. Let's go. I'm so not ready. I'm going to let you go. Yeah, we're getting a lot of 20s tonight. I know. I'm on fucking boys. That side of the table. We probably got like magnets. Hi. 20 to 25. I got 25. 22. Oh, I got harder than that. 20, you know, 24. Victoria and Sarnant. I know. 15. I'm like you. Pat from behind. It is deliberate. It is deliberate. And I am also, this path gives me pause. I was almost knocked off of a bridge. Oh, yes, I lost a nail here. It's back my head on to a stone by being overly cautious. You'll have to forgive me. Following shepherd sense of direction, for better or worse, you start your journey through Ravenloft as the pounding of heartbeat thunders through the entire castle. The glow of pulsing crimson veins and the stones surround you. As you see now, the castle is truly alive. A horrific wriggling skin has begun to emerge from the stone of the castle, marked with bulging growths, malformed tumors, bloated boils and other protruding nodules of unthinkable squishy flesh. The rooms and corridors themselves seem to stretch in contort and ways that should not be physically possible. Maddening phantom figures and scenes appear and vanish on the walls around you. And throughout the ancient halls beneath the overture of the pounding heartbeat, you hear a low, guttural whispering. You all turn into the first room on the direct route to the to the heart chamber, Ravenloft's armory. As soon as all of you enter, you hear the slimy wriggling of tentacles behind you and you realize that a thick barrier of pulsing white flesh is formed in the doorway, sealing you inside. Within the armory, rows of weapons and armor flank you and several target dummies stand bent amongst the putrid growths that the room is teaming with. Then you see at the far end of the room where had once been an open door is now a writhing mass of fleshy mucousy bloody tendrils. They rise together for just a moment or for slinking back into the taut skin that stretches over the stone of Ravenloft. And in their place is the aberration you've seen form once before. Sickeningly attached to the frame of the door is a manifestation of the blood queen, her squirming rub-like flesh creating a foul seal. Then you all hear the same feminine voice, but not with your ears. The voice forms in your mind as you are spoken to telepathically. It is you, murderer, who have brought great shame and dishonor to us all. Banishment is too good for you. You betray your code like you betrayed your master. Please place the blood queen at the very end of that room. Oh, she is foul. Oh my god. That is horrible. What's in the hell? And disgusting. So there are two doors, the one that you entered in and the one on the opposite end. The one that you entered in is now covered with skin. The one on the opposite end, she is a part of and covering your exit. Oh, my fear. And then Rich, I color coded things if you could place the minis on there based on the color code. What is this nonsense? It's going down. Oh, I don't know if these are in there. These are beautiful pieces. Oh my god. Ah, you are. That's disgusting. I know it's not real and I'm still fucking yourself. Just like aberrations. Once again, I will read what she says. It is you, murderer, who have brought great shame and dishonor to us all. Banishment is too good for you. You betray your code like you betray your pride, your master. The voice in your head is unfamiliar to all of you. All but one, Conna, you clearly recognize the voice of great lady Oshi, the onad-diamyo, you served in his sake, the woman who accused you of murdering your own master and who banished you from your home. It's in that moment you realize reality is warping. You still stand amongst the armaments of Ravenloft, but the walls show glimpses of a forest withered cherry blossoms and a coursing river on the floor below. But it is not clean, pure water, it is fouled with the sickly color of brown a shella. As you all attempt to maintain your grip on reality and press forward on your path, simply being in this room and in the abominations presence makes you feel the sickening sensation. You all first felt when the blood queen drove her tendrils into your souls. It's unmistakable. Her corruption begins to spread through you once more. You all take one stack of corruption of the Elder Evels. What that entails is you are afflicted by one stack of the corruption of the Elder Evels. If you attempt to move more than 30 feet on a single turn, there are effects that will happen. And so I want you to pay attention to how this works because at the end of this room, I will be giving you a cheat sheet and I will need you to manage your corruptions going forward. Okay. So now that you've entered this room, you all immediately take a one level of corruption of the Elder Evels. We do go in initiative round, Shepherd. You are first. You may place yourself in one of the empty squares in the entrance of the room and let me know what you are going to do. Here, probably here, right? So anywhere that has a dot, if you, when you land on a square that has a dot or you step into a square that has a dot, I need you to tell me what color you're stepping on. You should probably be in the room. No, I will put you in. You will put yourself in the room on your turn. All right. Am I able to see the blood queen from where I currently am? Yes. Yes. And I know that's the exit. Yes. And is this the scale? Yes. Okay. I think that I would just, I mean, like, I'm trying to wrap my head around. I think I would just go for her. I think I would just be like, fuck it. That's our way out. And I would use my bonus action slayers, pray her and make two attacks. Okay. And probably move a little bit closer. One, two, three, four. Yeah. I'll move one, two, three, four there and fire two attacks. Are you on? You're going through any kind of two blue dots, like blue dots. As you move through the room, it's almost as if the castle mal forms in one blink. It's castle Ravenloft and the other. You're in a beautiful, yet putrid valley. And as you move past this bioluminescent growth, I need you to make a crisp saving throw for me, please. Oh, that's not good. Nice. 15. You are now, you find yourself under the effect of the Confucian spell. It does not function like a spell. It's just what it does. All right. I need you. I need you to roll a detent, please. Okay. You do not move or take any actions this turn. You are frozen in place as this bioluminescent growth begins to shift ever changing colors. You stare into the colors unknown. You are so focused on the growth in front of you. You are unable to move forward. So then that would have just been on the first blue dot. I will land it on. Okay. Okay. So then I don't, that's just my turn. And I'm done. I'm going to look up the Confucian spell while in the grails case. Shepard keep going. What are you doing? Seeing that shepherd is sort of frozen and confused. I'm going to go this way. By the skulls. What is this? I'm going to go this way and you're this fella. What color? Green. As you begin to move towards Shepard, the room itself morphs around you. The tentacular cyst next to you. Lashes out. I need you to make a strength saving. No. God. That's where you're not a Viking. I'm not a Viking at all. Oh. Well, I wasn't my team, but I think I only add a. Add one. So it's a 20. That is not enough. You are going to take 10 points of gludging damage as the as the tentacular cyst swipes at you and you are restrained. You also gain another stack of bloody corruption. So I'm going to turn you in. And you also have another stack of bloody corruption. Oh, yes. I will let you know what happens when you get to a point where you're corruption. It's bloody corruption. Different than when you entered into the room, you got bloody corruption, which means that things will happen if you attempt to move more than 30 feet. Okay. I felt it was closer to the surface. Now it's a Clayton's turn. Great. All around you. The the armory morphs into the strange vision created by Connus memory, Connus herself, the blood queen. It's hard to tell. But as what used to be the target dummies lunge towards you, they do not look like target dummies at all. But Samurai as well, I need you all to make a strength saving. Even if we're not like everyone in the room. Natural 20. That is. I failed fireman 19. 21. Strength reset. Yes. The DCs are 21. I'm gonna take my fail. Anyone who fails, you are going to take 11 points of slashing damage and you are an octopro. Is Ravenloft lashes out around your corner? See these visions around me. I guess the they might hallucinate like the floor in the walls and everything like everything around you. It's hallucinating and morphing. It's hard to tell between what is Ravenloft and what is the horrific vision that is being posed on all of you as Ravenloft itself is of the blood queen. And the blood queen is flickering back and forth between Lady Oshi and like her true form or am I aware of my seeing Lady Oshi standing in front of you is what appears to be the blood queen. Or a manifestation of the ball here. But you all hear Lady Oshi's voice coming from her. The rest of the group does not recognize Lady Oshi because they don't know her. But you recognize the voice. I wasn't sure if she was hallucinating her in the corner. Yeah. We are looking around narrowly dodging the samurai able to kind of shrug them off and they disappear in front of me and I am. What is this madness? Why am I hearing her voice in my head? Did you hear that, too? Yes, who is that? You're all using them. I'm off the ground. Oh. Sorry, Max. I guess you're pro and outside the room. She's wrongfully accused me of murdering my master because you evolved. Met him. What I don't know what the meaning of this is. And I'm going to walk in seeing you're both confused. I'm ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of you. I'm extremely confused. I'm the title of Intenacles Emperor. And I couldn't take any actions at rule. I'm going to move here and try to attack the tentacles to release their hold on the belt. All right, roll to attack. Yep. Wow, those are two twenties. Those are two now. Oh god. Everybody. Go to the wall. Natural fucking twin. And a natural fucking 20. Two nanny 20s, one in 400 chance. Holy fuck. Oh my god. She just confused. Just give me the full advantage of damage for both of them. As you slice into them one after the net. Yes, they're natural. So 29. That's for both crets. I need you to take 29 points of psychic damage. As you let your blade loose into one and to this this thing one attack after the other. It is almost as if no damage is taken by this thing at all. This castle is of her and you are of her too. As you take the damage and steps. What the fuck is that? Oh my break. Jesus. Sorry, my love you. I think he loves you. The blood queen doesn't know. I've got two more at times. So hopefully you learn your lesson. Please don't use them. I'm blowing you. Oh shit. Yeah. My brain. I got it. My just got it. Ah. We're like seeing this. Are we seeing her attack and then like be hurt? Yes. Like Winston Payne. Easily. You want to see it. She lets loose two attacks simultaneously and then immediately reach up to her head as her as a psychic damage overcomes her and the pain is only affecting her. The pain is only affecting her. The pain is only affecting her. I'm going to stumble back and still trying to maintain a grip on my Nagi Nata. I'm going to whip around to the sarnaxe and on the ground. And Victorian. Whatever you do, I don't think you're supposed to attack the whatever this is. God. Oh, I'm hurt. And I will bonus action nothing because I will just uh yeah, I'll be my turn. Uh, are you stopping on a color? No. No, no. Okay. Um, so I will come into the world and you just have to move me into 15 feet. Yeah, so I don't know if that's hard. It's 15, I guess. Um, I will just move up here and heating Conna's warning. I will try to to, you know, shake Shepard and snap out of it. What's wrong with you? Eh, what? Eh, huh? That's your action. Mm. What color are you ending on? None. She's on these like boxes over here. I'm kind of just back. So, um, it just dots, right? Yeah. Yeah, just the dots. Yeah. Okay, um, the, it is the blood queen. The blood queen is going to look up at you, Conna. Her, the veil over her face, completely shrouding, um, who resides beneath, but you hear, um, you hear the familiar voice once again. If he had died here, it would have been all your fault. You should be ashamed for the dishonor that you have brought to everyone, to him, to us, but most of all, to you. And she is going to, she is going to erupt into mind vent, or the room itself is going to erupt into mind-bending tentacles, as tentacles emerge from the flesh on the walls and lash out and attempt to attach the heads of all of you in the room. I need you alter-roly dexterity saving throw. Good day. Bp21. A bass. 20. Oh, should I twist it? I got a six. Yeah, let me twist it. We have a lot of twists. Thank you all. Are you going to be using a lot of fucking twists here? I just can't, I'm not going to be able to do it. Barely passed. I'm not going to be able to pass it. What's the dc? 21. No, no, I got 16. I don't know, I got exactly a 21. Um, anyone, anyone who failed is going to take 16 points of psychic damage and one more level, one more stack of corruption. Okay. Um, anyone who passes will take half the damage and no corruption. Okay, I still have one. What's the second level, like, oh, let's move. So, uh, once you get, if you get to five level of corruption, let me know. Okay. It's just psychic damage, right? It was just psychic damage. I know, I know. Wow. Really used your foresight. Oh, yeah. You're immune. You're immune, is psychic damage? Because of this thing he did right. It's my mind blank. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, uh, that was the queen, Sarnaxe. I am going to keep myself up off the ground and, I guess, start here. And I, uh, I will look around and, uh, and say, what are you all doing? Watching is real. We, we must proceed. There they said, no way, but forward. Keep moving forward. And I am going to attempt to, I guess, uh, oh, Jesus Christ. I don't want to, that's a really long way about, I guess, I can only move 15 feet. So I'm just going to move this way. And hopefully everyone gets the fuck out of my way. That's how you can pass through, friends. Are you? I don't know enough. I don't know enough speed. Anything. No color. Yeah. Basically Clayton and Shepherd blocked the entire thing up. I'm going to look at the screaming lizard next to me and just kind of, oh, I need you to roll a detent. Yeah. Okay. I'm going to look at the screaming lizard next to me and just kind of look at him and be like, uh, as anyone really been so far, even as decided to even use go more, do look more like. Shepherd, where are you going? Shepherd, what a stroke with him. He's a terrible guy. Uh, I got a 60 dance, so I can't do anything. Yeah. That's mine, but I just can't be on the ribbon. Inns at the very end of it as you feel yourself coming to. Oh, fuck, what in the hell? Shepherd. What are you doing? Don't attack the things around you. Oh, give off me. I will use my bonus action to misty step. As far as I can, let's try it. See what happens. What's as far as you can? It's a third of a range. Can you do it? You attempt to misty step, but you do not move anywhere. You know that teleportation and things of those nature had been blocked in Barovia before, but Wistradonia's death that should have gone away, except this castle is of her, and you play by her rules. I can't even tell him what I'm here. Then now you can't. Uh, I will try it though. Uh, I guess I'll try to get out of the tentacles. I'll stand up. If I can, well, I'm restrained, what's your dex like? Because if you're just grapple there, whatever, then it's also acrobatics to get out. Is it like a, a fool's is written? You, there is an escape DC that you can attempt to use to get out of the tabacular sense. Can I use, can I use dex? Is it a strength? Yeah. Fuck you. Okay, so I'm not as fucked as I thought I was. So acrobatics. Let's see. It's not good. I thought one thing. Correct. Twisting? Yep. Yeah, let's just. You're probably going to need to twist a lot of things. I'm getting this one. Two under the seven. Uh, uh, uh, it's a 12. You are unable to escape from the, uh, from the cyst, uh, raven loss. Perfect. Once again, we're not making a very strong one. Once again, the room, I pass back as the, um, as the, as the water beneath your feet, boils with pestilence. I need you all to make a strength saving throughout. No, no. I think that's the DC. I sail 21. I fail. I fail. 20 or seven. Anyone who fails is going to take 13 points of slashing damage and is not proud. Oh, see. Yeah, we're not going to make it out of this room. Oh, shit. I don't think we're going to make it through this room. I think that yeah. But we can go past our allies now, but I'm prone now. So great. So it's connoisseur, right? Yes, it's connoisseur. Oh, I don't take, do I take half damage? Uh, no, you do not take half damage. For that, you just, either you fail or you pass. I'm going to look down at the sword that I have. I guess I've been using my knocky-knock kind of forgetting that I had stood on your sword and my hand, I'm going to pull it out. I'm going to see if it does anything. Like if it's reacting at all to the area around me. It doesn't seem to be reacting to the area around you. Okay. I mean, you can definitely tell it's magical. It's powerful. But it doesn't seem to have any additional effect by being in this room. Okay. Um, I'm going to teething Sarnaxe's words, um, to press forward and see that we're not making much room. I'm going to try and slip between Shepherd and the professor, um, and make my way onto. So this is 510-15. So now I'm wondering. Just tell me where you went. 20-25-30. So now I'm on purple. I need you to make an intelligent saving third DC 21. The mind bending tumor before you begins to warp and shape your mind as you get into the area around it. It's a gibbering madness. It's a gibbering or gibbering? A gibbering. Givering. He told me, I asked him before and he told me what it was. Givering madness emanates out from it. What did you get? I got a seven, but my int plus three is my int savings with a plus three. I don't have a fresh twist too. I need to roll 18? Yeah. 18. I don't think so. All right. I'll ride with it. You feel the blood queen come over you. As per veiled face turns towards you, you are shameful and you should run. And you are dominated by the blood queen until the end of your next turn as she forces you to move towards the entrance of the room. Do I, uh, hold on? So you just, you just, you just, you just run back? Yep. You gotta get out immediately. This isn't the place for us to be. Come on, you move. And as you move, more than the 30 feet allotted. That's what they would be here. The elder evils. Grasped on your body is tentacles begin to grasp at you. And they will actually, so you had moved 30 feet. Yeah. So you will be able to move five feet before the tentacles hold you in place. So they aren't able to get you further with. Okay. And I'm guessing I take another corruption step. Oh, right. Yes. Everyone does? No, just kind of. Okay. And so the tentacles are now holding me in place. Yes. The tentacles had grasped and your, and your movement. We gotta get out of here. This isn't, this is no place for us. Because I'm dominated and consumed with math. What's come over you now? Forward. Victoria. So I would stand up and to move forward is it like five, 10, 15? Yeah, basically got to land there. So I would stand up from my Prince State and move forward, landing, pushing by Shepard and landing on blue. I need you to make a charisma saving throw as the bioluminescent growth begins to flicker with multicolored lights. So vibrant, so beautiful. So brilliant that your mind can't fully comprehend them. Can I actually test this one? Because this is one of the ones I clicked off of. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You can do that. You can definitely do that. Very nice. 29. They will. You are able to shrug off the effect of this bioluminescent growth. And that ends your turn. Can I take it? Yeah, unless you want to do something. Um, how far away is she? She's been crazy for spells. Yeah. I'm gonna have to try to do something. I am going to just kind of almost tentatively. I'm gonna, I'm gonna. Hold up my hand and shoot a, a dark magic out at the black queen. Hi. I'm gonna turn her. 20 with 10 minutes. I've actually not used this before, so it's four beams. How does that work? I was just blast. Yeah. It's four attacks. So you can shoot if you want to pump all the beams into her, you just roll four or four attacks. Okay. Because they they exit simultaneously. So you can choose where they're going. Yeah. So the first one would hit and then I roll, I roll four times. I would say I roll four. Yeah, roll four. Four attacks. Yeah. Okay. So one will hit 27, two will hit natural 20. Oh nice. I want to keep in keep in on that. And 27. So all four will hit and one will correct. Dang. Cool. You double the dice on that third one. Yeah. Okay. So it's 1d10. So it's 5d10. You need to need to. Because you roll double damage on the one I crit. So it's 5d5. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Is it plus plus 22 or is it plus your charisma? Does that mean charisma? It depends. On a hit target takes 1d for 1d10. No, no, it's just like a walking. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So do I roll five or do I double you roll on five? I roll five. Okay. Yeah. H4. Really nice. Thank you. Was the first time you're using Elge Blast? Yeah, I've never used her for. Wow. So that's the other time. 17, 18, 18, 20, 20, wait, 17, 18, 2, 4, 5, 2, 5, 2, 7, 20, 29, 29, 4, damage to the blood queen. As you let loose your Elge Blast, 1, 2, 3, 4, they enter out into the room and bend back and hit you square in the chest, in the stomach, in the legs, in the side of your face, you will take that amount of damage in psychic damage. Oh, my god. What should we do? Forward. Forward. They've had that. Back. She's crazy. And with that, it is the blood queen's turn. See if you watch as her head moves towards you once again, directing on Kanna. Decentric. A waste of a valuable master's time on something so worthless, so small as you. As she casts madness of the blood queen, I need everyone to roll with some saving. Oh, that's where we're Vikings. Like you're me. Look, Hallie, you got your advantage over me. Yep. Maybe me. Oh, 21, 25. We have a 17, I don't know if it's going to be enough. I got a 22, 25. DC is 21. Yeah, me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. I be. I'm beating up. So anyone, anyone who succeeds, anyone who succeeds, takes half damage, but no corruption. Anyone who failed, you take one corruption. Great. And I also need to do the damage. Oh, no, no, no, sorry. I'm lying. I'm looking at the wrong one. Oh. You still take the corruption thing as such, right? OK. I'm like, where's more of the corruption? So one corruption to those who failed. I know corruption. I know. To those who succeeded. Anyone who failed, I need to roll these six for any place. Oh, oh. Six. Also six. Someone roll. Like again, roll. Three. Victoria, you're overcome with hemophobia to create your overwhelmed by the fear of blood and you are so frightened. You must use your action to flee away from the blood queen. I don't think I have any movement. Do I just dabble with your next action? You're your next action. You don't do it now. OK. So you're just next action. You cannot. You're just far away. You've got a six. Sure. I got a six. You feel your mind breaking under the tons. Did the evil words that she is spewing at you? You fear you're not going to be able to accept the reality that is presented to you. Peaceful, blackness is the only escape. You fall unconscious. Swing snow. Take a look. This podcast is brought to you by our Patreon. Become a patron today at patreon.com slash legends of avatress and gain access to tons of exclusive perks including a monthly movie night and a weekly patreon exclusive campaign set on the high seas. Shroud over salt marsh. You can also go to thecricodemune.com to pick up your own copy of our first published supplement the Cricodemune. A folk horror tone for Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition and don't forget to snag all the extra goodies like dice, miniatures, plushies, a tero deck and more. Thank you. Sorry, next. I am going to stand up. If I have 15 movement, can I move here or now? You should be able to move through us, right? I will say for the sake of this going forward you can move through each other and I will be difficult. It won't be difficult, right? I am going to stand up. Otherwise you're never going to have to move forward and I'm going to walk through. I walk through blue. It's where you are. Where you are. Where you are. And I'm going to use my action and just shove the shit out of Kana. Kana, wake up. Wake up. We must go forward. And that is you wake up, Kana. Huh. Am I still dominated? You are not. What happened? Why did I grab? Get out of the car though. Yes. Okay. Move forward. Okay. Shepard. I use that by movement stand up. Losing a 15. I get my action to dash so I can move 30. 5, 10, 15, 20, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. I'm going to knock purple over here. You're heading on purple. That's okay. The mind bending tumor before you is going to lash out at you once again, the gibbering noises causing you to causing you to lose focus and focus on only this one thing in front of you. I need intelligence saving for me. Intelligence. You feel the blood queen overcome you. Your mind is no longer your own. She's going to attempt to move you towards the door. So you will move five feet towards the door and then you will be held in place. Does anyone say they got five corruption, by the way? No. I met four, okay. I like finished the lock before that matters. Perfect. Thank you. Okay. I will use my action to attempt to get out of these tentacles with an acrobatics check. Twist the shed if you fail. Yeah, twist. Twist. I got to use a different one. I haven't rolled my good D20 all night. There we go. That is a 20- That matters. You are able to bring yourself free of the tentacles that hold you in place. We need to go. I'm about to start running one. I have to stand up. Yep. I'm going to go to one, two, three and a half right here, right? Good, that's your speed. Yeah, what color? Yeah, good. Uh, I'm not on the color. Okay. And it is brave in the lock. The room around you twists as the cherry blossoms turn to blades and begin to slice into your bodies. I need you all to roll a straight saving. I can't. I can't. I don't know why. Like whoa. I get only 60. I get only 60. It's a natural 20. That's fine with it. Yeah. I can't pass the cruise model. This room's going to kill me. Yeah, I feel. I definitely feel. 19 points of slashing damage and not prone if you fail. Great. Love these balls. Nothing if you succeed. Nothing if you. No more corruption. No, the the Ravenloft does not add corruption. It is the tentacle things and potentially the blood queen. Also, if I failed this one, do I get corruption? The one the one that I was just on. So it's those little dots that you're on that causes the corruption. Yes. So I think it has a Ravenloft attacking you does not. Okay, I'm afraid. Me feeling to get out last round that cause a corruption or since I was already great. That cause a corruption. That you fail. Yeah, I feel savings or you just fail with ability check. Yes, I can't be the escape. Yeah, so it would not. Connor. I'm going to use five feet of movement to stand up because I'm athlete. Oh, my God. Your athletes be my finally. Katelyn. I'm going to have to see. You know what? I'm glaring past Shepard and the professor right at the veil of the blood queen. And I will whisper to myself, I'm no failure to my master. Did everything I could to protect him. And he is alive because of us. You know nothing. Nothing of my pain. And I will try to get closer to her. As quickly as I can. So five, 10, sorry, 10. I'm not doing movement. You can move through people freely. And I have five feet to stand up. Oh, yeah. So 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. And I end on green. Is the penalty for moving 30 or more than 30? More than 30. The tentacular cysts reaches out towards you. I need you to make a sick strength saving throw. Is it lashes out and an attempt to, um, to slam into you and restrain you. You should get up. 22. There you go. You can go. You pass. Get out of my way. It is unable to affect you. Okay, okay. And what's that? Victoria. So I am still trying to run from the blood queen. I have to stand up. So half my movement. And then I can't reach five, 10, 15. No color. Perfect. And I guess, do I roll to see if I, yes. What is it again? Or do you see, let's finally just lay under your next time. Oh, no. Yeah, you're right. It's until the end of the next time. Yeah, that's what it was for. Oh, so I didn't just go for color too. Yes. Okay, just that was my heart. That's what it was for color. So now you are no longer, thank you. What am I doing? No, I'll turn around. Basically, the blood queen is going to raise her arm. She looks out at all of you. Once again, her face shrouded beneath the veil turns towards Conor. Beneaths blood moon, waxing moon, waning moon, or full, you will always be sick. And she is going to call blood moon rising into the room as horrible crimson light of the blood moon erupts from the blood queen's aspect. I need you all to roll a constitution saving girl for me. Oh my god. Oh my god. Yeah. Oh boy. I'm going to twist it. I think I do it. I think I get an 18 or higher. So, 26. Oh wait, I'm sorry. That's better. I did 27. 22. I'm a little oxy. I'm a little oxy. Thank you, Chad. Thank you, Chad. Anyone who fails. You are unable to regain hit points until the end of the blood queen's next turn. And you gain one stack of corruption. Okay. Oh, I gained a stack of corruption being in the green. So I'm at five. No, you won't, you don't. No, you won't. You didn't fail. Sorry. Sorry. Thank you. Oh, it's my turn. I'm going to, I was not prone. So I'm going to, uh, I'm going to use my action to dash. So I can move 30 feet. I'm going to stand. And I'll, uh, I'll just keep thinking of the words of say, I'm going to move forward, move forward, face what comes. And I will just try to move 30 feet this way. Pass, shepherd and Clayton. So, uh, one, what did that want to have? One and a half? Three. Three. Okay. And then four, five, six. You're good. I don't have anything. No color, perfect. Okay. Chad's shepherd. Shep, shep, shep. I use, have my movement stand up. And I'd also like to dash for 30. Five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. Wait. Ooh. Oh, yeah. Yeah, now we have them. If vaporous abscess begins, uh, begins to rain acid mist out around, around it as it bubbles, gurgles and pumps. I need you to make a constitution saving throw for me, please. Oh, I'm toast. This is not good. You're not good with conjures. Wait, plus three. Oh, wow. I'm not proficient. Rangers are proficient. Not according to D&D. I hit it, 21. Oh, hey. Hey. Hey. You do not. You do not take any damage. You are not blinded. No, Kuro. And you do not take any corruption. Good, because I'd be a fan of it. Awesome. Three at 20. Professor, are you okay? I'm not knocked down. So I have 30 feet of movement. Back it up again. Oh, my God. I'm sorry. I was going to say the same thing now. I'm going to keep you down. I'm going to keep you down. I'm going to get knocked down. Three and a half. Four and a half. Six. We go blue. Well, I believe if blue fox you then don't do it. I don't even know what I'm just going forward. I'm going to go forward. Wait. And usually you make a constitution saving throw. The abscess begins to bubble and pop again is more accurate acid misbegins to spill out from the deep recesses of this thing. I'm going to keep you down. A lot enough. You're right. Just keep your hands. I would like to keep you. There's a chance you can pass it. Then question. Yeah, it fits like a super. Yeah, we have to get a med 20 like don't we? Yeah, no, I need to get a yeah, if you like a 10. 11. Yeah, that's one more time. So you use it for this? I don't know. I feel like we have a lot right? Right? Yeah, this is where we're going. I feel like we should. We're going through them, but yeah. I don't. Okay. I'm good. I will take. Okay, give me give me a moment. Try. I will. I will. I roll a two five. And I said. It's not in the best. Yeah, yeah, that's how I roll. I'm not. Okay. You are going to take. You're going to take one level of corruption. And you are also going to take. 16 points of acid damage and you are blended. Tell the energy. What's wrong with him? No, I can't see. Oh, yes. It burns my eyes. Holy fuck. Ray-a-law. Can I use a bonus action to down my potion? Yeah. Okay. We don't get. We can't hear you. Oh, one is just saying. Oh, yeah. Did you say that? Yeah. I don't know. I just see that you're good then. Okay, so I'll roll the dice. Continue. I'm going to do that. The room morphs and moves around you. The samurai move to attack. And as you feel, their blades slice into you. They are once again the armored training dummies. And then just as quickly back to full-fledged samurai with dark, sunken eyes. I need you to roll a strength saving throw. I failed. Natural 20. I'm on fire to God damn it. I'm on fire. Fucking hell. The damage doesn't need another. 29. Anyone who fails will take 10 points of slashing damage and be knocked from. And you took your corruption as well, right, Rich? Wow. He's even loaning you, Dice. Conor, I'm getting a little bit diced. I think it's just me. Do you want different dice? No. I've got an entire bag of dice. You're welcome to pull for. I don't want to see more of that. Thank you, Chad, for your twists. Seriously. Do not attempt to trick me with these visions, these poor souls that you have brought here to taunt me. 5, 10, 15, 20. I'm now in front of her. I'm going to look up at her. And I remember Sergei distinctly mentioning the veil. What is it going to do? Is it within reach? It is. I'm going to reach out and grab it. You're attempting to rip it off her face. Show yourself. You are unable to rip the veil from her face, but you are able to lift it. Oh, Conor, as you reach out and lift the butchered, fleshy veil that shrouds the false head of the aberration before you, not knowing to expect beneath. You see the tone of human flesh, but absolutely caked with makeup. Glowering at you is the bulging face of great lady Oshi, her prominent cheek shaking, is the look of disgust radiates from her. And she yells at you, you have brought purity to nothing. You are shameful. You are dishonorable. You disgust me. You disgust your family and your village. You are not a samurai. You maintain your gaze, the face of great lady Oshi, thrashes your jowls about. And you hold your ground, the face shakes back and forth, faster and faster, and then explodes into putrid gourd and viscera, spring all over you. The fleshy body of the blood queen's effigy slithers back into the wall, opening your passage. However, in other worldly feeling of disgust over welms you all, I need everyone to make a constitution saving throw and a wisdom saving throw. Conor, you automatically fail. But you do not take a, but you are cleansed of one stack of corruption. Okay. Converse. I'm twisting. I failed the con and passed the win. Do I feel both con and whizz? You automatically fail. I pass both, Marac. The sport is still 21, I pass both. I passed one. I failed the con and passed the whistle. That's what I did. So you guys were supposed for me, I still failed it, but I do pass the text, so I feel uncomfortable. Did anyone get 20 or above? It's un-both checks. Me. I got... 20 in a 21, yeah. Conor, shepherd, you both receive one level of exhaustion. Exhaustion. Shepherd, you have one additional level of bloody correction. On the five. Wait, so I rolled a 20, I was saying the DC was a 20 to one. I rolled a 20 in the 20. The DC is 20. Oh, I heard. For leaving the room, the DC is 20. I know, yeah, I passed both. You lifted the veil, so you auto-fail, but you do not take the level of corruption. You however failed, so you take a level of corruption. To completely succeed and have nothing happen, you have to pass both saves. With that, I thought I'm going to pass out your cheat sheets. Yay! Come on, please, please, go on. Just give me a second. I'm going to explain these. So there are, there are, yeah, just pass them out. So there are some important things on there. The original DC, I realized, was too high during the stradonia fight. It is a 21. We've been using a 21 since you got in here. So account for the 21 and not the 22. Oh, I see. On, on the throws. But that shows you, you'll see where it says, vaporous abscess is black. That's actually the white dot. Because I can't put black on this. Yes, I'm going to use it as a corruption trick. I highlighted the colors to make it easier for you to know which one does what. And it is when you end your turn on the protrusion and not passing by it. Because you would literally never get through this room if it was every time you passed one. Does anyone else need a coin? Ah, the track. That's not one. And then at the bottom, it shows you the corruptions. There is a corruption track at the top for you to be able to track your corruptions. And down at the bottom, it shows you what each of the levels of corruption does. So you can manage all that. I'm not going to be managing that anymore. I expect that of you. But the entire point is that at this point, you should have a rough idea of what all of these things do. And that may help you manage the room going forward. So we're allowed to like, you know, use this. Like it wouldn't be like, Shepherd doesn't know any of this and just barrels head first into danger. You, the entire point is after this first room, though it's horrifying and maddening. We have a rough understanding of how these things affect you and when your strengths and weaknesses lock it. So remove the many, right? It is with this as the blood queen moves and and enters back into Ravenloft. You are able to exit the room itself. You find yourself in another hall. You all still lined with veins and tumors as Ravenloft is alive and of her. But you continue as you move forward rushing through the castle. Shepherd in the lead, once again, trying to lead you toward where you know the heart of Ravenloft to be the heart of sorrow as you make your way into another room. Which way do you do it? The fire play. I don't know. Whichever way is easiest for you to see? I don't think that's fine for us. But there should be two entrances there that you can easily see. So yeah, we're coming here and going up the stairs. Yes, so there's the entrances above. Essentially. Oh, I see. Oh yeah. Okay. Purple boys in the middle there. Color coding. Color coding. Yeah. Thanks, James. That's here. You can use it. I didn't want to. I wanted to miss it. It's fun to make a comment using it. Let's go to the puzzle. And they're just horrible. We're creepy crawlies. Yeah. Who's turning where we at? It was Connus. It was perfect. Victoria now. Victoria. Okay. So, well, one second. You all arrive in the trophy room and find it similarly totally overgrown with disgusting pulsing growth spoils and tumors. Taxidermy beasts and monstrosities how are perpetually snarling over you and the heads of dozens of creatures mounted on the wall. The far end of the room is a huge fireplace. A mighty blaze within two staircases flank you in either wall. And on the landing above you see that some horrible tentacle shape blocking your exit once more. The voice that echoes in your brain is different now. Please, we've done nothing. We're good people. We know this is this. But it's so hot. But it's so, it's helping. So, it's helping. Please. Once again, only one of you recognizes the voice. The voice is from your distant memories that some of your strongest shepherd. And you now hear the voice of your mother, shrieking an agony. And now throughout the room you see a dusty canyon beneath the blisteringly hot sun and the stuffed beast shift to giant scorpions. Dyer coyotes, two headed rattlesnakes and other monsters of the desert where the fireplace is. A gnarled dead tree set completely ablaze. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. So we're entering from here? Yes. Okay. So can you stick my mid here? Yes. Is it your reference? Yeah, there. Okay, perfect. Okay. Um, cold. Fuck. And so we can on here to say, yeah, I'll just turn behind me and check it. I'm so sorry. And you know what you must do, shepherd? So I didn't wear a new one. Thank you. 15, 15, 20, 25, and I'm going to stop. Where's all of your color? No color. Okay. Oh boy, that shit. Wait, can we see the color on the ground? They're the dots. I know that, but like in, in, there's no color on the ground. The colors are simply for us to be able to track all the madness. I guess we'll see that I am. I guess we'll see that I am. Yeah, but like, would I be able to like, oh, don't stop there. So I would. Yes. Okay. Okay. Then yes, I will. You want to stay away from the whole of all shogots? Yeah. I know. This is growing on the walls. They're like, you know, but like if I'm like, oh, you know, I can't stand there, but I can stand here. That's what I was asking. Yeah. Yeah. I don't want to like gain it. I'm sure you're all too basic of that. Yes. But the entire point is you are. I know. You've heard enough to be able to manipulate the room a little bit. With that, it is, it is. The wailing continues. Silence. I'm going to be. Help me. Silence. Oh, God. And she is going to with fabulous heartbreaking. Her voice booms out of the room. The agony overwhelming you. I need you all to roll wisdom saving. Broccoli is DC 21. Nice. I guess 22. A dash. Another natural 20. I'm going to. Got anyone who fails her all of D6. If nobody fails, no corruption and you're able to shrug off. Five for the D6. You're overcome with blood frenzy. You're you're overwhelmed with blood lust. And must use your action to attack the nearest friendly creature. I got a four. Do I take corruption as well? Yes. Your Victoria. Your mouth is not your own. You're incapable of mortal speech and simply jibber and a long forgotten and incomprehensible tongue. You are incapable of spellcasting until the end of the night around you. Instead. Wow. Oh, God. Hello. Sorry. Sorry. No. Um, I am with shepherd, right? All the entrance. I am going to, after hearing the voice. I'm going to. Pause very briefly before I enter and at the end exit. I'm going to place a hand on you. Shepherd. Yeah. Garrice with you. I am with you. No place but forward. Allow me to return the favor and you'll feel an incredible warmth as I cast free my movement on you. And I am going to move 30 feet into the into the room and I am going to start your. I'm going to start here and I'm going to go around this way. Yes. That's a way to do it. So one and a half. Three. Four. You have to kind of go around right five and a half. You can stop there. Because you're going to stop next to the stair probably not. You don't have to use your full movement. Yeah. Yeah, I'm just off there. I'm just off there. Okay. This way, there. I'm going to use your turn. Shepherds. I'm going to start where Sarnax was and I want to go the same way but I'd like to use my action to dash. Okay. Ten. You said this was five and a half. So it's six and a half. Right. As you move past 30 feet. Yeah. You have more than one level of corruption on you. Yes. Is the tentacles worm their way up and hold you in place. Oh, okay. So then I'm going to be like, yeah, so we're here. One and a half. Yeah, one and a half. Yeah, one and a half. Three. Not injured. Yeah. Yeah. So I have to make a DC saving throw of 22. Not for the corruption of the elder. You do if you want to. He's on green. He's on green. Oh, on green. Yes, yes. Frank's saving throw. And if you're at five, you got a minus of before. No, that's not so tight. Oh, it's a treacher. I'm a threat. So I do fail and get a stack though and I am restrained until my turn to the next movement. So I'm at six to six corruption. Yes, the grasping tendrils until the beginning of your next turn. So you can still move at the end of your next turn as long as you don't do anything else. But nothing else that was I can end it. Clayton. Free to remove it, baby. I will jump out here. And I'll go one and a half, two and a half, three. Would you be able to continue his dash with freedom of movement? It doesn't have to you. Yeah, I would imagine that you would. It's because, yeah, so I would say you can continue your movement up the way. So sorry, Rich, sorry, once I saw this was five, this was five. I forgot about freedom of movement. Six and a half. So wait, that's six and a half times five is 30. So where am I going to? I'm going up to 10, right? For 60. You won't, oh no, 60 is 12 squares. Six and a half, so seven and a half, eight and a half. No, so they're all the adding, right? So, so what is that? That's six and a half. Okay, so then six and a half, then that's eight, nine and a half, eleven, twelve. All right, so then I don't actually end on a square. Okay, so you can undo that corruption that you've got. All right, all right, all right. Thanks, our next at the end. I forgot, so that was my turn. That was so good. So Clayton. So I will basically move, do I take five movement to walk out to here? No, you just place yourself somewhere. You don't want to do those two if you want. One and a half, three, four and a half, five and a half. Yeah, I'll just, I'll try to do this. Charisma saving throw. Just I am within. I love you, man. I wish the stuff instead of me doing it. Yeah, this is a great idea. Damn it. Yeah, she's here. Try to twist. Yes. Wow, well, you do that. The trophy room comes alive around you. What once were taxidermy beasts are now alive and well in this room as two headed scorpions lash their tails at you rattlesnakes. Rear up for bites. I need all of you to make a dexterity saving throw. Okay. Yeah, she said I failed. I failed. I failed. I failed. Eight. I'm going to use it to ask because I failed. Yeah, I'm good. You can do it to us. Thank you. We really appreciate the way we run it. I got a 20. I used that one more one more one. I use it. So I failed on the T.O. Uh, got. Oh, I need to go by a loop and that's then rose. Okay. So we know what that goes. Yeah, you should have your, um, you roll a D6, right? Or oh, so my whole life, I would be a mess one is saving throw. I guess all your day you need to be rolling your damage to yourself. You're completely controlling that sheet. I just, yeah. Okay. I hadn't done stackable. I had anything. I'm trying just not to hit anything. That's my game. That's a good one. Did anybody fail? Oh, I did. If you take 21 points of fire damage and your speed is halved. Oh, legs. And I'm still consumed by this blood blusch, right? The blood frenzy. Till the end of your next trick. Till the end of your next trick. Connem. Yes, you have to make an attack on players and closest to you if you can get to them. Um, well, you have to speed. You have to speed. So I will, um, in my frenzy would I use my action to move closer to somebody or would I move 15 in stock? I'll leave that to you to decide. It's your character. You do you have a con as my please. Yep. So I'm, uh, I think I've got to have the base here. So I'm coming up these stairs. No, the stairs go up towards the blood queen. You'll never see under them. So you gotta go out. Oh, okay. So I thought I'd say that. Um, so yeah, I will run here. And then I'm going to see. Try and we meet again. Oh, come on. Uh, this one will miss 13. Oh, thank god. No, no. Wow. 18. Yeah. Uh, you take eight points of damage. I assume the, uh, the boy doesn't think she'd ever live in the hand. Oh, it's 28. You said eight or 20. Eight. I take eight points of damage. You'll take another nine. Eight plus nine. Oh my god. Uh, 17 total. Uh, this one should miss 16. And it's. Do you have a jar? Marl? Yeah. Wow. Okay. Wow. Man. I'm like, I'm like, I'm a jello. I should take another, uh, 12 points. Thanks. Oh my god. Hey there. You tell me the ranch. Yeah. You're gonna try to get by here by the right test. Wait. Wait. The ranch. Tori, are you bitch? Tori, oh, it's me. This is a slap con. Use my action again. A slap con again. And then I will continue to move after that slot. Uh, since I can't get this. So how can I, do I have to like come around to get the three? You can, you're gonna go through your, your, your friends. And I'm not charging difficult train. So it's just a normal five feet. I'm a little bad with diagonal. Yeah. So you were, you were, so you were right. So that's one and a half, three, uh, four and a half, six. Okay. Okay. And are you landing on anything? Nope. Wow. Yeah. I'm good. Uh, I like the blood queen. Oh god. The blood queen lets out another yell. Silas, this is all your fault you called them to us. If it hadn't been for you, Silas, bring me silence. As the blood queen is going to call forth a rising moon, is the room is bathed in crimson blood red light. I need you all to make a constitution saving throw. I hope I die before I get to my room. I feel. I feel. I do. I pass. Oh, so this side of the table fails. So we take another group. Anyone who fails is going to take a stack of corruption and you cannot regain hit points until the end of the blood queen's next turn. Yeah. Okay. Okay. My turn. Shepherd, I'm right behind you. I'm right behind you. No way but forward. And then I am going to, uh, my movement is half. So I'm just going to use my action to normal movement. So, uh, one and a half. Three, four and a half. Uh, here or here? One more. Yeah. Okay. Uh, I land on yellow and I, that's a, uh, a dexterity saving throw. I'm okay at that. I, uh, can I use a twist? Yes. Okay. Worse. Okay. And I roll my own damage, correct? Oh, 86. Yikes. That's an acro- oh, wow. I should have probably used another 20 minutes. That's fine. All right, Shepherd. I am going to move. 5 feet. And, uh, I'm going, uh, I'm going to grab the veil and, and having seen that, um, Connick could have rip it off. I'm going to lift it as if I'm holding somebody by the hair. It was like pulling up very violently and I say, uh, with, with a lot of rage, I say, uh, you are fucking real. You can't make me live this twice. That was just a boy. Is this real? And I'm going to lift the veil up and like shake it like I'm dragging somebody by their hair. Oh my god. As you summon all your grit and lift the slimy veil, the face beneath is rust colored with deep gray eyes, messy dark hairs strewn across her face, and her horns curb up and around the crown of her head, her face is wracked with unfathomable pain and immeasurable anguish. The pain won't stop silence. Thank you and did this. These humans are evil. I'm gonna just silence kill them all. Kill every last man woman and try to look at how it's the fire. You stand your ground and stare at her pained face. It gnashes about like a cornered beast in her eyes, burst and coat the room as the face whithers away. Once more, the aberrations slinks away and you are all filled with an incredible feeling of unbridled rage. Okay. I need you all to roll a saving throw. I need you to roll. Constitution saving throw and a wisdom saving throw. Silas or Shepherd, I should say, you fail. You take one level of exhaustion but you can cleanse the level of corruption. I'm a kid. I'm not a kid. I'm a kid. What was the second one? No, I passed the wrong step. It is wisdom and constitution. Okay. You must succeed both or you take a stack of corruption. I fail the call. Fast call. And a level of exhaustion. Can I just one twist for them good at conceiving throws? Actually. Yeah. I mean, the bottom. Nope, it's meant to be. It's meant to be. Thank you for the twist though. Chat. No, I passed both miraculously. Wow. So I expect you to deal with that. I'm exhausted. So. Level of exhaustion, a stack of corruption. I'm not your ability. The ability. I feel like I know all of the corruption after the except for you Shepherd, you only do one level of corruption. He heals. Is there anything I'm sorry? I'm sorry. You pain, you you take away a level of corruption. You gain an exhaustion. It's just a stack or it or just something else. I'm sorry. You gain if you fail, if you do not succeed both of them, you take a level of exhaustion and a level of corruption. Level of exhaustion. That's what I'm saying. I know like dammit. And I know dammit. Like one versus the other. It's not real Shepherd. Yeah, I know. But we will burn them in holy fire. Yeah, agree. We will burn this place to the ground. I have seen this in the fire. You all begin to move again, Shepherd. This new found hatred, this pain. It hits deep. You move with purpose. The blood queen will die tonight. And if you have it your way, at your hands. To make your way into a long haul, relatively narrow and choked with flushy growths on the wall, all portraits of the long line of the Vanzarovic family. Their stern and gloomy faces looking down with looks of prideful contempt. The very end of the haul is an enormous painting of stradonian a position of grandeur and reverence. The portrait gazes out with grave spite, clutching, or father's sword and looming like a warlord. Beneath the late Countess's image is the wriggling effigy of her master and jailer. This time, the voice that infiltrates your very minds is one you all recognize. What did you kill my new mama? You were supposed to be my mama too. We were going to live in the castle together and have a fair of tell-life. And then I would be a queen when I grow up. Did you not love me enough? Is that why you killed mama? The sad voice of little mortal, now robinovia, whispers and sniffles through the consciousness, through your consciousness, as the portrait shift and change around you, as if depicting active scenes within. At the far end of the room, where once was just the warlord conquered this land, is a family portrait with her wife, Victoria and daughter, robinovia, all of them vampires. They stare out with impossible pride and self-satisfaction. The ancestors of the banzarovich line shift instead to living scenes of this possible life, with the three women ruling for centuries and subjugating the people of brovia beneath their heavy boots, turning so very many to mindless vampire spawns that crawl and swarm through the paintings. The chandeliers that light the paintings begin to swing and sway, and one by one, the elaborate crystal that adorns its shadows and sends a rain of shards down to the floor. Clayton, you enter into the room. I will enter a counter-attracted- I feel like the effect of the actual, IRL psychological torment is like the actual deliberate point of this. We're literally being worn down IRL, and this is just a serious idea. I apologize to all of my players beforehand for what was going to happen. I'm like, oh, I need to make you hate me. I said, I'm really sorry, and I told them I all loved them very much. The end is the reason I'm right. I will run six feet, or 30 feet, not six feet, and I won't land on my collar. So I will dodge between all of the horrible eldritch things. The images begin to shift in the paintings, the vampire spawn that have spilled into them, creating this new, unhappily ever after for Victoria, Stradonia, and Rovinovia, spill out of the painting towards you as they begin to attack. I need you all to make a charisma saving throw as the vampires burst forth. The vampire spawn burst forth from the paintings and begin to pierce into you. Oh, I know I physically can't pass this. I fell a night with 21. Yeah, I have plus your arm. Oh, there's no reason to leave a touch. I mean, I have to roll a natural 20. Oh, can I? Close. You're like one side off. It was like, it's right there. This side? I can see this one. I have to do plus eight, but I feel like it's not worth it because. I'll eat. That's pretty good. Okay, what can I do? I'm just going to use a few of the ones. One, two, three, two, three. I'm just going to just try. Yeah, I got it. Got it. Yeah, I'm going to go. Yeah, I don't roll on the ones where I'm like, I have plus two. Well, anyone who failed is going to take eight piercing damage and you were grappled until the end of your next journey. Oh, I saw a freedom of movement. Am I still, frenzy? You are not. No. It was at the end of your next journey. Keeps happening to me. I don't know. I had confusion. So I shouldn't have even moved. Should I have, right? Your confusion has gone. Okay, got it. Does it move through the world? As the blood, when the finalization thing happens, all things on you will have. If we are except for your stack encryption. Got it. Okay. So, sorry, how much do eight, eight, eight. Eight piercing. Yeah, it's a lot. For crazy, that's kind of a lot. The symptoms of the murder. Hearing that, killing the voice of a child, trying to shrug it off, knowing that this is all an illusion. First, is it five? Is it five to get into the room? No, you just stand somewhere. This is where. And then you make your movement from there. So that doesn't count as five. You have to pull the movement from there. And you just run up to blow. I'm just going to stop short. And I'm just going to put a hand on the professor's shoulder. Be like, I'm with you, professor. I will not leave your side. And that'll be my turn. Victoria. Yeah. You're not grapple-liver. Talk to those charisma. That's really your liking. How many of you can grab us? You can grab us. You can grab us. Grab us. That's it. Disarble. Five to fifteen, twenty. And all the waves. Maybe white. Oh god, let's wait. That should be on con. So. Danish. Okay. Um. Talk to like you. Yeah, I'll pass that. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Robinovia looks out at you. Or the blood queen looks out at you, but the voice of Robinovia booms from her. You were supposed to, I was supposed to be your present. And your child, you were supposed to love me. She said you would love me the way that you loved everything, the way you loved them. But they took you from me. They forced you, worked and twisted your mind. We could have been happy. The only family I've ever had, the only one I ever wanted. It's not real. And she is going to. Don't use her voice. Look out at all of you. As tentacles begin to emerge from the fleshy walls and latch out, I need all of you to make a Dixie saving throw. Oh, no. I'm going to twist that. Do it. I got a neck. What neck? You should show. Are you sorry? Did you fix the playlist for me? Yeah. Thank you. I feel the 70s. Oh, I meant to, um, this is a bonus action drink of. I'm sure that's fine. You can do it. Anyone who fails is going to take 20 points of psychic damage and a stack of corruption. If you say and you'll take half the damage. 20, 20, 20. 20. I don't know why I heard one. And I'm five. Because I said 21. I was just very sweet. That's not my career. I just was. I passed. I can't get it. And I'm brain. I'm actually mind-fucked. I'm like Mikey. Mikey is mind-fucked. My brain is melting out here. This is very effective. I mean, honestly, it's our, our, our, our, like, we're actually being overloaded. So that our minds break to seemingly elder Torah. Well, that's. That's fine. I think I am a level, the fifth level corruption. Do I feel like I'm changing? Like, do I, do I look down at myself and I hear the voices? That's actually really great question. You look down at yourselves and you will actually see that you are changing. You look down and where your feet should be is now turning into an inky void. Oh my God. Shepard, bits of your flesh are becoming parasitic pops of poison. Victoria, the tips of your fingernails and along your hands are covered in bloody mucus, Clayton radiates with the colors, every color, all colors, an iridescent shell, his skin, the heartings, and Sarnaks, you watch. Is he almost looks like he's flickering with purple fire? Victoria, none of this is real. None of this is real at all. Do not listen to her. It is not truly her. Forward, forward. Still angry as fuck from what she's doing in my boy. I'm there. I am going to, I am going to go oh wait. I'm going to go this way. One, two, three, four, five. I'm just going to stop there and I am going to raise my lantern and I will, uh, Clayton take my action. I'm going to say, Garyx is seeing us through. His rage is a nine and this radiating, raging fire burst out and as I cast, can I cast this? Oh, I am going to only cast use a bonus action to cast mass healing work. And so I will roll that. Whoo, bless you. Shepherd. Okay, I am going to, uh, I free him a movement. Sympathized your strain. I'm no longer as I kind of like get to the door way. I put my hand on the door way. Okay. Okay, I'm keeping up. I'm keeping up. I'm coming. And I'm my spesat by 1015. That's my turn. If we surpass five, is there anything else other than the eye eruption that happens? Not until 10. Not until 10. Okay, so you can see it tells you the stacks and there's a track ride. Okay, I wasn't sure if I needed to let you know because I'm at seven. Nope, nope. Just, um, you feel, you can manage those for now and I trust you. Okay, I am having faith in my party that they are actively tracking on this. Yeah. I know. I know. Just don't read what happens to 20. Five. Okay. I know. It's not a nicely folded. I wanted to keep holding to the team. I was appealing to everyone. 15 to 15 points of view. Oh, thank you. And with that is this is uh Shepherd's turn. Oh, you moved. Yeah. Basically I'm starting. We got right shepherd. I guess you can call that. We need to keep going, Victoria. I know this is real to steal yourself. Fates is on our side. We must keep going. I'm gonna go up here. Oh, fuck. Big purple. Big purple. That's a big purple. That's okay though. He's a Viking. Oh wait. Yes. He's an insaving frog. And that's where I'm a Viking. I just stir it, let's say. Oh, that's like a 30. Oh, baby. So. I feel hot. These chandeliers hanging from the ceiling begin to crack and sway as shards of glass rain down around all of you. I need you to make a charisma saving throw as the shards of glass attempt to pierce your bodies. It's Ravenlok. It's 14. Yeah. That's you today? Uh, charisma. By style itself. I don't know. 17. That's a fast food of me. I'm like, I'm there. Does corruption go up if we fail? I know. That's Ravenlok. I want to, yeah, it's only blood, clean and postural. Anything that's all that's up to me. Anyone who fails takes 17 points of piercing damage and your grapple until the end of your next turn. Oh. Oh. I don't have freedom of movement. I was wrapping. Earlier, right? So yeah, I'm back here. Oh, I'm stuck. You're still stuck. So you would take, if you're on a thing, you would take that one at the end of your turn. But you are no longer grappled. Okay. And that ends your turn. Yeah. You do nothing. Perfect. You take a call. Come on. Come on. Come on. So I am grappled or I'm from grappled. grappled by biz. I'm going to use my... I'm going to use my action to try and break the grapple, which is athletics. Or a baddest, but athletic for you probably. Shoot. 18. That fails. Oh, get a kick. Get off of me. I guess that's my turn. All this. Victoria. I'm not on a diet. Can I bonus that? Well. 18. 20. Can I buy a potion? Yeah. Bonus actions are welcome to take potions. If you need to, you don't need to ask. Just do it. And I trust that you will not drink more potions than you have. My last potion. Uh, blood. Blood. Blood. Oh, blood. Blood. Oh, no. Oh, she didn't. You are coming for me because you want to be my mom. But if you did, why would you kill her? She loved you so much. She loved me so much. You. And Victoria broke her. You broke her family. You stole this. The blood queen is going to raise her hands into the air. As she lets out a shriek, the walls shake. I need you all to roll wisdom saving throw. If you fail, you take one stack of corruption and you roll a D6. 22. Like that. 20. 24. I will need to twist this a roll to 5 and a- Twist it. We have twist. Say what is it? It's one stack of corruption and you roll a D6 to determine what happens to you. I would suggest that you, uh, I will never cast this. What's your plus? Two. Yeah, pretty low. Pretty low chance. Yeah. Top to you. Totally up to you. Yeah, it's up to you, though. And you know, you have a right to use it. Yeah, actually. You're a player too. How desperate would you say Victoria looks in this moment? Oh, pretty desperate. She looks, I mean, Chelsea looks pretty desperate. I said on my face. I don't know. Pretty bad. You hear in your mind's eye and you need to mark this so that it doesn't happen again. You hear in your mind's eye. Well, you know, that's not really fair because not all kids don't like you. Like I totally like you and she seems like a total weeny. I don't think that's how this works. And you almost feel as if you're inside, as if you're inside super round as Aurobel from within the case, twists time to your advantage. Your time warp from Aurobel is expended and you succeed. This is just, I fail. What's your say? Okay, roll a decent turn, please. Five. You're overcome with a blood frenzy. You're overwhelmed by a terrible blood loss. You almost use your action to attack the nearest friendly creature. Oh, no. And this is another corruption. Why is this no potato rather corrupts him? Why is this the one with power? My turn, right? That's a big hole way for me. That is victorious. No, that was the one-point turn. Sorry. I am just going to Victoria, you must continue onward. You must continue onward. I'm going to move 30 feet just up and yeah, I'm just going to stand right there. Yeah, why not? You can stop. Oh, I can't stop right there. I'm sorry. Victoria, I am right behind you. Derek is with you. The blood, the blood queen, the ring is with you. Your queen is stronger than she is. And she will bring divine retribution. I'm still angry. I'm still having tough and life. Oh, God, it's alright. Alright, here we go. Garrett's got me. And I'm going to move 15 feet as I pass by. I'm going to pull the hand on Connor's shoulder and be like, we're going to be alright. We're going to get through this. And then as I pass five feet ahead of her, I just kind of lean over on my knees. And I'm miss butcher. No collar. Okay, Clay. So I'm I still grapple. Until the end of it. I'm a you can use your action to attempt to escape it, but you escape it at the end of your turn anyway. So that's irrelevant, really. Oh, so I skipped it at the end of my last turn. So I'm now not grappled. Yes. Okay. So now I will go. We're almost at one two three four five six. I am going to I'm seeing the blood queen. And I'm going to look up and I'm seeing them lift the veil. I'm going to attempt use my action to lift the veil and see what happens. You raise your arms towards the blood queen. You begin to lift the veil. You're going to take 29 points of psychic damage and one level of exhaustion as you get a faint glimpse of what is underneath. But your your flesh, singes on the veil as she repels you backwards and your throne 15 feet backwards. No. Oh my god. That's your sister. Oh, right here. I'm using the damage. Oh, I'm taking the little exhaustion. Oh, he's. This is over the fucking like peak as well. And it was one of the most intense. So my papers. Ravenloft. I think. No, but I'm the fuck with a puzzle. The vampire spawn in the pictures once again claw their way out. Terring portrait support to get to you. I need you all to roll a charisma saving. I don't know. I don't know. Yeah. I failed anyone who fails will take 19 points of piercing damage and you're grappled until the end of your next turn. Oh my god. I already grabbed. Thanks for being my movement, buddy. This is huge for me. I'm like, wrong. Long and 15 feet backwards. I have some. Oh my god. Did you pull it to a stop for me? Oh, yes. Thank you. You're doing this. So yes, that happens. That is Ravenloft. Connor. Don't you tell me what to do? No. stab him in the back. What? What do you mean? God, no. What are you doing? I mean, I'm dead. I'm 30. Yes. Oh my god. The 30. You know, as the weakest mind of the 13. Yeah, Mrs. 25. Yeah, three of them fucking it. Damn. Oh my god. It's ability checks, right? No. 22 or 22. Seven points of flashy. If we need to use like, acrobatic rough lettuce to get out of that shit. How much 27? 27. Call it a one to nine. Yeah. Would you boss me around, shepherd? No other music for a second. Okay. This is not real. And then I can just attempt to make the sparks. The frenzy save. It's at the end of your turn, it's gone. Oh, it disappears. I don't have to make it safer. No, I think that all of these things And I'm just trying to turn as always. Just go. Yeah. Uh, so I will come to as I'm sliding my naggy nod out of shepherd. I'll be like, oh my god. I'm so sorry, shepherd. Oh my god. What is this? He's hanging in cuddah. Get yourself together right now. Why are you trying? I'll try to break the grapple. Well, no, I can't actually end of your turn. So it's done. Uh, the grapple. Oh, from the tentacles. They're from the vampires. Oh, the vampires, yes. No, you would have to break the grapple. I, yeah. And that's an action to try to break the grapple. If you're exhausted, yeah, yeah, so it makes it. I know. It's my turn. Victoria, please. I am. I will step forward up to the blood queen. If you do it, you're going to go. I will look up the burr and me. It does not matter what you say. A heart can only be broken once. And I will lift the veil up. You grab the fleshy veil and pull it up. In the face of a pounding vampire, flanked by black ringlets of hair, stares at you with contempt. Tears streaming down her face as she yells. Her small fangs glint beneath the light of the chandeliers. You are a terrible mama. You could have been the queen. I could have been the queen. My good mama promised me. She told me I was better than all the other children, even the one with magic. I am better. You are better than your stupid friends. You made a choice and you chose wrong. You take the verbal abuse from the daughter you could have had as you simply gaze past the veil. The face of little Ravana, Vina, gnashes out with her fang teeth, his eyes turn a blood red and blood starts to spew from her mouth. Is the face twist back and forth? Is it the nequist snap? Then the blood queens form becomes one with the skin on the walls and the path is clear once more. As you are all filled with bitter, contemptuous pride, looking down you see your transformations continue to form, clat in your skin and getting harder and harder as you move that strange, pearlescent color shifting with every movement, all colors, all at once. Conor, the inky void, slowly consuming your body, parasitic poisons filling forth from you shepherd, purple fire igniting and taking over the flames. And for you, Victoria, bloody mucuses it travels up your arms and begins to travel up your legs. I need you all to roll your two saves, wisdom saving throw and constitution saving throw. Victoria, you automatically fail. You can remove, you can cleanse one level of corruption, but you will take one level of exhaustion. I fucking, I don't know. I did it. What is that an option? No, that's just what happens. I passed them both. Finally, this is the important one. What I didn't want three levels. So what is level two of exhaustion? Haspied. That's wrong, Matt. Can I twist? Can I use one? Can you use one? Yes, please. I would like to twist as well. How many do we have left? Well, we're going to have to find out how many we need. We're back in there pretty quick. Oh no. We're all going to lose our twist. I thought you succeeded though. Oh, you guys are out of town. Where's the bag? Um, I need you to roll your wisdom saving your constitution, saving throw. Okay. So, this is trying to go back to you. Anyone who does not pass both, please take a stack of corruption and a level of exhaustion. Except for you. 23 for whizz and 29. So, you passed. Okay, passed. It is with that that you once again are able to leave this horrific room. That's a me a lot. You begin. You follow Shepherd. Do you make your way through the holes of this place, moving ever closer towards the heart of sorrow, ever closer towards the blood queen that she slowly drains you of your sanity? The five of you make it into the study. And you know you're getting close to the bell free that leads to the bridge that connects the rest of the castle to the heart power. Bookshelves line the wall as they lean forward, pushed away from the stone, from the bulging flesh and pumping veins beneath. The luxurious decoration and plush furniture make you think it would have been quite cozy before the hideous transformation. As you've come to expect, the far end of the room has the middle island of bookshelves in the room is the blood queen's effigy. It waits for you as the sides of her form attach and detach from the exit door frame with sickening pops. Also as expected, a voice speaks to your collective consciousness. So what if Nigel was devoured by a growling? He should have kept you better watch. In Cassandra's death was her own carelessness. We all read the same herbalism book and we know which venomous plants to avoid. We will not give up now. We simply cannot. And as Ran never turns back, no matter the cost. For another surprising change, this voice isn't a quite one you all recognise. However Clayton, there's a familiarity. It's so similar to Emmys. Your daughter's is if she was all grown up in leading her own expedition. Then you remember your vision in the heart chamber. It is her. The study shifts and changes all around you and you feel like you're in a dense jungle with herrithic, venomous and poisonous plants all around you. Where should be bookcases or leering statues of ancient toad-like gods with glittering gems for eyes? The jungle comes alive and the statue's rattle is if knowing you're desecrating intentions. This is a real ride. What's happening to me? The effigy of the blood queen looks towards you Clayton. Wow, you've really should have shown up sooner. James have gotten so difficult out here. I, you see, I, I love you, Papal. I think I've had quite the accident and I don't know how long I can hold on. No, no, no, no, no, you need to go home. No, absolutely not. Haja, I hope you love me. I do. I do. I'm proud of you. I'm very proud of you. You've been here sooner. And the blood queen is going to raise her arms towards the sky as a moon of blood moon rises up towards its zenith and sheds a horrible crimson light all over the entirety of the room and you do alter all the constitution saving throughout. I really proud of you. I failed. I'm not going to use the quiz. If you fail, you are unable to regain hit points until the end of the blood queen's next turn. And you take a stack of her. He? He may have a corrupt shot. Con, you said? I'm not a twister because I'm good at con, is that okay? Yeah. Yeah. This is the thing. I ripped a blakeess and I'm like, oh, I need my saves. So we should be starting this turn then, right? And this, starting system. But we feel like, I know that's where this is beneath me. This is not worth my time. Why are you all slowing me down? And I am going to walk proudly into the room. 30 feet. And I am going. I'm going to hold the exhaust. No, it's on the wall. On the wall. Okay. So what I'm going to do is I am going to walk so I'm going to start here. And I'm going to one and a half. Three, four. What week? No three. Sorry. Four. We'll all know day five, six. I'm standing on a couch. And that will be my turn. I'm going to hurry up all of you. All right, I'm fine. I'm fine. Everybody stop huffing, puffing so much. Five, ten, fifteen. That's how long I'm moving. Me too, darling. If we failed the con saving, there we gained a level of corruption. What else was going on? Well, you can't get anyone's. You can't heal. No heal. Okay, okay. Until the end of the Blood Queen's next time. Okay. Oh, I'm just writing. I'm just writing. Yeah, wait. Wait. Blood Queen. Shepard. What are you doing just standing there? I'm going as fast as I can. You start on those front. Oh, sorry, I wanted to use the front. Yeah, I know. Okay. Um, I'm just checking to make sure that this is the way I want to get over. I'm probably not that. That's the plan. That's, uh, I'm feeling tired as well, but I'm probably less tired than you, Shepard. Get it, Err. Yeah, probably, Professor. I'm not as young as I used to be. Uh, yeah, that's what I can go. So, this is how the con saving throw. Con saving throw. Raten loft comes alive around you as bubbling pools of blood. Roll your name. Begin to pop poisonous traps begin to snare. Poison-tipped arrows shoot out of the jungle, the dense jungles of spears and arrows fly at you. I need you all to make intelligent saving throw. Oh, I have one chance to pass this. Nope. I need to roll my name. Is it a 100th or 20th? The 20th one is for the night. It is 21. Oh, I rolled in the anti-climbing. I'm going to tell you what's wrong. I got the 19th. Wait, I was just doing what's the evening? The intelligence. It. You're fine. I failed. You'll notice that the saving throw is corresponding to your characters. Yeah, that's true. I think you're, uh, I like that. Uh, I'm going back to the wisdom room. So yeah, I'm done. That's what I can do. So I'm going to do whatever. If you failed, you will take 12 points of bludgeoning damage. Yep. And I need you to roll a D8. Sweet. Oh, where? Wow. I got a seven. Four. What did you get? Shepard? Seven. You are going to move to the west. And you are going to move as your entire movement speed directly towards the west. So into that globe, it looks like it depends on what the directions are, which way is north? North is towards the blood point. So then I'm going to run directly into that globe. And you'll stop in front of it just to express your heart. Oh, fuck! And you will take whatever effect might happen if you land on a square. That's correct. That's correct. Uh, who else failed? Four. Four. Kana, you are going to move south east. No, you're going to move east. I'm not in the range of the room yet. You are, you're really lucky, then. Get out of my way, Victoria. Leave it in the back. Because there's no hallway. And that is really shit today, Kana. You're pretending to be quite a joy to have you in the back. That's right. Well proud of your friend right now. It's your turn. Like idiot fall boy. Running into the globe. I'm going to step down. Don't move. I'm going to stop wasting our time. You know, sorry, it's a room starter. Piss me off. And you are me. Only any of your help. No need no need your help. I'm going to be fine on my own bastards. I'm not holding the way back there. You won't. I'm going to take my own damn time. I don't need any of you. You're all worthless. Mother fucking bastards. I'm really scared of it. I'm trying. Why are you being indecisive? Hurry up. I'm going to stand in the hallway. And I'm going to, I'm going to have like my nagging out about my side and how my chin up and I'll be giving a Victoria an up-down look and I'll be like, well after you. And I'll just stand there. Okay. I should roll like I was scared. No. You're going to take 10 points of psychic damage out from the door frame. Tendrils whack, whack, and with it you pulling you into the room. You will now place yourself somewhere inside of the room. I'll walk. I'll chew. It was the big idea, Victoria. I'll flick her in the ear and run. Okay. So I am very tired. So I'm in here and then I'm just going to move to the first. Cause I'm exhausted. Gave. Father. I learned all this from you. You told me, dead and as run never quits. You told me that an as ran always gets the prize. Yes. You told me that an as ran always wins. Father, this does not feel like a winning. No. Father, this means like pain. No, no, I mean. Father, I'm scared. No, you'll be okay. That's what you're livin'. I'm so scared. And no one else is. That's when I dragged your as ran. Great. And with that, tentacles emerge from the fleshy walls and lash out and attempts to attach to the heads of everyone in the room. I need you all to make a dexterity saving cart for me please. I. That's not where I'm attacking. I'm faking. Fail. Fuck. Dex. My. Dex. Oh, I was so close. My drink. It was one off. No. I lied. I was too. You're welcome. You're welcome, Rosh. 40 points of psychic damage to anyone who fails. Fody? Yes, and a stack of corruption. Everyone else will take half the damage and no stack of corruption. I meant to. This is the only one of her abilities that does damage. So it's a megaton. So I need to now remove a T4 from saving throws and ability checks. That's not good. That's not good. Oh, I'm going to put my hands on this. Sweet. How do you want them to say sorry? Psychic. Oh. Yeah, shut up. That's the view. Fuck it. Answer. What are you guys complaining about? Clearly, I'm smarter than all of you. And with that, it is Sarnat's turn. I cannot believe out of all of us. I'm still in the league and I'm going to move three feet. I was like, I'm actually my brain hurts as well. I suppose I could help you all out. It is in my. I will be altruistic. And I'm going to cast Master Runes at a very high level. There's one thing's over so we can heal, right? Yes. Yes. And I will also move one. Oh, good. Good. Good. Well, we got you three, four, five. I'm just going to stay there. In plan. And I'm just going to tap my foot and I will say, I look up at her and I will say, I don't know what you were supposed to be. And with that, I will roll the healing. Tap my foot. Shepard, is that bleeding on my eyes? I'm like, you're still hunting a buff and as I move. I'm guessing it in the beef level. Oh, so blessed, Claire. I'll move 15 feet as I'm moving. I'm grumbling. I'm going to punch a god damn it. I am a sure someone will profess you. I'm getting paid enough. Professor, clearly you got a problem with the funds coming in. I toss you a copy piece. Maybe get yourself a better hat while you're at it. Whoa. Taylor. Damn. Oh, damn you. I don't want to pay for this. Take a tip from me. Huh? Oh. You'll pay for this. That's my tear. That's your tear, right? All right. Clayton, don't get on for a fast. All right, clearly I'm responsible for this entire expedition. Tammy, I'm coming. So far, this coming. One, two, three. And I'll just all start being out of breath. All we know about is I'll use my action to dash because presumably I can still do that. 38 points of healing everyone. Thank you. 38. 38 points of ablution. Thank you. I am heel bitch. You are heel bitch. I like being heel bitch. Do I feel like I can lift the veil at a diagonal? Yes. Fuck. I mean, you'll be okay. You're a proper husband. It's going to be okay. I'm going to lift the veil. With a grim determination, you reach up and pull back the veil of the blood queen's manifestation. A bright, eyed young woman with an angular face and pulled back Auburn hair appears back at you with delirious expression. It's unmistakably Amelia Asran, your daughter in 15 years time. When he's a right arm, right? My lonely alias absolutely need that dominant arm. The idol is so close, I must retrieve it. Even though the amphibian spirit said it would do in the contine, such a discovery will be my own legacy. Even greater than your own father. Then he will finally be so proud of me. You will finally be so proud. I'm proud of you. No way. Before what has you always say? You are not my daughter. I've gone to it. I desire it. And so much more. I crave it. I need more. You do not know if this is a future you can prevent or merely a fantasy. But you stay strong and watch your daughters, your daughter hideously morph. Like a toad Amelia's tongue lashes out ravenously as her eyes widen with madness and desire. The tongue swells and bloats before bursting and spreading across the room. As all of you are filled with an insatiable hunger, I need you to roll wisdom and constitution saving. I'm the boy from a room. Here we go. Clayton, you automatically fail when you clear one level of crop. After I've turned my missing back to our house. And being exhausted. You gain another level of excitement. That's fucking nasty. I've been rolling like hot fucking. How do we go for now? 30. 38. I only pass one. So what's the DC? Is it this one level of exhaustion and a level of corruption? Yeah. So I feel the 20 is the exhaustion. 21 is everything else but 20 is the exhaustion. I'm not so. Yeah, this one is one. Yes, these two are wisdom and con. No, so make it with even with the minus one. Nice. Okay, so now it's con. Minus. Ooh, actually, I might be 25. I know what my saving does. Two, 25 is two. 23. Oh my god, I somehow pass both. With the fucking tensed out of the rough. And an exhaustion. Yes. It is difficult. And the room still unglates and rides around you. But you're able to rip. It's hold over. You're able to rip away from it's hold over you. It's once again make your way into the hallway. You know that you are mere, you are mere rooms from the tower. As you make your way towards the bellfree. Oh, shit. Oh, so we'll all shut and then go up. We'll get in the clothes. At last, I am at peace. But the Azaran expedition is not so lucky. They finally understand the mental torture I've endured for centuries. Can they withstand the blood queens corruption and press onward to break the true curse of Stradania once and for all? Find out in the final episode of Curs of Stradania. In the meantime, if you wish to watch legends of Adventurers tell similar stories of dungeons and dragons every week, you can follow us on Twitch. You can also enjoy our many campaigns on YouTube. Shop at our merch store, support us on Patreon and join our community on Discord. All links are in the show notes. We welcome you to our Adventurers family.