The Castle - B2

You all slip free of your manacles and are standing waist-high in the water, or neck-high for the goblin. The water is chilly and smells stagnant. Anyone walking the perimeter sees one doorway connected to a short T-intersection. A half dozen cages dangle from the ceiling on thick chains. Only one is occupied by the sleeping figure who continues to snore.

The sound finally wakes the figure in the cage with a spluttering snort. They press their face to the bars of the cage and you see a scraggly old man, thin and dirty, with lank greasy hair that is grey where it hasn't fallen out. His bleary eyes focus on you and then brighten. He beams a smile of crooked yellow teeth.

"Oh! New cell mates! Welcome to m’lord’s Castle. You must be the latest pawns in
m’lord’s game—a game of hunter & hunted.

At midnight, when the moon is at its highest peak, he’ll begin the hunt. Feel free to look around until then. But you must be wary traversing the Castle. Mustn’t let the Stress get to you. Mustn’t let your hope or the lights go out. Here – take my candle, and this… I believe it belonged to one of you. Smells like home, doesn’t it? Find more Trinkets from your past—it’ll give you the courage to push through."

The man hands a tallow candle half the length of a forearm and a small cardboard box containing six matches. He also hands a small bottle of perfume. Varos, you recognize the perfume as belonging to your mother. What does the bottle look like? What does the perfume smell like?

Frac peers down both branches of the intersection and sees they are both flooded as they are at the same level as this room. Frac has no light to see much else. He hears the faint echoes of screams and the cracks of bullwhips coming from the left tunnel.

The caged man laughs a wheezy laugh.

"Oh, so many questions! Yes, I see you are not ordinary prey, no, no! I see a spark in your souls. I see in your fortune several means of escape from this Castle & the Count. But...your fortune is yet clouded... Perhaps I could read it for you? Then...maybe...I can answer your questions."

Without waiting for an answer he disappears for a moment back into his hanging cage and then comes back. He pokes his arms out of the cage and in one hand is holding a deck of water-stained and mismatched Tarot cards. "Hm, let us see..."

He pulls the first card."The Beast. The most obvious route – the door in which you came in – but will you honor the doorman's request? His price may be too great on your conscience."

He places the card on the bottom of the deck and pulls another."The Ghost. A shell of the man whose love led towards his demise. Can you restore what he once lost?"

Insert. Draw."The Priest. His life is in jeopardy as we speak. His prayers could restore an escape once forgotten."

Slide. Flip."I see the Raven whose wingspan eclipses the moon. She offers a lofty escape in exchange for gold and silver."

He replaces the card and draws a final one."The Enchanter who’s written a recipe for retreat. Find the ingredients, and you might find home."

He keeps this last card held out, close to the fire for all to see, but you feel drawn to his old and haggard face. His rheumy eyes seem to look into your souls.

"There is but one more path to freedom, one that has led to the deaths of many before you, but should you prevail, the power might cease forever! I see before me three Artifacts which may aid you.

I see a Tome infused with the Count's power, resting on a throne fit for a king.

I see an ancient Symbol of hope. Find the Mother—the last bastion of light.

I see a Sword, a great weapon of vengeance. Go to a place of great heights—where the stone itself beats with life.

These are your fortunes. Use them well, or perish like the rest of us. Midnight is coming. He will come for you… Prepare!"

With this final word, the outstretched Tarot card bursts into brilliant white blinding flames. You shield your dark-sensitive against the powerful light. When the light has died out your vision slowly returns. Looking up at the hanging cage you see naught but a moldy skeleton holding a black and smoldering Tarot card outstretched through the bars.

Clarence reaches for the card and as soon as his hand touches it, the card disintegrates into ash that slowly drifts into the water.