Onslaught: A Castle Ravenloft story
Cover photo from Bryan Scott's website Vampifan's World of the Undead. Used by permission.
Chapter One: Welcome to Castle Ravenloft
Arjhan, the Dragonborn Fighter, burst through the double doors of the castle crypt, vaulting the short flight of stairs leading down into the open foyer, and landed in the middle of the hall with a roar. Looming above him was a giant Flesh Golem, and overshadowing even that was the Dracolich called Gravestorm.
The sound that emanated from Gravestorm made Arjhan's roar sound like a mewling kitten. The four adventurers with Arjhan were moving in behind him and coming down the stairs. A crackling blast of lightning accompanied the Dracolich's roar. Unfortunately for Gravestorm, and the Golem, the bulk of the lightning blast caught the Flesh Golem in the back. Arjhan and the human Ranger named Allisa took some minor damage. The Golem was none too pleased with getting blasted by lightning. He turned with a growl and punched the Dracolich square in the jaw!
At the same moment, a Werewolf came flying out of a fetid den to Arjhan's right. The creature sunk its teeth into the Fighter's chest as it pounced on him. Behind the Werewolf, animals started swarming out of the den. Allisa turned to meet the onslaught as the Dragonborn grappled with the Werewolf in the center of the large hall. Rats swarmed up the Ranger's legs and attacked her with a multitude of bites. As she fended off a wolf attack with the blade in her left hand, a giant spider bit her right arm. With lightning speed, she flicked the blade in her right hand through the spider's legs and quickly cut it to pieces. The blade in her left hand found the wolf's throat before the canine could sink its teeth into her flesh. The rats continued to swarm her feet and legs from all sides, but Allisa sheathed her swords and readied her bow for the greater threat that lurked in the shadows of the den. Two more giant spiders and two more wolves waited behind the rat swarms.
As the human Rogue named Kat followed Allisa down the crypt stairs, something caught her eye to the right of the stairs. She turned to see zombies and skeletons filing in from the halls beyond. The Rogue moved to attack the pair at the front of the horde, as the Ranger followed Arjhan into the center of the main foyer. Kat threw two quick daggers at the skulls of the zombie and skeleton closest to her. They each went down with one shot. She hurled a barrage of daggers at the rest of the group, and each fell with one dagger to the head. Kat considered retrieving her daggers, but looked over at Allisa and saw her friend struggling under several rat swarms. With a few daggers left and sword at the ready, Kat prepared to help the Ranger.
The Dwarf Cleric Thorgrim would have willingly helped against Gravestorm, or the Werewolf, or the rat swarms, or the spiders and wolves, but as he followed Arjhan into the hall, he saw a Zombie Dragon coming in from the left. He ran to meet it. The Cleric's staff glowed red, and a column of flame leapt forth to engulf the Zombie Dragon. The beast felt the full force of the powerful Flame Strike spell, but barely slowed. Although Thorgrim stupidly ran within range of the dragon's attack, he managed to leap over the whipping tail and avoid the slicing wings. The dwarf thrust his staff into the creature's jaws, but caused only minor damage.
The Eladrin Wizard Immeril stepped to the left of the entry stairs. He looked up and saw a trio of Ghouls coming towards him, and a shadowy figure just beyond them. The Wizard formed a ball of fire in his hands and prepared to launch it.