We celebrated with each other and the community while the pool gave off its intense power. After a time the Abbot took down the disc and returned to the Abbey, leaving behind the decanter of healing for the villager's to make use of. Once we were alone, we discussed our options for our next course of action. We decided, after learning that we still had over a month before the Night Mother could create another coven of Mere Hags, that Arganvosthold would be our next adventure. Our goal was to activate the beacon and hopefully gather some treasures that would help us in the fight against Strahd.
We made preparations to leave and as we were nearing the only gate out of the village a large conspiracy of ravens near the gate started squawking and flying about in panic. We learned from Muriel that a Dark Rider approached! Tetsuo quickly called upon his shadow powers and beckoned us to follow him into the trees to hide. This was originally a good idea as we wove deep into the trees and behind some cottages, but soon this proved futile.
A swarm of common bats came pouring past the top of the walls and into the town. It only took them moments to circle around and find our location and begin to attack. Hundreds of bats dove upon our position clawing and biting any exposed flesh available. We tried, but fighting them off was proving to be futile. It was decided that we would make a run for the nearest guard tower on the wall for shelter from the bats and to hopefully narrow down the ways they could attack us.
We ran for all we were worth and, gaining the base of the wall, climbed the narrow ladder up to the parapet leading to the tower. We saw the Dark Rider just entering the gates of the town as we climbed. We fought the swarming bats all the way and even after we got into the tower dozens followed us in, and soon were pouring in through the high, narrow arrow slits. We fought to try and do as much damage to the bats, but what helped finish this battle was Janlynn once again calling forth the power of Lathander in the form of her spirit guardians. The rabid, swarming bats kept coming at us, only to be obliterated. Soon the fight was over and the floor, parapet and ground outside were flooded with the corpses of bats.
Before we could even catch a breath, the Dark Rider was approaching our tower. Akkiir bravely stepped out upon the parapet to defend our position. As the rider approached, Akkiir cast forth a chill touch spell, it's glowing, clawed form raking up the side of the dark creature. Nim rushed out past Akkiir further down the wall and fired his crossbow at the rider. The rider backed away to be out of the range of the Spirit Guardians, planted his lances into the ground, and in one fluid motion he drew a black bow and fired rapid shots up at Akkiir and Nim, hitting Nim with a non-fatal wound.
I fired my fey bolts and struck the rider, momentarily knocking him off his horse and sending him flying backwards onto the ground. Everyone else continued to attack him with ranged attacks and spells. We had the advantage of range and higher position. We would not let him close to melee if at all possible. His black horse moved to him and he re-mounted as his horse began levitating upon a platform of roiling mists to land upon the far end of the parapet. This ancient knight of death kept revealing new surprises to us.
Tetsuo had to shadow step a couple of times before he could get into position to surprise attack his mount from behind, then dash back out of reach. Uphir verily growled as she pushed past Akkiir to rush out along the parapet to meet the Rider, axe raised above her head for a mighty strike. Akkiir struck again with his Chill Touch while I sent Fey Bolt after Bolt at our enemy, failing to dislodge him from his horse this time. Nim dashed in and struck a mighty Divine Smite which rocked the dark rider even as Janlynn's bolt of pure sunlight seared through the air atop the parapet to strike the rider in the chest so hard and brightly that he disappeared in the flash.
The Morninglord surely works in mysterious ways, as once again Janlynn's powerful blast had a strange effect. The rider was indeed struck mightily but he was not destroyed; he and Janlynn switched places in that flash of light. Now she was at the other end of the parapet and the rider was inside the tower - with me! Soon the horse turned ethereal and appeared in the tower next to the Riser.
There was only the faintest sense that the rider may have been momentarily confused by this but then he turned his cowled head and looked down upon my face; I felt my legs turn to wriggling eels under the decaying gaze of the endless blackness within that hood. He casually swung his cursed sword at me and I felt the freezing burn of the black metel rend flesh and bone. It had a strange oozing feeling that I attributed to Black Banyan poison entering my veins. Then all was dark for a moment or two.
Akkiir attacked expertly with his green flame blade as Nim and Tetsuo rushed into the tower and back again; Tetsuo attacking the horse but having no effect as it was still mostly in the ethereal plane. Soon Uphir was back in the tower attacking as well. The attacks seemed to be wearing the Dark Rider down, as at one point he went down to one knee under the combined assault. Janlynn cast a powerful healing spell and I was revived and well healed, as were all the rest of the group.
Just when we thought that we would defeat this most evil of enemies, he re-mounted his now solidified horse and then both he and his mount turned ghostly translucent and entered the Ethereal again. We noticed that as he stayed in this state he seemed to be healing himself! We had to make our escape now while we could. We momentarily thought to head up to the Abbey and solicit the help of the Abbot, but Muriel swooped in and told us to follow her down the wall and out into the dark Svalich woods. We did not waste time deciding another course and we follower her as fast as we could.
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