A Funeral...
Out of the many, many letters sent out by his daughter, only a handful of those who knew him arrived at the funeral of Professor Petros Lorrimor, a well known and respected teacher and explorer who journeyed across much of the known world. A handful of adventurers and respectful locals come to pay there final respects...the Wizard Amarisa, the Magus Kreeon, the Ranger Zaira and a pair of monster hunters, the Barbarian Grimrod and Fighter Zhen. At the request of the professors daughter, Kendra Lorrimor they shouldered the burden of his coffin
and prepared to carry him down the Dreamwake to what should be his final resting place.
Others, however, disagree. Part way to the grave site a gang of locals and thugs, some spoiling for a fight, dare to stop the procession on it's path
That is, until Grimrod steps forward. His savage appearance and war-gear make the calm and quiet tone of his threat more intimidating. "If you don't get out of the way, now, I shall remove each and every one of your jawbones, and then I shall rearrange them."
Realizing that the Orc is quite capable of doing so, and noticing that he's not alone in his threats or his capacity to do harm, the group quickly turns and flees to the delight of the rest of the funeral party.
With the thugs seen off and the arrival of Father Grimburrow, the Professor's remains are safely escorted to his grave and put to rest. Kendra recites several tales of her father, and the group joins in - Grimrod telling the tale of how the Professor nearly out-drank him, Kreeon on how Lorrimor helped him with research, Amarisa on how he helped her once and Zhen on how the Professor's money helped him out of the gutter.
Storries shared, Kenda asks them to return to her home for the reading of the Professor's will. The group happily complies, returning to her home and enjoying refreshments until Councilman Vashian Heathmount arrives an hour or so later, presenting a scrollcase with the Professor's seal still intact. After it is inspected he breaks the seal to reveal the contents - a small iron key and Petros Lorrimor's Will.
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The Will
I, Petros Lorrimor, being of sound mind, do hereby commit to this parchment my last will and testament. Let it be known that, with the exception of the specific details below, I leave my home and personal belongings entire to my daughter Kendra. Use them or sell them as you see fit, my child.
Yet beyond the bequeathing of my personal effects, this document must serve other needs. I have arranged for the reading of this document to be delayed until all principals can be in attendance, for I have more than mere inheritance to apportion. I have two final favors to ask.
To my old friends, I hate to impose upon you all, but there are few others who are capable of appreciating the true significance of what it is I have to ask. As some of you know, I have devoted many of my studies to all manner of evil, that I might know the enemy and inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge of one’s enemy is the surest path to victory over its plans.
And so, over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire a significant collection of valuable but dangerous tomes, any one of which in the wrong circumstances could have led to an awkward legal situation. While the majority of these tomes remain safe under lock and key at the Lepidstadt University, I fear that a few I have borrowed remain in a trunk in my Ravengro home. While invaluable for my work in life, in death, I would prefer not to burden my daughter with the darker side of my profession, or worse still, the danger of possessing these tomes herself. As such, I am entrusting my chest of tomes to you, posthumously. I ask that you please deliver the collection to my colleagues at the University of Lepidstadt, who will put them to good use for the betterment of the cause.
Yet before you leave for Lepidstadt, there is the matter of another favor—please delay your journey one month and spend that period of time here in Ravengro to ensure that my daughter is safe and sound. She has no one to count on now that I am gone, and if you would aid her in setting things in order for whatever she desires over the course of this month, you would have my eternal gratitude. From my savings, I have also willed to each of you a sum of one hundred platinum coins. For safekeeping, I have left these funds with Embreth Daramid, one of my most trusted friends in Lepidstadt—she has been instructed to issue this payment upon the safe delivery of the borrowed tomes no sooner than one month after the date of the reading of this will.
I, Petros Lorrimor, hereby sign this will in Ravengro on this first day of Calistril, in the year 4711.
Yet beyond the bequeathing of my personal effects, this document must serve other needs. I have arranged for the reading of this document to be delayed until all principals can be in attendance, for I have more than mere inheritance to apportion. I have two final favors to ask.
To my old friends, I hate to impose upon you all, but there are few others who are capable of appreciating the true significance of what it is I have to ask. As some of you know, I have devoted many of my studies to all manner of evil, that I might know the enemy and inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge of one’s enemy is the surest path to victory over its plans.
And so, over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire a significant collection of valuable but dangerous tomes, any one of which in the wrong circumstances could have led to an awkward legal situation. While the majority of these tomes remain safe under lock and key at the Lepidstadt University, I fear that a few I have borrowed remain in a trunk in my Ravengro home. While invaluable for my work in life, in death, I would prefer not to burden my daughter with the darker side of my profession, or worse still, the danger of possessing these tomes herself. As such, I am entrusting my chest of tomes to you, posthumously. I ask that you please deliver the collection to my colleagues at the University of Lepidstadt, who will put them to good use for the betterment of the cause.
Yet before you leave for Lepidstadt, there is the matter of another favor—please delay your journey one month and spend that period of time here in Ravengro to ensure that my daughter is safe and sound. She has no one to count on now that I am gone, and if you would aid her in setting things in order for whatever she desires over the course of this month, you would have my eternal gratitude. From my savings, I have also willed to each of you a sum of one hundred platinum coins. For safekeeping, I have left these funds with Embreth Daramid, one of my most trusted friends in Lepidstadt—she has been instructed to issue this payment upon the safe delivery of the borrowed tomes no sooner than one month after the date of the reading of this will.
I, Petros Lorrimor, hereby sign this will in Ravengro on this first day of Calistril, in the year 4711.
With the Will read the recently acquainted strangers talk amongst each other and agree as one to remain in Ravengro for the thirty days, either from respect for the Professor or for the promise of cash at the end of that time.
Not surprisingly, they ask to see the chest mentioned in the will, discovering several books inside - three to be delivered to Montagnie Crowl with the titles On Verified Madness, Serving your Hunger and The Umbral Leaves, with a fourth, Manual or the Order of the Palpantine Eye to be taken to Embreth Demedrid. The last and final book is the Profesor's own journal.
After reading it, the group decides that in the morning it may wish to investigate the strange goings on within Ravengro. That evening, however, Grimrod wishes to go and find the local pub.
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Accompanied by Zhen, the Orc descends upon the Laughing Demon, owned by Zokar Elkarid. He is less than impressed at the horror themed menu but after several Liquid Ghosts, a strangely glowing ale, he decides to confront several of the thugs who attempted to to disrupt the funeral, making it clear he has no intention of allowing the Professor's body to be desecrated. They also explain that Gibbs, a retired farmhand, was the 'mastermind' behind the whole thing, prompting the Orcs to decide to visit him the next day after a good night's rest.
There first morning in Ravengro gets off to an interesting start when a ruckus leads to the Town Square. A statue remembering the sacrifice of guards from a local prison during a disaster has been defiled, the letter V marking it in blood. As Zhen and Grimrod help to restore order, suggesting people keep an eye out for missing animals and that the statue should be cleaned, the rest of the party set off for there given task - finding out more about Harrowstone Prison and the Whispering Way.
The research takes time but quickly proves profitable.
They discover the prison was devastated by fire arund half a decade before, and there are rumours of it's remains being haunted. Although gutted by the fire, which killed most of the Guards, the warden and all of the inmates, Harrowstone itself is mostly intact even now.
Although difficult to fathom, they also discover that the Whispering Way is an organization obsessed with undeath, creating and obtaining ways to create Liches and focusing on releasing there greatest member, the Whispering Tyrant Tar-Baphon. They often travel to the site of haunts for research and to steal, and will kill there victims in such a way as to prevent the use of spells like Speak With Dead.
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During the investigation carried out by Zaira, Amarisa and Kreeon, Grimrod and Zhen explore the town a little. On there way to visit Gibs, they run across some children singing a strange nursery rhyme as part of a game. Although Zhen tries his best to find out more about the rhyme, the children themselves have no idea as to it's origin.
Making a note to remember the morbid song, the pair go to Gibs' hut, where they use unsubtle persuasion to make sure that Gibs does not interfere with the body or Professor Lorrimor. He quickly and vehemently agrees to this idea.
After talking briefly to the Sheriff, Benjan Caeller, about the statue and Gibs, they decide to look around the village before returning to Kendra's home, where they are staying. However, an attempt to enter Harrowstone Prison itself itself proves difficult as feelings of terror and fear drive the Orc pair back to town.
That evening, as the Orcs once again visit the inn, Kendra mentions to Zaira an interest in the huge Half-Orc, Zhen. Thia greatly amuse Grimrod when the pair are told, although Zhen seems rather startled.
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“Put her body on the bed. Take a knife and lop her head. Watch the blood come out the pipe. Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe. Drops of red so sparkly bright. Splatters spell her name just right. With a hammer killed his wife. Now he wants to claim your life. Tricksy father tells a lie. Listen close or you will die.” |
The next day, most of the party heads to the temple of Pharasma to locate the false tomb and it's contents. The head cleric there agreess, but sends two acolytes to accompany them
Loot from the False Tomb
12 Silver Arrows 10 +1 Arrows 5 +1 Ghost Touch Arrows 2 +1 Undead Bane Arrows 4 Sunrods Six flasks of Holy Water 5 potions of Cure Light Wounds 2 Potions of Lesser Restoration A Darkwood Case containing; A Spirit Board A Spirit Planchette |
Inside a fake coffin they discover several useful items including doses of holy water and cure light wounds, a spirit planchet and four haunt siphons. These useful artifacts tucked away in Zhen's pack, they return to Ravengro - only to be attacked by the restless dead of the graveyard. Although both Zhen and Grimrod take minor injuries, the party defeats the skeletons and leave the acolytes to return them to there eternal rest.
While they were at the false tomb the further research by Kreeon reveals that Harrowstone received five especially dangerous and reviled prisoner's shortly before it's destruction, and ghostly tracks appear before Kreeon as he returns home from research, the party decides they need more information on those five prisoners. Combining it with the children's nursery rhyme and the rise of the dead, they begin to suspect that the odd happenings in the two are the result of those five, now uneasy spirits, but the town has long since lost the prisoner roll. As a result, they decide to journey to Harrowstone itself and seek out the information the next day...
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Until Grimrod gets badly hungover on a local whisky. The headache leaves him at less than his best after Zhen drags him home that evening, and when Amarisa suffers a strange dream about being stuck in a prison cell, the party delays a final day to prepare themselves...
The Grounds of Harrowstone
Click to enlarge
Entering the great stone walls proves no problem this time, with no feeling of terror to drive them back. After a brief discussion the party decides to work around the outer walls and into the centre. They were joined by a newcomer who'd arrived late to Harrowstone - a Paladin called Drigo Alvez
The first place of note is a tower full of rats (R2). Despite the best efforts of Zhen to convince the rats to move away, as soon as the party approached they were attacked. However, even a swarm of rats was no real danger for the party, with only a quick bite to Zaira. Sadly, it quickly became evidence that there was nothing of interest in the old tower they had made there lair. Zhen is vaguely annoyed to have waisted a ration on them.
The first place of note is a tower full of rats (R2). Despite the best efforts of Zhen to convince the rats to move away, as soon as the party approached they were attacked. However, even a swarm of rats was no real danger for the party, with only a quick bite to Zaira. Sadly, it quickly became evidence that there was nothing of interest in the old tower they had made there lair. Zhen is vaguely annoyed to have waisted a ration on them.
Passing an old cess pit (R9) without much investigation, the party reach a part of the grounds that have been flooded (R10). Unsure of what to do, Grimrod decide to see if there was anything home by throwing a rock in. It quickly became apparent there was as before the part could leave, skeletons rose from the lake.
A quick battle ensues, ending when the final skeleton crumbles to the ground. Strangely all three burn before the parties eyes.
Before turning there attention to the main building of Harrowstone, there were two other events. The first was the party pulling down a ruined building (R3) that Amarisa declared unsafe, making sure it couldn't collapse on the next set of travellers. They also discovered runes etched around the main buildings foundations, the name 'Lyvar Hawkran' repeated many times in what Zeira announced was Varisian.
Harrowstone - 1st Floor.
Upon approaching the main building (R4), the party quickly noticed the balcony above was in poor repair, and decided not to go anywhere near it when they ventured to the second floor. With nothing of note in the entrance, they moved onto the building proper and ran into there first problem.
Presented with a corridor with four doors (S2), the party choose to spread out and open each of the four one after another, trying to gain as much of a picture of the Prison's layout as they could. When Zeira opened the first door, however, it slammed back and the burning faces of the dead appeared on all the doors.
The party backed away from the haunted doors, and used the spirit planchette to try and communicate. Sadly, it didn't work, with the ghosts simply threatening them with a horrible death.
It seemed to be, however, enough to get the doors open, the spirits either distracted or too week to maintan there hold, allowing the party to head out. Heading straight through the meeting hall
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Heading straight through the Auditorium (s15) along the raised cage at the back, the party fell victim to a cold spot radiating enough cold to cause harm to several of the party members. However, the rooms beyond were worth the risk and the dangers of braving the cold spot, arming them with some vital tools.
Loot Found in s16
Masterwork Thieves Tools Bronze Medallion An Unframed Painting Silver Hair Clips Masterwork Punching Dagger 12 Masterwork Shurikens Masterwork War Razor Wand of Lesser Restoration Loot Found in s17 Tangled Holy Symbols Masterwork Flute Mold-damaged Spellbook Smith's Hammer Blood stained Axe |
The first room (s16) contained a number of small but useful treasures, especially the Wand of Restoration. However, a few moments of searching quickly uncovered a second hidden store room (s17), which was soon broken into. Using the tags on the items they were quickly identified as having belonged to the five prisoners transferred soon before Harrowstone was destroyed.
Returning to the main hallway and heading through the other half of the Auditorioum, the party entered a large training room (S18), damaged by water and fire. It was not, however, empty. Near a large hole three skulls rose from the ashes and burst into flames.
Although nimble, the small undead are soon reduced to shards of bone and ash
Moving North, the party enter an old furnace room (s19), and quickly spot something is wrong as the ancient boiler begins to roar back into life. With a shocking and brutal swiftness Zhen steps forwards and smashes the boiler with his temporarily enchanted Large Greatsword, ending it in a single blow of sparks and showers.
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A brief investigation finds the glowing bones of a convict within the ancient oven, still hot even though the metal had once again become cold. The party discuss whether they should attempt to finish the cremation and complete burning the bones or to place them in the water nearby. Eventually it was decided to place them in the invading lake, where the spirit was banished with a hiss.
Moving through to a ruined infirmary (s14), and despite a sinister feeling, the party managed to retrieve a significant number of medical supplies.
Exiting the infirmary, they went through a short corridor and found some stairs leading to the second floor (s10) and a flight leading down, now full of wreckage and rubble (s11). Deciding to explore more of the first floor, they went through to the east wing of the building.
There first stop was the former prison chapel (S8), once dedicated to Pharsma. Now, however, it was covered in spiderwebs...and, unfortunately, several large spiders.
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Loot Found in S14
Two Healer's Kits 3 vials of Antitoxin 2 vials of Antiplague 3 doses of Bloodblock 3 doses of Smelling Salts 2 doses of Smooth Syrup 4 potions of Cure Light Wounds |
Due to his large size, Zhen was unable to even enter the room and help, leaving the rest of the party to fend off the creatures with minimal wounds, and none succumbed to there poison.
The next two chambers were no better. As the party the first (S7) entered ghostly manacles rose and attacked, inflicing some light wounds on Grimrod before being subdued again. The second (S12) presented an animated straight jacket that prooved more difficult, but was soon shredded in a fit of berserker rage.
The next room, however, was a different matter. The party entered a workroom (S11) to find the room in ruins, a skeleton in the corner beneath a pile of cloth. Within moments a figure of a woman floats free above the pile, her pale image suggesting her ghostly nature (even though Grimrod refused to believe she was a ghost, or in ghosts at all). For several moments she simply remained, watching them, as the party tried to decide on what to do.
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It soon became clear that the weeping ghost, under the impression we were replacement guards or rescuers for those caught in the disaster, begged for our help, explaining that her husband's spirit, who in life had been the warden Lyvar Hawkran, had kept the dark spirits of the five more recent inmates at Harrowstone in check, serving as there warden in death just as in life.
Now, however, something had taken him. Some robbed figures who talked only in whispers (which the party assume meant the Whispering Way) had spent several nights setting up a ritual, even murdering a man who came to investigate. The party probed, and found the description of the man matched Professor Lorrimor. Once the ritual was complete, there was a blinding flash and the ghost, Versorianna, felt her own soul being torn apart. But it only lasted a moment, and once done her husband's presence was gone too...
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Since then, Versorianna had been trying to contain the ghosts, but they are slowly growing stronger. The Splatterman especially was weakening her, although she didn't understand how, and she feared he would destroy her. And with nothing to keep them there, the ghosts would soon spread...
There was a chance, however. If all five ghosts could be found and defeated, and she was granted a symbol of her husbands authority, she believed she could banish them forever to the next life, something her husband was never able to do. It would allow her to also be free of the prison, and break the hauntings of Harrowstone Prison forever.
With some questioning, she revealed the fate of the Prison - that somehow the Splatterman and the Lopper had gotten free and taken over the lower level with the other inmates. They'd taken the guards there, including her husband, hostage. However, they hadn't counted on Warden Hawkran's bravery as he tripped a deadfall (S11), blocking the stairwell, nor the remaining guards training stopping them from giving in to demands lowering the lift (S18). It was a stalemate.
At least, until Versorianna, concerned that her husband hadn't come for his dinner, went to find out what was going on and discovered the prison almost unmanned. Finding the guards in the training room, and finding out what had happened, she flew into a panic and tripped the lift, crushing several guards and inmate below. Verorianna, sure she had just killed her husband, was dragged wailing to an unused work room while the guards tried to contain the prisoners now climbing the lift shaft.
In desperation, the guards poured lamp oil, trying to stop them climbing but when that failed they ignited the oil. The resulting fire almost instantly grew out of control, destroying a wing and trapping the prisoners and remaining guards below to die of fire or smoke inhalation. The guards on the ground floor, quickly overhwlmed by the smoke, abandoned the prison...realizing too late that no one had gone for Versorianna, who had choked to death in the smoke.
Her tragic tale complete, Versorianna gave one final piece of advice - that each of the ghosts had an item so strongly linked to them in life it would affect them in death. Upon being showed the artefacts from the hidden storeroom she confirmed it was them, but also warned that until it's owners defeat each would bear a curse.
Thanking her for her help, the party left and finished the area, only encountering floating branding irons in one room (S6) that scorched a H onto Grimrod's arm before returning to Ravengro, forgetting the South Eastern portion of the prison for the time being.
Harrowstone - 2nd Floor
After resting and gaining a small amount of information from an older gentleman at the pub, who told them the nicknames of each of the murderers - The Splatterman, the Loper, the Piper of Illmarsh, the Mosswater Marauder and Father Charlatan - the party returned to Harrowstone and headed to the second floor.
It soon became apparent that the floor contained mostly empty cells, the bones of the last inmates still within most of the. The party first move to a guard post (T1) in the Southern part of the floor, but after realizing that the balcony leading outside was the same one as over the front entrance, chose not to risk it. They moved through the corridors (T6) without finding anything. It was only on reaching what appeared to be a dining area (T2) that things started to happen.
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With the sounds of a mournful dirge in the air, 3 stirges came through the broken wall in the East. Two were quickly and brutally dispatched while the third managed to latch on to Zhen. Sadly for the stirge, the huge Half Orc pulled it off with ease and crushed it one handed.
The western half of the cellblock was far more dangerous. Within moments of arriving the dead within the cells rose from the ground and attacked. Although many were still sealed within there cells, enough were broken open that the party was soon swamped with skeletons.
Worse, to the south a figure playing a ghostly and mournful tune approached - the spirit of Piper of Illmarsh. Zhen, who was carrying most of the items taken from the storeroom, quickly passed Drigo the Piper's masterwork flute before attacking the skeletons.
While Drigo started a jaunty tune to compete against the Piper's depressing music, Amaraisa fired a Magic Missle at the spirit, only to watch in surprise as it passed straight through.
It soon became a duel of music between Drigo and the Piper. Although his playing was wounding the Piper, it soon became apparent that the flute's curse was on Drigo - his own song turned mournful and he couldn't stop playing. Worse, the music of the Piper wounded him as well.
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With Zhen using his bulk to hold the far western corridor and the rest of the party protecting Drigo, the war of notes slowly drew to a close. The Piper became vissibly weaker and fainter before vanishing into the ether with a final despairing note. Drigo, still curse-struck, continued to play and weaken until Zeria and Zhen both wrestled him to the ground, forcefully taking the pipe from him.
Searching the final rooms, the group finds another, larger cell (T7) holding the remains of a man clutching several holy symbols. They assume it's the mortal remains of Father Charlatan but are quickly ambushed by more skeletons rising into undeath. The fight leaves Zhen badly wounded, requiring the aid of Drigo to help him out. Of the fake Father's spirit there is no sign...
Return to Ravengro
Knowing that the last area of the Prison, the cells beneath the main building, will be difficult to reach and dangerous to enter, the party decides to research, rest and replenish supplies before venturing into the underground lair of at least four ghosts. They especially wish to know more about the remaining ghosts...
After the second letter of Versorianna's name was written on the statue, they also started to consider seeing if they could ambush either the Splatterman's spirit or at least see if there was a way to stop him from completing his grizzly work...
On the third day of there stay a Half Orc Cleric, Dee, arrived to offer her condolences to Kendra and say good bye to Professor Lorrimor herself. On hearing the issues the party was having with the ghosts of Harrowstone she agreed to join, hoping her Cleri's powers would be of benefit to the party.
The party also did some shopping to prepare to enter the third and most dangerous floor. They bough a shield for Zhen, a large Great Axe for Grimrod and several Oils of Magic Weapon to make sure those without magic could effect the spirits of the restless death within Harrowstone.
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The Splatterman
Once a famed scholar into the origins and meaning of names, Professor Hean Feramin developed and unhealthy fascination with what happened to the names of those who had died, and the power of names in general. Although he lost his tenure, he began to kill, tormenting victims by slowly writing there names where the victim would find them. Once it was complete, he killed them in a horrible and messy fashion meant to resemble an accident... Father Charlatan
The only one of the five inmates who is not, strictly speaking, a murderer, Sefick Corvin was a con artist who used his charm and collection of holy symbols to convince people he was an ordained priest, and then use that position of trust to swindle them. He was caught after a scheme fell apart and his accomplices murdered several Guardsmen attempting to escape. |
Worse, the ghostly events in town were growing worse. A simple card game in the Laughing Demon nearly turned to tragedy when five cards burst into flames before everyone's eyes. The ghosts were still growing in power and there malice was reaching the nearest source of victims - Ravengro.
The plan to protect the statue in town failed, however, when there attempt to protect it were completely succesful - and the next letter was written elsewhere instead. It seemed the simplest way to stop it would be to defeat the spirit of the Splatterman...no mean feat.
Harrowstone - Dungeon
Upon checking a previously missed office and finding it to be the Warden's, and to contain a safe, the party decided to see if they could find the keys to the safe rather than smashing it open.
Using a rope to make two ways to climb down, they descend from the training room (S18) into the ruins of the prison wing where the fire broke out (U1). It quickly becomes evident that the dead are even more restless here as two ectoplasmic humans attack the party, but are swiftly defeated.
Moving into the Central Corridor (U2), the party was confronted with the bodies of several prisoners overwhelmed during the fire. Grimrod, now fed up with the dead animating, smashed each one to be safe.
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The central area provides four choices - to the North is the Oubliette, to the West Reaper's Hold, to the South the Nevermore and to the East, where they entered, the now destroyed Hell's Basement. COnsidering for a moment, the party chooses to head North, up into the Oubliette.
It was only a few steps in the corridor towards the prison wing, however, before the next spectral beast appeared - a headless, flaming skeleton. It quickly charged Grimrod who met it with contempt. Zeira and Dee snuck behind the monster, while Zhen swung from behind Grimrod with his own huge sword.
Although now surrounded by the party the creature had no intention of dying, and raked and chopped at everything within it's reach. The parties supperior numbers soon began to tell, however, and the creature was overwhelmed with a torrent of powerful blows from either side. With Dee healing the damage it did cause it was quickly overwhelmed and smashed.
It's hatred against the living was so strong, however, that even as it died again it attempted to grapple Grimrod and take the Orc with him. Grimrod only just managed to get away from the vicious burning creature before it exploded in red hot shrapnel.
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Quickly checking the Guardroom from which it had emerged (U3) the party ventured yp to the prison wing proper - the Oubliette (U4). The dank cells were focused around a single pit covered with a huge iron grate. The rope that had been tied to it has been damaged by fire and snapped off. Sadly, that did not mean it was unoccupied...
The spirit of the Lopper, as hungry for death as in life, rose from the pit with a spectral axe in hand. The real blade was quickly drawn by Grimrod, although stained with blood that would not come off.
Moving with a grace impossible for the living, the Lopper moved around and through the party, even vanishing through the floor to rise and attack again. Each spectral wound resembled an axe wound, and each wound's blood poured towards him a crimson cloud, rejuvinating and healing him.
Worse, the curse of the axe made Grimrod desperate to keep the blood soaked weapon, although it was dealing significant harm to the Lopper as well.
It became a race to do as much damage to the Lopper as possible before his ability to heal and rejuvenate himself became too strong. Zhen and Zeria both used Oils of Magic Weapon to help deal damage to the monster, and Dee used Cure spells to target the undead as well. But with both Grimrod and Zeira bleeding to feal him, the Lopper was proving tough to destroy.
Finally, an overwhelming blow to the neck from Grimrod, wielding the Loppers own axe, forced the creature to stagger back. Still smiling manically, it moved to attack before a look of shock and horror appeared on it's faced and something dragged it down through the floor and away to...elsewhere
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Quickly healing Zeria and Grimrod, the party chose to check the cellblock for anything of use, and found a large number of useful items at the bottom of the pit in the middle. Apparently the Lopper had tried to hide from the fire down there, but it had weakened the rope he hoped to escape with and the fall when it snapped the menace had fallen back in, shattering his legs.
Loot from the Oubliette (U4)
120 gp Broken Masterwork Heavy Crossbow Masterwork Longsword (Claimed by Zeria) +1 Heavy Mace (Claimed by Dee) Stone of Alarm Set of Keys |
With the brutal ghost defeated and any useful items within this wing now in there possession, the party was faced with a choice of whether to continue, and if so where. A few moments of debate decide there course - they would head to the South, to the Cellblock known as the Nevermore.
This was not as simple as it sounded, however. When they approached the Southern cell they found the portcullis was down and it's whinch smashed beyond repair. Never one for a subtle approach, Grimrod tried to lift the heavy metal baring the way, and when that failed, simply smashed it into a pile of rust and entered the area (U11) anyway.
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Unlike the Northern Cellblock, nothing immediately attempted to attack. Instead, one after another, the party members names started to appear upon the walls in blood. Quickly guessing it was the Splatterman, Zhen noticed the unstable condition of the walls and warned against damaging them.
Attempting to use water from a flooded portion of the cells intitially, they soon found that nothing would get rid of the letters but violence - and a horrifying feeling that there names and souls were being stolen set in, causing Zhen and Grimrod to attack the wall and trigger a collapse.
Although Zeria ,Grimrod ajd Zhen were able to avoid the worst of it, Dee was caught by the fall quite badly and seriously injured. As the party rose from the ruins of tumbled stones, things got even worse.
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A group of Dire Rats leaped from the shadows, attacking the party. The first to reach both Zhen and Zaira were quickly dispatched, but they caused the distraction they were intended to...
Rising with a fearsome howl from the flooded pit in the centre of the room and launched a ferocious volley of Magic Missles at the party. The already injured Dee was knocked unconscious. Worse still, the huge Zhen was apparently killed outright...
Seeing his friend down Grimrod entered a bersker rage and tore after the Splatterman, using the Lopper's enchanted axe to devastating effect. Zeria used a Cure Light Wounds to revive the fallen Cleric, who further healed herself with Channel Positive Energy. A quick glance at Zhen revealed that he was wrapped in tightening chains covered in Holy Symbols.
In his mind, Zhen awoke to see a friendly looking red-headed priest of Sarenrae. The priest told him that it was several months after his death at the hands of the ghosts of Harrowstone, and his friends had moved on to other business.
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To Zhen, this rang false. While he didn't know many of his new allies well, Grimrod had been his travelling companion and business partner for years. If nothing else, he'd have burned Zhen's body and taken up his huge Greatsword with an oath of revenge. Despite the father's assurance it was true, Zhen didn't believe him at all. He invoked his Serenity ability and strengthened his Will against the stranger's lies.
In the real world, things were swinging back and forth. As Zhen struggled against the spectral chains Zeria attacked the summoned Dire Rats. Dee used Channel Positive Energy repeatedly, both to weaken the Splatterman and Father Charlatan's attack on Zhen and to heal the damage the party was receiving. Grimrod, howling his rage, tore into the Spirit of the Splatterman who constantly tried to escape, only to be charged again.
And the Splatterman was hardly defenceless. He unleashed Magic Missle after Magic Missle at the party and when the Dire Rats were defeated, summon Giant Spiders to take there place. Dee was quickly running through her healing abilities keeping everyone alive. And Zhen's struggle against the ghost of Father Charlatan was proving difficult, even with his Serenity enhanced will.
Loot From the Nevermore (U11)
+1 Keen Longsword +1 Mithral Dagger (Claimed by Dee) + 1 Ring of Protection |
With a cry to her divine master, Dee unleashed her final Channel Energy with a force the previous ones couldn't match. The healing wave tore into both the Splatterman and Father Charlatan, banishing both from the mortal realm in one terrible wave of blessed light.
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Battered and low on resources, but happy to see Zhen return to the land of the living with the ghost's hold on him gone, the party quickly searches the room and finds several useful magical items at the bottom of the flooded Oubliette, which Zhen retrieves. Afterwards they retreat to Ravengro, content in the knowledge that Versorianna was now safe and that only one ghost remained somewhere, most likely in Reaper's Hold, for them to deal with.
Returning with the dawn the next day, healed and prepared for the final challenge, they headed straight back down towards the Western Cellblock, Reaper's Hold, without any challenge.
Stopping at the pair of guard rooms just before the cells to see if they could find the whinch to raise the gate, they entered the northern room (U5) and raised it. Then they moved down to the second room (U6), which appearered to be a captains office and found the final spirit...
Three shattered skulls laid out on the table, the party focused on the corpse of a red head dwarf slumped in the corner. Within moments the spirit of the Mosswater Marauder rose from the body, and the three skulls reassembled themselves into some semblance of there original condition, and attacked. Dee noticed the ghostly skull following him was that of a female dwarf, smashed with a hammer and missing a piece.
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Moving quickly, Zhen shattered the first skull with a terrible blow from his greatsword, powdering the already broken bone in many places. The Marauder attempted to attack him but Zhen dodged. Quickly Grimrod and Zeria, wielding the Marauder's own hammer, smashed the other two and banished the spirit back into the abyss. The final ghost had been defeated...
Searching the room found a secret chamber that the prisoner's had missed - and the emergency supplies it contained. There was enough to burden down even the huge Zhen, but no one wished to return again and collect them later.
The huge cell block (U7) contained nothing of interest, but below was a torture chamber (U8) - and the shattered and tormented body of Warden Hawkran. Carefully removing the badge of office used to smash his jar and the keys from him...pelvis, the party was almost surprised by yet another haunting, but Grimrod used a Haunt Syphon to destroy it before the massive Iron Maiden could do anything, tired of dealing with these strange 'illusions' - despite everything he'd seen, he still refused to believe in ghosts.
The spirits defeated and the warden's badge in there hands the party returned to Versorianna. Upon receiving the badge of office she smiled beatifically and raised it above her. With a sound like reality breaking she was gone, and the ghosts haunting Harrowstone forever defeated and unable to cause any futher problems. Harrowstone and Ravengro were now safe...
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Loot from Vorch's Office (U6)
6 Suits of Masterwork Chainmail (two claimed by Grimrod and Zeira) 6 suits of Masterwork Studded Leather Armour 4 Masterwork Longswords 4 Masterwork Heavy Maces 2 Masterwork Heavy Crossbows 120 Crossbow Bolts 10 +1 Crossbow Bolts A Wand of Hold Person 4 Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds Rope of Climbing Loot from the Warden's Office (S4) 500 gp 4 Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds 3 Potions of Lesser Restoration 2 Potions of Remove Disease |
The party returned to town to the cheers and revelry of the township. Informed of there actions by Kendra, the town knew the risks the party had gone to keep them safe. They'd even seen them try to keep people safe, organising to protect the statue and clean up after attacks. Although not everyone in town was happy about it the council awarded them 3000 gold pieces for defeating the ghosts and keeping Ravengro safe - and everyone in it alive.
They simply now needed to relax and enjoy there final three weeks in the town before returning the Professor's books and collecting there reward as part of his will. But with everyone safe it should be relaxing time.
To be continued in...The Trial of the Beast!