[Pathfinder] Carrion Crown: Part I - The Haunting of Harrowstone

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"No nothing like that at all."

[SanguinePenguin]

"Odd..." the Ghost thought for a moment, called the others over to him, then said, "well, Father... I suppose this is extremely relevant for you, so I should tell you everything I suspect," the white lie was everything, he saw no need for the man to know everything - still, the Ghost would tell him plenty. "Before Petros's death, he was investigating Harrowstone. He wrote in his journal, that he strongly believed that Harrowstone is haunted - and growing increasingly so - likely the work of necromancers. This investigation almost certainly caused his untimely death."

The Ghost paused a moment to order the information in his head. "I spoke with Gibs before coming here. Every piece of evidence points to him committing the defacement, yet he has utterly no reason to have done so. He described for me what he recalls, and his recollection of events is characteristic of... possession. In a nightmare, he met a man - even in Gibs's brief account, the man's allure toward the power of a name was apparent. The man told Gibs that he belonged to him."

The Ghost wearily continued, "one of the prisoners killed in the Harrowstone that fateful day of the fire was a man by the name of Hean Feramin - you may know him as... Splatter Man. He was obsessed with names to the point of insanity. He would slowly, one letter at a time, spell out the name of his victims... in blood and entrails... until he finally would kill them, making their deaths look like an accident. I've heard of ghosts powerful enough to possess an individual and make them do things - as I believe he has done to Gibs."

The Ghost rubbed his forehead, "I checked the records... I was expecting a woman, as all his previous victims were women, but perhaps that trend was coincidence... there are only two people in town who have names beginning with 'V,' one is Councilman Vashian Hearthmount... the other, I think you know, is you... Vauran Grimburrow. It is possible my theory is wrong, but Petros soundly believed there were ghosts in Harrowstone; and I've never known him to be mistaken about things of this nature. It's also possible that there is someone else that is not in the records, but I need more information. I think we will need to go to Harrowstone to learn more."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Father Grimburrow blinks.

"I do not know whether to be frightened by this revelation or surprised at you being so barefaced about it. You say that Gibs was possessed in the dead of night by the ghost of a serial murderer haunting the burned prison? Why hasn't this Splatter Man done something similar in the past? Why has he decided to start possessing people now? And why Gibs?"

((Ghost knows that if something has its choice of hosts for possession, it will select the victim whose mental resolve is the weakest.))

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Meanwhile, while the Gray Ghost is researching...

Cade leaves the Temple for a moment and wanders back to the town square, crossing the bridge over the river and passing by Gib's Shack, one of the Posting Poles where Ravengro's news and other announcements are tacked, and Kendra's house. The town square is centered by a simple wooden gazebo. Cade notices an old dog napping beneath it peacefully. Surrounding this gazebo is a small forge tended by a severe-looking dwarf woman, a well-maintained apothecary that Cade notices Sheriff Caeller hanging around, the Jail right next door to that. Between that and the general store next door is another Posting Pole. Next to the general store is the Outward Inn that Kendra spoke of yesterday. Between that and the next building is a very official and quiet-looking building that has the words "Town Hall" over the door. Next to that is a quite fancy-looking place with barred windows. The sign over the door reads "The Silk Purse: Taigh and Yearburn, Moneylenders."

Just as Cade is taking it all in, something feels odd, and he finds himself retracing his steps back across the river to the temple, just as the Gray Ghost is revealing his findings to Father Grimburrow.

[SanguinePenguin]

For the first time since he began his research, the Ghost emit a soft chuckle, "Father, I hold no delusions that you are perceiving my words as the constructs of a sound mind. I tell you these things not because I am confident that they are true, but because I am terrified that they may be true. If they are, you could very well be in grave danger. While you may not believe me now, if things come to pass in such a manner that I fear, and you find yourself a target of the supernatural, then I sincerely wish that you possess this knowledge... and survive. In Petros's journal... he is by no means complete... but he makes several entries noting that he was trying to stop some activities of necromancers. His comments predicate an urgency. I don't believe Splatter Man's ghost was existing... or at least not powerful... until some time around Petros's death."

The Ghost sighed again deeply, he was not happy to be telling the priest all of this, but he actually liked the man and wished no harm to come to him. "Gibs is a natural choice - a simple man, weakly willed. Given a choice, those with weak wills are invariably the targets for possession."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"What do you intend to do then? Confront the Splatter Man in Harrowstone? How would you even find such a spirit? If you did, how would you exorcise it? Can it possess anyone else?"

[chrisrawr]

Cam increasingly dislikes what he's hearing. Not a bookish man himself, he's been happy to leave things to Ghost so far, and if the... suspect... was one to hide behind the madness of names and words, well, there wasn't much he could do there, either. Ruefully, he offers his advice.

"We should delve Harrowstone, next. You say this may be the work of a killer's spirit? Then I say let us smash its anchors, or destroy its summoners. There's something heading into Harrowstone, something that leaves no lasting tracks, something that does. not. want. to be. found." With a last glance at each of them, he adds, in a whisper, "I'm going to get my things. Who knows what's waiting there."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Father Grimburrow blinks again.

"You're sure it's not just a lingering spiritual trace of the wagons that brought prisoners to Harrowstone back when it was active?"

[chrisrawr]

Cam glares at the minister, and moves off, muttering, "A chance I'm not willing to take."

[SanguinePenguin]

"Cam is right... that is the only thing we can do. Other than that, I honestly don't know what to do. I know a bit, academically, about exorcising spirits, but nothing more," the Ghost looked a bit downtrodden at this comment.

"Whether it can possess others... I have no clue. Whether there are more spirits... I do not know. To be completely frank, were it not for Petros and his last requests, I would tell you what I know and leave this town. However, my debt to the man is keeping me here. In fact, the main reason I am telling you is so that someone else in the town knows of this threat. I am neither confident in my assumptions, nor composed on this subject. Still, we must go to Harrowstone soon, as that may be the only place that we can get further answers. If my fears are unfounded, that will be excellent news."

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest, whos research attempts had yielded very little, sits and concentrates on the Ghosts' summation of the things that had come to pass.
He looks distinctly unnerved when Ghost starts spilling the beans about everything, especially the parts they had agreed were very sensitive details.
He does not raise his voice, however, until after Cam heads out.

"Call me a downer, but we are in absolutely no shape to fight ghosts. Like the Father said, what could we really do? I'm sure as hell no exorcist. Before we go marchin' into Harrowstone with swinging sticks and throwing rocks as our best weapons, we need to prepare."
The moment the Father turns to someone other than Ghost or himself, Garpest catches Ghosts' attention and mouths to him:
"Crypt in the Restlands."

Do I need to make any sort of check for this?

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Not really. It's not like you're conveying a secret message. You could make the Diplomacy check yourself if you feel up to it (Warning: It's a DC of 27).

[Ulmaxes]

Nah, it's k, I just don't want the Father to see him say it. Garpest knows asking the Father would be a bad idea- he thinks giving him as much info as Ghost has is already too much.

[chrisrawr]

Cam enters the room Kendra provided, and changes out of his nightclothes - he'd been in them far too long. Wrapped in a towel and carrying his armor, clothes, and boots, he begins looking for the washing room.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Kendra happens upon him.

"Oh! Oh, Cam, you're back. I didn't hear you come in."

She blushes a bit at seeing the half-elf's well-maintained physique.

[SanguinePenguin]

The Ghost shrugged back at Garpest - perhaps he could bully the man into letting them into the crypt, but that seemed unlikely. He looked to Harris with nudging glance and looked back to the priest.

[chrisrawr]

"Sorry, I'm... unused to announcing my presence," Cam replies. "I'd like to wash up, if you could point me to the bathing room?" As they walk, he asks, "Would you like to join me for a bath?"

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"Sorry, I'm... unused to announcing my presence," Cam replies. "I'd like to wash up, if you could point me to the bathing room?" As they walk, he asks, "Would you like to join me for a bath?"

The last question snaps Kendra out of her momentary daze.

"Gracious no! I mean, the bath's just down the hall. I'll join you later. For tea! I'll put some tea on for later! Oh!"

She appears quite flustered, in a very cute way.

[chrisrawr]

Shaking his head at the shackles and barriers of civilized life, Cam heads to the bath.

[SanguinePenguin]

Harris stepped forward, touting his parade regalia and his calming voice - a voice of reason weighted against Ghost's ominous soothsayings. "Father, be his suspicions erroneous or correct, you know there is something... off with Harrowstone. Whether dwelling in there is an evil cabal of necromancers, the ghosts of killers long since dead, or even nothing at all - someone should look into it. We are willing... but I do not know if we are able. As a priest to a god so opposed to the vile nature of necromancy, are there any tools or tricks you can provide for us to either protect us from the undead or aid us in their defeat, so that we may look into this - for the safety of your town and its inhabitants?"

Diplomacy: [roll0] +2 parade armor / +2 Ghost aid another

Edit: well, that was underwhelming

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"I'm afraid we have nothing we can give. We're a simple congregation here, Ravengro's never had problems necessitating those kinds of tools. This isn't Ardis or Caliphas."

His expression looks honest. It may be that he doesn't even know the cache exists.

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest sits pefectly still, not moving a muscle.
He watches patiently as the Ghost speaks with the good-intentioned minister.
"Our only choice is breaking in. The priest could never allow that, so we have to do it behind his back. I don't like it, but it beats wandering into that hellhole without any real weapons" he thinks to himself.

[SanguinePenguin]

The Ghost bows politely, "I understand father. I know you do not believe me, but please heed my words. If, Gods forbid," he added under his breath, "we perish in Harrowstone - whatever odd circumstances seem to surround our deaths - consider the possibility that what I fear is the truth. For the moment, I have no intention of sharing what I've shared with you with others. I thank you again for access to the library. There are another thing I would like to look for before we leave." The Ghost began to search for maps - one of Harrowstone and one, subtly, of the Restlands.


Map of Harrowstone
Know (local): [roll0]
Know (history): [roll1]

Map of Restlands
Know (local): [roll2]

[Archpaladin Zousha]

The temple has extensive records of who has lived and died in Ravengro, but nothing about Harrowstone's floorplans. There's also no indication in any funerary records of false crypts.

[chrisrawr]

Cam towels off, dresses, and heads out to find Kendra. For tea. He hopes the others find something of use - Heading into Harrowstone with a bit of foreknowledge would be better than nothing.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Kendra has the tea all ready, with a pair of muffins as well.

"I hope you like blueberry."

[SanguinePenguin]

"Thank you again, Father," the Ghost bows low before leaving the temple. If the father knew about the crypt in the Restlands, he did not think their cause was just enough to inform them about it. If Ghost was wrong, he thought they could return the items later. It is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.

[chrisrawr]

"Only when there are no bears around," Cam says, matter of factually, before letting slip a small smile. "Did your father ever talk about how he and I met, or much about his travels in general?" he asks, "It'd... be nice to know what he thought of me. Not many people in my life hold a great deal of sway over how I think of myself, but your father was one."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"Father rarely discussed his expeditions with me, but he did mention you by name a few times. He said you were one of the best trackers and most loyal men he'd ever met. And judging by what you accomplished this morning I'd say he was right on both counts."

[SanguinePenguin]

Once they were far from potentially prying ears, Ghost turned to the others and spoke in a whisper, "the priest either doesn't think my concerns are valid or he doesn't know about these tools in the crypt. Either way, tonight we should enter the Restlands and find them. Maybe then we can enter Harrowstone with a little confidence. Let's go get Cam and investigate after sunset."

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest agrees.

[arkol]

Cade small stature and silent nature propably made him go unoticed as the conversation and research went by but when Ghost mentions his plan he nods in agreement.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

You bid Father Grimburrow farewell and return to Kendra's house. There, you await nightfall, to begin your illicit "grave-robbing."

[chrisrawr]

Cam doesn't get much more talking in as the others arrive, but his foot might have accidentally brushed Kendra's at one point. He wasn't sure, and worse, he wasn't sure why that mattered.

He looks to Kendra for a moment, before clearing his throat, "I... think we'll need more tea."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

"I'll go make some more. Was the muffin good?"

[chrisrawr]

"Your muffin was delicious," he replies.
You are a terrible, terrible person >:C

[SanguinePenguin]

For a few hours, the Ghost rested his eyes in his room at Kendra's home. He would need his wits in top form if he was to find the hidden weapons of the Restlands. Carrack sat on his lap calmly, darting off only one to catch a wolf spider scurrying across the floor. After sunset, he knew it was time. He rose and walked out to meet the others.

"Alright, my friends. We should head to the Restlands and investigate the area Lorrimor mentioned. Hopefully we might find these tools to aid us in laying the spirit's to rest... assuming the Petros was correct," the Ghost rubbed his forehead, "Gods... even I'm starting to wonder if I'm acting crazy. If we find the items and there is nothing in Harrowstone, then we should return them to the crypt."

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest, now fully garbed in his mail, is in the corner making sure everything on ZipZip is strapped tightly and securely. His well-polished lance hangs on Zip's right side, ready to be mounted at a moment's notice.
"You're not crazy. I know crazy. Old Professor was crazy. And we're half crazy just getting caught up in all this."
He smiles (an odd event for him).
"Professor used to tell me- when they call you crazy, you know you're doing something right. It's how I know I've been doing something right all my life."

[Archpaladin Zousha]

After Kendra goes to bed, the group assembles and makes for the Restlands.

Gimme some Stealth checks.

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest was never known for his subtlety, whether in battle or otherwise.
Stealth:[roll0]

[chrisrawr]

[roll0] I almost wrote out "slashroll" for /roll :I.

Cam sits while the group assembles.

[arkol]

[roll0]

We suck at this. Badly.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Fortunately, no one seems to be about as they travel to the Restlands. The crypt is easy enough to find, a freestanding granite mausoleum, the roof of which is decorated with a pair of leering gargoyle statues. A single stone door with a rusty-looking lock sits in the mausoleum's south facade.

[arkol]

Assuming no one can disable device it, can it be sundered? I could acid splash it to "death" :smallwink:

[SanguinePenguin]

Jacob stepped up to the lock. A quiet man, he wasn't sure he wanted to be doing this. He withdrew his picks and skeleton keys and set about undoing the lock.

Disable Device: [roll0]
See OOC for 26 on next roll.

I am droning Jacob to open this. His sheet is missing a lot. I assumed that when he leveled he put another rank in this. Edit: and that he has tools to pick locks. (Since he never bought anything...)

[chrisrawr]

Survival and Perception around the area, taking 20 for 28ish on each.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Make a Perception check.

[arkol]

perception
[roll0]

[Archpaladin Zousha]

As the group fiddles the lock, it slides open easily. Closer examination reveals the lock has been melted by acid and then carefully replaced to look like it's still intact.

[SanguinePenguin]

"Someone has been here already... of course, the professor... Cam, can you try to track his movements, see where he went inside?" The Ghost was expecting to have to hunt for what they needed, but perhaps the professor left them enough clues unintentionally to make their lives much easier.

[chrisrawr]

Cam nods, already looking around.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

Cam enters the crypt. It's pretty easy to tell where the Professor went by his footprints in the dust.

[SanguinePenguin]

The ghost follows Cam into the crypt. Using his orcish eyes and their ability to see in the dark, he examines the insides of the crypt.

I want a description of the crypt.

Perception: [roll0] and take 10 on perception as well in case I roll a 1.

[arkol]

Cade also follows inside...

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest~[roll0]
ZipZip~[roll1]
If these are too late to matter atm, just apply them to the next appropriate time

[Archpaladin Zousha]

The Professor's footprints lead the group further into the crypt, to a single large sarcophagus in the deepest part of the crypt. All is silent.

[chrisrawr]

Cam mouths a silent prayer, and then searches for a way to push the sarcophagus open.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

All of a sudden, a skittering noise is heard throughout the crypt.

[chrisrawr]

Hello? Anyone around? Cam doesn't react to these things with words - All he's going to do is try to spot what made the noise, and maybe point at it :I [roll0]

[Archpaladin Zousha]

He sees what looks like a large worm sliding up one of the cracks in the walls.

[chrisrawr]

Trip roll, going to bed after this. I hope this isn't just a gimmick to get me to attack a wall and have things get all crumbly and trap us :I That would be terrible. [roll0], will trip it. If it tries to get up, I'll use another trip attempt to drag it 5 feet toward me. KnoNat and dungeoneering taking 10 for 17/16 - if it's not something that can be tripped, I'll simply squish it [roll1], [roll2]

"Bug." Cam says, attempting a closer look. If it's nothing serious, he'll continue trying to open the sarc.

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest reserves his action, waiting to see if the bug is a threat. The crypt probably doesn't have too much room for his to go charging around in, and there may be valuables around.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

As if in answer, a pair of gigantic centipedes burst from the wall, skittering towards the group.

Initiative time!

[chrisrawr]

Looking toward Ghost, Cam tilts his head. "Anything you can do?" he asks, before switching to meteor mode, in order to meet with this dual threat.

[roll0]

[arkol]

I thought we had agred on the DM rolling initiative for everyone?

anyways here's mine:

[roll0]

Also:

How far away the things are? Any obstacles in the way?

[SanguinePenguin]

The Ghost is surprised by the sudden appearance of the creatures - still, he is more surprised by Cam's request. He responds almost in shock, "umm, do? Right..." Gathering his wits, he thinks of what he knows about this species of centipede. Also, with a smooth wave of his arm, he commands, "sleep."

DC 16 or sleep for two rounds on the 'closer' of the two centipedes.

Know(nature): [roll0]

[Archpaladin Zousha]

The centipedes aren't even fazed by this.

The Gray Ghost recalls that these centipedes, about the size of a horse, have poisonous mandibles and their simple minds are immune to mystical trickery.

You can all act, my initiative for these things sucked.

[chrisrawr]

Cam takes a step into range, and lashes out, chain and ball.

5-foot step, attack centipede 1, for lack of better term. [roll0], [roll1], [roll2], [roll3]

[Archpaladin Zousha]

The meteor hammer reduces the centipede to a pile of crushed carapace and steaming goo.

[Ulmaxes]

Garpest gives ZipZip the signal, braces himself, and attempts to plunge his polished lance deep into the creature's head. In a flash, the frenzy of fur and armor flies towards the centipede with lethal force.
Attack:1d20+7
Damage: [roll0]. Doubled because of charging with a lance.

[Ulmaxes]

Actual Attack Roll. Giving up trying to use mobile browser for this stuff. -_- Attack: [roll0]]

[arkol]

The small hafling grabs what looks like a flash of acid from his belt and at first it seems he's donna trow it but instead he points his finger at the remaining centipede and a small green orb speeds in it's direction.



casting acid splash with a flash of acid as a focus for +1 damage

[roll0]

[roll1]

[chrisrawr]

My grandmother died this morning (Sunday, June 19, 2011). I'm going halfway across the country to her funeral, and will be largely unable to post for the next week. Sorry for the inconvenience. If the need arises, DMPC me as Hercules.