Carrion Crown - Requiem Aeternae (IC)

[Ionbound]

Darvan laughs, and says, "I think we'll both end up wishin' that's what happened. No, something smeared a big red V over the memorial plaque. I had a chat with the Sheriff, and he said you know somethin' about the prison? Me and some other folk are thinkin' 'bout taking a quick peek at the ruins."

[Lost Demiurge]

The man ruminates for a bit. "Ch. Probably bored kids. Too cold to head out to the pastures for cowtipping, so they go for low hanging fruit. Well, so to speak."

SENSE MOTIVE DC 8

Spoiler

Show

At the mention of you going to the prison, the man's face conveys a quick and visible reassessment of your sensibility, and he is quite clearly trying to figure out how much money he can get out of this damnfool before said damnfool ends up horribly dead in Harrowstone.

"Well! I personally don't know much. Unlike SOME old coots who SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, I don't go to horribly haunted places full of things that probably want to eat the living."

"But..." He gestures to the open door of the backroom, which is even more full of papers. "I've got some old records the town council was going to throw out. Been cleaning the parchment, reusing them. Some of them are from that era. Hope you're a scholar m'lad, they're not exactly sorted. Hell, some of them are in dwarvish, and old varisian."

"Just 10 gold a day, and you can read as you please in the back room."

"Or if you're looking to improve your odds, I've got all manner of scrolls full of spells. Not so many religious, mostly arcane."

"Got a few more useful things, but I don't reckon you could afford them. Wands and suchlike."

[Ionbound]

Darvan's demeanor quickly turns from friendly to annoyed, and he says, "I am a cleric of Cayden Cailen. You don't think I can't deal with some undead? Ha. Very funny. How about this deal instead. I pay you 15 GP, and take the parchments off your hands. I can assure you they'll be well cared for."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolling Diplomacy (1d20+5)[20]

[Lost Demiurge]

The old man sighs, and looks sour.

"Maybe you can, maybe you can't. I know that place is a deathtrap, judging by the number of folks who thought they could handle themselves and went in there to go graverobbing. Y'know they only found the ones that made it OUTSIDE the walls when they died, right?"

"As to the books and papers... The parchment's worth easily a hundred gold or more to me for materials alone. A few soakings and minor cantrips to get the ink out, redrying and mixing, and I save on scroll material costs. So no, you can't have it for fifteen gold."

"But if you think you're all that and a bag of goats, I suppose I could lower the research price to six gold a day."

[Ionbound]

Darvan grumbles something about "stupid subscription-based schemes", but says to the man, "Fine. I'll bring someone who can actually make some sense of the records later."

[Lost Demiurge]

The proprietor smiles, and gets back to his work.

[Mr. Turniphead]

As the sheriff departs, June calls after him, "If you need help, I'll be around."

With that said, she gives Kendra a nod in greeting, mulling over the other woman's words about their situation.

"They all seem like good leads, but I for one am going to have breakfast before I do anymore running around."

[Lost Demiurge]

Kendra, for the first time you've met her, chuckles. "Breakfast sounds good. Shall I cook one up, or shall we go see what Zokar's wife is preparing at the tavern?"

[Mr. Turniphead]

June considers the options for only a moment, "Let's go to the tavern. Like Zokar said, we can save you some trouble that way."

[mucat]

While June and Pallik conferred with the Sheriff, Andrei had been poring the defiled plaque alongside Mivvim. He reaches into his coat pocket, and draws out a couple of empty vials -- which he hands to the alchemist, in case he had brought none of his own down from the house -- and the magnifying glass Professor Lorrimor had bequeathed him. "If you would like a hand testing these samples back in the lab, I have dabbled now and then in alchemy," he offers.

Andrei takes a moment to turns the magnifying lens over in his hands, admiring its quality and smiling slightly at the memories it invokes. Let's put this to good use then. He launches a closer examination of the blood splatters on the plaque and the snow nearby. But why do I feel like I should have a deer-stalker cap? He shakes off the strange thought; clearly his brain is still half-fogged from sleep.

A short time later, Andrei rises and walks over to the riverside in time to catch the last bits of conversation with Sheriff Caeller. He nods respectfully, then asks before the Sheriff departs, "When we have finished taking samples for Mivvim's work, would you like us to clean the statue, or leave it as it is for evidence?"

After the Sheriff departs, he adds to June, "If our prankster -- and I hope that's all he is -- struck from the river, then he must have entered it somewhere. Would you like to take a look up and down the bank for more tracks? Sheriff Caeller will be looking as well, I am certain, but another pair of eyes can do no harm...and yours are clearly the sharpest we have for work of this sort."

He considers for a moment, then asks, "You don't suppose he would have been so foolish as to buy some sort of cold protection at the charm shop before leaving barefoot prints in the snow for us? It's a long shot, but I might head over there after Mr. Daleborn and speak with the owner. Pallik, would you like to speak with Father Grimburrow? You may have the best odds of any of us of convincing him that we are not servants of Darkness..."

Andrei glances toward Kendra as he speaks, clearly inviting her comment on the plans; she knows all these people better than we do.

"Perhaps we can all meet at Zokar's tavern afterward to compare notes? He did invite us to come by, and we might manage to break the ice a bit with the locals."

[Lost Demiurge]

The sherriff nods at Andrei. "Cleanin' the statue would save me the trip later in the day. Sure, go for it friend, and much obliged."

Kendra considers Andrei's suggestions, then nods in agreement. "Well, let's have breakfast first at least. It won't set us back long, and we can split up afterwards. I'll cover the bill."

With your bellies reminding you that breakfast has not been obtained, you find your way to the Laughing Demon. The sign outfront is a red, cartoon devil's face, with exagarrated handlebar mustaches. It really looks like something you'd see painted on a circus tent...

But inside, the room is cozy and warm, the low ceiling holding the heat well, and the tables and chairs are clean and sturdy. The fireplace is large and roaring, as wood burns and snaps within. The windows are honest to god glass and let in plenty of light and warmth, with thick curtains pulled to the side. This being Ustalav, of course, holy symbols of Pharasma and strands of garlic are nailed above every door and window. But the atmosphere is warm, and the patrons, if a little quiet when you're around, seem inclined to let you eat in peace. Davran joins you shortly, his business with the store owner done.

The bill of fare today is... Full moon omelettes, with werebacon and hell's own hotcakes. Huh.

The food, despite the... Humorous?... Names is quite simple and good, and Zokar's wife Tcherna is happy to serve you. She asks you for details about the statue, having heard snippets from passerby and the village gossips, who have already seized on the story.

About midway through your meal, a couple of nearby patrons break out a set of panpipes and a fiddle, and start tuning up, to the merriment of their friends. They're mostly practicing but they don't mind the audience.

Midway through the third rendition of "The goat who fled the shepherd," there's a

CRASH!!!

Jerking your head around, you see five... No, six batlike creatures the size of housecats, multiple wings clattering, reddish eyes glowing! They just burst in through an eastern window! Patrons scream and yell as the creatures spread out, needle-like beaks twitching as they close in on people, wings bobbing eerily in unison...

KNOWLEDGE NATURE DC 13

Spoiler

Show

Stirges! It's very strange to see a flock this size anywhere near a civilized area...

ANY PERFORMANCE SKILL DC 12, OR PERCEPTION CHECK DC 20

Spoiler

Show

Their wings aren't just moving in unison. They're moving in time with the music...

BEGIN COMBAT ROUND 1

[DarkOne-Rob]

"Pallik, would you like to speak with Father Grimburrow? You may have the best odds of any of us of convincing him that we are not servants of Darkness..."

"My relationship with the church is somewhat...complicated. I will go to the Father, but I make no guarantees that he will be pleased to see me and discuss anything..." Pallik responds, resignation showing on his face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 1

Spoiler: Character status

Show

Pallik Wiston
Male Lawful Good Human Paladin (Hospitaler), Level 1, Init +6, HP 17/17, Speed 30 (20 Currently)
AC 19, Touch 10, Flat-footed 19, CMD 13, Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1, CMB +3, Base Attack Bonus 1
Masterwork, +1 Damage vs Undead Masterwork Longsword (N/A) +4 (1d8+2, 19-20/x2)
+1 Damage vs Undead Dagger (1) +3 (1d4+2, 19-20/x2)
+1 Damage vs Undead Warhammer (N/A) +3 (1d8+2, x3)
Splint Mail, Masterwork Masterwork Heavy Steel Shield (+7 Armor, +2 Shield)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18
Condition None

"Keep Kendra and the townsfolk safe! And what are these things?" Pallik cries out, standing up and getting between the creatures and Kendra.

Spoiler: Combat actions

Show

Initiative roll - (1d20+6)[12]
Move to a position between Kendra and the attackers. Then prepare an action to attack when one of them comes into melee range.
Attack roll (1d20+4)[8]
Damage roll (1d8+2)[3] x2 on a natural 19 or 20
(Crit confirmation roll, if needed - (1d20+4)[6])

[DarkOne-Rob]

Perception check - (1d20-1)[14]

(Hoping for a natural 20)

[Ionbound]

Darvan, who up until this point had been enjoying the humorous food and generally having a nice chat about the shopkeeper mutters, "Oh hell. This is unpleasant," and jumps to his feet. When he hears Pallik yell, "What are these things?" he replies at a shout, "Stirges! Nasty bloodsucking little bastards! Think giant mosquitoes!" as he charges at the nearest one and tries to cave it's head in with his morningstar.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Initiative: (1d20+3)[7]
Action: Draw morningstar and charge at the nearest stirge: Attack roll (1d20+4)[10]
Damage: (1d8+2)[8]

[Mr. Turniphead]

June was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the creatures, unsure of what they are until Darvan calls out.

Wasting no more time, June nocks an arrow and fires at one of the creatures closest to a civilian.

Spoiler

Show

Initiative! (1d20+6)[20]
Standard: (1d20+6)[25] [roll]1d8+4[roll]

"Get behind us!" She calls out.

[mucat]

"I suspect it has been years since the good Father was pleased to see anyone, but he may respect you as..." Andrei is gesturing with a forkful of Hell's Own Hotcakes when the CRASH of shattering glass interrupts him. He drops his fork and reaches for his walking stick as the breakfast patrons erupt in panic.

"They are reacting to the music!" Pallik seems to have Kendra and those near her well protected, so Andrei heads for the musicians, who seem to be the focus of the buzzing parasites' attention. He grips the head of the ebony cane, and with a flourish and a metallic whisper, a thin steel blade slides free from the stick. Taking a defensive stance between the stirges and the townfolk, he jabs at the one hovering nearest...

Spoiler: Combat Actions

Show

Initiative: (1d20+1)[10]

The stirges seem to be reacting to the music, so Andrei assumes the musicians are their most likely target, and will try to get into position to defend them.

Drawing the blade of a sword-cane is a swift action, so if I understand correctly, he can move and attack this round. (If not, he will still try to position himself so that any stirge trying to get past him at the civilians would provoke an Attack of Opportunity.)

Attack: (1d20+1)[19]
Damage: (1d6+1)[4]

[moondoggy]

Mivvim was busy gnawing on a biscuit when the group of mosquito-birds burst in. Taking a quick cue from his friends he quickly whips together an alchemist's bomb and hurls it at the avian beasts, taking care to exclude innocents from the blast radius.

Spoiler: Rollings

Show

Attack: (1d20+6)[23]
Damage: (1d6+4)[7] (this counts as fire damage. anything in the splash radius takes 5 fire damage, DC 15 Reflex for half)

[Lost Demiurge]

MUSIC: A Dirge of Stirges (Castlevania SOTN - Dance of Illusion)

Without missing a beat, June draws her bow and nails one bat-thing to the wall with an arrow! It expires, noisily.

And then the flittering beasts are in among the crowd...

Three of them go for bystanders... All but one of the patrons are untouched as they scramble away, but an elderly fisherman yells in pain as one sinks its nose into his arm. He flails at it as it starts drawing blood in great gulps, its abdomen starting to distend and turn bright red...

One of them goes for Pallik, but finds no purchase on his skin. Another flickers over to Darvan, latches on to his side, and slips its probiscus between his ribs. It's oddly painless. Then the thing starts to draw blood...

Oddly enough, none of them went after the band. In fact, one of them had a clear shot, and declined to charge. Went after a farther target instead.

Mivvim draws a bomb, and activates the fulminate... And is forced to wait, as all his targets have people nearby. He tosses it from paw to paw, waiting for his moment...

Andrei takes his sword-cane to the one on the fisherman, gouging it badly! It shifts and scrambles, flittering its wings...

"EVOC ZEI!" A bright dart lashes out from Kendra's hand as she casts, and the one on the fisherman is blown to bits by magical force, splattering Andrei with stolen blood. "Ah... Sorry..."

SPELLCRAFT DC 16

Spoiler

Show

Just a simple magic missile.

Pallik attacks his stirge, to no avail as it dodges. Likewise, Darvan fails to scrape his stirge off as it draws, and draws...

The crowd finally gets its act together, and runs for it! The people nearest the door hoof it out, and a few nearer to you listen to June, and get behind your table. The band is among that number, as they stop playing...

...And the stirges' wings slow. They start wobbling, and moving randomly...

...And one of the free ones gets blown to bits as Mivvim pastes it in the probiscus with a bomb.

Leaving two unattached stirges flittering around the room, diving at anyone who gets too near, and one on Darvan draining away...

DARVAN

Spoiler

Show

That'll be 1 point of constitution damage.

BEGIN ROUND 2

[Ionbound]

Darvan grunts, "Let go...of me...you little...BASTARD!" as he swings his morning-star down at the one on his side.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Attack Roll: (1d20+2)[20]
Damage (1d8+2)[5]

[DarkOne-Rob]

Round 2

Spoiler: Character status

Show

Pallik Wiston
Male Lawful Good Human Paladin (Hospitaler), Level 1, Init +6, HP 17/17, Speed 30 (20 Currently)
AC 19, Touch 10, Flat-footed 19, CMD 13, Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1, CMB +3, Base Attack Bonus 1
Masterwork, +1 Damage vs Undead Masterwork Longsword (N/A) +4 (1d8+2, 19-20/x2)
+1 Damage vs Undead Dagger (1) +3 (1d4+2, 19-20/x2)
+1 Damage vs Undead Warhammer (N/A) +3 (1d8+2, x3)
Splint Mail, Masterwork Masterwork Heavy Steel Shield (+7 Armor, +2 Shield)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18
Condition None

"Something strange is going on here. These things seemed organized before, but now they're not! What is going on?" He continues to defend Kendra and the townsfolk behind the table. "Kendra, careful with that magic!"

Spoiler: Combat actions

Show

Attack a stirge if one is in reach without moving. If not, ready an attack to strike a stirge when it gets within reach. Will take a five foot step to enable a flanking bonus for himself or allies if needed, but won't leave Kendra undefended.

Attack roll (1d20+4)[11]
Damage roll (1d8+2)[9] x2 on a natural 19 or 20
Crit confirmation roll (if needed) (1d20+4)[18]
Sense motive skill check (directed at the band) (1d20+3)[6]

[Mr. Turniphead]

June moves on to a new target, drawing back and letting loose another shot at one of the creatures.

Spoiler

Show

Standard: Firing an Arrow at unoccupied Stirge. (1d20+6)[9]
Damage: (1d8+4)[12]

[mucat]

Andrei gives Kendra a quick salute of thanks for the timely magical aid.

"It was the music!" he answers Pallik. "Either I've lost my mind, or their wings were beating time! Can we net one, to investigate?"

Andrei grabs his coat from the back of his chair. Spreading the coat like a makeshift tarp, he lunges a surviving stirge, hoping to trap the creature alive in its folds.

Spoiler

Show

If it's a decent but not great roll -- say, 10 to 19 -- then he'll spend two inspiration points to improve it. Catching this thing alive would be interesting.

(1d20+1)[10] plus (1d6)[6] Inspiration if applicable.
(With whatever mods Lost Demiurge thinks make sense for an improvised coat grapple!)

EDIT: Attack roll 16, 3/5 Inspiration remaining.

[Lost Demiurge]

Andrei gives Kendra a quick salute of thanks for the timely magical aid.

"It was the music!" he answers Pallik. "Either I've lost my mind, or their wings were beating time! Can we net one, to investigate?"

Andrei grabs his coat from the back of his chair. Spreading the coat like a makeshift tarp, he lunges a surviving stirge, hoping to trap the creature alive in its folds.

Spoiler

Show

If it's a decent but not great roll -- say, 10 to 19 -- then he'll spend two inspiration points to improve it. Catching this thing alive would be interesting.

[roll0] plus [roll1] Inspiration if applicable.


(With whatever mods Lost Demiurge thinks make sense for an improvised coat grapple!)

EDIT: Attack roll 16, 3/5 Inspiration remaining.

June's arrow goes wide this time, thudding into the wall. The stirges buzz around, and go after the people with the most blood on them! Andrei gets poked, as one perches on his shoulder, drilling into his chest... And one charges for Pallik, barely finding a join in the armor, grabbing ahold of his arm and feeding the thin needle through into his wrist...

"I know what I'm doing!" Yells Kendra. "That spell never misses! Mind you I only had one of those..."

She taps Pallik on the back, muttering a quick spell, and Pallik feels his aim steady... He KNOWS which way to swing the sword, and does so, shredding the thing on his shield arm as it's scraped away.

SPELLCRAFT DC 15

Spoiler

Show

Guidance

Darvan manages to wrench his stirge down to a nearby table, and absolutely DESTROYS it with a morningstar strike. His own stolen blood squirts everywhere.

And with a quick twist, Andrei bundles the coat over the one on his arm, and just manages to peel it off, as he traps it in his garment! The thing buzzes and hums, shrieking in a weird, high-pitched chittering...

...As a couple of the braver patrons step up and beat the coat with their fists, until the thing quiets down.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Oh sweet DESNA, is this tavern a mess. One greasy plate is still smoldering, where Mivvim's bomb set it alight. Splurts and spatters of blood ooze down the walls. It's like a pig exploded in here. The smoldering bacon on the ceiling only helps exacerbate the metaphor.

There's a tense few seconds as the patrons look around, then everyone jumps as Zokar bursts out of the kitchen door with a crossbow... And pauses.

"Oh. My goodness. Ah. Zokar is thinking we're going to be closed, sorry. Anyone who doesn't want to clean up, don't have to go home, but can't stay here."

END COMBAT

[DarkOne-Rob]

Turning to Kendra, Pallik says, "Thank you for the bit of help there at the end, and I am sorry to have yelled at you. Under the stress of combat things can get hectic."

Wiping off his armor and long sword, he looks about the inn, clearly dismayed at the carnage. He turns to the instrumentalists and asks, "Do you all have any idea why they came in here flying in time to your music? That was really strange. Is there anyone who would have a reason to target you all with a magical attack?"

As they answer he begins to turn tables right-side-up again, doing his best to help with the heavy lifting while listening to the conversations around him.

Spoiler: Perception and Sense Motive

Show

(1d20-1)[0] Perception, (1d20+3)[22] sense motive

[Lost Demiurge]

The musicians look at each other and shake their heads. "We.. We were just practicing. No idea... I don't know why they came..."

"Didn't think we were THAT bad." Says the piper. There's some shaken laughter from the crowd, partly driven by adrenaline.

PALLIK

Spoiler

Show

You're pretty sure the crowd was completely surprised by the stirge attack. They don't know what's going on, or what's behind it.

The old fisherman finishes wiping the remnants of the one that latched onto him off, and offers a somewhat gory handshake to Andrei. "Damn thing was after me blood, and ya helped me. Won't ferget that." The other patrons mutter in approval. General consensus seems to be they're glad that a bunch of armed strangers were around, for once.

"Hokay, if you aren't grabbing a mop, out you go. We have to close if we're gonna have a clean room for tonight, ya?" Says Zokar, shooing folks out.

A grubby woman wearing a hunter's coat collects up the more intact stirge bits, frowning. "Few pelts out of this, I reckon. Well, the non exploded ones. Weird. Y'get's em out on the moors sometimes, but they NEVER comes this close to town. Never swarms unless they're starvin', and these is healthy, well-fed stirges..."

[Ionbound]

Darvan takes a couple of deep breaths and tries to stop the bleeding from the wound on his side. "Huff...Huff...Everybody OK? That all? Ha...That wasn't so bad, was it?" He looks at the coat with a suspicious lump, and asks, "You captured one alive? Why? They're just animals. Even if it is weird for them to be in a town."

[mucat]

"Animals who are behaving quite oddly," Andrei answers Darvan. He loosens his grip on the coat slightly, trying to assure the creature trapped within can breathe. "I wanted one alive, to see if it was my imagination that these stirges are music aficionados. Kendra, do you or your father keep any instruments at the house?" He turns to the woman in the hunter's coat and adds, "If it turns out we've got no further use for the thing, we'll assure that you get that pelt too."

He sets the trapped stirge aside, with the edges of the coat weighted to prevent escape, and turns his attention to helping any injured patrons. to clearing up the sharp glass from the shattered window. "I'm sorry you'll have to replace this. I know real glass is hard to obtain," he mentions when Zokar passes nearby. "If I hadn't seen it myself, I would never believe that a determined stirge could shatter glass with its own body. I wish we had such avid fans back in Karcau."

Spoiler: Die Rolls

Show

Seems like we've already had plenty of Sense Motive checks going, and found no one acting out of place...but just in case it's relevant, one more. Looking for anyone behaving oddly, but especially interested in seeing if any of the musicians seem to know more than they let on.

Not burning any Inspiration on this one, since it's a long shot...
(1d20+4)[21]

[Lost Demiurge]

The huntress is thankful for the offer. "Just get it to Zokar, I'm a regular."

Andrei joins several others in scrutinizing the protesting musicians...

Spoiler

Show

They honestly don't know what the hell happened. They weren't doing magic or anything like that, as far as they know.

"Yes..." Says Kendra. "We do have some things at the house that might help figure out what's going on with this. At the very least, a cage to keep it in for now."

Drip, drip, drip.

"Might be good to go there anyway, clean up. There's a bathhouse out back."

[DarkOne-Rob]

"Well, I will clean up and go see Father Grimburrow. I can only hope he has some help to offer us," Pallik says. After cleaning up and saddling up. Mandoren, he rides to the church.

Spoiler: Questions for the priest

Show

Diplomacy check (to make him more willing to help me than he might be already, strictly by-the-book improvement of attitude) (1d20+4)[24]

(We an role play the interaction if you like, but I want sure if that would be tedious or not, given Pallik's unusual nature in the church...)

What can he tell me about the prison ruins?
Why would someone smear blood on the old statue?
Who could avoid injury/illness and do all that barefoot?
What sorts of foes can we expect to find in the ruins?
How should we prepare if we hope to return alive from exploring the ruins?
What else can he offer us to help avenge the Professor's death, protect Kendra, and prevent future problems related to the prison ruins?

[Lost Demiurge]

Pallik rides through town, back to the northern bridge... A few more farmhouses this way, and the edge of some serious fields. The river isn't far, but the visibility is killed by a curtain of mist. It'll burn off by noon. Maybe.

The weathered stone church stands as it always has as he rides up, an acolyte out front giving him a cautious greeting, as he clears the snow from the path.

Father Grimburrow is inside, tending to the floor, cassock sleeves bound up as he scrubs it with rags and soapy water. He looks sourly as Pallik comes in from the cold and wet, but warms up somewhat when Pallik grabs a rag and joins in the cleaning.

The Father's words are, much like everything else he does, grudging. But as Pallik speaks, the paladin comes to realize that it's less a matter of unfriendliness, than it is the fact that the Father LISTENS. To EVERYTHING. Once you fall silent and give him time to ponder, he speaks more freely.

Pallik asks his questions, working them into the conversation.

About the Prison: "Haunted. But it's never affected the town, only the idiots who go there, so the local churches have decided that it's not worth the risk to try and exorcise it. Not sure if we could. A lot of people died in that fire... Not just the guards. All of the prisoners, too..."

Blood on the Old Statue: "I can't say why anyone would do that. It seems disrespectful to the dead heroes."

Avoid Injury/Illness and do that Barefoot: "Mm. A regular person could do that, if they were determined and used to pain or enduring hardship. A "V" doesn't seem like it'd take long to draw, and the statue's only a few hundred feet from the main path. Mind you, it would have to be someone who could put up with much pain and discomfort, and hopefully someone who had a good fire to thaw their toes out afterward."

Foes in the Ruins: The father sighs and closes his eyes. "I knew when I saw that sigil on your armor, that you would wish this course of action. You would find a reason. So be it. It is your choice or the goddess' will, either way I will answer you honestly. As to foes... Many men died unquietly in that prison. Burned to death... I can't imagine that wouldn't produce ghosts and haunts, and things like them. Ghosts are horrific foes, and you must trust to magic or holiness to handle them. Sometimes they have key items, which can weaken them if used properly, or destroyed in their presence. Keep an eye out for them."

"Haunts are like echoes of the dead. Not ghosts, more like situations that happen when triggered. Some haunts can be fought, others must be resisted or solved. After triggering and being fought off or running their course, they fall dormant for usually a day or more, then arm themselves anew. If things grow strange, and the impossible starts to happen, then you are in a haunt and must deal with it somehow. Possessed items can be haunts, destroying them usually works. Things like cold spots or strange noises are lesser haunts, avoiding them is usually best. There are no hard and fast rules though, as each one is different."

Preparing so as to come back alive: "Mm. Well, as you are a knight of the church, I shall open the records in the basement to you and your friends. Perhaps there is something there about Harrowstone, some information that will help."

What else can he offer?: "Well, I can make holy water for you. You must pay the cost of the silver dust, unfortunately. We are not a rich church, here." (25 GP per vial)

"Too, I have some small skill with potions. We keep a few light curatives on hand. I can make more moderately powerful curatives, and other holy brews, but will need warning, first, so I can pray appropriately. Of course I must charge you the cost for components." (He can make 1st and 2nd level divine potions.)

"As to protecting Miss Lorrimor, I am aware of no threat to her. Some of my flock have expressed worry about her, but none have confessed to wishing her ill."

"Preventing future problems with Harrowstone? Mm. It won't be safe until it is cleansed. But I have no notion how such a thing may be accomplished, and the risk involved would be likely to be monumental."