Carrion Crown (in character)

[Athaleon]

Salem blinked in surprise as the irons were shattered by his bullet. It seemed a little too easy, but perhaps the professor's devices helped with that. "Hope we have enough of those vials," he muttered as he resumed covering Lubella as she took the lead.

[Celticbear]

The room is completely empty except for a ghostly woman crying in the corner.

[raspberrybadger]

Kelenos turns to Salem and says simply "Agreed."

[PCScipio]

Lubella approached the apparition and said gently, "What's wrong, my dear? Can I help?" She studied the woman's appearance for clues to her identity.

Spoiler: OOC

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Some skills that might be applicable:

Diplomacy: (1d20+9)[10]
Sense Motive: (1d20+5)[15]
Perception: (1d20+5)[7]
Knowledge Local: (1d20+5)[19]
Knowledge Religion: (1d20+5)[25]
Knowledge History (Untrained): (1d20+1)[21]

[Celticbear]

Oh, guardsman! Thank goodness you're here! There's a riot going on outside, there are prisoners everywhere, don't you see them?

[PCScipio]

"Are you Kessorianna?", Lubella asked. "My name is Lubella."

[Kiranvonstrom]

Mirela quickly scanned the room, looking for any sign of the Splatter Man's telltale lettering. If this ghost, likely Kessoriana, was his target, there might be some sign of his attack. Or, perhaps, he had chosen to spell her name away from her notice, for some reason known only to the serially murderous ghost. Whatever the Splatter Man wanted from Kessoriana, it couldn't be good for the town, or, more importantly, for Kendra.

There was something relaxing to Mirela about the presence of the dead who still mostly had their mind about them. They were predictable, mostly, in their way, once you learned enough about their habits. Mirela could understand them. Far more than Mirela could navigate people, at least.

Mirela curtsied to the ghost, her demeanor instantly shifting from everything you've seen of Mirela, to the picture or a baroque noblewoman. Her posture straightens, her lips curve into what for all the world seems to be a genuine smile, and something about the effect makes her clothing seem less baroque and more appropriate to a woman of her station. You'd believe it to be a complicated act, if it didn't look so genuine.

"Ma'am, my name is Lady Mirela Arsbeta Korvischia Tiriac, and I believe we are here to save you" Mirela says, rising from her curtsy.

[Celticbear]

Oh thank goodness! I've been here for so long. My husband kept me company, but now that he's gone I'm all that's left between the the world outside and... those evil men. I don't mean to ask so much of you when we first met, but you must destroy these spirits. If you do this and find my husband's badge, we can put an end to this nightmare forever!

[PCScipio]

"That is why we've come," Lubella replied. "Where did you see your husband last? We're not familiar with the layout of this prison."

[Celticbear]

I didn't see him. But I do know the wolf-man toke him. Though, the wolf-man really isn't a man, is he? He's a monster.

[PCScipio]

"Do you know where the Wolf-man took him, or why?", Lubella asked. Could this be the same "Lucimar" that's been following us?

[Kiranvonstrom]

"A wolf man? Oh, how horrible," Mirela's polite horror seemed almost genuine.

Something was stolen from the prison. Someone, rather, but my theory was right. And our undead friend was responsible. Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to just to steal a ghost, though. I can't imagine it's out of a desire to destroy Ravengro, not from someone like this 'Lucimar'. Far too petty. The Way doesn't work like that. My first thought is an attempt to ascend. But Lucimar is himself ascended to lichdom. Why pursue this while already having achieved that? And, if it isn't Lucimar, why attempt to impersonate him?

The dhampir was more than willing to let Lubella ask the questions as she pored over this new information in her head.

We keep circling around the same questions, only finding answers to the unasked ones. We just need to pin Lucimar, or his impersonator, down for enough time to ask a few questions.

Of course, there is the chance that this Kessoriana is merely another illusion.
But why credit himself with removing a ghost? Why steer us toward exorcising Harrowstone?

[Celticbear]

The wolf-man cast what I believed was a sending spell right before he left with my husband. He said,
'I have the first piece, send word to A.A.'

[PCScipio]

Lubella said something very impetuous at this point: "I am going to rescue your husband!" This was an absurd thing to say, given the apparent power of Lucimar. She had no thought of how this might be achieved. She didn't say 'we" because she couldn't speak for the others. Really, it just popped into her head, and she said it!

There was a reason for her to want to rescue Warden Hawkren. Professor Lorrimor seemed to think that the Whispering Way were after someone in the prison. She had a gut feeling that if they wanted the warden so badly, it must be for some terrible purpose. Something that must be stopped!

[Celticbear]

Spoiler: OOC

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For incredible role-playing and monster slaying, you have gained a level!

[Athaleon]

Salem simply stood back and watched the proceedings, unsure of what was going on. He'd never seen an undead who wasn't evil, whether mindless or not. And those who retained their intelligence were all the more dangerous for it. Didn't the others say they were being waylaid by an illusionist before his arrival? He scrutinized the ghost carefully while silently praying for guidance. One could never be too careful.

Spoiler

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Detect Evil on the ghost.

[Celticbear]

Spoiler: OOC

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No evil here.

[raspberrybadger]

Kelenos is content to let Lubella and Lady Mirela keep up the conversation while he tries to unravel the secrets of this prison from the maze of evidence so far. Lubella's passionate claim brings up an important point though. He pulls out the badge that opened the front door and asks "Would this be of use?"

[PCScipio]

Lubella waited for the ghost to answer Kelenos' question, before asking one of her own: "Kessorianna, do you know what is in the level below this one? It seems to be flooded now."

[Celticbear]

I can sense three powerful spirits: The Splatter Man, The Lopper, and The Mosswater Marauder. The entire level is not flooded,
but those spirit's power is more than you should handle now. I suggest going upstairs first, where the Pied Piper of Illmarsh and Father Charlatin are.

[Athaleon]

At length, Salem nodded, satisfied at least that the apparition wasn't malicious. "Very well. Is there anything that might help us against those two, specifically? Or are they simply weaker than the rest?"

[Celticbear]

They are less likely to kill you outright. Their possessions should help against them:

Father Charlatan's trickery can be undone by his many symbols.

The Pied Piper is said to hate his own dirge.

The Lopper's axe can kill him just as it did his victims.

The Mosswater Marauder is subject to his own hammer.

The Splatter Man is a wizard just like any other, and should become useless without his spellbook.

[PCScipio]

"Does that mean we should destroy his spellbook now?", Lubella asked regarding Kessorianna's advice about the Splatter Man. "Do you know if there's any specific means we need to use, or can we just burn it or hack it to bits?"

[Celticbear]

You must use these items in a close proximity to the spirit. Once you have weakened them, destroy them and I shall make sure they will never rise again. I suspect, however,
that the Splatter Man is taking measures to destroy myself, so you do not have much time.

[PCScipio]

"We'll hurry, Kessorianna!", Lubella replied to the ghost. She left the room and continued along the corridor, past the four-way intersection, to the door at the end of the hall. She opened the door and looked in.

Spoiler: OOC

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Opening the door to S13
Perception: (1d20+5)[25]

I am continuing to use Lubella's lvl2 modifiers until I hear otherwise.

[Krogarn]

"We should go over what items we have right now that we need, and then what items we still need to find. It might also be a good idea to make sure they are safe enough to use when the time comes to use them." Kahla would remark while trying to get people to not rush off. "When dealing with ghosts, it's not a good idea to simply hope you have what you need, or to go in without a plan. For starters, if the ghost of the Pied Piper is vulnerable to his own music, that likely means we need his flute when he was alive. If that's the case, who here can actually play a flute? I know I can't."

[Celticbear]

It seemed that whenever a person put the flute to their lips, they played a beautiful dirge.

Behind the door is the Supply Closet Of Doom! It may yield some stuff on closer inspection.

[PCScipio]

Lubella searched the large supply closet, hoping to find something useful.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception: (1d20+5)[13]

[Athaleon]

"Fitting that the holy symbols would be used against the false priest. I wonder why he's still here, and not burning in nine hells for flouting the gods so," Salem mused darkly as the party moved on.

[Celticbear]

Sadly, the SUPPLY CLOSET OF DOOM does not yield anything useful.