GM Tyranius |
Dot in here and please report to the Discussion Thread
GM Tyranius |
Once everyone posts in we will start.
GM Tyranius |
Kreighton Shaine himself soon enters the room. Good, Good I am glad you all came on such short notice. He says as he flourished over to his desk and gathers a scroll.
The Pathfinder's are expanding and we are in need of a new lodge. Travel to Carrion Hill in Ustalav. We are looking to set up a new lodge in the region and would like you to scout out the city to see if we can make it work.
Ruprecht Antillious |
"I have heard Ustalav doesn't take kindly to outsiders. Do we have friends there?"
GM Tyranius |
The city of Carrion Hill in eastern Ustalav is a strange place, resting atop an unnatural and unsettling mound. Why people choose to live here is unclear, but for some reason they always have. Varisians first settled Carrion Hill in 2397 AR; prior to this, Carrion Hill was a holy site for the local Kellid tribes
Carrion Hill is located in the county of Versex in the Soivoda region of eastern Ustalav.[1] The city rises over the swampy southern banks of Kingfisher River. It is the only solid ground in the swampland known as the Wrythe for a distance of nearly 20 miles to east or west.
The city is split into three districts. The Crown atop the hill, the Tangle on the hill's slopes and the Filth. The Crown is the home of Carrion Hill's nobility and most of the government and public buildings. The cobbled streets are broad and bleached white. The buildings are large and made of stone and timber. The Tangle is the most crowded part of the city. It is a thick tangle of buildings and maze-like alleyways where most of the shops and residences can be found. The Filth is the lowest part of the city, a series of natural or artificial islands, where the poor and desperate dwell. The Filth is also home to the vital but dirty industries like tanners, gong farmers, street cleaners, the fisheries, and the dirty middenstone vats.
When the river fog rolls in every morning and evening, those dwelling on the Crown district atop the high hill can look out on white vastness while those below at least feel solid ground beneath their feet unlikely to wash away after one of the area's frequent rainstorms or river floods.
But enough of that. That is precisely why we are looking to set up a lodge there Ruprecht. We are hoping that our increased presence will branch out for some new recruits.
The thin man waves his hand in a shooing fashion. Head out at once. Come now.
GM Tyranius |
Just make a good impression upon the city to further the cause.
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After a few weeks of travel the group finally has Carrion Hill in sight. The sky is dark and overcast as a continuous, cold rain falls all around them with no end in sight.
The group has no problems entering the town. As you walk the streets you notice how densely packed the buildings are and the streets seem to be extremely worn. Crows circle in the air above calling out with shrill screeches. Shops are closed and even the beggars seem to be hiding. Rivers of water run down the gutters in the roads all throughout the streets.
As you walk throughout a few streets the few people you do see are town criers and the cities watch calling out.
Carrion Hill needs heroes! Men of stout heart and bravery are asked to come to the Crown Manor with all haste, there to receive a task worthy of their skill and talents and receive a reward of suitable magnificence. Make haste to Crown Manor! Make haste!
Ruprecht Antillious |
"Perhaps it is fated that we are to go to the Crown Manor. Becoming a hero would certainly make a good impression, wouldn't it?"
GM Tyranius |
The group decides to walk towards the manor. Upon reaching the gates, two Crows, guardsmen dressed in black leather armor and chains wielding bows and longswords, stand guard. When they see the group approach their somber expressions flicker with hope as they open the doors to allow entrance.
The guards follow you in dripping and wet into the central hall.
In the great hall several Crows stand guard while the mayor, a distracted and worried looking man sits in a tall-backed chair. Upon seeing the group enter he straightens up. Well at least we've still got a few backbones upright in this place.
The mayor gestures for you to have seats while he clears his throat.
“I thank you for attending in our hour of need—Carrion Hill has a long history of battle, yet always before its enemies have attacked from outside our walls. We are fortified to defend against such attacks, but now we face an entirely different threat. Our enemy is already here, dwelling in the tunnels and catacombs below and surfacing to strike without warning. “As you may have heard, the first of these attacks occurred early this very morning, when something huge came up from below in a part of the Tangles called Slipper Market. It partially destroyed a building and killed a half dozen locals before retreating into the ruined structure. The Crows were swift to reply, led by our own Commander Garus, but when they arrived, they were slaughtered to the last.
“Since then, the thing has moved on, surfacing no less than three times in different parts of the city, crushing buildings from below and slaying anyone it finds inside. I’ve got the entire force of the city watch in reserve, and with each new event they respond quickly, but the damage is always done by the time they arrive. Already there is talk of war and invasion, but I still believe that what we face is a single horror. If we can only figure out what it is, we might be able to defeat it. And this is where your group comes in—the horror has moved on from its initial point of entrance, but if you can explore the ruins in Slipper Market, perhaps you can find some sort of clue to tell us what it is we face. I cannot spare any of my Crows to aid you, for they are needed in keeping order in the streets, but if indeed you can find something… anything… about this monster from below, I will pay you handsomely: 1,500 gold for solid information, and twice again that amount for aiding in defeating the horror.”
Do you have any question?
Ruprecht Antillious |
"Show us to the scene. I'm sure I can find some sort of clue to reveal what type of beast we are facing."
GM Tyranius |
Pathfinders huh. His face grimaces slightly. No matter at this point I will take whatever comes my way. The entrance is in the Slippery Market. The slippery Slopes lie on the western slope of the hill. I will send a pair of Crows to lead you there once you are ready.
Ruprecht Antillious |
"There's no time like the present. I'm ready to be off now."
GM Tyranius |
You arrive to the Slippery Market in all due haste with the Crow escorts and find the place to be in complete disorder. Normally this is a bustling market, now all but abandoned except for two dozen milling Crows.
Your escorts lead you through the throng of Crow guards to a side street that has been roped off. One guard lifts a soaking, dripping rope barrier to let you through and points towards Tarrig's home and the partially ruined building where the first attack occurred.
Wide-eyed faces watch the market from upper floor windows, but no one speaks- the only sound is the constant onrush of the driving rain.
The guards have set up benches under a barely functioning open tent in the market near the roped off street entrance. Under the tent lie the remains of three bodies- all that the guards have been able to recover. Garus is not among the dead. One body looks as if it was flattened by a single crushing attack to it's chest, while the second had it's back broken. The third is a man who looks to have been twisted twice around at the waist like a knotted rag and whose arms were broken in so many places that they now flop like tentacles. His chain shirt and sword are twisted like the rest of his body. Whatever did this to the man was huge and incredibly powerful.
A man approaches under escort from the guards. They introduce the man as Tarrig who nervously tells a tale.
As every morning, the Slipper Market was awake early. The merchants set up stalls in the two hours before dawn and prepared their wares, and that was when a terrible something came crashing through Marshan's house. There was an awful lot of screams, and the entire house shook as if some great invisible hand had taken hold of it and was trying to push it into the ground of crumple it in it's fist. I ran for the watch, but by the time we'd come back, it was all quiet. Wasn't more than a few heartbeats after the guards entered Marshan's home that the screaming and shaking began again. Some of the guards ran back into the street only to be lifted into the air by something unseen and crushed most horrifically; It left behind only a few bodies, whatever it was. The house has been quiet ever since, but that doesn't mean that the monster is gone.
Peering down the alley. the group looks down the alley of the collapsed building. The side of a single story wooden house has collapsed outward into this ten foot wide alley, adding to the clutter and refuse. The roofs provide some shelter from the rain, leaving swathes of blood and gore on the walls here and there. The hideous smell wafting out of the ruined building is as implacable as it is stomach turning. Perhaps the strangest is the huge spiral shaped smear of blood on the wall opposite the partially collapsed building- sheltered by the rain, the ominous rune rises high on the side of the building, as if something enormous has used a broken and bleeding body as a brush to paint it's mark.
Map is posted at the top; It is google slides so you will be able to alter from your phone.
Ruprecht Antillious |
Ruorecht looks for any clues that the guards might have missed.
Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Ramsis |
Ramsis looks about for any clue that was missed.
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
He then looks at the spiral, contemplating it's enigmas.
Knowledge Religion : 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
I believe we are dealing with dark magic and darker gods. They will be crushed by their own sins.
GM Tyranius |
There are two different buildings to investigate on the map. The collapsed structure and the man's house across the street. Which one are you investigating?
GM Tyranius |
Entering the first room in the building is similar to walking into an open nightmare. This living room is in a complete state of disarray. Doors are smashed open and the northern wall has exploded outward. The furniture is in shambles, and rain leaking in from multiple fresh holes in the roof has done little to wash away the thick layer of sticky black slime that seems to coat every surface— slime that exudes a horrific stench something like an open grave, burnt decay, the air before a thunderstorm, wet and diseased fur, and worse. Scattered amid the slime and rubble are body parts—too many to be from one victim and all strangely bloodless.
DC 12 Fort save or become sickened.
Elliot Feardwarf |
Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Elliot puts his hand in front of his mouth fast enough to keep most of the stench away from his nose. He caughs and chokes but manages to keep composed.
Ruprecht Antillious |
Fort 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Ru shakes his head at his teammate already losing his nerve, or at least his lunch, on the very first room. "I'd suspect it only gets worse from here, Ramsis. Be strong.". He keeps looking through the rubble and at the room.
Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
GM Tyranius |
Into the house the group is able to see into the adjoining rooms.
Room to the East A4
This room was once a cluttered but cozy parlor, but now the couches, bookshelves, tables and other comforts are in complete disarray. The eastern wall is partially collapsed, including what once may have been a fireplace to the northwest and two doors leading into other rooms of the building to the southwest. A hideous smell wafts through the holes. The examination of the books here reveal the vast majority of the history of Carrion Hill and the immediate surroundings. A large number of books about astronomy are present as well. None are outstanding in their rarity, and most are rather damaged by rain leaking in through the new holes in the roof.
Room to the South A5
What appears to have once been a library and bedroom is now in shambles. Furniture is splintered, shelves and books smashed and torn, and everything is coated with a thick, stinking layer of tar-like sludge. A door frame lies burst open to the southwest, beyond which a flight of slime smeared stone steps leads downward into the dark.
Ruprecht Antillious |
"Can anyone find magical auras? Perhaps there is a magical clue left behind that we could find.". Ru continues to search the destroyed areas, looking for anything out of the ordinary.
Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
GM Tyranius |
Ramsis does not detect anything magical about the desolate rooms.
Variel Arivae |
A lot of books around the place, the owner of this house was a learned man. Do we know anything about him? Variel helps looking for magic auras while searching the debris for clues.
Perc: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Familiar's perc: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
The elf stops for a closer look at the second room. The writings in this library have similar topics to those found in the other room. Although these books seem to have been more rare and more focused on strange monstrous forms and sinister cults. Together with that rune painted in blood outside I dont think this bodes well for the city. He says unhappy. Or us.
GM Tyranius |
Sorry the second spoiler is a DC 12 survival
Ruprecht Antillious |
Ruprecht nods at the plan. He slowly picks his way up the stairs, trying to be awards of any traps on the stairs.
Perception 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
GM Tyranius |
The stairs lead down.
The first turn in the stairs descent reveals traces of dust and debris. The stairs must have been clogged with rubble but were recently cleared; By the second turn the architectural style changes to an older one involving stone arches and brick-lined walls.
This chambers brick-lined walls are supported by fifteen foot high stone arches. Between each arch, circular alcoves have been cut into the wall, each containing a stone sarcophagus. One sarcophagus on the southern wall has toppled over, spilling it's long dead occupant partially out on the brick floor. A dry swatch of black sludge nearly ten feet wide runs down the center of the room, connecting the west and northeast stairs. The far end of the hall seems to have collapsed long ago.
The smell of the blackened tar here is much more bearable as it is mostly dry.
New Map is up
Ruprecht Antillious |
Ru looks through the three rooms at the foot of the stairs A3-5, and carefully leads the way into them.
Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31