Merian Benvalla's page

Merian hesitates, no longer sure whether attacking the furnace is even accomplishing anything. Can she tell if anything is actually happening beyond paint scratches, or if hurting the furance even might do anything? Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9, Knowledge (religion) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13.

My reaction's based on the assumption that, since it waited until we started to leave to attack, it's not going to let us go quietly. We're going to have to pound it into slag here or somewhere else... But you're right about scratching the paint. We're probably looking at hardness 10, which is going to be a pain for most of us to get through...

EDIT: It's probably also worth noting that Merian doesn't understand a word you're saying. ;)

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Merian was half-turned away as when the furnace began to move, and that fact was likely the only thing that saved her. With an oath in Celestial, she jumps backward and intones a brief prayer: "Svētīti Debesis, piepilda mani ar savu dievišķo labā!" Casting divine favor after a five-foot step backward.

"Cheery," notes Merian dryly.

Merian turns away from the hole and unties herself, but she continues to frown at the pit while she waits for Dillan to satisfy himself about the door's safety.

Merian won't get closer than 5 feet from the hole, though that's not to say Dillan's caution is unwarranted.

Merian carefully approaches the hole, warily staying far enough away to avoid any danger from the edges collapsing in (she hopes). She looks for any sign of what might have happened here to create that smell... Perception check as well: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12.

"That... is not a prayer I know," Merian says uncertainly. Spellcraft 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 "I don't even know if that's a prayer I could learn."

Fort save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Merian, on the other hand, rushes forward, aiming to tackle Tre' and drag him away from whatever has seized him.

Let me know which rolls, if any, would be required.

Merian pales very slightly as she studies the arrangement. "I... can only think of one instance when a crowd gathers at a jail to watch a single prisoner," she says slowly. Her grip tightens visibly on sword and shield. "If there were any place in this ruin where I'd expect to find the restless dead..."

Merian nods her agreement as well.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Merian was infantry, sadly, not siege...

Merian nods. "Get ready," she murmurs, waiting til her companions are prepared, then pulls the door open.

Merian remains wary of letting anyone travel the halls of the prison alone, and has accompanied Tre.

Merian steadies herself against the wall, trying to regain her breath and her self-control both. This is not the first time she has been subjected to supernatural fear - such things are all too common near the Worldwound - but it never gets easier, and she has to fight the urge to rush back in and confront the thing that made her feel so helpless.

By the time Dillan is ready to open the next door, though, she's fought down the foolish instinct, and is focused on what is coming next instead.

Will save 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Initiative sounds like it might be a good plan, indeed. 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Merian follows Barret as well, happy to stand between any potential harm in the room and Dillan and Tre. He's probably right, though, she thinks, the sense of tension still gnawing at her.

I'm only pointing out the alternative because years of dungeon-crawling has taught me that the stairs down are usually in the back of the haunted house, so we're likely to trip over them this way before we finish exploring this level. ;)

Merian feels... something... in the air. A building tension, maybe. Part of her wants to dismiss it as battle nerves, but she nonetheless tightens her grip on her shield, and the first syllables of a protective prayer hover on her lips.

We could also consider the double doors at the south end of the corridor, near the entrance (off of S2), if we wanted to work front-to-back instead.

Movin' on!

Merian's got healing backup too, of course, if it becomes necessary.

Merian nods, looking satisfied. "It's only the beginning, but it's a start," she comments. After assuring herself that Dillan is being cared for, she begins poking through the heaped cloths in case anything of interest should catch her eye. Perception check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26. She'll also activate detect magic and pause a few moments to sweep the room in case there might be magic auras.

Sidebar - Was the jacket attacking Dillan or Barret? Barret's the one with the claws, after all; not sure where the typo ended, though. Either way, that looks to be a hit on whoever the jacket attacked, but there's no damage roll...

Merian attempts to finish the possessed jacket off with one last swing of her blade. Longsword attack (flank/bless): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26, damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9.

Merian makes another attempt to hack into the jacket, trying to take advantage of the thing's focus on Dillan. Longsword attack with flanking 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22, damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8.

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Merian rushes forward, attempting to position herself between the straitjacket and her less-fortified allies as she strikes with her blade. Longsword attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8, damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Animated objects are constructs, not undead, and in PF, neither is immune to crits. (I'll be back to post Merian's actions in a short while.)

"Laundry chute?" Merian whispers back, guessing. "Not planning on taking the trip either way..."

Merian stands protectively near Tre, confident in Barret's ability to guard the others. When they seem ready to move on, she hefts her shield, draws her blade, and nods her readiness to the others.

Let's DO IT...!

Merian shrugs, smiling. "Still true, though."

Merian nods. "We all do. Peace," she agrees.

"We hope so, Father," Merian answers Grimburrow. After introducing herself, she continues, "We have some concerns about a Master Gibs - I believe you know him? I mean, of course, in a town this small... anyway. Though a series of events that are too long to get into just now, we have come to learn two things: first, that there are unquiet spirits moving at Harrowstone Prison, and second, that Master Gibs might have been touched by one of them - one of the most powerful, in fact. My friends and I plan to deal with the Prison directly to remove the root of the problem, but we had hoped you might be able to aid Master Gibs if our fears of possession are correct..."

Merian is still tagging along, but doesn't have anything to say yet that hasn't already been said.

Merian would like to visit the church, just to speak with the priests there about making sure Gibs is being watched over. Otherwise, though, the source of the problem is definitely at the prison, and that's where she needs to be...

Untrained Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Merian's frown deepens. He must just be a fool - and a good actor. Probably never thought anyone would find the evidence and he'd just bluff his way through. Looks like the game is over now, though. Despite herself, though, she feels sorry for the old man; it seems clear he's just lonely and angry at the world, lashing out by scaring a few folks at the cost of some small animals' lives. Maybe I can speak to the church here, see if someone can reach out to him once he's arrested...

Merian frowns, not liking the direction the conversation has gone. Would an innocent man have a bloody war razor in his woodpile, one he admits is his? Would a guilty man have such a flimsy defense? she wonders.

Merian recounts the conversation as accurately as she can.

Merian, pleased that the sheriff is taking the matter seriously, leads the man back toward the house where the others are waiting.

Merian offers the sheriff a respectful nod. "My name is Merian Benvalla, late of the Fourth Mendevian Crusade, and this is my companion, Tre," she begins. "We came to Ravengro a few days ago to remember the life of our friend, Professor Petros Lorrimor. Since we arrived, though, honoring the last wishes of our fallen friend has turned into something far stranger - we think we've found evidence that someone is performing the pre-murder ritual of the vicious killer they used to call 'the Splatter Man' when he was imprisoned at Harrowstone. According to a history of the place, the Splatter Man would arrange for his victims to find their names spelled out somewhere in blood before he killed them. Of course, you already know that someone painted a 'V' in blood on the monument to the fallen of Harrowstone the same day we buried Petros, but you might not have heard yet that someone added an 'E' to the monument, also in blood, last night. Two friends of ours, suspecting something like this might happen, were on watch last night near the monument when it happened; the dark kept them from seeing who it was, but they were able to follow the culprit to a nearby house, and this morning we found a bloody knife and rags there. We're not accusing anyone, but we thought the matter should be brought to your attention, sir. Our friends are waiting at the house, guarding the evidence and awaiting any questions you might have for them."

Diplomacy check, in case it's needed: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

EDIT: (sigh) I really have about the worst luck with this dice roller...

I would think we would start with the jail - if that's not where the sheriff is, they should know where to find him/her.

Merian looks pensive. "It's certainly worth talking to the sheriff about. I'd be happy to do it. But... " She shakes her head. "I don't know. Something doesn't feel right."

With a frustrated shrug, she turns away from the house. "Let's find the authorities and tell them what we know. With luck, we'll find a sympathetic ear, and maybe some useful information along the way."

Merian tries to hide her reaction to the man's slurs against Petros; gritting her teeth only a little, she answers, "Most lie more quietly in holy ground, sir, so I'm sure it was the right thing to do." Going on more smoothly, she continues, "You say you feel more tired this morning than you did when you went to sleep last night? Did you have any strange dreams? I have heard before that some dark magics can produce nightmares in folks who are especially sensitive. There might be a clue, if you remember anything."

Merian nods, slinging her shield across her back. "This is going to be tricky," she murmurs. "We don't know who we'll be talking to, or what we're going to find. We can't just accuse or attack whoever answers the door. How do you think we should approch this?"

As the light begins to come up, Sorin shakes his head and looks again at the additional letter on the monument and the dead cat. "Um...Merian, I know they had someone sneaking around, but do you remember them saying anything about this?"

Merian shakes her head. "No. But this is the same thing that happened before, with cat's blood instead of rat's blood. And VE... that makes me think of Vesorianna. It's what was in my dream: someone is duplicating the Splatter Man's ritual, and I think it might be targeting the prison," she says, shaking her head.

"We need to find who did this and put a stop to it."

"Merian, you wait here. I'll go get the others."

Merian nods. While Sorin is gone, she whispers a prayer and searches for magical traces around the statue, in case the ritual is more than just a dead madman's fetish. Casting detect magic and scanning the area. As the sun comes up, she waits for the first one of the townsfolk to find her and the desecrated monument and tries to figure out what she'll say when that happens.

What Dillan said.

Merian likewise - she will have argued that the evidence is not conclusive, and assuming more than we actually know is dangerous.

Familiar mettalic smell?

Blood, maybe?

Does Ravengro have a night watch?