You hear the sound of strings being lightly plucked, as if someone was tuning their instrument. The noise gets closer and closer, soft echoes reaching your ears until you suddenly see a catfolk looking down at her banjo plucking away at strings and tuning it while walking. She suddenly stops and looks up at the group, with a little jump of fright she collects herself and says, "Oh um, gee... I've been wondering this place and it seemed so vacant. But here you are. Uh, I was told I could find you here. Kendra Lorrimor sent me after she read the will to me. I'm so sorry I'm late, I was performing at a festival and it took me a while to return here." She isn't even sure if you're the right people, she is assuming though.
Zephra is startled by the strange-looking creature's approach, but the catfolk doesn't seem to be undead, so Zephra reserves judgment. "Uh, welcome, I guess?" she says hesitantly. "Can you help me hoist this portcullis, perhaps?"
Ortensia was startled out of her pondering by the sound of plucking strings. She was quite surprised at the appearance of a catfolk strumming some sort of stringed instrument she was unfamiliar with.
She halfheartedly raised her flail. She stopped herself from flinging a bit of debris telekinetically at the new arrival.
Whom are you?she queried.
Ortensia,ferling no threat, turned back to the mechanism. She selected a sturdy chunk of stone broken at an angle, forming a suitable wedge.
Hm. We can use this to hold it open. Good thing we took care of that haunt slamming portals. No doubt it would have affected this and potentially skewered us as we passed beneath it.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry where are my manners." She sticks out her hand offering a hand shake. "I am the fabulous Timona from Magnimar. Have you heard of me? Well regardless, I guess you could say I owe someone a favor." She looks excited but then looks at what you are doing. "Um, no I am not sure. Do you need strength? I'm not very strong."
Between the three of you, you manage to lift the the portcullis enough for Ortensia to quickly wedge one side with the stone. There is a click from the winch mechanism and it is clear that it is now locked in an open position. You move on into the Nevermore.
Several iron doors line the walls of this partially ruined cell block - the doors themselves hang askew on their hinges, revealing empty cells beyond. Partially burnt wooden support timbers still function to the north, while to the south they've collapsed and caused cell walls to crumble as well. Rivulets of water drip down the southwestern wall to create a shallow pool in this ruined portion of the room, with overflow filling an oubliette hole in the middle of the room nearly to the rim.
Ortensia,as an afterthought,peeled off a glove and gingerly shook hands with the catfolk woman. Feeling a mishmash of a humanoid hand and a feline forepaw was certainly a new experience.
Ortensia. Welcome to our...I believe a group of adventurers are called a party? We are here to right wrongs,put down restless undead, and avenge murders.
Eyeing the pool of water and recall8ng the incident that occurred earlier, Ortensia used her telekinesis to hurl a sizeable chunk of st8ne into it to see if anything reacted that could be lurking within.
Can everyone make a will save please.
+4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, and sonic
...Of course. Ortensia deadpanned.
Ortensia and Timona you both see the first letters of your names being spelled out in blood. You both take 2 points of Wisdom damage.
Initiative order
Zephra 18
Timona 17
Ortensia 12
Splatter man 11
Haunt 10
Zephra recognizes the letters of her name spelled out, and feels the headache that suggests she has been mentally injured. Seeing no enemy to attack, she instead draws a potion of lesser restoration and drinks it down.
Then she looks around quickly to try and find where the ghost responsible for the writing is hiding.
Timona feels a chill run down her spine as her Wisdom is zapped from her. Pulling up the only thing she finds comfort in, she begins to play her banjo.
Everyone get's Inspire Courage: +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Ortensia felt the blood drain from her face at the sight of her first name oozing across the filthy floor in slick gore.
Fear sharpened to an indignant anger. She reached into her satchel to retrieve the moldered spellbook,peeling its pages apart to wrench it open. She glared defiantly into the water.
We've come for you, Splatterman. And we shall erase you from this place. Starting with the last remnants of your legacy!
She picked a section and tore the sticking pages free in ragged chubks she let flutter to the ground.
@Zephra. You're not affected by the haunt.
The Splatter Man shrieks in pain as you rip out the pages.
He then attacks Ortensia.
Corrupting touch (1d20= 16 +5 =21. Fort save please.
The haunt then goes again. Will saves from everyone.
Zephra your action.
+1 vs. fear effects (inspire courage)
Ortensia shook herself and proceeded to yank free another section of pages in retaliation.
Zephra! I need one of those potions,please! If you can,take care of that haunt.
As a move action, Zephra pulls out one of the potions for Ortensia, holding it ready for her. Then she spontaneously casts cure light wounds on the haunt.
Timona will stop her performance and let it linger for 2 rounds. She withdrawls her rapier as she moves up to this creature and pokes at it.
x2/18-20 piercing
Ortensia swiped the potion from Zephra's outstretched hand,thumbing off its cork and shoving the vial past the scarf and catching it with her teeth. She knocked her head back and swallowed.
Nodding her thanks, she tore another page from the book.
Ortensia you take 15 damage from the splatter man's attack.
The Splatter man attacks Ortensia again.
Corrupting touch (1d20= 3 +5) = 8 miss.
The haunt spells out your names again will saves please.
Zephra cries out in horror as she sees her name start up again!
Limping due her collection of growing wounds, Ortensia raised her flail and slung it at the Splatterman.
Timona your attack misses
You all take another 2 points of Wisdom drain.
The haunt is momentarily disrupted by your actions but then continues.
The Splatter Man attacks you, Ortensia.
Corrupting Touch (1d20 = 11 + 5) = 16 (miss)
The haunt spells out your names some more - Will saves again.
Timona starts playing the banjo again to inspire courage, as her lingering performance has ended. She steps back away from the wall a little as she stares at her name being written in blood.
Timona you lose another 2 points of Wisdom.
Zephra your action.
Zephra thinks frantically while staring at the letters of her name spelling out, trying to relate what she knows about the Splatter Man and this haunt, and hoping she remembers something that will give them insight into defeating it.
Then, assuming she doesn't come up with a better plan, she spontaneously casts cure light wounds at the haunt again.
Zephra you know that the haunt is the Splatter Man's modus operandi. You know the easiest way to damage the haunt is by positive energy. The best way to damage the Splatter Man is to tear pages out of the book, each page torn does (1d12) damage.
Ortensia ripped yet another page into tatters.
The Splatter Man screams in pain as you tear another page from the spellbook.
Timona your action
Timona will let her performance linger and pull out her wand of cure light wounds then touch the haunt with positive energy.
Timona you realise that once the haunt is defeated it will be supressed by Vesoriana and that it turn will haunt the splatter man.
As you cast your spell the haunt is dissipated and the splatter man screams in pain.
Ortensia your action.
Ortensia,feeling dulled and pained,snatched another page. She cared not for the potential value of the book and the spells therein.
All that mattered was it was an effective weapon against its previous owner.
The Splatter Man cries out again and attacks Ortensia again.
Corrupting touch (1d20 = 11 +5) = 16 - miss
Back to Zephra
Zephra rushes forward and attempts to touch The Splatter Man with her Repose power, staggering him for 4 rounds if she succeeds.
The Splatter Man is staggered.
Timona your action.
Timona feels awkward after all the WIS damage and will let her performance linger for 2 more rounds while she takes a total defense.
Ortensia back to you.
Ortensia,seeing that the Splatterman was staggered by Zephra's holy touch,she tore another discernible page.
The Splatter Man is looking very weak now.
He attacks Ortensia again
Corrupting Touch (1d20 = 2 + 5) = 7 Miss
Zephra your action
Zephra touches the Splatter Man with her Knowledge minor blessing.
Zephra you know that the Splatter Man has very few hit points left, he is focusing his attacks on Ortensia because she is holding his spellbook.
Timona your action.
Timona will cure Ortensia if she is hurt, if not she will cure Zephra using her wand of cure light wounds. Her performance lingers one more round.
Ortensia your action.
Zephra calls out to Ortensia to move away from the ghost before she rips the book, since it is staggered and can’t both attack and move.
Ortensia shuffled away from the Splatterman to get out of his reach,then proceeded to tear another page.
I am quite battered and bruised. If any of you can provide healing,it would be highly appreciated.