You are hereby sentenced to live the remainder of your short life in Harrowstone, which, I hasten to add, is a blessing compared to the extent of your crimes and the suffering of your victims. There you will reside in the misery of your thoughts until such time as you are drawn, hanged, and quartered. May the gods have no mercy on your blighted soul.
You have gathered at the entrance to the Restlands with Kendra Lorrimor and a fine coffin containing the body of her father, your onetime friend and ally Petros Lorrimor. which one(s) of you would like to serve as
pallbearers—there’s room on the coffin to accommodate six people, with a minimum of four. As the you have likely just arrived after a long trip, you can assume that you're outfitted with weapons, armor, and your starting gear.
A Shoanti man stands before the casket, tattoos of fire on his head, a massive hammer hangs on his back, the skull of some lizard is attached to his left arm with a blade passing through the mouth of the lizard. He wears a suit of full plate, that glows with faint magical light.
Her eyes are red and puffy Kendra Lorrimor is dresses in dark, conservative clothes. Trim and attractive, Kendra greets the PCs with a mixture of curiosity, sadness, and relief—no one else has come to pay their respects to her father, and “with things the way they are in town these days,” very few folks from Ravengro have come out for the funeral as well.
Thank you for coming Akrem. I can't express my gratitude to you. I am sure your journey was a long and tiresome one but let us bury my father, then we can see to your needs.
Akrem smiles at the daughter of his old friend, "Of course Kendra, I would never miss this last opportunity to honor Petros." He give her another smile of reassurance. "Is there no one else here to help me carry him to his last place of rest?" Akrem looks around for help.
Yes here they come now. Some of my father old friends. Well, Let's go.
Akrem allows the others to take their places at the coffin before claiming an open spot for himself.
great. Now that everyone is in place. Let the burial begin. and with that. The other three begin to walk down the path with you along with them.
As the procession reaches the halfway point along the
Dreamwake, rounding a corner onto a path called the
Eversleep, you see that the way ahead is blocked by a
group of a dozen surly looking locals.
When the group is spotted the other pallbearers stop in their tracks.
The tallest man in the crowd yell at you as you stop. That’s far enough. We been talking, and we don’t want Lorrimor
buried in the Restlands. You can take him upriver and bury him
there if you want, but he ain’t goin’ in the ground here!
Kendra is swift to respond, her sadness swiftly transforming into
anger. What are you talking about? she cries out. I arranged itwith Father Grimburrow. He’s waiting for us! The grave’s already
been...
You don’t get it, woman. We won’t have a necromancer buried
in the same place as our kin. I suggest you move out while you still
can. Folks are pretty upset about this right now.
Necromancy!? Are you really that ignorant?
THAT'S IT! Boys! get the casket! 6 thugs come out of the crowd to attack the pallbearers.
average ini is 16
"Gentlemen is this completely necessary? No need to resort to violence!" Even as he says this, Akrem shifts his weight out from the casket, carful not to let it fall and prepares to defend his old friend.
And the pallbearer flees back to the gate.
"NO!" Akrem shouts as one of the pallbearers are struck. He swings around with his mightier hammer to strike that foe down.
One of the thugs drops dead on the ground in front of you. The remainder of the thugs stop, and the crowd of thugs disperses. Two of the thugs fighting you drop to their knees and beg for mercy.
"Why must blood be shed on this day of morning my lady?" Akrem whispers. Turning to the two thugs he says, "Leave us then, to burry our friend. He has done nothing wrong and now one of your own has perished. Remove his body and see he has his finial rights!"
Just then, and older man and two young men who were serving as the graver diggers for the funeral come walking up. I am sorry for their behavior. The old man says to you. They are nothing more than local farmhands, all of low character. I can assure you, though, that this will not go unnoticed by the sheriff if I have anything to say about it. I am Father Grimburrow, the priest of this town. Now what have we hear.. He says turning to the body of the fallen thug. Looks like we'll have to dig another grave tonight boys. He says turning to the two boys that had accompanied him. He then addresses the reaming two thugs saying, Well what are you two still here for. Leave now, unless you wish to end up like your friend here. And with out another word the two thugs stand and retreat into the shadows. Right then, Let's get Lorrimor where he belongs. Come on you four. Heave ho! He leads you to the grave where the ceremony begins.
During the ceremony you are asked to say a few words.
"Lorrimor first came to me five years ago, right after i was banished out of my homeland. He came me a chance when no one else would. Together we explored ancient ruines, vast wilderness, and deadly dungeons but with my hammer and his knowledge we made it through everything. While i learned from him he had nothing to learn from me, as he already knew everything i had to share, with the exception of my tribe, which he listened indeffetly to me. He was a freind, a emplorer, a father to me"
This speech moves the small audience and a few people cry. After the funeral is over and Kendra has said her goodbyes to the other guests, she invites you back to her home (so recently her father’s) for a drink and to hear his last will and testament. The reading of the professor’s will requires the presence of Councilman Vashian Hearthmount (the closest thing Ravengro has to a solicitor), and he has some other matters to attend to after the funeral, so he won't arrive for about an hour. She leads you to her house. (feel free to say something to anyone before you leave. ask any questions you may have).
Avoiding Kendra, I try to figure out what cause Lorrimor's death.
I am assuming you ask Father Grimburrow. We don't know what caused his death. There are so flesh wounds on him at all. No burns, cuts, bruises even. It's as if he just died. He was advanced in years, but not so much as he should die from. Anyway I must apologize again for Gibs, the man who was leading the thugs. He used to be in the military before he became to old to benefit them. I'll make sure Sheriff Benjan Caeller hears about this. He won't go unpunished I can assure you.
Akrem nods "Very good. I'm glad to hear it." Akrem heads back and waits with Kendra.
Vashian arrives precisely on time, in any event. No
Sense Motive check is necessary to note that he doesn’t
completely approve of strangers being involved in local
matters, but he keeps his comments to himself, focusing
his involvement entirely on the reading of Petros’s will.
Very well. I have the will. Let's get this over with. “I, Petros Lorrimor, being of sound mind, do hereby commit to this
parchment my last will and testament. Let it be known that, with
the exception of the specific details below, I leave my home and
personal belongings entire to my daughter Kendra. Use them or
sell them as you see fit, my child.
“Yet beyond the bequeathing of my personal effects, this
document must serve other needs. I have arranged for the reading
of this document to be delayed until all principals can be in
attendance, for I have more than mere inheritance to apportion. I
have two final favors to ask.
“To my old friends, I hate to impose upon you all, but there are
few others who are capable of appreciating the true significance of
what it is I have to ask. As some of you know, I have devoted many
of my studies to all manner of evil, that I might know the enemy and
inform those better positioned to stand against it. For knowledge
of one’s enemy is the surest path to victory over its plans.
“And so, over the course of my lifetime, I have seen fit to acquire
a significant collection of valuable but dangerous tomes, any one
of which in the wrong circumstances could have led to an awkward
legal situation. While the majority of these tomes remain safe under
lock and key at the Lepidstadt University, I fear that a few I have
borrowed remain in a trunk in my Ravengro home. While invaluable
for my work in life, in death, I would prefer not to burden my
daughter with the darker side of my profession, or worse still, the
danger of possessing these tomes herself. As such, I am entrusting
my chest of tomes to you, posthumously. I ask that you please deliver
the collection to my colleagues at the University of Lepidstadt, who
will put them to good use for the betterment of the cause. Yet before you leave for Lepidstadt, there is the matter of
another favor—please delay your journey one month and spend
that period of time here in Ravengro to ensure that my daughter is
safe and sound. She has no one to count on now that I am gone,
and if you would aid her in setting things in order for whatever she
desires over the course of this month, you would have my eternal
gratitude. From my savings, I have also willed to each of you a sum
of one hundred platinum coins. For safekeeping, I have left these
funds with Embreth Daramid, one of my most trusted friends in
Lepidstadt—she has been instructed to issue this payment upon
the safe delivery of the borrowed tomes no sooner than one month
after the date of the reading of this will.
“I, Petros Lorrimor, hereby sign this will in Ravengro on this
first day of Calistril, in the year _____.”
Very well, that's everything. I'll be off than. I'm sorry for your loss Kendra. He glaces at you with a hint of distaste but doesn't say anything.
Thank you for coming, Vashian. And thank you, Akrem, for being here for him. It means a lot to me. I'll need to few weeks to decide what i want to do with the house. As my father asked in the will, please stay with me for a while while I gather myself up. You can stay here with me free of charge and I will supply you with food and bedding. Now excuse me while i go fetch the chest mentioned in my fathers will.
Akrem nods, deep in thought, and waits for Kendra to return.
The chest itself is a relatively small object of oak and iron. Kendra offers the key to you to give them the honor of opening the chest.
Here, you do the honors.
Akrem, still deep in thought, nods, atkes the key, and opens the chest.
The key fits the lock perfectly, and within are several old tomes and one relatively new one. The newest tome sits on the top and bears the phrase “Read me now!” scratched into the leather cover. other tomes comprise the books of dangerous lore mentioned in his will—three of these have notes tucked into them indicating that they should be delivered to one Montagnie Crowl. The fourth, Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye, has a note indicating it should be delivered to Embreth Daramid(with his address).
His journal! Kendra exclaims, Hand it to me!
Akrem hands over the journal, "Read aloud any relative information Kendra."
Wow these seem pretty important. Look at these. She says handing the journal over to you.
Ten Years Ago:
The Whispering Way is more than just a cabal of necromancers. I see that now. Undeath is their
fountain of youth. Uncovering their motivation does not place me at ease as I thought it might.
Their desire to be eternal simply makes them more dangerous.
Two Months Ago:
It is as I had feared. The Way is interested in something here in Ravengro. But what could it be?
One Month Ago:
Whatever the Way seeks, I am now convinced their goal is connected to Harrowstone. In retrospect,
I suppose it all makes sense—the stories they tell about the ruins in town are certainly chilling
enough. It may be time to investigate the ruins, but with everyone in town already being so worked
up about them, I’d rather not let the others know about my curiosity—there’s plenty of folks
hereabouts who already think I’m a demonologist or a witch or something. Ignorant fools.
Twenty Days Ago:
It is confirmed. The Way seems quite interested in something—no, strike that—someone who was
held in Harrowstone. But who, specifically, is the Way after? I need a list of everyone who died
the night of the fire. Everyone. The Temple of Pharasma must have such a list.
Eighteen Days Ago:
I see now just how ill prepared I was when I last set out for the Harrowstone. I am lucky
to have returned at all. The ghosts, if indeed they were ghosts (for I did not find it prudent to
investigate further) prevented me from transcribing the strange symbols I found etched along the
foundation—hopefully on my next visit I will be more prepared. Thankfully, the necessary tools to
defend against spirits are already here in Ravengro. I know that the church of Pharasma used to
store them in a false crypt in the Restlands at the intersection between Eversleep and the Black
Path. I am not certain if the current clergy even know of what their predecessors have hidden down
below. If my luck holds, I should be able to slip in and out with a few borrowed items.
Seventeen Days Ago:
Tomorrow evening I return to the prison. It is imperative the Way does not finish. My caution
has already cost me too much time. I am not sure what will happen if I am too late, but if my
theory is right, the entire town could be at risk. I don’t have time to update my will,so I’ll
leave this in the chest where it’ll be sure to be found, should the worst come to pass.
"Kendra, do you know what the Harrowstone is?"
I'm not sure what it is. What do you think this book it? She holds up a book titled.. Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye: This rich purple cover contains a brass scarab set with a single eye in its center.
Anyway, you could use my fathers library if you wish. It isn't that big but it's something. You could also look in Ravengro Town Hall. They have lots of stuff about the history of the town there. Two other places you could maybe look at are Temple of Pharasma and The Unfurling Scroll. (Yes, both are buildings). I'm sorry I won't be much help in finding things out in this town. I haven't been here long enough to try to find anything out. And now I'm not even sure that I'll be staying here. She tears up a little bit.
Akrem puts his hand on her shoulder "It is fine Kednra. you have had a long day, go rest i will go to the library. Where am I to sleep later?"
She shows you to your room and thanks you again. While researching in the library (he dads small library), you are unable to find anything concerning Harrowstone. You next bust bet would be the town hall.
I go to the town hall then
Once you enter the town hall you are "greeted" by the attendant working there. You need to leave, she snarls. The likes of you are not allowed in here. The cousin would not approve of you being here. You should go now before you cause any MORE trouble!
"Who is 'The Cousin'?"
Council* oops
"I've have simple come to do some research. I mean no harm. I will leave my earth breaker and klar here, if need be to enter"
I understand that you are staying with Kendra. If you can get her to vogue for you I'll let you inside. But she also must supervise you and make sure you don't destroy anything.
"She is resting, but I will bring her with me tomorrow."[b] Akrem leaves. before going to sleep he researches one last thing, how to win the favor of the community. He goes and speaks to the old priest.
[b]"Obviously, while acting in self defense, I have turned this town against me. What must I do to earn their trust?"
My child, do not worry about the distaste of the people towards you. We are not accustom to strangers here in Ravengro. Just give them some time. Now get some rest. It's getting late and I sense that something is going to happen. Something very bad. You'll need all of the strength you can get.
Akrem studies the old man. "Very well...." He returns and gets some rest.
You awake the next morning. When you get to the main living room of the house, Kendra tells you that something has happened. She doesn't know what. But the sheriff wants to you go immediately to Harrowstone Memorial. It is located down the path by the river.
How did the old man know this was going to happen
"Very well i shall go immediately!" Akrem says. He returns to his room, puts his suit of full plate on, and heads out with the rest of his equipment.
a 25-foot-tall, moss-covered
stone statue that overlooks the river. The
statue depicts a proud, muscular human
man dressed in leathers and wielding
a truncheon. A total of 25 names are
chiseled into the statue’s stone base.
Blood is splattered all over the statue and the surrounding area.
At the base of the statue, written in blood, is the letter 'V'.
The sheriff, or you can assume he is anyway, approaches you.
I don't trust you. He says. But that doesn't give me any reason to suspect you. We are a small town, and i am the only law enforcement here. It would be much appreciated if you were to help me investigate what's going on. We don't have any leads yet. Maybe you could take a look around.
Akrem nods, "I will do what I can." He extends his hand, "I am Akrem, exiled of the Sklar-Quah."
After learning the name of the sheriff (or perhaps not) he begins to look around.
I am Sheriff Benjan Caeller. He says shaking your hand warmly. Now let's see what you can do.
You manage to find some foot prints that go into the river then stop. You cannot seem to find any on the other side of the river. The trail is lost.
That's a shame. Keep looking around here in there. If you see anything suspicious, come tell me right away.