Looking at the axe and its literally bloody trail. Drasven takes note to have the thing blessed and prayed over even as he obtains the items he was supposed to take.
"Somewhere out there and preferablely dead." Drasven remarks.
"Shes not here, we got the stuff we saw in the room, now let's get outta here."
Follows, hopes Drasven is right about mama spider.
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Branding Room (S6)
This stark room contains a low stone bench against the north wall and a ruined desk to the west that sits under three narrow, barred windows. An old brass brazier lies on its side to the south, surrounded by several rusty branding irons.
A haunt of hellfire, smite it with heaven's touch or winter frost!
nD is most likely travelling. GM bot?
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nDevere uncorks another haunt siphon and vacuums in four ghostly fiery brand irons. She places the negative energy filled vial next to the other one. Nothing is of interest in this room. You proceed to the next unexplored area.
Workshop (S11)
The door to this room is locked and the key is long gone, but as the door itself is relatively rotten from years of neglect, it’s no more difficult than any other in Harrowstone to bash down.
Inspect it real quick, if it is safe hit it with the new hammer.
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"Zavar, I believe this particular instance calls for your finesse. Make that door open."
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Zavar successfully opens the locked door. Inside is tangled mounds of moth-eaten fabric sit on several wooden tables, each surrounded by workbenches. Various sewing tools— shears, needles, rolls of thread, boxes of chalk, and other objects lie scattered over the floor, while the arm of what appears to be a skeleton protrudes from a stained heap of fabric to the west.
A human female incorporeal creature manifests immediately before you, rising from the mound of moldering fabric that serves as her tomb. She appears as a beautiful young woman dressed in a tattered but lovely blue dress. In fact, much about her is blue, including her hair, the tears that run from her pale blue eyes, and the clouds of smoke that drift from her lips when she speaks.
"Who are you and what are your intentions?!?"
"I am Cassandra, and we are here investigating the recent horrors of this place, as they have claimed one of our own."
"Who are you that takes the form of the walking dead, even as you appear as one of the many dark spirits walking this place, your intentions seem somehow different from the rest. The spirits of this place affect us all, and impact us all. It has been a very long day (or is that night) investigating this dark place, and we are weary of more trickerations."
"Zavar, what is that name you speak of?"
"If you are who my comrades seem to believe you are, then perhaps we have the same goal in mind. For it was your family that watched over this place while it stood. What can you tell us of this latest insurrection?"
"Ware Ghost!!!" His axe up before him, ready to strike this foe anew.
Looking at his companions though, Drasven sets his axe down.
"My apologies but the previous rooms always had hostiles thus my reactions."
I am not one to consort with the dead but you are of no ill intent. What may I do to set your soul to the lady of graves? Usually the dead do not move on because of unfinished business, what is it that ails you?
Oh, Look a secret door.
Windom is physically uncomfortable dealing with the dead lady on peaceful terms but is giving her the benefit of the doubt, this is the first undead that has been at least nice.
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The ghost covers her face with both hands as she uncontrollably cries for a long two minutes. She composes herself by wiping away her ghost tears with her tangled hair. Her eyes blink a few times recognizing your deputy badges.
You are correct, new guards of Ravengro. My name is Vesorianna, and I do not wish to harm you. I hope you able to serve the town better than last. Their cowardice locked me in this workshop as the fire consumed Harrowstone and anchored my soul.
I want an apology, closure for my husband’s death and to be reunited with him. Sadly, I am trapped in this room until the ghosts of Harrowstone are defeated to ensure that the criminals my husband gave his life to keep imprisoned are prevented from escaping.
Recently, the spirit of my husband, trapped so near yet so far in the dungeons below, had contained the ghosts. Yet men and women in dark robes who spoke only in whispers came to Harrowstone not long ago and began to work strange magic around the building’s foundations. I was able to observe through the walls to the northwest as these strange people inscribed runes along the ground.
I also recently witnessed the sad end of scholarly man, slain by foul magic wielded by the leader of the black-robed cultists. These cultists bashed in the dead man’s head and face with a fragment of gargoyle from a roof above in an attempt, I surmise, to make the man’s death seem more like an accident.
The last bit of news was grim indeed and shed light on the professor's demies. His face grim, he answers
"You speak of a dearly departed friend. Milady. I'm sorry for the deeds of those who trapped you here by their own cowardly actions. We shall seek out the remaining ghosts as that was What we were doing in the first place. I must ask though. Is this place safe?"
"The scholarly man you speak of was a dear friend to all of us here in the room with you. It is good to know the truth of his death, sad as it is. Is there anything you can tell us of the black robed cultists that have invaded this place and awoken something here within?"
"Is there anything you can tell us of the spirits that are haunting this place? We seem to have encountered a few of them along the way. Some more dangerous than others, while some just more annoying."
"What can be done to set your soul at ease Lady Ves? If your husband's spirit is near, can you not join him, and rest peacefully?"
How do we get to the dungeon below? Have we dismissed all the foul souls from this ground level yet? If we are to destroy necromancer runic writing let us ensure that it will not release foul souls onto the town.
If we are to encounter your husband is there anything we could do to prove we are not the enemy and show we are allies?
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Thank you, I accept your apology Master Dwarf. The cultist leader is a thin, gray-skinned human who wore a bone breastplate and carried a black staff capped with a skull gagged by a black cloth, but I knows nothing more about him.
I do not know much about the exact nature of the prisoners, their ghosts, or the dangers to be found elsewhere in Harrowstone. However I can feel among the hateful dead five distinct and powerful personalities and suspect that these correspond to the five most dangerous criminals who were imprisoned in Harrowstone at the time of the fire. Two of the five have recently gone silent.
I see that you have found objects of value that once belonged to the five spirits. You can use those objects against the five souls. These objects will aid in defeating the deathless inmates, but they are likely also cursed by the unholy link to the long-dead criminals. You should take care should be taken when using them.
If you can defeat all five of the prisoners and bring to me my husband’s badge of office, I should be able to banish the haunts from Harrowstone entirely. Doing so will release me from this world as well, and should end the haunting of Harrowstone for good.
I suspect the badge is hidden somewhere in the dungeons below, along with his mortal remains. I do not know how he will react to your presence, but show him my golden wedding ring as a token of my undying love...
The color of her eyes begin to swirl turning from bleach white to sky blue. Her face saddens as she fondly remembers her wedding day. Soon Vesorianna bursts into tears and does not reply to anymore of your questions.
"Two down, three to go. I think we know who we've gotten? Wasn't it a bard and priest? The Piper and Charlaten if I remember correctly."
"Let us finish exploring this level, then we can rest, and descend the depths of the dungeon."
Inspects the secret door to make sure it is safe.
When all are ready Windom will open the door and enter the next room if it appears safe.
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Privy (S13)
This is an empty privy once used by the guards. Nothing of interest remains within today.
Laundry (S12)
Several rusty iron tubs sit in this room, along with washboards, metal buckets, and heaps of moldy clothing. In fact, one of the items in the mound, a strong leather straitjacket, flies into toward Windom!
No! No! No! No!
Windom runs away, ultimate terror on his face.
Cassandra sees nothing. Cassandra knows nothing.
Cassandra watches Windom run screaming from a pile of laundry.
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immune to crits
"It's another construct, but this one is softer."
Zavar fires an arcane bolt striking it true!
Windom withdraws from combat screaming.
The straight jacket changes course and moves toward Zavar. It provokes AoO from anyone but Drasven with combat reflexes. Leather straps and buckles whip through the air opening its coat to envelope him.