A search of the crypt reveals little else but dust and dirt. Besides some tattered, moldy wall hangings, there is nothing but the gear you have discovered, the sarcophagus, and the remains of the centipedes.
"We can examine the gear later. Let's get back to the house, no need to stay here and risk being found by someone."
Scarface has the right of it. I'll not be adding further suspicion upon myself as a grave robber in addition to being a half-orc and possessing knowledge of the Whispering Way... Shame the damn Pharasmites didn't include some crossbow bolts rather than just arrows...
You hurry back to the Lorrimor residence (assuming you re-seal the crypt upon leaving) and bustle inside. Kendra is waiting for you, seated at the dining room table reading through one of the forbidden tomes left by her father. "Oh! You're back rather quickly, aren't you? Were you successful in finding the supplies?"
Kendra follows his gaze and notes his grimace. "Oh, you need not worry. I will be certain to let you know if the walls start bleeding or dishware flies through the air. I wanted to examine them to determine why exactly they are of interest to my late father. Unfortunately, I cannot see why."
"Put it away then, or that one will start with his flint and steel again," Corinne says, pointing at Stannis. The evening constitutional through the graveyard has done nothing to improve her mood. "Let's all get in and lock the doors," she pleads, moving to follow her own instructions, not feeling safe until all the doors and windows are shut tight.
EDIT: Never mind; Corinne doesn't have detect magic learned today.
"Feel free to help yourself to the wet bar in the library. My father always said that you cannot face ineffable, maddening tomes of eldritch evil while sober." She stares at the equipment you have secured from the crypt. "Let me see those for a moment."
Kendra casts detect magic on them and studies them intently.
She identifies 10 +1 arrows, five +1 ghost touch arrows, two +1 undead bane arrows, five potions of cure light wounds, two potions of lesser restoration.
She takes special notice of the darkwood case. "That is the same design that appears on the cover of the Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye among the books in my father's collection..."
"Feel free to help yourself to the wet bar in the library. My father always said that you cannot face ineffable, maddening tomes of eldritch evil while sober." She stares at the equipment you have secured from the crypt. "Let me see those for a moment."
Kendra casts detect magic on them and studies them intently.
She identifies 10 +1 arrows, five +1 ghost touch arrows, two +1 undead bane arrows, five potions of cure light wounds, two potions of lesser restoration.
She takes special notice of the darkwood case. "That is the same design that appears on the cover of the Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye among the books in my father's collection..."
Why don't each of you take one of the potions of curing since my ability to heal has me covered. Yes too bad there are no bolts, I also use a crossbow. I will take one of the potions of lesser restoration though to hold on to for the party. Maybe Corinne or Quiddling should take the other to hold on to?
Well, let's get this over with and see what dark magic is in the box...
This book is one of the principal works of the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye, a secretive sect whose members have deep interests in all things political and arcane.
The book’s covers are rimmed in polished steel and clasped with a small but intricate lock, the keyhole of which appears to be for a key with a strange, triangular shaft. The key is nowhere to be found.
Hmmm... Pass the book over here, I have an idea... Morven mutters, deep in thought. Once the book is in his position he bellows and roars and does his best to force the lock open.
Haha! the one-eyed half-orc exclaims in triumph as he holds the now open book aloft in the air. Realising that he may have damaged it, he looks a little embarrassed and places it gently back down upon the table.
Hmm... I could try cracking the code tomorrow, not sure there will be enough time tonight. Corinne will you be able to assist me?
"I was going to suggest a locate object spell to find the key," Corinne remarks drily, "but why use one's subtler abilities when brute force will do the trick?"
Sadly, Corinne has neither a rank in Linguistics nor the spell comprehend languages in her spellbook. Quiddling?
Kendra peers over Morven's shoulder and squints at the coded Varisian text. "I may be able to help, if you don't mind." With a few magic words, her eyes glow as she examines the text.
Spellcraft DC 11:
comprehend languages
"The book’s contents seem strangely out of place compared to the other texts, for while it contains detailed descriptions of a number of ancient
ceremonies, both magical and mundane, they are more concerned with purely arcane or mathematical topics and have very little sinister about them at all. It seems to essentially be a textbook."
Quiddling has cushioned himself in a armchair with a glass of brandy (or something similar) as the party discusses their findings from the crypt. He twitches in surprise as Morven prize open the book, nearly spilling his drink.
"Ha! Why make things harder than they have to be? Good show!", Quiddling laughts after he has recovered from his initial surprise.
"Could there be some kind of hidden message within the text?", he asks Kendra.
No, there is only a pressure clasp holding it closed, like a kitchen cupboard.
"If there is a hidden message, it must be contextual. You know, referencing concepts or ideas pre-determined with meanings. I doubt we could find out anything more. The intended recipient may be a bit upset that you have damaged it, though."
"Well, i think we can all agree not to shred a tear for the owner of that blasphemous tome. Should we peak inside the box? Maybe it holds something that will disperse the mysteries surrounding the book."
The darkwood case contains three objects of interest — a thin wooden board printed with numerous letters and numbers and four iron and glass vials containing tiny, churning clouds of vapor. The vials sit in velvet-lined indentations to the left of the spirit board and planchette, along with six empty indentions.
"Now that is a sinister sight", the halfling comments as his eyes starts searching for the bottle to refill his now empty glass. "What do you think it's for?"
Description
These glass vials are held within stylized cold-iron casings etched with strange runes, necromantic designs, or other eldritch markings. Within the vial roils a small wisp of white vapor, churning as if caught in a miniature vortex of air. To capture a haunt’s energies within a haunt siphon, you need only twist the metal casing to open the vial in the same round that the haunt manifests (a standard action)—this can be before or after the haunt has acted. You must be within the haunt’s area of influence to use a haunt siphon. When you activate a haunt siphon, it deals 3d6 points of positive energy damage to a single haunt.
If it deals enough damage to the haunt to reduce the haunt’s hit points to 0, the mist inside the haunt siphon glows green—if it does not reduce the haunt to 0 hit points, the haunt siphon is still expended and becomes nonmagical. It may take multiple haunt siphons to destroy powerful haunts. A haunt that is neutralized by a haunt siphon takes a –5 penalty on its caster level check to manifest again after its reset time passes.
A haunt siphon that neutralizes a haunt can no longer be used to harm haunts, but it can be used as a grenadelike splash weapon that deals 1d6 points of negative energy damage with a direct hit. Every creature within 5 feet of the point where the haunt siphon hits takes 1 point of negative energy damage from the splash.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cure moderate
wounds, gentle repose; Cost 200 gp
Spirit Planchette:
Aura moderate divination; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 4,000 gp (brass planchette),
10,000 gp (cold iron planchette), 18,000 gp
(silver planchette); Weight 5 lbs.
Description
A spirit planchette is typically found in a wooden case along with a thin wooden board printed with numerous letters and numbers. Nonmagical versions of these divination tools can be purchased in curiosity shops (typically costing 25 gp); while these items can be used as alternative components for augury spells, only magical spirit planchettes allow users to communicate with the other side. Three types of spirit planchettes exist—brass, cold iron, and silver. Each in turn allows an increasingly potent form of divination effect to be utilized. A spirit planchette requires a board to move upon, but this “board” can be made up of letters scribed upon any smooth surface—it need not be a prepared board for a spirit planchette to work.
To use a spirit planchette, you must rest your fingers lightly upon the planchette’s surface and then concentrate on the planchette (as if maintaining a spell with a duration of concentration) for 2d6 rounds while the planchette attunes itself to the ambient spirits of the area. After this time, the planchette begins to slowly slide in random patterns across the board — at this point, questions may be asked of the spirits by any of the individuals involved in the séance. The consequences of each question asked of the spirits depends upon what type of planchette is used for the divination, as summarized on the table below. The spirits reply in a language understood by the character who asked the question, but resent such contact and give only brief answers to the questions. All questions are answered with “yes,” “no,” or “maybe,” or by spelling out a single word from the letters arranged on the board. The spirits answer each question either in the same round the question is asked (in the case of a yes, no, or maybe answer) or at a rate of one letter per round (in the case of a single word being spelled out). A spirit planchette may be used once per day—the maximum number of questions you can ask with it depends on the type of planchette being used (as detailed on the table below).
Communication with spirits can be a dangerous task, for many spirits are jealous or hateful of the living. Every time a spirit planchette is used, the user must succeed on a Will save to avoid being temporarily possessed and harmed by the angry spirits. In some areas where the spirits are particularly violent or hateful (such as in Harrowstone), this Will save takes a –2 penalty. The DC of this save depends on the type of spirit planchette being used. Anyone who fails the Will save becomes confused for a number of rounds (depending on the type of planchette being used), and no answer is received. The spirits in the area are not omniscient — the GM should decide whether or not the spirits would actually know the answer to the question asked, and if they do not, the answer granted is automatically “maybe.” If the GM determines that the spirits are knowledgeable about the answer, roll d% to determine whether the spirits speak truthfully or whether they lie.
Spirit Planchettes
Brass
Questions - 1
Will Save DC - 11
Confusion Duration - 1 round
True Answer - 01-60
Lie - 61-100
Cold Iron
Questions - 3
Will Save DC - 15
Confusion Duration - 2 rounds
True Answer - 01-75
Lie - 76-100
Silver
Questions - 5
Will Save DC - 19
Confusion Duration - 3 rounds
True Answer - 01-90
Lie - 91-100
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, contact other plane, speak
with dead; Cost 2,000 gp (brass spirit planchette), 5,000 gp
(cold iron spirit planchette), 9,000 gp (silver spirit planchette)
Sarrah mutters as people start to talk about what they remember about these objects, If any of you are interested, my divine magic can help you remember details about these types of things that you might not normally remember. I can gift this to you as many times per day as you need...if any of you are interested you have but to ask.aka guidance, just add it to your roll anytime you want the assist.
"The haunt siphons sounds like they can be quite handy, but i must admit i'm getting an uneasy feeling from the spirit planchette", Quiddling says with a slight shudder as he thinks about being possesed by manevolent spirits. He shakes off the uncomfortable feeling and stifles a yawn. "A good nights rest will be most welcomed. I wish you good night and pleasant dreams", the halfings says and gulps down the last of his brandy. He gathers his luggage and retires to his room.
@Morven Roller-of-20s - The tome appears to be an arcane textbook, perhaps suitable for any apprentice of magic learning basic arcane theory.
You all retire to bed. Though accommodations in the Lorrimor home are somewhat cramped, the fire burns cheerfully in the hearth. Kendra provides a meal of cold meats and bread with honey. You chat amiably in the common room until heavy eyelids prod the funeral guests to their rooms. The sound of crickets outside lull you to sleep.
But the night brings you dreams...
Morven:
You hang upside-down hundreds of feet above a gorge, supported by thick iron manacles shackles around your ankles. From a ten-foot chain locked around your neck swings a dead crow with two silver keys clasped tightly in its rigor-locked beak.
Sarrah:
Bound in thick ropes, you stand barefoot at the edge of a large cast-iron cauldron filled to the rim with boiling lead. A sulfurous steam rises from the surface, burning your nostrils. In the distance, you hear soft drumming.
Theodric:
It's nighttime, and you and your companions sit on the ground, huddled around a blazing campfire. Everyone wears a wide smile and appears to be laughing and chatting amicably, yet you cannot hear the conversation. As you study your companions, you notice deep and grisly slash wounds across all their throats. You scream, but no sound comes from your lips. Your hands fly to your own throat, only to come away soaked in blood.
Stannis:
Your veins begin to burn and writhe beneath your flesh as hundreds of worms burrow through them, occasionally piercing the skin.
Corinne:
You wade up to your neck in a river of bleached bones that flow through a bare and arid landscape. Smooth-barked thorn trees spill their jagged, leafless roots down into the river, swelling and throbbing like hungry serpents. As you fight your way upstream, the roots lash at you as if possessed.
Quiddling:
Large blocks of chiseled, pale-veined stone encase your hands and feet. Before you, a long rope extends for an unknown distance through a field of clouds. A voice in your head keeps telling you to walk forward, but each time you take a step, the rope bends lower into the clouds, straining dangerously.
As you wake with a start, you see the first light of the morning sun through the windows.
DM, that roll was for linguistics to translate the book tomorrow (today now in fact)... And I just remembered Kendra cracked it with a spell. Oops. Last post for today :P.
DM, that roll was for linguistics to translate the book tomorrow (today now in fact)... And I just remembered Kendra cracked it with a spell. Oops. Last post for today :P.
I know, but I didn't want to steal your thunder. ;)
Corinne looks pale and shaken the following morning. "I don't suppose, my dear," she asks Kendra, "there's any chance of some weak tea, very hot, and some thinly-sliced bread toasted over the fire?" She sits down at the table, supporting her head in her hands, a haunted look on her face.
Sarrach wakes up tired and grumpy...she does help Kendra prepare a basic breakfast for the rest of the group...So far my most recent visit to Ravengro isn't one I will want to remember. It seems the spirits alreay reach me here to haunt my dreams and we haven't even entered Harrowstone...
Kendra looks concerned. "Pardon my frankness, but you both look terrible. Did you sleep well? I know Old River can sometimes wake people if he is too loud." She begins rummaging through the cupboards and stokes the coals to build a cooking fire.
