Ereviss looks to the stronger men.
"Axe time?"
Xiuj looks at Agrimar.
KENDRA:
Kendra looks at Agrimar.
JEVAULT:
Jevault looks at Agrimar.
(NPC) AGRIMAR:
Spitting into his palms and taking up his greataxe, Agrimar stands in front of the armored door and swings with all the power he has.
By steadily plugging away and with frequent rest breaks, he is able to open a hole in the door a slender man can wiggle through.
He steps back, gasping for breath.
The space beyond the hole is dark.
JEVAULT:
Jevault looks over to you where he had been warily paying attention to the double doors.
"Whatever foul presence lies beyond these doors has not moved."
Ereviss looks carefully around before they go inside.
"Detect me some evil big guy."
Agrimar steps up to the flindered door and opens himself to evil emanations.
When you concentrate for three rounds, you feel the malignant wrongness of multiple sources beyond the NorthEast double doors. The power is low-medium Beyond the hacked open armored door to the SouthEast property room, you feel nothing. Arising from below is the dim trace of strong Evil...
Those of you who squeeze yourselves through the opening in the armored door...
When you bring your light source up, you see a deserted 30'x30' room.
You see a bizarre collection of dozens of antique goods resting upon the wooden shelves that line the room.
Several of the items contain tiny tags with labels written in a careful script. A closer examination reveals the tags are probably case numbers or maybe inmate numbers; not very helpful unless you could access the old prison files.
Although much of the remaining property is junk, a few items remain that may be of interest to characters:
- a set of masterwork thieves’ tools
- a bronze war medallion from the Shining Crusade (worth 40 gp)
- an unframed Taldan painting of Stavian I (worth 100 gp)
- a set of a noblewoman’s silver hair clips (worth 35 gp)
- a masterwork punching dagger
- a pouch containing a dozen masterwork shurikens
- a masterwork silver war razor
- a wand of lesser restoration (12 charges)
"A hidden panel!" Agrimar says excitedly.
Ereviss carefully inspects the panel before opening it.
He takes the masterwork tools and the wand of lesser restoration.
When you trip the hidden latch, the panel swings open.
This small vault was used to store the more valuable or notorious belongings of the various prisoners. Currently, the vault contains only five objects.
All five of the items stored here are tagged with information as to their former owners.
Bloodstained Handaxe:
This +1 handaxe was the Lopper’s favorite murder weapon.
No amount of cleaning can remove the bloodstains on the blade or handle as long as the Lopper’s spirit continues to haunt Harrowstone.
This weapon deals +1d6 points of damage on a hit against flaming skulls and other beheaded, as well as against the Lopper or any creatures directly associated with his hauntings.
Collection of Holy Symbols:
These holy symbols were used by Father Charlatan, who would select one from the collection that would match the faith of his victims as proof of his good intentions.
There are a dozen holy symbols on fine silver chains—the collection as a whole is worth 300 gp.
Among all holy symbols in the collection all of the faiths of the party are represented.
The silver chains that attach the holy symbols cannot be untangled, and the 12 symbols themselves are stuck together until Father Charlatan’s spirit is put to rest.
Perhaps more importantly, however, all haunts in Harrowstone are less likely to harm the person carrying these symbols, as a significant portion of Father Charlatan’s trickery infuses them—they grant a +2 luck bonus to the carrier’s AC and on all saving throws made against attacks or effects from haunts in Harrowstone.
Moldy Spellbook:
The covers and pages of this thick, leather-bound spellbook have become caked with mold over the years, but some of the contents remain legible.
This book once belonged to Professor Hean Feramin, the man who would eventually achieve fame not through
academia but through murder.
Known in his final days as the Splatter Man, he was dealt a hideous blow to his morale and sanity by the loss of his spellbook. The book, like the other objects in this room, now bears a curse—anyone who looks through the book finds her
name scribbled in blood on the margins of the book.
As mentioned above, mold has destroyed most of the book’s contents, but nine spells do remain viable:
comprehend languages,
dispel magic,
false life,
gust of wind,
illusory script,
levitate,
mage armor,
magic missile,
and summon monster IV.
Once the curse on the book is lifted, it’s worth 1,265 gp (assuming all of its remaining spells are intact—if spells are destroyed,
reduce the cost by half those spells’ cost in scroll form).
Smith’s Hammer:
This hammer was once used by the Mosswater Marauder in his serial killings.
This masterwork smith’s hammer grants a +2 competence bonus on all Craft (armorsmith, blacksmith, and weaponsmith) checks.
If used in battle, the hammer functions as a masterwork light hammer.
Tarnished Silver Flute:
This 300 gp masterwork flute was once owned by the man known only as the Piper of Illmarsh.
His face wrinkling in disgust upon recognizing the vile tools of murderers and blasphemers, Agrimmar makes the sign of the sword over his heart. "Surely no good can come from wielding these...implements."
Ereviss looks at the flute and axe.
"These are just objects. I can use them to defeat evil."
Ysabot reaches for the book as if in a trance, but quickly moves her hand to check the tag instead. "A spellbook," she murmurs, glancing down briefly at the black cat curling around her legs. "Brother, I believe Ereviss is right. They are tools - tools we could use."
"If you say so, Ysabot." Agrimar goes back to stand watch at the door.
Ereviss offers the axe to the paladin and pockets the flute and holy symbols.
Agrimar accepts the weapon with a grimace, and almost gingerly tucks it into his belt.
Nothing appears to happen as you pick up the artifacts, and neither Xiuj nor Kendra are going anywhere near the last one.
The only other exit out of here are the double doors Agrimar sensed Evil beyond.
When you open the doors and peer through them, you see a largish 50'x50' chamber.
The northeast wall of this room has partially fallen, opening the building to the overcast gloom outside and revealing the dark, murky waters of the pond outside.
Moldering training dummies and other similar equipment hint that this room may have once been a training area for the guards.
In the northeast part of the room, the floor around a dark, jagged hole is surrounded by black scorch marks.
You see nothing else from the door.
Ereviss motions for the paladin to go inside as he scans the area.
Agrimar holds his falchion at the ready and enters the room. He continues to detect evil.
Ysabot carefully approaches the hole to the northeast, trying to get a glimpse inside.
Stepping warily into what’s left of the Training room, the chill of the fog you can see through the broken walls outside seems to seep into your bones.
Abruptly, before you can get close to the burned and broken hole in the floor, the source of Agrimar’s uneasiness explodes on the scene. With an unearthly howl six of the burning skulls (the same kind as attacked the town hall) soar out of the rubble and swoop down to attack you all!
Hit! for slam plus fire damage.
No crit.
Hit! for slam plus fire damage.
No crit.
Hit! for slam plus fire damage.
Hit! for slam plus fire damage.
Hit! for slam plus fire damage.
Miss.
No fumble.
Round 1_____________________
The enemy skulls are flying around, but all of them are within weapons reach. Your fighting space has room for all of you to move around as well as decent footing. You can retreat back into the assembly room, out through the broken walls or down through the collapsed and burned hole if you feel the need.
Ereviss adds arcane power to his rapier (+1 magic)
Agrimmar mumbles something about fighting fire with fire and swings the bloodstained handaxe at one of the skulls.
Ysabot cries out in surprise, reeling back from the flames. Regaining her composure, she raises one hand, spreading her clawed nails, and calls upon her mother's powers to curse the skull before her.
"Hyah!" Shouts Xiuj as he lashes out with his staff.
hit! for crush damage.
KENDRA:
Kendra squeeks in surprise, then throws a hand up to point at a skull and shout an arcane word. A greyish beam lances out...
But it misses, scattering off a blackened ceiling beam instead.
Round 1_____________________
Ereviss Ladyhunter______________
Adding arcane power to his rapier, Ereviss lunges out and pinks one of the skulls for 2.
Agrimar_____________________
Agrimmar finds the bloodstained handaxe in his hands and he lashes out at one of the skulls. Landing a solid hit, the skull shatters and disappears in a cloud of sparks. Pretty!
Ysabot_____________________
Ysabot cries out in surprise. Regaining her composure, she raises one hand to curse the skull before her.
There is an invisible pulse you can feel through the air, and the skull that hit her wobbles in flight.
Xiuj-Hak-Leyng IV____________
"Hyah!" Shouts Xiuj as he lashes out with his staff, almost accidentally landing a hit and pulverizing the head.
He dances around in an excess of celebration.
”Hah! Take that head guy!”
KENDRA:__________________
Kendra squeaks in surprise, then throws a hand up to point at a skull and shout an arcane word. A greyish beam lances out...
But it misses, scattering off a blackened ceiling beam instead.
[npc] JEVAULT
Jevault snarls and swings his Morningstar at the head buzzing him.
Miss.
ENEMIES____________________________
Miss.
Hit!
Hit!
Since both attacks succed, Ysabot is hit for slam damage plus fire damage.
Hit! for slam damage plus fire damage.
No crit.
Hit! for slam damage plus fire damage.
5
0
7C
0
7
7
7
Round 2_____________________
The enemy skulls are flying around, but all of them are within weapons reach. Your fighting space has room for all of you to move around as well as decent footing. You can retreat back into the assembly room, out through the broken walls or down through the collapsed and burned hole if you feel the need.
Seeing the effectiveness of her hex, Ysabot turns her attention to the other skulls. Her shoulder burns where the foe slams her, but it was easy enough to ignore. Kendra. Kendra was vulnerable. Spreading her claws in the foe's direction, she repeats her curse - and lets out a shrill, eerie laugh.
Ereviss tries again with his rapier.
Agrimar hacks away with the handaxe.
Xiuj lashes out with his staff again.
Hit! for crush damage.
KENDRA:
Kendra again pointed at a skull and shouted an arcane word. A greyish beam lanced out...
But just missed.
Round 2_____________________
Ysabot____________________________
Seeing the effectiveness of her hex, Ysabot turns her attention to the other skulls. Spreading her claws in the foe's direction, she repeats her curse - and lets out a shrill, eerie laugh that raises the hair on the back of your neck.
Ysabot landed her spell, the skull is Cursed.
Ereviss Ladyhunter__________________
Ereviss tries again with his rapier, and hits! The skull comes apart and crashes, falling to dust again in moments.
Agrimar__________________________
Agrimar hacks away with the handaxe, and another skull is slashed apart.
Xiuj-Hak-Leyng IV_________________
Xiuj lashes out with his staff again, clocking another one good.
KENDRA________________________
Kendra again pointed at a skull and shouted an arcane word. A greyish beam lanced out... But it just missed.
[npc] JEVAULT
Jevault again swings his Morningstar at the head buzzing him.
Miss again.
ENEMIES____________________________
Miss.
Miss.
Hit!
Since the lesser roll is a miss, the skull missed hitting Kendra.
Hit! For slam damage plus fire damage. In addition, Ereviss is knocked prone and dazed, his head swimming.
0
0
0
0
2
7C
7
Everything turned dark after that last hit.
After a timeless span, you feel a call from somewhere beyond the darkness. You try to resist, but you are pulled, firmly but gently back into the light.
You open your eyes, and find yourself looking up at Father Grimburrow from where you lay in a coffin. You are in the nave of the cathedral of Pharasma, surrounded by candles, the music of a choir and the smell of dried flowers.
"Welcome back, my favored son." He intoned with uncharacteristic kindness.
"The goddess finds favor with you and returns you to life to continue your journey.
"To answer a few of your questions, your body was recovered after your fatal battle, but we had to wait months for the midsummer solstice before we could perform the ceremony. I'm afraid your companions have long since moved on."
You all see that Ereviss has dropped to the ground and has become wrapped in ghostly chains decorated with numerous holy symbols.
The chains are slowly tightening about his body, causing him to thrash about in great pain and distress, even unconscious as he is.
Round 3_____________________
The enemy skulls are still flying around, but all of them are within weapons reach. Your fighting space has room for all of you to move around as well as decent footing. You can retreat back into the assembly room, out through the broken walls or down through the collapsed and burned hole if you feel the need.
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Please post in a spoiler to prevent Ereviss from seeing.
Ereviss asks immediately: "Kendra, KENDRA!!--Where is she!!!" he is very insistent
Ysabot continues her laugh as she moves toward Ereviss, trying to discern the magic behind the strange chains.
Father Grimburrow shakes his head.
"I'm sorry my son; she traveled to Leipstadt some months back with some of your companions. Something about returning a library book."
Make a will save please.
Agrimar shatters another skeleton with another perfect chop.
Jevault finally connects with his morningstar, and unsurprisingly obliterates it.
Xiuj swings wildly, and just tips the wounded skull. And just like that all the skulls are down.
Kendra shouts "EREVIS!" and rushes to his side. She reaches out to grab the chains, but her fingers pass right through.
You are certain that the chains are a Haunt! OR the result of one. In fact, the chains resemble the tangled cluster of holy symbols once owned by Father Charlatan!