"I'm not much for sleep," she responds; "I catnap during the day, but sleep has eluded me for the last few days...I've heard bits and pieces about last night. Zombies,.....that's discomforting..."
"It was quite unpleasant, yes." Rholf says as he approaches, empty coffee cup in hand, bowing to the two ladies. "Good morning. I am sorry to hear that you did not rest well. Perhaps proper rest will return soon. May I be of any assistance to you this morning, Milady?"
"Unless zombies break in the door, I'm not doing anything today.....thankyou though."
Larissa stands, stretches and moves to give the woman a hug. "Thank you for breakfast. I hope you slept well last night - it was far to exciting for the middle of the night, really. Have you heard?"
She moves to get some coffee and pours a cup, but spends considerable time smelling it and blowing on it before she puts it to her lips. Just the smell of the brew invigorates her somewhat and she starts to drift around the library to see what people are working on. "Can I help?"
Edwin looks up from the book he is flipping through, and smiles.
"But of course my dear! I was merely reacquainting myself with these books that the professor left for us. I cannot help but feel that there is something here that may prove useful. But at present, I have found nothing that we have not already discovered." He gives a small sigh, and takes an enjoyable sip of coffee. "If your 'friends' happen to mention anything useful, do let us know won't you? Any information, no matter how insignificant, may prove to be most valuable."
"The professor dies under mysterious circumstances, to say the least. We arrive, and the town is beset by zombies. Not to mention an enthraller-cum-body-snatcher using Wod's previous companion as a host." Edwin gives a small, tight smile.
"Did I mention that I do not believe in coincidence? We have stumbled into the midst of something. BUt what?" He shrugs. "It is too early to tell. But the facts will prove out! I have no doubt. Now. What shall we be about today? If last nights excursion has proven anything, it is that we are ill equipped, at least as a group, for confronting zombies. I suggest that we follow masters Myron and Castiel's examples, and equip ourselves as best as we are able. after that?" He smiles, and it is a smile of pure childish enthusiasm.
"I say we explore a haunted prison! In the daytime, of course! We have many questions. And I think, as it seems the professor did, that we should be able to find at least a few answers there."
Alinya sleeps well, rises early, breakfasts lightly. Over breakfast she chats politely with whoever is up, particularly enquiring after Kendra's health.
After breakfast she retrieves a small notebook, opens it, and starts checking off items from her list.
================================================A list of things that should be done, in the hand of Lady A_ G_
Item the first :- investigate the Whispering Way in the professor's library
Item the second :- get list of prisoners who died in fire from temple of Pharasma
Item the third :- get protection from ghosts from cache in restlands, and such other supplies as seem wise an appropriate
Item the fourth :- investigate Harrowstone prison, defeat the Whispering Way, save Ustalov, plan celebratory dinner
Item the fifth :- dispose of the Professor's books in accordance with his wishes, collect reward {note, must wait one month before doing this}
================================================
"Hmm. Well. We have acquired the haunt siphons which should protect us from ghosts. That was item three." Alinya dips pen and ink and scratches a thin line through item three on her list. "
Larissa, Rholf, would you go and ask Father Grimburrow if he has a list of prisoners who died in the prison fire?" Alinya, it seems, has no problem making suggestions on what others might do with their time. Blame the noble upbringing, perhaps.
"I myself will investigate the Whispering Way here in the Professor's library. Then we will be in a position , perhaps this afternoon, to follow Edwin's admirable suggestion and investigate the prison itself. Myron, does that give you enough time to go shopping?"
Larissa, Rholf, would you go and ask Father Grimburrow if he has a list of prisoners who died in the prison fire?"
"Sure!" She starts toward the door, then pauses, "Do you think he's up yet?"
"That sounds like something Miss Brightfoot and I would be happy to do, Alinya." Rholf says as he downs the remainder of his second cup of coffee as he stands up from his chair, looking slightly ridiculous with a huge smile plastered across his face while his hair blazes away soundlessly. "I am ready whenever you are, Miss Brightfoot."
"Thank you both. Most helpful," Alinya says gravely. Then, "Ah, before I disappear into the library, perhaps I will just..."
Alinya carefully tears some pages from her notebook, and writes names on each one. She places the name-cards, one for each member of the group, around the edge of the large drawing room table.
By Wod's card she places the ring of protection and a potion of cure light wounds.
By Castiel's card she places a sunrod, a flask of holy water, and a haunt siphon.
By Larissa's card she places a scroll of detect undead, a scroll of hide from undead, and a scroll of protection from evil.
By Rholf's card she places a sun rod, two flasks of holy water, two potions of cure light wounds, and a potion of lesser restoration.
By Nijel's card she places the wand of magic missile, a potion of cure light wounds, and a haunt siphon.
By Myron's card she places a sun rod, two flasks of holy water, a potion of lesser restoration, and a haunt siphon.
By Edwin's card she places twelve silver arrows, a sun rod, ten +1 arrows, five +1 ghost touch arrows and two +1 undead bane arrows, and a haunt siphon.
By her card she places a scroll of hide from undead.
Pausing, Alinya picks up the card with Wod's name written on it. She draws a crude stick-figure half orc with a large axe and puts it back down. Then she retires to the library.
"I myself will investigate the Whispering Way here in the Professor's library. Then we will be in a position , perhaps this afternoon, to follow Edwin's admirable suggestion and investigate the prison itself. Myron, does that give you enough time to go shopping?"
Plenty of time to shop; no "haggling" needed.
roll for research though.
"Thank you both. Most helpful," Alinya says gravely. Then, "Ah, before I disappear into the library, perhaps I will just..."
Alinya carefully tears some pages from her notebook, and writes names on each one. She places the name-cards, one for each member of the group, around the edge of the large drawing room table.
By Wod's card she places the ring of protection and a potion of cure light wounds.
By Castiel's card she places a sunrod, a flask of holy water, and a haunt siphon.
By Larissa's card she places a scroll of detect undead, a scroll of hide from undead, and a scroll of protection from evil.
By Rholf's card she places a sun rod, two flasks of holy water, two potions of cure light wounds, and a potion of lesser restoration.
By Nijel's card she places the wand of magic missile, a potion of cure light wounds, and a haunt siphon.
By Myron's card she places a sun rod, two flasks of holy water, a potion of lesser restoration, and a haunt siphon.
By Edwin's card she places twelve silver arrows, a sun rod, ten +1 arrows, five +1 ghost touch arrows and two +1 undead bane arrows, and a haunt siphon.
By her card she places a scroll of hide from undead.
Pausing, Alinya picks up the card with Wod's name written on it. She draws a crude stick-figure half orc with a large axe and puts it back down. Then she retires to the library.
posted to tour guide avatar for ease of future reference.
"That sounds like something Miss Brightfoot and I would be happy to do, Alinya." Rholf says as he downs the remainder of his second cup of coffee as he stands up from his chair, looking slightly ridiculous with a huge smile plastered across his face while his hair blazes away soundlessly. "I am ready whenever you are, Miss Brightfoot."
You're able to reach the temple, no problem. You're admitted by two acolytes, Mercer and Audreya.
Grimburrow:
"Hmmmm......an extensive list may be possible; it would take me some time to generate.
AAaaaaah....I think, though, a list of the "big six" prisoners would...be more useful:
the heavy hitters were:
Father Charlatan,....
The Lopper,....
The Mosswater Marauder,.....
The Piper of Illmarsh.....
The Spatterman,.....and
Orcish Bob.
You could find the stories about them in the Temple Library.
Oh, and I've talked to the Council. They'd like to have an emergency town meeting tonight. Oh,.....you're all headed up to the prison this afternoon?.....That's just as well.
Well, you'd all be....welcome at the Council meeting,......."
Mercer and Audreya
Two acolytes at the temple of Pharasma.....
Larissa, Rholf, would you go and ask Father Grimburrow if he has a list of prisoners who died in the prison fire?""Sure!" She starts toward the door, then pauses, "Do you think he's up yet?"
Yeah; they're typically up before dawn, these priests.
Edwin watches Alinya's actions with polite interest, and actually cracks a small smile as she adds the crude stick figure to Wod's card.
"Excellent Lady Alinya. IF we all are agreed to investigate the prison after luncheon, then I shall also be about finding out some information. I shall see you all about noonish, shall we say?" He inquires politely. He sketches a brief bow to everyone, finishes his cup of coffee, picks up a small bundle under his chair, and lets himself out. Once outside he takes a bracing breath of the morning air, sniffs thoughtfully, and heads off towards the center of town.
Alinya takes time her time in the library, moving from book to book, and making notes on anything that might relate to the Whispering Way. Or to Harrowstone prison.
Edwin watches Alinya's actions with polite interest, and actually cracks a small smile as she adds the crude stick figure to Wod's card.
"Excellent Lady Alinya. IF we all are agreed to investigate the prison after luncheon, then I shall also be about finding out some information. I shall see you all about noonish, shall we say?" He inquires politely. He sketches a brief bow to everyone, finishes his cup of coffee, picks up a small bundle under his chair, and lets himself out. Once outside he takes a bracing breath of the morning air, sniffs thoughtfully, and heads off towards the center of town.
1d20+7
Nobody seems to know much about the secretive cabal.....it's a know: arcana or know: religion roll to research the Whispering Way......
You're able to map where all the graves are of the risen. Looks like 20 or so rose up last night.....
roll a d20, and add your intelligence or wisdom bonus sounds fair.I'll base your inference on that roll.
Alinya takes time her time in the library, moving from book to book, and making notes on anything that might relate to the Whispering Way. Or to Harrowstone prison.
History....
Harrowstone is a ruined prison. Locals think its haunted.Harrowstone was built in 4594, and burned down in 4661.
Ravengro was founded to support Harrowstone.
The fire that destroyed Harrowstone destroyed a large portion of the underground eastern wing, but left most of the stone above intact. The warden and his wife perished in the fire. Nobody knows why she was in the prison at the time of the fire. A statue (the one that had the V written on it) was built to commemorate their valor....
Many of the hardened prisoners sent there were executed soon after interrment. By guillotine. The fire that destroyed Harrowstone was in some ways a blessing; there was a riot underway. The prisoners held the dungeons below. Warden Hawkran and 23 guards sacrificed themselves to prevent the full escape and save Ravengro.
6 notorious prisoners had arrived when Ravengro burned (the guys detailed by Grimburrow above).
Though commonly believed that the fire was accidental, the prisoners had allready taken the dungeon several hours before the fire.
Wardan Hawkran triggered a deadfall to seal the rioters below, and thus trapped himself and the guards below. The prisoners were in the process of escaping when a panicked guard started the fire.....
100 exp for everybody.......
Alinya takes time her time in the library, moving from book to book, and making notes on anything that might relate to the Whispering Way. Or to Harrowstone prison.
know religion.....
the Whispering Way is a series of philosophies, transferred by whispers, and never written down. To keep it all secret......
nothing really new learned I don't think.....
You're able to map where all the graves are of the risen. Looks like 20 or so rose up last night.....
roll a d20, and add your intelligence or wisdom bonus sounds fair.
I'll base your inference on that roll.
With that,.....you're able to tell that there's no discernable pattern. They just rose up, for some reason. There'd be a clutch of risen in one batch, with one or two in that area undisturbed, then one way over to another side surrounded by graves that remained undisturbed.
Something.....cloudbursted, like as if a necromantic low pressure zone rolled in,......just no real rhyme or reason to which grave yielded up a newborn zombie and which one remained undisturbed.
the heavy hitters were:
Father Charlatan,....
The Lopper,....
The Mosswater Marauder,.....
The Piper of Illmarsh.....
The Spatterman,.....and
Orcish Bob.You could find the stories about them in the Temple Library.
"That sounds manageable. Father Kastigarr, shall I study the first three while you investigate the others?"
know: history, or know: local...
I'm throwin you a bone; need a d.c. 25....+4 bonus gives you a 22 on Charlatan, but....
you find a tract about Sefick Corvin, or rather I'll say Grimburrow helps you out a little bit.
He wasn't technically a murderer, yet his crimes were so blasphemous that several churches demanded his punishment!!!
He was a traveling snake oil salesman, and not a priest at all, though he posed as a priest of multiple institutions as a means to bilk the faithful out of their hard earned jink.
He brooked in false miracles and cures, and earned the moniker "Father Charlatan" after his Sczarni accomplices murdered 6 city guards in an attempt to make good the group's escape......
that's all you uncover, and it takes a few hours, but it's something....
100 from before per each partymember, and
this'll add another 50 exp. per each partymember exp wise.
Alinya makes her notes, and waits for the various other to return from their errands. As she waits she goes back to the Professor's chest of tomes. She carefully contemplates each book, On Verified Madness, Serving Your Hunger, The Umbral Leaves, and the Manual of the Order of The Palatine Eye. Still unable to open the locked Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye, she takes out The Umbral Leaves.
She finds a comfortable chair with good light, opens the stately, gray covered book, and starts to read.
Alinya makes her notes, and waits for the various other to return from their errands. As she waits she goes back to the Professor's chest of tomes. She carefully contemplates each book, On Verified Madness, Serving Your Hunger, The Umbral Leaves, and the Manual of the Order of The Palatine Eye. Still unable to open the locked Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye, she takes out The Umbral Leaves.
She finds a comfortable chair with good light, opens the stately, gray covered book, and starts to read.
The Holy (or not) Book of Zon Kuthon...
in the beginning, there was darkness......and in that darkness, things which were there before the light....and will be there when the thousand points of light are smote out.....
within the darkness, one can truly see. For it is the light that blinds, the light that misleads. As surely as wolves know when is the best time to descend upon the sheep, to rip the bleatings out of their necks,.....all wise things are there in the darkness that was, is, and always will be when the light is gone....
and there were Dou-Bral, and Shelyn. Dou-Bral, who did chase after vacuous niceties, and adored beauty, before he was tutored in truth by the dark.
Know: history on The Piper of Illmarsh -
Know: history on The Spatterman -
Know: history on Orcish Bob -
Splatterman;
another 50 exp all around.....
"Professor Feramin was a celebrated scholar of Anthroponomastics, the study of names and their origins, at the Quartrefaux Archives in Caliphas. He.....hung out with a succubus, and she turned this name thing into something depraved.
He became obsessed with the power of the Name, and using it to terrorize and control. Reputation ruined, he lost his tenure, and he became obsessed with the link between a person's name and what happens to that name when they die.
He would arrange for his victims to find a letter of their name, every once in a while, spelled in blood, or something unmentionable.
When the spelling was done, he would come for his victim bringing havoc.......a complex trap, or series of events meant to look like an accident.....
<Wod just goes along and keeps quiet. All this reading stuff gits im scairt.>
100 exp for everybody.......
100 from before per each partymember, and
this'll add another 50 exp. per each partymember exp wise.
another 50 exp all around.....
Hmm.....yeah, I reckon so.
Alinya can slam The Umbral Leaves closed every two pages and tell Wod some f$*@ed up thing she read in there.....
100 exp for everybody.......
100 from before per each partymember, and
this'll add another 50 exp. per each partymember exp wise.another 50 exp all around.....
Wod heads out the door......
he sees a group of 7 guys, heading north. They all seem to be carrying shovels. Then a wagon, piled high with kindling.
in the beginning, there was darkness......and in that darkness, things which were there before the light....and will be there when the thousand points of light are smote out.....
within the darkness, one can truly see. For it is the light that blinds, the light that misleads. As surely as wolves know when is the best time to descend upon the sheep, to rip the bleatings out of their necks,.....all wise things are there in the darkness that was, is, and always will be when the light is gone....
and there were Dou-Bral, and Shelyn. Dou-Bral, who did chase after vacuous niceties, and adored beauty, before he was tutored in truth by the dark.
but, all hope is not lost, for Shelyn. For when she will become ensnared finally, and then Zon Kuthon will...........urp........gnng...........yeesh!!! eep......ook.........blerg.........5 pages of skincrawling gnnnnnng..................and she will be as reborn, as Zon Kuthon was , and they shall unite and usher in an age of darkness and wisdom......
Alinya blanches frequently as she reads the blasphemous, skin-crawling horrors set out in twisted prose. Face pale, fingers trembling Alinya eventually cannot bring herself to read further.
Well, that was ... educational.
he sees a group of 7 guys, heading north. They all seem to be carrying shovels. Then a wagon, piled high with kindling.
<Addressing whoever is there...>
"Wod want make big fire. Who has fire stone? Wod can borrow? Wod can use book make fire. You have bad books? Wod will burn them!"
When Rholf and Larissa return, Rholf waits patiently for Larissa to give her debrief, and then... "The most significant thing I discovered was about the prisoner called 'Splatterman'." Rholf then relates what he was able to dig up about Splatterman.
"Professor Feramin was a celebrated scholar of Anthroponomastics, the study of names and their origins, at the Quartrefaux Archives in Caliphas. He.....hung out with a succubus, and she turned this name thing into something depraved.
He became obsessed with the power of the Name, and using it to terrorize and control. Reputation ruined, he lost his tenure, and he became obsessed with the link between a person's name and what happens to that name when they die.
He would arrange for his victims to find a letter of their name, every once in a while, spelled in blood, or something unmentionable.
When the spelling was done, he would come for his victim bringing havoc.......a complex trap, or series of events meant to look like an accident.....
"Sound familiar? It appears that someone is using Splatterman's tactics."
you find a tract about Sefick Corvin, or rather I'll say Grimburrow helps you out a little bit.
He wasn't technically a murderer, yet his crimes were so blasphemous that several churches demanded his punishment!!!
He was a traveling snake oil salesman, and not a priest at all, though he posed as a priest of multiple institutions as a means to bilk the faithful out of their hard earned jink.
He brooked in false miracles and cures, and earned the moniker "Father Charlatan" after his Sczarni accomplices murdered 6 city guards in an attempt to make good the group's escape......
I don't know that we've seen evidence of this Father Charlatan being around or someone acting like him. I was unable to learn anything about the other two I was looking for, but if someone wants to take a shot, I can show them where I looked in the temple records.
100 from before per each partymember, and
this'll add another 50 exp. per each partymember exp wise.
You can level up any time you hit the level.
You can procrastinate, and level up in the middle of combat....;)
it's all good.
The 100 xp was a "restatement."
“Excellent organisational skills Lady Alinya,” Castiel commends the young woman. “I’m on my way out to purchase a shortbow in town, I shall negotiate with Edwin to take some of those arrows, perhaps in exchange for some of the other items. Myron, it appears we’re headed in the same direction – I’ll come with you to the graveyard once our purchases are made, we can’t be too careful when it comes to the undead.”
Alinya makes her notes, and waits for the various other to return from their errands. As she waits she goes back to the Professor's chest of tomes. She carefully contemplates each book, On Verified Madness, Serving Your Hunger, The Umbral Leaves, and the Manual of the Order of The Palatine Eye. Still unable to open the locked Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye, she takes out The Umbral Leaves.
She finds a comfortable chair with good light, opens the stately, gray covered book, and starts to read.
200 (bandits)
225 (thugs in graveyard)
150 (library research)
190 (zombie smackdown)
200 (centipedes)
650 (zombies and george)
200 (research) = 1815
meh.....it's level up time; I think I did the math's about two or three weeks ago for some reason, and it looks about right.
Castiel and Myron wander around the graveyard for a couple hours in the morning, trying to figure out a pattern to it all; Myron concludes that there is no pattern........
and they see a clot of townsfolk, mayhap 12 in all, and all strongish men with shovels, and a wagon chock full of kindling trundle into the cemetary....
Edwin returns, far before the earlier proclaimed luncheon hour, and tosses his small bag under a chair.
"Well, THAT was a complete waste of time!" He grumbles. "Largest group of uneducated, superstitious,..." HE stops, looks at the others, and smiles briefly.
"Sorry. I hit a bit of a dead end. What are you doing? Researching the 'sinister six'? Ah! Excellent! perhaps I can help? Let me see here,... Ah! very interesting,..." Edwin mutters off as he grabs a couple of books, and flips through them both, at the same time. He glances from one to the other, comparing passages, and occasionally jotting notes in a tight, neat script.