Finkmilkana's Carrion Crown

Game Master Finkmilkana

@Cerana (and Lyla since she still stands there and sees it) You see nothing special about those spots or the room overall besides the mess it is in. As is starting to become a common sight to you you see the skeletal corpe of a prisoner strapped to one of the broken tables, most likely a patient at the time of the riot. You also see some drugs, salves and the like which might still be useable. Just as your eyes catch a box with the label "Bandages of Rapid Recovery, for staff emergency use only" it starts to speed towards you.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

And misses your head by inches before shattering on the wall next to Lyla, revealing a heap of bandages which radiate a faint conjuration aura.

Round 3 since you were frightened.

Torald flees further towards the back entrance they've used.

Seems like a poltergeist of some kind, that or someone is bound to be using some form of telekinesis to move things about the room. Perhaps we should go to my chagrin, Lyla doesn't look like she is going to last much longer.

Cerana rushes back to the door picking up the bandages that are near Lyla. She grabs Lyla's hand and leads her out the door shutting it behind her.

Not sure how many rounds that would take but that will be my actions for however many rounds that is needed.

Lyla holds Cerana's hands tight and, as they walk away, asks her "Do you think we can find out how to kill these ghosts in the professor's books?"

When Kalina finally stops running, she'll look back at the prison with dismay. I really don't want to go back in that place, especially not as depleted as I am. But, Holy Pharasma, I can't let them down either. Pharasma, guide me. When she reluctantly turns back towards the prison, she is relieved to see Torald running out as well.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
1d4 ⇒ 3
Just as Cerana steps through the door with her back to the room she feels a burning stab of pain in below her right shoulder. Once she closed the door and has time to examine her back you find a small, rusted scalpel sticking out of it.
After you closed the door and moved slightly away from the room no more items fly around.

[spoiler=Should anyone still have detect magic online]The scalpel glows with faint necromancy.[/ooc]

You can go out of initiative, so everyone who wants to act may act. Cerana suffered 3 Damage.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
1d4 ⇒ 4

As Cerana is just stepping through the door with her back to the room she suddently feels a burning stab of pain below her right shoulder.
Once she closed the door and has time to examine her backside you see a small, rusted scalpel sticking out of it.
After closing the door and moving slightly away from the room you also see no more items fly around.

You can go out of initiative, so everyone who wants to act may act.
Cerana suffered 4 Damage.

Cerana winces and looks at the dagger sticking out of her.

That is going to leave a mark... better leave it in till we get to a healer though. I don't want blood going everywhere.

Cerana looks down at Lyla:

"There might be something in the books, though I think we need to come more prepared regardless. Let's join the others, try to snap them out of their fright."

Cerana leads Lyla outside if she is willing to follow.

Lyla follow Cerana and meets Kalina and Torald outside. As the group reforms, she asks "So what do we do now?"

I'm sorry to be such a bother, but I really would appreciate the chance to go back to the house and rest. I'm so embarrassed that I ran and left you all. But now that we know how filled with undead that place is, perhaps we can equip ourselves with more holy water and such.

Also recruiting another rogue and/or fighter might not be a bad plan if Raoul really has left us.

"Don't worry ... let's go back and regroup. However I have to ask you Torald or Kalina. Do you know much about healing? I have a dagger sticking out of my back and I'd rather not take it out without at least applying some for of bandage to it."

I think the only thing we lack is a skills character, as both Lyla and Torald are front line characters. Well Lyla's summon is. So possibly a rogue or ranger or something like that. Though 4-man team can work too, up to Fink though.

I'll give you one more day (~20 hours or so) to play this out, then move things forward. If there is anything special you want to do once back n Ravengro please state it, you can also split up for the evening and so on, so if one of you, but not all want to visit something I would play that out via PM and let the main game move onward.

Unfortunately, Im not very good at treating wounds.

"That's alright Torald, I guess I will go see the priest in town. Perhaps he might be able to see to my wounds." Cerana stumbles off to seek the priest to get her wound tended to before resting for the night and regrouping with the party ready to go.

I'll just rest and come back really, I don't have enough money to buy anything of use so I'll just prepare spells again.

Kalina murmurs Oh, a knife in your back? How terrible. How did that happen? Of course, I'll heal you.

CLW: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Its a good thing we're going to rest. That was my last spell of the day. And I'm so worried what will happen if I get knocked unconscious. No one can "Inflict Light Wounds" but me, now that Dr. Benedict's gone. And if anyone tries to help me, they'll just make it worse. I guess I'm going to have to tell them. What will they think of me?

She'll plan on telling the group about herself tonight after dinner.

Plans include resting, telling the group she's a dhampir, trying to find potions or scrolls of Inflict Light Wounds, and perhaps recruiting a fighter or rogue to their cause.

Once Kalina patched up Cerana you head back to town and use the rest of the day to recover from your encounters with the dead.
As Kalina wants to try to buy a scroll of Inflict Light Wounds an acolyte at the temple turns her away rather rudely, but a woman who notices it advices her to visit the Moneylenders, as they often get rather strange things into their stock when someone can't pay up. Sadly they have already closed shop so she has to go there on the morrow.

At dinner Kendra tells you that further strange things have occurred today as one man fell from his ladder while repairing his roof and nearly died would not have one of the acolytes been near. Later he denied to have fallen, but said he rather jumped, as he saw his house standing in flames.

Also at dinner Kalina wants to bring something up.....

As dinner finishes, Kalina swallows nervously and then begins. If I could have a moment of all of your time, I, uh, there's something I've been needing to tell you. I told Dr. Benedict, but he had to leave, and, uh, I didn't want to her voice drops until its barely audible, to uh, scare you or uh, disgust you. I'm a, a uh, Dhampir. My father was a vampire. I'm so sorry. If you all want me to leave, I'd understand...

Lyla is mad at Bramwell and still hasn't summoned him back.

"Wow. A vampire dad. That sounds cool... still beats my 'parents'." After uttering these words, Lyla quickly covers her mouth with both hands, afraid she said more than she should.

Cerana's face lights up. She very hurriedly speaks her next few phrases.

"Ohhh an actual Dhampir, tell me what is it like being one? Aside from the different physiology and biological makeup. This is fascinating I never thought I'd meet one ... well one that wasn't after my blood anyway. I assume that's what you need? Similar to actual Vampire I'd assume or something like that. Oh I am getting ahead of myself. Hi my name is Cerana, wait you know that already. Err... sorry I'll stop now." Cerana takes a deep breath to calm her excitement.

"Though yes.. er.. erm.. what does it feel like to be one? Out of curiosity.. that is, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kalina pauses, startled by the two unexpected reactions.

What were her parents like, that having a vampire father sounds better? Poor kid. Couldn't have been easy with all that power at such a young age.

She stumbles before Cerana's onslaught of questions. You mean you're not repulsed by me? You don't want me to leave? Professor Lorrimor was always the only one... Well, I don't know how to describe being me. I've never been anybody else.
She stares down at the dinner plate with food that tasted like sawdust. I do feel hungry all the time, tho. Nothing seems to fill me up except, uh, you know... She looks up, afraid she's said too much. But don't worry, I would never hurt any of you. I would put a stake thru my own heart first.
I was going to wait to tell you, until I could, you know, prove myself. But I, uh, got very weak today. I'll be able to heal myself first thing in the morning. It's just that, well, if I had been knocked out, and one of you had tried to heal me... it would have made things worse. You might have killed me by accident. I need potions and things that Inflict harm to be healed. I think if I'm bad off, those haunt siphons that we filled today might actually help me.

What about you Sir Knight, you've been awfully quiet. I think I've been afraid of your reaction most of all. You've trained your whole life to kill things like me.

I appreciate the fact that you decided to tell us your dark secret. Like I said before, you don't have to fear me. I have quite at evaluating the attitudes of my fellow beings. And I don't feel any remaining of the undead blight of your father.
And while you accompanied us, I had no cause to question your motivations.

Kalina tears up. Really? You mean it? You don't all hate me? I'm so relieved, not hiding this from you. Well, alright then, we should kick some evil butt tomorrow. Do any of you have ideas about how we could be better prepared next time?

"Well, first, we could get Lord Bramwell those thing to open doors", Lyla says playing with her hand, pretending to be picking some invisible locks. "I know he can do it, I saw him use it when he broke me free out of..." she stops suddenly, not wanting to share much of her past, and then makes up some story to try and correct herself. "I mean, when we, er, I, when he rescued me from a burning house, yes, that's it. Anyway, he can do it."

Bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

"Second, we need to find a way to touch things that can't be touched" she adds, trying to remember all she can on the subject.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

"No ideas unfortunately, I have very rarely dealt with ghosts. I can disrupt them slowly but that's about it. I also lack any funds to purchase anything magical of value at the moment."

"Maybe we can ask Miss Kendra an advancement on the money the Professor left to us..."

That's an good idea. Maybe the temple will provide us with some holy water too, when we tell then, that the prison is infested by ghosts.

You also have the feeling that you should maybe examine the rusted scalpel more closely.

"Wait, the ghost threw that thing at you, right?", she asks Cerana, talking about the scalpel. "If he could hold it, maybe it can hurt him, too." Lyla casts detect magic to analyze the rusted scalpel.

Roll spellcraft to identify it, DC is 20

Spellcraft to identify scalpel: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Kalina puzzles to herself that something's off in the stories Lyla tells of her past, but she can't pin din exactly what. Not wanting to pry, she lets it drop.

Lyla, that's a very good observation about the ghost throwing the scalpel

Kalina will do Knowledge Arcana to determine if its a "Ghost Touch" Scalpel. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

It seems the rusted surgical instrument was itself partly infused with the malevolent energies that course through the prison. While not truly magical on its own it is part of the prison which already held its inmates for so long, first in life and now in dead, forming a deeper connection betwen them and the place. As such it still has the power to harm.

The scalpel has the statistics of a Dagger with the broken condition. Against the ghosts of Harrowstone it works as a Ghosttouch Weapon and can harm them normaly, but still has the broken condition if used this way. This power has not effect outside of Harrowstone, not even if used against a Harrowstone Ghost. The broken condition can be removed normaly without affecting another part of the item.

"would either of you know how to use a knife well? In combat I'd sooner cut myself with it due to how bad I'll be with it"

I can use a knife decently, but since I have some spells, perhaps it should go to someone who has no other way to hit a ghost. Oh and that reminds me, perhaps we could stop at the temple tomorrow and pick up some holy water as well.

I can use it quite good. My only attack against these ghosts is my ability to heal.

"Well best you take it then, should we make our way back then? I feel we are wasting time sitting around here."

Well, you are sitting at dinner^^. But I know what you mean. If you want I can fast forward you back to the prison ans skip playing out the shopping. In that case please list exactly what you want to buy/ask for.

Cerana, are you able to mend these nicks in the scalpel?

Torald will go to the temple and tell them, that the Harrowstone is infested by ghosts. He will ask them if the can provide us with holy water to cleanse the prison.

"Mister Torald, can you take me to the temple and ask the priest to help Lord Bramwell? He is still hurt from earlier..."

No problem, I wanted to consult the piest any way.

I'll go with you if that's alright, and buy some holy water. And then, if you don't mind, I'd like to check the moneylenders, to see if they have some scrolls to help me.

I would be happy to heal Lord Bramwell in the morning. Just so you know, I also have to heal myself in the morning. So that puts me down on spells before we even go back to the prison.

Cerana looks at the dagger a little.

"Yes Torald I do believe I can, I will have to prepare a mending spell in the morning and work it a little but I should be able to restore it."

After dinner you go to bed fast to be ready to stand up early.

After a short breakfast you go to the temple. While you don't find Father Grimburrow an acolyte you haven't seen before is happy so sell you a few goods. After hearing your story he gives you one flask of Holy Water and offers to sell you more for only 15 gold per flask, telling you he isn't allowed to give it out for free.
He also offers to cast lesser restoration on Lord Bramwell and to continue to do so for the next days until he is at full strength again, but can't do anything else for him right now.

Afterwards you visit the Silk Purse. So early you only meet Luramin Taigh and 5 guards there, the other owner, Miss Yearburn, seems to be absent.
At first Taigh seems surprised about what you ask for but after a short moment he seems to get quite happy about it. It seems they had a cache of old scrolls with mostly evil spells in stock since the time before the prison burned down. He tells you that it once was in possession of an inmate and no one ever wanted to buy this kind of thing for year.
Of interest seem to be 3 Inflict Light Wounds, 1 Inflict Medium Wounds and 4 Infernal Healing Scrolls.
You also notice that he seems to have 4 Lesser Restoration Scrolls in stock.
All scrolls are sold for their market value but he seems to be eager to get rid of the "evil" scrolls and thus offers you to give you the cheapest one for free if you buy at least 4 scrolls.

While at the Silk Purse all of you can also make an appraise check.
Besides that just tell me what you want to buy or if you want to further interact with either NPC. Afterwards I would bring you back into the prison. Also remember that you still have the bandages Cerana grabbed.

Appraise: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

Torald will buy 2 flasks of holy water.

While initially delighted at what the Silk Purse has to offer, Kalina gets a crestfallen look. I-I don't have that much money, right now. But I may have more soon. And then I'll come back and buy all of it. For now I'll just take one of the scrolls of Inflict Light wounds, please.

Kalina will also buy 2 flasks of holy water from the temple.

Then she'll whisper to Torald, Would you be able to cast this, Sir Knight, if I can't? I know its not your usual, but...

Unfortunately I am not able to cast this spell.

Kalina looks disappointed. Ah, well, I had hoped... but anyway, if I am injured I think those used siphons might still be able to help me. I'm ready for now. Shall we head back to the prison?

Cerana prepares a mending spell in the morning and spends some time repairing the knife that was protruding from her the other day. She uses the mending spell to repair the knife hopefully to a more usable condition.

I'm ready to set forth.

As am I.

Cerana hands the knife back to Torald, hoping she has had enough time to repair it.