"It does seem like our best option..he might know something that could help us..or rather help Gaarm"
Yes lets head back and see if we can get some help from him
Gaarm begins to head back to town with the rest of the group.
You see dawn cresting over the horizon as you make your way down the dusty path back to town.
Let's rest and we will find Father Grimburrow in the morning.
Gaarm begins to head back to the estate as he feels exhausted.
"..it's his curse.. if he feels he wants to rest and clear his head before waking up someone who might be able to help him..it's his choice.."
Naxx follows after Gaarm towards the estate.
The kobold follows. It was a tough time and he was taxed. Not to mention he was the shortest and probably the weakest in the group. He did find it comforting to know he was keeping up with them. When everyone goes to bed, so does he. He needed to replenish his magic reserves and maybe try and remember a few more spells. He used a lot that day
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Phyton follws alongs, his head and shoulders slumping. "Shall we rest, then go see the Father in the morn.?"
Yes Nizvit, first thing in the morning we shall see him.
Gaarm heads to bed and first thing I the morning go to see the Father with whomever else wishes to go.
Strength in numbers..I think we should stick together from now on..so Naxx will follow Gaarm
--Trust Points: -1 (17 Trust Points Remaining)--
As the light of dawn crests over the hills and trees, the beleaguered group trudges back to the manor over the next hour. Gaarm and Sir Thomas rest their weary bones for eight to nine hours while the spellcasters awake an hour earlier to prepare their magicks for the impending dungeon exploration in the near future.
As the sun begins to crest down the sky, the group feels ready. Their hostess has prepared them a large lunch of eggs and rashers with fresh bread and vegetables from the local farms.
Gaarm's punctured skin still remains as the evidence from his time in the iron maiden.
The group seeks an audience with the Father as the Sisters gasp at Gaarm's affliction as he walks through the temple.
The aged man ambles up to the group in the courtyard, held up only by his walking cane. It seems that you have found some evil in the prison... What news do you have as to your claims?
Yes Father... It seems that the prison itself has cursed my body. Might you be able to help me? Gaarm says in a raspy voice.
Naxx nods silently from behind Gaarm.
I can try, my son. states the Father as he slowly examines you. After a minute, he begins a slow, methodical pace towards Gaarm.
As the wizened cleric approaches Gaarm, he draws some runes in the grass around Gaarm with the tip of his staff. The lines glow with a ghostly, pale essence. Waves of positive energy flow over Gaarm before quickly wrapping around his ankles and wrists, pulling him spread-eagle on the ground. The cleric slams his staff into the Bloodrager's chest while he mutters in the language of the dead.
As the head of the staff connects with Gaarm's chest, a shockwave erupts from Gaarm, knocking everyone prone in the courtyard as a large explosion of negative energy erupts from his body.
The Father is unconscious and Gaarm only feels slightly better.
Gaarm feels the blast. Moments go by. Gaarm is unsure exactly how long when he opens his eyes. He looks around and sees everyone on the ground all around him. What in the hells happened? Must have been some curse.
Gaarm shakily stands to his feet as he rushes to each person to make sure they are alright. Father! Father Grimburrow? Are you alright? Someone go and get the sisters we need help here. More than likely blamed for it by the town
Naxx moves to check on the Father
" ...He's not doing that great..."
"That doezn't look very good..." the kobold mutters
You are astute. However, the Father and nearby sisters now know of your curse so there is some credibility to your claims of the darkness within the prison growing stronger.
As Naxx rushes to the Father, he is shooed away by several sisters who begin restorative magicks on the man. He comes to with a cough of blood. "It seems ... *cough* that there is not much I can do for you, however you shall have full access to our supplies if you can use them to rid the prison of the great evil that has cursed you."
The old man pushes away from the sisters and shakily stands up with his staff. "I can tell you that to be rid of this curse, you must deal with one of the forces of evil there: Professor Feramin." the old man states.
"You may know him better as the Splatter Man. You may be able to weaken the curse if you can find the spikes of the trap. You mentioned that there were no spikes in the iron maiden. Perhaps a holy ritual and their destruction can weaken the curse's hold on your body." ponders the aged man.
Sister Falsworth rushes out into the courtyard. "Father! Are you ok? What evil have these ruffians brought to our temple? By Pharasma's will, we should cast out these people..."
The Father interrupts her softly. "Quiet, daughter... These men seek to cleanse the prison of the evil that resides there. We shall aid them in this quest as it is what Pharasma would want."
Sister Falsworth looks sternly at the lot of you, but saying nothing.
Thank you Father...I am sorry that this curse brought harm to you and the town but I will do what I can with your assistance to stop these creatures as they have endlessly tortured me already.
Gaarm looks to the sisters. I have been strangled, burned, my wrists have been crushed, my chest has been crushed and I have seen visions of my mother being tortured as they pierced my body and mind. I am not the smartest at these sort of things so what do you suggest we use against this evil sisters?
Nizvit listens closely. All this is very new to him, the surface wold was very different from his underground world, his warren
What type of ritual would be required to cleanse the stain of this evil, is this a ritual I would be capable of performing. Or would it require someone above my strength and will. Sir Thomas says as he recovers from the blast, knowing that none of his magic is nearly as powerful as the magic just displayed before him.
Usually the application of holy water, positive energy and a plea to the gods is enough to destroy something such as this. The Father states in response to Sir Thomas.
---
Sister Falsworth steps forward and confronts Gaarm. I will educate you on how to fight these things if you wish. It will take the rest of the day however.
You shall have my undivided attention. I do not wish to be tortured any more in that hellish complex.
"Nizvit wantz to zee thiz teachzings. Nizvit very curiouz about zurfaze culture and magicz..." the little lizzard offers
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" ..I am unsure if I want to spend an entire day with that woman...but the knowledge would be useful to have.."
Naxx signs up for the lecture as well
If you would have me as a student as well I would be happy to learn from you.
Phyton steps forward. "I an anxious to learn whatever you deem worthy."
Throughout the rest of the evening, you are trained by Sister Falsworth. Over and over, she summons ghosts and apparitions to haunt you and to teach you how to anticipate their moves and actions.
At the end of the day, she dismisses you. You have expended most of your daily abilities in the training, however you feel a bit better about your chances. Gaarm's wounds have not healed, however they have not worsened.
--Next Day: -1 Trust Point--
You awake in the morning after an exhausting afternoon and evening of training, starving for breakfast as the smell of fried pork wafts to the bedrooms. Your hostess has prepared breakfast for you.
Do you think we are ready to head back in? Tom asks as he enjoys the morning meal. Perhaps we aught to show our faces around town and see how things are going before proceeding back to the prison.
I think that the prison is a far bigger threat than the town's feelings about ourselves at the moment.
"...for some reason I prefer the deadly prison to the accusations of the town. Let's go back to the haunted place. At least now we are a bit more prepared."
Very well, let's head out. Tom says as he grabs his kit and dons his armor.
Gaarm heads back for the prison. As the group gets closer he heads back down the rope. Should we head north this time around?
"I'll follow your lead"
Naxx follows after Gaarm
"To the prizon then!" Nizvit chimes in
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Phyton nods and follows.
As you enter the prison, the familiar haunts seem to stand out. The doors slam shut on you once more, however you know to wait out their antics and they will tire of holding them shut. Moving through the room with the podium, you avoid most of the chill from the cold spot as Nizvit and Phyton are able to overheat the location to keep it from manifesting. You are finding it easier to traverse the spectral landscape of the prison.
---Down the rope...---
As you move forward down the northern passageway, you find another door and a locked porticullis.
Sir Thomas examines the porticulus and lock. He looks for any traps and to see if the keyhole matches any of the keys we have found.
Sir Thomas just sees a standard porticullis.
"Does anyone have a way to open it? Does one of the keys we found fit in the lock?'
There is no lock on the grating.
Gaarm arms himself as he opens the porticullis.
"Try to lift it? Or chop it down?"
Naxx glances at Gaarm
Gaarm nods to Naxx as he attempts to lift the porticullis.
Sir Tomas attempts to help Gaarm lift the porticullis. He strains against its weight. his strains add a little to the effort.
The porticullis appears to be locked somehow. Gaarm and Sir Thomas spend a few minutes trying to lift the metal gate, but to no avail.
Gaarm stands and wipes the sweat from his brow as he looks at the door to the west. Maybe there is a key in here
Gaarm opens the door to see what is inside.
"Good thinking, there might be a lever or something to operate it somewhere"
Naxx follows after Gaarm
The door to this guard room is closed. Within stands a table surrounded by a few rickety chairs, along with a pair of moldy but serviceable cots.
As Gaarm grasps the handle of the door, it feels warm to the touch. Listening closely, Gaarm hears a roaring fire and scraping inside against the door.