Spugnoir pours a CLW extract down Darius' throat. Ok, let's get out.
Darius sputters and gasps as the healing liquid finishes pouring down his throat. With wide eyes he sits up and looks Sugnoir in the eye and says:
"DID WE KILL IT?! Did we win?!"
No, time to grab our butts and run.
"Dammit!" Darius grumbles as he gets to his feet and heads with the group whatever they may do. Drinking a potion of CLW.
Grergof leans against the wall, pale and breathing hard.
We need a better plan.... and some more research on the ghost... do you two think we can convince the sheriff or the father to help us next time?
Let's get out of here and back to town, we need to see if we can get Darius' curse lifted and more holy water. Spugnoir will help others get up the ladder.
I doubt they would come, but certainly some healing would be available. I doubt the sheriff would come, and what could he do?
Anyway, let us get going and then we can try to find out what to do. Spugnoir limps back to town with the others.
Let us go to Grimburrow, he might be able to help with healing Darius and we cna get more holy water. Then we can rest at Kendra's house. Spugnoir heads to the church.
Father Grimburrow is found in the temple where he receives the group in his office. After being told what the group encountered and what are the issues he casts a remove curse on Darius.
As that is resolved he channels positive energy to bring all back to full health.
"Is there something else I can help you with? This ghost seems to have influence on our town's people. With poor Jominda being the first victim. Or maybe the second if we count Gibs. So if you need anything, please tell me and I'll see if I can come up with it. Either from our supplies or somewhere in town." Father Grimburrow offers.
Darius stretches as he feels his breathing become easier and his frail bones become...um...less frail?
"Thank you Father I feel much better now. That ghost did a number on us. But we also weren't at full strength and didn't know his capabilities bwe've taken his measure now so we can go back prepared."
Darius paces, his hand on his stubbled chin.
"What do we know of this fiend? He's a summoner and his summoned creatures are alive. He likes Magic Missles."
Then Darius remembers something.
"Wait, which of the items we found belong to him? It may give us an edge here."
I think it is the razor. Spugnoir describes the prisoner to Father Grimburrow. I believe the only one we haven't encountered is The Splatterman, so that ghost may very well be him. I can mix extracts that can shield us against his missiles. Plus some holy water to splash on him.
Spugnoir places the razor on a table. This might help, but it might also be cursed like that hammer that tried to have Darius hit us. We best be careful. There is also a A bloodstained handaxe, a collection of holy symbols on fine silver chains that are badly entangled, a moldy spellbook, a smith's hammer and a tarnished silver flute. The spirit of the Warden's wife is watching over them, she told us that if we put down the ghosts and give her the badge of the Warden, she will prevent them from rising again. All but the one we fought are gone.
"THE SPELLBOOK! That has to be it!"
Yes it was the spellbook.
Father we have heard these items can help us defeat the spirits, but are also cursed. We know this book spells out the readers name in blood when they try to read it. Is there any way you know that we can determine what these can do against the ghost Or to remove the curse from the item?
"I'm sorry, but cursed objects are not my special subject. So I'd be only guessing here. ave you made experiences with the other items? Maybe it's related." Father Grimburrow says.
The hammer that Varsk grabbed seemed to have a compulsion to attack others. Maybe if we spelled out the name of the ghost wizard we can harm it.
"My thoughts exactly Spugs 'ol chap."
I suppose that is possible, but do you really want to be writing that ghost's name in blood on the book?
He pulls out the book and looks at the tag on it.
It says his name was Hean Feramin. I guess, if we used chicken blood or something from an animal that was going to slaughtered anyway...
He sounds very doubtful this is a good idea.
Ugg why is it so hard to think.. Ever since seeing my name written in blood on that wall...
Father Grimburrow takes a closer look at Grergof and casts a spell at him.
"Are you better now?"
Well, we could try destroying the book in front of the ghost, Since my alchemy can't really harm it I could write the names while Darius channels his divine magic and Varsk smites.
Thank you father! I feel much better now.
We have ghost touch arrows and the two remaining haunt syphons too. Anyone who is a good archer in town could use both of those.
We'll certainly have to coordinate well,waiting until he appears and striking him with both would be most helpful. I am afraid I am not a good archer.
We should try to get some rest so we can re prepare our blessings, I'll make up some extracts to help us. Father, may we please have some holy water?
"I had my acolytes prepare some. You can have all four of them." Father Grimburrow explains and gets the vials out of his cupboard and puts them on the desk.
"The sheriff uses a crossbow at times. I don't know if he is a good archer though"
Thank you very much. Spugnoir hands out the Holy Waters. We just need to prepare better, Varsk has a bow but I think using his blade would be more effective. Spugnoir stands up. So we should get a few hours of sleep before we make our next attempt, good evening Father, hopefully we will have good news the next time we meet. Spugnoir will head out back to Kendra's.
"You're welcome. And may Pharasma bless you on this crusade against undead." Father Grimburrow bids them farewell.
Spurnoir nods his head and heads back to Kendra's.
Stam waves his hand at the men coming out of the Church. "Ser's if I a moment of your time, I see out a black smith or the local butcher for some help" Stam pats Neds head at saying butcher.
He moves closer to the group, "My Ox here has had a problem and I cannot fix it myself. Arcane magic isn't much for Ox rings."
Afternoon Sir. There is a good blacksmith in town. She can probably help you.
I can take you there as I was thinking about heading that way myself.
Turning to his companions Grergof says:
I was thinking that if we are going to use those arrows, I should have a better bow. Do you mind if I trade some of the extra swords or armor we picked up for a better bow?
I will meet you back at the house after a brief stop in town.
When he gets his companions response Grergof starts leading the man and his of to the forge.
Right this way sir.
That would be acceptable Varsk. Good day sir, there is indeed a blacksmith that can help. Spugnoir was a bit taken aback at the possibility that an ox was a familiar. I will head back to Kendra's for a nap. Spurgnoir ambles back to the house.
Even though all feel a bit exhausted it is still morning. Kendra was on the market and is preparing some vegetables and some meat for lunch or dinner. Depending on when Grergof, Spugnoir and Darius will come back.
As Spugnoir knocks at the door she opens. "Oh, hello. You're back already? How did it go?"
As Grergof enters the forge Jorfa turns around. "What cursed thing did you bring this time from the Harrowstone." she greets him.
Stam looks around the smithy, smiling politely at the smith.
"Well I don't know much about the Harrowstone and I can assure you that Ned here is not cursed, or if he is he didn't tell me and that could be why the ring is broken."
Stam adjusts the staff on his back and his satchel, moving up beside Ned and patting his head.
"Miss do you think by chance you could fix the ring? I will pay and another other services that you might need and I can offer would be available as well."
Stam then pulls out his spell book and leafs though it, "I will just wait over at the Tavern for you to finish."
He then turns to Grergof, "Thank you for taking the time from your day to help me out here."
Grergof smiles and holds up both hands...
No curses this time I promise, I actually brought you a potential customer.
"A bulls nose ring." Jorfa replies with a raised eye brow. "You'll get a new ring for free and I'll fix it to your ox for free." she says while searching for two pliers. She takes these in her hand and and walks over to the ox and pats it on the head. "But it'll cost you five silver compensation for my personal pain for having to deal with farmer stuff again." she sighs.
With the pliers she bends open the nose ring and pulls it out of the ox's nose.
Stam stops short before leaving the shop.
"I didn't expect it to be that quick, also I am not farmer but thank for thinking I could do the work that they do. I would like of myself as a mage of some sort."
Stam digs around in his pocket, pulling out a gold coin, handing it over to Jorfa he smiles. "Thank you again, I will pay you this for having to deal with my mundane task."
If you are looking for non farmer things, what is your professional opinion of the armor I'm wearing?
Jorfa takes the coin takes a close look at it and bags it. "That's kind of you. But a mage you say?" she sighs again. "I'm still waiting for some handsome knight in underwear walking in and demanding new equipment. The only metal on you mages is probably the tin plate in your backpack. If you have metal at all."
She walks to her workbench and looks through a few boxes until she finds a ring of the same size. She comes over with it and another large set of tongs. She puts the ring through the bulls nose and bents it together with the tongs and puts a rivet through the ring. "How tame is your ox? I can press the rivet with a tong or I can fix it with one blow of my hammer. Hammering is better, but the ox would have to stand at the anvil. And stay there."
Taking a look at Grergof while waiting for Stam to decide how to proceed, her face brightens and a smile flashes over her face. "That's the finest quality. You're lucky you got such masterwork armor. A bit old fashioned but still in pristine condition."
We could try to have him sit there but I am not one for keeping him still, he follows me and carries my stuff. We could try him at the anvil and see what happens.
Stam will turn to Grergor, "Mind giving me another quick hand? You any good with animals? We can just try holding them there."
"Well, then just pressing it is." Jorfa tells and with one strong grip on the tongs she presses the rivet into it's final form. She takes a file out of a long pocket at her right leg and removes the burr.
"I'm not risking an ox rampaging through my forge. Anything else?"