GM Foxy's Carrion Crown

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

"Hihi." Jominda giggles. "I always wanted to go take a look at that. I just didn't dare to go alone. I'll prepare something for tomorrow. See you at sunrise then."

Jominda walks back to her apothecary taking a look around but as no one is lying around on the ground and Father Grimburrow is there everything seems in good hands and she is no longer needed.

"Count me in too. Kendra, you make a good point that it will be dangerous, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to return things to normal.", Jorfa comments, "Is there anything you need of me this evening, or may I return home to prepare for tomorrow?"

The Sheriff pats Father Grimburrow on the back. "You lead your group of overambitious villagers there. I'll take care of the perimeter watch with Councilman Hearthmount. Good luck."

He then continues to the Councilman and together they approach the villagers on the Councilman's list to get them to join in.

Kendra smiles thankfully at Jorfa. "You are brave to take on this undertaking... Jominda seemed to take things lightly." She stares in confusion after the Alchemist as she leaves the town hall.

She looks Jorfa with a bit of worry on her face.
"It seems the Sheriff won't be accompanying you."

The blisstopian springs of ignorance are majestic this time of the year ;)

I want Jorfa to comment on the sheriff's unwillingness to help. So question to the GM: who is the predecessor to the current sheriff? Or has he been the town's only sheriff to date? Or can I just make something up?

Jorfa shrugs, "I didn't expect anything more from him.", she says to Kendra, "His predecessor, sheriff Murray, was a man who lived for the people and would never just shrug off such an incidence. This chuckle-head on the other hand wouldn't even help an old lady across the street if he didn't get paid to do so."

Jominda works diligently to create some doses of alchemists fire.
Craft(Alchemy): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

Which means that with 8 hours of work she almost got one bottle of alchemists fire. Which means I have to take some of the 20 I have in stock already :P

I'm not sure that's fair to him. These undead have us all rattled and on edge." Kendra replies. "Perhaps it is better if the sheriff stays behind. Scared people can do some strange and dangerous things, and someone might be needed here to keep the peace."

Kendra takes a deep breath and straightens her back. "It was my suggestion to look into Ravengro, to find the source of these attacks. My father's friends have gone missing, and I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you too while I am safely at home. I will have to accompany you on this mission."

"Let's all prepare and have a good night's sleep and meet tomorrow after sunrise at the temple. Then we shall go together to the Harrowstone and take steps to end this threat." Father Grimburrow states. The aversion against this course of action still showing.

He makes sure no one is still hurt and then retreats to the temple.

The night passes and in the morning the birds sing as they greet the new day. It's overcast with an unpleasant wind from north-east that sends a chill through everyone who leaves the cozy warmth of their homes.

Kendra puts on a thick coat as she prepares herself to leave the house. She takes one more deep breath to gather courage and tries not to think on the note she left behind, detailing what should happen with the affairs in case of her death. Her father's books need still be returned, after all.
Then she steps into the cold and walks to the temple, huddling in her coat against the wind that is more than just cold.

Jominda is prepared. Armed to the teeth with a light crossbow with 10 bolts, a light mace, a dagger and a bag full of alchemists fire as well as her alchemists bag containing her tools to prepare extracts and bombs and her chain shirt. And so she leaves the apothecary and is on her way to the temple.

On the way there she notices that she should have takes a little more time to consider her clothing. As it feels freezing cold and her lips are blue and her teeth are chattering as she steps into the temple. "G-g-g-good morning." she greets Kendra.

"And a good morning to you, Jominda." Kendra replies, placing her own backpack a bit more to the side to make room for Jominda's bags. "Have you not got any warmer clothing with you?"

"No. But I'm fine." (chatter, chatter) Jominda replies. "We're going to be indoors, aren't we?"

Meanwhile Jorfa leaves a note for her apprentices at the forge detailing that she will be away to help sort-out the undead problem. She knows that they are well trained and is confident that they will be able to manage the forge, even if she doesn't return.

That was the last chore she had to do before heading to the temple. She is well prepared with her trusted earth breaker, armour, and miscellaneous provisions.

It was so cold this morning that she actually put on her thick socks.

"Good Morning", she greets everyone as she arrives at the temple.

"Greetings, Jorfa. It's good to see you", Kendra replies with a warm smile.

"Where is Father Grimburrow? I would have expected he'd be the first here." Jominda asks.

Opening the door Father Grimburrow smiles as he see's everyone ready. "Come in before you catch cold." He says with a shiver, holding the door wide.
Inside the temple isn't much better but at least there is a reprieve from the wind.
"So everyone is here. Are you all sure you want to do this? There is no shame admitting that you got caught up in the excitement of last night." he leaves the question hanging, one last way for anyone to leave if they are afraid of going.
As everyone stays he smiles an even broader smile, walking down the center isle "Thank you all, I wouldn't be able to do this on my own. I will do what I can to keep us all safe. As it is undead we are dealing with I had my acolytes prepare some holy water for us, and we can take what stores we had before as well." he indicates the vials standing on the table at the front of the temple. "I also found this." He says producing an elaborately adorned box.

"Great." Jominda states and bags a few of the holy water vials. "What's in the box?" she asks and opens it.

Assuming it was the box for the morningstar.
"Wow. Shiny. What's that for?"

"It is church property, has been here since before I got here. It is a magical weapon to deal with spiritual dangers."

"I didn't know the church is that hard on heretics." Jominda comments.

"It is not for the heretics. Unless the heretics happen to raise undead as well." Grimburrow chuckles

When the Father creates the option to back out, Kendra replies straight backed. "I am coming, Father. I feel it is my responsibility as much as yours."

She ponders for a moment where she can stash some more of the vials of holy water, and gives but one look at the mace. She probably would hardly know how to handle herself in a fight, and that thing looks heavy.

As no one else seems to want that weapon Jominda grabs the shiny morning star. "Whoa. For sure you don't want to be on the receiving end of that thing." she states as she lifts the heavy weapon. "Are we going now?"

Jorfa takes a look at the morning star and comments, "Now we are in business. Jominda, are you sure you can handle it? Because it will mean that you'll be in the front line of battle."

"If you want to have it you can for sure. And I'm not going to push to the front. But I don't think we'd all be able to hide behind you." Jominda replies.

"I will gladly carry the weapon. I'm sure it'll be handy, and you won't be forced to push to the front line. Unless you want to of course.", Jorfa says as she accepts the weapon from Jominda.

"I just didn't want it to go unused here take it." Jominda replies and hands it to Jorfa. "Who is going to take the lead?"

After a long and awkward silence Jominda states "Then I'll take the lead. Everyone grab your stuff. We're off to the Harrowstone." She holds the door open and goads them on.

Then she leads the way to the Harrowstone.

Harrowstone is located on a barren hill south of the city of Ravengro, the stark, sagging roof of its central structure visible through a large gap in the surrounding wall. A partially overgrown track leads from the southern edge of town, winding around the base of the hill and then back up along its southern slope to the prison itself. The Haunting of Harrowstone up along its southern slope to the prison itself.

The path ends at the entrance. A sagging wood and metal gate set between a pair of stone guard towers once barred entrance into Harrowstone, but the gates now hang negligently open, creaking softly in what wind touches the ruined bars.

"Onwards!" Jominda exclaims and pushes the doors open. Stepping inside she looks around.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

To the left stand two old stone towerw, their wooden roofs collapsed and their crumbling walls thick with ivy, extend a further ten feet above the twentyfoot-high wall there.

A small brick manor house that is overgrown with thick sheets of gray-green ivy stands on the grounds. The roof and one wall of it came down recently from the looks of it.

A two-story stone building looms in the center of the prison grounds. Ivy and moss cling tenaciously to the walls, while above the wooden shingles of the roof are often missing entirely, exposing the wooden rafters of the upper structure to the sky. Here and there, leering stone gargoyles perch on the eaves, once functioning as drainspouts and decorations but now seeming almost to serve a more ominous role of sentinels. Many of these stone decorations have crumbled away and lie in ruined piles on the soggy ground below. Windows in the building’s facade are narrow and blocked by grills of rusty iron bars. Stone columns support a slumping wooden balcony over the building’s wooden front doors, both of which hang askew and reveal dark glimpses of chambers within.

Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Jominda draws in a sharp breath as the sensation of her skin being on fire overwhelms her. She starts shaking and is covered from head to toe in goosebumps. "Oh my!" she says and sits down in the grss holding her head.

Grimburrow rushes to her side, "Are you injured?", concern in his voice

"No, I don't think so. I just need a minute" Jominda replies checking her arms to make sure it is true.

Jorfa immedaitely draws the morning star and takes point. She looks around, trying to identify the source of Jominda's perceived injury.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Kendra is startled by Jominda's reaction, but as she in Vauran's good hands, she decides to stick close to Jorfa, looking over her shoulder. "What is it?" she asks.

"It just felt as if my skin were on fire. It felt so real." Jominda replies.

"I can't identify the source. I have no idea what my have caused your perceived injury. Maybe it was some kind of magical trap. Luckily you aren't actually hurt", Jorfa says as she turns towards
Jominda.

Could it be that some memory of the fire has been imprinted in the enviroment? Kendra thinks to herself

Knowledge arcana and/or history: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"It may be that a sort of.... memory of the fire has haunted this place, which may give Jominda the feeling... It's a strong haunt." Kendra says. "It's scarily powerful"

"Are we prepared for that?" Jominda asks as she gets - for the first time - the feeling she might be in over her head here.

"It happened as you stepped through the door yes?" Grimburrow says standing slowly, straightening out his back.

"Yes, why?" Jominda replies.

Grimburrow steps between the doors and waits to see what happens

Kendra keeps a close eye on Vauran. As nothing seems to happen, she breathes a sigh of relief.

As she finally calms down again Jominda gets up. "Let's go. The longer we wait the more horrible the worries will become. Perimeter first or directly in?"