"Thank you, Tara!"
The doctor moves farther into the room and casts a spell. A blue-white ray of energy fires from his hand at the ghost.
Tara, use the haunt syphon! You can harm the ghost that way!
Sophie pulls out another flask and steps beside Bert to try to pour it on the ghost.
for
Teil steps up and swings away.
Dr. Von Herzog moves to better vantage point which which to attack the wraith, but the aim of his Disrupt Undead spell is slightly off and it misses the Lopper.
Sophie uses another Holy Water flask to soak the incorporeal madman, injuring the spirit once more.
Teilaenthis strikes the wraith with his earth breaker, doing some additional damage to the creature. Indeed, it looks like it may discorporate soon if not allowed to heal.
Bert withdraws from combat to place himself next to Tara.
Theodor moves into Bert's previous position to attack with the bloodstained ax. The weapon passes through the spirit's neck and it immediately breaks apart into black clouds of smoke which then quickly disapparate.
As the last of the 5 powerful spirits is defeated, a sort of gloom seems to lift out of the atmosphere of the prison, but its difficult to say precisely what has changed.
Investigating this room, there is a hole in the grate covering the oubliette in the center of the room with a rope leading down. Examining the bottom, you find the skeletal remains of one body whose legs appear to have been broken. Next it lies a separate skull from another body. There is also a small cache of items including 120 gp, a broken masterwork heavy crossbow, a masterwork longsword, a +1 Heavy Mace, a Stone of Alarm, and a ring of keys.
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"Excellent work, everyone!"
Stefan casts detect magic and attempts to identify the magic items.
After sharing what he learns about these objects, the doctor suggests re-visiting the ghost of Versoriana to put these spirits to their final rest.
Sighing wearily, Teil nods. "Yes, let us see if we can put the wife to rest by delivering this badge and leave this accursed place."
Teil moves to lead the group back to the ghost.
Of course. And we should bring to her the remains of her husband, and then bring the two corpses outside and bury them together, so they spend the rest of eternity side by side. That's worth every treasure to my eyes.
As Bert retreats Tara touches his shoulder, infusing him with healing energies granted to her by her goddess. "I feel like we are missing something. Have we found any clues as to where the Whispering Way took the warden's spirit? Or why they needed that one?" Running a hand through her short hair, Tara sighs heavily.
Following behind Teil and Vivian, Tara waits for everyone to catch up before continuing on their journey to Vesorianna.
These are truly good questions. But we can't answer them right now, Tara.I'd like to find out if Vesorianna can hold her part of the bargain, and banish these ghosts forever. Then, the place would be safer to search for clues.The battles were tough, and we need to regroup, rest and heal. If we stay there and search the place, we could get hurt again, or worse.
She shrugs
That's just my opinion, of course. I'm really starting to speak like my mother would. Where is the Vivian of yesterday that would take all the risks, just for the fun of it?
"I would like to rest my bones, yes."
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With evidently no more spirits to deal with, the group heads back up to the ground level with the help of rope and makes its way to Vesorianna's room.
As you enter inside, her spirit immediately rises out of her corpse with a surprised look, then a big smile, "You've done it! You've really done it! Now all I need is my husband's badge to take over as the prison's new warden and you'll never need to worry about the 5 prisoners ever again! Gods bless you all!"
Teilaenthis presents the ghost with the badge, understanding the residual power that objects can hold.
Bert spends most of the journey back looking at his halberd. "I struck it good, but it didn't get hurt..am I missing something? he finally asks.
Sophie leans over and pats his hand. "Magic, boy, magic."
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Tara smiles sadly at Bert. "Incorporeal creatures cannot be hurt but buy weapons of at least minor magic. I suppose it might be a trade off for being unable to truly touch the living." Tracing her holy symbol, the young cleric shrugs off the dozen holy symbols belonging to Sefick Corvin. "I'm glad that this will put to rest some of the troubles that Ravengro has been suffering. Vesorianna, do you know a way that we can possibly permanently help put everyone to rest here?"
Vesorianna graciously accepts the badge from Teilaenthis and places it on her dress. As it begins to glow with a soft golden light, she sighs with relief and smiles, "Oh, there's something that I missed. With this badge, I think...Oh my. This is wonderful!"
Without further explanation, she holds the badge aloft and concentrates. After a few moments, the light of the badge begins to shine as brightly as the sun and soon waves of light begin to carry various spirits and ghosts into the room. Each is pulled into the light of purity, and in some cases this appears to remove the hate and fear from the spirit to allow it to move on, but in other cases it completely eradicates the unredeemable spirits. The 5 prisoners are pulled in last, and they all only find destruction.
Soon the light of the badge grows dimmer, but still shines like a weak torch. Vesorianna addresses you all once again, "With your efforts and my husband's badge, I was able to remove all the spirits and haunts from this place. It is a prison now longer."
She waits for her words to sink in before looking up to the heavens. "And now it is time for me to move on. Thank you again for everything you've done." With a grateful wave, she then fades away.
The badge then falls to ground as it continues to glow. A thorough examination reveals that it now acts as a Rod of Lesser Ectoplasmic Metamagic.
* * *
With really nothing left to worry about in the prison, the group returns to the town as heroes. As the word spreads, the townpeople gather up a fund to reward your efforts equaling 300gp, and offer all of their goods at a 20% discount for the duration of your stay.
Kendra is also ecstatic about your success and thanks you profusely for saving the town. She also helps you identify the magical items you had trouble with earlier. For those of you staying for the remainder of the Professor's wishes, she does her best to make your stay comfortable. Having seen enough to last him for a good long while, Theodor decides it is time to return to his life outside of Ravengro, believing the rest of you more than adequate to watch over Kendra the remaining 20 days and to return the Professor's books to Lepidstadt.
Over the next couple of days it becomes apparent that the townfolk still regard Harrowstone as a cursed, haunted place despite whatever you tell them. Sheriff Caeller does eventually release Gibs Hephenus from jail once you convince him that the man is no longer in danger of being possessed again.
The day after the party returns from the haunted prison, Teileanthis takes the time to find each member of the party and say goodbye to them. "I have done my part to help put the Professor to rest and to help keep the town safe. My path leads in a different direction now. Good luck to you."
With that, the teifling takes his leave.
The doctor spends a few days poring over the Splatter Man's spellbook, copying what he can into his own.
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In the morning a few days after the events at Harrowstone, there is a striking pale woman with red hair having breakfast with Kendra when you come down. She is introduced as an old friend of the Professor's who has arrived late to give the family her condolences. She thanks the group for their work in aiding the town and Kendra over the past weeks and offers her own services moving forward.
"From what I have heard of your exploits, it appears that the Professor's death may have been a part of a greater evil. I owe a great deal to the Professor and would like to help you as you take the Professor's books to Lepidstadt. Also, if a cult involving the undead may be at the heart of this - I'm sworn to hunt and slay the undead. I would be in your debt if you allowed me to join you."
"I would be happy for you to join us, child."
As the days fly by until the Professor's wishes are satisfied and the group will make its way to Lepidstadt, it becomes clear that travel plans ought to be made. It's quite a distance to the city from Ravengro, so you may want to consider purchasing mounts for the journey.
The distance from Ravengro to Lepidstadt is about 100 miles. No journey in Ustalav is without risk, but the old Mountain Road is generally regarded as the best route. This road follows the southeastern foothills of the Tusk Mountains, passing through the towns of Tamrivena and Courtaud before following the Lesser Moutray River up to Lepidstadt.
The city of Lepidstadt is currently the scene of intense local excitement. The dreaded Beast of Lepidstadt—a terrifying abomination that has terrorized the people of Vieland for years—has been captured. Hundreds of people have flocked to the city hoping to catch a glimpse of the horror and watch it burn for its crimes.
We'll need fresh horses to go to Lepidstadt, no way we'll do the hundred miles on foot. Think of poor old Sophie! With all due respect, of course.
She does a small curtsy at Sophie
Heard the town is in turmoil, cause the famous "Beast of Lepidstadt" has finally get caught, after years of terror. It will probably be burned for all his crimes, and people will want to watch this.Emotions will be high.
I just hope everyone knows how to ride. If not, consider this trip as a way to learn quickly. Personnaly, it will be a first
says the happy go lucky redhead with a grin.
"Ah, yes, the Beast of Lepidstadt! I would very much like to get a look at it before its trial. None of the rumors about it ever seemed to agree as to exactly what sort of creature it is..."
To Vivian's comment, the doctor replies, "I do indeed know how to ride, although I've never been much of a horseman. Frankly, I tend to prefer travel by coach, which is how I arrived here from Lepidstadt."
"I've ridden some..some, but usually on well trained mounts for the guard. This could be interesting." Bert says.
First one to fall of his or her horse buys a round of drinks for everyone?
Vivian winks at Bert, after buying a horse with all the needed stuff.
Wandering around the market, Tara catches only snippets of conversation. "What's this about a beast?" she asks, rubbing the palm of her hand into an eye and yawning. As she contemplates the horses for sale, the young cleric wearily approaches one of the animals. "Are we sure that there are no caravans going to Lepidstadt? That's how I got from Korvosa to Ravengro." Resigning herself to the fate of new horse ownership, Tara pays the man for the horse, bit and bridle, and saddle.
With your horses, you calculate the 100 mile journey to Lepidstadt should only take around 4 days. Once you arrive, you are to deliver the tomes On Verified Madness, Serving Your Hunger, and The Umbral Leaves to Montagnie Crowl, a professor of antiquities at Lepidstadt University. The locked fourth tome with an eye and a scarab on its purple cover is to discreetly go to the home address of Embreth Daramid, a judge at the Lepidstadt Courthouse. She will also give those of you named in the Will the 100 platinum pieces each as promised by Professor Lorrimor's last wishes.
As the group prepares to depart for the city Lepidstadt, a small group of Ravengro villagers gathers on the outskirts of the town to see you off. Although the day is sunny, there is a chill in the air as Winter approaches, so those assembled are decked out in cloaks. All the town notables are there: Councilmembers Hearthmount, Muricar, Straelock, and Faravan; Sheriff Benjan Caeller, Head Cleric Grimburrow and various acolytes; and, of course, Kendra Lorrimor. The crowd all echoes their thanks for a job well done protecting the town from the ghosts of Harrowstone, but Kendra is especially grateful for all you've done for her. At this occasion she finally reveals her decision, she's going to place the Lorrimor home for sale. Once that is complete, she plans to relocate to Lepidstadt herself to continue her magical studies so that she too can effectively combat the forces of darkness if or when they materialize in her life again.
With your farewells out of the way, the group finally departs the town of Ravengro, happy in the knowledge that your valiant efforts undoubtedly saved the lives of most if not all of the inhabitants.
* * *
The first two days of journey are thankfully uneventful as you travel along the old Mountain Road that cuts through the southeastern foothills of the Tusk Mountains. There are even the towns of Tamrivena and Courtaud on the way to bed down if you wish a more comfortable sleep than that of the cold Ustalavian ground. You do notice that as the trip continues that you see fewer people on the road or working in the fields. Indeed, towards the end of the trip the only sights are abandoned ruins, marshes, and many, many trees.
Near twilight on the third day of the journey, after passing through more mist-shrouded moorlands and dark, dismal foothills, you come across a strange group of travelers at the side of road. This collection includes two women with incredibly small skulls milling about aimlessly as a boy completely covered all over in thick, dark hair howls inconsolably. Attempting to calm them is a woman with four arms and another tall woman with a beard. Meanwhile, a group consisting of an extremely ugly man, another with no limbs, a hunchback, and 3 others with extra limbs seem to be in the middle of a serious conversation.
This odd scene is set among 9 gaudily painted wagons, each of which bares the sign, 'The Crooked Kin—Ustalav’s Greatest Traveling Cabinet of Curiosities!' Under those words are pictures depicting some of the individuals you see before you, but all the images grossly overemphasize their disabilities.
As your party nears the wagons, one of the men with an extra arm moves to a wagon and knocks on the door. Another man emerges, an albino man with red eyes and long, white hair that hangs below his knees. He is currently wearing a tall red top hat, a long red coat with gold buckles, and striped trousers. After a brief convesation, the man in the top hat hurries to the side of the road to hail you, "I don't mean to be intrusive sirs and madams, but my traveling troupe could use some serious assistance if you could take the time! We are harmless folk, I assure you, but we've misplaced one of our members and we could really use the help of undoubtedly capable persons as yourselves!"
Vivian takes the time to scan the ragtag group of freaks as discreetly as possible, using her new powers.
She tries to remember if she has already heard of this particuliar group of entertainers, and looks at the top hat man intensely, to see if there is any foul play intended.
You have "misplaced" one of your member? That's an odd way to say it. Unless the member you are talking about is an object, not a person.
She shows no particular fear, disgust or distrust of the strange looking troupe, but remain on her guard.
As Vivian begins to scan each person in turn, she does not detect any evil in their auras. Moreover, the albino man appears completely forthright in his plea for assistance.
"Ah, well, as you can see her sisters are already quite morose at this turn of events, so I'd prefer to not quite use the 'L' word yet to further dampen their moods, but your point is well taken milady." The pale man replies with a tip of his hat.
The redhead looks at the group of bereft women, then her green eyes comes back to their spokeperson. She looks more relaxed now, trusting.
So who do you wish us to look for? Where and when was she last seen?What does she looks like? For I suspect her appearance isn't ..casual?
Sophie nods along with Vivian and Amaria. "Dear, dear... We will see what we can do. Poor things." She shakes her head in sympathy.
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"Her name is Aleece and she is a pinhead along with her sisters Lettie and Poppie." The albino man explains, pointing to the women with microcephaly nearby. "After we stopped for the day, she wandered away from camp. It's getting dark now, and my troupe is woefully unprepared for a search of the fens at night. I can see by your weapons that you are most likely trained in their use, so I have hopes you could be of assistance."
Taking off his top hat, the man offers a deep, theatrical bow, "My name is Kaleb Hesse, the Ringmaster of the Crooked Kin. If you can find our dear Aleece, we will award you with a magical dagger we have in our possession. She was last seen at the northern edge of our camp, perhaps there might be tracks there."
Sure! I'll look for tracks.I know a few things about tracks. The most important thing isn't the reward, it's finding Aleece as quickly as possible, Kaleb. I'm Vivian. Vivian Deberth. But we'll have all the time introducing to each other after we found the lost girl. as you said, the dark is coming.
and I hope we wont be too late..
Bert remains quiet and lets the others do the talking as he is more of a doing type of person. He keeps an eye out for danger.
Stefan regards the troupe of unfortunates with an expression of pity. He attempts to ascertain the nature of their afflictions and whether there is anything he could do to help them.
"Of course we will try to find your lost member. Could you tell us a little about her: what she might have been following or why she would have wandered off?"
From a quick look at the Crooked Kin, Dr. Von Herzog deduces that most if not all of their conditions are congenital. There isn't much modern medicine could do for them.
In response to the Doctor's queries, Kaleb replies, "Hmm, well she's a bit younger than her sisters. With her condition, I'm quite sure you'll recognize her when you find her. Apparently she heard some strange noises and decided to investigate, when she didn't return for some time, we all started getting worried."
At the northern side of the camp, Vivian easily spots a series of fresh tracks leading out towards a river valley.