GM SpiderBeard's Carrion Crown (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

The flame slams into Gibs' chest, burning the clothes from him. Again, he seems to register no pain and is just intent on fighting.

Kawrock has been moved. For future reference you have the ability to move your own tokens. If there are any complicated movements, please draw an arrow to indicate your path.

surprise round, can he move like that and attack?

@GM:I normally move my own token when I have access to my PC. On my phone I do not have such capabilities.
@Vladlena:That was my round 1 move since I had top init. The casting of the spell was my surprise round.

Norna clutches at her holy symbol, steps forward from the bush, and commands Gibs to "DROP the sword!"
5' step, Command 'Drop', DC 13

oh

Surprise round@ Lena casts mage armor
Round one@ Lena steps out of the bushes and casts color spray (DC15, will), trying not to hit any players.
Eldon, you dope, an apology isn't going to cut it. Casting a area spell, stand clear.

Sorry, wasn't clear on initiative. Kawrock and Eldon got top initiative so they can take round one actions. Lena - you'll have to wait until Gibs goes becuase his initiative was higher than yours.

Gibs' Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Gibs' hands tremble for a moment and he drops his longsword. He looks around wildly.

Eldon can take his round one action, Arval can take his surprise round action.

Arval moves forward and attacks the raging man.
"Advance!"
attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Dmg: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
He slashes past him and thrusts up his shield in defense.
AC 21

guys stop trying to kill him, we need a prisoner not a corpse.

I'll keep Arval and Lena's actions for round one and explain the initiative system in discussion in a sec. GMPCing Eldon.

Eldon reloads his crossbow and fires once more. The second bolt manages to wing Gibs as well. Who now has two bolts sticking out of him and the effects of a large flame attack.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

In the same eerily loud voice, Gibs roars.

"The woman will fail just as her husband did!"

He fumbles around, and grabs his sword from the ground before swinging and wildly missing Arval. Arval's return blow also misses.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Lena then scoots around Gibs, chants a spell, and blasts him in the face with a spray of colourful energy!

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Gibs roars and drops his sword as the spell takes full effect. He appears to be unable to see or move.

Gibs is blind and stunned and is unable to act. Arval can take an attack of opportunity if he so wishes. As Gibs is unable to act, everybody can take an action.

Norna takes out her rope and rushes to him, yelling "Help me tie him up!"

Kawrock extinguishes the flame in his claw and moves forward to help Norna tie the man up. "Nicely done Lena."

Not sure on the mechanics of what I want to do, what I want to do is hit him with the flat side of the axe to knock him out. Is it just a straight attack role?

Regular attack with a -4 penalty to hit.

I believe you can do a nonlethal coup de grace (full round action, instant crit, save or be knocked out if you don't go under 0 hp). That said, he's tied up so we can skip the honorifics.

Rustom gives Gibs a satisfying clonk on the head with the side of his greataxe, and the old soldier goes limp in his bonds. The scene around the memorial is grisly; dog's blood is everywhere and the VES written on the front of the memorial stands out a little more than it should in the night.

END OF COMBAT

Norna moves now to the check on the condition of the dog (undoubted though it may be) and as to whether it has any identification, then returns angrily and moodily to Gibs' prone form. Still, she suggests, "We should heal him soon, for decency. I don't believe that he was in command of his senses: most likely he was driven or possessed by malignant spirits, especially after hearing that voice that came from him. It will bring him back to consciousness, though, and it appears you (understandably) preferred him unconscious... If the Sheriff hears that voice, it will go a long way to proving both that Gibs' is the culprit and the urgency of the situation in this town."

If others approve, Norna will clasp her holy symbol and release waves of healing energy to heal and restore Gibs.

The dog has no real identification, it's a medium-sized brown sheep dog. It seemed to have been in poor health with signs of starvation and patchy, mangy fur.

"Whatever the group thinks is best, I am still a little fuzzy on the details. Maybe there are some lingering magical effects on him."

Kawrock casts detect magic. It wasn't very clear since I was roll playing it out, but Kawrock used produce flame earlier.

Thanks, I did miss that.

Kawrock chants a spell and stares down at Gibs intensely. After a moment, it becomes apparent there is an ongoing spell in effect on him with a moderate aura.

"If there is any then I won't be able to find it, I'm not a detective or anything. Let's drag the little bugger to the station and be rid of him. Then we can continue investigating the happening of the profs death. He might be easier to take with us if you heal him, so yes I approve. Less dragging is faster travel."

Depending on how Gibs will react when he is conscious again, Arval will forcibly drag him there of guide him there. If he will not gain conscious again Arval will lift him over his shoulder and bring him.

"Yup definitely magic at work here. Though I am not sure what kind."

"Between Arval and myself we can carry him where ever you want us to."

Lena sighs with satisfaction. well, thats that. Best to go wake up the sherrif. That'll be fun.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Yes, I see it too..." Norna says, after casting Detect Magic. "A powerful form of Suggestion, it seems, with whatever it was speaking through him."

Norna heals Gibs, waiting anxiously to see if the thing still controls him. "We can go as we are to the sheriff's, then I can try something else, too. If he is still controlled then, we can try a prayer to protect him for evil influences."

We'll probably rest after this, I'd imagine, but if it is important you could tell me how many 1d6 Channel Heals it will take - I have up to 6. (At least the NL damage heals easier.)

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Eldon also casts a detect magic spell. He doesn't remember anything about 'Suggestion' making people say things through others, but Eldon nods agreeingly at Norna's words. "Yes, you're correct. The aura is certainly that of a strong enchantment spell."

How did she know what I didn't? Can't be! No, I'm sure I knew. I know it now, after all. She just said it faster.

Gibs took 14 damage, and 20 nonlethal. So four channel energies would bring him to full.

With the group deciding to take Gibs to the jail, you all make your way into town. It is far past midnight now, and Ravengro is cold, misty, and silent. Arval and Rustom carry Gibs easily enough, although are happy when they finally make their way to the jail. The jail itself is a squat, stone building and relatively small. You approach the door and see Sheriff Benjen snoozing on a cot inside. The Sheriff proves to be a light sleeper, and soon the door is open. He stares in horror at Gibs' blood-soaked (largely from dog's blood) body.

"What the hell happened here?!"

"Gibs approached the statue with a dead dog, and painted a new letter on it," Eldon explains. "The blood on him is mostly from the dog, but we had to hurt him a bit to take him down. He was very violent when swinging his longsword in the air between himself and us."

Eldon's voice changes to a very casual tone, as if discussing the weather. "It doesn't seem to be his fault though, he was most likely possessed by an evil spirit."

Arval walks in after Eldon.
"What he said."
And he points to Eldon
"You really need to be kinda mad or possessed to do such a thing is my guess also."

Sheriff Caelder steps back, his eyes wide. "Wait... what, possessed?! I uh... well there's been odd happenings all around town. Deputies and me had to put down a zombie earlier today. If you think he's safe in the jail then let's lock him up and get Father Grimburrow tomorrow morning. He don't have any eerie powers do he?"

Is Gibs awake? And is he apparently normal now or still possessed?

I'll just postpone your healing until you're at the jail.

With Gibs behind bars, Norna chants to Desna to heal his wounds. Soft white light bursts from her holy symbol, refreshing the party and healing their scratches and cuts. After the first pulse, Gibs' eyes start to flutter open. Once healed, he becomes lucid.

Gibs leaps to his feet and then lets out a groan, clutching his head. He looks at all of you with confusion and anger.

"I knew it! T'necromancer's pals have come t'take me to t'land of t'little people! Do yer worst gnome! Wait... m'I in jail?! What happened? Benjen? Did they necromance ye too?"

He is obviously panicked, but lucid. His voice is that of the crotchety hick you once knew.

Lena smiles at the irritating bigger.
Congrats Gibbs, you have been possessed. Now you have been dispossessed. All we have to do is stop you being repossessed. So to speak.

Norna looks around confused for a moment, seemingly momentarily sharing Gibs' sense of panic, "Gnomes?! Where?! ... Oh, yes, me! But not them, not even the little ones a little bit, I'm afraid."

Norna then does her best to look big-eyed and non-threatening, saying, "As Lena says most eloquently, you were being used, we think, as a tool of an evil spirit or spirits, one or more of the infamous five prisoners of Harrowstone. We hope, though, that you will be safe in here, under the Sheriff's good guard." Norna relates the evidence that was found against him and the sequence of events leading up to now.

"Can you think of any reason that you might have been so sadly chosen by the spirits for this task? Perhaps you visited Harrowstone, or have some relationship to the warden or the guards? Anything else strange that may have happened to you (besides us, that is)?"

Benjen, looking worried as he leans against the wall of the jail, looks at Gibs evenly.

"You're covered in dog's blood Gibs, and they caught you at the memorial."

Gibs looks around at the group in utter confusion.

"I ain't never been near that haunted place and I ain't got no relations widdem prison-folk!" Gibs slumps against the wall of the prison, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. "Possessed... what'd me mam think? I ain't had not much strangeness, yer lot be t'strangest thing t'happen to us recently. I er, uh, past few nights I been going t'bed and waking up like I ain't slept at all. Proper tired all t'time."

Kawrock steps forward from the back of the group,"How many nights ago did this start? Did anything out of place happen right before these sleepless nights started?"

Arval stands with the others and nods to their questions.
"Yes tell us, we might be able to help you."

With Benjen there to keep him calm, Gibs buries his head in his hands and lets out a groan.

"I dunno... two, three nights ago? Hard t'tell y'know? Ain't nothing strange happened. All t'strangeness happened this week what with y'all showing up and t'zombies and t'big blood-suckers."

"The Professor was concerned that he may already be too late to stop the evil plans on this city. It seems that bad things are coming fast."

"Now, Mr. Gibs, when possessed you said," Norna clears her throat, *Ahem*, steps onto a chair, stands on the tips of her toes, raises her arms above her head and waves them in an attempt at menace, scowling and 'roaring' in her not very deep or powerful voice,

"You shall not prevent our escape! The woman will die again!"

"... and ..."

"The woman will fail just as her husband did!"

"So," she continues, suddenly very small again, "I think it has something to do with the Warden's wife trying to stop in death like the warden did in life."

"Still puzzled about the word you were trying to spell. One of the bad prisoners killed people after spelling their names, day by day, as I understand. But V-E-S- isn't quite her name, from what I saw on the monument, at least. Of course, Versorianna is a long name and maybe angry spirits are poor spellers... Well, anyway, we should check for any in town who's names start with V-E-S."

Lena is uncharacteristically quiet. Then she speaks. That's really not true, Gibs. Yes we are strangers here but none of us would associate with such strangeness. But we can be a cure for it.

Benjen looks at Norna in confusion.

"The warden's wife name is Vesorianna, not Versorianna. I should know, I've had to clean up that monument enough recently."

Gibs nods from his spot behind the bars.

"Ayup, I knowed of her when I was a lad. So... yer sayin' some spook is usin' me to write a name on the monument? I ain't fond'a that. And I reckon ya ain't spirits or spooks.. reckon I owe alla ye for taking me down peaceful-like if I were possessed." He looks across all of you through the bars. "Any chance I can be gettin' outta here? Maybe Father Grimburrow knows a way t'keep t'spirit outta me head."

"That would be up to Benjen and father Grimburrow. Sounds like we need to get a good nights rest and head up to this prison."

"Sounds like a good plan," Eldon replies to Kawrock, "I wonder what we'll eat today? I'm not in the mood for meat after what I saw Gibs do with that dog."

Ah, we just had it in the thread somewhere as Versorianna.

Norna attempts to puzzle out the cause for her confusion, a not infrequent task: "Hmm. I don't know where, exactly, I got the name Versorianna, then, instead of Vesorianna. Maybe it was a different monument in another specter-threatened town... I suppose that they are both so common that I must be getting them confused."

"Wait, do we mark 'anniversaries' or 'annaversories'... Oh, words can be so troublesome!"

Norna pales at the thought of the dog, having tried to put it out of her mind, and asks the sheriff to send someone to retrieve it and find the owners, if it had them.

Yep! Easily corrected. Thankfully I wrote it right where it counted on the text from the monument. Page 10.

Benjen looks over Gibs warily. "I'll getcha some drink and blankets Gibs, but ya gotta stay in there. Possession or no you've killed some folks' animals and scared the living daylights outta this town."

He turns to the rest of the party. "Thank ya folks. I'll let the people of this town know that they can sleep easier. Just... that prison. It ain't right. We stopped the ghost from bothering Gibs and so best you don't go there. And if ya do don't tell no-one, it's bad luck to speak of it. Also, best ya hide that talking bird from t'folks, no offence uh, Mr. Talking Bird."

Benjen tips his hat and leaves to get Gibs some whiskey and blankets.

If the group decides they have no further business in town tomorrow, I'll set the group up at Harrowstone tomorrow.

"Your concerns are noted Benjen and my name is Kawrock."

Benjen locks up Gibs but heads off to fetch him some blankets. The exhausted group make their way back to Lorrimor manor to find a light on in the house. Upon entering, Kendra appears to have been up this entire time and she greets the group excitedly.

"Tell me all about what happened in just a moment. Uh, Norna, I have a confession to make. I saw these weird vials on the side of the board you were using to speak to spirits and I uh, grabbed one for research purposes. Don't be mad - please, it's a very exciting find!"

She leads the group to the kitchen table where one of the Professor's tomes is open to a page that has a beautifully illustrated image in it.

Link to image

"This is a haunt siphon. When used in the vicinity of an active haunt that is uh... latent spirit thingy that's more of a presence than a physical body. Norna probably can explain it more than me."

She brushes some hair from her face.

"Anyways, if you unscrew the cap, it will uh... suck up a haunt! Basically it will absorb the energy of a haunt to a certain extent. And it if manages to destroy the haunt, the haunt siphon will glow green like in the picture, and can be used as a negative energy weapon! Either way, very good way to deal with nasty spirits. Looks like you have six of them."

Everyone gets a haunt siphon (or whatever distribution method you see fit). The group gets a full night's rest and can of course use the town's services before they make their way to Harrowstone.

Arval got up early in the morning, he wasn't really that tired since he had napped before the events of the day before. He heads down to the kitchen to bake some pancakes, failing miserably. Many pancakes turn out half baked or mostly black, some he tried in the forms of animals but turned out more as ghosts. He serves them on the table, feeling a bit proud at his accomplishment. When everyone wakes he greets them and enthusiasticly tells them he baked pancakes, and moves them towards the table where they are set out.
"Here! Here! Eat! I have been working on these for over an hour this morning! Look at how good they look!"

"Evil ghost pancakes! My favorite!" Norna says, stuffing them in her mouth.

Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
"Haunt siphons, you say? Interesting! No, no, I don't think I could explain haunts any better. Just the very basics, if that. Haunts and ghost can be very persistent, though," Norna says, as she vigorously chews her own very persistent ghosts, "so these could be very useful."

Eldon's too shocked by the gruesome abominations Arval just called pancakes to speak. His mouth hangs wide open, and he stares at what looks like a heap of coal.

Should've informed him better... He's actually proud...? Oh no, he may bake again tomorrow...

A low groan comes out of Eldon's mouth, and he rubs his temples. "Or any day after," Eldon mumbles while taking a seat. He doesn't touch any of the pancakes.

What does Eldon know about haunts, and dealing with them?
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Lena looks are the bits of charcoal on her plate with bemusement. I like burned stuff, but this?
Arval, it's very nice. Um. What are they?
When informed they are pancakes she goes. Oh. OK. Yes. Um. You haven't cooked much have you?

looking at Eldons reaction however makes it all worthwhile. He's speechless. Time for a little fun.
Eldon, come on eat up. These are nice and...er...crunchy. probably good for you. We should get arval to do this every day. He needs the practice.