Megan's Carrion Crown

Game Master Megan Robertson

Because we can fix it, among other things.

Megan, do I know if I can cast bless or something to consecrate the remains and help keep the Lopper from rising again, potentially?

Great thought Merian!

Sorin helps Barret pull Dillan back to the top (though really its Barret doing most of the pulling).

It certainly won't hurt, Merian!

Then I'll get on that...

Merian sets aside her shield, then carefully climbs down the rope in the same way Dillan did. Once she is standing over the body, she murmurs a prayer of benediction, beseeching the Holies she serves to touch this place and set their mark upon it. "Draw on the soul of this wretched creature, that he may face judgment and we may may rest satisfied that justice has been served at last," she concludes.

"Well that was interesting," the rogue pulls the keys out, "I wonder if these will make our progress easier?"

"I suspect they will. Now that we have them and have blessed the remains of the Lopper, shall we continue on or return to town and see what Tre has learned? We only have two to go."
I'm thinking continue a little further.

OK, what do you all want to do?

"Well i'm feeling ok," the rogue rubs where the wraith had struck him, "But i'm up for some more."

Dillan is down 8hp from the wraith touch attack; unless for some reason it wasn't touch then it definitely didn't hit him.

"I say we keep going."

"I sounds like we are all of like mind. Let's keep working our way around and see what the next doorway holds. The one to our right as we leave this area. I can heal you, but we might want to save my ability to gather the life forces here against the haunts."
Thinking we head to the west.

Merian will use a charge from her cure wand on Dillan first, but is otherwise onboard with Sorin's plan. Healing Dillan: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9.

Sorry, Dillan, but you are down 8hp. According to the AP, the Lopper did a wraith touch attack by swinging his axe... so it appeared like he was using a weapon but actually wasn't!

You can make your way back to the big chamber without incident. West passage next or south?

Sorin peers west and south, then gestures to the west.

"Ahh, that's better." Dillan smiles at Merian then moves west...his eye's ever alert.

Perception 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 +4= 28 vs hearing conversations, finding traps, concealed or secret objects

Tre thanks Kendra for the steaming mug of coffee as he studies the books in the professor's study, looking for the details of the remaining possessions of the deadly prisoners.

Down in the Dungeons

The corridor leads due west a full 60 feet, looking as if it continues onwards beyond a metal grill. Just this side of the grill there is a door to each side (i.e. one on the north wall and one on the south).

Comfortable in the Library

Next, Tre'duinne, you read of The Lopper (Vance Saetressle): When the Lopper stalked prey, he would hide in the most unlikely of places, sometimes for days upon end with only a few supplies to keep him going while he waited for the exact right moment to strike. Once his target was alone, the Lopper would emerge to savagely behead his victim with a handaxe.

Now, amongst the stuff you retrieved from that hidden vault, there was a blood-stained handaxe, likely the Lopper's own personal weapon. It will not scrub clean, and you think it is cursed.

"Let's check that door on the north first and then if we don't find anything, proceed with the door to the south."
Is the grill like a portcullis or is it a grill in the floor?

Assuming the doors are directly across from one another.

Dillan moves up and begins his work on the doors, starting with the Northern one first...

Traps 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

Southern
Traps 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19

Map Update - they always say a picture beats 1,000 words! The grill is of the portcullis persuasion.

Dillon heads to the north door... well, it certainly isn't trapped! Moreover, it is unlocked...

Looks like a guard room, furnished with a table, a few chairs, and a couple of cots. There is a winch on the western wall. [This is U5 on the map]

"Should we check both doors before trying to raise the gate?" Merian asks.

"Might be wise."

"Yes, I think Dillan is working on it already. We don't need anyone coming up behind us."
I think Dillan already had a 19 for the southern door.

The door opens easily enough under Dillan's hands. This guardroom contains a single large table with two chairs astride it and a single sagging cot pushed up against the eastern wall. Several battered cabinets line the northern wall, with a few arrows and bits of chainmail lying scattered on the floor nearby, yet the most eerie sight are the three fractured skulls sitting on the table next to a heavy hammer. It looks as if someone has arranged the fragments of the skulls in some sort of pattern, as if an attempt had been made to construct a fourth skull from the broken fragments of the trio on the table. The leathery body of a long-dead dwarf, his wiry red hair and beard still strangely vibrant in death, lies slumped on the ground behind the table.

Are you going in?

Yep

"Call me crazy, but I think we might have found the Mauler. Anyone care for a hammer? Or two?" Sorin retrieves the hammer we found upstairs from his pack.

A few seconds after Barret enters this room, the three shattered skulls rattle about, then rise up and reform into three solid skulls as they transform into severed heads and begin to scream, attacking immediately!

As you are, I imagine, on high alert, I won't have a surprise round. Everyone may roll initiative, and state and roll for their first actions.

Skull #1 initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Skull #2 initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Skull #3 initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Barret will get to punching!

PA: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 1 = 10

1d3 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

"Or maybe some of his ghoulish friends..." Sorin let's Barret surge forward and follows him by summoning another burst of positive energy, difficult as it may be to draw upon in the dank dungeon. Channel to harm undead 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11 DC 14 Will save for half and that's the last one for today though he can still do a couple other things.

Initiative: better of 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 or 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Merian is step-for-step next to Barret, drawing her blade and slashing at the one next to his.

Move-and-draw, then longsword attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25, damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4; crit confirm: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11, crit damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

If Dillan has nothing to say, we'll get on with the brawl...

I'm not waiting any longer...

Two of the skulls swirl around Dillan, who seems distracted by the corpse of the red-haired dwarf and is examining the shards of skull on the table. Both slam into him...

Skull #2 attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15, damage 1d2 ⇒ 1

Skull #3 attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11, damage 1d2 ⇒ 1

Skull #1 heads for Barret also attempting to slam into him.

Skull #1 attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13, damage 1d2 ⇒ 2

Merian draws her longsword, swinging at Skull #1 and smashing it into tiny shards!

Barret turns to Skull #2, which is nearer to him, and raises his fists but it flies out of range and seems almost to be laughing at him.

Sorin draws in his powers to release a burst of positive energy.

Skull #2 save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Skull #3 save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Their saves do them no good, both fall inert.

Combat over!

Sorin breathes a sigh of relief as the skulls drop to the ground, "I guess we defeated them, but it might be too much to hope that this was the Mauler. I think we only defeated his victims. Do you think we should continue? I have little more I can do against creatures such as this until I have rested."

"I'm good to go, but if you want to leave we can."

Merian nods agreement. "I've still got the resources I need to go on, but we shouldn't risk ourselves unnecessarily here. If you think it's time to go, we can pull out and return again later."

I've still got energy body if you guys do want to try going a little further, but definitely running low. I'm out of channels. Plus we can get Tre back.

Make your minds up!

Sorry about my absence got tied up with school and work. If our healing ability is drained I'd suggest we return. No point in picking a fight that we could die in.

"Let's get back to Tre. We can let him know what we've found. Hopefully we can get him out of the books and see if he's found something helpful for going after the Mauler and the Splatter Man. At least this last fight might have given us a clue that we're close to the Mauler."
I think we're all good returning. We need to get Tre back in the game too!

Yah, let's get the band back together.

"And it's got to be meal time." The rogue says as he rubs his belly, "Well at least part of me is certain of it."

Yea.

Tre concentrates on finding the right tomes to aid his research as he delves into the secrets of the items found in the prison.

If you need me to make any rolls just let me know...I shall enjoy joining you guys on the next trip, though Tre does like his study...

I think we'll try the angle of having missed out on his chance to study one of the haunts up close and personal :)

There is still an uneasy air about this chamber as you decide that you'll go back to town. When you reach the surface you find it's blowing half a gale and you are swept back to town, your clothing flapping about you in the wind.

Kendra's house looks nice and cosy... and Tre looks ever so comfortable tucked up in the study!

Sorin pulls his cloak around his neck and shoulders and hurries back to Kendra's. Fighting with his voice against the wind, he stammers, "Is it just me or does it seem to be storming every time we leave that prison. Thank goodness Kendra is such a saint."

"Probably not a coincidence," Merian mutters, holding her surcout close to her armor.

"I've heard spirits can affect the weather around them but I've never seen it."

Dillan wraps his cloak about him and uses the hood to shield his faith, "I think you may have something there! But again the fire at Kendra's is more than welcoming after these walks."

Welcoming it is indeed. So are the smells emanating from the kitchen - roasting lamb, you reckon.

Hearing the sound of heavy tramping feet coming in from the cold, Tre pokes his head out from behind a book. "So?" he asks looking at the weary folks returning.