Megan's Carrion Crown

Game Master Megan Robertson

"In gratitude for your company on the journey, we shall drop your flyers off in the appropriate places." the elf says touching his brow.

Once inside the city gates, Tre turns to his friends, "We have a job to do, let us make good our word to the late professor and Kendra. I say we make our way to the university to seek those for whom the tomes should be returned to."

Merian agrees with both Tre's promise to the Kin and his suggestion for their initial course of action.

Barret shrugs in agreement. "Was fun."

Sorin nods, "I give my thanks as well. I hope we can travel together again one day. I will certainly help distribute your handbills." Sorin nods in agreement with Tre's suggestion, "Yes, we do have promises to keep. Let's go to this university. Perhaps we can learn more about Lepidstadt at the same time."

You have the names Doctor Montagnie Crowl of Lepidstadt University and Judge Embreth Daramid as the people to whom you need to deliver books: the majority to Crowl, and the copy of Manual of the Order of the Palatine Eye for Daramid.

Lepidstadt is a bustling, lively city of students and academics, with newly bricked streets, wide plazas, and grandiose structures built from imported wood and stone. Away from the university and city centre, however, the narrow, winding streets of Lepidstadt show the signs of its age, with dilapidated hovels, crumbling stone walls, and cramped courtyards.

Tre leads off towards the city main gates, walking in and up to a city guard. "You, I have business in the University, where is it?" he says rather gruffly

Sorin spots Tre headed for the guard a little too late and hustles after him. "Please sir. We're new here and we don't even know where the University is located. You look like someone who knows Lepidstadt well. Can you help us?"
Diplomacy 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

The guard, a large human (or does he have a touch of orc) with a bushy ginger beard, draws himself up at Tre'duinne's approach and is drawing breath for a sharp reply when Sorin steps in. He exhales noisily.

"Lived here all my life, stranger. Directions you be wanting? The University... not the trial? Right - take the third right then follow the brick road around the edge of town, past the windmill and just keep going. You'll see the University standing in its own grounds by and by."

"Yes, we've got an obligation at the University. Thank you kindly for the directions. We've been hearing a lot about this trial on the road. Does it begin today?"

"It's already started, friend," says the guard, who is sounding a bit more friendly now. "First day was yesterday. They detailed a long list of crimes against the Beast, three of which are to be used as the basis of its execution — burned alive in the Punishing Man, a giant pyre that is even now being raised outside the courthouse! If you have time once you have met your obligations, you should take a look."

"It sounds like quite the spectacle. Perhaps we shall. Thank you very much for your time and directions."

Merian smiles graciously at the guard. "Yes, thanks!" she adds. As the group sets off for the University, she considers the list of books and their intended recipients. "Doctor Crowl seems like a researcher after Professor Lorrimor's own heart," she muses, "but I wonder about this judge. Do you suppose she... Embreth is a woman's name, isn't it?... do you suppose Judge Daramid has anything to do with the trial of this Beast?"

"We will find out soon enough." Barret surmises.

"To the University and look for Crowl first then?"

Barret nods his head in agreement.

When you arrive at the university, you are greeted by the sight of several builders and craftsman working to repair damage to the builiding to which you are directed, the Antiquities Department.

The porter at the gate says "You'll spot Doctor Crowl easily enough, he's an eccentric but likeable man, he is prone to waving his arms about enthusiastically... he's well known in town, particularly in light of the recent theft from his department that famously led to the capture of the dreaded Beast of Lepidstadt, who now sits on trial. Have you been to see it yet? I'm going tomorrow, it's my day off."

"Tis good we find this good Doctor. Maybe we can find out more about the theft. In this time when plots have been hatched, I wonder if our good Professor's death, his books and the evil let loose at Harrowstone are connected to this theft. Is this beast part of the plot or just an unfortunate outcast as our friends with whom we travelled?" The elf asks his compatriots as they walk the corridors of the university. He watches with interest as they move closer to the Antiquities Department,taking an interest in the exhibits.

The place is a hive of activity with builders and other craftsmen all over the place.

Eventually you come to a door with "Doctor Montagnie Crowl, Head of Antiquities" painted on it.

Tre knocks on the door, "Doctor Crowl, are you there?" he asks after a few moments of silence.

"Yes... yes... come in!" says a slightly flustered sounding voice.

Merian eyes the damaged building warily as they enter. "Did the Beast do that?" she murmurs to the others.

"Impressive if it did."

Tre halts outside, casting a spell to have the sight to see magic in the room. He takes a step in, taking in the room and its condition. He strolls around distractedly looking at the damage for evidence as to what might have caused it and seeking out the magical auras in the room.

Casts Detect Magic
Perception 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

There is no magic in the room. The door opens to reveal a rather harassed-looking fellow in a black gown, balding but what hair he has is long and a bit unkempt.

"You're not the builders!" he says, then smiles. "Do tell me you've come about antiquities. I'm fed up with builders. Montagnie Crowl. How can I be of service?"

His hood raised, something he did as they approached the city, and now something he maintains; slipping into the crowd of his companions as to blend in and go unnoticed. The rogue takes in the city, it's smells, sounds, and people. He does well to hide his fear in the thoughts of these people as the elation is evident of this creatures soon coming death. A death by fire...not a pleasant experience. He continues to hide himself well as they approach the university keeping an eye out for the unordinary and seemingly out of place...

Perception 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20 +4= 24 vs. hearing conversations, finding traps, concealed or secret objects

Yep I'm back :D

Tre waits for Sorin to speak, acknowledging the strange man has a way with words and can elicit information and make friends more easily than Tre. Tre's eyes wander over the contents of the room, search out those things of power and value, which most definitely includes the books that line the shelves.

Sorin steps forward, smiling broadly and extending a hand, "Greetings Doctor Crowl. No, we're not builders and yes, we do actually have some interest in antiquities and other old things. We're traveling from Ravengro, associates of the late Professor Lorrimor." His initial smiling is tempered by the still sharp sadness of the professor's death. "I'm not sure if news has reached you here, but the professor died tragically a short time ago and we have come to return some of your books."
Diplomacy 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

"Lorrimor is dead?" says Crowl, evidently surprised. "My, that is sad news. Thank you so much for bringing me the books... although the place is in such a mess that I'm not sure where I can put them!"

"Yes, indeed you have much to admire here." continues Tre as he looks around. Distractively he asks "So why did you need to employ the builders, the last time I was here, it wasn't in such disarray?" he continues to look at the tomes on the shelves, occasionally sweeping his finger down the spine of a book lovingly. "Indeed a wealth of knowledge is contained within. You are indeed a custodian of great wealth."

"You haven't heard? It was the Beast that broke in - hardly the most likely place for a monster to want to raid, one would have thought - and trashed the place. Not that he stole much, just the one item," said Crowl.

"Still, it ought to be back in order soon."

"Umm What item?" Asks the rogue.

"The item that was taken was a strange statuette called the Seasage Effigy. I am quite frankly baffled by this - the statuette was very singular, but it was hardly valuable. Oh well, at least it has been recovered, but I doubt the poor creature can explain its actions, it seems quite mad," Crowl says.

"Mad or do you just not understand it?"

Merian had begun to look idly around the room - in similar fashion to Tre, but with far less enthusiasm - but she stops in surprise "Mad?" she echoes. "I thought it was just a monster. What kind of madness does a monster have so's you can tell the difference?"

Sorin adds his own questions, "Seasage Effigy. What can you tell us about it? Does it have an interesting history? Is it magical in nature?"

"The Seasage Effigy? I am unsure of where the statuette originally came from, but I do know it's been part of the department's collection for many years. Physically, the effigy is a murky green statuette depicting a grotesque creature writhing with tentacles. I must admit that I found the effigy fascinating, as it appeared to be an anomaly, an idol of some sort that did not seem to correlate to the worship of any known divine being. I privately suspect that the statuette depicts something only whispered of in the ancient legends of Golarion - some sort of creature from the mysterious Dark Tapestry, but I have no evidence for that so it's not an idea I admit to in public," says Crowl, dropping into lecture mode.

"As for the creature being mad, why, the poor thing cannot explain its presence here, claims in was alseep in a swamp and the next thing it knows it was being led away in chains. The guards found it thrashing around, smashing anything it could see."

"As fierce as I hear this Beast is, it jut let itself get taken away?"

"Strange, that a monster should make such an excuse if it wasn't true. Did the monster leave any trail in here that would substantiate its story." asks Tre with a certain trepidation, as though thinking aloud. "Was the statue recovered from the monster, or somewhere else? It would seem unusual if it were not found with him, given what you say. " Tre pauses deep in thought again, his brow knitted, his elven skin creased over his pupiless bright eyes.

Some moments later he asks, "Professor, you are an intelligent man to be head of this university department. Do you think that the authorities exhausted all avenues of investigation to discover the truth of what happened, or did they quickly take the most obvious and easily dislikeable suspect to punish without recourse to testing the truths of the case?"

"To be honest, I think they were more interested in having caught the Beast than anything else. You're welcome to have a look around if you want, but bear in mind that some clearing up has already taken place. We haven't recovered the statue yet, but if it turns up anywhere it should be spotted - it's quite distinctive," says Crowl.

Sorry, misspoke earlier regarding recovery of the statue: at one point the AP says it's been found, later on it says it's still missing...

"So the monster can communicate clearly?" Dillan asks more to himself then steps forward, "I wouldn't mind taking a look around if you don't mind."

I'll be traveling the next two days so most likely won't be back in internet land till Monday.

Once allowed in to the area/room to search Dillan sets about his task with a new inner drive...Take 20; so...33 Perception or 37 vs conversations, concealed or secret objects, and finally a 39 vs Traps. :D

"It is apparently capable of speech," says Crowl. "Do please look around if you are interested. Me, I stick to ancient mysteries. Newton Mayson here, one of my students, can show you around."

A young half-elf is indicated, he has dark curly hair and rather thread-bare clothing.

"The Beast left quite a trail," Mayson says. "It appears that it broke in through the back door, then passed through the main auditorium to the workshop where the Seasage Effigy was kept. When the alarm was raised, the guards arrived to find the Beast basically rampaging around the workshop, smashing stuff up. What would you like to see first?"

"The Effigy. Is it about the size of your hand or larger?"

"Show them the catalogue entry," directs Crowl and Mayson hauls out a ledger, flipping through it.

"Ah, here we are. It weighs 3 pounds, carved from some unknown green stone, and depicts a seven-legged octopoid figure with a horribly grinning face. We haven't yet determined its origin or who the figure is supposed to be. It always creeped me out."

Mayson gets a disapproving look from Crowl at that last statement.

"Hardly a scientific assessment, Mayson. You can do better than that, m'boy. I have a meeting with the Dean, look after these good fellows if you please." Crowl bids you farewell and hurries off with a worried look on his face.

Mayson looks up from the ledger. "Wait..." he calls out, but Crowl has gone. He looks to you all. "There's an additional note that Dean Viaccari is interested in this artefact. If you are interested in it, he may be able to tell you more."

"Did he wish to acquire it or was it more a matter of having an opportunity to study it?"

"I think he was studying it," said Mayson. "The note says that if any discovery is made or new information unearthed, he would like to be informed."

"Let's take a look through this wreckage and see if there is anything left behind." Sorin takes a quick pass through the area, looking to see if anything else unusual or providing a clue has been left behind.
Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Barret is visibly bored at all the back and forth. He is relieved when Sorin wants to look around and not talk about science.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

In the workshop one area appears to be untouched, in stark contrast to the damage seen elsewhere in the department. Indeed, the pedestal that once held the Seasage Effigy is crowded with small fetishes and delicate mother-of-pearl fish carvings that are undamaged. The workshop's windows have clearly not been opened for many years, as evidenced by the build-up of grime around them. However, the centre window, though now shut, has no such grime.

Mayson confirms that nothing else has been taken, just the Seasage Effigy. He asks if you want to see the door by which the Beast entered or the route it took once in the building.

"Definitely, once my friend here has had a look at this pedestal and the windows." Sorin motions Dillan over to have a look. "This centre window? Can you tell us if you use it frequently?"

Merian trails after the others, curious but entirely out of her element.