Of Ghosts and Men (Inactive)

Game Master Twilightrose

Again, I remind you of what the ghost told you about the prisoners' locations.

Vesorianna is quiet for a moment as she feels out the prison, "The Piper is in the western cell block... Father Charlatan is in the eastern... Lopper is in the oubliette... The Marauder is in Captain Vortch's office... and The Splatterman is in The Nevermore. He wears at my resistance the most. There will be many other spirits that stand in your way, but those are the worst you will face. If you find something of theirs, you can use it to help defeat them. Look in the property room, but be warned, anything belonging to these vile ghosts is likely cursed. I believe that if you bring me my husband's remains, or perhaps even just his badge or another symbol of his authority, I will be able to keep them contained until they are all defeated. Then, with his strength and authority over this prison, I can finally rid this place of everything that haunts Harrowstone and take my rest as well."

Here

I'll give you a hint, it is not unreasonable to think that Vesorianna could point to these locations on a map if asked.

Thank you, Ingrid!

Ravel looks up from her own book with a growing smile. "So clearly you suggest a preemptive strike? We will gather torches and pitchforks and bring our small mob to the meeting to run the entire population out of town? ... No? Well then perhaps we should just attend the meeting and hear some of the conjecture we have missed out on."

Please? Can we? It looks like so much fun from the torch and pitchfork side. I want to try that side of it this time!

Coming down the stairs as Ravel speaks up Ingrid grins. "While quite adept at sarcasm, Ravel is right. We should be present to represent ourselves. And possibly deter those who would gather their drunken courage in small clusters of the like minded."

I still vote for Ravels idea...

I'll give you a hint, it is not unreasonable to think that Vesorianna could point to these locations on a map if asked.

Thank you, Ingrid!

But random fumbling thru rooms is a staple for us! Next, we need to split the party, SHaggy you take Scoob...nah, I like a good plan. I will, however, remain mostly silent on where to go, because, well spoilers.

Uklod didn't really like the idea of exploring the prison before heading to the Town Hall meeting as too much could go wrong... we could get trapped down here...and the meeting might end up being a lynch mob with six strangers in mind...the uneducated are often led astray from reality...

Ravel lowers and stows her parasol once they reach the prison. "What is our plan for this trip inside?"

Ioann devastates the doors, Terrence keeps us alive, Ingrid destroys undead, Ravel, Uklod and I make snide commentary from the back. And fire, there should always be fire.

Did we bring the holy symbols?

To the best of my knowledge you did, unless someone decided to leave them at the Lorrimor estate, they weren't left with the rest at the church.

Ioann isn't really likely to have taken them. Who would have taken them? Ingrid? Will she be using them?

As the group approaches the abandoned prison, fear slowly creeps on Ioann. Fear that he might get carried away again, that he might let his anger take hold of him just like when he fought the poltergeist, or worst, when he broke down the iron door.

Still, filled with apprehensions, he passes the gates to the courtyard of Harrowstone. As they cross the grounds, he looks around, at the dark decrepit building in front of them.

Once they reach the door, he draws his dagger, hoping the short blade might keep him from drawing the larger sword. There, on the steps of the prisons, with his back to the others, he speaks up.

"We go and ask lady Hawkran about the plan and where father Charlatan is, no need to spend to much time here."

Ingrid would make sure to carry it and probably consider herself to have the best chance of resisting the negative effects.

Patting the belt pouch where she stored the holy symbols Ingrid takes a deep breath, all humor aside, she was about to engage in The Lady's work.

"He's right. Vesorianna can perhaps best indicate on the map exactly where in the Eastern Cell block we are likely to find and face the charlatan." the Paladin says stepping forward."Let's go."

"Well of course, my dear, it is I who should be thanking all of you. You're taking on a task that has been plaguing me for some time but I've been unable to get any help with," he says to Ravel while watching Ioann's anti-social behavior with the eyes of a sage.

Father Grimburrow returns Ingrid's embrace with a smile and a hearty pat on the back, "Come in, come in all of you. Close that door there, would you? We don't want to frighten anyone else in the temple, now do we? OK, yes, let's see what we have here," Grimburrow says as he shuffles over to the table.

He mutters to himself for a bit, before picking up a quill off his desk to use as a probing tool. He pokes the set of holy symbols trying to separate the individual symbols, confirming to himself that they are bound together and will not separate. He uses the quill to turn the conglomerate over looking at each side as he mutters to himself. He pokes and pries at the chains that are likewise knotted together.

After a few minutes of what seems like nonsense to you, you are afraid that the old man is going to tell you that he hasn't a clue. You are relieved when he finally looks back up at you and says, "Well, this one is a bit tricky, but it's certainly not the most gruesome cursed item I've seen over the years. If one of you were to carry this, preferably displayed somehow, while in that prison it will offer you some level of protection against the spirits and haunts you've been dealing with. It won't protect you completely, mind you, but it will help and it will only help whoever it is with. However, if you attempt to call upon the aid of a god or goddess there is a higher likelihood that your request will fall on deaf ears. If someone were to use divine power against you, it would do harm you easier than normal."

AP wrote:

While carried, this collection of holy symbols causes any

divine spell cast by the one who carries it to suffer a 10%
spell failure chance, as if she were casting arcane spells
while

...

Sure about that?

Can't cast spells yet (heh), but what's your take on it affecting Smite Evil/Lay on hands?

Good point, but for this instance I'm going to say that I think it would cause some issue because that appears to be the nature of the beast, so to speak. It's your call, though. Either way, it doesn't completely block your abilities.

I'm more effective hampered by it than the other divine casters and more likely to be in the thick of it to benefit from the protection. Maybe roll the percentage dice when I use my abilities with the same chance of failure?

Works for me!

With a whispered word to her lady, Ingrid takes the collection of symbols out and with a deep breath pulls the tangled chains over her head, shuddering slightly as she feels her constant connection to Pharasma dampened.

You make your way back to the room that acts as Vesorianna's own personal prison; ironic that she wasn't even suppose to be here the night that everything went wrong. After crossing the threshold, Vesorianna manifests and once again there is a moment of confusion as she doesn't seem to remember who you are. "Are you the new guards? Have they finally sent new guards?" The longer she is there in your presence, however, the pieces start to come together again in her shattered mind. "Oh, yes, I remember you. My guards, have you found something to help me?"

"Yes we have found the means to deal with each of the five prisoner dominating the area, and we've come to deal with the one called Father Charlatan." Ingrid says determinedly.

Vesorianna moves a closer to Ingrid and then immediately pulls back, "You wear his blasphemous symbols. Oh they are filthy things. This will help you to get to my husband?"

"Yes, I loathe the idea of wearing them and they inhibit my connection to my goddess but they will help us vanquish them and free your husband." the Paladin replies.

"You must bring him to me, I need his strength to hold these vile monsters at bay."

"Guardsman Foehammer has replicated a map of the prison, can you please show us where the Father resides?"

"Understood my Lady."

Getting to Hawkran's "room", Ioann looks around, staring longer at the shadows which hides behind corners or underneath debris of smashed doors. Once or twice, he stops in his steps, thinking that he has seen something move, before shaking his head and move on.

Unlike the others, Ioann does not step in the room, instead, he stands guard. As the others try to get directions, he paces around, waiting to get going.

"A map, yes, I can show you on a map. Which of you is Foehammer? I apologize, I seem to be so forgetful now..."

Oops! Forgot for a bit that I'm in charge of Terrance atm!

Terrance moves forward unfurling the scroll for her and laying them out on a table. "We appreciate your aid, Lady Hawkram. If you can show us on the map where the locations are that you told us we would find the prisoners and your husband, it would help us greatly."

"Yes, yes Guardsman Foehammer I will do anything that I can to help."

Vesorianna takes a few minutes to look over the map and touches each of the locations, leaving behind an eerie, ethereal glow which Terrance then marks.

I'll mark them on the maps.

Our thanks lady. This will make bringing your husband back to you easier.

Terrance then shows the others the marked locations.

I am back now, Thank you.

Have the marks been added to any of the maps? I can't find them.

Under Harrowstone Internal there is also a list beneath it indicating which color corresponds to which prisoner.

Sorry twilight, I can see the map (internal) but no colors or code for the colors...

I assume that you're refreshing the old map. That's a no go, as it was a permanent link to imgur. I had to alter the original image and upload a new copy to imgur so it has a different link. Go to the Campaign Info tab up top, scroll down to the maps spoiler, there you'll see a link for the map and below that link is the code.

ahhhh that explains a lot, I hadn't noticed the spoiler with the maps.

Impatience growing, Ioann finally decides to enter the room. As usual, he bumps into the others to get to the table where the map is laid down. However, he is less brutish than usual, pushing less hard that he normally would do. Upon reaching the table, he looks down and points at one of the room, and then speaks to Terrance.

"There. Father Charlatan?"

Without really awaiting an answer, he sets out. As he walks through the corridors, his pace quickening while his anticipation builds up. Once he arrives at the door leading to the stairs, he resumes his usual Harrowstone duties: door breaking.

Take 20 to break down the door. Path he took drawn on the map in green.

Aye, the false father. Now let us send him to his final rest

Terrance takes a minute to gather the map up, and follow along.

Assuming everyone follows the door smasher...

Ioann smashes down a door that opens to reveal a staircase leading up to the next level. Moving to the top of the staircase, Ioann finds himself faced with another door to smash down.

Map

Rubbing her foot where Ioann stepped on it.

Well, do the thing, with doors big guy.

Ioann looks down to Ake. At first, his stare is stern, hard, with a hint of sadness (his usual look). However, after looking long enough at the ugly green face , and letting the comment sink in, a small smile appears on his lips. He then gives a friendly tap on Akes head before starting the destruction of the next door. take 20

Once done with the desctruction, Ioann steps overs the broken body of the door. Sledgehammer still in hand, he uses his memory of to map to head directly toward the room supposed to contain Father charlatan's spirit.
There, staring straight at the door, Ioann speaks up.

"Ready? Its time for spirit slaying."

After waiting for the others assent, door destructions starts anew.

desctruction: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
desctruction: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Once the door is down, Ioann looks into the room without entering it.

Ravel whispers, conjuring another witchlight to dance behind the party, trying to shed some light on the room within.

Terrance reaches up and quickly taps Ingrid, and Ioann on the shoulder.
May the maker watch over you

He then follows them into the room.

Resistant touch, +1 to saves to both Ingrid and Ioann. 9/10 rounds for ingrid, 10/10 rounds for Ioann

But too bad, you all died the second you stepped off the stairs. :D I kid, I kid. I'll update when home again.

Well maybe we're just going through the motions as ghosts because we haven't realized it yet... til another century passes and adventures come seeking Our aid...

Although the cell is rather spacious, it contains no concessions to comfort. A skeletal body dressed in the rotting remains of a prisoner's robe lies slumped against the eastern wall, wrapped in numerous chains on which are affixed numerous weights emblazoned with several different holy symbols.

Ioann stays where he is, dagger drawn, fist clenched, and waits for the others to use their abilities to detect the specter of their ennemy. As he does, his head slowly moves from side to side while he continues scanning the room to detect any sort of movmeent. When nothing happens, he mutters to the others.

"Is he there? Has the spirit left?"

So this is a cell..huh, I would have though they were all in the basement.

Father Charlatan, though devious and cruel, was not a murder and was not considered exceptionally dangerous so he was afforded a more spacious, nice confinement.There are other cells on this level as well.

I cannot tell right now, let us see if he comes out when his symbols are shown

Ravel's hand reaches up to rub the back of her own holy symbol, her taloned thumb grazing the hidden visage like a worry-stone. "For those with divine graces, be ready to pray."

Ioanns eyes dart to the side, and from the corner he can just barely see the changeling behind him. A small of derision start appearing on his lips. Right.. as if the gods would pay heed to anyone else than Terrance... no, no, I can't laugh at Ravel, can't belitle her... he thinks before suppressing the smile. His eyes dart back toward the room, still trying to find the specter. Getting impatient, he decides to try and antagonize the ghost.

"Right, remember your symbols Charlatan! We have then right here! he points at Ingrid who is carrying them.They represent your fall, what made you so strong, yet gave you away. Without them, what are you really? Just a wandering spirit, unable to embezzle others. Doesn't that make you mad? Hah! Little man, no power, just a prisoner. " says Ioann, in hate-filled tones.

There is no response from the room, not in the slightest.

A silvery light emanates from Ingrid's blue eyes as she shift her vision into the supernatural spectrum, seeking signs of undeath.