Sharien takes a mostly academic approach to this spirit-summoning, watching and giving suggestions on how to perform the ritual but not wanting to directly participate (as she's STILL shaken up from those flaming skulls).
"You should be sure to act non-threatening... ghosts are often confused about their own state, and can be provoked very easily. I will cast a protective spell on you if you wish."
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"Hmm, i don't know much about speaking to the spirits so i will leave this to you Faria. As you are a cleric of the dead you should have a good mind for this just tell me what to do...as long as i don't have to dance naked and gut a chicken...' Gravleon gives a small shiver at the thought i can do that again...
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The priestess looks uncomfortable that evening as she prepares. She gives Gravleon a level look, "the dead should be left to rest. If this situation were not so dire, I would be strongly against contacting the dead in any way. As it is, this might pay us dividends we can not afford to ignore."
She sits cross-legged on the ground, candle-light the only light in the room. She lets the others who want to participate gather round, then takes out the planchette and the musical instrument, setting both on the board.
The priestess closes her eyes, "Spirits, ghosts, any who care to listen right now. Tell us more of the owner of this pipe. How he can be defeated. How he can be put to rest."
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Faria rests her fingers lightly on the planchette as she asks her question. Her eyes seem to lose focus. Then they flick this way and that as she seems to "see" things that aren't in the room. The way they dart about, it's clear: she is not alone!
Seemingly out of nowhere, the perfectly calm weather is broken by a series of exactly 13 thunderclaps that shake the foundations of Lorrimor Place. Books fall off of their shelves. Portraits fall off of the walls. A couple of windows crack.
Rain starts to pour from the sky in amazing volumes--as though Pharasma herself wished to wash this place clean. If this doesn't abate soon, there will be a flash flood!
The planchette moves slowly across the board. First it looks like Faria is just shoving it around at random. But she's no longer "in the room". Her body is there; but, her mind and spirit are engaged with things beyond her ken.
The planchette moves faster and faster. The party realizes that it's pointing to various letters on the board spelling out:
Then Faria screams. Her cry is so loud, so long, so sustained, and so full of anguish that the party feels she must certainly suffocate for lack of breath.
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Faria, you have contacted the spirit within the musical instrument!
This tarnished silver flute was once owned by the man known as the Piper of Illmarsh. If someone plays even a single note on the flute, they must try to resist its control or be seized with a fit of performance and immediately begin playing an impressive but dolorous dirge on the flute.
The music created by this flute affects the haunt. It must be played for an unknown amount of time to destroy the Piper's haunt.
Sharien stares worriedly at Faria during all of this, but can tell that things are happening beyond her understanding, and dares not interfere. After the seance', assuming that Faria explains what she has learned, Sharien says "Well then, we will need to ward the person who decides to play the flute against its influence, but it sounds like we have a way to stop that haunting!"
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The party helps Faria. As soon as she stops communing with the spirit of the flute, the weather abates to a steady rain.
Gravleon tries to find out more about the next artifact. He picks the bloodstained handaxe. He settles in and touches the spirit planchette. Just as it was with Faria, Gravleon's eyes lose focus. Simultaneously, the rain becomes heavier. It's too dark now to tell, but the rain seems to be... tinged red...
The planchette spells out on the board:
The cleric of Sarenrae feels a sharp pain through his neck as though the handaxe's blade was at the back of his spine--eager to behead him. Suddenly, in a voice not his own, Gravleon speaks: "No amount of cleaning can remove the bloodstains on the blade or handle as long as the Lopper's spirit continues to haunt Harrowstone!" Then, moving impossibly fast, he picks up the axe and uses it to strike himself in the neck!
At the moment that the axe's blade touches Graveleon's flesh, the fireplace ignites and Sarenrae's healing flame roars into the room, preventing the cleric from taking off his own head. By the light of the flame, it is now clear: the "rain" outside is thick and blood red.
Dozens of wolves howl in the distance as though the "blood" has driven them into a frenzy.
"Oh, Gravleon! Please, let us obtain some mind-shielding spells before you attempt anything like that again!"
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"I'm not sure we should continue at the moment. The risk seems fairly high. Gravleon almost lost his head and all we gained from it was confirmation of what we already knew. But at least now we have an idea about how to use the flute against the Piper -- though it doesn't sound like that will be a walk in the park either."
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"oh blessed Sarenrea thank you for protecting your servant with the flame of purity, i beseech thee heal me so i may continue" Gravleon prays and cast a spell to heal him self
"No, i know this has been horrifying but we can not stop now we must learn every thing so we may plan how to best cleanse this land. We dont know which spirit we will have to face next and we need to be ready for it. Don't worry ill continue on my own if i must Sarenrea protect me and strengthen my mind against this cursed object"
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Before Gravleon grabs the next item, Sharien pulls out a scroll and casts protection from evil on him.
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Gravleon breaths heavily as his brow is covered in sweat hr closes his eyes for a moment
Blessed dawn flower strengthen my mind and allow me to continue this task
"now after the next this next one ill stop, My friends don't let me die in this..."
Gravleon takes the next item and sits at the planchette
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Faria nods gravely to the priest of Sarenrae, standing close by in case her assistance is needed. She says to the others, "I have a spell I can prepare that will ward against possession. Perhaps we should wait until I can prepare them and cast it so we can at least not worry about possession."
That being said, she turns her dark eyes to the planchette, wondering what secrets it will reveal next.
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Channeling the spirits is exhausting. Faria and Gravleon spent themselves getting information and recovering from the experience. (Overnight, healing spells are used. You get them back in the morning.)
The next day, Kendra has the following news for you over breakfast:
(1) Gibs is locked up. But, being the victim of mind control isn't a crime; the sheriff will eventually let him go. He hasn't said a word to anybody all night. He was heard occasionally muttering: "Damn wenches." The sheriff presumes he referred to some of the party members.
(2) Three townsfolk are missing. They were seen leaving the Laughing Demon AFTER Gibs was locked up. At least two people (the sheriff and a deputy, or two deputies) were with Gibs all night.
(3) People were on guard after the wolves howled and the rain turned red. Nobody saw any wolves in or near the town or the fields, but several livestock animals have been slaughtered. There are no wolf tracks near any of the dead animals--though some blame the heavy rain for the lack of spoor.
(4) As the magnitude of eerie events in Ravengro grows, the town's citizens begin growing increasingly nervous and frightened. The town council calls for a meeting at the town hall to discuss the citizens' fears and address possible solutions. The meeting will take place in the evening, after everyone has returned from the day's work in the fields.
"Well, we should definitely try to be back here for the meeting one way or another, to try to calm the locals. Don't you agree, miss Faria?"
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Kendra will tell you:
Their names are: Mac Guffin, Plot Hook, and Narrative Device.
They were among the most worried / fearful / concerned about the monument defacement. When they heard that the perpetrator had been caught, they went to the Laughing Demon to celebrate.
They were also among the group of local surly types in the crowd at Lorrimor's funeral. They felt a little bad about how that all played out--especially since (1) they followed Gibs and (2) you guys caught him. Some people think that they were working up the liquid courage to go and thank / apologize to the party.
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Faria remains silent for a time, her lips pursed. She was torn. On the one hand, she believed the overarching evil in this region resided at Harrowstone, and that by removing the taint there, they would solve most if not all of the town's other issues. Running around curing symptoms while the underlying rot remained accomplished little.
On the other hand, if they were run out of town before they could accomplish their goal of cleansing Harrowstone, then that would defeat the purpose. The rest of the party seemed ready to pursue these leads, so Faria sighs, nodding.
"Let us go to this pub and learn what we may. Perhaps Grog can track them, or at least we can formulate a plan of attack once we gather information. Being at the meeting might not be a good idea. We will almost certainly garner the lion's share of the blame for recent events."
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You come to the Laughing Demon. The bartender greets you happily and offers everyone in the party a complimentary plate of food. "Thanks for catching Gibs. Poor man. Possessed! Who'd have thought that could happen here?"
You catch a couple of patrons giving each other uncomfortable looks. Then you remember the rumors that you heard about this inn and the town.
"I agree. Let's quell the fear as much as we can."
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Before entering the Laughing Demon, Grog takes a once-around outside to look for tracks and whatnot. I does find one stop where someone threw up late last night / very early this morning. Could belong to one of the missing villagers. (Could be just any patron, really.) But, the splatter of vomit leads in the direction of the Restlands--the Ravengro cemetery.
Seeing Sharien's concern for the town, the bartender leans forward: "Yeah, Mac, Plot, and Narrative were really sorry about the way they treated you when you came to the funeral. They said they wanted to pay proper respects to the Professor, to Kendra, and to you all. They're simple farmers; they're not used to dealing with "feelings". They had quite a lot to drink last night before they stumbled out of here."
"Agreed. This does not bode well. We should go look for them, no?"
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"They didn't say specifically. I bet they're just sleeping it off somewhere."
Taking 10, Grog is easily able to follow the trail of vomit and empty bottles to the Restlands. It seems that the three missing villagers encountered a fourth, and then they ran away in three separate directions. It also looks like the fourth went running along with one of them.
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Faria's teeth clench tightly. Knowing that panic will not help the situation, the priestess instead pulls out her holy symbol, nodding for her companions to lead on. The dark-haired woman hoped nothing had happened to Kendra, their main supporter in the town in addition to Professor Lorrimor's daughter.
"She'll be okay, Gravleon. We'll make sure of it." "I hope..."