PFS: AP: Carrion Crown (CORE!)

Game Master R D

Knowledge Local:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Kn.history: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Sharien realizes: This isn't a stage! This chamber once fulfilled multiple functions. The guards met here for morning instructions, but it was also used as a makeshift courtroom. The bars separated and protected court officials from the inmates. The accused would stand just north of the southern podium and south of the central row of pews. (Where the lettering "S15" is on the map.)

No one likes a show off Sharien lol

Assuming Sharien doesn't bar her or shout a warning, Faria enters the room, looking about for anything of interest or anything hidden. "What a strange place...

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

No much to do on this side of the room. The ruined furniture in the middle is an old table or desk. The bars keep you from the other side of the room. You can go back through S2 and open the double doors that look like they go here or open the doors on the right side / east side.

"This place is... strange. It used to be a courtroom, long ago. I can almost feel the spirits of the condemned staring at us, wondering what we are doing here."

Faria waves Zorra forward into the room. "Do your keen eyes spy anything, Zorra? How about on yonder door?" She points at the eastern door, that small, encouraging smile still on her face.

"Everyone stay close...the darkness here is thick with malice and seems hungry. Best for everyone to stay in the light."

Awaiting Zorra

Zorra Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Looks safe to her!

opens the eastern door and goes in

The metal door to this room seems quite sound. It is locked.

Map updated to indicate locked door.

"Zorra, do you have the skill to unlock that portal, or should we find another way?" Faria asks the dwarf, relatively unconcerned. There was a lot of building left, and they might potentially find keys elsewhere.

Zorra takes 20 in the door. Unfortunately, this lock is just too good. (I don't mind telling you, out of character, that the DC for this particular lock is 30. Even with Masterwork tools, and somebody doing an Aid Another, Zorra would be unable to open the door.)

"Let us go back to the double doors leading to the audience chamber. Perhaps the eastern doors in that room lead to the same area." Faria shrugs as if to say it didn't matter. As long as they made progress, that was her concern.

Vigilant, she takes a look about as they reenter the entry-hall.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

The party enters the other way. The temperature suddenly drops. You can see your breath as though it was suddenly the middle of winter in Irrisen in here. You can "feel" the anguish of the condemned all around you.

This unease is similar to (but not the same as) the sense of unease you felt at the Slamming Portal.

No actions? Something's about to happen. :-)

Grog looks around and listens

percep: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Grog looks around and listens

It's very cold and it's getting colder. Really, really cold.

Faria shivers, wrapping her arms around herself as the temp drops. [b]"All, it might be best if we just proceed to the far door and leave this room, for now. Nervously, she draws out her holy symbol of Pharasma, drawing comfort from the familiar feel of the device in her hand.

Sorry...been trying to let others get some spotlight.

No worries. This time of year is hard for many. It's end of school year. So, if you're a student, teacher, or parent; you're busy! :-) It's also getting to end-of-fiscal year for those businesses whose year is July-to-June. So, more busy people.

Faria Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Poshment Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

Uh oh...

At Faria's suggestion, to avoid another possible haunt, the party moves to the other side of the auditorium/courtroom. Unfortunately, they walk through the effect.

Faria Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Grog Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Poshment Fort Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Sharien Fort Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Zorra Fort Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Everyone takes 5 HP of cold damage. In addition, Zorra takes 1 point of strength damage. You all realize that the longer you stay here, the more damage you will take.

Faria's eyes open wide as the cold assaults them, immediately calling upon the power of her goddess to handle the worst of the frost damage, crying out, "Poshment, your haunt syphon, now!"

Channel Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Are you channeling to harm the haunt or heal the party? Even if you dedicate the positive energy to the haunt, it will still be up.

Poshment uses the siphon: Siphon's Positive Energy: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3) = 7

The haunt seems severely weakened. But, it's still there. It also occurs to the party that heat/fire will harm this haunt.

Faria and Poshment have acted. Grog, Sharien, and Zorra may also act before the haunt does its thing again.

Sharien will try to use disrupt undead on the haunt, as she has no fire spells at the moment.
positive energy: 1d6 ⇒ 5

can I find something to make a torch? rags and a piece of wood?

Sharien will try to use disrupt undead on the haunt, as she has no fire spells at the moment.

[dice=positive energy]1d6

That did it! The haunt has been suppressed. But, you know it will "come back" eventually. There might be other ways to quiet the restless spirits.

can I find something to make a torch? rags and a piece of wood?

Yep. There's plenty of junk around.

With the restless spirits quelled, Faria again calls upon the Lady of Graves to heal her party's hurts.

Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 2

After that, she grins sheepishly, "Sorry, my friends. I should have caught that before it happened. I admit, this place has my nerves frayed."

You all realize that it would be a bad idea to linger here. You don't know how long it will take for the haunt to re-manifest itself. You do a search of this auditorium, but there's nothing of interest here.

You have several choices where to go at this point. I've added purple(ish) arrows on the map to indicate untried doors. For simplicity's sake, shall we continue forward along your current path and open the door to the right? This door goes to Area S18.

The party continues forward. The northeast wall of this room has partially fallen, revealing the dark, murky waters of the pond outside. Moldering training dummies and other similar equipment hint that this room may have once been a training area for the guards. In the northeast part of the room, the floor around a dark, jagged hole is surrounded by black scorch marks.

Knowledge Engineering, Knowledge History, or a (higher DC) Perception check to know more. (I like allowing Perception sometimes because it's wisdom based. It's not so much that you perceive something. Rather, you are wise enough to put the clues that you perceived together in a meaningful way.)

Percep: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

I think assuming we continue along the same path is perfectly fine, sir. :)

Faria proceeds into the next room, dark eyes taking in the grim scene of the training room. She shakes her head slightly at the waste of both the structure itself and all the human capital inside.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Looking around, especially at the scorch marks, you cannot help but think: this room was where the fire that doomed Harrowstone began. The fire burned so hot that much of the eastern wing collapsed once its wooden supports failed.

There is a jagged, soot-caked hole in the floor. (Knowledge Engineering to know more about this.)

There's a palpable sense of "wrong" here.

Sharien looks at the hole in the floor, but has no knowledge of holes. :-P

Sharien walks up to the hole: Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 13

She can see that, at the bottom of the pit there's a lot of rubble. From the rubble, three skulls turn to look up at her. Then, they burst into flames and fly up.

Sharien takes a grand total of 5 HP of damage! Ouch!

Knowledge Religion to know more about Flaming Skulls. Their size is Tiny. Right now they are in Sharien's square. You are all essentially adjacent to Sharien.

The party is up!

on my turn attack

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

damage: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Faria gasps as the flaming skulls come flying out of the hole to descend on Sharien, burning the woman severely.

Kn Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

She extends her Pharasman holy symbol forward, her features twisting in fury as she shouts, "Be gone from this place, foul creatures! The Lady of Graves will not suffer your existence!"

Channel Positive to Harm undead: 1d6 ⇒ 5

DC 14 save to take 1/2

Sharien screams bloody murder as the skulls attack her, dealing her a large amount of damage. She full withdraws from the creatures and tries to get behind some of her more melee-focused allies.
OUCH! :-P

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Sharien wipes out the flaming skulls! Combat over!

Faria recognized these as one of the least kind of undead called "The Beheaded." They were immune to fire.

After disposing of the flaming skulls, Faria steps to Sharien, chanting softly, extolling Pharasma for the use of her gifts. Her hand glowing, she reaches out to touch Sharien, trying to smooth the burned flesh and take away her pain.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Sharien's wounds heal, though her mind still feels the pain. "Thank you, sister Faria." she huffs, out of breath from screaming. "That.. was not pleasant."

At least you're ok now Grog looks at the door to the north.

Percep: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Looking down the hole, you notice that, beyond the rubble, it leads to the lower level of the prison. Beyond that, there's really nothing else in this room.

"Can... can someone else go first? I would rather not be accosted by flaming skulls once again..." Sharien squeaks out, clearly full of fear.

The priestess smiles at the wizard, "I'm sure our brave Poshment and Grog will be happy to take the lead, being the brave warriors that they are." She winks at Sharien, before addressing all the group.

"We now know a way down into the next level, should it be needed. Let us clear out this ground level first, however. Perhaps we can search the north door, then call it a day and return to Ravengro? I feel my connection with my goddess's power is strained."

The next door is unlocked. The party moves in to investigate. (Map updated. You are in room S19.)

A huge stone furnace dominates this room. The coal door is large enough for a child to climb inside. An ancient fire has burned away the entire east wall the room, providing a panoramic, if eerie, view of the lake beyond. That same lake has gradually expanded into the room, flooding its eastern half.

The enormous furnace in this chamber looks like it could have once heated Harrowstone. A soot-caked copper plaque over the furnace entrance reads "Ember Maw."

Knowledge(History) to know more. Anyone who wishes may also make a perception check.

No problem, I'll lead. This place is creepy. At least the undead can *die* by my axe says Grog looking at Faria and Sharien.

Percept: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Grog notices the sudden rising stink of burning flesh. The face of Ember Maw seems to animate into a leering skull-like visage made of soot, metal, and bars.

The half-orc also notices bones, or what's left of them (parts of a skull, some ribs, and a few finger bones) deep in the furnace.

Something smells funny? Hmmmm...another Haunt maybe? Grog shakes his head.

Anyone want to do anything before I post the next bit?

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to leave this room, if you think it haunted, Grog..." Faria spreads her arms to keep her other companions from going forward, slowing stepping back.

The party leaves. As they leave, the leering skull-like visage roars! Then a fiery tongue lashes out from its maw striking the area where the party was. Given the new scorching and damage to the surrounding structure, this could have killed someone. (4d6!) Clearly, this is another haunt. The most dangerous one you've seen thus far.

Those observing this scorching tongue of flame may make another Knowledge(Religion) check.