Revival of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Cellion

Kargas backpedals out the door, following Guiness's lead and trying not to let the disgusting mass touch him.

Guiness could you move my token to just outside the doorway, please?

Kargas backpedals out the door, following Guiness's lead and trying not to let the disgusting mass touch him.

Guiness could you move my token to just outside the doorway, please?

Done.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA, WHOA!" Flo shouts as she dives out of the room, following her friends. No, there's no way. That can't be right!

"Close the doors, close the doors!"
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GM, if we are in a period of calm, Flo will start running back through the house to all the corpses/remains/areas of death they've found.

A handy visual guide to what's going on inside the room right now.

The billowing, expanding mass of flesh, fungus and decay rapidly fills the entire gallery room as you all throw yourselves to safety. The mass reeks of disease and death, but in its rapid growth it seems somehow horribly alive. Thankfully for the group, it loses momentum rapidly as it floods out of the room, and only Guiness and Kargas are caught in the putrid wave.

Guiness Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Kargas Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Both of them stand firm as the fungal mass engulfs their legs (and probably most of Guiness' torso). Before they can spend more than a few moments thinking about how they're going to free themselves, the entire putrid mass vanishes as if had never emerged. The paintings return to normal.

While Guiness can't really make heads or tails of the fungal assault he just witnessed, Kellek recalls a story he heard about diseases transferred via fungal spores. The particular type of fungus at work here looks like it was growing off the decayed flesh, suggesting a late stage of infection. The exact variety of fungus (or disease) is unknown.

----

Yep Flo, you can go back through the house to the various haunted locations if you'd like. What do you want to do there?

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

"Okay, wow, what in blazes was that?" exclaims Guiness, unable to comprehend for the moment how the fungal explosion could happen, then suddenly be gone.

Kellek watches as the foul sludge rolls up to just before the tips of his boots before vanishing. In his mind he steepling his fingers, smiling and saying perfect. In reality, only the satisfied smile comes through.

perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Kellek winks at the portrait of Vorel Foxglove, and wonders idly what a spell like erase might do to the phenomenon.

GM, any recognition of the cause of the effect? Takes 10.

Noticing Kellek's smile (if not the wink), Guiness asks, "Do you know if the fungus explosion resets, or is it safe to go into the room now?"

If it resets, Guiness suggests we investigate door 5 or 6, if not, perhaps we can open the western doors in room 7.

"Can we go back? To the rooms? To see if we can figure out how some of the people died?" Flo asks uncertainly, dark thoughts running quickly through her head, so quickly that she has some trouble explaining herself.

"Foglove portraits all died, but Aldern was Ghouled. The notes are from a "Lord." We are looking for a Ghoul pack and a Necromancer in his house. We are in the Foxglove house where everyone appears to have been murdered. Please, we have to check to know for sure," she pleads, a little panicked from the uncanny series of events. There's no way! I'm just getting shaken up over nothing. It's just a coincidence, a sick trick of the mind. This house is just getting to me.
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Can't have dirty stairs if you don't have stairs anymore!

"Floredana, perhaps we can finish checking all the rooms here on the second level, then we escort you to whatever rooms you want to visit on the first two levels," suggests Guiness, as he moves towards the door to room number 5.

Still staying in the hallway, Colvyn peaks back in the room. "The more we spend time here, the more I hate this place." He then looks at Floredana. "I understand the need to understand what happened here to help all those trapped spirit, but let's not push ourselves to hard. I don't want to become one of those spirit."

As far as Kellek understands the phenomenon, it seems most likely to be another haunt considering its strong link to the family paintings and its lack of a magical aura. However, expecting that it's a haunt doesn't give him any insight into the way it might manifest again.

Since you're uncertain about whether or not the room is safe, Guiness heads to door 5 and opens it up. The large bedroom beyond looks like the site of a madman's rampage. The bed is smashed, mattress torn apart, walls gouged as if by knives, chairs hacked apart, paintings on the walls torn to pieces. There is only a single exception to the wanton destruction - a portrait handing on the northwest wall appears to be untouched, although it hands backward, its unseen subject facing the wall.

"Ok, ok, we'll do it later, sorry," Flo says, a little embarrassed at her outburst.

With Guiness opening the next door, she looks over him into the room. Guess we should expect this sort of thing now. Cautiously stepping inside, lest another fungal eruption occur, she makes her way to the portrait. Her heartbeat quickens and her breath shortens as it does, eyes seeing things in the shattered periphery. Finally, she makes it to the portrait. Taking the deepest breath she can in this state, she flips it over.
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Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14 Everytime...

"Don't overthink it, Flo. Everyone in those pictures became a corpse, but Aldern looked like a ghoul, 'an I don't think that's a coincidence. He's probably a ghoul now." Kargas hesitates a moment as the cleric moves towards the next door, then sighs and follows.

"He seemed pretty alive during that hunting trip, but not much of a hunter. Maybe he's a mage after all? Not sure when he'd have become a ghoul, or why. Might be there's an evil cousin or something who's the real necromancer, and Aldern was just one of the first victims."

Stepping into the room right behind Flo, Kargas looks around with wary eyes. Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

I did move Colvyn & Kellek's tokens up to keep the group together by room 5, if you'd like to be in a different square go for it

Looking at the flipped over picture in this room, Guiness has an idea. ”I’m no mage, but maybe if we flip over the portraits in the other room it will stop the fungus from manifesting again?” he surmises, looking to Kellek for his thoughts.

Flo flips the painting over to reveal a perfectly intact portrait of a beautiful dark-haired Varisian woman on the other side. (See Handouts for a picture) As you take in the picture, Flo is briefly swept up in an unexplained wave of sadness - as though she's seeing something horribly tragic. Meanwhile, Kargas is gripped by an unexplained bout of fear, brain involuntarily going back to when Aldern tried to choke the life out of him - or out of Iesha.

As the emotions ebb, Kargas also faintly hears a melodious female voice asking "I never see you anymore. What do you get up to down in the damp below?". He's struck by an odd sensation of familiarity, as if he's heard that voice before. As though he's heard that voice coming from his own mouth...

No saves or lingering effect associated with any of these weird emotional changes.

Squeezing his eyes shut and swaying for a moment, Kargas shakes his head as though to clear it as the voice fades away. "There's something in the basement," he announces abruptly. "Iesha was asking Aldern about it, got the feeling no one else was allowed down there."

Once Flo gets control over her emotions again, she quickly flips the painting back over. "Proper burials and fire, fire, and more fire..." she mutters to herself as she quickly backs out of the room.

"What? How can you be so sure Kargas? Do we have time to finish this floor or do we need to go right now?"

Where to next? Keep in mind that of the remaining doors on this floor, Door 6 is locked with a big padlock. The westward door in the gallery room looks unsecured.

Where to next? Keep in mind that of the remaining doors on this floor, Door 6 is locked with a big padlock. The westward door in the gallery room looks unsecured.

Kellek summons his key.

"Kargas, bash that down. We should see if there is a way around the galley. I imagine however that we will only find the premises' garderobe."

"Ask me nicely, wizard." Despite his words, Kargas strides quickly over to the door and plants a boot right next to the padlock.

Just gonna slam that door again and again until something gives. Taking 20 please

Out of curiosity, since the DC is 24: 54d20 ⇒ (3, 4, 7, 9, 14, 7, 17, 5, 17, 17, 18, 2, 12, 11, 14, 3, 13, 12, 16, 2, 18, 4, 17, 14, 5, 19, 4, 19, 1, 16, 16, 10, 13, 1, 6, 9, 5, 12, 7, 15, 5, 19, 10, 9, 18, 8, 4, 6, 4, 1, 17, 13, 2, 20) = 550

Kick after kick leaves the door undamaged, but after minutes of concerted effort (and fifty three kicks), a final perfectly placed blow splinters the wood around where the chain is secured and you're able to break the door down. The shattered wooden remains give way to a narrow, unlit staircase leading up to what must be the attic space above. A thick, stuffy smell of dust and decay wafts down from above.

"Ask me nicely, wizard." Despite his words, Kargas strides quickly over to the door and plants a boot right next to the padlock.

Kellek contemplates the charm scroll he has in his scroll box, but dismisses the thought quickly.

Guiness pulls his “Anytool” out and swiftly morphs it into a crowbar after kick number 3, tapping his hand with it and looking expectantly at the half-orc, clearing his throat but otherwise allowing Kargas to keep kicking of he chooses...

"Looks like we've got to get through the portrait room," Flo declares when the door finally gives and reveals more stairs. "If I'm quick enough, I might be able to stop it before it happens again. Everyone else could also stand back," she offers.

Then she frowns. "There's someone crying upstairs! I think the rest of this floor can wait, we should investigate!"
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EDIT:
Perception, DC 15: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24
Through 7? Although the smell of decay is alarming...

Forgot to mention this as well:

Through 7

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Guiness speaks quietly, saying, "You are right, Floredana, it sounds like the sobbing we heard earlier is coming from up there," and gestures at the stairs towards the attic. "Let me go first," he adds protectively, heading up the stairs and peering into the darkness above.

Perception into the attic: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

As the door breaks, Kellek looks in.

"Hm. Another residence without an outhouse or water closet. Makes you wonder about the people who design these places." Kellek says to no one in particular.

"And as for the gallery doors, I might have something for that. It might at least prove to be a safe-enough test case." Kellek says considering his scroll of unseen servant.

"Be wary of the upstairs. Whatever is up there, remember that it was locked behind a very solid door."

"Very solid," Kargas mutters, drawing his falchion and moving up the stairway.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

OK! New map up for the attic level, which surprisingly consists of more than an attic. I've placed Guiness and Kargas on the new map. The rest of you can choose your order and token placement.

You ascend up the stairs, Guiness followed by Kargas. The narrow steps creak underfoot, but hold. As opposed to some of the grander rooms below, your first impression of the attic floor is lower ceilings and gloom. The walls and floorboards are worn and old, and surface looks like its seen better days.

The main hallway on this floor stretches from the landing of the stairs around to the south and east and back north again. To the right (west) as you reach the landing, you see an old door partially hanging off its hinges. In the room beyond that door, a large number of wooden planks, rope, and other supplies lie strewn about. The ceiling above sags noticeably, with patches of wetness and mold betraying leaks.

Beyond the room with supplies are a number of doors branching off the main corridor. The sobbing you heard from the floor below is stronger here. It seems to be coming from somewhere at the end of this main corridor.

Looking over his shoulder, Guiness whispers to Kargas, "I worry about Floredana leading the way. Can you get Colvyn up here to scout?"

Kellek follows up third (or whatever).

He of course needs light to see by, so if other folks want to go up in the dark he can stay further back.

If Colvyn wants to come up and scout ahead/check doors/check for traps/etc, Guiness is perfectly happy to let him do so. If a reasonable time has passed and Colvyn has not made an appearance, Guiness will stow his hammer and start opening the doors as he comes to them in the hallway, checking for traps or sounds behind the doors first.

Flo steps gingerly after spying the patches of mold. "It sounds so close..." she whispers, reaching out a hand as though she could console the weeper from here.
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Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
Flo could also look over someone's shoulder instead of leading. EDIT: added dice rolls per GM's post below.

Feel free to all throw out perception checks whether or not Colvyn is in the lead if your intention is to be checking for traps and dangers.

As requested...
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

I'm sick for a few days and you guys post like crazy. I'm not all cached up, but still, Colvyn will scout out to find witch door the crying is coming from.

Colvyn walks down the corridor, trying to pin point the exact door the crying is coming from. once the door as been found he wave the group to stand by. "This could still be a trap. He inspect the door to confirm that there is no trap. Once he is satisfied, he stands aside a let the big guy deal with it.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Trapfinding: 1d20 + 12 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 12 + 3 = 30

Hope you're feeling better now Colvyn! Lots of sick people in my family and at work right now for me too.

None of your group find anything else of interest in the supply room to the west, so you continue down the corridor, checking doors and listening in to try to pinpoint the source of the intermittent sobbing. The first two rooms on the left and the first two on the right prove to be low-ceilinged storerooms stacked with old and decrepit furniture, sheets, linens, boxes and crates. All of these remains look very old, and in absolutely dreadful shape.

As you head back into the hall and round the corner, a sudden and unmistakable shriek of pain echoes down through the attic. Colvyn immediately pinpoints that it came from the right-side door at the far end of the hall. (Now highlighted in green) The shriek abruptly cuts off, and the attic is suddenly quiet. The only sound is the steady patter of rain upon the room.

Neither Colvyn nor anyone else in the group spots and traps in the hallway or on any of the doors. The green door is secured closed by another weighty padlock, this one looking quite new.

This time Guiness moves to the door first, his Anytool/Crowbar at the ready. He carefully wedges it into the padlock and angles the lever arm of the tool to the side so Kargas can take the primary grip.

Crowbar should give a +2, and Guiness will try an "aid another" action.

Strength Check Aid Another: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Interesting...if the +2 adds for the "aid another", it is successful; if not, the aid is unsuccessful...

I'm pretty sure the "crowbar" gives Guiness the +2 to his check. What Guiness wants to do with that roll (aid another, or something else) is specifically on him to decide.

Flo stops in her tracks at the sound of the shriek. Her hairs raise, her skin prickles, and the blood rushes away from her extremities. Nothing is left to be felt but a primal fear, a deep-seated concern for the continued safety of her life. "What was that?!" she whispers desperately, grabbing Kargas' arm firmly.

Releasing his arm so he can have at the door, she gives him some support of her own in the form of a shower of butterflies. Whatever is in there is in pain. We either need to help or put it down. Nothing deserves to suffer like that.
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IRL, I hate this place sooooo much and if I somehow made it far enough to be in the attic, this latest development would have had me noping out of there SO FAST! Luck on Kargas as he tries to open the door.

Kargas starts when Flor grabs his arm, glancing down at the priestess with concern.

"Flor, he says, voice low and expression intent. "We need you to keep your head. Whoever is in there has probably been dead for a lot of years. This house is full of poor souls who died badly, and apparently have been re-experiencing it ever since. I don't know if we can save them, or free them, or what...but we can't do it without you. Deep breaths, okay?"

Going to let GM roll the d20s since I don't know the DC. +6 with Guinness' help.

Maybe if Guiness lets Kargas use the crowbar (for a +2 every time) and Guiness also aids separately (needs to roll a 7 to get a 10 for aid another), Kargas can roll at strength mod +4 for 2/3 of the time...

Couldn't you just take a 10?

Couldn't you just take a 10?

True enough, Guiness takes a 10, Kargas goes for a 20 with the crowbar, we should get 24+Kargas' strength mod...Then we deal with whatever is in there screaming...

Details are not super important, since the DC is manageable enough once you guys are working together.

Guiness and Kargas take a hold of the crowbar as leverage before prying apart the thick chains locking the door to the frame. As they work, you hear faint sobbing from the other side of the door. After the earlier shriek it seems the voice is more subdued.

It takes almost a minute, but you're able to pry the chain apart and push the door open. Inside, the dimly lit room is cold and very damp. An old armoire stands near the east wall while a few old chairs and a desk sit up against the southern wall. The ceiling slopes down to only four feet high to the northeast, leaving little room for a small, foggy window. A full-size mirror in a dark wooden frame of coiling roses dominates the room from its position in the north-east corner.

In a chair in the center of the room sits a black-haired woman facing the mirror. She shakes slightly, wet sobs escaping her, but she does not show any sign of noticing that the door has been opened. Her voluminous gown appears to be damp and tattered, the surface dotted with mold.

Carefully putting his Anytool away and pulling out his shield, Guiness looks through the door around the corner, saying quietly to Kargas, "Should we try and talk with her?"

Kargas stares impassively at the Iesha's back, unconciously rubbing his neck at memory of being chocked. He grunts wordlessly in response to Guiness' question, drawing his falchion as he steps into the room.

"For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry this happened to you," he says softly to the undead thing.

If she doesn't respond or attack or anything, Kargas will try to put her out of her misery

Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 Damage: 2d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 3) + 13 = 18

I held off a bit in case someone wanted to stop Kargas, but looks like...
Kargas' falchion arcs towards Iesha's neck, an executioners blow that one would fully expect to take her head off. The blow lands. Despite Kargas' great strength, his falchion merely embeds itself partway into her flesh. No blood flows from her wound.

While you're still surprised by this result, she abruptly stands. It seems the blow snapped her out of her trancelike state. She turns pale, bloody eyes towards your group and you see the stains of long-ago dried tears on her cheeks. She croaks out "W-Why?" before something out in the hall seems to catch her attention. "Aldern! You are here. I can smell your fear..." She rasps, her face contorting with pain and anger.

Bold are up