Loving the current bit. I want to wait for the others but this is sooooo much fun!
That is excellent... and wonderfully thematic.
I think I will start a poems and songs section over on the Obsidian Portal site. Some good stuff coming out.
*dances like a 2 year old needing to use the potty* -
Laments post can't come soon enough :)
This is one of those times I REALLY don't want to bot someone and is a pivotal encounter.
Jaru and a 23 save vs fear... like a boss!
I'm surprised you guys flubbed your Knowledge saves...
Anyone wanting to do a Journal entry can get a re-roll on the knowledge checks.
The fear saves? I'm not going to allow a belated journal entry roll - there is story elements afoot that make your failed saves part of the greater tapestry.
Oh and Jaru?
This is holy ground... a site consecrated to the rest of those who lay here and under Pharasma's hand. This sort of thing with glowing stuff rising from graves? Its not a case of 'shouldn't happen'. Its a case of it 'can't happen'... something is VERY VERY wrong here.
I can't emphasise this last bit enough Jaru. Unmarked graves, un-sanctified areas? It can happen. But here?! On this plot of land??
There is no stability loss here but the implications are horrifying. Express it how you will.
You will need to know more before you can do more than guess.
The original cache was all arrows... which made NO sense to me given that bows are normally not usable by priests.
It did make sense to have some arrows - Inquisitors use them and priests have allies after all as well but changing some to bolts made sense. I've also added one or two other things that I think are appropriate to such a cache.
"And these-"he holds up a vial. "A haunt siphon. I am uncertain of the exact use, but they could prove very useful. In fact, the strange orbs we encountered outside were very likely haunts- a minor part of the spirit left behind. In my culture, there are as many as five or eight parts to the soul. Those could have been the sheut or a fractured ka," he adds reflectively.
Love the inclusion of the Eyptian/Osrioni flavour
I threw out Thriller in the graveyard!
Ha. I just watched Return of the Living Dead AND the HPLHS 07 The Call of Cthulhu this week :)
nice music list
Trust me that there is method in my madness on the 2nd encounter outside the crypt.
I'll walk you through it at a later point.
Not that mad. Haunts reset until you destroy them with their special permanent destroy thingy normally.
False Crypt Cache:
12 silver tipped arrows of strange make,
10 other arrows,
4 sun rods,
6 flasks of holy water bearing the seal of Pharasma,
5 bolts in one group
2 other bolts,
5 potions of cure light wounds,
2 potions of lesser restoration,
and paired scroll cases.
Darkwood case decorated with a scarab and eye containing
6 haunt siphons
1 ouija board
Small wax sealed box with two powder packets
leather coin pouch with 50 gold
I don't think we completed detecting for magic properties.
No. You can do that now.
Also Ouija board comes with a brass planchette
Once everything is identified etc I'll update the link for 'loot' on the Obsidian portal page for items.
Hopefully the combats in the last 24 hours of game time have given you all something a bit different to the normal pace of investigation... starting with Zombie Lorrimor and ending with the centipedes and the spirits.
Later when you are more combat intensive I hope to have some investigation stuff still continue to provide contrast.
The spirits form a valuable learning bridge for you to look into and something I added to the game for story telling reasons as well as for the learning experience.
Waiting for the others to post for the next 8-12 hrs.
False Crypt Cache (identified):
12 alch silver arrows,
10 +1 arrows,
4 sun rods,
6 flasks of holy water
5 +1 ghost touch bolts
2 undead bane bolts
5 potions of cure light wounds,
2 potions of lesser restoration,
2 packets ghost salt
Scrolls:
2 hide from undead
1 detect undead
1 protection from evil
Darkwood case decorated with a scarab and eye containing
6 haunt siphons
1 ouija board- brass planchette
leather coin pouch with 50 gold
Looks like either Elidal or I can use the scrolls. Nearly everyone has a crossbow as well.
Nighteyes could use a bow maybe. also, I don't know that we need much more holy water with 6 already, but I don't mind making more.
Going to give everyone the next 24 hour or so real time to RP unless I see it flagging as you prepare for the day, eat breakfast and decide on the distribution of the items.
I was going to go into a dream sequence for a bit with you guys playing it out but we've a good flow on the story happening here I changed my mind and decided to close it out - still served the necessary narrative purpose without pulling you away from the story... for now.
no one else posting in game?
That was the intent and in a table top game I think it would have been great. In PbP pacing is difficult though and confused players get derailed and then disengaged. I'm hoping keeping the game more on the action will be the right choice.
Oh... Anyone want to try a journal entry or two?
how do we want to break up the loot?
Jaru might be interested in the darkwood case if only for the motif.
though that might be something for Simeon to use.
Elidal can use the scrolls.
Nighteyes is the only one who can use the arrows, I believe once he gets a bow. ghost salt might be a good one for him as well.
bolts and potions for Lament?
Holy water should go to skilled ranged attackers, as it's a ranged attack. I will take the arrows if we can secure me a longbow. I'm fine with everything else.
Not sure I'd get too much use out of the ghost salts, you probably need a fire source to apply them.
Ranged touch attack so it's not bad as to not give everyone a go unless they have 8 dex.., but yr call.
A fire source is needed but with care? You could prep 10 arrows now and have them ready for use later. On the fly application is the issue needing fire.
Some of the above situation IS written into the adventure as written, the other part? Something I've added for part of the greater story line.
Its up on the Wiki. You have a free re-roll for the next 7 days.
Anyone else? Yesterday was a BIG day for you guys.
Started with zombie Lorrimor then research rumours and a barn raising then a near lynching then late night crypt robbing and spectral encounter.
Last night was restful enough to regain a point of stability, memorise spells etc.
Final bit. Anyone else have an issue with the pacing? Sometimes I do push things along - not sure how you feel about that.
Pacing's good.
Dream vignette was nice. Any more honestly and it can get clunky. Also pacing is very good.
Since no one else seems to be jumping on it, I'll do another journal entry though Jaru isn't the best b/c he'll just be sticking with the facts and he missed the dust up at Zokars. Also he'll plain old gloss over b&e the crypt due to guilt and fear the journal might be used as evidence.
I wasn't sure how you'd play it if one of you actually heard the kids. Sometimes I throw out what I think is good stuff WITHOUT thinking through where it it will lead apart from a larger plot point.
Inspiration on the scene with Simeon the Nekidman came from an experience I had doing some church work and visiting a trailer park. In trying to find the family we were to visit we asked a few of the kids there.
Boy did they have some fun with us - we were in collared shirts and ties and scrubbed up nice, and they knew they were on to a good thing. Led us on a merry dance. They also happened to be the foulest mouthed 6-8 year olds I'd ever encountered. Sailors would have winced.
I've taken the essence of that encounter and cleaned it up some - we can have horror on one scene and some light comedy on the other. Never hurts to have a bit of light jocularity if timed right.
Hoping Simeon will also throw in a Journal entry as his previous ones have been terrific.
Foul mouthed children are hilarious (at least to me). I'm a teacher and most of my students fall in the 3.5-7 age range. Cute little buggers, but they can be annoying.
Gonna throw nighteyes a bit of a connumndrum...
Foul mouthed children are hilarious (at least to me). I'm a teacher and most of my students fall in the 3.5-7 age range. Cute little buggers, but they can be annoying.
My students are 12-14... Just annoying. OK, sometimes hilarious.
Last day of School!
24. Calistril 4714
Today has indeed been a day of dark fortunes. The Professor’s body has been found, though in a state of utter defilement- animated by necromancy. It knocked upon the door in the early hours and unfortunately, Kendra answered. I do not know if she will recover from the shock. Nighteyes cut the zombie down with his great curved sword, but he seems quite unhinged by the experience as well.
A crowd of townsfolk quickly gathered at the disturbance and it was only with great difficulty that they were dispersed once again. Simeon only riled them further by openly casting a spell. He should certainly have known better. The locals are all superstitious fools fearful of any and nearly all magic. I was able to keep them at bay until the Sheriff arrived to send them home.
Upon inspection with Simeon, we found that the corpse’s lower jaw crushed and missing as is the custom of the Whispering Way cult. Surely, this is more evidence of their presence. Father Grimburrow has taken the corpse for safekeeping though I begin to wonder about the local Pharasmite’s competence.
The morning brought only further disappointment and trouble. Nighteyes accompanied me to the Temple and Father Grimburrow cast a spell to heal his injured psyche. We turned up nothing further in the archives, however. Another bitter disappointment was Grimburrow’s refusal to let us personally inspect the false crypt mentioned in the Professor’s notes. Instead, he gave us some more information on the prison’s history and directed us to speak with the local smith, a dwarf named Jorfa that is the town's longest lived resident.
The dwarf did not prove interested in a social visit however and it certainly didn’t help that Nighteyes insisted on playing bogeyman with the smith’s young apprentice. Perhaps Grimburrow’s spell was not all that effective after all. The psychotic elf also kept incessantly insisting that we break into the crypt despite not having permission. I flatly refused. He was slightly assuaged when the acolyte’s let us accompany them to replace the broken lock on the crypt which I assume was the Professor’s doing. A glance from outside was all we received however, for the acolytes continued to bar our entry.
Our situation only grew darker with the return of the others. Elidal made no headway with the council and some strange occurrence- I did not get the full story- led to another confrontation with the townsfolk at Zokar’s. Gibbs was involved of course and made horrible threats against Lament. He seems too simple to be a member of the Whispering Way, but I sense something dark behind his constant provocations.
The only dim ray of fortune granted us this day is that Lament has befriended the local herbalist named Jorminda who is thoughtfully caring for Kendra, may fate smile on her poor soul.
There is something else that I will not write about at the moment, but needless to say that I feel we are much better equipped for any threats now. Also, I fear that either the local Temple has not been effective in securing the sanctity of the Restlands or that a growing dark power has stirred the spirits there. We all witnessed haunts rising from the tombs of graves dating from the fire.
The gods deem your offering worthy.
Have a free reroll for the next 7 days.
Can someone post here who has what items from the haul?
I'd say 2 holy waters apiece for the others. I already have one and plenty of other options. A clw potion each, one extra for Nighteyes.
The ghost salt can be used to pretreat Nighteyes and Elidal's melee weapons.
Nighteyes- All the arrows plus the gold and sunrods to sell for a longbow.
Simeon- Darkwood case stuff.
Elidal- scrolls
Lament- other potions and I'll split the bolts with her.
Ok... doing a new entry for supernatural events of Ravensgro
Am I missing anything here?
*The Bloody Letter V*
First letter
*The return of Professor Lorrimor*
Zombie Daddy
*A 'tower of flames'*
(Events at the inn)
*Haunts in the Graveyard*
Orbs while crypt raiding
*Unsettling Dreams of the Prison*
Vision of being in the prison.
*The Bloody Letter E*
2nd letter