Alexei wrinkles his nose, still entirely untrusting of these items. A woosh of air from a weapon being swung causes his hackles to rise, and he turns to face Harold with a questioning look. "Careful with that thing."
The oracle lets his guard down a little, now that it appears the items aren't going to hop up and murder them all.
"The handaxe of Vance Saetressle, the Lopper. And the hammer of Ispin Onyxcudgel, the Mosswater Marauder," Korvus comments, reading the tags on the items as Harold and Bjorn remove them from the shelf. "Two of the Five Notorious Prisoners that we learned about in the town hall's records. I daresay that the the flute belonged to the Piper of Illmarsh, the holy symbols belonged to Father Charlatan, and the spellbook belonged to Professor Hean Feramin, the Splatter Man. Gentlemen, I believe we've discovered the safe closet that the spirit of Lady Vesorianna mentioned, and the five items that will be the instruments of doom for the five evil spirits."
With those words, Korvus reaches out and picks up the spellbook of the Splatter Man. The half-orc wizard holds his breath as he opens the book to peruse its contents.
"I'm not sure if I'm happy to horrified to hear that... but I suppose the only thing we can do is take them and destroy them." Alexei stores his weapon and picks up the chain of holy symbols. I can already tell I'm going to regret doing this...
Spellbook
The tag on the spellbook reads Property of: Hean Feramin; AKA The Splatter Man
The covers and pages of this thick, leather-bound spellbook have become caked with mold over the years, but some of the contents remain legible.
Additionally, you notice small scribbles in the margins of various pages. You see a "K" on one page, followed by an "O" on another. Then a "R", "V", and a "U". As you flip to the final page, a "S" greets you, completing a very familiar word - your name.
-----
Holy Symbols
The tag on the spellbook reads Property of: Sefick Corvin; AKA Father Charlatan
There are a dozen holy symbols on fine silver chains. The silver chains that attach the holy symbols cannot be untangled, and the 12 symbols themselves are apparently stuck together.
Alexei's brow wrinkles hard as he picks up the holy symbols. His eyes seem to cloud momentarily and he grimaces as he lifts them. He stores the item in his pocket, though he still appears perturbed.
The oracle turns to Bjorn and nods. "Let's."
As the group meanders around the ground floor of Harrowstone and plots out how to descend down into the bowels of the place, Harold points upward, "We got da upstairs still ter check aaaht as well, if we wan' opshuns on where ter go. Down awer up, i' don't matter much ter me."
"Yeah, I concur," Alexei speaks, still looking a little unsettled. He shifts balance from one foot to the other.
"Hmmm..." Korvus grunts in response to the others' words, standing transfixed as he studies each page of the spellbook with an expression of wonder and growing horror.
Maximus' sharp beak pecks the upper tip of the half-orc wizard's ear. "OWW!" Korvus exclaims, clapping a hand to his wounded ear and nearly dropping the book as Maximus flutters over to alight on Harold's hat. "What was that? Check out the upper level? Yes, certainly. I imagine it will be nearly sunset by the time we're through, though. I suggest we head back to the Lorrimor estate before darkness falls. I don't relish the thought of spending the night in this place."
The stairs lead upward to a hallway running north and south. A larger open area can be seen to the east on the north side.
A small area at the south end of the hallway has been separated by an arc of thick steel bars running from the floor to the ceiling. A couple of wooden chairs lie on their sides near a broken table.
Alexei follows after the Northman, eyes peeled.
From what you can see, it appears to have once served as a guard station.
Behind the bars, there are two doors leading south, and one to the east.
"Yes, but we need to work quickly if we hope to be out of here by nightfall." Alexei's hand squeezes around the grip of his weapon, with his brow furrowed a little more than usual.
"Indeed," Korvus concurs with Alexei's statement as he retrieves one of his wands and renews the magical armor on himself, Maximus, and Harold.
The door is heavily reinforced with a small barred window. Looking inside, you can make out the room is obviously a cell, though larger and more comfortable than the others you've seen. From outside the door, you can make out a small desk and chair, a bed, and a nightstand. Two things immediately draw your attention: a humanoid skeleton lies curled up on the bed, and a small green book rests on the nightstand.
Standing by the doorway as Bjorn enters the cell, Korvus casts his cantrip to detect magical auras and scans the room for the telltale necromantic energies that he has now come to associate with the hauntings in the ruined prison.
Alexei attempts to assist Korvus discern any magic in the room, his normally calm tone marred by frustration.
Alexei casts Detect Magic.
Bjorn enters the room, says, "There is something over there." then falls face down on the floor.
-----
Korvus starts in surprise as Bjorn collapses to the ground, losing his concentration on his spell.
"What happened?!?" the half-orc wizard exclaims. "Is he dead?"
Alexei rushes over to Bjorn, placing a hand over his mouth and trying to see what's wrong. "He's breathing... but it's shallow. What's going on?"
Harold stands by the door, peering in as Bjorn slumps to the floor. He raises a hand to slow down Alexei who runs into the room but is too late, "Hold on now. Either 'e is dead an' there ain't much we can do fer 'im awer 'e's just unconscious an' 'e ain't goin' anywhere. The real quesshun is if i' was somethin' in da room what did dis ter 'im, such as a gas awer trap ov some sort, awer is there somethin' in there what is lurkin' an' waitin' on us ter go rushin' ter 'is aid befawer doin' likewise ter us." The half-orc hefts his new axe, glaring about the room and the hall outside.
Bjorn's breathing increases substantially for a moment, then slows back down.
As the group ponders these events, you quickly notice a snapping and stretching sound coming from the bed. As you look in that direction, you notice that the skeleton is apparently "growing" organic matter - muscles and skin are apparently forming on its bones. It turns its head and looks in your direction, smiling with only partially-formed lips. In a hoarse voice, it intones, "Your friend dies so I may live - a worthy sacrifice!"
-----
Everyone but Bjorn can roll initiative.
Harold motions at the reforming dead man, "Did I not call it? Evil bastard undead lurkin' in da room fer us ter rush in. Well dead man, it's time fer yew die again, dis time deader van da last time yew died." The half-orc raises his axe as he rushes forward.
"לא אם אני יכול לעזור!" Alexei shouts, his weapon and shield held at the ready.
You really don't feel like calming down, in fact, something about this entire situation seems very wrong to you. Not just your resurrection, but something about the priestess, or the temple... it's not just metaphorically wrong, it's literally wrong - you do not belong here.
Korvus makes ready to cast a spell at the reforming talking corpse.
Surprise Round
22 Alexei
18 Father
11 Harold
10 Korvus
09 Korthul
Alexei prepares himself for combat as the creature before you continues to regenerate itself. It braces itself as it rises from the bed to stand before you.
Harold moves in while Korvus prepares a spell. Korthul pulls a crossbow from his pack.
She lunges at you, obviously trying to grapple you, but she fails to hit.
Alexei begins to gesture with his shield and weapon as he chants in Celestial. His eyes do not leave the recently-reanimated creature for even a second.
Harold bounds over the prone Ulfen, letting out an angry growl as he hurtles toward the reconstructed dead man and goes for an extremity slicing cut at the dead man with his axe.
Round One
22 Alexei
18 Father
11 Harold
10 Korvus
09 Korthul
Alexei casts a spell.
Father stands and moves forward, aiming a fist at Harold and connecting with the half-orc's chest.
Harold retaliates with two attacks, but neither are able to get through the undead monster's defenses.
Korvus
Korthul fires his crossbow but the bolt flies over the creature's head.
What would you like to do? On the Priestess' turn, she tries to break free but fails.
Next round!
Alexei rushes forth to strike at the abomination. "אלוהים לקחת אתכם!", he shouts as he brings his weapon down in an overhead arc.