To speed things along, if you spend the following day reading the books you will find:
Well then, I attempt to look at the other tomes.
[dice=arcana]1d20 + 8
Apparently everything is beyond my ability to decipher and understand.
You're gonna read your eye out kid!
Regards, Christmas Story
The Whispering Way is more than just a cabal of necromancers. I see that now. Undeath is their
fountain of youth. Uncovering their motivation does not place me at ease as I thought it might.
Their desire to be eternal simply makes them more dangerous.
It is as I had feared. The Way is interested in something here in Ravengro. But what could it be?
Whatever the Way seeks, I am now convinced their goal is connected to Harrowstone. In retrospect,
I suppose it all makes sense—the stories they tell about the ruins in town are certainly chilling
enough. It may be time to investigate the ruins, but with everyone in town already being so worked
up about them, I’d rather not let the others know about my curiosity—there’s plenty of folks
hereabouts who already think I’m a demonologist or a witch or something. Ignorant fools.
It is confirmed. The Way seems quite interested in something—no, strike that—someone who was
held in Harrowstone. But who, specifically, is the Way after? I need a list of everyone who died
the night of the fire. Everyone. The Temple of Pharasma must have such a list.
I see now just how ill prepared I was when I last set out for the Harrowstone. I am lucky
to have returned at all. The ghosts, if indeed they were ghosts (for I did not find it prudent to
investigate further) prevented me from transcribing the strange symbols I found etched along the
foundation—hopefully on my next visit I will be more prepared. Thankfully, the necessary tools to
defend against spirits are already here in Ravengro. I know that the church of Pharasma used to
store them in a false crypt in the Restlands at the intersection between Eversleep and the Black
Path. I am not certain if the current clergy even know of what their predecessors have hidden down
below. If my luck holds, I should be able to slip in and out with a few borrowed items.
Tomorrow evening I return to the prison. It is imperative the Way does not finish. My caution
has already cost me too much time. I am not sure what will happen if I am too late, but if my
theory is right, the entire town could be at risk. I don’t have time to update my will, so I’ll
leave this in the chest where it’ll be sure to be found, should the worst come to pass.
To DM: am I allowed to look at these?
Tomorrow evening I return to the prison. It is imperative the Way does not finish. My caution
has already cost me too much time. I am not sure what will happen if I am too late, but if my
theory is right, the entire town could be at risk. I don’t have time to update my will, so I’ll
leave this in the chest where it’ll be sure to be found, should the worst come to pass.
To DM: am I allowed to look at these?
Depending on which books you choose to read...
To DM Am I the only one able to read the books?
To DM Am I the only one able to read the books?
They are all written in common, so anyone that can read common can read them.
You appear to be the only one currently reading them (well maybe Vraxel), but I'm assuming all the PCs will read the books (especially the journal) the next day.
Pro DM I read the scarab book. It is what it is.
I spend time studying all of the books and the Professor's journal. I hope I do not read so hard I "read my eye out."
Pro DM I read the scarab book. It is what it is.
Again you try to read the scarab book, only to be frustrated, again, by the fact that the lock on it is beyond your ability to unlock.
The book's secrets remain a mystery to you...
I spend time studying all of the books and the Professor's journal. I hope I do not read so hard I "read my eye out."
Don't roll any 1's! :)
I read all the tomes carefully....even in common there may be unforeseen knowledge not understood by the unskilled.
You gain all the information contained in the posts above and have a better understanding and respect for the Professor and his work.
Just me!!!!!!!! Yipeeee!!!!
"Kendra, did you find any items on your father at the time of his death?"
"Kendra, did you find any items on your father at the time of his death?"
Kendra-Nothing unusual, no. He had his walking stick, a note pad-which was blank, some few coins, and a water skin.
"Do you have the items? Do you think we could have a look at them?"
Kendra-Indeed. I had them cleaned and they are now in his study. ~shows you the items in the study~
I carefully look over the items looking for anything that might be a clue or seems out of the ordinary.
(Would like to take 20 with the perception skill.)
There doesn't seem to be anything significant about the items, but you can't help thinking that the professor would have been more prepared and brought more equipment had he thought that there would be trouble at the prison.
"Randtam, maybe you could detect magic on the items just to be sure."
~detect magic~
None of those items are magical Vraxel
I have read all the entries and studied the tomes. Lorrimar must have been prepared to go to the prison. What am I missing? What in his writing is the cipher?
Kendra-Maybe the clues to what he was after are in the circled portions of my Father's journal? It would seem we need to learn more about this "Whispering Way" cult, the prison of Harrowstone, and the prisoners it housed. Some of the locals may know, but there are also some places to do research as well: my father's study will have some information, as well the Town Hall and temple of Pharasma. I think the Unfurling Scroll also keeps a small library as well. My father's study you can use at your leisure of course, but the Town hall and temple will probably require some persuading on your part to gain access to. The Unfurling Scroll is run by Alendru Ghoroven, and I'm sure he'll give you access to his books, for a price. Maybe on the morrow you can start your research? I can help you with my father's books and you have met several of the council people and the Priest.
"At the Temple of Pharasma we should try to get the list of those who died in the fire at Harrowstone. The Professor thought the members of the Way were interested in a particular person at Harrowstone."
"I also think we need to go back to the Restlands to try and find the false crypt at the intersection of Eversleep and the Black Path. Hopefully we can find whatever the Professor was looking for that will protect against the spirits."
I research the study, town hall and The Unfurling Scroll. I think it would be best if Alamin gathers the information from the Temple of Pharasma.
Hope I know about this area well after I have written back and forth with Lorrimar.
Randtam, I'm not sure that you will be able to be effective spliting your focus up in so many directions? I will speak with the priests of Pharasma and see if we can use thier temple records as well as ask for permission to explore the crypt that the Professor mentioned. Maybe Vraxel, Kendra, and Uuranx can go to the Town Hall and see if they will let you use their records or what other help they may offer. Maybe you can guilt them for not helping when we were accosted by those ruffians earlier today. Randtam that would have you focused on the Professor's studies; you seemed to know his mind best so maybe it will be easier to discover what he was intent on stopping.
I research the study, town hall and The Unfurling Scroll. I think it would be best if Alamin gathers the information from the Temple of Pharasma.
[dice=local]1d20 + 4
Hope I know about this area well after I have written back and forth with Lorrimar.
Harrowstone is a ruined prison—
partially destroyed by a fire in 4661, the building has
stood vacant ever since. The locals suspect that it’s
haunted, and don’t enjoy speaking of the place.
Harrowstone was built in 4594. Ravengro
was founded at the same time as a place where guards and
their families could live and that would produce food and
other supplies used by the prison. The fire that killed all
of the prisoners and most of the guards destroyed a large
portion of the prison’s underground eastern wing, but
left most of the stone structure above relatively intact.
The prison’s warden perished in the fire, along with his
wife, although no one knows why she was in the prison
when the fire occurred. A statue commemorating the
warden and the guards who lost their lives was built in
the months after the tragedy—that statue still stands on
the riverbank just outside of town.
When Kendra and Uuranx are ready, we can head to the Town Hall.
** spoiler omitted **
Kendra-Randtam, my father did not show much interest in the prison until recently. I know that the town of Ravengrow was founded to support the prison while it was being built and then after to support the guards. Eventually Harrowstone became one of the most infamous prisons in Ustalav, housing the country's most evil and famed prisoners. Some years ago there was a terrible fire and all the prisoners and most of the guard were burned to death. After that the prison was abandoned and has been empty since; the townsfolk believe it to be haunted by the spirits of burned prisoners. A quaint story for quaint folk, I'm sure.
Vraxel, there is no point in us going to the Town Hall until the morning as it won't be open to us until then.
I do believe there is more to the story. I believe Harrowstone and Ravengrow are more important to all of Ustalav then many know.
Vraxel...I hope you can find more information about the prison. I would definitely like to know the names of everyone who was at the prison the day it burned. I shall do my best to discover more information here.
Anything else to do this night? Otherwise I'll advance it to the next day.
I study everything like there is no tomorrow!
advance away mighty DM
let's do it.
I study everything like there is no tomorrow!
** spoiler omitted **
The next morning Kendra returns with some provisions for breakfast, If I'd have know there were going to be this many I would have set more in the larder. I'll have to make a proper visit to the market later today, but this should be enough to get us through the morning. That said, she sets to making a hearty breakfast for the group. While she does, Randtam sets to work in the study reading the Professor's collected lore. When the five of you sit for breakfast he reports that while the Professor's mind fascinates him, he has yet to find anything pertinent, more just making sense of how the books are stored and catalogued.
Kendra-The most curious thing was the talk at the general store. Marta Avanaki, the wife of the proprieter Luthko, said that one of the Sheriff's deputies had found the Harrowstone memorial defaced with a large "V" written in blood on the statue. She said that there was blood and gore all about and that a huge rat was found fully eviscerated near by. Who would do such a thing? Just dreadful!
You finish your meal, and prepare to depart to your separate destinations. Alamin to the church of Pharasma and Uuranx, Vraxel, and Kendra to the Town Hall. Randtam will remain behind and continue to dig into the Professor's library and notes.
Anything before you head out?
I am ready to go to the town hall.
On the way to town hall: