GM Doug Henderson’s Malevolence (Inactive)

Game Master Fiasko

Uncover the source of the Malevolence here.

Shade, as he is known by his friends, is a Nidalese man who fled his country to get away from the so-called dream hunters... hunter-killer teams that search Starsong's followers. Though he grew up with a supportive family, he had attracted a little too much attention with his worship, prompting the family patriarch to engineer a fatal accident for his youngest son.

Since then, he has been living in Kintargo, trying to make a new life, and gather new friends. He is cautious now where he was once outgoing, but he is no less fiercely loyal. He does not tell people his surname, for fear that his existence could prove dangerous to his family, who remain in Nidal on their ranches.

Tuco was an unremarkable Chelixian farmhand, not technically a slave, but deeply indebted and as a tiefling by far a second class citizen. A pact with a devil gave him the speed and power he needed to escape. Through a weird escape clause Tuco's only hope to escape eternal damnation involves recovering an artifact know as the "Void Mirror"...

Surely he will need allies in his journey...

Phaedria is draped in carmine robes from head to toe. Her face, as always, is concealed behind a neutral actor's mask. Her hair is tucked under a black velvet escoffion that resembles the shape of ibex horns.

The actress is too tall to be human. Too thin, too long… stretched. She moves with disquieting grace: her limbs seem to have four joints each, and she turns as if she has two sets of hips. She carries a steel shield that's shaped like another mask… but this one is howling.

Like any good actress, Phaed prides herself on voice and diction, but her vowels always come out a tad rounded to betray her Chelaxian birthright.

Well, well… if it isn't my favorite murder of fiends! She makes a dramatic sweep with her robes, revealing a parchment cradled in a gloved hand. I arrive bearing delicious news: I have herited property! But I need help securing it.

Abella leans on her gold skeletal hand, yawning without bothering to cover her mouth. She lounges as she doodles in the margins of her spellbook. Her current project is a diagram of the exact levels of negative energy needed to vaporize various living matters. With cartoonish pictures to reference. She wears her usual flowy white dress blouse. The bone white does an excellent job of giving her hair and face the slightest appearance of color. ”If by ‘secure’ you mean you want money for some kind of deposit, I am as poor as the skeletal churchmice I raised as a child. If by ‘secure’ you mean deal with dangerous inhabitants, then I might be interested.”

We begin!

Only one road leads all the way to Crooked Cove: a long and winding track that becomes increasingly overgrown the further it stretches from Kintargo, and the journey by coach takes eight days.

Rounding the final corner toward the long-abandoned settlement, a partially collapsed sign proclaims, “Crook Cove” but the town’s buildings have largely crumbled into rubble. Half-collapsed pilings of wood jutting from the surf are all that remains of the homes and shops that once graced the shoreline.

To the northeast, the only surviving building stands within a clearing atop an otherwise wooded bluff that overlooks the town. Surrounded by a rusty iron fence, this manor alone has somehow stood the test of time.

A short walk up the hill along a barely-discernible track leads to the creaking front gates of the manor grounds.

But before all of that, before the long journey down the overgrown road, and the ghost town, and the trip up the hill to the iron gates, Phaedria invited you all to a party. One last hurrah before your trip. One last chance to gather, to prepare, to share your research, and to gossip about Xarwin Manor, one of the “most-haunted places” in Ravounel.

We shall flashback to the before, giving you all a chance to interact in a more casual way. You will also have a chance to have done some local research using a "Regional Lore venue", which may be a library, a journal you found, a contact you have, etc. Here I must make a correction. I thought the topics were individual, but they're actually a pool of topics that you can share. Please roll a check using the appropriate skill. In place of Library Lore you may possibly use another appropriate skill. This check represents 2 hours of research time. You will "unlock" more topics either through exploration or by researching related topics. Once you are in the manor, some topics can only be researched in certain "venues"...

Pavo is a traditional appearing tiefling--red skin, horns, and a tail. However, his skin is flawless without blemish or scar, like glazed porcelain, and his face is perfectly symmetric. These traits hint at his velstrac descent, which wouldn't be surprising if his infernal corruption stemmed from his Sarini father's side as his mother claims--not that anyone cares about who your father is or where you're from when you look so different. He had decided that was other people's loss a long time ago. His friends, people who had demonstrated that they cared about you--well, maybe not Abella, what did she care about?--and not what you looked like or who your father's father was, had something to discuss, and it sounded exciting!

"Murder? Ha! I like that," Pavo says. "Like crows. Crows are very intelligent. Did you know that they are wonderful puzzle-solvers? Like us! Tell us more about this place, Phaedria. Is it infested with giant vermin? Been taken over by demon-summoning cultists? Haunted?"

Studying an ancient dusty leather tome, Tuco pours over it, attempting to gleam any information he can regarding this strange Void Mirror

Occultism: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Ah, hadn't realized the Velstrac lineage before with Pavo... that may have made it take a bit longer for Shade to open up, but if Pavo had expressed his pain at being persecuted/stereotyped/etc., this would have helped Shade to open up as well, having a common experience. Is Pavo from Nidal?

"Phaedria, even though your term of 'murder' excited Pavo, I am not so sure it was a good choice." says Shade, in his calm, quiet voice. "Where I come from, that term might be more apt than you would like.

"That being said, please, tell us about this parchment you carry."

Shade has also taken on some research, and is open about what he finds.

Abella continues her doodling while she listens to the conversation. ”The only murder of crows I have ever been party to was that one time I tried to make an undead swarm. Did not work out, I am afraid. I naturally got them moving fine, but the swarming part was a non-starter. Was like herding cats that were in the middle of rotting apart.” She taps her pen against her chin. ”Hmm, maybe I left too much of the brains. Or the wrong parts of the brains.” She writes a note in the margin of her spellbook: “investigate crow brains.” That should be enough to jog her impeccable memory.

THEN:

I would never borow money from you, Abella. Only your expertise in evicting any dangerous inhabitants… or, binding them to your will… She chuckles at Abella's story.

Phaed is delighted with Pavo's concept of a haunted mansion: Magari! There must be ghosts. And if there are none, we shall bring them ourselves: we are each one of us haunted by so many of our own, are we not?

Yes. We shall host séances to terrify every last one of Kintargo's patrons of the arts!

Genealogy Lore on Ioseff Xarwin: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
If that fails, I must do better! (Hero Point): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Phaed, reading old family trees, notices Tuco study the tome. I have never seen him so engrossed… if I didn't know better, I would say he was studying as if his life depended upon it.

NOW:

The wind and rain lash Phaed's fur-lined cloak when she steps out of the black-lacquered carriage. When she places her hand on the fell pony's harness it snorts and shimmies away from her. What a dreary place. So… run-down. So… cold. So… dark. … I love it.

What you know so far...

Unfortunately, undead lore and negative energy lore aren't quite a match for the Void Mirror. But they may yet have their uses...

"That's intestesting. I hadn't known that there were once several Starless Scopes, which Ancient Desnans used to watch the sky.

"To have a way to see the sky better, that is a dream worthy of the The Tender of Dreams."

Earlier

Abella slams her spellbook shut and jumps up. ”A haunting? What better job for a necromancer than dealing with a few spirits! I do hope at least some of them have blood; I have a new trick I have been itching to try out.”

Later

Abella thoughtfully gazes up at the sky as Shade muses upon dreams and stars. ”I heard that the starlight we see takes so long to reach us that many of the stars have already gone out. The closest anyone has ever gotten to turning light itself undead, and it is the laws of physics themselves who take the credit.” She nods to herself and pats Shade on the shoulder. ”A true inspiration!” She appears to be entirely sincere in her praise.

"Don't be so dour. You came out of Nidal for a reason," Pavo pushes back before being swiftly distracted by Phaedria. "Oh! Seances! That is a grand idea!"

Later...

"I heard that the stars are planar portals created as Desna traversed between the mortal realm and the various planes of existence through the indigo shell the encompasses the world, the moon, and the sun," he says to Abella. "Shade says that's not really how she hung the stars, though. And I've since heard that we're not really in a giant sphere."

He turns back to the morose mansion and frowns momentarily. "I suppose we ought to be on the look out for squatters."

We return to the present. Map and artwork on slide 4.

The overgrown road comes to an end at a pair of rusty wrought-iron gates flanked by two stone pillars.

Beyond, the woodlands recede before a large clearing of tall, dry grass, at the center of which looms Xarwin Manor.

The building’s roofline rises in the middle to a third level surrounded by a walkway, while the closed dome of what appears to be an observatory rises above. Slate shingles cover the steeply-slanted roofs below the central dome with more rusty ironwork adorning its eaves.

The paint along the manor’s wooden walls has mostly peeled away, leaving behind a weathered building clad in creeping vines, forgotten by the world.

Even at a distance, the building’s facade seems unusually moist, as if it had just weathered a torrential downpour despite the dryness of the surrounding grounds.

Whippoorwills, hundreds of them, perch quietly on the manor's roofs and ironwork.

"This place is certainly haunted," Pavo tells the others in a stage whisper. "Just look at all those whippoorwills. The place has the Gray Lady's attention. No doubt about it."

Ioseff Xarwin, my ancestral benefactor, was like I was once. Human. He was the very first Paracount of the county of Ilverness, the county where this wreckage of a town lies strewn across the landscape. I wonder if these birds mean his spirit lingers…

"That's a lot of whippoorwills for just one lost spirit," he muses. "The place is probably full of them! Oh! Shh." He makes a stern frown and holds a finger up to his lips, though the mischievous twinkle in his yellow eyes belie his grave expression.

"This seems ominous, Pavo. There must be much death here to need so many guides." says Shade, a shiver running down his spine. "I know you are going to say I am being too morose, but this worries me."

Swaths of moist green moss grow on the stone pillars that flank the rusty wrought iron gate. Tangles of blackberry vines weave through the gate’s bars.

A rusty metal coat of arms comprised of a series of overlapping circles, rings, and stars adorns the front of the gate.

The front gate isn’t locked, but the thick growth of vines helps hold it closed. It can be forced open with a successful DC 13 Athletics check; alternatively, the vines can be hacked through with a few rounds of work, after which the gates can be pushed open without an Athletics check.

The gate and iron fence surrounding the manor grounds are 10 feet high. DC 15 Athletics check to Climb over both.

Society (T): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Phaed nods at the heraldry. Xarwin's paracount seal and family crest; he designed it himself.

Athletics (T): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Pavo gives the gate a tug. He looks a little surprised at how easily it pulled open. "For some reason, I thought that would be harder." He rallies from his musing and says with a grin and a bow, "After you!"

Pavo pulls open the gate, though the rusty hinges shriek and squeal in protest, and the grounds suddenly become eerily still and silent, the way hidden creatures do before they pounce.

The overgrown path leading from the front gate splits into a crossroads. To the north, the path leads to the manor’s front door, while to the east, it curls around the manor’s side.

To the west, the path leads toward a collapsed building and an algae-choked pond before winding around the manor as well.

The rotting trunk of a fallen oak tree lies across the crossroads, almost as if forming a barrier to those who would approach the manor—or perhaps to keep something within from traveling out.

Welcome home! You are free to explore wherever you'd like. The map of the grounds is in 25' squares, so let's use Pavo's token to represent the party, and we'll zoom in with another map should we need to.

It's as if the estate wants us here.

Before stepping in Phaed pauses to look at the heraldry again. Hmmm. There is something mysterious about the this iconography… it escapes me.

Tuco shakes his head, clearly slightly bothered by the décor "There's clearly something wrong here... I don't think we're going to meet any friends so lets say it's better to be prepared." comments Tuco as he draws his shortbow."

Looking around "Lets try a slow circle around the outside first, I'd hate to have a family of infernal dire weasels cut off our escape."

astronomy lore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
"Interesting. The coat of arms is a stylized geocentric map of Golarion’s solar system." says Shade.

Then
"That sounds appropriate, Tuco. I am up for that."

Pavo stops, one foot raised and pointed down the main path. He turns Tuco with an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. We'll do it the careful way. But the mansion and all its haunted glory is right there!" He gestures toward the mansion with his hand and tail for emphasis.

He draws his sword and dagger as he slinks off into the shadows and sneaks toward the west side of the manner and the pond.

Exploration Mode Stealth from gate to the pond.

Phaed nods at Shade, grateful for the context.

Oh believe me I have a powerful appetite for glory… but perhaps we should take our time. For the moment, at least.

Agreed to searhc outside in addition to my ooc comment.

The pond

A winding trail, once perhaps a neat gravel path but now an overgrown swath of dry grass, leads down to a roughly oval-shaped pool.

Thick patches of reeds grow on the pool’s shores, and the water is opaque with sheets of algae and lily pads. There’s no sign of insect or amphibian life.

Near the pool’s center stands a five-foot-wide, mossy stone platform supporting a rusty iron sphere about three feet across.

Rotting wood pilings jut out from the water between this platform and the west shore, suggesting a footbridge might have once allowed access to the platform.

"See? Not a single occult phenomenon or bandit squatter, Tuco," Pavo says with playfully exaggerated exasperation. "It is a nice star pond. Or would have been. I bet the gears are all rusted out from exposure and lack of maintenance. It would be fun to get it working again. But only after we've found beds to sleep on. Preferably under a roof."

He searches around the shore of the pond while the others have a chance to investigate before slipping onward toward the collapsed building.

When Pavo approaches the shore, he learns he spoke too soon, as an amorphous blob of yammering mouths and oozing sludge lurches up from the water surrounding the central platform!

It winds its body into dozens of twisting ribbons made of flesh, eyes, and teeth, weaving its tendrils through the rusted holes of the globe.

Its dozens of mouths begin to cry out, “Tchekuth! Tchekuth!”

The strange monstrosity does not, however, immediately attack. Which is your chance to leave and explore somewhere else until you're ready to fight.

I'm going to channel GM Doug's Slack comment in-character.

Pavo scrambles back to the edge of the trees as swiftly and quietly as he can. His crimson skin is a shade more pale as he explains to you, "That is a gibbering mouther. A cosmic horror from beyond the Dark Tapestry. They can drive you mad with their screams." His bravado slips for a moment as he adds, "Maybe--maybe we should follow the path and establish ourselves within the manor where we can look for clues on how to repel this beast." And then the mask is back. "Oh! The mansion isn't haunted with just ghosts! Alien horrors from beyond, too!"

The collapsed building
Tuco can confirm, what looks to have been a large stable once stood here, but today, the building has collapsed into a tangle of timbers and shingles, all overgrown with layers of blackberry vines.

The dark path
To the north, a park path leads into the woods. Once well-kept it has become overgrown and requires a DC 15 Survival check to navigate.

The overgorwn garden, marked with a G
On the west side of the manor, thick tangles of blackberry vines, shrubbery, and a few stunted trees grow along the walls, in what once might have been an herb garden.

The fountain, marked with an F
In the middle of this fenced-in garden, three partially ruined wooden benches surround a dry fountain. Two small trees grow to the east, while to the west, a huge patch of blackberries and thistles thrives. The fountain features what looks like five ravens perched on the edges, but each of their heads has been broken off. A DC 20 Thievery check will unlock the gate.

That's what you can see of the outdoor areas without investigating further!

"Look! Crows! A murder of crows, just like us," Pavo comments as they survey the fountain from a distance. He gasps suddenly and then energetically prattles on, "Five crows! There are five of us! It's a sign that cosmic forces are at play!"

"Oh! The mansion isn't haunted with just ghosts! Alien horrors from beyond, too!"

Why, course it is.

--

Phaedria loves the creeping twists and turns of the ruined old garden. She thinks about all the decrepit statuary she might add: eroded gargoyle faces staring from the razor thorns, cracked urns nestled below the black iris.

--

She gasps dramatically when Pavo talks about the five crows: GASP!

Shall we investigate this murder? I feel intensely drawn to anything that has to do with myself, don't you?

Vote for unlocking the gate!

Assuming that nothing eats, possesses, or drives him mad...

"I'm certain that I have the key here somewhere," Pavo says. He pats his pockets as he approaches the gates and then reveals a set of fine tools between his fingers. He kneels down and scrunches up his nose. "Densa guide this free spirit who follows you," he prays as he begins to tweak the tumblers in the fountain gate's lock.

◆ Cast guidance
◆◆ Pick a Lock (natural 20)

Assuming that nothing eats, possesses, or drives him mad...

That remains to be seen!

AS though Desna wished it, Pavo picks the lock and the gate swings open on rusty hinges.

Upon closer inspection, the five stone ravens, while still decades old, were newer additions to the existing fountain.

There is also a door here from the garden to the house.

Suddenly, an odd feeling washes over everyone! Will saves from all!

Will: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

EXCUSE me!?

will: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Tuco listens carefully as a weird feeling passes over them, perhaps too closely...

Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Abella has Student of the Canon if that is relevant to this check

Abella follows the others around, her expression as sour as her complexion. Oh, she is not upset or anything; she just always looks sour. ”Oh I suppose that we will be driving that murder pun into the ground, will we? I suppose I shall have to start calling it homicide to forestall further punnery.” I personally love the puns! She’s just a contrarian

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

She feels the odd feeling hit but is unsure of what to make of it.

Will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

He stands up and slips his tools away. "Oh. It's not a murder, it's a conspiracy. That's not as fun. No need to tell the oth--," he mutters to himself but is interrupted by a chill running down his spine.

Shade Will Save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

You each have an odd sense that, for a moment, you are not yourselves, that another mind is inside your bodies.

But the feeling quickly passes for everyone.

Where to next?

I like these ravens. A murder or homicide… they remind me of us. I wonder who made them, and who hates them?

Garden next?

Tuco struggles to answer "Yes.. we should look there." he says, his eyes plastered towards the raven statues.

"Did anyone else feel that?" Pavo asks excitedly. "The spirits have made contact!"

Once the suggestion to search the garden is made, he glances wistfully at the door to the manor and sighs. "Well, I am getting my exercise today." He pulls out his blades once more and begins creeping around the front of the house to the garden on the west side.

Exploration Mode: Sneaking until reaching the Garden.

You return to the garden in time to witness a strange sight.

What looks like a fleshy tuber grown into the malformed shape of a small child is hunkered down over the carcass of a fox it caught in the woods and carried back here to feed upon.

It tosses the body aside with a gurgling cry as though it senses fresher blood and moves to attack!
“Tchekuth!”

Pavo
Plant
Phaedria
Shade
Tuco
Abella

Pavo is up. New map and art on slide 4!

If the garden is not difficult terrain, he moves to the square indicated by the white arrow.

"Ah! A leshy! Plants--or parts of plants--possessed by evil spirits," he tells the others before springing from hiding and rushing over to hack at the root-being. "They're weak to divine energy like all evil spirits and burn like plants!"

+1 shortsword (T), finesse, agile: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 vs. Flat-Footed
magic, slashing, thief: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
+ sneak attack (precision): 1d6 ⇒ 6

◆ Recall Knowledge
◆ Stride
◆ Strike (Surprise Attack)

Note: I think GM Doug knows this already. I do not modify my rolls for flat-footed targets.

The garden is not difficult terrain. Pavo can move to the other side of the plant.

Pavo moves in and critically slashes at the plant!

The plant lets out a piercing shriek! ”Tchekuth!”

Everyone needs to make a:

The plant tries to retaliate by biting at Pavo.
Bite: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17 But misses.

So it lashes out with a vine instead.
Thorny Vine: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19 But also misses.

Pavo
Plant -11hp
Phaedria
Shade
Tuco
Abella

The rest of the party is up! Will saves for all.