Returning to the town hall, you begin investigating. You find no trace of fuel , and there are no lingering magical auras. Of course, such things gradually fade over time, so it's difficult to know whether or not there was any magic involved. You do see that the destroyed skulls are still present, which means they were actually physically here. This rules out summoning spells, but it's possible they were animated from an existing skeleton. If that was the case, the casting would typically involve crushing onyx gemstones. Of course, with Ravengro's proximity to a haunted prison, it's also possible that the skulls followed you here from that location.
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Jorfa is the town forgemaster, and from what you can see of her wares, deals mainly in farm tools - not unexpected considering the size and location of Ravengro. You do, however, see a few masterfully-crafted suits of armor gathering dust in a corner of Jorfa's shop, so she clearly has quite a bit of skill. She chuckles for a minute at your mention of her missive. "I can't believe someone's finally expressed interest in that. I've been having those put up for probably forty years at this point!" She then grows somber. "When I first arrived to Ravengro, I had a hard time settling in. You've probably noticed that there aren't many dwarves around these parts, and people don't always take kindly to outsiders. The only real friend I made was the prison warden. I made him a fancy hammer as a gift - one of the finest things I've ever made. Hawkran had it with him when the fire hit. I'd love to have it back, but since everyone thinks the prison's haunted, nobody's been willing to get it for me."
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It takes a while to track down the source of the message. As it turns out, it wasn't written by a child! Vrodish, one of the town deputies, is the author. "A few days ago, I left the door open when I went to feed Old River and a bird flew in and grabbed Eddy Bear. I ran after him but it was dark and I couldn't keep up. He's my good luck charm, and I think that's why all the bad stuff's been happening. Can you find him?"
At first taken aback by the author being a grown man, Lady Shae's eyes softened at his plea. She looked down at Tobi, who nodded and then looked back at Vrodish.
"Of course, I will try to find him for you. Here, take this candy and tell me which way the bird flew. He's as good as found!" She took a green tea and honey candy from her pouch and handed it over.
After being pointed in the right direction, the Lady began to search for any sign of the bird or Eddy Bear himself.
Hearing the item, a fancy hammer, was probably at the 'haunted prison' Sariel could not resist a slight smile. Giving Sorsul a 'knowing' look, Sariel returned his gaze to the dwarf, his smile widening, "It seems our destiny's are entwined, we've been to the prison once and intend to return." He pauses for a moment, then asks, "What can you tell us of the prison warden and his family? We've been led to believe his wife still haunts the place. It may be in our best interest to know as much as we can, in case we interact with her."
With a smile, Sorsul added "Not only will this prove valuable when we are delving into the prison, but I am a professional storyteller. To have the story include that of a master dwarven smith and a long-lost hammer? Any details you could provide would be useful for both now, and the future. And who knows? It is through such stories that we slowly make this land more accepting for outsiders such as ourselves, no?"
Following the week-old trail of a flying bird is going to be almost impossible, but you do manage to find a few raven feathers. While not useful in and of themselves, perhaps they can be used to track the raven by scent.
"Lyvar and his wife Vesorianna were good people. It's a real shame what happened to them. Since you've been to the prison already, I'm guessing you already know about the riot. At the time, it was being kept quiet so folks here wouldn't panic, but that meant Ves didn't know why Lyvar hadn't come home for dinner. She went to the prison to check on him, and the fire happened not too long after. I wish I knew more, but only a couple people ever made it out, and they've refused to talk about it - at least not with me."
Raising an eyebrow, Sariel looks towards Sorsul then back towards the dwarf. Shaking his head, "We've only been told there was a fire, no particulars about what happened. We had no idea about Vess or why Lyvar hadn't come home. Out of curiosity who were the people who made it out? Are they still around?"
Lady Shae grabbed a feather from the ground and inspected it thoroughly, trying to figure out what to do next. Tobi, however, began to weave in and out of his witch's legs, chirping while placing his front paws on her leg. Lady Shae pushed the spectral cat away a few times before he stubbornly jumped and wrestled the feather from her grasp.
"Tobi! What has gotten into-" Pausing mid-sentence, realization dawned on her face.
"Oh, Tobi! Smart, wonderful Tobi! Can you track it?"
The glowing kitty chirped in the affirmative before taking in the scent of the bird. A moment later, he was off, his witch rushing to catch up.
Tobi follows the scent to the Harrowstone memorial in the town square but loses it there.
"Harrowstone was home to some real nasty folks. A few of them started a riot, and Lyvar and the guards had to trigger the emergency deadfall to keep them from getting out. There was an escape elevator for the guards, but the only people who came out were Harkon and Gibs. That was after Ves and the fire, though, but they never told me what happened. Harkon just spends his days lost in the sauce, and Gibs turned mean."
Making a mental note of the two names, Sariel considers what he knows, commenting, "That explains a lot."
He'd seen both men at the funeral, Gibbs had even been one of the townsfolk who'd tried to stop them. Nodding politely to the dwarf, "Thank you for the information, when we return to the prison we will keep an eye out for the hammer."
As the conversation comes to an end, Sariel turns to Sorsul asking, "You think we can get old man Harkon sober enough to talk about it?"
Sariel had no doubt that over time he probably convince Gibbs to talk to them, but Harkon should be easier since they'd talked to him already.
”If he is not sober at this time of day, then we had best talk to him always. I doubt his liver would make it to tonight.” Thanking the dwarf, she turned to make her way to their next interviewee.
Nodding, Sariel turns towards the drunk's house, hoping to find Harkon sober enough to communicate.
Arriving at the home, Sariel knocks on the door, calling out, "Mr Harkon, a word?"
Lady Shae looked around, trying to find the next clue to where the bird could be. Patting Tobi on the head, she smiled at her companion.
"Good job, Tobes. I'll take it from here."
Deciding that trees may hold a nest or something, Lady Shae focused on the different trees in the area.
You don't spy any nests in the surrounding trees. Even though the trail ended here, it's possible that the raven came from farther away.
Your knock on the door of Harkon's ramshackle shack on the outskirts of town is met with curses. "Do you have any idea what time it is?!? Can't a man get some sleep!" The door swings open and Old Man Harkon stumbles out, holding a half-empty bottle of liquid.
Resisting the urge to tell the old man he can 'sleep when he's dead,' Instead Sariel smiles, and answers, "Yes my friend I'm aware of the time. You may remember us from the square, I am Sariel and this is Sorsul. We are trying to help the town with the terrible circumstances we find ourselves in and were hoping to speak with you while you still had your wits about you. We believe you have valuable information. May we talk?"
"After the fire that broke out, we are trying to ensure that another atrocity like that does not happen again. If your information could help with this, then we would truly appreciate you sharing it with us." She added in.
Deciding to try one more thing before resorting to talking to the villagers, Lady Shae took one of the feathers and sat in the street, meditating on the item with her eyes closed. Soon after, she began to snore quietly, her head bobbing up and down as she breathed.
When you awaken several minutes later, you find no magical auras in the area but also know that the feather is not diseased or damaged. You also catch a few momentary glimpses of possible future moments, but none last long enough to give you any information without having more context.
Harkon grunts and takes another swig from the bottle he's holding. "You helped keep that ghost away from me the other night, so I guess I can hear you out. You've got until I finish my drink."
"I guess that's that then. I'll have to ask around the village, Tobi."
Getting off the ground and placing the feather in her pocket, Lady Shae headed back towards the library in Lorrimor Manor. Having hit a dead end, it was time to do the second part of that day's tasks.
Looking the man in the eye, Sariel carefully considers his approach. Finally asking, "Tell us about the fire at Harrowstone and how you got out. We intend to go back and find out what Professor Lorrimor was doing there and clear out any ghosts we can in the process. But we need more information."
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Harkon grunts and takes a big gulp from his bottle. "Splatter Man and Lopper started a riot. Got the whole prison up in arms. Ended up bad enough that Lyvar had to trigger the deadfall to stop 'em getting out." He takes another drink with a pained expression. "I was up top guarding the elevator shaft when Ves showed up. She'd brought a sandwich for Lyvar 'cause he didn't come home for dinner, and that moron Gibs forgot to lock the prison entrance, so she just waltzed right in. When I told her what was happening, she panicked, ran past us, and dropped the damn elevator! She was shoutin' 'I'll save you, sweetie!'"
A pause for a long drink this time. "I was able to grab her and carry her to the workshop. Locked her in so she'd be safe 'til we got things contained. While I was doin' that, apparently prisoners were tryin' to climb up the lift chain. The other guards dumped a bunch of lamp oil on 'em to make it slippery. I'd just got back there when Gibs screamed that Splatter Man was casting a spell ... and dropped his torch."
He sighs and finishes off the bottle. "It's empty now, but I might as well tell you the rest. Not that you can't guess the end, I bet. It was bad. Real bad. Spread like the blazes. I was lucky enough to be closest to the door, so I only got a little crispy. Don't know how Gibs got out, but I ain't surprised. He's always been lucky like that. It wasn't until later than I realized Ves was still locked in the workshop - and by then the flames were too fierce for anyone to reach her."
Sorsul listened with her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide. When he was done talking she looked at him with sadness and horror. ”You poor man.” She said. ”To experience something so…so horrible.” Remembering that a ghost had appeared, she decided to ask ”I’m sorry to dredge up these memories, but you mentioned Splatter Man and Lopper. What did they look like?” She asked this with some trepidation, feeling somewhat afraid that they would mask what her friend had seen attack him.
Mentally compartmentalizing the information shared Sariel nods his head in agreement with Sorsul. It was a good question, maybe the ghosts that were haunting the town had something to do with the prison and the way the inmates died. Refocusing on the old man, Sariel waited for an answer.
"Splatter Man was tall and thin. A warlock or somethin'. Had a weird obsession with names. The thing I remember most about Lopper was his grin. Too wide. Before we caught him, we was going around chopping folks' heads off with an axe."
Raising an eyebrow at the revelation that it was the ghost of 'Lopper' that tried to take his head, Sariel looks towards Sorsul motioning to his neck, "I think we met Him."
Turning back towards old man Harkon he nods, "Thank you for your story. Is there anything else you think we should know before you return to your drinking and we to our hunt?"
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As they turn to leave the old man's house Sariel hopes that once the prison is cleanses of it's litter ghosts, that old man Harkon might let his own rest as well. Asking Sorsul, "Do you think we should speak with Gib's? He may not be so forthcoming, but he may have details Harkon wasn't able to provide."
The professor's library doesn't hold much information about the prison itself, but he has done some research on a few of the prisoners. Apparently, at the time of the fire, Harrowstone held five terribly-notorious men among the common inmates: Father Charlatan, Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illmarsh, and Splatter Man.
Although claiming to be an ordained priest of any number of faiths, Father Corvin was in fact a traveling con artist who used faith as a mask and a means to bilk the faithful out of money in payment for false miracles or cures. After his scheme was exposed, he became known as Father Charlatan, and his accomplices murdered a half-dozen city guards in a failed attempt to escape.
Ispin Onyxcudgel was a well-liked artisan and a doting husband who lived in the town of Mosswater. When he discovered his wife's infidelity, he flew into a jealous rage and struck her dead with his hammer, shattering both her skull and his own sanity. Wracked with guilt and shame, Ispin became convinced that if he could rebuild his wife's skull, she would come back to life - if only he could find all of the pieces. Over the course of several weeks, the dwarf stalked and murdered nearly 20 people while searching for the final skull fragment. He was captured just before murdering the daughter of a visiting nobleman and was immediately carted off to Harrowstone.
The true identity of the Piper of Illmarsh is unknown, as are the number of his victime. He enjoyed taunting his targets with a mournful dirge on his flute before paralyzing them and allowing his pet stirges to drink the victims dry.
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Old Man Harkon shrugs and goes back inside, your conversation already forgotten.
After taking notes and many hours of study, Lady Shae retires to the sitting room, where she waits for Sorsul and Sariel to return. She learned a lot, and maybe, with the information they also found, they can make their next steps. It seemed to the Lady there was only one place to go: the prison.
She takes some tea and begins to doze lightly in a big armchair, waiting with Miss Kendra for her companions to return.
”We should tell Shae.” Sorsul said. ”We at least know now that we are dealing with spirits. And we should warn her.” Knowing that they could appear in town made her uneasy. It felt more and more likely that they would soon need to make another expedition into the prison.
Nodding in agreement, Sariel begins to head back to the Lorrimor home. Believing, if left to her own devices Lady Shae would be in a kitchen somewhere making candy, he adds. "Hopefully she has returned to the house."
As they enter home Sariel hangs his hat and cloak on the hooks near the door. Turning, he see's Lady Shay resting in the armchair, wanting to be polite, he asks, "Lady Shae were you able to find the Eddy Bear?"
Lady Shae shook her head, sighing a heavy sigh.
"I could not track Eddy Bear down yet. But I did learn about a few things."
Lady Shae spends the next few moments filling in with her comrades about what she learned about the prison and the people who found themselves there.
Taking a seat as Lady Shae fills them in on what she'd learned about the prison, Sariel tells old man Harkon's tale. Once done, he quickly ties in his experience with what he now believes was the ghost of 'Lopper.'
After the stories were done and they quietly considered their options, he finally asks, "Do we speak with Gibs, the other survivor of the fire, or head back to the prison?"
"Let's see if he is around as we head over to the prison. If he is, we can talk to him before we go over." Sorsul replied. Given that they now knew the identify of at least one of the ghosts haunting the town, it made sense to go back to the prison while they could. "We should be at the prison while it is still bright outside. And we can once more check for vandalism once night starts to fall."
Nodding in agreement, Sariel could see the wisdom in both ideas. Though he preferred working at night, Daylight did seem to make dead spirits at least seem less intimidating. Also, making a special trip to speak with Gibs may be a waste of time, but chatting with him on the way to the prison wouldn't be a bother.
Turning he looks out the window to judge how much time was left in the day, Adding, "If we wait until morning to go to prison I would like to check on statue at the square again tonight before we rest."
Looking out the window, Sariel shakes his head, "There isn't much daylight left." He begins to move towards the door. "Shall we go to the square and see if a ghost or vandal returns?" AS he takes his hat and cloak off of the pegs, " We should then return here and go to the prison in the morning."
Pausing at the door, he holds it open for a brief second, assuming one or both of the ladies will follow him. Nodding politely, he closes the door behind and heads back towards town, intent on staying near the square until after midnight.
”Perfect plan.” Sorsul agreed. Despite the fact that they’d be back in the prison soon, it was good to move forward.
It's an hour past midnight when Sariel spots a figure moving toward the Harrowstone memorial. As it gets closer, you can tell that it's Gibs! In one hand he holds a bloody razor; in the other, a bucket of blood.
Sorsul’s excitement was almost palpable. Finally! They had found the culprit. ”Everyone get ready. Once he starts we will stop him, it will make his guilt beyond doubt. We arrest him and bring him in…find out what he knows and show that it was the correct call to deputize us.”
Lady Shae nods, eyes alight. She gets ready to pounce on the man.
"Be careful, he could try to attack us. Let's be ready."
As soon as Gibs begins smearing the blood on the memorial, you step out from your hiding places. When you do, he roars in a shockingly deep and powerful voice, and then charges with razor raised.
Shadow Lurk x2 (As a standard action you may spend a spell point to have a target’s shadow split off from them and form a shadow lurk that acts as an independent creature unwaveringly loyal to you for 10 minutes per caster level. A shadow lurk appears as a shaded, obviously spurious version of the target. It is weightless and its equipment is entirely illusionary. It has the same skills, feats, and attributes as the target, except that its Strength score is 3, and only has a number of hit points equal to your caster level.
The shadow lurk cannot attack, use extraordinary or supernatural abilities, cast spells or use spell-like abilities, or employ its target’s class features, though it can manipulate objects and use skills. A shadow lurk must remain within long range of its original source or it ceases to exist. The target lacks a shadow while this effect is active.
Retracting a shadow lurk is a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Either the target or the shadow lurk may spend this action. If a shadow lurk is killed or exceeds its range, it winks out of existence and the target’s shadow returns to them with a surge of energy that causes them to be stunned for 1 round. In either case, the target immediately gains the knowledge of everything their shadow lurk observed and did while it was detached.
You may gain this talent a total of twice. If gained a second time, you may weave shadowstuff into your shadow lurks, giving them and their equipment increased substance. Your shadow lurks use the full Strength score of their source, have 2 hit points per caster level, and possess non-magical versions of their sources’ equipment. It may flank, threaten, and make a single attack per turn using non-magical versions of whatever weapons or natural attacks its source possesses. It attacks using its source’s full base attack bonus, Strength score, feats, and proficiencies, but deals only half damage. A shadowstuff-imbued shadow lurk may not attempt non-attack combat maneuvers, cast spells, or use its source’s class features. Alchemical items created as part of your shadow lurks do not function.)
Taken aback by the sheer venom in the man’s voice, and the murder in his eyes, Sorsul immediately started to defend herself. She reached out with her shadow, cutting into the man. As she did so, she pulled his own shadow away, creating a copy of him. It was only after she had done so did the idea of taking him in alive occur to her.
Raising an eyebrow as the angry man screams, Sariel is surprised by the use of the possessive 'our' and the threat of a woman dying again. He starts to consider what he knows about 'possession.' Moving a second later than Sorsul, he hopes the shadow attack doesn't kill the man, there were too many questions.
Stepping back, Sariel uses a touch of his innate magic to empower the 'charm.' His faces changes, becoming pale as his eyes turn black and his mouth turns almost muzzle like. When he opens his mouth to speak his reveals sharpened fangs. He stares at Gibs, his gaze becoming hypnotic, his voice gravely, sounding like he's speaking in two separate registers. Lifting a hand his palm facing out he gives the command, "Stop your attack."
Gibs ignores the cut the shadow made and charges Sorsul, swinging his razor wildly.
Sariel believes that Gibs is, in fact, possessed by some unknown entity. This typically requires powerful necromantic magic, but some spirits are able to do this innately. Regardless of the method, the fact that a possessed creature is essentially inhabited by two minds makes mind-altering magic unreliable.[/ooc]
With the man’s shadow under her control, Sorsul wove a dance of both hers and his. It took all of her skill and concentration to control both, which sadly was made all the harder as she was trying her best *not* to kill him. If nothing else, the man might be useful for questioning if he could be brought in alive. She just hoped that this didn’t lead to her bleeding out with a dagger lodged in her stomach.
Raising an eyebrow as his 'magic' had no effect on the man, Sariel realizes Gibs is possesed. Moving to the side he warns the Ladies, "He's possesed, I will not be able to manipulate his mind."
Assuming one of the ghosts from the prison has possesed Gibs, he tries a different tactic. Using his ghost strike to manuplate the undead, he attempts to injure whatever has possesed the man.
Sorsul's attacks leave Gibs bleeding heavily, and he roars in pain and fury. Gibs shudders, and then his eyes open wide in shock. "Wha-" He then collapses, unconscious, to the ground.
Raising an eyebrow as the 'spirit' seems to leave the collapsing Gibs, Sariel uses his innate ability and attempts to detect what he believes is an undead spirit.
Stopping warily, she watched as the man fell to the ground, hoping that he would not rise. When it was clear that he was down, she took off her pouch and opened it up, taking out some rope.
"Let's tie him up and then alert the watch. There is no way that I'd be of any help carrying him."
Sariel doesn't detect the presence of undead, although there's definitely a strange (but rapidly fading) aura around Gibs.