Tobold see the items in the room and says "Hey Neronius, do you want to add those spears and flail to the pile of things?"
"Well, Patrissa's not in there. That's for sure." Zinli inspects the blood stains, trying to determine if the weapons have been used recently.
"Check in the . . . iron maiden . . ." suggests Neronius, still looking a bit pale.
The reminder of potential valuables lends him a spot of courage, however. He carefully enters the room and assesses the condition of the spears and flails after donning an ancient-looking monocle.
This is going to go so wrong
As both Zinli and Neronius begin to look over the weapons. The blood stains on them are not new. The wooden shafts of the spears are stained from years of use. The heavy flail also has the same staining, but none of it is new. Both and see that these are high quality weapons . Neronius detects magic only from the heavy flail
"Anyone wants the flail?" Zinli gives the heavy weapon a tentative fling. She scrunches her face when she realizes that some of her flaking skin has remained stuck to the handle. "F*@*ing hells. It ain't easy for me to use."
"What need would a simple courthouse have for all of this?" Rekkart grumbles as he makes his way over to the iron maiden at Neronius's suggestion.
He braces himself for whatever may be inside as he opens the heavy metal panel.
I will just use my rapier.
"Ah, this flail has been enchanted! Our diligent efforts have finally resulted in potential profit. I had best hold on to it for now."
Zinli gladly lets Neronius have the flail. "As long as you use it instead of running away," she shrugs.
"Use it? And risk damaging it?" Neronius gives the flail a couple of experimental swings and is soon out of breath from the exertion. "I really think not . . ."
So now where?
As Neronius and Zinli are discussing using the newly found heavy flail, Rekkart moves to open the iron maiden. The hinges pop free almost frozen with age, then creak horribly as the door is pulled open.
Inside is a dried corpse with dozens of horrid puncture wounds from the maiden’s embrace. There are rotting robes covering the man’s chainmail that shows a faded symbol of Sarenrae. Ragged blond hairs still cling to his emaciated skull… as the man opens his eyes he begins to lurch forward, jaws opening.
This has the looks of being Father Kelgaard of the church of Sarenrae who led a band of adventurers into the courthouse five years ago to rid this place of Mord’s curse. Only one person survived this attempt, a burly man named Grisom Twin-Axee. His mind was shattered by the harrowing experience.
This creature is a Ghast, an undead creature that is like their lesser kin, ghouls, but are far more deadly and cunning. Just like ghouls, ghast’s attacks can leave their victims paralyzed.
Initiative: Round 1
All of You
Creature
Initiative
.
.
Rekkart looks over the undead man.
Determining the type of undead he is, Rekkart readies his blade and shouts a warning to the others, "Careful, everyone. This is not just an ordinary zombie; it's a ghast. This one can think, and it can paralyze with just a touch of its claw."
Scrutinizing the symbol on the ghast's robe, he takes note, "Hmm... His robes bear the symbol of Sarenrae. I take it this is the body of one of this haunted place's victims, not a forgotten prisoner... All the more reason to put him to rest."
Neronius jolts as the creature comes to life. "That's . . . Father Kelgaard! I remember the story now! He led adventurers here years ago to cleanse the the place of evil. Obviously, they failed miserably! Run!"
Catching the who was once Father Kelgaard off-guard, Rekkart’s attack strikes true. Blade sinking into the undead creature.
Realizing what this is, Neronius runs out of the room flail in hand.
The creature has no DR.
Initiative: Round 1
All of You
Ghast
Tobold rushes into the room and tries to hit the creature with a ray of positive energy.
Trevor rushes into the room
The Ghast attention is pulled from Rekkart to Tolbold as a ray of positive energy courses through its body, hurting everything that it had become.
Sveth and Madge move into the room but give space to everyone who is up front fighting. They have their weapons drawn looking for a chance to strike the undead creature.
Initiative: Round 1
All of You
Ghast
"Oh, that was where this dude was all along!" Zinli exclaims. "Got swallowed up by an iron maiden, then? Yeesh."
She watches Neronius run out of the room with some despise. "Knew you couldn't trust that guy with any kind of weapon," she grumbles to herself, before pulling out Baby and loading it.
Zinli moved in and loads her gun seeing the undead eyeing up Tolbold and Rekkart.
A child’s voice echos off the stone walls “Daddy make you confess your crimes down here!” and in a flash an unseen force pushes Madge forward onto the confessional chair as the straps come alive and tie her in. crushing vices and screws begin to twist into her flesh as you hear the sound of bones breaking causes her to cry out in pain and agony.
The cries do not distract Rekkart and the creature in front of him begins lashing out. A claw reaching out to take off his head misses, a second claw at the midsection also misses. Rage flashes in his eyes as he goes for a bite and Rekkart kicks the undead priest away from him.
Initiative: Round 2
All of You
Ghast
.
.
.
Trevor 5' steps towards the monster and stabs
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Neronius reaches into a pocket and brings out what looks like a glowing ball of clay. Dropping the flail, he quickly molds it into the shape of the chair binding Madge. "I'm not sure if this will work . . ." he mutters.
Baby fires with its usually deafening bang.
To Zinli's satisfaction, the bullet buries itself in the creature's flesh.
Rekkart gives the ghast another slash of his sword.
Tolbold again tries to put the ghast down with a bolt of positive energy.
Zinli drops her gun, and grabs her axe - which has the advantage of not needing to be reloaded.
Trevor moves forward stabbing towards the ghast with his rapier. The tip of the sword gets snagged in the chainmail armor and it flexes in an arc.
Moving in and around to the table Neronius cast Liberating Command on Madge.
Madge slips free from the straps and clamps holding her in place. Those nearby see the markings where they were digging into the halfling’s flesh, blood breaking free at several points.
Rekkart’s attack against the ghast misses wide, clanging off the iron maiden behind the creature. Zinli moves for a clear shot and rips through the undead’s body.
Tolbold first off a bold of positive energy and it strikes true against the dead priest.
Sveth’s hands quickly move for his coat and let out a sigh; “Taking my darts might be the end of a few of us.” He holds his cane as a club defensively.
The ghast lets out a flurry of attacks against the paladin. A claw, claw, bite combo looking to bring the man of the cloth down, all attacks missing.
Initiative: Round 3
All of You
Ghast
.
.
Zinli moves a bit closer, and throws her axe at the ghast.
"Shoot," she comments, when it goes wild. "Ain't as precise as Baby!"
Trevor stabs again
Tobold keeps up his onslaught of positive energy against the undead creature.
With a whirlwind of attacks; axe being thrown, rapier striking, and a positive energy ray… the ghast cries out as it crumples to the ground. The face turns from its to look more like the priest as peace crosses it.
Madge is leaning against the wall beside Neronius rubbing where the screws and straps were digging into her flesh.
Zinli picks up her gun, reloads it, and sheathes her axe. "Phew! Well that's one mystery solved, then. You alright, sweetie?" she asks Madge before taking a look around the room. "Not the most welcoming of rooms, right?"
Neronius picks up the enchanted flail. "Well, I hope you're all satisfied! Curiosity killed the cat, and so forth."
I believe at this point that yet another member of our group has been slain by the horrors of this place.
Looking up from the wounds on her arms and legs Madge gives Zinli a nod; “Yes, but let’s get out of here.” Zinli looks around the room finding nothing of use beyond the weapons. There are torture tools laying about but they were left covered in blood and have rusted and are ruined.
Sveth agrees; “This room has always given me the creeps” as he slowly strolls out of the room into the hallway. You here a clink clink clink as he walks past the first holding cell.
When suddenly Gong – Gong – Gong what time is it? Gong – Gong – Gong has it only been an hour since you heard the clock last? Gong – Gong – Gong Madge is franticly looking around for what might happen next Gong – Gong The clock rings out and fades. Silence
Tolbold moves out of the room and looks around and tries to remember if there is anywhere they haven't been yet. While doing so he takes a head count.
Trevor sighs. Well I think that settles it. Madge, how much would you mind being tied to one of us since you are no doubt the next target.
Rekkart gives a silent prayer for the former priest as the necromantic energies fade from the man's corpse.
"Only one more place we haven't yet looked," he says, sheathing his blade and making his way to the gaol's staircase, "If Mord's spirit was here in the gaol, then perhaps whatever we need to do to leave this wretched place lies above it."
Terror comes across Madge’s face when Trevor asked if she would mind being tied to one of their side. Shaking her head no, her words match it; “No… I will not be bound again. I’ll stay by your side.” As she says bound again, you remember how she was found. Bound by rope, suspended in a tumbling pose, left in a closet to be found dead or alive.
Tolbold moves out of the room and begins to look around. His eyes fall on several rusted iron cages that take up most of this area. The barred doors are open and a few swing eerily, although no wind blows down here in the dark. In the lane stretching between these cells lies a headless skeleton, one arm folded beneath it awkwardly, the other outstretched from its side.
As soon as you see the skeleton laying on the ground your vision goes black…
Once more the image of Sashrala’s freshly severed head invades your senses. As the burly man slowly turns around and moves out of the cell, you notice a shadow on the wall that you missed before. A mysterious cloaked figure watches the procedings impassively. As you whirl to face it, a cold hand grasps your throat. You can feel its fingers crushing your windpipe as you struggle to breathe. White spots seem to dance before your eyes, and then everything goes black.
Your eyes snap open and your hands rush to your throat to pull away the hand that was choaking you, but no hand is there. You skin is cold to the touch. No one seems to notice what you just experienced.
Zinli gasps. "Oh, s#$&. I just saw some s#$&! What-" She clears her throat. It sounds ragged. "Someone was choking me! What kind of f@*+ery..."
"I saw someone - burly guy - cutting off this elf woman's head - her name was Sashrala -, and then... I mean, it wasn't the first time I dreamt this, it's all I remember dreaming about when I first woke up in that f&*+ing courthouse, but then... There was a shadow on the wall, and a guy behind me wearing a big cloak - or maybe a woman - and I think she was pointing at it all along - I think this was why she had... wait," the gunslinger suddenly interrupts her almost nonsensical babbling to have a look at the skeleton. "That's Sashrala. I'm almost sure of it."
An innocent victim? Judged unfairly?
"Hmm, interesting. This burly man--the courthouse executioner, presumably?"
"Mord was the courthouse executioner," Rekkart comments, "At least until his trial, I'd imagine."
"And most court-ordered executions don't occur in the convict's cell. Nor would they just leave the body."
He thinks for a moment about the name Sashrala.
The figure is medium sized. You are unsure of your perspective if the body being choked is medium or small. The dream is kind of distorted as dreams can be.
Looking over the body, you don’t see broken bones on the skeleton. The clothing is tattered as if whoever this was had seen battle. From the clothing and belongings, you get the sense that they might have been some kind of magic user. The only thing on the skeleton that seems to stood the test of time is a set of bracers on the skeletons arms.
You all know that Shashrala and Father Kelgaard were both part of the adventuring party that tried to cleanse this place. You also all know that a burly human named Grisom Twin-Axe was the only one who survived whose mind was shattered by the experience. It is said that as he was found he was muttering [i]The Hangman… a neck for a neck… hate never forgets… show me the way out, Shashrala! Show me the way!”
So he murdered Shashrala because of the ghosts in this place driving him mad
Tolbold nods and says "That accounts for three of that adventuring party. It sounds like from what Grisom was saying that Mord wants a neck for a neck. It also sounds like that adventuring party couldn't get out either."
"Yeah, but I wouldn't call that a hint that'd help us get out in one piece, right?" Zinli retrieves a pair of bracers from the skeleton's arms. "Poor soul won't need those anymore. Maybe we'll be able to bring them to someone who knew her - if we make it out."
"She looked like a spellcaster. Maybe they're magical?"
Neronius suddenly begins paying earnest attention. "Magic, did you say? Let me examine those . . ."
Zinli moves to retrieve the bracers. They are easy enough to slide off the remains of who appear to be Shashrala. Holding them in her hands, they somehow are sturdy and flexible at the same time. Soft, but you believe they could stop a blade.
As Tolbold continues to look around he discovers carved into the bottom of one of the upper bunks this note.
Neronius studies the bracers and discovers that they are magical, a faint aura of enchantment. At first glance he knows what they are, Bracers of Armor . But then he realizes that there is something more. They have another level of protection that is triggered when they get hit.
Bracers of Retaliation: Aura Faint DC16 Enchantment – These hard leather armguards look sturdy, yet flexible. +1 Bracers of Armor. In addition, 2/day when you are dealt damage by a melee attack, you can activate the bracers and sacrifice an arcane spell or spell slot of 1st level or higher to daze your attacker for 1 round. A successful Will save (DC 10 + Spell Level + Primary Ability) negates this effect.