Quinn is up early and will help with preparing breakfast. He's not a particularly good cook, but the meal is serviceable.
Once they head out and spot the stains on the statue, he begins walking that direction. "That certainly warrants investigation."
Tiff smiles and nods at Kendra, "Yes. Well I thought it prudent. Hopefully its an unnecessary precaution. The password is correct horse battery staple."
Tiff looks around and asks, "Investigate what?" It takes her a minute, "Oooooh!"
Ismene keeps close to Kendra.
She adjusts her lenses to peer at the substance to determine what it is...
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Theodore stands on the path to the Temple of Pharasma while his company verses off to investigate a side quest....
Grumbling about this not ending well (and particularly delaying their research ), the Cleric stomps off behind them to watch what horror waylays them.
Job security, I suppose.
You approach the memorial. The splotches resolve into a clear letter "V" at the statue’s base. Beyond that, additional blood is splattered elsewhere on the statue and on the ground nearby.
Muttering under his breath about ambushes, suckers and random splotches of blood is not generally a good sign, the Roaming Exorcist approaches the vandalized statue.
Picking up a rock, the Cleric prays over it, causing it to Light brightly. Holding it over the blood splatter on the statue, he asks Pharasma for Guidance before examining the stains.
"Is it real blood, Master Carter? Not just an apparition of blood?"
She tries to recall any connection of the letter "V" to the late, great Warden Hawkran...
And then she tries to determine if the blood forms any sort of trail.
It is in fact real blood. Definitely mammalian. Possibly human.
@Ismene - can't give you any information from those checks beyond what I have already given the party.
Ismene cannot find enough tracks to establish a trail.
Theodore frowns at the clear symbol reference to the late wife of the warden, Vesorianna.
Somebody got to be starting something.
The Exorcist nods at Ismene's inquiry.
It is in fact real blood. Definitely mammalian. Possibly human.
He stands. He stretches.
Shall we be about visiting a haunted prison. I am certain this blood vandalized statue of a dead warden with his dead wife's initial in blood on it is just a coincidence...
The Pharasman doffs his hat as he prepared to continue.
Theodore sighs
Research first. Then haunted prison.
Tiff speaks the word, "Invenios" while circling one hand in a fist and then releasing the fist palm down. The back of her eyes then glow green like the back of a cat's eyes reflecting light in the night.
She then focuses on the area scanning around the blood.
Tiff does not detect any magic.
Father Grimburrow greets you.
"Kendra. With the Professor's friends. What brings you here this morning?"
On the way from the statue to the temple, Quinn makes an observation. "Y'know, the 'V' could be for Councilman Hearthmount, his first name is Vashian, carried the casket with us. If we're dealing with a culprit active in the present rather than a haunting that is strictly stuck in the past. That'd give us a week to figure this out, and I suppose we'll have a good idea tomorrow."
---
Quinn sidles up to the temple and tries to set the priest at ease and butter him up for someone a bit more skilled to capitalize on.
"Good morning, Father. I do appreciate the wise words you had to say about the Professor yesterday, it never hurts to spread a little kindness in doing your duty, so I've found. But as to why we're here, we're following up on some of the Professor's affairs and have an inkling that your archives might be able to fill in some gaps."
He looks to the rest of the group to send the message home.
"Good father, we also will be seeking your permission to make use of some supplies that the Church of Pharasma has in a cache that the professor knew about. I'll let the others explain exactly why we think we need the artifacts but I'd like to assure you that they will be used in ways that the Church of Pharasma would approve of"
Theodore begins expounding upon the merits of collaboration. The Cleric of Pharasma explains the disturbing things found in the late Professor's journal.
...and that is plainly not acceptable. The Way here!
The Exorcist seems to be choking on a spicy slimjim....
"Well," says Father Grimburrow, "it’s possible that members of a previous hierarchy in the church hid some such resources in a crypt. I assume this relates to the spirits of Harrowstone? It is rumored to be haunted, and Professor Lorrimor had sought to investigate the place in the past. Yes, if you promise to put any resources you find towards the goal of putting spirits to rest, you may search the Restlands. Do not disturb the rest of those who have gone to the Great Beyond."
"Thank you, Father. Yes, there does seem some disturbance of a spiritual nature. We will continue to investigate but we need more information. We need to know more about the infamous Harrowstone inmates. It goes without saying that those souls who were wicked and malicious in their lifetimes are even more likely to wreak havoc upon the living from beyond the grave. Truly, we need all the guidance we can discover." Ismene made her plea as succinctly as possible.
Father Grimburrow looks doubtful, but upon assurance from Kendra he relents.
"Very well. You may use our archives for our research. Pharasma is a goddess of Knowledge among Her other responsibilities, and we keep detailed records of the matters of this town. Treat the records with respect."
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Tiff ponders their priorities, "We should recover the supplies first. I feel as if the bloody V at the memorial is a concatenation to our current goals. We don't know who would commit such vicissitudes, what they know, or their current objectives."
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Theodore nods in gratitude to his fellow Cleric of Pharasma. It almost seems as if he feels as if his brother in Pharasma doesn't even acknowledge his peer standing ...
Although the Roaming Exorcist does indeed understand that jealousy has an ugly side when it reacts its head....
Theodore points at Tiff as he also points at his nose.
Tell him about the blood on the statue. V for Vendetta.
Theodore nods in gratitude to his fellow Cleric of Pharasma. It almost seems as if he feels as if his brother in Pharasma doesn't even acknowledge his peer standing ...
The priest of Pharasma looks over the novice exorcist. The Church has many such individuals, but somewhat fewer with more experience... there is attrition in the profession after all.
"You. Theodore, is it? You serve the Lady of Graves. Make sure that your companions pay proper respect to our archives, our relics, and the Rest Eternal.
A bloody 'V' at the memorial, you say? Twice in the past three decades there have been youths trying to scare people with the specter of the Splatter Man. That may be all there is to it, or not. I will post guards tonight."
Father Grimburrow writes out a note and marks it with a signet ring.
"Permission to search the Restlands for this cache."
---
The false crypt mentioned in the professor’s journal is located in the northeast corner of the Restlands, near the junction of the paths known as the Eversleep and the Black Path.
The crypt itself is a freestanding granite mausoleum, the roof of which is decorated with a pair of leering gargoyle statues. A single stone door with a rusty-looking lock sits in the mausoleum’s south facade.
The lock is broken, its clasp melted by acid and then put back into place so that to casual observation the lock appears intact.
No tracks are evident; it has rained in the nearly 3 weeks since the Professor died, so you would not expect to find any.
"Its probably a futile gesture, but lets make sure that nothing remains of the cache shall we?"
With that, he draws his starknife and steps into the crypt
"Let us remain vigilant and watchful, it would not do to be caught unawares in such a sepulcher." Ismene keeps an eye out for trouble as well as any carvings that indicate who is entombed within.
Theodore frowns at the impetuous of youth. The Roaming Exorcist mouths a simple prayer, causing Light to appear on a rock he just picked up. Closing the distance to better examine the door, perhaps it's occupant(s) and any other clues that may present themselves, the Cleric begins ...
Unseen Revealed (Ex): bonus equal to 1/2 her cleric level (minimum +1) on Perception checks to detect haunts and incorporeal creatures and on Sense Motive checks to determine whether a creature is possessed, under the effects of an enchantment or curse, or otherwise magically controlled
...to get distracted by the others proceeding into the unknown.
Don't touch anything. Certain spectral activities are often triggered by relics.
Theodore follows them to the doorway to look inside...
A flight of stone steps leads down into the cold earth to a large crypt lined with empty niches.
Tiff finds tracks in the dirt.
You are unable to follow the tracks; you are all trying to stay out of each others' way and trying to not obscure the tracks, so you are mostly looking from the entry by the Light of Theodore's rock.
You take a few minutes to re-evaluate and try to follow the tracks again, or just press on through the doorways to the north.
Tiff pokes an index finger in the dirt tracks and then tastes it. "Pft pwt pleh. Why did I think that was a good idea? Well, either they're here and we have them trapped or they've already left. Forward? Sinister path?"
She sticks her hands in each of the niches making sure they're empty before moving to the left.
Quinn hoists his dusty old shield and holds his longsword at the ready. "If the may have already left, then we must take the sinister path." He shoots Tiff a grin.
Theodore frowns at his sister.
Sinister path? Is that code for something? Either way if someone has already broken into this secret cache then they probably already left.
The Roaming Exorcist then chuckles.
Unless of course the ghosts and such got them. Guess we'll shall see.
Holding his Light out to aid in his sister niche tour, Theodore whispers
If we're lucky, they would have exhausted any traps already.
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Ismene smiled and patted Theodore on the shoulder, her voice taking on a mildly lecturing tone, "I suspect your sister enjoys etymology, like myself. The origin of the word sinister bears no malice in it's context, it merely referred to the direction, "left". It was only later, when the direction and left-handedness became associated with "wrongness", as opposed to "rightness", you see, that the word gained the connotation for wickedness." She explained sharing an amused look with Tiff and Quinn.
Tiff thinks the dust tastes like Old Man's Footsteps.
Both doors open onto a small chamber beyond. Down the stairs is another chamber, and in that one there is a large sarcophagus.
Tiff looks around curiously, and while holding a piece of cured leather in hand she intones, "Defendarius. Briefly a set of translucent chain mail appears on her body before disappearing.
Seeing no immediate danger Tiff walks up to the sarcophagus and takes a look at it.
The lid of the sarcophagus has been moved, and Tiff can see inside.
Although there are gaps where objects seem to have been removed, other bundles remain.
These include:
The darkwood case contains a thin wooden board printed with numerous letters and numbers, a small heart-shaped piece of brass on wheeled casters, and four vials. The vials are in velvet-lined indentations next to the board and piece of brass; there are ten indentations, but only four have vials.
Detect Magic reveals that the two bundles of arrows, the two flasks, the scrolls, the rod, the piece of brass, and the four vials are all magical.
Theodore frowns as he peers over Tiff's shoulder.
I expected a bit more...spazazz. Anything magical?
Turning that frown upside down, the Roaming Exorcist begins looking a bit more closely at the sarcophagus.
Theodore practically climbs inside...
Tiff speaks a word of power, "Invenios" while gesturing in a precise manner. Her eyes glow green again like at the stature. Without taking her eyes off the items she explains, "I'm deciphering the enchantments now, it takes a great deal of concentration."
"I can perhaps aid in identifying the liquid within the flasks and vials..." Ismene says as she steps closer and lifts one to examine it more closely by the light.
Tiff, Isemene, and Theodore are focused on examining the artifacts. But Quinn hears something moving! He turns his head to see two giant centipedes emerging from cracks in the wall.
Surprise Round
Tiff
Quinn - move or standard action only
Marill
Ismene
Theodore
Centipedes
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"Beware, hell-serpents!"
Quinn takes a step into the doorway and readies to strike if the hell-serpents approach.
The Hell-serpents charge!
Quinn's strike is just wide, as he is startled by the venomous vermin.
Round 1
Tiff
Quinn (-4 HP, Fort save needed)
Marill
Ismene
Theodore (-4 HP, Fort save needed)
Centipedes Mysterious Hell-Serpents
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Theodore seems a bit put off by the sudden feeding frenzy from the...
Hell Serpents! Where!? Maybe we can get them to fend off these Giant Centipede!
The Cleric Strides further into the crypt away from the Giant Centipede.
He then Channels Positive energy!
Theodore looks nervous....
Probably not nervous due to the Giant Centipede poison, but mostly likely nervous about whether or not he left the stove on ...
Marill heads over to the right where he will have a clear shot at the Giant Centipedes (or are they Hell Serpents. He is confused).
He hurls his starknife at the one on his left
I'm kinda hoping that hits
Tiff taps her chin thoughtfully and comments, "Infernal serpents are notoriously hard to control, Sammy. You'd think that Abyssal serpents would be harder but you'd surprised. Abyssal serpents..." Tiff glances in her brother's direction to see what the commotion is as he flees for his life and her eyes light up. She begins to count the legs on the giant centipedes harassing them while her head grows a set of antlers that end in sharp points. She charges...
...and trips over Marill's foot as he steps in front of her.
Theodore fully heals himself and Quinn.
Marill hits of the Giant Centipedes, badly wounding it.
Quinn and Ismene are up!
"Turn your faces, and don't inhale!" Ismene advises as she takes a step to better line up her shot, draws an acid flask and lobs.
"Centi-? Oh! Whoa!"
Quinn is a bit surprised as things start whizzing by his head, but he tries to keep it down as he swings at the hell serpent in front of him.
Ismene's bomb destroys both creatures, but splashes Tiff and Quinn.
Ismene is able to identify two of the flasks as being Potions of Lesser Restoration.
The four vials don't seem to be potions at all. They have stylized cold-iron casings etched with strange runes as well as the spiral of Pharasma. Within each vial roils a small wisp of white vapor, churning as if caught in a miniature vortex of air. Tiff is unable to identify them.
Tiff identifies the scrolls as Detect Undead, Hide from Undead (2), and Protection from Evil.
There is nothing else of interest in the tomb, and no bodies buried here.
Theodore begins to straighten his hat, while removing himself from behind the sarcophagus. The dignified gentleman brushes dust off his jacket, as he ventures about suspiciously, peering at every nook, cranny, cranny and nook.
Something seems off about this. Obviously someone beats us here and took important things that probably allow them whatever shananagins at the Prison.
Quinn dusts himself off as well. "Centipedes! Of monstrous size, yes of course!"
He glances through the collection of items. "These vials are most curious. I expect we don't want to let them out.
Theodore finds nothing hidden. There are cracks in the walls that the centipedes came through, and perhaps there are more somewhere, but nothing easy to get to.
What do you do now?
Earlier
Tiff screams, ”Aaaaaaah!” as her face is slightly burned while she’s leaning over the now dead centipeded fiendish serpent.
Now
Tiff pouts as she’s unable to decipher the enchantments. But she quickly brightens as she figures out the scrolls. She comments, ”This one here will let us see traces of the living impaired, it will only last one minute unfortunately, while these two here will let one of us not be detected at all by them. And finally this is a standard ward against evil.”
She tosses the hide from undead scrolls at Sammy, ”Catch!” She folds the remaining scrolls in half and wedges them into her spellbook.
She pulls out the wooden board and brass planchette, ”This is a Oui… a spirit board. Since the planchette is enchanted I expect it will help us to contact real apparitions rather than being a fun party game for sleepovers. The vials obviously have something to do with the spirit board, maybe they can be used to contain apparitions contacted?”
She gently hands the board to Quinn, ”Would you kindly carry this until I have more time to thoroughly examine it?”
She nods to Ismere and lets her keep the potions, ”Thanks!”
Holding the rod and arrows she shrugs also handing them to Quinn to carry.
When Sammy complains, ”It was very likely the professor who took them! In any case I’d like to consult with Kendra about these items, she’s a talented wizard and may have some insight into their operation. Do you think it would be too much a strain for her?”