Theodore stuffs the two scrolls of hide from undead into his inside coat pocket.
These would have been handy that one time I was hired to evict an annoying goblin skeleton that thought it was the poor families child. What a mess that was.
The Cleric then nods in affirmation of Tiff's suggesting they visit Kendra. He doesn't seem to agree about his Sister's interpretation of his disposition.....
"My apologies for the splash-back. I have proven a theory that such discharges can be made malleable under the right conditions, however I have not been able to replicate the experiment outside of the laboratory, yet. I will endeavor to persevere." Ismene rearranged her mental priorities now that she had companions she would rather not reduce to collateral damage...
"We do still have the Pharasman Archives available for research." She offers as a reminder, but doesn't oppose the idea of returning to Kendra.
"We do still have the Pharasman Archives available for research." She offers as a reminder, but doesn't oppose the idea of returning to Kendra.
Kendra welcomes you back.
"So the cache did exist. And my father must have taken some things. At least you have the permission of the Pharasman clergy; I do hope that will forestall any unlucky turns of Fate."
She looks at the items.
"I can cast Identify twice today, once using my amulet here, and each casting should allow me to identify two items. Let's start with the planchette and one of the vials."
"Ah yes, a Brass Spirit Planchette. You use this with the board to commune with spirits. It is not very reliable, unfortunately. And, the act of channeling spirits can be dangerous."
"This is a Haunt Siphon. It can neutralize restless spirits by drawing their essence inside; you loosen the top like so. It may take several such vials to neutralize a powerful haunt. My guess is that all four such vials are Haunt Siphons."
She casts the spell a second time from her bonded item.
"A Rod of Healing! It works similar to the healing hex that some witches have; it can heal any number of people, but no person may benefit from it more than once per day."
"These are five Ghost Touch arrows."
Her Identify spells spent, Kendra attempts the last bundle of arrows without such assistance.
"These are five Undead-Bane arrows."
Theodore stands over Kendra's shoulder as the Wizard announces the items properties.
And one big box of foreshadowing... isn't this nice.
The Roaming Exorcist rubs his hands together.
Definitely could have used those Vials of Haunt Siphon on that last case. Trippy that one.
Theodore then looks at the time.
Prison soon? I've a feeling things may get a bit pantaloon filling then...
He then nods to Iseme.
Quite right. Archive then spooky prison. Probably better experience at night anyway.
You head back to the Temple of Pharasma.
Father Grimburrow is there. "Back so soon? I hope you will tell me what you found when you have a chance. As I said, you are welcome to use the relics you found for their intended purpose, but it would be good to record what they were."
---
The temple's library is extensive. The only topic you have left to research is the Piper of Ilmarsh, one of the five notorious prisoners.
This is a DC 25 Knowledge (History) or Knowledge (Local). The Temple library gives a +4, and you can Aid Another - but please specify before rolling if you are making your own check or an Aid Another.
Tiff initially becomes distracted by Domha's Scrolls of Monstrous Plants squealing with joy at the weighty binder of collected vellum. But she sets them down in search of more useful books, tomes, librams, compendiums, and folios relevant to their search.
"My apologies for the splash-back. I have proven a theory that such discharges can be made malleable under the right conditions, however I have not been able to replicate the experiment outside of the laboratory, yet. I will endeavor to persevere."
"That would be appreciated. The fire stung, but I cannot find fault with its effectiveness!"
The mention of both hiding from and neutralizing restless spirits gives Quinn pause, he stops and ponders both for a long moment before shaking his head and carrying on.
At the archive, Quinn pipes up. "I do try to keep up with the goings on and can certainly immerse myself in records. I'll see what I can figure out."
Ismene jots down an inventory of the items as Kendra identifies their properties. Before they leave for the temple again, she asks Tiff to double check the alarm spell and cautions Kendra to keep the doors and windows barred while they are away, just in case.
When Father Grimburrow requests the information, she hands over the list. "Of course, Father. You have our gratitude for all your assistance in these troubling matters. The lock had been tampered with and it seems likely the Professor had visited before his untimely demise, so I fear it is not a comprehensive list of all that was secreted there initially."
In the Archive, Ismene inhales expansively, savoring the smells of aging parchment and vellum before drawing forth a vial of cobalt blue liquid that seems to glow faintly as if held up to the light. She twists the waxed stopper and tosses the contents back quickly, shuddering delicately at the apparent taste. Then her eyes pop open wide, seeming especially magnified by her lenses and she nods to herself as she sets to work.
I don't believe the Cognatagen lasts long enough to apply to this check, as it represents a full day's worth of research. But with Take 10 and with Aid Another from both Quinn and Tiff, Ismene can hit the DC.
It takes the better part of the day and into the evening for you to piece together the tale of the Piper of Ilmarsh. A snippet here, a fragment there, a footnote referring to another author, but eventually you have the tale.
Before he snatched his victims, the Piper taunted his targets with a mournful dirge on his flute. He preferred to paralyze lone victims by dosing their meals with lich dust and then allowed his pet stirges to drink the victims dry of blood.
Where to now? Back to Kendra's to rest for the night, or would you wish to do something else?
Tiff wakes up the next morning with a start, shooting straight up in bed. She wasn’t accustomed to waking up early but she could barely contain her excitement as she raced to the market to buy a very specific fish. Once she had the foul smelling and foul tasting fish in her possession she cut slits on the fish’s body and then squeezed as hard as she could draining the fish’s blood into an ink pot. Then she fetched Kendra’s spellbook, after asking politely, and began studying it and writing in her own book for just over two hours.
Kendra provides some breakfast of bread, cheese, and fruit for you all.
She grants Theophania permission to copy spells from her book.
While Tiff is doing that, what are the rest of you up to?
Ismene spends some time that evening tinkering in the Professor's Lab. She brews a replacement for her Cognatogen and provided she finds all the proper ingredients in stock, brews up a replacement for her spent acid flask as well.
Quinn spends a bit of time reviewing notes and doing a quick workout in the morning, sniffing around with distaste as he gets dressed and checking to make sure the awful smell isn't him. He sits down for breakfast with some trepidation, and sighs with relief when the breakfast doesn't include any fish.
"Comfortable lodgings you have, Kendra, thank you again for putting us up. I expect we'll find another letter this morning, my money would be on 'A'"
Theodore relaxes inside Kendra's domicile. The Roaming Exorcist is seen wearing gentleman's pajamas, enjoying a pipe, while reading the latest magazine on Spirits; and where to find them.....
....a picture of a neat bourbon on the cover matches the one he is sipping.
Based on Quinn's post, I will assume you go to check the Harrowstone Memorial once Tiff is done.
There is no new letter on the Memorial, nor are there tracks evident.
After a few minutes of looking around, Marill hears something. Being a bard, his ears are keen for music.
Not far from the Memorial, five little Varisian girls dressed in shawls and dresses are playing a skipping-rope game at the side of the road.
Each of the girls takes turns jumping in the rope while singing two lines of a song, then skips out of the rope to let the next girl take up the next two lines.
It all seems quite choreographed.
Put her body on the bed.
Take a knife and lop her head.
Watch the blood come out the pipe.
Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe.
Drops of red so sparkly bright.
Splatters spell her name just right.
With a hammer killed his wife.
Now he wants to claim your life.
Tricksy father tells a lie.
Listen close or you will die.
The girls are about 50' away.
Marill heads over to the girls but stops 15 ft or so away so as not to scare them.
"Hi there. That is a catchy little tune you're singing!.I haven't heard it before. Where did you learn it?"
The girls stop playing. They stand there quietly, looking nervous.
Theodore glances up as Marill begins to Stride off. Shrugging his shoulders the Cleric of Pharasma continues to stare at the statue willing a haunt to manifest....
"It's ok, I'm friendly. You can talk to me"
Quinn hangs back so as not to overwhelm the kids and scare them further, but he watches and listens. "Well I am glad I didn't actually put money down on my wager, but gladder still that it may have been a prank."
Ismene seems quite interested in the song and twiddles her gloved fingers at the little girls in a shy greeting. She speaks more to her companions, but moves close enough for the rope skippers to hear as well.
"Children's rhymes are a bit like a time capsule, you know. Adults prefer to forget about unpleasant things but children pass these little ditties to their younger cohorts and they are embraced and shared with friends. My, what brave girls to be singing about the Infamous Harrowstone Five."
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The tallest of the girls looks to the others, steps forward, and says, "It's just a rhyme. All the kids know it. We've sung it here since forever."
At Ismene's comment, the girl looks quizzical.
"Harrowstone like the old prison? What does that have to do with anything?"
The girls go back to their game and its grisly rhyme.
Tiff has a thought and asks the girls while handing them each a piece of candy, ”Have you been playing out here since this morning? Did you see any guards around the memorial when you started playing? Anyway, maybe another rhyme would be fun? Maybe something anatine?”
Tiff looks out in the distance clearly chewing on a thought before tapping her brother on the back of the head, ”Hey Sammy! Do you think any of the apparitions in Harrowstone can leave and possess people? Also! Does Pharasma speak through children, omens portents and the like? Though maybe we shouldn’t trust a lugubrious rhyme sung by random children and composed years ago to be relevant to our current circumstances.”
She waves her hand, ”Surely not, forget I said anything!”
Theodore walks over to the morose hopscotch parade. The Pharasman listens as they converse with the young ladies. At his sister's sudden tidal wave of surmises, questions, answers and revelations, the elder brother is seen with his mouth open as if about to respond but seemingly caught in time ....
Tiff has a thought and asks the girls while handing them each a piece of candy, ”Have you been playing out here since this morning? Did you see any guards around the memorial when you started playing? Anyway, maybe another rhyme would be fun? Maybe something anatine?”
The girls might be willing to talk, but they draw the line at taking candy from strangers.
"It is morning, silly." "We didn't see anyone nearby. Just you all walking up that way."
Tiff shrugs as they walk away from the paranoid girls towards Harrowstone. She speaks without stopping to breathe in a long meandering way, "I guess Father Grimbarrow's guards already left. Anyway it makes sense that the Splatterman would have rhymes made about them long afterwards that kind of incident can leave long lasting effects on peoples and rhymes like that are a way to deal with the trauma."
Quinn notes down the rhyme in his notebook and shrugs. "Not surprised that events like that would leave a mark. Let's move on then."
His blue eyes watching both Tiff and Quinn continue the trek to the prison, Theodore's words finally find purchase
....quite right. Words last, while memory fades and even forgets.
Smiling absently at the young ladies, he tips his hat before following the pair.
"Well, have a nice day."
Tiff shrugs as they walk away from the paranoid girls towards Harrowstone. She speaks without stopping to breathe in a long meandering way, "I guess Father Grimbarrow's guards already left. Anyway it makes sense that the Splatterman would have rhymes made about them long afterwards that kind of incident can leave long lasting effects on peoples and rhymes like that are a way to deal with the trauma."
Ismene nods in agreement, "Yes, it seems events at Harrowstone have had a lasting effect on the residents here. More than just the Splatter Man was referenced in that skipping song, though. Each couplet referred to one of the five most notorious inmates at the time of the fire. I take it you suspect the Splatter Man is the primary focus for this cabal the Professor was investigating?"
Quinn has a thought upon walking away and returns for another question of the girls. "We saw a letter spelled out here in blood yesterday, is that a common prank here?"
"No," replies one of the girls. "Like in the song?"
They don't seem to know anything about it.
Harrowstone is located on a barren hill south of the city of Ravengro, the stark, sagging roof of its central structure visible through a large gap in the surrounding wall. A partially overgrown track leads from the southern edge of town, winding around the base of the hill and then back up along its southern slope to the prison itself.
Harrowstone’s grounds are contained within a crumbling stone wall, the eastern portion of which has fallen away into a huge sinkhole that formed when the extensive eastern wing of the prison dungeon collapsed after the dreadful fire of 4661. The sinkhole has partially filled with water, creating a murky pond to the southeast of the prison.
To the southwest, a sagging wood and metal gate set between a pair of stone guard towers once barred entrance into Harrowstone, but the gates now hang negligently open, creaking softly in what wind touches the ruined bars.
Where do you go?
In through the gates?
Over the wall?
Through the pond?
And where to once you are on the prison grounds?
Theodore frowns at the pond area. He shrugs at the main entrance being suspiciously accessible.
Theodore takes out a torch, lights it and then the Cleric casts Light on it. He smiles at those thinking about the why of it....
Just in case the haunted winds be blowing.
"It's abandoned, yeah? Might as well check the gates."
Quinn checks the gates for lockedness (and traps!).
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Tiff rubbernecks around looking to see what Quinn is looking for but failing to find it she asks, "Think this will take more than an hour?"
Without waiting for an answer she intones a word, "Defendarius!" A piece of leather glows and spectral strips of leather begin to wrap themselves around Tiff.
"Its been abandoned for a long time. Seems unlikely that the gate would be trapped. But ..."
He then peers intently at the gate and the ground to see if he can discover any traps
"Looks good to me. Lets go"
he says hoping that somebody else will take the lead.
If nobody else steps forward in the next few seconds (say, 2 rounds) he steps forward
Quinn will lead the way in.
As expected, the party finds no traps on the long-abandoned gates.
There are tracks on the ground - too many to parse. This is not surprising. Professor Lorrimor was found dead on the grounds of the Prison, inside the perimeter walls but outside the walls of the Prison itself. He had been crushed by falling statuary from the Prison's facade. The tracks you see may just have been locals finding him and bringing his remains out. Or they may have been the agents of the Whispering Way that he wrote about...
As Quinn leads the way in, he is overcome by a feeling of claustrophobia and a sensation that his skin is burning.
Does Quinn say anything?
Do the others follow?
Quinn halts his advance, his eyes darting around the grounds as he pats at his armor. "My, is it hot? Is there...when did the buildings get so close? We should leave..."
Theodore frowns at the reaction of Quinn as the Moustache sporting cavalier crosses into the actual prison premises....
The Roaming Exorcist stares at Quinn. He purposely shines his Twice-Lit Torch in his personal space....
You got them itches, son.
Tiff follows after Quinn and asks, "But we just got here?!"
Theodore does not detect a magical possession, curse, or control on Quinn. 'The itches' seems about right.
Tiff feels no effects from entering the prison grounds.
Where to now?
Map is up
"I uhm...the itches? Perhaps. Is it...it's burning. Are you sure the buildings aren't closer than they were?" Quinn will press forward, with a little prodding. He tries to stay out in the yard, avoiding the house and the prison for the time being.
"Burning?" Ismene asks, her magnified eyes blinking rapidly. "Could it be a psychosomatic symptom, some psychic echo of what the victims of the fire experienced?" She immediately begins scribbling notes in her journal as they progress. "Do you often feel anxiety in enclosed spaces?" She asks Quinn curiously.
Ismene's hypothesis of a psychic echo seems reasonable based on what she knows; it is not quite a haunt as they are typically described, though it is a somewhat similar effect.
Theodore takes out his water skin, pours a bit in his open palm, says a prayer and flicks Quinn as they proceed....
"Anxiety? No, not normally, or else I'd not be very happy in my apartm-hey! Stop that!" Quinn flinches back from the water being flicked at him as he continues to pat at his arms.
Marill says a prayer to Desna, grasps his star knife firmly in hands, and proceeds
Marill is unaffected.