The Piper of Ilmarsh continues to play.
Tiff stands frozen.
Everybody needs to make a DC 14 Will save at the start of their turn to avoid being Shaken by the Piper's song. Marill's Countersong is not strong enough (this round, anyway) to overcome the effect.
Round 3
Tiff
Quinn
Marill
Haunt (-5 HP)
Ismene
Theodore
Round 4
Tiff
Quinn
Marill
The sounds of the Piper cease, and the mist within the Haunt Siphon begins to glow green.
With the defeat of the haunt, Tiff is able to move again, and those of you who were Shaken overcome that effect.
As soon as Tiff is freed from the paralytic galoubet, she begins to take notes, "Piper of Ilmarsh, class IV, though we didn't see them manifest fully! Sammy, you'd say focused right? There'd be a big to do if they were wandering around the town."
Theodore is heard grumbling about his channels being too weak....
Moving on, you check out the rest of the floor.
The kitchen, in the middle of the east side, is nothing more than charred remains.
The guardpost to the south, which Marill had been checking out before the stirge attack, contains little of note. It is blocked from the cellblock by an arc of iron bars. Within sits an old wooden table and a few chairs.
The cells in the southeast corner do each contain skeletons, but none of them animate at your arrival.
One remaining cell stands out as different from the others. It is along the south wall, just west of the guardpost. Although the cell is rather spacious, it contains no concessions to comfort. A skeletal body dressed in the rotting remains of a prisoner’s robe lies slumped against the eastern wall, wrapped in numerous chains on which are affixed numerous weights emblazoned with several different holy symbols.
Theodore peeks into each cell with a readiness of a cat crossing a known dog yard....
The Roaming Exorcist then begins to hum a bit as he gets distracted by the numerous chains on which are affixed numerous weights emblazoned with several different holy symbols.
Tiff looks over her brother's shoulder, close enough that her breath can be felt on his ear. She whispers, "I'm right behind you."
Then she says loudly, "What's with all those? Maybe they were covering their bases?"
She pulls back Lucubration apparent on her face, "Wait! Do you smell that? See those holy symbols. Do you think those could be the remains of the prevaricarous father Corvin?"
Theodore surmises that his sister is likely correct - these various holy symbols are those of faiths common in Ustalav, and would have been used by Father Charlatan (aka Father Sefick Corvin).
Do you take the holy symbols or touch the corpse?
"That thing makes me nervous. Could somebody please shoot it with an arrow from a long distance? See if that wakes it up."
Theodore ignores his sister. The Cleric turns his blue eyes on Marill, and he begins patting himself down.
No bow, but this may well answer two questions.
Theodore reaches out to touch the corpse....
You can touch a living creature as a standard action, healing it for 1d4 points of damage plus 1 for every two cleric levels you possess. You can only use this ability on a creature that is below 0 hit points. 6/6
Tiff pats her brother on the back, pushing him forward at just the right moment.
Theodore touches the corpse and...
Nothing happens.
There is nothing else of interest on the floor.
Do you wish to go out the door in the northwest corner? It is locked and reinforced, but likely leads out to a balcony.
Or do you wish to go back to the first floor and explore more?
Theodore frowns.
Anyone got any quarters?
Shrugging the Roaming Exorcist stands (absently shuffling around his apparently close sister) and begins to go back to the first floor to further explore....
"Might'n be able to climb to that balcony from the ground, we can figure out where it is."
Otherwise he walks with Theodore to continue that ground floor exploration.
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"A quarter of what?"
Heads down with Theodore
The large room to the east of the central hallway is the auditorium.
Several rows of wooden benches, all spotted with mold and sagging with neglect, face a stage walled off from the rest of the room by a wall of iron bars.
As you enter the room...
Tiff notices that it is getting very cold.
Tiff is not fast enough to react, however.
The warmth is drained from your bodies and your souls.
Theodore falls to the ground.
Surprise Round
Tiff -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Round 1
Theodore -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage - Sir Not-Appearing-in-this-Combat
Ismene -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Quinn -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Marill -4, Fort DC 11 or 1 Str damage
Haunt
As Theodore faints, the Roaming Exorcist thinks
This is sooo embarrassing....
Tiff fights off the draining effect, minimally, as she begins to bleed from her ears, nose, and eyes. "Aaaaaguhhh" she yells as she pulls out the healing rod.
Once the pain subsided she explained, "This should affect the spirit positively! In the technical ghost fighting sense, not in the I'm helping the spirit now sense!"
The rod nearly slips from her fingers as she waves it about before regaining her grip on it, "Uh! One moment!"
There is a particular situation occurring with Theodore. If he posts here in a spoiler, please do not read it (yet).
And Theodore, please do not read spoilers I post for the others.
Most of my spoilers are fine to read (e.g. Initiative, or the shockingly lousy Perception one above) and only used for making posts easier to read, but I will mark them with names when they are not for everyone.
Theodore wakes up some time later. To his great surprise, he is in a coffin. A red-haired priest of Pharasma smiling at him sadly. "Pharasma has seen fit to grant you a new lease on life, my son. I am sorry it took so long. It has been six months."
Blue eyes open. Blue eyes close.
I seem to be in a coffin.
Theodore opens his blue eyes. He sees a Priest of Pharasma.
Makes sense.
Theodore stretches his extremities.
Pardon me, but I actually feel better. No need to do that whole liquidators experience. So unpleasant.
Theodore hears what the red haired priest actually says.
Care to fill a Brother in?
Not assuming that the man will do so, Quinn drops his armaments and moves to hold Theodore down so he can't hurt himself.
forgot this
A brief glimpse of unease flickers across the priest's face.
Theodore also has the slightest sensation of pressure on his arms, though nothing seems to be holding him.
"Why, you died in Harrowstone. Your companions brought your body back here. They found a priest of Irori to travel with them, faced many horrors, and in time - six months later - they were able to afford the diamond necessary for your return. Out of pity, they sent the diamond here so that we could bring you back."
Ismene and Marill may act! Tiff has a Ghost Siphon in hand if you wish to take and use it.
Ismene, Marill, and Tiff all realize that Theodore has fallen under the effect of another Haunt (in addition to the Cold Spot haunt in this room). The Haunt Siphon could affect it (or it could be used against the Cold Spot), as possibly could spells such as Protection from Evil or Remove Fear.
I assume that I can NOT move up to Theodore, take his siphon AND activate it during a single round, that somebody who is closer will have to be the one to activate the siphon.
So, he moves towards Theodore and sings out an Inspire Courage. Hopefully that increase to saves vs fear will be of some use.
Theodore only frowns at the nice Pharasman Clergy. He wiggles his extremities once again.
Mind if I relocate my personage from this spacialily restraining box? My arms are getting tingly.
Not exactly expecting any affirmation of his statement, the.... Pharasman Cleric unwinds his body from the enclosure of it's confinement.
So ...what now? Pharasma isn't exactly known for second chances. Seriously. She is exactly known for not second chances.
Theodore begins looking for a mirror to check his incisors.....
The priest smiles.
"Oh yes, you may get up.
Well, Pharasma does not prohibit Her clergy from casting Resurrection, you know. A significant sacrifice is required to allow a detour from the River of Souls, but even so - she knows that you will return to Her in time. What matter is a few decades? She knew that this spell would be cast, and so delayed in passing judgement on your soul. Once you have been judged and sent to the Great Beyond, well, that is truly final."
"What will you do now?"
Ismene takes the Haunt Siphon from Tiff and uses it on the Cold Spot.
The Haunt Siphon fills with greenish mist, and the temperature of the room begins to climb.
Theodore continues to thrash. You hear his ribs crack as the ghostly chains tighten.
At least the Cold Spot is defeated (for now).
Absently shuffling about, shaking his arms, twisting his torso, checking his pockets, the confused Roaming Exorcist smiles at the nice Pharasman.
I suppose that I might take a stroll. Where are we?
Theodore frowns at his state of dress.
Do you offer a laundry service.
With that she taps the healing rod to the chains binding her brother, hoping that they are neutralized.
Theodore continues to thrash against them, his efforts weakening as blood trickles from his mouth.
Marill and Ismene still to go.
"Desna, I beseech you, save my friend"
Marill grabs out the last Haunt Siphon and holds it against the chains
The priest looks pleased at something.
"We are in Ravengro, of course. Would you wish to pay a visit to Kendra Lorrimor? She is still in town, and it was she that paid for your funeral. It was a very nice one. Dignified."
Then... he fades away. All is dark.
Theodore does not regain consciousness; although no longer thrashing, his breath is weak and labored, only briefly finding the strength to cough up blood.
Party up!
Theodore is at negative HP. Will get a Con save on his next turn.
Marill is going to wrack his brain and try and figure out what is wrong with Theodore and, far more importantly, how it might be fixed
All knowledge skills count as trained. That is a 21 for religion (seems the most likely) or local, and a 17 for any other knowledge.
Theodore frowns as the nice Pharasman Clergy fades from view.
This reminds me of my freshman year mixer. Whatever was in that punch was not alcohol. Thought I seen butterflies feasting on my breakfast every morning for that week.
The Cleric shrugs.
Ravengro. Kendra Lorrimor. Dignified funeral. That's something.
Theodore looks about for any apparent egress....
Tiff thinks back to the only first aid course she took (she really phoned in that credit) and suggests, "Internal bleeding? Maybe raise his legs above his heart? And pressure?"
"Theodore is ok, he just needs some healing. Does anybody have some healing for him?"
Theodore is stable at -1 HP.
Tiff slaps her hand to her forehead, "Duh!" She taps the healing rod to Sammy's forehead.
If that doesn't work she begins to drag her brother out of the prison feet first.
Theodore regains consciousness (at 4/10 HP).
Theodore opens one blue eye. He opens the second blue eyes. They both roam about his new surroundings with a bit of sorrow.
That Pharasman Clergy was nice.
Theodore frowns at his sister's attempts at pulling off his arms.
It looks like I may still have need of those, sis. Besides, I never signed your waver.
The Cleric begins to sit up.
Death is overrated. What happened!?
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---
Weary and wounded, the party makes its way out of this haunted place and back to Lorrimor Place. Nothing troubles you on the way.
"You have returned!" says Kendra. "It has been quiet here. What have you found?
Oh, goodness, Theodore, you look dreadful. I am no healer, but I believe you need bed rest."
Tiff produces a document naming her Theodore Samuel Walden Carter's medical POA. His apparent signature is on the document, though he does not remember signing it. She sticks her tongue out playfully.
Tiff explains, "Just a mild possession, nothing the crew can't handle. But! We're out of haunt siphons now. So I need to learn a new spell that I saw in Lorrimor's spellbook."
"It seemed simple enough but it is," she fake gags, "necromancy. Not my specialty at all. After I learn it, someone else should hold the healing rod so that not all of our haunt hunting tools are in the same egg basket."
"I'm afraid I'm only able to heal myself at the moment. But that is another subject I intend to study, eventually." Ismene shrugs, feeling rather useless in the face of recent trials.
Quinn glances over the document with a somewhat suspicious eye and mumbles. "Did a solicitor actually draft this...?"
"Could I take the rod - does it require any sort of magical talent that I don't possess?"
Tiff shrugs, not knowing how the magic in the rod worked exactly. "Let's test it out! But not here."
Tiff tries to escape the manor and picks up some more fish ink to scribe disrupt undead in her spellbook before returning to the manor.
Later she gives the rod to Quinn and instructs him on the magic word to activate it to see if he can.