It hadn't really been Magdali's intention but:
"Well, since you've gone to all that trouble locking and barring the door, I guess we'll stay for a while.
To Borak she says "Shall we start pulling books and documents?"
Magdali augments her attention and memory with occasional castings of Guidance.
Raising an eyebrow as the 'archivist' claimed to like her privacy, Børak wondered if it wasn't more about the records that the previous archivist had lost. Not really comfortable with being locked in himself, he tries to chuckle at Madali's comment but it sounded more like a weak cough. Breathing a sigh he nods when she recommends they start looking for information. Moving to a table he collects the volumes that he thinks may aid in their search. Sitting down he begins to read.
partially destroyed by a fire in 4661, the building has
stood vacant ever since. The locals suspect that it’s
haunted, and don’t enjoy speaking of the place.
DC 15 : Harrowstone was built in 4594. Ravengro
was founded at the same time as a place where guards and
their families could live and that would produce food and
other supplies used by the prison. The fire that killed all
of the prisoners and most of the guards destroyed a large
portion of the prison’s underground eastern wing, but
left most of the stone structure above relatively intact.
The prison’s warden perished in the fire, along with his
wife, although no one knows why she was in the prison
when the fire occurred. A statue commemorating the
warden and the guards who lost their lives was built in
the months after the tragedy—that statue still stands on
the riverbank just outside of town.
DC 20: Most of the hardened criminals sent
to Harrowstone spent only a few months imprisoned, for
it was here that most of Ustalav’s executions during that
era were carried out. The fire that caused the tragedy was,
in fact, a blessing in disguise, for the prisoners had rioted
and gained control of the prison’s dungeons immediately
prior to the conf lagration. It was only through the selfsacrifice of Warden Hawkran and 23 of his guards that
the prisoners were prevented from escaping—the guards
gave their lives to save the town of Ravengro.
Nikolay enters the temple somewhat hesitantly, his neck craning as he searches for Magdali and Børak. Upon finding out that they are currently in the archives, he tries to see what aid he can render the temple healers - as a fellow healer this time, rather than as a patient.
He also attempts to find out what he can about any other suspicious activities recently in town - beyond the stirge attack and the splattered blood, have there been any other strange occurrences?
After several hours in the archives some things have been found, but Magdali feels disappointed. There's just not much that's really new to show for their work.
"I guess we should call it a day and go compare notes with the others" she tells Borak. "We can pick up where we left off here tomorrow."
At the time of the great Harrowstone Fire, the number of particularly violent or dangerous criminals imprisoned within the dungeons below was at an all-time high.
The five most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire were Father Charlatan, the Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illlmarsh, and the Splatter Man.
The archivist unlocks and opens the door for you after you sign out.
Nodding in agreement with Magdali, Børak collects his gear from the archive and pulls his cloaks hood up around his head. As they return through the temple he picks up his pole arm from where he left it by the door. Resting it on his shoulders, he follows the Oracle out of the temple through town.
As they walk back, Magdali asks "did that seem like a useful way to spend most of today?"
Hearing Magdali's question, Børak considers before he answers. Now that they were alone, he felt more comfortable speaking, especially with someone the professor trusted. Giving a light shrug, "I learned the names of he five most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire: Father Charlatan, the Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illlmarsh, and the Splatter Man. That was about it."
He turns towards Magdali, smiling slightly, causing the scar on the left side of his face to pinch the cheek and eye. "and it was certainly better than getting attacked by stirges."
His right eye twinkles as the left begins to water. "But if I'd known it was going to take that long, I would have packed a lunch. I'm starving."
After he is done, he turns to the sylph. "Mister Visayn, did you have anywhere in particular you wanted to go while you were here in town? If not, I was hoping to examine the vandalism at the Harrowstone Memorial, but it is by no means urgent."
"Nah, probably I'm going to return to the house, then prepare for the cultist ambush. Need a good dinner if we actually catch one of them!"
Magdali and Borak arrive from temple as Visayn sits waiting in the front porch of Lorrimor house "Hope you found something worthwhile in the temple. Are you as hungry as I am?" he asks
Still with dark rings under her eyes she is working in the kitchen preparing dinner with Drake.
When she gets back to the house, Magdali helps Kendra with dinner.
Seeing the sylph sitting on the porch as they approach the house, Børak nods as he removes the hood, "I was able to get the names of the most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire." He smiles, remembering how he wished he'd packed a lunch, "I am indeed hungry."
Remembering he'd not seen Drake that morning, he heads into the house. Leaning his bardiche in its place, he hangs the heavy cloak on a hook. Seeing Drake in the kitchen he follows Mahdali to the door, looking to his mentor. "I didn't see you this morning, did you head to the old elven tower?" Realizing Drake was helping he looked towards Kendra, "I'm sorry Ms. Lorrimor is there anything I can do to be of assistance?"
Nikolay accompanies Visayn to the Lorrimor residence, entering the house shortly before the other two pallbearers arrive. He stops off in his room upstairs to set aside his weapons and alchemical equipment, exchanging his bloodstained lab coat for scholars' garb common in the lecture halls and laboratories of Rozenport. As Magdali and Børak enter the kitchen, they spot Nikolay aiding Kendra and Drake in the preparation of the food, all the while happily rambling on about the biochemical mechanics behind the sensation of taste, as determined through the dissection of an executed criminal's tongue. The details of the story are rather gruesome and could easily make most listeners lose their appetite, a detail which Nikolay seems oblivious to - the conversation is certainly not diminishing his own hunger. As his fellow pallbearers enter the kitchen, the tiefling greets them with a nightmarish grin, their souls blazing with vibrant light in his vision.
Nikolay is an excellent chef, with a broad knowledge of how the flavors of the ingredients used interact with each other. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional Varisian dishes, but he readily deviates from the recipe to add more flavor, adding spices in precise arithmetic ratios. His end result is a hearty turnip-and-onion stew heavily seasoned with local herbs, with traces of more exotic spices Professor Lorrimor had collected in his travels cleverly augmenting the taste of the dish.
He continues to chop vegetables and looks up at Borak stating, "No I slept out among the spirits last night. There are many stirring in town and I wanted to see what was the condition of the forest spirits. They are fearful. I am waiting until the whole group is ready to face Harrowstone. After all it is on the foundation of my spire."
Kendra states, "With Magdali's and Drake's help, we should be done with dinner in minutes. I will have you help clean up if you would Borak."
Nodding politely to the Doctor's pleasant smile, Børak turns as his mentor explains where he'd been. He puased at the explenation, It was not a good sign that the local forest spirits were fearful. Though it did seem wise that they all go together to ivestigate Harrowstone, and if the spirits in town were stirring, maybe they should do it sooner than later.
Turning towards Kendra he nods, but keeps his head down, not wanting to look her straight in the eye. "It would be my pleasure to help clean up. Kendra."
As most of you finish your meal, he asks, "So what did you learn? Are we going to investigate tonight?"
AS the meal finishes and Drake asks his question Børak picks up the plates and starts taking them out to the kitchen, listening as the others answer his mentor.
At Drake's query, Nikolay looks up from his meal. In between bites of stew, he gives a brief summary of the day's activities. "Unfortunately, other than a rather potent reminder that I have only five liters of blood in my body, I learned little today. In a few hours or so, Visayn and I planned to set an ambush in the Restlands for any Whispering Way shadow assassins undercover in the town proper. When I went door-to-door, however, the reports were rather concerning: apparently, much of the town has become home to restless spirits of some kind or another. Black cats, animate shadows, slamming doors - the list goes on!" Nikolay shudders and makes the spiral sigil of Pharasma over his heart before continuing. "Additionally, the Harrowstone Memorial was vandalized in an extremely gruesome fashion - the letter 'V' was spelled in blood on its surface." The young scientist shrugs. "Without more data, however, I am unwilling to speculate on what these crimson splatters may stand for - it could be 'vengeance,' 'violence,' or any one of a number of words fitting the nature of its formation. What of your own endeavors, Miss Magdali? Do you happen to know if any of Harrowstone's inmates had names starting with a 'V?'"
As he finishes his report, he stays for a moment to listen to Magdali's statement before taking his now-empty bowl into the kitchen to help Børak wash up. He handles the scalding water with surprising aplomb, rolling up his sleeves (revealing his badly scarred left arm in the process) and plunging his hands into the boiling water to wash the dishes. As he works, he whistles an old song he learned many years before.
Visayn listens without saying a word until Nikolay mentions 'V' letter. "Maybe this bloodstain on the memorial is just a distraction, either intentionally so or simply something completely unrelated, like a prank by local teens or village fools. I wouldn't think too much of it, at least without any concrete evidence." he speaks
Not wanting to interrupt, Børak waited until Visayn commented about the Bloody 'V' on the memorial. Distraction or not, even Børak knew it was rude to put blood on a memorial. Having picked up several dishes, Børak turns to Nikolay, "The five most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire were Father Charlatan, the Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illlmarsh, and the Splatter Man." He shrugs lightly, "So no 'V's'"
He looks from Nikolay to Visayn then towards Magdali, not wanting to speak for both of them, he asks a question instead. "What do you think Magdali shall we join them for their ambush?"
"The five most notorious prisoners in Harrowstone at the time of the great fire were Father Charlatan, the Lopper, the Mosswater Marauder, the Piper of Illmarsh, and the Splatter Man. So no 'V's.'"
Nikolay nods. "So Visayn said yesterday. Still, that can't have been what their parents named them - perhaps one of their real names starts with 'V,' though we'll likely never know for sure." He glances at Børak. "For that matter, 'V' could stand for 'Visayn' - perhaps the vandal is someone with a grudge against our friend?"
"What do you think Magdali, shall we join them for their ambush?"
Nikolay shrugs. "I can't speak for Visayn, but the more the merrier, I say. I don't see any reason you can't aid us."
After waiting for the conversation to die down, he changes the subject, a reminiscence from his youth surging to the forefront of his mind at the mention of one of the prisoners' names. "You know, I've heard of Illmarsh - where that Piper fellow was from. It's a little town in Versex, where I grew up. My mother was from there." The young scientist thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "I've never heard of any 'Piper of Illmarsh' until today, though." He works in silence for a minute or two, then sighs. "They say the folk of Illmarsh are wicked - consort with demons and worse, if the tales are true - but I've never believed that. I never knew my mother, as she died giving me life, but my sister Maris told me of some of the stories she learned from her. The beings in those tales weren't hostile, just... different, beyond our understanding - as we are beyond theirs, no doubt!" He gives a faint smile as his blood-red eyes mist with remembrance. "Some of those stories were beautiful, in a way. My mother told of marvelous colors such as you have never seen, twisting and whirling in an ethereal dance high in the night. The foolish fled at the sight of it, but my mother saw it for what it was - a reminder that somewhere out there, wondrous creatures lie in wait, as curious of us as we are of them. I would like to see such sights once before I die." He glances around at the others in the room. "What of you, Kendra? Magdali? Børak? Visayn? Do any of you have any happy memories of your mothers?"
"For that matter, 'V' could stand for 'Visayn' - perhaps the vandal is someone with a grudge against our friend?"
Visayn seems mildly surprised by the idea. "Quite possible, but still far-fetched in my opinion. Someone in the village knows the answer and we have to ask around."
"Three is minimum for this operation. If they expect us, me and Doc alone would be at grave danger. If Magdali wants to follow us, that's awesome."
"Quite possible, but still far-fetched in my opinion."
Nikolay nods, moving back into the dining room to rejoin Kendra and the other two pallbearers. "I suspected as much - frankly, Visayn, you don't seem the sort to make personal enemies. Still, we all know fairly little about each other, and I am sure that some elements of all our pasts will come as surprises to the rest." He grins. "For instance, I used to be a Sczarni pickpocket in my youth - I bet you hadn't guessed that! They used to call me 'Magus Nikolay' because of how quickly I could make a coin purse disappear."
As a demonstration, he holds aloft a gold coin, then makes it vanish with a flourish of his hand in the fashion of 'magicians' everywhere.
He reaches behind Kendra's ear and produces the coin, as well as the purse it came from - Magdali's coin purse, to be precise. His grin widens. "It's good to see the memories have not faded." He returns the coin to its purse and the purse to its rightful owner.
As the good doctor rambles on about who the 'V' might stand for, Børak continues helping clean up after dinner. Occasionally stopping to listen to Nikolay speak of his own mother. Turning back into the kitchen shuddering at the idea of what creatures his own mother may have seen in the night.
Relieved when the conversation turned from mothers to prestidigitation, Børak sat the towel he was drying with on the counter and watched as 'Magus Nikolay' filched Magdali's purse.
He listens intently to the words of the group. He remains silent ruminating the information.
Visayn had just began explaining the upcoming ambush to Borak and Magdali, when Nikolay asked about family matters. His face turns serious and he seems to have forgotten what he was saying. Magus Nikolay's coin tricks startle him out of his preoccupied state "Uhh what? You asked about my past, Doc? Card games are more to my fancy than snatching coin purses. Or they used to be, before I started losing too much money." tone of his voice implies a grudge
Magdali helps with dinner from preparation to cleanup. While she works, she ruminates on the hours spent on research and how little they got for it. It dampens her mood, making her wonder if they should be bothering with any of it at all.
Are we seriously doing anything that matters, or just finding ways to keep ourselves busy or amused while we wait out the month?
"Sure, I'll go. I don't see how knowing the names of some long along inmates helps at all. It'll be a last chance to avoid a wasted day."
Nodding, pleased that they all were going together, Børak asks, "So this ambush, are we doing it closer to dusk or to dawn?"
Nodding, pleased that they all were going together, Børak asks, "So this ambush, are we doing it closer to dusk or to dawn?"
He quickly adds, "Dusk I hope!"
Chuckling at his mentors answer, Børak nods in agreement. One of the many things they two share was preference for staying up late instead of getting up early. Turning from Drake, Børak looks towards the good doctor then Visayn to see if either were more forthcoming with a plan.
Visayn notices Borak's expression as he looks at the two men "Its up to Doc to decide exact timing of the ambush. It was originally his idea, so he has final word." playing with various items in his vicinuty, sylph seems to be anxiously waiting for action
Nikolay looks at the other three pallbearers, vague concern on his face. "The instructions on the poster say to meet outside the Restlands just after dusk, when it has just become dark, but I'm unsure of the wisdom of that strategy if we are all going. As most of those in this town are humans, Visayn and I would have the advantage at such a time, as we can see in the dark and our opponents cannot, but I would not wish to place you at such a disadvantage." He shrugs. "I'm sure we can figure it out. After I set them on fire, they should be quite easy to see. Are we ready to go?"
If the other pallbearers assent, he retrieves his armor and weapons from his room and sets out for the Restlands.
Drake is long used to following his student in the dark with one hand on Borak's shoulder. "I enjoy walking among the forest at night best of all. Also following Borak in the dark is an old past time of ours, though we haven't in years. I am glad to be here to help."
As the group assents to the plan he goes dons his armor and the rest of his gear. Standing outside of the manor ready to head to the restlands.
The group collects at the front of the manor, then sets out for the entrance of the Restlands from the town. Getting there before dusk.
Listening as Doctor Ramada explains the plan, Børak smiles when the doctor comments about being able to see in the dark. Nodding towards the door, "When the time comes, I'll be ok in the dark." Not explaining more, he prepares to leave with the rest. Pleased that his mentor was going along, Børak knew that at least one other person would be worth their salt in a fight. Resting his bardiche on his shoulder, he tells the good doctor. "I know where the Restlands are, if you want I'll take point."
As the group arrives at the Restlands, Nikolay searches around for a good hiding spot from which to launch his ambush.
Finding a good hiding place, he camouflages himself - whether from a quirk of his fiendish heritage or as a result of the uncountable things he has grafted or injected into himself in the course of his mad experiments, he is able to alter his skin so as to closely match the walls and memorials of the necropolis, and his blood-spattered laboratory coat resembles some of the patterns in the marble monument he secrets himself behind. He extracts from his magic pouch the reagents he needs to create an explosive vial, slots a flask of acid into a niche in his strange mace-like weapon, then lies in wait for any Whispering Way agents.
Choosing a hiding place not far from Nikolay, Visayn patiently blends into background. Lets hope weather stays calm.
Magdali does her best in trying to find a place to hide and hiding in it. She's not had to concern herself with such things since back when she was a kid playing hide-and-seek.
It is cloudy and there is a pretty strong gusting breeze but no storms.
The group easily hides among the tombstones or by mausoleums. You stick with it for nearly an hour before a hooded figure walks the path with a hooded lantern.
He climbs up onto one of the mosluems near where the rest hide and lies low to have cover in his perch.
---
He sits up and draws his bow, ready to let it fly if the person becomes hostile. He takes a moment to look up at a half moon and thanks his ancestors.
Finding a large tombstone near the mausoleum Drake had selected for his 'overwatch' Børak sat down behind the stone with his back towards the marble edifice, waiting.
Seeing the light from the hooded lantern, Børak tries to get small behind the tombstone watching to see the next step in the good doctors plan.
Since she has never been on a "stakeout" before, Magdali stays where she's at, quietly watching for someone else to signal when it's time to do something.
As the hooded figure approaches, Nikolay attempts to move around to flank the figure, preparing one of his flammable concoctions in case the stranger turns hostile.
He tries to examine the lantern-bearer, watching for any signs that the stranger may be stopping or taking some other action.
The hooded figure walks slowly up to where you hide and continues at a brisk pace.
After the figure has passed Visayn's hiding place, the sylph starts tailing him 10 feet behind.
Hiding in the shadows of the large tombstone Børak hopes the lantern bearer was human, knowing it would be much harder for a human to see him than say a dwarf or elf. The hairs on the back of his neck standing up Børak controls his breathing as he senses more that sees his companions Ramada and Visayn. Should he move as well? Maybe it was his imagination playing tricks on him. Not sure if they intended to follow the hooded figure or just watch and then confront, Børak held his place, wrapping his hand around the bardiches haft.
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As the hooded figure passes his hiding place, Nikolay emerges from his camouflaged position amongst the memorials, an explosive concoction held in his hand and aimed at the cloaked stranger's back. "State your name, co-conspirators, and relation to the vile necromancers of the Whispering Way or prepare to be immolated!"