Game summary for May 2, 2013, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, The Haunting of Harrowstone adventure; PCs included Abilard Athame (human magus) and Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk) accompanied by NPC companion Thorkatla Foamflagon (dwarf cleric).
Overpowered by the terrifying Piper of Illmarsh the party found itself temporarily scattered. Gnok was rescued by a pair of adventurers, Abilard and Thorkatla, who were also exploring the prison. The three of them regrouped at Kendra’s long enough for Thorkatla to cure Gnok’s injuries. They returned to the prison and found the branding room. Four branding irons surged to red-hot heat and flew toward the party! Just as suddenly they fell inanimate to the floor. Perplexed, Abilard took one of the brands with him.
The group then returned to the second floor and stumbled upon a trio of stirges! The vermin began attaching to the party and draining blood! Thorkatla and Gnok suffered the most from the little beasts. Abilard cast magic missile to injure one, and Gnok’s flurry finished it off. Gnok used flurry of blows on another to bring it down while Abilard cast shocking grasp and exploded the last one! As the blood of the final stirge dripped down the wall, faint piping filled the air as the Piper of Illmarsh manifested! Calling upon the power of their deities, and using a haunt siphon, the team directed sufficient positive energy into the Piper to disrupt the haunt!
The team then explored the rest of the upper floor but did not go out on either of the upper balconies. They found a larger cell with a corpse within and days marked off with tally marks on the walls. Abilard used chalk to add a few more, and as he did, Gnok caught a glimpse of an overweight spectral man sitting up from the bed, looking at Abilard, smiling, and disappearing!
The group then moved back downstairs to speak with the ghost of the warden’s wife. They learned her name is Vesorianna. She indicated she could sense a presence with them. Gnok assumed it was the negative energy of the Piper contained in his haunt siphon, so he left the room, but she said the presence remained. Abilard left the room, and the presence went away. Vesorianna looked at him suspiciously and said she did not trust him!
