Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for June 22, 2013, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Trial of the Beast adventure; PCs included Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk) and Irnadette Steelsoul (elan psion), accompanied by NPC companion Thorkatla Foamflagon (dwarf cleric).

The party agreed to travel the rest of the way to Lepidstadt with the Crooked Kin following a quiet funeral for Aleece.  The team set out and traveled toward the city.  While guarding camp one evening, Irnadette heard something large sniffing around the wagons and sounded the alert.  A massive troll lumbered forth and attacked the party!  A brutal fight ensued and the team figured out fire was a necessary weapon against the regenerating giant.  Fortunately, Irnadette’s psionics allowed her to summon elemental flame to damage the troll.  The party was able to beat it to the ground and pour lantern oil over the body to consume it.

The following day the team arrived in Lepidstadt in the late afternoon and learned more of the trial of the Beast and the massive Punishing Man intended to burn him in a few days’ time.  The group visited the home of Judge Embreth Daramid to deliver one of the books from Professor Lorrimor.  She was saddened to learn of his death but appreciated the party bringing the book to her.  She then asked the party to sign on with Barrister Gustav Kaple as volunteer defenders of the Beast and investigate the crimes for which he was arrested.  She indicated she could not be party to their investigations being a judge on the case, but she wanted to make sure the Beast got a fair trial, which no one in Lepidstadt seemed interested in delivering.  The team agreed and went to the courthouse to meet the barrister.

The group signed on as defenders and went to meet the Beast of Lepidstadt who was locked in the cellar.  The massive patchwork man was chained with half a dozen sets of manacles to an iron chair.  The party spoke with him briefly, and he repeatedly stated “I didn’t do it.”  The group learned the Beast is on trial for allegedly murdering 10 villagers in Morast a year ago, slaying six children in Hergstag 7 months ago, and starting a fire in the Sanctuary at Karb Isle which killed many and blinded another man.  They also learned he was arrested in Lepidstadt University while smashing the antiquities department and is accused of having stolen the Seasage Effigy.  With the trial’s opening day completed, the team has only three days to investigate and bring evidence of the Beast’s guilt or innocence to court!

The group went to the University to investigate the site of the arrest.  They found workers trying to clean up from the Beast’s destructive rampage.  There they met Dr. Montagnie Crowl.  They had been tasked with delivering occult tomes to the doctor in Dr. Lorrimor’s will, so they were able to deliver them and talk about the break in and theft.  Dr. Crowl drew them a picture of the Seasage Effigy, calling it a curious but mostly valueless piece.  He speculated it may be some kind of idol or demon or something.

The team then asked to look around the crime scene, which Dr. Crowl was happy to lead them to.

Game summary for June 22, 2013, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, The Haunting of Harrowstone adventure conclusion and beginning of Trial of the Beast adventure; PCs included Amras Amandill (half-elf inquisitor), Dinendal Ironbow (elf ranger), Malthus Brightray (half-elf cleric), and Stoella Carter (human evoker), accompanied by NPC companion Thorkatla Foamflagon (dwarf cleric).

After resting and preparing, the team returned to the depths of Harrowstone Prison to see if Stoella’s magic could repair the portcullis mechanism.  While there, they encountered Gibs Hephanus, possessed by Father Charlatan.  He slashed with his war razor and opened Stoella up.  She and Malthus retaliated with burning hands while Dinendal fired arrows.  He collapsed unconscious, and Father Charlatan possessed Stoella.  As she struggled unconscious, the party pumped positive energy and spells of protection onto her to drive out the spirit.  Eventually, they disrupted the vengeful haunt.  Stoella then used mending to repair the lever and get into The Nevermore cell block.

The final cell block was partially flooded and a bit unstable.  The team moved in and bloody letters began appearing on the walls spelling out the characters’ names!  They quickly began smashing the letters and soon brought the roof down on themselves.  As the rubble settled, the ghostly form of the Splatter Man rose up out of the flooded oubliette in the center of the block!  Stoella launched a flaming sphere at the ghost, but it passed through harmlessly.  The Splatter Man then cast maximized magic missile and hit every party member!  He then began moving through the cell walls forcing the party to scramble to keep up.  Fortunately, Stoella had force missile and was able to blast away at the spirit.  Dinendal used enchanted arrows to whittle away and Malthus and Thorkatla channeled positive energy to harm the spirit or heal injuries.  For his part, the Splatter Man conjured fiendish dire rats to further keep the party off balance and released a barrage of magic missiles.  The fighting was truly intense with the heroes nearly dying; however, at the last moment, they vanquished the Splatter Man!

With the ghost defeated, the party used detect magic and found a number of powerful magic items at the bottom of the oubliette.  They used a rope and Dinendal’s diving skills to retrieve them all.  They then went to the first floor and met with Vesorianna Hawkran.  She was ecstatic with the party’s achievements and was able to use the power of the warden’s badge to completely eradicate the spirits of Harrowstone.  She gifted the party with the badge and crossed over into the afterlife.

The group returned to Ravengro as heroes and were treated to the cheers of the crowd.  The council delivered the promised gold, and the team settled in to pass the next 25 days guarding Kendra as requested in the Professor’s will.  They passed the time brewing potions, scribing scrolls, and crafting items.  Amras courted inn owner Sarianna Vai and got engaged!  The team spent time and money purchasing horses and gear for their upcoming travel to Lepidstadt.  Once the month was up the team set out on the Old Mountain Road toward the city.

Along the road, they met some travelers and learned there is much uproar in the city ahead.  The Beast of Lepidstadt (thought by many to be just a bogeyman) has been captured and is soon to be on trial!  People are coming from far and wide to see this supposed murderer and monster tried and burned!

The party continued on the road and after two days of travel came upon a circle of garish Varisian wagons surrounded by a number of bizarre individuals.  Across the side of the wagons was painted “The Crooked Kin—Ustalav’s Greatest Traveling Cabinet of Curiosities!”  The party approached and was greeted by an albino man in a red top hat introducing himself as Kaleb.  They also met a 7-foot-tall bearded woman named Lidia and a crying hairy boy called the Wolf Child.  The entire group was upset because one of their number, Aleece had disappeared into the marsh.  They found her tracks but were too afraid to go in after her.

Dinendal and Amras had no trouble tracking the woman’s progress about a half mile off the road to a clearing.  They discovered where the tracks ended and it appeared something had been dragged into the bushes.  The team heard a bizarre screaming that sounded much like a human woman, but something was a bit off.  The screaming continued as they stumbled upon the desiccated corpse of Aleece.  Looking at the tracks on the ground, the fact that the screams seemed to come from different copses of vegetation, and the vocalization was a bit off, Amras figured out he had heard of creatures that could cause all three—phase spiders.  The team started to spread out when a phase spider erupted from the ethereal plane and bit Stoella!  Deadly toxin flowed from its fangs into her petite form.  The team scrambled to fight the spider, but it kept shifting into the ethereal plane and moving across the battlefield to ambush again and again.  Malthus and Amras found this particularly vexing with their slower armored movement.

Arrows hissed from Dinendal’s bow while Stoella hurled spells.  Malthus channeled energy to heal his allies while Amras used true strike to setup some deadly attacks.  Thorkatla used the Lopper’s handaxe to attack the spider as well.  Although the fighting was intense, the spider stood no chance against the party.  After a frustrating battle, Amras spun about and decapitated the spider with Warden Hawkran’s enchanted keen blade!  The team gathered the body of Aleece and the head of the spider and returned to the Crooked Kin.  The group was devastated but thankful for the party’s assistance.  In gratitude, Kaleb gifted the party with an enchanted dagger.

Game summary for June 20, 2013, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, The Haunting of Harrowstone adventure; PCs included Amras Amandill (half-elf inquisitor), Dinendal Ironbow (elf ranger), Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), and Irnadette Steelsoul (elan psion), accompanied by NPC companion Thorkatla Foamflagon (dwarf cleric).

The team decided to hunt down Mel the Minstrel to see if he had discovered any information for them from the church of Pharasma.  Turns out, he had!  He was able to give the group the final bits of information on the Piper of Illmarsh.  The group thanked him and paid for his information.  They then returned to Kendra’s and did some additional research on the Whispering Way and discovered quite a bit more about them.

With night falling, the group went back to the Laughing Demon tavern for a meal and to see if anyone was going to the town meeting.  Seemed everyone but the party was going.  They watched as everyone gathered in the town hall.  Worried something may happen to the townsfolk, the party stayed outside.  After a while, the doors suddenly slammed shut and screaming began!  The team rushed forward and ripped the doors open just as the lanterns inside exploded in flames and powerful force knocked everyone to the ground.  Crackling flames raced across the floor and up the walls billowing thick black smoke.

The party rushed inside and began carrying the townspeople who were knocked out toward the doors.  They pulled Kendra to safety and rushed about saving others.  One man was lying near the flames and was ignited—Dinendal carried him outside where he and Thorkatla attempted to put out the flames but were unsuccessful.  The man died from the burning fires.  Irnadette, Gnok, and Amras cut things very close trying to rescue all the others.  The heat and choking flames caused Irnadette and Amras to collapse unconscious.  Thorkatla’s animate rope spell helped Dinendal and Gnok drag everyone out of the fire and to safety.

As the town hall burned, the party convinced the townsfolk that the spirits they briefly beheld were evil ghosts from the prison.  The townsfolk finally believed, after their heroic deeds, that the group was trustworthy.  The council offered to pay 500 gp each to clear the prison of the dangerous spirits.  The party agreed and went to Kendra’s to nurse their wounds and rest for the night.

Game summary for June 13, 2013, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, The Haunting of Harrowstone adventure; PCs included Amras Amandill (half-elf inquisitor), Dinendal Ironbow (elf ranger), Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), and Irnadette Steelsoul (elan psion), accompanied by NPC companion Thorkatla Foamflagon (dwarf cleric).

After finding the armory, the team packed up the weaponry and armor and took it all to Kendra’s home in Ravengro.  Several of the party changed into new masterwork armor for better protection.  Gnok, Irnadette, and Thorkatla returned to Ravengro to explore some of the areas on the upper floor.  First, they discovered a balcony that was once used as an executioner’s block, and a disembodied pair of arms appeared carrying a rusty scythe!  The vicious blade cut deeply into Gnok, and the team found it very resistant to attack.  Only the positive divine energy Thorkatla channeled by the power of Torag seemed able to harm the haunt.  Eventually, she was able to defeat it while Gnok and Irnadette kept it distracted.

The trio then went across the prison to the other balcony and explored a bit.  Gnok discovered a carnivorous xtabay plant that sprayed him with spores!  He shook off the effects, and the team busted the plant up in moments.  They then went out on the front balcony and encountered four bloody skeletons!  The fighting began immediately with Gnok delivering a flying spinning back roundhouse kick, destroying one in a single blow.  However, a second bloody skeleton sank its claws into his torso and dragged him unconscious to the ground where it began ripping out his innards.  Fortunately, Amras and Dinendal arrived at that very moment.  Dinendal, a ranger who despises the undead, charged one of the bloody skeletons with a masterwork mace he discovered in the armory and smashed the animated corpse in the ribs!  Inspired, Amras did the same!  The battle quickly turned as the skeletons started to fall one-by-one.  Dinendal noticed the one he fought seemed to recover from his blows to a degree, but he was still successful in smashing it to the ground.  The team then scrambled to pour potions of cure moderate wounds down Gnok’s throat to save his life!

Next the group sought an entrance to the prison tower and discovered a trapdoor they had not noticed before.  They ascended the ladder and found a catwalk and overlook giving a good, high view of the prison grounds.  Suddenly, the largest stirge they had ever since rose up and attacked!  Fortunately, Thorkatla’s armor turned aside its attack, and Dinendal staggered it with a mace blow.  In moments the stirge was a broken, dead heap.

From high above, Dinendal surveyed the prison grounds and spied some bones in the water by the prison.  They went to investigate and were attacked by a trio of skeletons!  Led by Dinendal’s destructive hatred of the unliving, the group tore through the undead in moments.  They then went to speak with Vesorianna again and gave her the warden’s badge.  She used some residual spiritual energy within it to eradicate the last bits of the clinging essence of the Lopper, the Piper of Illmarsh, and the Mosswater Marauder.  She also confirmed she could feel the presence of Father Charlatan and the Splatter Man within the prison.

Depleted of spells and resources, the group went back to Ravengro for lunch and learned of a planned town meeting that evening.  They ended up speaking with the sheriff and revealing they had the skeletal remains of Warden Hawkran in a sack!  Within minutes the entire party was back at the temple of Pharasma for some questioning under the scrutiny of Father Grimburrow’s discern lies spell which led to another multiple-hour exorcism.  Cleansed and under admonishment not to head to the prison ever again, the party headed back to Kendra’s house.

Game summary for June 6, 2013, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, The Haunting of Harrowstone adventure; PCs included Amras Amandill (half-elf inquisitor), Dinendal Ironbow (elf ranger), and Malthus Brightray (half-elf cleric) accompanied by NPC companion Thorkatla Foamflagon (dwarf cleric).

The party ventured into Reaper’s Hold, discovering numerous empty cells.  They came upon a door they unlocked with the headless guardsman’s key and discovered a massive torture chamber!  An ominous iron maiden stood against a far wall, and a skeletal figure lay stretched upon the rack.  Upon further investigation, they discovered the skeleton’s hands had been severed.  Malthus smashed the rib cage, for safety, and they found a ring of keys and a warden’s badge shoved into the body.  Next to the rack was a large bloody basket which, when opened, revealed two severed crawling hands!  Both tried to choke the party, but Dinendal succeeded in slicing one apart with his rapier while Malthus smashed the bones of the other with his mace.

They continued to explore the room, and as they got closer, the iron maiden swung open!  Dinendal perceived his brother inside and rushed to rescue him!  The maiden swung shut upon the duped elf!  Inquisitor Amras deduced this was a haunt, and he and Malthus extracted Dinendal from within.  They discovered him pierced from the spikes but more physically drained and weakened than injured.  After comparing notes and thoughts on haunts, the cleric and inquisitor decided they needed to cleanse the torture devices and destroy the items to try and disrupt the haunt.  The group piled all the torture tools upon the rack, and Amras attempted a religious ceremonial cleansing that ended up so offensive and off-color that even the dwarven priestess blushed.  Mortified, Malthus stepped in to do the ritual instead.  After finishing the rites, he hurled alchemist’s fire upon the torture tools.  As the flames spread, the screams of tortured mean erupted from the cruel implements, and tears of blood flowed down the cheeks of the iron maiden.  The fire burned hotter and took on a supernatural force, consuming the wood and metal items alike and disrupting the haunt in the room.

Having purified another portion of the prison, the team moved on and found another guardroom.  Within lay several skulls and the rotting body of a red-haired dwarf.  As the group entered, tattered bloody flesh formed on the skulls as they floated up off the table and began to scream.  If that weren’t enough, a bluish spectral form rose up from the dwarven body and raised a ghostly hammer high in the air and cried out for the party’s skulls!  A brutal fight ensued as the team realized they faced the Mosswater Marauder himself!  Malthus was driven back between some cabinets while Amras tried to organize a fighting retreat.  Thorkatla channeled positive energy, which seemed to damage the Marauder.  Encouraged, Dinendal pulled the cork on his last haunt siphon!  The powerful magic ripped through the haunt but did not quite lay him low.  The team redoubled their efforts against the severed heads and the marauder himself.  Amras used a charge from a wand of cure light wounds to deliver positive energy straight into the heart of the Marauder, disrupting his form!  With the haunt gone, the severed heads were quickly dispatched.

Right before entering the room, Malthus had sensed the faintest source of magic, and the team found a secret cache of fine weaponry and magical items!  Amras and Malthus donned some masterwork chainmail while Dinendal put on masterwork studded leather.  They also divided up several fine quality weapons amongst themselves.  Better armed, and emboldened by another victory, the team prepared for additional exploration.