Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for July 31, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Ashes at Dawn adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), accompanied by NPC companions Alleric Swiftblade (half-elf rogue) and Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric).

With their demon-delivered information, the team hit the streets of Caliphas seeking someone who could connect them with the underground. They spent hours talking to various sources, running down leads, filtering through myths, and puzzling out contacts. Finally, they ended up in a dark alley speaking with a dhampir named Quinley Basdel. He revealed his mother, a vampire, was the first murdered in the spree. He offered to help the PCs get to the leader of the vampire clans, Luvick Siervage, a several-millennia old elder vampire. He indicated the Vampire Underground was on lock down and they would need to fight their way in. Once in, they may be able to talk their way past various vampire factions and individuals but many need to do additional battle. The group prepared to fight vampires by purchasing a wand of death ward and numerous wooden stakes. They decided with the vampires physically underground, night or day didn’t matter and set out immediately.

Quinley led them to the Glass House in Restoration Park. The massive greenhouse was apparently an entrance to the Vampire Underground. The group picked the lock and went in where Dario detected the overwhelming presence of an undead. A group of shrieker mushrooms alerted any creatures within before the group could silence them. They discovered a massive flytrap plant that gobbled up Emelian! The group fought valiantly as the paladin began to be digested by the acidic carnivore! Several flame strike spells later, Dario killed the plant! From out behind several trees stepped a beautiful and mesmerizing half-elven woman clad in armor made of plants. She smiled, revealing her fangs, as she began to approach!

Game summary for July 24, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Ashes at Dawn adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), Radimir Dragomirov (human cleric), and Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (human abjurer/cleric/mystic theurge), accompanied by NPC companions Alleric Swiftblade (half-elf rogue) and Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric).

With no leads, the team returned to their tavern room and tied Zedd to a chair. They then had him activate the Face of Dagon and commune with the demon lord! Zedd asked him a series of 13 questions about the murders, the Whispering Way, and the vampires of Caliphas. Once finished, they examined Zedd and declared him “okay” from the ordeal and untied him.

Game summary for July 10, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Ashes at Dawn adventure; PCs included Kelemen Ambrus (human cleric/transmuter/mystic theurge) and Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), accompanied by NPC companions Alleric Swiftblade (half-elf rogue) and Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric).

The team decided to investigate the murders and went about trying to find more details. They did not get much information and discovered Captain Hoptler was unable to bring them in any further on the investigation. They dropped by the church of Pharasma and had a somewhat cool meeting with Inquisitor Zetiah Mardhalas who told them she thought if vampires were being killed, she is okay with it. Desperate, the group used their spirit board to contact the other world and ask who killed the body they watched burn up. The spirit spelled out a single name, one letter at a time. “D.” “A.” “R.” “I.” “O.”

Perplexed, the team spent another night at the Hound’s Tooth and used a divination spell to try and learn more, but the spell failed. Next, they used the spirit board again and asked if it was the Dario they know that committed the murder? The spirit indicated “Yes.” They developed a theory that Dario had killed the individual in a fight and then the body was staged to make it look like murder. They at first thought it was the body of Rask, but they discovered Captain Hoptler and crew had just discovered the body of the headless horseman at the bridge.

Uncertain, the team went around town plotting all the murder scenes on the map. They were unable to find any pattern. The team then went back to the church of Pharasma and revealed the Raven’s Head mace! After some discussion and re-evaluating the Carrion Crown poem, they realized it is not just a recipe but prophesy. The Whispering Way does not need the mace for the formula; it seems to be named as the weapon that can undo what is happening! The team agreed to take on a priest of Pharasma into fold to wield the mace and bring the fight to the Way!

Game summary for July 3, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Ashes at Dawn adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), accompanied by NPC companions Alleric Swiftblade (half-elf rogue) and Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric).

The team entered Caliphas and found the Hound’s Tooth tavern. The group had a good meal, a bath, a shave, and got their clothing stitched up and cleaned. They then got to know some of the townsfolk and found out about a contact in the Esoteric Order of the Palatine Eye named Abraun Chalest. They agreed to go to the Quarterfaux Archives the next morning to meet with him. The group then learned the city had several murders over the last few weeks with the bodies found drained of blood and crumbled to ash in sunlight!

The next morning they learned of another murder next door! They went over and met Captain Boverde Hoptler of the city watch. He was initially suspicious of the group, but he took a liking to the paladin, Emilian. The team discovered the bodies had been decapitated and impaled with a wooden stake. In this instance, there were 3 bodies, not just one.

After looking around the crime scene, the party went to the Quarterfaux Archives and met Abraun Chalest. After talking for a while, they convinced him to introduce them to the local chapter of the Esoteric Order and seek admission to the fabled Esoteric Vaults. The next meeting would be at the Haraday Theater on Oathday.