Game summary for August 18, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk), Thrain (graveknight dwarf slayer), and Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (human brine lich abjurer/cleric/mystic theurge), accompanied by NPC companion Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and cohort Bartemus Grimm (dwarf gunslinger), Lucretia Ivankov (human vampire spawn sorcerer), and Shaddoc Moana (human brineborn barbarian).
The team looked on in dread at the ravaged city of Adorak with the ominous iron tower of Gallowspire looming in the center. As they stared, metal-clad Dario was blasted with a lightning strike from the raging tempest. The team ran into a nearby building as the acidic embalming fluid falling like rain began to burn the skin. They advanced further into the city and crossed over a road of skulls. The chattering heads began to snap at the feet of the living but ignored the undead. The jaws inflicted horrendous damage, and their jabbering drove the living insane!
The group gathered in another crumbling building and healed each other a bit. Suddenly the building shook as a massive red-scaled monstrosity crashed into the roof causing it to collapse! Some of the team was pinned in the collapse while others scrambled out to see a massive dragon flapping off over the skyline! The group dug out their friends and nursed some wounds. A moment later, the dragon caught the team off guard again and crashed into the ground beside them. The tremendous impact caused a cave-in, and an enormous sinkhole fell in. Zedd, Shaddoc, and Bartemus were swept under the earth and pinned by the crushing weight.
Gnok shouted out for Zedd. The lich answered from beneath the earth, and Gnok began to search for the trapped wizard. The dragon landed once again, its very essence causing several to cower in fright, and breathed fire upon Dario and Lucretia. Both were terribly burned, and part of Dario’s soul was sucked up into the dragon’s maw! At this distance the team could see the dragon was undead with glowing fiery eyes! Gnok turned to gaseous form to cross the shifting soil. Thrain summoned his phantom steed capable of flying across the ground unhindered. Nyssa cast good hope while Lucretia nailed the dragon with acidic spray.
Dario remembered tales of Tar-Baphon’s steed, a mighty red dragon ravener named Marrowgarth! The werewolf began to cast a spell, but his insanity instead drove him to attack the dragon with his sword. His blade bounced off the metallic scales but got her attention. Marrowgarth then tore into Dario with tooth and claw. Dario invoked his divine intervention to narrowly escape death. Gnok dug up Zedd who immediately cast ice storm around Marrowgarth. Unfortunately, her spell resistance held out. Thrain, mounted on his wicked ghostly phantom horse, charged over the sinkhole and drove his pick into the dragon, the icy blast wreaking havoc. Lucretia hit it with an acidic elemental blast as well. Wanting no more, the ravener leaped into the air and took wing, flying away from the team.
The group extracted their buried friends while they heard screams off in the distance that suddenly went silent. The team sped toward Gallowspire and discovered a large cage filled with charred bodies. They realized the ravener had consumed the souls of these people to recharge its power. As they came to this conclusion, the ravener came crashing back down among them!
