Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for May 8, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The team returned to the chamber and spoke with the colour-blighted woman. They learned more of her “culture” and agreed to take her with them to meet “the Neighbors” which is what she calls the townsfolk of Illmarsh. Dario succeeded in curing her blight along the way. They determined through their conversations while walking the tunnels that the ulat-kini (what the skum call themselves) are all male. They seem to require human females for breeding. This girl had spent her entire life in the tunnels and believes herself to be ulat-kini as well. She told them they had been recently ushered out of their home by ulat-kini who had “lost their lids” which exposed their “meat.” The debated for a long time and decided that may mean their brains are exposed. They also discovered the ulat-kini worship Father Dagon and know no other deity. The group also decided Mayor Greedle may be more heavily involved in the affairs of the town than originally thought and want to pay him a visit.

The party finally arrived at a submerged tunnel leading into the temple of Dagon in Illmarsh. The girl seemed excited to be in a Dagon temple but was very concerned that the blood from the latest sacrifice was nearly dried. She went running about hollering for a priest and a sacrifice. The group emerged from the temple and went to the Mayor’s office to find it empty. They asked around and found the Mayor’s house. Within, they discovered signs of a struggle with ulat-kini. The Mayor was nowhere to be found.

Game summary for April 24, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk) and Varus Archlight (elf magus/arcane archer), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The slavering, crazed giant skum attacked viciously, whipping its axe and claws into Varus’ hide.  Pavlos dropped into the shadows as Varus fell back only to spring forth and sneak attack the creature.  Nyssa hastened the team while Varus used his arcane pool to cause his arrows to erupt in freezing, flaming, shock as they ripped through the air and punched into the beast’s hide.  A final arrow pierced right through the eye, striking it dead.  Varus then took the creature’s magical amulet of armor.

Heading deeper into the caverns, the team found a large chamber dotted with faint purple glowing fungus and echoing with the sound of a woman singing nonsense lyrics.  The group went up a ladder to a ledge and found a cooking pot and table.  Upon another ledge they found a number of old cradles and numerous bizarre corpses!  The desiccated bodies all belonged to women, ranging from baby to adult.  All were completely devoid of color and flaked apart like dried parchment.

The group went to the edge of a pit with a ladder leading down within.  A white-haired woman in white robes rocked back and forth with her back to the party singing a nonsensical tune.  Varus spoke with her, causing her to turn about with the bundle swaddled in her frail white arms.  She smiled broadly and asked several odd questions.  She asked for help getting out of the pit, claiming to be unable to climb the ladder with her baby.  Varus cautiously descended and took the babe from her.  To his horror, he found she held a dried, bleached corpse as if it were still alive!  He helped the woman out of the hole and gave her back her “child.”  The woman babbled on about the colors going away and her friends going with them.  She then asked Varus why he was so ugly.  After questioning her a while getting seemingly disjointed answers, he realized she had lived in these couple of chambers since infancy for she had been fostered to the Neighbors!  She apparently believed all males looked like fishman skum, hence her disgust at Varus’ features!

The group left the babbling woman and headed down a corridor filled with the dried white remains of dead skum.  Part of the way within, an ennui and boredom set in the group found difficult to shake.  They emerged in a large chamber wherein lay a strange metal box with an enormous ball or cloud of “colour” hanging above it.  The jarring, horrific light was a sickly mix of colors none had ever seen before.  The group found it distinctly abnormal and aberrant.  Suddenly the colour surged forward and lashed its form across Gnok!  The dwarf shuddered as he paled and some of his color drained into the air.  After such a taste, the colour began feasting on Gnok’s life force and color!  The team swarmed around the colour and found their weapons only partial effective.  Varus unleashed numerous lightning bolts while Nyssa used magic to enhance the team and Pavlos and Gnok used their magical weaponry against the oddity.  The thing continued to fade the party, and Nyssa began giggling and acting strangely.  Eventually, Varus’ lightning destroyed the awkward light.

The group discovered a barnacle-encrusted trunk, bleached completely white, filled with gold coins and magical cold iron rapiers.  They also played around with the metal box and found it unleashed some kind of strange leash made of invisible force.  Perplexed, the team headed back toward the white-haired woman.

Game summary for April 10, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Brutus Bonesmasher (human fighter), Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Malthus Brightray (half-elf cleric), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The team returned to the center of the house and inspected the menhirs once again.  They discovered an indention in one that matched the amulet taken from Vizier Voltiaro, and they inserted it like a key.  It activated a phase door, and the team found themselves in dark natural caverns!  A large cylindrical glass tank stood to the side, and floating within was the preserved corpse of Cassius Undiomede!  The team found his journal on a lectern beside it and confiscated it while a magical bell began to ring.

The group quickly moved down a passage and found a pool of fetid water and gunk.  A shiny metal glint attracted the party near the pool, and a fetid spore mound surged forth!  Emilian rushed forward and fell into the stinky murk.  The plant monster grappled Emilian and began bashing him around.  The team moved in to attack, with Malthus using fire magic while Pavlos and Brutus hurled daggers.  Dario used a number of searing light spells.  The group discovered weapons causes the plant to spew forth yellow mold spores.  After a short battle, the team defeated the monster.

The team then moved further into the caverns and found half a dozen trident-wielding skum and a larger fishy monstrosity!  The fishmen attacked by hurling their tridents.  Emilian was knocked down a small chasm while the fish beast went berserk in the back.  It did not come to the aid of the skum while the party slaughtered them.  With the skum dead, the party found themselves facing the bizarre creature.

Game summary for April 3, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Brutus Bonesmasher (human fighter), Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), Malthus Brightray (half-elf cleric), Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), and Varus Archlight (elf magus/arcane archer), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The party ran into Horace Croon on the streets of Illmarsh, and he suggested they take Baby Tulby to Thrushmoor.  The team traveled there and left her with an orphanage before returning to Undiomede House.  They traveled upstairs and found the master bedroom where they encountered a pair of hounds of Tindalos!  The horrific creatures attempted to rip the party but were soon put down by the team’s combined might.  Varus used enlarge person to enhance Gnok while Nyssa and Malthus cast bless and prayer on the group.  Emilian used smite evil on the hounds while Brutus charged in alongside Pavlos.

After dropping the hounds, the group went up to the attic and found a copy of The Book of Abstruse Geometries.  Unable to decipher the tome, the group packed it away and went to the roof where they found a smashed body.  Moments later they were attacked by a massive shantak and fled into the safety of the house.

Game summary for March 27, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Varus Archlight (elf magus/arcane archer), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The group decided to use raise dead on Baby Tulby.  They then discovered the library and were attacked by a pair of spectres.  The creatures fed on Varus’ life force, but they were put down quickly.

The team then entered a drawing room, and Dario opened a desk drawer filled with yellow mold!  The spores filled the air and nearly killed him, and it did kill Baby Tulby!  The group then fled and used raise dead again.  They then used a series of restoration spells to recover Varus and Baby Tulby back to full health.

The group then returned to town to speak with Mayor Greedle.  He was not unhappy to hear of the demise of all the Dagon priests; however, he insisted the Neighbors exist and there is more information to discover at Undiomede House.

Game summary for March 20, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Varus Archlight (elf magus/arcane archer), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The team returned to the house and discovered, in a back room, two more cultists and a baby girl!  The cultists attacked, driving the team back down the hallway.  Varus used arrows to cover their retreat, and Pavlos hid in the shadows and slaughtered one cultist from surprise.  The other put up more of a fight but still went down quickly.  Dario then wrapped the baby in a cloth and sling and carried her next to his body.

The team explored upstairs and found another cultist!  This one cast an obscuring mist spell.  Emilian advanced into the fog to discover the cleric had also cast a blade barrier within!  Emilian was badly injured.  Varus used gust of wind and later dispel magic to get rid of the fog.  Emilian was stuck on the far side of the whirling blades with the cleric while the others hurled arrows and spells through.  The cultist cast slay living and then channeled negative energy!  The burst dropped Emilian unconscious and killed the tiny baby!

Outraged, the party fought harder, and Dario’s searing light would have killed the cleric; however, his convulsing body erupted from the neck with dozens of tentacles.  He was host to a spawning canker!  The tentacle-laden monster began to feed on Emilian’s life force.  Dario and Varus hurled lightning bolt and searing light spells as Pavlos and Nyssa stumbled off in stunned amazement.  They had found proof the dark god Shub-Niggurath actually exists!

Soon, the team killed the spawning canker, as this stage in the life cycle of a moit of Shub-Niggurath is known.  They then began to search the body when the blade barrier ended.

Game summary for March 13, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), Gnok Thatek (dwarf monk), and Varus Archlight (elf magus/arcane archer), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The team, joined by Varus Archlight and Gnok Thatek, searched the room and found some bizarre ancient markings on the stone slab in the center of the room.  It also housed a secret compartment containing a mysterious brown porous orb of about the consistency of a walnut.  Varus placed it into his pack.

The group then moved down the hall and discovered a few empty rooms.  The last room had a soggy settee molding from years of neglect.  As the team searched the room and disturbed the area, hundreds of thousands of ticks burst out of the couch and covered Emilian.  The deadly creatures covered the paladin and began draining his blood.  The swarm moved on to cover Dario and then Varus.  Nyssa, Pavlos, and Gnok fled the room while the infested members tried to set themselves on fire.  The ticks inflicted horrendous wounds upon the group, forcing Emilian to flee.  Varus died beneath the swarming biters, and a blazing Dario dragged his corpse out and used himself to burn all the ticks off.  He then cast raise dead, and the team retreated from the house and made camp down the road a bit to recover from their ordeals.

Game summary for March 6, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Tigris Inebriavi (elf magus), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

After speaking again with the Tulby’s, the team returned to speak with Mayor Greedle.  They spoke for a while and headed over to Undiomede House where they found a submerged carriage in the pond.  The group also discovered footprints they discerned to belong to a marsh giant.

The team entered the carriage house and found the horse of the Dark Rider in a stall, which they freed.  They then went into the manor itself and found a room where someone had struggled with creatures with webbed feet.  They also found saddlebags containing the crate that once held the Seasage Effigy along with a note stating “Ask Lucas about Raven’s Head.”

The group then proceeded to the center of the manor and discovered it was built on a circle of stone menhirs.  In the middle stood an enormous marsh giant!  A deadly battle ensued with Tigris and Emilian taking tremendous shots from the giant’s club.  Pavlos attempted to flank and caught a blow as well.  Nyssa blessed the party while Dario healed Tigris.  Tigris then cursed the giant.  Unfortunately, the giant continued to attack the magus and staved in his skull.  It then knocked Emilian unconscious.  Heroically, Dario charged in and slew the beast.

Game summary for February 27, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Wake of the Watcher adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Tigris Inebriavi (elf magus), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Pavlos Zervas (human fighter/rogue).

The party investigated the bodies and discovered one seemed to belong to a Whispering Way cultist.  He had a note that appeared to be the missing page torn from the Thrushmoor stable ledger.  They learned the effigy exchange was to happen at an old house outside of town.

They moved on and found a large bedroom with a number of broken and spilled vials they determined to once have held healing potions.  Also, the bed seemed to exude a very strong fish smell.  They opened a sea chest and found several potions beside three very strange red-gold statuettes.

The team continued exploring the church and found another four cultists meditating around a ship bell in front of a strange painting of a ship captain.  The bell had the name Conquer upon it.  The cultists attacked immediately, but the team made short work of them.

The group then discovered a cultist and vicar and engaged in a vicious fight.  Tigris hurled a fireball that hit enemy as well as Emelian.  The vicar cast a greater command that only affected Nyssa.  The group swarmed in and dropped the cultist quickly, but the vicar began channeling negative energy repeatedly.  He was able to do so twice to good effect, but finally Dario landed a blow with his nine-ring broadsword that killed the vicar.  The group then decided to find the Tulby family to see if this was Father Voltiaro they had defeated.