Charles Plemons' Blog

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.

Game summary for February 20, 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 engaged in a quick, violent battle with the cultists of the indomitable sea!  Pavlos proved his worth by taking one out with a dagger in a single round.  The cultists injured several of the party but were no match for the team.

The group then discovered a large sliding secret wall that folded back to reveal a hidden sanctuary dedicated to the demon lord, Dagon!  The bloody altar bespoke the kinds of rituals held within.  All around the walls were disturbing carvings of devilfish, krakens, octopi, squid, and other bizarre creatures including fish-men mating with human women.  Entering the area seemed to summon an aberrant monstrosity, a chuul of incredible power called the Scion of the Sea!  The monster snatched up Nyssa and Dario in its claws and began crushing them.  It transferred Dario to its paralytic tentacles and began consuming him while it continued fighting!  Brutus found it resistant to his flaming hammer, which hampered Malthus flame magic as well.  Pavlos flanked the creature and learned it had fast healing.  The fighting was intense, but Emilian began to smite it and eventually brought it down!

The group then entered another chamber and found Rufus and Imelba Tulby waiting, frightened, on a bench.  They learned the couple were trying to “foster” their 3-month-old daughter to The Neighbors down bay, whomever that is.  The team found The Neighbors had not shown up to claim the girl and that Father Voltiaro had gone to Undiomede House to try and contact them.  The family was to wait here until he returned.

The team then went and opened another door and discovered seven neatly arranged decapitated corpses!

Game summary for February 13, 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 learned that the Dark Rider had ridden toward Illmarsh, and they set out in pursuit.  They headed down the old road and made camp overnight.  After a few hours on the road the following day, the found a vessel in the lake speeding toward a stone quay with a man running frantically to and fro on the deck.  Tigris and Nyssa flew to the boat and helped him avoid a crash.  They discovered his name is Horace Croon, some kind of inventor who has created a subaqueous exploration and research vessel.  After realizing the man is a bit eccentric, they continued to Illmarsh.

In the town, they found the Walleyed Kraken tavern and had a drink and some fish with owner, Laurel Sills.  They then headed over to the Bountiful Catch Inn where they met a standoffish man named Rube Dreeley who gave them the best dump, er… room in the house for a mere overpriced 3 gp per night.

The next day they were accosted by the sheriff and escorted to Mayor Greedle’s office.  They spoke with the bizarre man for a while, and he finally divulged he suspects some local disappearances are due to the priests at the Hall of the Recondite Order of the Indomitable Sea.  The party set out to investigate.  Within they found four priests who were very displeased to see them!

Game summary for February 6, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Broken Moon and Wake of the Watcher adventures; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Tigris Inebriavi (elf magus), accompanied by NPC companion Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric).

The team returned to Vrood’s tower and discovered eight skeletal champion archers.  Dario attempted to get up to the champions and fell through the floor.  Emilian repeatedly channeled positive energy and destroyed the skeletons.

After returning to their horses, the team set out toward Thrushmoor.  They arrived two days later and began asking about the Dark Riders.  They learned the riders had bought fresh horses a day or two earlier.  One rider had headed to an unknown destination and another south toward the town of Illmarsh.  According to the locals, natives of Illmarsh are called “musties” due to their fishy smell.

The party visited the livery stable to see if they could find more information about the riders.  Within they found an older man trying to change a wheel on a hay wagon.  Dario and Emilian helped lift the heavy wagon while they talked to the man.  After a few moments, a pair of ghouls sprung up out of the hay to attack!  The man revealed himself an assassin and viciously stabbed Dario!  Tigris blasted forth scalding flames while the undead and the assassin tore into the team!  The magus used fire and lightning while Emilian and Dario slashed away.  The assassin proved particularly dangerous, but the undead fell quickly.  At last, Dario cut down the assassin!

Game summary for January 30, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Broken Moon adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human oracle), Emilian Sandulescu (human paladin/ranger), and Tigris Inebriavi (elf magus), accompanied by NPC companion Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric).

The team exited the tower, and Emilian tripped causing a noise to bring the attention of the cultists in town square.  A dozen skeletons and two curates assaulted the party.  The skeletons were mostly ineffective, but they allowed the curates time to launch numerous spells and channel negative energy.  The party was able to quickly take them down and move to the inn to speak with Ulcris Sedmir’s spirit.  The ghost pulled memories from the severed head of Auren Vrood and gave visions to the party.

The visions open with a furiously darting ink quill that dashes out of a stream of words reading, “My Master, I shall stay in Feldgrau and build an army of corpses for our risen lord…” The sentence fades, and after a brief flash, hands place the letter in an envelope and strike it with a wax seal. Another flash comes and the scene changes. The PCs see cultists scurrying around in the town square, exhuming bodies and raising an army from the corpses of Feldgrau’s dead. After another flash, Vrood’s hands place three strange items into a chest—an iron-and-glass vial containing a swirling gray mist, a bloody heart inside a glass bottle, and a fragile skull composed of hundreds of bone fragments. Into a second chest he places a strange statuette of murky green stone depicting a grotesque, tentacled creature. Another flash.  The chests are given to two riders in dark cloaks on pale horses. “Ride to Thrushmoor,” the PCs hear Vrood’s voice speak. “Our agent will exchange the Effigy for the relic we need.” After a final flash, the visions fade.