Carrion Crown: The Haunting of Harrowstone, Pt. II [IC]

[lostsole31]

R2T16: "If you have the magic, genuine sunlight might help!" he calls out hopefully to the party. Marius then heeds Zauberei's advice and only zigs after the spectre as otherwise he would be too close to strike. His polearm turns into a blur as he swings at the spirit. The lucerne hammer, much like Angelo's whip, passes cleanly through the Lopper with no effect.

Marius makes an important martial science discovery today (well, for himself): the etherealness of spirits is not affected by the speed of a weapon, as that maneuver was designed to overcome specialized corporeal, physical defenses of creatures and objects! It doesn't move so quickly as to phase out of reality to strike a ghost.

"... fully affected by ..."

R2T12: Alexandru is dazed, but recovers at the end of what would have been his round.

" ... it as if..."

R2T6: Zauberei, what do you do?

Wren on deck, Hargrimm in the hole ...

[Tippnick]

Zauberei takes a step back and casts a spell.
"It heals from the blood it absorbs. Keep healing if you notice that type of wound", Zauberei calls out.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

MA: 5ft step south
SA: cast bless

[lostsole31]

R2T6: Zauberei takes a step back and casts a spell and calls out, "It heals from the blood it absorbs. Keep healing if you notice that type of wound."

R2T5: "... it were a weapon designed to slay spirits. Specifically, him," finishes Wren. Instead of attacking with the Lopper's axe like he said was the best thing to do, however, Wren backs away and casts a spell upon himself. He then spins the axe in his hands with greater adroitness than before - an almost unrecognizable speed.

R2T4: Hargrimm, what do you do?

Angelo on deck, The Lopper in the hole ....

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm steps to the south, reestablishes the glow around his hand, and lets loose a vortex of light at the Lopper.

Spoiler: Combat

Show

5ft step south.
Swift action: Move 2 essence from Veil-woven Channel to Banelight Vortices.
Standard action: Attack the Lopper with Banelight Vortices.

Vortex: (1d20+4)[21], (3d6)[11]

[lostsole31]

R2T4: Hargrimm steps to the south, reestablishes the glow around his hand, and lets loose a vortex of light at the Lopper that just barely strikes it in the lower arm (courtesy of that bless spell) for 22 Light damage! It screeches in rage and turns his murderous gaze upon the dwarven cleric.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T23: Angelo, what do you do?

The Lopper on deck, Paula in the hole ...

[Moriar]

Angelo steps back a bit and let's loose two more magical darts at the lopper.

Spoiler: missiles away

Show

Steps south 5'

Casts magic missile

Damage of (2d4+2)[8]

[lostsole31]

R3T23: Angelo steps back a bit and let's loose two more magical darts at the Lopper that strike for 8 force.

R3T22: The Lopper moves acrobatically enough to be too fast for Marius, but not Alexandru (who misses with his hammer) and ends up directly above Hargrimm. He swings his axe down to slice Hargrimm in the wrist for 6 NE (+1d6 bleed).

R3T19: Paula maintains her defensive cower.

R3T16: Marius, what do you do?

Lexi on deck, Zauberei in the hole ...

[Ason]

Marius chases after the Lopper, but this time he whispers something to his polearm before he stabs again at the spirit.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Move: 5 feet south, 5 feet southwest
Swift: Ghost Hunting Blow boost (all attacks this round, including AoOs, treat his weapon as ghost touch)
Standard: risky strike attack roll (1d20+8)[20]; damage roll (1d12+3)[4]

[Tippnick]

Zauberei moves away and calls forth positive energy in a bright wash of light

Spoiler: crunch

Show

MA: 5ft step to the south
SA: channel positive to heal
(d6)[6]

[BuckGodot]

Alexandru nods to Zauberei in thanks and moves closer to his brother protectively.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

Hold action.

MA: 5' step south to Angelo

[lostsole31]

R3T16: Marius chases after the Lopper, but this time he whispers something to his polearm before he stabs again at the spirit. There is a strange, unreal sound of tearing as the back spike of the hammer crosses the dimensional energies to strike true against the Lopper's back for 4.

R3T12: Alexandru moves to his brother protectively.

R3T6: Zauberei moves away and calls forth positive energy in a bright wash of light that fully heals Hargrimm (and stops his bleeding), but has no effect on anyone else. Lexi nods to him for the effort.

R3T5: Wren closes and swings the Lopper's axe quickly and forcefully high up to cut through the apparition's head for 12.

R3T4: Hargrimm, what do you do? The Lopper is directly above you.

Angelo on deck, The Lopper in the hole.

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm doesn't like the position he's in, but grits his teeth and throws another vortex straight up towards the Lopper.

Spoiler: Combat

Show

Standard action: Attack the Lopper with Banelight Vortices.

Vortex: (1d20+4)[21], (6d6)[24]

[lostsole31]

R3T4: Hargrimm doesn't like the position he's in, but grits his teeth and throws another vortex straight up towards the Lopper just as the Lopper drops the axe upon him. The axe bites Hargrimm for 2 NE (+1d6 bleed), but Hargrimm's vortex blasts the Lopper screaming out of existence with a hideous screech!

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T23: Angelo, the Lopper is gone, but the dwarf is bleeding. What do you do?

Paula on deck, Marius in the hole ...

[Moriar]

"Well done all," Angelo begins. "Friend dwarf, let me heal your wounds."

Angelo utters a magical phrase and places his hand upon his compatriot.

Spoiler: Healing

Show

Move to Hargrimm.

Cast Cure light wounds, healing (1d8+3)[5]

[lostsole31]

Hargrimm is now fully healed and no longer bleeding.

Initiative Ends!

Not only that, but the bloodstains on the Lopper's axe and handle slowly disappear.

"I no longer felt the power I felt when I fought the Lopper with his own axe," says Wren, "but this is a very well made handaxe. Perhaps it will find more noble service in my hands."

He concentrates on the axe, attuning it in favor of the fine dagger he's held this whole time.

What now?

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm catches his breath, and turns to Angelo. "Thank you for the healing. You were right, he wasn't very friendly."

"If everyone feels up to it, shall we explore that grate?"

Hargrimm looks for a bit of debris, casts Light on it, and drops it between the bars.

[lostsole31]

The light drops below, and only dim light reaches the top of the grating as the piece of rock drops 30'. The rope tied off from the grate is only a few feet long, terminating at a frayed end—the remainder of the rope lies at the bottom of the pit, coiled around the mortal remains of the oubliette’s final prisoner. The body lies in a heap at the bottom, with what obviously seems like it included broken legs. The walls of the oubliette are polished smooth with very few handholds.

[Ason]

Marius peers down at the corpse and states, "I doubt a dead prisoner in a forgotten pit has anything worthwhile, but..." he gulps nervously, "I have an extract that could help me climb like a monkey down there to confirm that, as long as one of you has a rope to help me back out again. Do we have any rope left?"

[Tippnick]

"I would advise against it, whatever you find down there is not worth the risk yet. But if you have your heart set to do it I will cast hide from undead. I have a scroll"' Zauberei advises

Spoiler: crunch

Show

If Marius decides to climb down Zauberei will use his scroll of hide from undead on Marius

[lostsole31]

Wren puts his hand on Marius' shoulder and shakes his head. "You're as good as Lexi when he's in his armor, but I doubt even Lexi without his armor could easily conquer that wall, even with magical aid. That's a really sheer wall meant to frustrate all sort of climbers."

[BuckGodot]

"Agreed. Please... Let us move on..."

[Ason]

"I needn't be told twice," Marius says, nodding his head in agreement, "The sooner we finish exploring, the sooner we can leave. It seems there are many doors here: more cells, I presume. Shall we investigate those next? Maybe we can work clockwise, starting from the southwestern one by the door we came in?"

[BuckGodot]

Alexandru nods his agreement and, keeping his hammer at the ready moves over to Wren and looks at him.

[lostsole31]

"Why with bludgeon ready do you close upon your mate?" Wren asks Alexandru, stepping back and putting up the Lopper's axe as a guard.

[BuckGodot]

”Oh! My apologies! I was just waiting for you so we could move on! You check for traps and I act as protection… Sorry for the confusion.”

[lostsole31]

Though hard to tell through this timeless and august storytelling medium (print), it should be noted that those who remember when you first met Wren it is not that he has completely changed. He found a period of stability, yet his day-to-day common reactions and fidgeting speaks of one who is paranoid and defensive, even as he tries to be cosmopolitan and open in social situations.

He nods his head, and he votes for a longer search.

[lostsole31]

It takes three hours and 20 minutes to do a complete and total search of this entire northern section. Wren trusts that the long search will find what it will find, and doesn't re-up what he calls "careful teamwork" (when he takes everyone to the side for nearly 30 seconds to coach them on awareness for the next hour). Light cantrips reset several times. Marius' heightened awareness ends. Lexi and Marius' fortification from Hargrimm regenerates to maximum.

Wren says, "When we're about to leave for the day, let's come back here."

Where to next?

[Ason]

With the party's inspection complete, Marius turns to his comrades and asks while pointing south down the hallway, "Shall we next look south of that main chamber?"

[BuckGodot]

Alexandru nods his agreement and waits near Wren to move on.

[SwordChucks]

Hargrimm nods. "Just where I was going to suggest we start."