Once More Into the Depths

 

Session 5 Recap Part 2

 

From the Journal of Carlotta Dumaine, Dawnbringer of Sarenrae


Sunday, 10th of Pharast, 4712AR - Night

Things grow more harrowing and horrifying the deeper we delve into Harrowstone’s bowels. One would think we follow a path to the underworld itself, where all manner of demons dwell.

After resting up in town and resupplying it was decided that we needed more muscle to successful brave Harrowstone’s lower level. Gisley spoke with Jorfa the dwarven smith, who agreed to accompany us. She went into the back of her shop and returned, decked out in a suit of mithril plate and carrying a hammer and shield, the latter of which looked quite valuable, as it was studded with gemstones.

Our number now at seven, we headed back to the prison once again. After retracing our steps we entered the northern wing, known as “The Oubliette”, where the Lopper had been held in life. The room was dark and lined with cell. On the centre of the chamber was an iron grate with a rope attached to it that led down deeper into the darkness. The walls were covered in soot and saturated with the smell of smoke. I was overcome with a suffocating feeling when I stepped into the chamber. Before I had a chance to dwell further on these feelings, our ears were assailed by a maniacal scream. It was faint at first, but the volume grew quickly to an almost unbearable level, like some thing was approaching at great speed. Sure enough, seconds later a ghostly apparition appeared, wielding a wicked looking axe and wearing an insane grin. The Lopper.

Though he was incorporeal, he moved with a sluggish gait, and translucent bones could be seen jutting out from his pants, as if his legs had been broken in life. We concentrated all of our efforts on him, attempting to bring him low as quickly as possible, but he moved about from one of us to another, attempting to slice us up with his axe. As each blow hit us, we the blood flow from our wounds through the air and merge with the spirit, bolstering his strength! Aeros cast a sphere of pure fire and though it was ineffectual in hurting him, the Lopper seemed to be afraid of it and did his best to avoid its path.

It was touch and go for a while, as the Lopper spread his attacks amongst all of us, and once again Eswin was brought perilously close to his end, though he did manage to stay on his feet. Finally, in what can only be described as an act of foolish bravery, Thayel decided to use the cursed axe we found on the first floor against him It had already drained the health of Gisley when he first used it and caused him great agony for a few days, but Thayel seemed not to mind. He hit the spirit twice with the axe causing massive damage to the spirit and seemed to successfully fight off the cursed effects of the axe. When he hit the Lopper a third time, it was so great a blow, that the Loppers essence could no longer keep itself together and he exploding in a conflagration of ghostly fire. Fortunately, this time we were not wounded by this creatures demise. Unfortunately for us, Thayel could no longer ward off the cursed effects of the axe and its malevolence took hold of him. Not caring for his own safety, he insisted we move on and not return to town.

Below the Lopper’s grate we found several guard uniforms, a pile of bones and some well crafted crossbows. After gathering up the gear, we headed to the western wing, known as “The Reaper’s Hold”. Once again, we were forced to go into a guard room to raise the portcullis which blocked access to the area.

Inside the guard room we were greeted with a macabre site. On a long table sat the remains of three skulls. Each skull had been broken and someone had attempted to recreate a fourth skull from the shattered pieces of the other three. Slumped over on the floor behind the table was the rotting corpse of a dwarf, its wiry red hair still vibrant. It was here that the Mosswater Marauder had met his end. As expected the spirit of the insane dwarf appeared and the three skulls on the table floated into the air to attack us. Though the fight was strange, it did not offer us the trouble that we had expected and after crushing the floating skulls, we made quick work of the Maruader. Behind the Marauder’s body we found a hidden niche that contained some treasure, including a magical rope.

With the portcullis to “The Reaper’s Hold” raised we entered the darkened cellblock. It was by far the biggest of the blocks and held many cells, their iron doors open. Despite the fact that we heard several eerie sounds and ominous drippings, we made our way unmolested through it. At the southern end of the room we found a door, which Jorfa claimed led to a torture chamber.

Inside the torture chamber we stumbled across a grisly sight. Amidst the bloodstained tools and chains there stood a rack. Upon the rack was the skeleton of a man, dressed in the tattered clothes of a guardsman. His joints had all been broken, his hands had been severed, and numerous long iron needles had been driven through his eye sockets. His jaw had been cracked as well, and stuck in his mouth we found Hawkran’s badge of office. These then, were the remains of the warden. I can’t imagine the pain he suffered in his last moments at the hands of the rioting prisoners. Looking at the scene was enough to make me wretch. A bucket hung over the head of the warden and upon investigating it Aeros was attacked by the animated remains of the warden’s hands. They grappled him about the neck and began to stangle the frail elf in front of us. Gisley grabbed the hands and tore them free, crushing them with his great strength. While all this was happening Eswin had been mesmerized by an open Mourning Maiden which stood at the far end of the room. Before we could stop him, he entered the torture device and it closed upon him. His painful screams echoed inside and we feared the worst, but eventually the maiden opened up again, spitting the elf out onto the floor. His arms were covered in what looked like bloodless puncture wounds and he looked noticeably weaker. As a matter of fact, he could barely stand. Unfortunately for us, Gisley became entranced by the machine and the next thing we knew he was inside. Again, the maiden spit him out and again we saw that the bloodless puncture wounds covered his arms.

Not wanting to drag the poor elf or barbarian around, we headed back to town once again to see if Grimburrow had some magical means to bring them back to health. After spending quite a bit of gold we managed to cure both the barbarian and the elf, as well as lift the curse from the Lopper’s axe. Determined to see the final prison put to rest, we rushed back to the prison.

The winch to the southern wing of the basement was broken and we needed cogs and gears from town in order to fix it and enter “Nevermore”, the final resting place of the Splatter Man. Impatience and frustration began to take hold of our party then and not wanting to head back to town and waste more time, we decided to look for another means of entry into “Nevermore”. We headed back to the torture chamber and after Gisley and Jorfa pounded on the Mourning Maiden until it was destroyed, we found a secret pathway which led to “Nevermore”.

The path was carved from the natural rock of the earth and wound its way tightly from the torture chamber to “Nevermore”. Before we could reach the entrance to “Nevermore” however, we were surprised by a natural denizen living there. A Grey Ooze. Gisley swung at the blob with his hammer, but as he hit it, the head of his hammer hissed, as the acidic nature of the beast ate away at it. Undaunted, Aeros pushed to the front of the line and magicked up some flame spell which didn’t seem to effect the ooze. The ooze shot back at Aeros, grabbing him and burning off the front of his robe with its acid. Gisley quickly grabbed the elf and tore him free of the ooze’s grasp. Frustrated and unable to hurt the ooze, we turned back.

We are once again back in Ravengro resting up. Jorfa is procuring the necessary parts to the winch so we can raie the portcullis to “Nevermore” and the others are milling about the village trying to prepare for the Splatter Man. I feel our greatest test is just before us, and knowing that, I ask the Divine Lady of Light, Sarenrae, for the strength to see me through what lies ahead in the next few hours.

The Depths of Harrowstone

 

Session 5 Recap Part 1

From the Journal of Sister Carlotta Dumaine, Dawnbringer of Sarenrae

Starday, 9^th of Pharast, 4712AR – Night

Feldrin lies in a bed in one of the upper chambers of the Lorrimor House resting comfortably. His ordeal has been much worse than I thought, and though he will recover, he requires several days of bedrest to regain his strength and be of any use to us.

We’ve also been informed by Father Grimburrow that he has sent for Lepidstadt’s premiere Inquisitor Dolmen Vaks to come to Ravengro to interrogate the necromancer Filge in order to glean what information he can from the repugnant spellcaster. Unfortunately, while we rested at night, someone had other plans for the black sorcerer and slit his throat in his cell. This bodes ill for us I think, as Vaks’ wrath is legendary and his stern gaze may come upon us when he arrives. There is of course, nothing to be done about it now, but this sudden act vigilantism in our midst worries me.

Earlier this evening, we headed back to the prison in order to cleanse the lower levels and lay to rest the three remaining spirits haunting the grounds. Before leaving however, we were informed by Gisley that the blacksmith, a dwarf woman by the name of Jorfa Stonehammer, has agreed to travel with us when we leave Ravengro. Apparently, she’s had enough of the goings-on in town and wants to move on. I can’t say that I blame her. While at the smithy, Eswin had the good sense to ask the smith to draw us a rough map of the lower level of the prison, as we had heard that she had been called there on occasion in the past to repair broken mechanical winches that operated the portcullises located there.

Once back inside the prison, we quickly made our way to the pit in the eastern wing that descended to the lower level. After passing through the chamber where we had fought the ectoplasmic creatures, we found ourselves in the heart of the basement. The walls were blackened with soot and the air felt heavy with the pain and anger of long-dead souls. Passageways led off north, west and south. As we made our way to the northern passageway labelled “The Oubliette”, eight skeletons emerged from the darkness and surrounded us – the remains of prisoners caught in the fire, no doubt. We made quick work of them with spell and blade and came out with nary a scratch. Our confidence running high, we headed down the passage. Our way was barred however, by a lowered portcullis. Following Jorfa’s instruction, we headed into a small guard room nearby which housed the winch to raise the portcullis.

Gisley moved to crank the winch for the portcullis, but as soon as he did so, a headless skeleton wielding and axe and wreathed in flame sprung up from the moldy mattress to attack us. The battle was fierce in the tight quarters of the guard room. Many of us had trouble even getting in the door. Gisley hopped up on the mattress to get behind the creature and allow Eswin to move into a flanking position. Thayel remained behind the table firing arrows, while Aeros and I hung back and waited for an opportunity to use our spells.

As Gisley moved past the skeleton he was struck viciously by its axe and scorched from the flame. Most of us were convinced that it was the Lopper we faced, but Thayel suggested otherwise. Owing to the fact that it had no head, he was convinced that this was a victim of the Lopper and not the Lopper himself.

We scored several solid blows against the creature, yet could bring it low. Gisley was struck again by the flaming axe and went down in a heap. The sight of the great barbarian crumpling to the ground made us all lose a little of the confidence we had coming in. The skeleton then turned its attention to Eswin and though the elf nimbly dodged a few attacks, he too was finally struck with the flaming axe and went down. Thayel kept cool through it all however and continued to pepper the skeleton with arrows from a distance.

Forcing myself not to panic, I called upon the divine power of Saranrae to heal my friends and blast our enemy. As I was filled with her radiant light, I felt her voice comfort me and fill me with renewed strength. Gisley and Eswin, being bathed in my goddess’ blessed light, arose and were once more back into the fray, though they were far from perfect health. Gisley injected himself with the curative syringe we had looted from Filge to bolster his strength further.

Finally, after several more minutes of heated battle, we destroyed the creature. But it had one final surprise for us. As it died, it exploded, sending flaming shards of bone to all corners of the room. Eswin caught the worst of it and came perilously close to entering Pharasma’s Hall of Judgment in the Boneyard. I used what little power I had remaining to revive Eswin and cure the rest of us, but our wounds still hampered us. Dejected and bruised, we headed back to Ravengro to fully heal up and rethink our strategy.