ROR:Session/11

← Prev: ROR:Session/10   |   Next: ROR:Session/12 →

Starring: Brock, Calum, Haneet, Hilma, Isra'a, Karaz, Tokki
Guest Starring:
Challenge: Below
Date Played: August/September 2015

---

Isra'a Passed A Will Save

Chapter 2: The Skinsaw Murders - Part 5: Misgivings

---

Goblins on the Move

Isra'a

We received a tip that some goblins had taken up residence in some nearby ruins. Naturally, Calum was all for inspecting this – I’m not so sure… Everyone pointed out there might be valuables there, ah my one weakness.

The ruins were on top of some mountains, and with the weather growing colder it made for a miserable hike. Once there, we were ambushed – this time they brought rogue-type combatants to aid the apparent leader, a fire witch of some kind. We managed to deal with the threat, but not before I was slowed by their poisons. The ruins themselves didn’t yield much at this time of year – it was too cold and there was too much snow to do much investigation. Some wanted to stay behind and dig it out – I elected to let them sort it out and head back to town. Seriously, I’m poisoned and they want to camp out on an archeology dig?

Tokki

Forbidden Knowledge

You may try to rot an wane

Calum will still find you

Greed in the unknown

A weakness that befalls most

It's their temptation

Hilma

Dear brother,

The wizard I have been working with got word that some goblins had taken up residence at some ancient ruins nearby. This time, there was a magic user among the band, but we were still able to drive them away. The wizard wanted to explore the ruins further, and while I could see the value in that, a cave-in blocked our way. With winter fast approaching, progress would be slow going. We may return in the spring.

Decisions and Travel

Isra'a

Leads began to pile up and point towards a place called ‘Misgivings’ – also known as Aldern Foxglove’s estate. We could investigate the goblin movements or strike at the source, neither one sounds too appealing to me. We elected to only travel part way to the mansion and camp out at one of the local farmsteads, thought it would be better to arrive at Foxglove’s in the daylight. That couldn’t have proven to be a better idea…

Tokki

Wandering night raids

A raging river divides

Foes beyond our fears

Hilma

As I've written, I have been framed for a series of horrific murders. Evidence had been mounting for some time, and it's all pointing towards Foxglove and his estate, ominously names Misgivings. It seems that there is some connection between him and the goblins, as well. As I had a standing invitation to visit the estate, we decided to investigate there. We reached the outlying farmsteads as night began to fall, so we agreed to stay there for the night and approach the estate once day had broken.

Misgivings

Isra'a

We crossed the river and approached the mansion – it had seen better days, the sea had punished the exterior and Tokki informed us that it radiated evil. Not that it took a paladin to tell me that… Just for added flavor there were thousands of undead birds staring at us. Hilma let forth a thunderclap – the birds remained unfazed.

I put my amazing burglary skills on display and opened one of the front doors. Ok, so I used a key – I didn’t say I used my lock picking skills. Once inside the house itself seemed to fight our presence. In the parlor Calum was forced into a dance with something – Haneet and I managed to stop him while Brock dealt with the piano. The doors in this room were swollen shut – rather than deal with it we decided to try the other front door.

This door lead into the main entrance of the house – Karaz was jumped by some flaming beast that emanated from the stuffed manticore, or so he said. Mold and rot dominated all the rooms we explored. In the study, a scarf nearly killed Calum. I was feeling rather smug until I was filled with an overwhelming desire to save my child – I imagined I was a mother and had to get Haneet out of the house. Hilma saved me with a circle of protection, we figured if I could get outside – I would be released from the compulsion and less of a danger to the rest of the party. We edged our way out – it worked. Too bad the undead bird swarm attacked – a quick fireball from the old man and we were back up and running.

Somehow I became the defacto door popper – now normally this makes sense, I haven’t met a lock I couldn’t sweet talk. But these doors were just plain stuck shut – made moving thru the house slow and loud… then again I travel with Haneet – who is about as stealthy as an explosion. The hauntings continued all the way to the attic, couldn’t blame me for thinking the woman’s scream was another one. Boy, do I wish it was…

Locked in a room was the undead remains of Foxglove’s wife – she seemed trapped by her own reflection. Once the mirror was moved she began a single-minded march towards something. I had the misfortune of getting in her way. I was promptly grabbed and thrown through a door, seriously… why am I opening the stuck doors? Leaving behind some valuable trinkets (this hurt my little heart) we hurried after her – hoping she would lead us to Foxglove. She moved at an incredible rate – Haneet decided to take a shortcut, using the rotten floors to her advantage – she rode to the basement in a bathtub. As impetuous as she can be – she really has some amazing ideas. I elected to follow her lead – but I would use a rope.

Once in the basement we discovered that Aldern had been attempting to turn himself into a Lich – I don’t fully understand what that is, but even I know it is very bad. More doors! The revenant had clawed its way thru the floor and Tokki had followed it thru, while the rest of us went thru the doors. Tokki yelled out that there were ghouls – I abandoned trying to go thru the door and ran back to the first floor and dropped down the hole to aid the gnome. Once the rest of the party had made it thru the door we cut down the undead abominations and continued down the cavern following Iesha.

I had hoped that after the beating Iesha gave me that she would have tore Aldern apart – my luck continued to hold at little to none and he destroyed her. I didn’t see what happened but it didn’t last terribly long. I think she might have weakened him, because once we got in close quarters we were able to put him down with little trouble. I can’t help but feel like he was an underling – he just didn’t seem all that tough. Of course I say this as I limp back to Sandpoint to get patched up… let the party sort out this place, I’m done.

Haneet

Tokki

Maddened, haunting fear

It grips with claws of torment

Slicing to the past

Love can never die

But grow bitter and icy

In death and distress

To follow cruelty

Is a grave and harrowed task

Just to meet an end

A twice lost noble

Paths that branch with splintered ends

Our road continues

Hilma

As we approached the estate, a giant murder of crows was nesting on a ruined structure surrounding a well. I called down a thunderclap as loud as Torag at his anvil, and yet the crows did not stir. Our paladin used his own magic to see that the whole main house was pulsating with evil energy. Strange and unholy things were most certainly afoot. As we entered the house, the stench of wet rot and overgrown fungus was almost overwhelming. It was dark and dank. Foxglove had given me the impression that he resided at this estate, but it certainly didn't look like anyone had resided here for years. The nearby sea, crashing on the cliff side surrounding the house, had certainly taken its toll.

Each room we entered seemed to latch on to one of my companions, causing them to see strange, unnatural things. These visions were far from harmless, I'm afraid, and it took some persuasion, both physical, mental, and magical, to drive the fear from each person it touched. At one point, Isra'a was seized by the powerful sensation that he was Haneet's mother and must get both himself and her out of the house. While I was able to temporarily hold the compulsion back with a circle of protection, we realized that he would have to actually fulfill the compulsion for it to truly dissipate. I went outside first, prepared to stop him with magic once again should the compulsion not go away as soon as he set foot outside. Thankfully, the compulsion did go away as soon as he was outside. Unfortunately, as soon as we left the house, the crows attacked. They were not true crows but rather some sort of undead menace. Noticing they were undead, I was able to destroy them quite quickly with the help of Calum, even if he did singe me in the process.

Back inside, our explorations continued. There was a rather disturbing series of stained-glass windows, detailing the process of becoming a lich. We also saw a series of portraits of the family and discovered that horrible fates had befallen all the occupants of the house, generation by generation. I became more determined than ever that the evil the house contained would not be allowed to escape.

We eventually made our way to the attic and discovered the revenant of Iesha, Foxglove's wife. She was transfixed by a mirror, but as soon as we moved it, she began her hunt for her killer to seek revenge. Unfortunately, Isra'a unwittingly got in her way and was thrown clear through a doorway. After tending to his rather significant injuries, I attempted to chase after the revenant. Of course, you know running has never been my strong suit, so all of my companions managed to overtake me. Haneet, Isra'a, and Karaz all took advantage of some weak flooring to speed their passage to the basement, where the revenant seemed to be heading, but jumping and climbing several floors down was not a task I was up for.

The revenant was clawing madly at the floor, and before she had broken through, I heard a commotion from my companions in the basement. I snuck around her, not that I am at all sneaky, and rejoined the group in the basement. We discovered a rather labyrinthine passageway, which eventually lead to a spiral staircase. By this time, the revenant had broken through, and as we attempted to keep up with her descent into a cave beneath the house, we were set upon my ghouls and ghasts. These ghouls were strengthened by the very environment of the cave, and with some difficulty, we fought them off. When we finally caught up to the revenant, she was clawing through another door. When she finally broke through to confront Foxglove, the skirmish between the two did not last long. Foxglove blasted her with searing light and destroyed her. I do think she must have weakened him some, as we were able to destroy Aldern rather quickly. The poor, misguided fool had tried and failed to turn himself into a lich. Some mortal part of him still seemed to be trapped by the overwhelming evil, but I'm afraid he was so tainted by the touch of undead and evil that there was nothing to do but to send his soul to its afterlife. We removed all items of value from the estate and took care to destroy what evil remained, as well as those things that might lead others to evil, before we burned the entire rotten thing down.

Misgivings, Aftermath

🎲 DM

I'll be writing this section.

🎲 DM Section

Encounters

Swamp Goblins

A couple Goblin Snakes, some fighter/rogues with poison use, and a fire oracle

Haunts galore

CR range from 3 to 8

Carrionstorm x4

CR 5

Diseased Rats

CR 2

Revenant Iesha

(Revenant + Ftr2) CR 9

The Skinsaw Man

Unique advanced ghast fighter 2 / aristocrat 2 / bard 1 / rogue 3 = CR 8

Ghouls x7

CR 5.5

Goblin Ghasts x2

CR 6

Recap Reward

Before next session's day

5 charges on a Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds (party gets 1 wand, charges add up)

• Isra'a, Haneet, Tokki, Hilma

Late

3 charges

Expires

Non-expiring.