Carrion Crown Adventure Path – Game Session – 084

Game summary for January 20, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Radimir Dragomirov (human cleric), Thrain (dwarf slayer), and Zeddicus Zu’l Zorander (human abjurer/cleric/mystic theurge) accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric), Sigbiorn the Blue (magical beast skald) and Bhagesh (pavbagha) and cohorts Leora Chontos (aasimar fighter) and Tiberius Shortshanks (dwarf fighter).

For returning her to Witherleaf, the fortune-teller gave the team a reading. She handed them a gauntlet she dug out of the rubble and stated “deadly bars of iron and piercing shrieks await, striking cold the hearts of men.” The team then left the feeble old woman to dig eighteen graves for her slain kin.

Zedd then utilized another teleport scroll and found them pulled off course yet again. The team ended up in a ruined tower inside a metal cage. A moment later a ghostly banshee appeared and demanded the party tell her the fifth catechism. Dario told her to shove it, and she began to wail. Her keening stopped the hearts of Dario, Thrain, and Tiberius! Radimir and Zedd set about restoring life to their friends while Sigbiorn hit the banshee with a ghostbane dirge. Nyssa utilized good hope and haste. Leora hurled holy water at the banshee as Bhagesh used dimension door to get closer. The banshee terribly injured Bhagesh as Dario was restored to life. Radimir was able to hit the banshee with the Raven’s Head and disrupt her completely!

Dario restored life to Thrain and Tiberius and then used his new gauntlet of rust to destroy the lock. The team realized they had arrived in Renchurch! They explored some ruined buildings and found old servant quarters. Next the team explored some old foundations and triggered a haunt! The fiery spirits of monks rose from burned skeletons and scorched the party! As the fire lit up the night, the fled to another building and tried to avoid detection. The moved around behind the main abbey and down to a rather intact building. Inside they found another haunt! A leech-covered monk on a gurney appeared and exploded in a shower of blood and leeches! The team was weakened and injured and fled to another ruin.

Realizing they had suffered great injury and used many spells, the team decided to make a camp. The cast secure shelter inside one of the buildings and then cast mage’s private sanctum to try and hide it. Will the team make it through a night of rest?

Carrion Crown Adventure Path – Game Session – 083

Game summary for January 13, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Berwyn Flintbeard (dwarf fighter), Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gertie Foxglove (human witch), and Thrain (dwarf slayer) accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric), Sigbiorn the Blue (magical beast skald) and Bhagesh (pavbagha) and cohort Tiberius Shortshanks (dwarf fighter).

Strange green mist began to rise from the ruins of Witherleaf to intermingle with the smoke rising from a dozen Varisian wagons. Burned, injured Varisians stumbled from the wreckage toward the party weeping and reaching for aid. Ghostly forms coalesced in the fog and screamed in eerie wails, causing Dario and Tiberius to bolt in terror. A veil dropped from the injured Varisians revealing staggering zombies! The team tore into the rotting meat sacks in a flurry. Sigbiorn, Berwyn, and Thrain began dropping zombies right and left. Gertie cast chain lightning and destroyed eight in one blast!

Dario recovered his senses and ran back to the battlefield. A trio of hags were spotted atop a barrow casting deadly spells! They dropped numerous fire storms on the team while they tangled with the zombies. Gertie rushed forward and got caught in a forcecage! She tried several clever tactics to escape but was unable. She was able to still use her evil eye hex to harass the hags! Dario made efficient use of holy smites while Thrain made things harder for the hags with a summoned earth elemental. The team climbed the barrow and engaged more closely. Soon, Dario killed the witchfires, and the team forced the night hag to flee into another plane!

Carrion Crown Adventure Path – Game Session – 82

Game summary for January 6, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Brutus Bonesmasher (human fighter), Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gertie Foxglove (human witch), Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk), and Thrain (dwarf slayer) accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric), Sigbiorn the Blue (magical beast skald) and Bhagesh (pavbagha) and cohorts Lucretia Ivankov (human vampire spawn sorcerer) and Tiberius Shortshanks (dwarf fighter).

Brutus heard talking nearby as the team emerged from the linnorm cave again with their new companion, Sigbiorn. Gnok assumed gaseous form to investigate and found a camp of paladins and a woman staked to the ground with flaming eyes. The team went to introduce themselves, and Dario unleashed a dazzling display of diplomacy. Soon, they were chatting like old friends and learned the paladins were taking the woman to Vigil for an exorcism. The party examined her and determined they could not perform the rite themselves. As the team turned to leave, an advanced leukodaemon emerged from the woman in a blast of flame and flies! The swarm turned into a giant winged monstrosity that fired diseased arrows among the party.

With battle joined the team unleashed spell and arrow at the beast and found themselves completely outclassed. Nothing seemed to work. Spells dissipated and axes bounced off its hide. Gnok launched himself into the air to grapple the monster and was slammed into the campfire where he discovered the linnorm’s death curse! He had gained a vulnerability to fire and burst into flame! Bhagesh tried to leap up and hit the monster with no success, and Lucretia’s acid spells had no effect. Brutus had the genius idea of using his grappling hook to drag the creature toward the ground! Thrain agreed and tried to assist. The pair wrestled the beast down only to have it use greater teleport to escape after blasting them with a cloud of stinging, biting flies!

Dario hit the daemon with a spear of purity, Nyssa helped with good hope, Sigbiorn tried a fear spell, Gertie used maximized lightning bolt. Damage was dealt but the monster continued to harass the group. Finally, Bhagesh learned from Brutus and Thrain and grabbed hold of the daemon and dragged it to the ground. Brutus was able to slip in and smash its skull with his flaming hammer! It exploded in a cloud of fire and flies!

The team then spoke with the old woman who was no longer possessed. She told the team she had agreed to the possession in exchange for protection in the ravener’s territory! She begged them to return with her to Witherleaf to learn the fate of her caravan. The party set out on the trek knowing it led closer to Renchurch. The party arrived at the outskirts of the ruined town as the night stretched closer to morning.