Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for March 24, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Brutus Bonesmasher (human fighter), Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Malthus Brightray (half-elf cleric), and Radimir Dragomirov (human cleric), accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Bhagesh (pavbagha).

The team opened a door and found several chairs with a black crystal in the middle. A naked man sat in one close to death. Five black-clad masked females, Renchurch novices, attacked the party. One aimed the crystal at the team and inflicted numerous negative levels! The team scrambled with death ward from Dario’s wand. Malthus unleashed fireball and wall of stone. Radimir got hit by numerous kicks and throwing stars, but he recovered with channel positive energy and heal.

Brutus began hammering the notices, Dario tripped one to the ground and tore in with his blade, and the clerics closed in for melee. At first, the novices stood strong and setup flanks, but they were unable to withstand the onslaught. Soon, only the man in the chair remained.

Game summary for March 17, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk) 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 Lucretia Ivankov (human vampire spawn sorcerer).

The team moved down a hallway decorated with severed human heads mounted on plaques. As they progressed, the heads began to move as if suffocating, and all the air whooshed out of the room! The team ran down the hall to safety with Gnok carrying Nyssa out over his shoulder.

The group investigated a closed door and found themselves in a worn but fairly opulent room with a familiar vampire figure, one of the female nobles from the Vampire Underground in Caliphas! She was speaking with a shadowy spectre calling himself the Chamberlain. He warned them to leave and that the Gray Friar would be unhappy to find them within. Gnok demanded to speak with the friar, so the Chamberlain invited them to come in and sit and wait on him. The party did so. Surprised, the spectre ordered another four spectres hiding in the walls to kill the party!

The battle became complicated. The vampire woman cast a web spell that entangled Zedd and made much of the room difficult to traverse. The spectres were unable to harm Gnok, and Zedd had previously protected himself with death ward. The most prominent target the spectres could find was Sigbiorn. Leora began using her scimitar, enhanced with Zedd’s disrupting weapon spell, to devastate the enemy. Lucretia cast obscuring mist which proved a bit of a problem with four enemies incorporeal.

The spectres were able to find their way to Sigbiorn, and the poor creature was slain by their touch. Moments later he rose from the grave as a spectre as well! Gnok quickly destroy him, however. The battle shifted though, and the team quickly took down the rest of the foes after Leora disrupted the vampire!

Game summary for March 10, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Radimir Dragomirov (human cleric), 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).

Radimir hit the meladaemon with a flame strike spell while Thrain cut down the last corpulent ghoul moments too late to save Sigbiorn from its claws. Dario and the meladaemon went toe-to-toe in a brutal battle. Dario’s blessed blade sliced neatly into the outsider’s emaciated flesh. The daemon’s diseased teeth tore hunks from the oracle and infected him with a wasting disease. In a surprise move, Dario tripped the meladaemon! Thrain was able to move up and slaughter the creature as it climbed to its feet!

The team then looked around the room. They explored a baptistery full of clear water. They looked at the smoking gray altar and then moved to investigate. Thrain’s mind filled with whispers, whispers from the Tyrant himself! The whispers compelled the dwarf to sit down at the table and begin feasting on the dead bodies! Dario smashed the altar while Nyssa broke the enchantment compelling Thrain.

The team then cast several cure spells and used raise dead on Sigbiorn.

Game summary for March 3, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Berwyn Flintbeard (dwarf fighter), Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk), 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 cohorts Lucretia Ivankov (human vampire spawn sorcerer) and Tiberius Shortshanks (dwarf fighter).

The team engaged in a brutal battle with the meladaemon and corpulent ghouls! They further enhanced their capabilities with spells like bear’s endurance and good hope. The meladaemon hit the party with a horrid wilting and started firing quickened magic missiles! Gnok found himself engaged with several ghouls with magic missiles hitting from time-to-time. Thrain and Berwyn rumbled with the ghouls and caused several to explode in gore all around them! Gertie unleashed a powerful lightning bolt into a ghoul and tried to afflict a retribution hex on the meladaemon with no success. Lucretia bounced a greater flaming sphere around the battlefield while Tiberius unleashed a barrage of crossbow bolts. Dario assumed dire werewolf hybrid form and anointed his blade with oil of align weapon in preparation to engage the meladaemon. The creature hovered near the party causing them to suffer from consumption, and Berwyn and Thrain found themselves most affected. Meanwhile, Gnok assumed gaseous form to try and close the distance.

Three of the ghouls were destroyed, and the fourth injured. However, it paralyzed Sigbiorn! The meladaemon peppered Gertie with magic missiles and unleashed waves of fatigue. Will the team succeed in defeating this horrendous outsider?

Game summary for February 24, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Berwyn Flintbeard (dwarf fighter), Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk), 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 cohorts Lucretia Ivankov (human vampire spawn sorcerer) and Tiberius Shortshanks (dwarf fighter).

The corpulent ghouls wasted no time in closing in as Berwyn rushed to meet them! Thrain, Gnok, and Berwyn engaged in melee as Gertie unleashed a chain lightning! Surprisingly, many of the ghouls evaded! Due to their size, the team was completely stunned by their agility. Nyssa blessed the party while Lucretia and Sigbiorn enhanced allies with spells like bull’s strength and cat’s grace. Dario cast flame strike as Berwyn fell victim to ghoul paralysis! Gertie hit one with a maximized lightning bolt as Gnok killed two with a flurry. Lucretia used scorching ray to drop another while Thrain and Tiberius hammered others. In a few moments, the team was victorious.

Dario hurled the light stone further into the abbey and revealed more incoming ghouls and a fearsome meladaemon!

Game summary for February 10, 2015, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk), Radimir Dragomirov (human cleric), 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).

The team emerged from hiding and sneaked up to the front doors where they were attacked by quickwood trees! Thrain hit one with a series of critical sneak attacks with his pick and killed it! The other proved more resilient and slapped and bit several party members. Dario made it inside the narthex and found it occupied by an athach! The giant attacked viciously while whispers filled Dario’s head. Voices in numerous languages assaulted his mind, and suddenly got whipped about the room by an unknown force! He was able to shake it off and trap the giant behind a wall of iron. He then cast a second wall of iron to further seal the creature in.

Tiberius killed the second quickwood, and the team moved into the narthex as well. Thrain began vomiting flesh-eating beetles, but Radimir drove them back with repel vermin. They went deeper into the church and heard chomping, slurping, and sliding chairs. Dario cast light on a pebble and hurled it into the darkness. It revealed half a dozen corpulent ghouls!

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?

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!

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.

Game summary for December 23, 2014, Carrion Crown Adventure Path campaign, Shadows of Gallowspire adventure; PCs included Brutus Bonesmasher (human fighter), Dario Malavasi (human afflicted dire werewolf oracle), Gnok Thatek (dwarf vampire monk), Malthus Brightray (half-elf cleric), and Thrain (dwarf slayer) accompanied by NPC companions Nyssa Pagonis (human cleric) and Bhagesh (pavbagha) and cohorts Lucretia Ivankov (human vampire spawn sorcerer) and Tiberius Shortshanks (dwarf fighter).

Lucretia utilized a scroll of teleport and suffered some kind of mishap. Nothing appeared to happen, but the spell did not go into effect. She attempted another scroll and ended up in a vertigo-inducing tumble through dimensions. The entire team fell through another witchgate, and many were sickened by the rough trip. Upon emerging, a crippled crag linnorm emerged from a cave! Its tail had been severed and was rotting and leaving a trail of ichor. Brutus taunted and mocked the dragon, and the enraged monster attacked!

The team charged in and found their weapons barely harmed the monster, and fire seemed to roll off it. The linnorm breathed forth a line of molten magma! It hit Malthus and Thrain and burnt them severely. Gnok, fortunately, evaded the attack. Tiberius bounced crossbow bolts off the beast’s scales and Lucretia discovered it had tremendous spell resistance, negating her scorching ray attack. Nyssa cast good hope while Gnok landed an energy draining blow! Dario was able to make use of harm but had to charge through the lava to deliver it. Malthus cast mass bull’s strength, and Thrain succeeded in landing a devastating critical hit with his pick! The dragon reeled beneath the onslaught!

Horribly injured but not out of the fight, the linnorm sank its poisoned fangs into Dario! The fiery poison caused his blood to boil and his internal organs to combust! He writhed in flame as the dragon tore open his flesh with its claws. He passed out from the agony and damage. Lucretia hit the dragon with an acidic energy burst, Brutus wailed away with his hammer, and Gnok was able to land a killing blow which triggered a death curse that settled over him!

Meanwhile, Dario’s unconscious form flopped and smoked from the insidious burning poison searing through his tissue. In moments he died from the venom. With the dragon also slain, Malthus ran forward and cast breath of life upon Dario as Nyssa cast delay poison. Malthus then followed with neutralize poison. Restored to life and stability, Dario cast restoration upon himself to recover from the horrible damage done to his organs. Finally, he cast heal upon himself.

Having barely survived, the team then moved into the linnorm’s cave to explore. They found a small fortune in coins and magic along with a bizarre tome. The book had the ability to give humanoid form to a normal animal and fill it with the spirit of a fallen warrior from ages past! After much debate, the group decided to use the book. Thrain was able to trap a grizzly bear, and Dario read the book! As they watched, the bear transformed and a new hero arose to join the party!