SESSION 2

The Monument

Awaking from a heavy sleep brought on by a night of adventuring, the town of Ravengro was awash with activity, mostly involving the desecration of the Harrowstone Monument.  The twenty-foot statue of Warden Lyvar Hawkran, who gave his life to keep the nation’s most terrifying criminals from escaping, was covered with blood, a large “V” marked on its base.  The names of Warden Hawkran, his wife Vesorianna, and twenty-two other town heroes who died at the prison are inscribed on the base of the monument.

After extreme searching, it was determined that whoever desecrated the monument left no tracks.

 

The Investigation

The next two days were spent investigating the vandalism.  The party split up in order to better use their time and not startle the citizens of Ravengro.  They decided to meet up afterwards at the Outward Inn for a drink.

Cain Coh stayed at home to keep an eye on Xiuj and research Harrowstone in Professor Lorrimor’s library.

Cad Rassendyll went to the Unfurling Scroll, a school for children, where he learned that the teacher there sold minor magic items.  He also had a small but helpful library that the party could use for a sizable donation.  The children also sang a song in Varisian that gave some clues.

Brother Nesphebius visited the Temple of Pharasma.  His line of questioning didn’t get him far, but he decided to ingratiate himself more deeply to the head of the local order, Vauran Grimburrow, by giving a sermon.

For his part in the investigation, Dorvall  Uptall went to the Town Hall.  Unable to get past the clerk at the front desk, he gave up.  On the way to the Outward Inn he stopped to meet the town’s migratory pet dog, Old River.

Maligar Brightmoon went to the jail to get information.  The inept deputy asked more questions of Maligar than he answered, questioning Maligar’s whereabouts the night before.

At the Outward Inn, Dorvall and Maligar tried to strike up a conversation, but the locals were uninterested.  When Nesphebius arrived, he did little better to impress the occupants, but a round of drinks got him a loud cheer.

Cain and Cad, with money from Maligar and Dorvall, spent the next two days researching in the Unfurled Scroll, while Dorvall stayed at the Lorrimor home to keep an eye on Xiuj.  Brother Nesphebius took another shot at the Town Hall, catching town councilman Vashian Hearthmount on his way inside and gaining access to the town’s records but finding nothing of value.

Through their research and observation, the party found this information:

1. The names of the five major criminals in Harrowstone at the time of its burning:

A. Vance Saytressel, a.k.a. The Lopper, who beheaded his victims with an axe

B. Father Charlatan, a blasphemous priest

C. The Moss Water Marauder, who (perhaps) killed his wife with a hammer

D. The Piper of Illmarch, who (apparently) killed with a pipe

E. The Splatter Man, who wrote the names of his victims in blood on the walls
 

2. The Whispering Way is an evil cult that is involved with the undead.  Their ultimate goal is the release of the Whispering Tyrant, Tar-Baphon, who is imprisoned in Gallowspire in Lastwall.
 

3. The Whispering Way have been seeking unusual or unique undead creatures and experimenting with necromantic magic.

4. The fire at Harrowstone was caused by the panicking guards after the rioting prisoners had taken over the east wing of the prison.  Warden Hawkran sealed himself and the guards in the tunnels beneath the east wing along with the prisoners to be sure they wouldn’t escape and threaten the town of Ravengro.

5. The warden’s wife, Vesorianna Hawkran, lived outside the prison itself but died in the prison fire.  Her body was found

6. The Splatter Man is the memorial’s vandal.

 

The First Assault on Harrowstone

The party decided in the name of urgency to at least reconnoiter Harrowstone Prison.  The front gates were unlocked, so they decided to just walk in.  Cad and Xiuj were almost injured in a roof collapse in the warden’s house.

The base of the prison itself was inscribed with writing inlaid with dried blood.  The writings were determined to be a combination of abjuration (protection magic) and necromancy.  The party then came to the conclusion that the Splatter Man is loose and has visited Ravengro.  The ghost of the warden is keeping the ghosts of the prisoners inside for the last fifty-two years, but the Whispering Way have found a way to imprison or banish him.

Attempting to enter the prison from the west, the party encountered its first combat, the headsman’s animated scythe.  Brother Nesphebius did some damage with a vial of holy water, but the party could do little damage.  Xiuj finally killed it with an acid grenade, but he did damage to party members, as well.  The injured party members decided to go back to town to rest and heal.