Until everything falls apart.
The last session put a close to the first module of the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path, Burnt Offerings. A great deal of in-game time, two weeks, passed before the beginnings of the next module and these have been described in detail in this milestone post.
Your eyes see into my soul
Stabbing every corner in my heart
Rip me open from the inside
Until everything falls apart
For all the pain you bring
You might as well murder me. 1
Sheriff Hemlock’s explanation of the murders to the party was extremely explicit. The nature of the murders seem eerily familiar to the work of Chopper from the Late Unpleasantness and does not wish the town to reach the same level of hysteria it did then. After securing a private place at the Town Hall, he speaks to them and broaches the topic head on:
We’ve a problem I think you can help us with… [p]ut simply, we have a murderer in our midst… [who] has only begun his work…. Last night, the murderer struck at the sawmill. There are two victims, and they’re… they’re in pretty gruesome shape. The bodies were discovered by one of the mill workers, a man named Ibor Thorn, and by the time my men and I arrived on the scene, a crowd of curious gawkers had already sprung up…. I’m [also] afraid you’ll need the help too. You see, I’m afraid that this particular murderer knows one of you as well. 2
A bloodstained scrap of parchment was given to Leica at this point, which read:
You will learn to love me, desire me in time as she did. Give yourself to the Pack and it shall all end.
Her name was written on the outside of the folded parchment; it is signed “Your Lordship”. The note was found pinned to the sleeve of the latest victim by a splinter of wood. The Sheriff is quick to comfort the Heroes that he believes that they have nothing to do with the murders; others might not be as understanding, however, so he encourages them to stay quiet about it.
The man provides the following list of leads:
- Sandpoint Lumber Mill: Site of the latest murder.
- Ibor Thorn: Has been interrogated; does not suspect he knows much more.
- Ven Vinder: The only suspect; is believed to be innocent.
- The First Murders: Three con men from the town of Galduria were found murdered in an abandoned barn south of the town.
- The Rune: A star carved on one victim’s chest seems to have some significance to the killer. It appears as a seven-pointed star that was immediately recognized by the Heroes.
As the party leaves the Town Hall, they run into someone all of them thought was dead: Merrix. However, she seemed to be dressed extremely different and was a great deal more timid and spontaneous. She reveals she received the memories of the other-timeline Merrix and was here to help them.
When the Heroes go to investigate the Lumber Mill, they find a well-built wooden structure with very thick walls. The roof is of wooden shingles, and doors appeared to have been simple timber and unlocked. Investigation of the site found a great deal of clues; generally, it appears there were evidence of a barefoot man coming from the pier, scaling the walls of the mill, and then entering to slaughter the two inhabitants.
Investigation of the gruesome bodies found a very peculiar lingering scent of decay recognized as that of a ghoul. A handaxe embedded into the floor also appeared to have smears of what looked like rotten flesh and fragments of bone with the same rotten smell. The overall conclusion seemed to have been that the ghoul that slaughtered these two had escaped to the river and then somewhere from the waterways down a very long way away from the town.
Ibor Thorn, when interrogated, was only able to provide information he had regarding the man that was murdered in the mill: Harker had frequent midnight trysts with the woman, Katrine, but he does not believe the father, Ven, was the one that murdered them. Furthermore, he had reason to believe that Harker was “cooking the books” for some time; a lot of money was believed to have been skimmed. The Scarnettis, the noble family owning the mill, have a reputation for being ruthless. Ibor said this could be a possible lead.
Investigation of the first murders, at the barn south of the town, also led to a very interesting fact: all three bodies bore the same claw marks found on Harker’s bodies, and the same decaying smell. Furthermore, a note identifies the bodies as Tarch Mortwell, Lener Hask, and Gedwin Tabe.
Messrs. Mortwell, Hask, and Tabe: a deal has come about that I need capital for. It involves property and gold, and tough I am not at liberty to tell you the exact details, it will make us all rich. Come to Bradley’s Barn on Cougar Creek tonight. We can meet there to discuss our futures.
This note was similarly signed by “Your Lordship.”
The Sheriff, when asked about these murders, revealed that it was found out by a patrol of guards who were assaulted by an insane man with fevered flesh and a frothing mouth along Cougar Creek. This man, Grayst Sevilla, was a local Varisian thug who was given over to the care of Erin Habe, the caretaker of an independent sanatorium south of town.
Visiting the Sanatorium, the Heroes discover a very ominous plot: this man, Erin Habe, was harbouring a necromancer. When meeting with Grayst, the insane man suddenly turned into a ghoul and struck out at the party, sending Erin hiding and a dark wizard out from the basement to dispatch of the Sanatorium’s guests.
The following experience and loot was awarded for this session:
- Investigation of the Mill awarded the PCs 2000 XP.
- Interrogation of Ibor Thorn and Ven Vinder awarded the PCs 1200 XP.
- Recognition of the Sihedron Rune on the body awarded the PCs 1200 XP.
- Dispatching of Human Zombies (4) awarded the PCs 600 XP.
- Dealing with Erin Habe awarded the PCs 600 XP.
- Killing the ghoul Grayst Sevilla awarded the PCs 1000 XP.
- Defeating the Necromancer, Caizarlu Zarren, awarded the PCs 2400 XP. On his body, the necromancer possessed a potion of cure moderate wounds, a potion of gaseous form, a wand of false life (28 charges), a wand of identify (15 charges), a masterwork dagger, 11 pp, and 18 gp. His spellbook, found in his room, contained the following spells: displacement, stinking cloud, vampiric touch, acid arrow, blindness/deafness, command undead, mirror image, chill touch, mage armor, magic missile, obscuring mist, ray of enfeeblement, bleed, detect magic, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, cause fear, false life, gentle repose, ghoul touch, halt undead, and identify.
The party should have received 10000 XP in total, split amongst the party for 2000 XP each. This puts each party member at 14273 XP; each party member is therefore just below level 5. For the purposes of simplicity, each character should place themselves at level 5 for the time being.