GoS Session 15: The Skinner Report

General Summary

Last time we met our heroes, they were investigating a strange series of murders in Freetown known as the The Skinner Murders. Their investigations had lead them to Tiffany Wright, a survivor of the skinner. After completing some research William learned that Tiffany was probably attacked by a ghoul or ghast. He was horrified to learn that the victims of such creatures would often be cursed or diseased to decay and become one of the living dead carrion. Realising the danger the poor woman was in, William flew across the city, hoping to warn Theseus. Arriving at the Sisters of Ntegi, William sought Theseus out. He informed the Triton of the possible cause behind Tiffany's strange malaise. Theseus inspected her wounds again, noticing the necrosing skin, and sighed. There would be nothing that could be done until the following morning. Wine Day 27th Lowsun 619PR Theseus awoke with the sunlight piercing the wooden shutters, illuminating the small basic room. Heaving himself out of the uncomfortable bed, the Triton made his daily prayers to Katora and headed to Tiffany's room. William joined him, wishing to see how the cleric used his belief to craft spells. As Theseus started the ritual, the room filled with the scent of sea air, a stiff breeze blowing through the room. Theseus knelt and touched the blackened limb; as he did, the black mucus seems to retreat, the leg returning immediately to its natural colour. With Tiffany offering her gratitude, the duo left. Meanwhile Shiloh, left a pouch of coin from their uncle Gabriel, and headed to the cemetery. They didn't have to wait long before Lieutenant Aegis Thumbridge appeared, whistling a jaunty tune. Shiloh enquired why Aegis has joined the watch, and where he hailed from. Aegis explained that his family was associated with the watch, and he originally came from Whitebridge. He'd sought to join the watch there, however, failed to pass their tests. Still intent on joining and helping people, Aegis was able to join the Freetown watch. Shiloh carefully probed to check Aegis's understanding of the corruption within Freetown's watch. However, Aegis seemed completely unaware. Before long William and Theseus appeared, and the four ventured into the cemetery to meet the undertaker, Stirge. Stirge proved to be an odd sort; as he shambled towards the group, he seemed to be infatuated with the Triton. Even going so far as to ask if he could measure Theseus' head. With a reluctant agreeable from Theseus, Stirge measured his head and asked if he could buy his body when he was dead. Theseus nodded politely, and Stirge led them into his mortuary. The heroes and the watchman crowded into the room, the smell of ammonia and various unpleasant alchemical vapours caused their nostrils to tingle. Stirge pulled back the blankets to reveal the mutilated bodies of Adrian Surah Copella. As Theseus inspected the bodies, he was able to confirm that both died as a result of the juggler being severed. The skinning had been undertaken by someone with considerable skill. Finally, both corpses showed the same teeth marks as on Tiffany. Seeing an opportunity, Shiloh encouraged Aegis to 'guard the outside of the building' allowing Theseus to Speak with the Dead. Theseus blessed Surah's body and called her spirit forth. The room instantly darkened, the candles providing much less illumination. The air grew cold with their breath visible in the air. Surah's head slowly rotated, the cold, unblinking eyes looking directly at Theseus. Asking questions of the corpse, Surah replied in a quiet rattle. She did not know who attacked them. She had been frozen by his piercing blue eyes, killing her in her bed. Adrian was not in bed with her. Very similar to the failed attempt on Tiffany. On his way through the compound, William had noticed a figure in an adjoining room. Noting Stirge's fascination with Surah's talking corpse, William used the distraction to investigate the adjacent room. Inside he found five bodies arranged around a dinner table. On closer inspection, they had been preserved using taxidermy. An empty plate and cup sat at the only free seat of the table. Unsettled by his discovered, William returned to the rest of the group. The next stop for the heroes was the Copella home. Aegis led them there and confirmed that neither he nor any of the watch had actually been inside. The small single-storey building sat just on the northern edge of the pits. The windows had all been shuttered, and the door was still locked. Shiloh was able to search the outside of the building and discovered claw marks at the door, and the window farthest from the bed. They also found a small hole drilled in the shutters above the bed. This hole allowed a view of the room. William was able to pick the lock to the door, and upon entering the building, they encountered the reek of death and a heavy smokey smell that may have been oak bark. Theseus was able to determine that Surah was killed in bed, and Adrian had been heading towards the shutter at the far end of the room. A search of the living quarters discovered that nothing had been taken. The dressers were full, the kitchen well stocked, and the valuables still in the room. Sitting in the corner of the room was a package of leather that the couple had picked up on the day of their death. Thanking the watchman for his time, the heroes discussed their next steps. They would set a trap for the killer. Theseus would preach on the street, inviting those who were poor and needy to come to a unique service. William and Shiloh used the distraction to survey the crowd. Eventually nearing dusk, Theseus led the much-diminished congregation to a warehouse. It wasn't long before the party realised that their plan hadn't caught the culprit. Sending the group away and getting ready to call it a night, their ears pricked to the sound of a man's screams of terror. Leaping outside into the dark, William quickly flew into the air and spotted a man running for his life. Four pale forms stalked after him, running on all fours, their elongated tongues darting into the nights' air. William shouted to the rest of the party to chase after the creatures.

Campaign

Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Protagonists