To understand the conflict involving our stalwart paladin, Antonio "Tarl" Gregorio II, I am carefully reviewing all my journal notes about the prison, and about the warden's wife, Vesorianna.
This conflict has damaged Tarl's connection with the Empyrial Lord he follows, a powerful angel named Lymnieris. It should be our groups number one endeavor to see that Tarl's proper righteousness is restored, for if we let him fall in disgrace of his demigoddess, then surely we shall all fall with him.
On Harrowstone and the Fire
Harrowstone Prison and its supporting town, Ravengro, were established in 4594 AR by Count Eigen Lorres, ruler of Tamrivena (Tamrivena is the area now known as the county of Canterwall). The count hoped to use the prison to increase his standing in Tamrivena and beyond and to provide a good income by taking major criminals from all over Ustalav. Harrowstone became the home of Ustalav's most infamous prisoners; they were collected twice-yearly from other prisons in every county to either spend the rest of their days there, or to be executed, usually by hanging. The idea was a profitable success for the count and Ravengro town.[4][5]
In 4661 AR, the summer prison convoy brought five exceptionally wicked prisoners, listed here with their full names as requested by brother Gregor: Hean Feramin, aka the Splatter Man; Ispin Onyxcudgel, the Mosswater Marauder; Vance Saetressle, called the Lopper; Sefick Corvin, or Father Charlatan; and a man only known as the Piper of Illmarsh. These prisoners, led by the Splatter Man, seized control of the prison and killed the prison warden, Lyvar Hawkran. Before his death, the warden managed to thwart the escape of the prisoners but, in the panic that subsequently ensued, the prison was set ablaze killing all the prisoners and many of the guards. Additionally, the warden's wife Vesorianna Hawkran perished in the event. A statue, called the Harrowstone Memorial, stands in Ravengro to commemorate this event.
On Vesorianna Hawkran
Vesorianna Hawkran was the wife of Lyvar Hawkran; her husband was the head warden of Harrowstone prison near Ravengro, in Canterwall county, Ustalav. They both lived together in a house within the prison grounds. Crushed down flat by our collegue, Shale, this domicile is now but fragmentary timber and dust in the front courtyard of Harrowstone prison.
On the day when her husband bravely died in a great fire in 4661 AR, after preventing a mass prisoner escape, Vesorianna came to the prison to look for her husband. Discovering the chaos at the prison, in her fear, she exacerbated the problem and was restrained. Tragically, she then lost her own life in the smoke caused by the fire, as she was held by her restraints. Her death is commemorated on the Harrowstone Memorial in Ravengro.
Upon meeting her spirit, she expressed a deep sorrow for the loss of her husband, and explained to us it was the presence of she and her husband that kept the restless spirits in check, ever since the great riot 50 years ago. Now that the spirit of her husband is gone, she explained she doesn't have the strength to hold them back, and the spirits of the undead grew, especially amongst the five most notoriously evil of them.
Perhaps now that Taral has done his sworn duty to attack Vesorianna, ... just perhaps I can still contact her privately back in the room where we first met her. Now that Tarl has attacked her and believes she has been banished from his sight, perhaps he can seek and achieve atonement while the rest of us, who have not sworn such a demanding oath, surreptitiously keep in touch with Vesorianna.
Part II:
Tarl vs. Vesorianna
Sadly, we were unable to coax Tarl into leaving Vesorianna's spirit well alone until we admonish the five evil haunts within the prison. At first it seemed Tarl would go along with Gregor's plan to move forward, leaving Vesorianna to hold back the other spirits and await news of our success. Unfortunately, Tarl was left no choice but to seek atonement by attacking her on sight. This, of course, was his only option–having felt the cold severing of the silver chord to his demigoddess' powers. It would not be right for our group to allow Tarl to suffer the loss of paladinhood at the skeletal hand of Harrowstone! Now that Tarl has thrown down the gauntlet we must and will stand behind him in his crusade to destroy Vesorianna and every last undead encountered. This is a tall task, one that borders on the uncomfortable absence of patience, logic, and caution. Thus, our band must throw caution to the wind and fight alongside Tarl now, in an almost frenzied reaction if we are to help brother Tarl restore his deity's faith in him. And perhaps a visit to that old codger, brother Grimbarrow, is in order. Since he is aligned with the Paladins of Lastwall, he may absolve Tarl of his transgression.
Thus our day consisted of:
- Cleaning the spiders from the inner prison chapel
- Discovering bonded prisoner items
- Disregarding the animated hot poker room
- Traveling upstairs
- Witnessing Tarl's lost powers
- Destroying ten skeletons and the Piper of Illmarsh along with his three stirge-minions
- Attacking Vesorianna's apparition until she fled back to her room on level one
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