DM Scarogoth |
Kendra gathers up the books, and returns them to the chest, locks it again and gives the key to Cassandra. She and Shanoa then set about creating a lovely rich beef stew for dinner, giving the rest of you a chance to peruse things on the Professor's shelves, some of which definitely appear to confirm Xavian's knowledge of matters.
Let me know if there's any more specific you'd like to do before the day is out, or we'll fast forward to the following morning.
Xavian Graves |
Xavian will do a walk through of the house to familiarize himself with the layout. He does this for defensive reasons and so he will notice if something is out of place. He makes sure all the windows are secured. He asks Kendra if she has possession of her father's spell books. He instructs her not to allow anyone access to her father's journal or any of his other books or items without consulting us first. She should have a friend over while we are away at the prison, someone she can trust. She should be very careful of speaking of any of these matters in public. We must all put on the facade that nothing uncommon is happening and we are merely friends staying on to look after our old mentor's daughter. No one must know that we are investigating The Professor's death or the prison if we can help it. He ensures everyone's story sounds similar enough to be believable. Then he enjoys his meal, rests, and waits for the next day.
Kendra Lorrimor |
Kendra nods sagely at all Xavian's instructions, and instantly has a suggestion for where she might go when the party is absent. "I shall go to Jominda's, the apothecary here in town. She is a good friend of Dad's, and by extension, mine also. I trust her absolutely. You would have seen her at the funeral this afternoon: tall, elegant, attractive lady. I did wonder whether Dad wasn't a little sweet on her."
Cassandra Blackmoore |
Cassandra thanks Kendra for her hospitality and then thanks both ladies for the wonderful meal. After dinner she will spend the rest of the evening perusing the Professor's library. Before turning in for the night she will offer to room with Alessia, if she's amiable.
DM Scarogoth |
You spend a much more convivial evening together than you might imagine five strangers could have done, and with much politeness, you all bid each other goodnight and retire to your rooms, Alessa and Cassandra bunking in together. The night passes tolerably well, until sometime in the hours near dawn, when you are awoken by a lady's piercing scream. You wake, uncertain quite of what it is you've heard, but then confirmation comes in the form of a great, heaving sob from somewhere in the house.
Cassandra Blackmoore |
Awoken by the scream Cassandra throws open the covers and clad only in a nightshirt follows Alessia down the hall, marveling as the elven woman's feet make no sound as she makes her way.
Shanoa |
Shanoa enjoys dinner with the group, but is secretly dissapointed when she misses the chance to share a room with the girl with the strange eyes. Reluctantly she retires alone, but finds herself in the company of her new friends in the hallway before the night is over, clad in a long nightgown. "What's going on?" she asks in a hushed tone.
Kendra Lorrimor |
It doesn't take someone of Xavian's intellect long to realize there is no lock to pick, the door is merely bolted or held fast in some way from the inside. You perceive some faint rustling of sheets and eiderdowns, but then to your enormous relief, Kendra's quavery voice is heard. "Just a moment..."
Kendra Lorrimor |
There is a pause, whilst you hear some more rustling, and then the sound of a heavy piece of furniture being moved. Finally, you hear the sound of the shank in the bolt being jiggled, and the door opens a crack to reveal a very white-faced Kendra in a floor-length dressing robe. "I'm very sorry, I guess I woke you... So silly of me. A bad dream..."
Kendra Lorrimor |
"No, not at all. Normally I sleep very well. I guess it's just the stress of today and those nasty hoodlums at the cemetery. I'm really sorry for waking you all -- it just seemed so very... real" says Kendra, who although clearly shaken, already seems to have regained much of her poise and dignity.
Xavian senses no dissemblance on Kendra's part, merely an undercurrent of embarrassment.
Alessa Velorei |
Alessa looks at the furniture Kendra used to bar the door. "Such extreme measures to lock the bedroom door of your own home, Kendra. Are we to be expecting uninvited guests? I would have liked to have been prepared myself."
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
"Apologies if I am overstepping any boundaries set by my being invited to stay, I am merely concerned."
Cassandra Blackmoore |
Breathing a sigh of relief, Cassandra looks around the room "I'm glad you are alright Mistress Lorrimor." she says, slightly saddened. Turning to Alessia Cassandra continues "This is to be expected. Despite her hospitality we are still strangers here. There is nothing wrong with taking "extra" precautions."
Kendra Lorrimor |
"Well, it's a bit silly really, but I dreamt that Dad was in the room with me, standing at the foot of the bed. But something about him told me it wasn't really him, his eyes were all funny. And then whatever it was started walking through the bed towards me -- literally through it, its hands outstretched reaching for me as I sat bolt upright in bed. I think that's what made me scream. That woke me up, I think, and it turned out I wasn't sitting up in bed at all, but all sort of tangled in the covers. I really am most dreadfully sorry for waking you all, you must think me the most frightful ninny."
Kendra Lorrimor |
Alessa looks at the furniture Kendra used to bar the door. "Such extreme measures to lock the bedroom door of your own home, Kendra. Are we to be expecting uninvited guests? I would have liked to have been prepared myself."
"I'm sorry, you must think me awfully rude. It's just that Dad was always so insistent that I never really trust anyone I don't know, and now all these weird things going on, and strangers in his house, I just don't know what to do any more. And all your tales of the Whispering Way and necromancers, I just knew I'd not be able to sleep. Fat lot of good barring the door did, though. You all think I'm a nutcase, now. And, of course, no one's slept at all now. Oh dear," and with that, Kendra has to stifle a sniffle. Alessa senses nothing untoward about what Kendra says at all -- it seems like the absolute truth. Kendra fans her face and tries to regather her wits, pretending that nothing untoward is happening. "What hour of the clock is it?" she asks.
The last bell you heard was announcing 4 in the morning, but that was a while ago -- the fifth hour might have sounded, and you could've missed it.
Alessa Velorei |
"I apologize for my suspicions, Kendra." Alessa's look softens as she walks over. "You should not feel obligated to keep your father's friends as overnight guests if it makes you uncomfortable. A home is supposed to be where one feels safe, and you are wise not to trust so easily. I can stay at an Inn if that will allow you to sleep easier, I would not be offended." Alessa smiles at Kendra with sincerity.
Kendra Lorrimor |
"No, no, please don't think you're unwelcome. I feel so silly now. I wouldn't hear of you sleeping somewhere else." Kendra returns Alessa's smile with a hint of coyness, but an equal amount of sincerity. "I apologize for disturbing your sleep. I certainly didn't mean to, of course."
Xavian Graves |
"I would prefer not to leave the Lady Lorrimor alone. The Professor requested we look after her. The best way to do that is to stay with her. Perhaps one of the ladies could share the Lady Lorrimor's room. I do not like the idea of her in the room alone with a blocked door. Tonight nothing occurred. But if something had, it would have been difficult for us to enter. Lady Lorrimor, would you mind if one of the ladies stayed in the room with you at night?", says Xavian.
Shanoa |
Shanoa looks rather grim throughout the whole conversation, and has to stifle a yawn more than once. As Kendra makes her way downstairs and the rest of the group goes reluctantly back to their rooms, Shanoa grits her teeth and goes down to the kitchen herself. Might as well get used to not getting much sleep... Already having learned the lay of the kitchen the previous night, she sets about helping with breakfast withhout asking Kendra if she needs help. After working alongside her in silence, she finally asks, "Would you mind horribly if I shared a room with you? Xavian is quite concerned, and I don't know what I'd do if any harm were to come to you. Please?"
Cassandra Blackmoore |
Being used to the suspicous glances and furtive whispers of people she's known her whole life Cassandra sighs "Quite understandable, Kendra. We are still strangers, just met, so it is wise to take precautions." Although her words are encouraging, her voice holds just a tinge of hurt.
At the mention of the kitchen she adds "Yes some tea would do wonderfully to soothe the jangled nerves."
Kendra Lorrimor |
"Would you mind horribly if I shared a room with you? Xavian is quite concerned, and I don't know what I'd do if any harm were to come to you. Please?"
"No, I'd not mind at all. I hope I don't disturb you with another nightmare, though. The bed is quite big enough to take us both," says Kendra, happily. "Thanks so much for helping with everything -- you're all being far too good to me."
DM Scarogoth |
Being disturbed so close to dawn anyway, even those that return to their rooms find it impossible to sleep again, so you are all gathered in the kitchen very early to break your fast. Following through on the suggestions of last night, you all set off together to seek the permission of Father Grimburrow to investigate further the supposed secret cache within the Restlands.
Kendra is confident that the priest will be an early riser, along with others of his faith, so arriving early has the added advantage of meaning that your marching through town as a quintet shouldn't raise too many eyebrows. Kendra seems to have recovered some of her fighting spirit during the course of the morning, and the dream seems largely forgotten.
Father Grimburrow is still apologetic (and quietly furious) over the sacrilege that disturbed Professor Lorrimor's final journey, and though Kendra convinces him that it's not his fault nor even responsibility, but she also cleverly uses the guilt as a bargaining chip in proceedings. Initially, the old man seems to pooh-pooh the idea that there could be a such a location in the Restlands that he did not know about, but Kendra's political manoeuvring rapidly has him agreeing that there couldn't be too much harm in finding out for certain, and he agrees to your setting forth, on the clear understanding that "you're not to start any trouble".
Not surprisingly, Kendra has no particular desire to return to the graveyard so soon, and she opts to return instead to her father's house on the other side of the river. Though she professes perfect contentment about returning alone, you all insist on accompanying her, even though this means retracing your steps, but nowhere is particularly far in Ravengro, and very soon you're marching north out of the village, back to the Restlands.
The false crypt mentioned in the professor’s journal is located in the northeast corner of the Restlands, near the junction of the paths known as the Eversleep and the Black Path. The crypt itself is a freestanding granite mausoleum, the roof of which is decorated with a pair of leering gargoyle statues -- there are several other structures like it in the graveyard, but none in the area pinpointed by the Professor's journal. The mausoleum’s south façade, which faces the path, has a single stone door in it, held fast by a sliding iron bolt with a rusty-looking padlock.
Could I have a Perception check with your posts, please.
Cassandra Blackmoore |
Perception check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Cassandra appoaches the mausoleum and checks the door and lock.
Shanoa |
For some reason she can't quite identify, Shanoa has felt increasingly uneasy as they walk once more through the graveyard. She keeps thinking of the tales of ghosts they learned about last night, and she imagines all manner of restless undead behind every gravestone. Despite all this, she strives to maintain a calm outward appearance as they approach the mausoleum but is concentrating so much on it she's oblivious to anything else.
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 - bluff to appear calm - sense motive DC
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 - perception
Xavian Graves |
Xavian tells Kendra to ensure her home is locked up safe. He hopes to see her before dinner. He is fairly quiet during the walk, taking in the surroundings, and asking Kendra questions about the various places as they walk through town to the graveyard. He makes a polite nod to any we meet on the way and speaks when spoken offering an appropriate greeting. He is wearing his wide-brimmed black hat which he tips to the ladies.
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
DM Scarogoth |
You're not entirely surprised that it's the detective Xavian who notices the very small something that's amiss, but something about the padlock catches his eye, and although it would escape the notice of most, a minor jiggle from his hand soon reveals that the lock is broken, its clasp melted by acid and then put back into place so that to the casual observer the lock would appear intact. It seems the door is not nearly as locked as it might have appeared at first.
Alessa Velorei |
Alessa pulls her shortbow and begins to check the perimeter of the mausoleum for any other signs of intruders. She moves cautiously around the structure but stops short of going behind it and out of view of the group.
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
May the departed forgive us for the intrusion, Rest well.
DM Scarogoth |
Xavian has no clue who was here, or where they might have been, but Alessa sees some confirming signs that the door has been opened recently -- some scratches in the gathered leaf mould in the door's wake. But other than that, she sees nothing untoward in the surroundings, and it's still early enough that no other visitors seem to have arrived in the graveyard as yet.
DM Scarogoth |
The crypt is dark, though not pitch black -- there's a skylight in the roof of glass, not so much stained, as discoloured and dirty, and you can tell your eyes will adjust to the light given a chance. The first thing you see is a descending flight of stone steps leading to an ornate mosaic tiled floor. There is a smell, but it's musty and cold earth based, not of death, with only a slight edge of rotting leaf mould, maybe. There are no obvious catafalques or sarcophagi in the room, nor do any of the biers in the walls appear to have occupants.
Assuming you enter, I shall need another set of Perception checks please.