Directions you've gathered lead you south along the Lost Coast Road, just like your trip to the farmlands. However, you go farther down the road until you reach the bridge crossing over Foxglove River, at which point you leave the road and follow the river west until you reach the dark sea cliffs overlooking the Varisian Gulf. Here, wild sea birds call out to a roaring ocean that churns hundreds of feet below. As you near your destination, it almost seems as if nature herself becomes sick and twisted; nettles and thorns grow more prominent, trees are leafless and bent, and the wind seems unnaturally cold and shrill as it whistles through the cliffside crags.
The strangely cold sea wind rises to a keening shriek as Foxglove Manor comes into view. The place has earned its local nickname of the "Misgiving" well, for it almost appears to loathe its perch high above the ocean, as if the entire house were poised for a suicide leap.
The roof sags in many places, and mold and mildew cake the crumbling walls. Vines of diseased-looking gray wisteria strangle the structure in several places, hanging down over the diseased-looking gray wisteria strangle the structure in several places, hanging down over the precipitous cliff edge, almost like tangled braids of hair. The house is crooked, its gables angling sharply and breached in at least three places, hastily repaired by planks of sodden wood. Chimneys rise from various points among the rooftops, leaning old men in a storm, and grinning gargoyle faces leer from under the eaves. That the manor clings to the cliff is remarkable as the whole far side nothing more than a sheer drop down to the ocean below, a fall of over three hundred feet.
Out front, the foundation stones of a long-burnt outbuilding stand sentinel astride the weed-choked approach; a low stone well squats morosely amid these ruins.
"This is the veritable image of every haunted house tale I've ever heard. All that's missing is a dark and stormy night."
"Not surprising that he was travelling, the 'lord of the manor'," Lym says in a grim tone of voice. "If I owned such a place, I would also go travelling -- while it was being torn down and the priests were consecrating the earth."
Lucian and fang would play vanguard and check the area for any unwanted surprises.
Perception:
Praxim begins scanning for evil the moment this house comes into view.
"Much is starting to make sense," he says, muttering.
You're approaching from the west.
Seems like 2 entrances. Lucian will Check booth for traps
While the others examine the house, Praxim has a look over the ruins out in front of the house, detecting evil all the while.
It's impossible to tell how many floors the outbuilding once had, for all that remain are the crumbling stones of its foundation. The stones still bear scorches and cracks from the fire that destroyed the building long ago.
A handful of sickly-looking ravens perched on the foundation stones of the outbuilding. They fly away clumsily as you approach.
Lucian would indicate that there are no traps to be found, but then one never knows.
Praxim heads back to the others. "There's a well back there, with a passage down at the bottom. I can't tell if it leads into the house...some sort of secret entrance or emergency exit, but if there are any enemies in this house, it might now be a way they'll be expecting us to come."
"Down there surely not, can't we try one of the main entrances. After all you said you'd been on a hunt with this lord of the manor. Can't we just go up to his door as friends. Although we are 'friends' on a mission." says Rhianni aghast at the idea of climbing down to the tunnel.
Lucian thinks a bit and says. I would also strongly advice taking this hidden entrance. One sometimes forgets to saveguard a backdoor and having major protection on the front door. I have a rope we can use."
"This is the home of someone who, at last account, was an ally. We should give him the respect of going up to the door and requesting admittance rather than breaking in as a sneak thief. Besides, we can't be sure that the tunnel does lead to the house."
"It is true that we don't know if this Lord Foxglove is behind any of this, or just that his crest ended up in the hands of a ghoul. However, the presentation of his home doesn't really lend him much credibility at this point, and our mysterious note-leaver did say that he would make the place Lym's throne, suggesting the note-leaver is someone with the authority to decide what happens with this house, thereby implying that that person is Lord Foxglove himself."
Lucian looks at Tomaru then at Praxim, then after a sigh finally nods:"Although I think we are at the right place we should behave and honor house and ground! I will knock at the door and ask to speak someone."
"Wait," Lym says, holding out an arm to hold back Lucian. She then raises her voice and shouts: "Lord Foxglove! Lym the Black-Handed has come to see you! May I be given welcome and entry here?"
Lucian nods in respect and readys his weapons. He then goes slowly to Tomaru and says:"Sorry to ask, and as you didn´t do last time, could I maybe have some spell of protection cast over me? I will try to be your first line of defense, so a bit extra would be also in your interest!"
More quietly Tomaru notes "Lym's friend is not the first Lord Foxglove. We are talking about ghoul. Their existence can be eternal."
While waiting for a response, Lym mutters a quick spell: "Lornica magica me vela."
"No Lucian, I think it would be best if Lym and I approached the front door, after all Lym met him before, whereas I know some of us are strangers to him. It would be easier for him to accept us as Lym will be vouching for us all." say Rhianni.
There's no response.
Rhianni carefully moves to the door and tries the handle. She's almost standing on tiptoe and puts a finger vertically over her lips, "Sssh" she says in a whisper. Slowly turning the handle to gain entry.
The door opens without trouble.
"Oh yeah, that's a good omen."
Lucian asks Lym:"This is your thing, what shall I do?"
Rhianni opens the door just enough so that she can peek inside, her head tilted to its side so her eyes can see through the narrow gap. Quietly she whispers to her friends, "I wonder what;s inside." she listens intently.
"I do beg your pardon?" Lym whispers. "My thing? I met him twice, maybe three times when all is said. Just... try to be stealthy but alert, I suppose."
Praxim holds everybody else back, then carefully sticks his head inside and feels for evil auras. If the immediate entryway is clear, he'll motion for Lucian to lead the way. He'll take rear guard where he can cover folks with his bow.
Lucian looks at Lym and says:"You are to be framed. You are molested. I do it your way. Within reason!" Then he slowly walks inside, trying to be as silent as possible.
Stealth:
Perception:
"Thank you," Lym says after a moment of hesitation, her eyes downcast. She follows behind Lucian, her eyes taking on a weird glitter as she mutters the words of a cantrip and scans the hall.
Before venturing much further into the building, Lym takes out two scrolls and pokes them up her sleeves for quick access. After a moment's hesitation, she hands one to Rhianni, too.
"Just in case," she says.
Lucian slowly walks into the room, next to him his loyal friend Fang looking left and right, to the ceiling, into the corners. If there is no threat he winks the others inside and is also prepared for instant attack.
Rhianni takes the scroll offered, "Thanks Lym, whats it do?", she listens to Lym's reply. "Oh to fly, gosh!" she continues to whisper. She follows the others into the entrance hall.
The sounds of the house straining and creaking gives this long, high-ceilinged room an additional sense of age and decay. The place smells damp, the unpleasant tinge of mold lacing the air as surely as it stains the wooden floor, walls, and furniture in pallid patches. A curving flight of stairs to the south winds up to the upper floor, while a pair of large stone fireplaces brood to the north and south. Heavy dark-blue curtains hang over the windows, and the frames above each of the two doors are carved with dancing gargoyles and skeletons.
Trophies hang on the wall to the northeast: a boar, a bear, a firepelt cougar, and a stag, their glassy eyes staring from fur crusted with mold and cobwebs, yet they pale in comparison to the monster on display in the center of the room. Here crouches a twelve-foot-long creature with the body of a lion, a scorpion's tail fitted with dozens of razor barbs, huge bat-like wings, and a deformed humanoid face. The stuffed beast's poorly maintained fur has fallen away in places, allowing the sawdust filling it to sift out into tiny mounds on the platform below.
Lucian looks around uneasy at first, but then he straightens and says: "We should start at the top and go our way down. Be organized. Also, I hear something from way up. Let me check the stairs, go up and then we decide what rooms we search first!"
Perception traps
Rhianni gulps as she sees the stuffed creature in front of her, even as she hears something. "Did you hear that? Someone is crying upstairs. We should go and help them, don't you think?"
"Okay, this place isn't even habitible. I think it's safe to say that if anybody is living here, they aren't really living anymore. The mold would kill you even if there isn't anything else that would."
"That sounds like a plan, Lucian." Tomaru follows Lucian up the stairs.
Perception:
Rhianni follows, "Yeah, lets get out that hall, that stuffed manicore gives me the creeps staring at us. I mean I know its stuffed full of sawdust, but still!" nervously she keeps peering over her shoulder as she ascends the stairs.
"I hope we are not dealing with a true necromancer," Lym says as she eyes the stuffed monstrosity. "I would hate to have to fight that thing as well as a bunch of ghouls. Maybe we should chop its legs in passing...? But no, let us see about this person you heard. If they're alive in this mare's nest, they probably need help. And lots of it."
The stairs lead up to a hallway.
Praxim continues to sense for evil, moving slowly as he does. He lets his senses penetrate walls and floors as well. He's in the rear, with an arrow on his bowstring, trying to cover every direction at once.
"Maybe we should start making sure the rooms don't hold any surprises for us." Tomaaru grips his starknife tight.
Lym starts scanning for magic - and slips the scroll of Spontaneous Immolation out of her sleeve.
Lucian nods approvingly and takes out one of his traps to safeguard one side of the corridor. He points to the right corridor and says:"Just one door. Easy to check first! And Lym,Tomaru and Rhianni, maybe let us friends of might try to solve a problem the blunt way. If you feel we need a extra bit of help feel free to do so, but a lonely goblin or rat should be no challenge!"