As she peers at it the dead creature slams its small hands against the glass of its jar. Causing it to rock as it moves its jaw wordlessly...
It continues to writh against the glass jar, looking at everything that was moving in the room. If only one person was there it slowly claws at the glass and stares at them and them alone...
(O_o)
"GAH!" Sunset backs away from the thing in the jar.
"It's alive!" She shouts, her sword now between the awakened monster and herself.
"More of a shame for it that it's stuck in there, then," Eloise says, as she puts a bracing hand on Sunset's shoulder.
"Now: Lumen! Let's have some light to see by."
Three orbs of light spin themselves out of thin air over Eloise's head, illuminating the chamber.
"And what," the Magus says as her magic light shows her something of interest, "have we here?"
Eloise pries open a false sliding wall and reveals a spiral staircase, which appears to lead up to the second floor.
"Secret doors," she says, shaking her head. "So theatrical. Everyone ready?"
Things of the Air
The secret stairway from the area below ends in this room. This room seemed to be orientated around creatures of the air as the first thing the group saw was three dissected, preserved harpies sit in huge bell jars in this room, along side them were jars containing four stuffed bats, the skeletal front legs and head of a griffon, and the preserved wing of a roc which is slowly losing its feathers. A ladder leads up to a trapdoor in the ceiling.
Aside from the creatures of air there was a humanoid corpse in the corner, appearing to have jammed themselves in their. A quick look over is all that's needed to tell they died of their injuries. Which appeared quite grevious from the appearance of their tattered clothing.
Attic Storeroom
This large room is crammed with covered objects, all of which are covered loosely by a fine white cloth. Which all appeared quite errie and foreboding as the light outside waned far quicker then expected. Due to the placement of this strange manor, precariously perched above the roaring falls as it was. The sun seemed to set behind the falls and thus cast the entire manor into shadow within minutes of the beginning of sunset.
This large room was only dominated by covered objects in one tight corner, there were two tables at its center crammed with crates and boxes. Cases containing curios like animal bones, stuffed birds, and more mundane preserved creatures were scattered and stacked high on the tables as well.
As the party made their entrance, a draft ruffled the loose sheets now that the door in was open. Making one corner of the room appear as if it were moving and obscuring the area in white sheets...
Adelram will remove the billowing sheets to make sure their movement is only an affect of the environment.
Sunset holds her sword ready though her eyes look towards the ceiling as well as the shifting, gauzy shapes of the linen.
Eloise holds an arm out to stop Adelram.
"Let them settle," is all she says, dark eyes staring at the room.
The sudden draft lessens after a couple minutes but the sheets continue to flutter slightly at the front while the ones further back seem to stop moving.
Sunset doesn't notice anything else moving about, or anything strange...
Eloise notes that nothing shows as being magical...
I'll still remove the covers.
Adelram starts removing the covers and after several minutes everything is revealed. More chest and crates, esiles and a mixture of finished plus unfinished works of art lay beneath the white sheets. The last one was heavier than the others, the sheet far thicker around the edges and when Adelram pulls it off. It rattles like metal. Though beneath it lies what could only be a golem of sorts. Though it was chained and left in place, hovering, with a massive red ruby gem in the center of six plates engraved with runic writing and surrounding the massive ruby. The plates are held in place by what looks like well cultivated plants which intertwine like a bush or perhaps several tree saplings. These curve down into a forward reaching tail and none of which touches the metal pedestal its chained too.
As soon as the final sheet comes off, Eloise's detect magic goes ballistic and then simply ends. Like an alarm in her head she knows instantly this thing is magical and is only able to call out a warning just as the ruby flares to life. Glowing ominously as the golem like object's ruby eye moves about furiously. Settling on Adelram first of all...
Adelram still has sheet in hand. will update the map but each of you are in the room with line of sight. The Hound is still downstairs.
Sunset looks at the construct which seems to now be glaring at them for but a moment before reaching down and taking hold of an edge of the sheet Adelram still holds.
OR
Trying to drape the cover back over the floating monstrosity
The sheet falls back into place and for several moments the construct strains against its bonds. After a full minute of rattling chains and noises like tongue clicks, it stops. Going completely still and silent again.
Everyone who wielded magic felt their powers returning, their magical items flare to life anew and Eloise's jacket bursts to life.
You are given a few moments of warning that the hound was on the move to you. You could easily stop it with a word.
The rest of the room was nothing more then crates, chests and other objects that could be opened and explored at your own risk.
The room with the creatures of air had a ladder heading upwards as well.
Aside from that it was not night time and the only other path led up a treacherous embankment outside to a building far removed from the ones below it.
The choice is yours...
Sunset breaths a sigh of relief as the bound construct settles.
"Well.. that will be an interesting item to do research on later..." She half jokes. She looks around at the room even as the dusk settles with the fading of the day's light.
"So? Should we find some where to defend and settle in for the evening?" She asks.
Did we find the secret door in the sea room? If so, did we investigate that area yet? Adelram wants to do so if we have not.
In that case, "I suggest the Sea Room. There's only one way in and the secret door could offer us some protection."
Sunset frowns slightly...
"But..... there's something in there.... "
"And it seems inert unless we remove the covering. Let's rest and not be too curious."
Indeed, since the covering was placed back over it the strange golem had indeed stopped moving entirely. Though as Sunset and Adelram realize the covering had some sort of metal laced in it, a metal that was able to block detect magic. As Eloise had been actively searching for Aura's moments before.
The Sea Room's inhabitant clawed quietly at the glass when the group returned, the Hound looked at Eloise and, if it received no orders, sat down in place, staring at the wall. Aside from the only inhabitant within the room the entire area was quite dead.
At the suggestion of staying there Sour Heck added questioningly. "Why not return to where the bedrooms are? You know, warm beds, a fire, lockable doors." He then remembers something and nods. "And a rickety death bridge... never mind. Though Dibs on not sleeping next to dead monkey face."
"Yes, rickety bridge death. I suggested this room due to its size and defensibly. That thing over there."[b] He points to the covering. [b]" is a negative, but at least we seem to be able to minimize the danger. There are other rooms in this... museum if they make you feel better."
"I can always ask Fido to lie down next to the thing, keep it pinned down or obliterate it if it tries anything squirrelly," Eloise suggests.
Unthinkingly, she reaches up to scratch the hound golem behind one of his ears.
"Who's a good dog? Fido is! Yes, Fido is!"
Sunset nods at people's decision and sets about making the room some what more 'livable' for a nights rest.
The Hound looks to Eloise, seeming to be searching for orders before returning to gazing emptily into space. Eloise recognized the golem under the strange cover as a Woldwyrd, a druidic type golem known for attack magic casters and being able to nullify magical abilities, items and surpress all magic near it. They are often called Mage-banes and are difficult to destroye unless brute force is used. In combat they are more powerful with a ranged attack, firing a flaming blast from the ruby 'eye' which covers a great distance.
They are often used to guard sacred sites but are very uncommon. Though when not actively protecting something or threatened they go into a dormant state. Often being overgrown by surrounding plants to the point they are easily missed and allows them to ambush spellcasters by literally jumping out of the woodwork, so to speak.
The Hound feels warm to the touch now for some reason, like very warm. Though it still appears to be nothing more than a Golem.
It's symbol still appears engraved, in a way only you can see, on the tunic as well. Whatever is happening is unknown.
The night passes uneventfully. Though the creaks and moans of the building, coupled with the roaring waters of the falls, has a mixed affect on those sleeping in the somewhat well sealed attic. Dim sunrays greet most of the sleepers and not surprisingly the Hound is laying post near the door into the attic.
Though when the first of you rise, so does the Hound, standing at attention again but staring off into space silently. The golem under the sheet appears to not have moved an inch since last you checked it. Seeming to still be in standby or some sort of dormant mode.
Sunset yawns, stretches and rises to greet the new day. First going through 'warm up' patterns and katas with her sword before going through her gear and offering what meager provisions she has on hand for every one to break their fast with. (^_^)
Once freshened up, dressed and kitted up she looks to every one else.
"Well... shall we follow the doors to where ever they lead?" She suggests with a smile.
"Let me study my spellbook first. We need to be ready for the most likely. And Sunset? I would like you to study a spell from my book: Coin shot."
Sunset nods and smiles as she sits besides Eloise and the pair study magic together.
"The first order of business," Adelram starts once everyone is awake and ready, "is to decide whether or not to investigate the thing under the covers. All of us use magic, so its ability to cancel magic will make could prove troublesome."
Eloise shares with the others what she knows of the odd golem.
"I doubt it'll bother us if we leave it where it is."
Sunset nods, "Perhaps when we find the Lord of this Manse? He can give us more information about it and such? If it's not going any where and we're not really able to use it...?" Sunset shrugs.
Despite the movement, talking and noise associated with being up and about. The cover never shifts, not a single noise is heard within. Eloise information explains the now dormant state, without some sort of stimuli it seems it won't move.
"With that settled, all that remains is to get to it. There's that path outside." Adelram goes out and starts up the path.
The path to the building above is an exposed, winding, narrow pathway that climbs the bare rock face to the large stone structure 50 feet above. The path had no guide ropes or anything else to grip. The shattered posts along the path the only indicator that such had once existed. Though no the posts were useless, easily splintering under any sort of pressure
The Hound follows Eloise to the last doorway and then sits, going into a somewhat dormant mode as it received no orders.
Sour Heck and Iesha looked nervous both remarking they weren't the most 'dexterous' of people to begin with. However, Sour Heck adds. "I can sing a dirge... err.. a song to uplift our spirits. Maybe that would help. Possibly."
"Let's combine any rope we have and tie ourselves off to help keep from falling." Adelram cautiously inches his way up the causeway.
Sunset nods and adds some 50' of silk rope to aid the in the party's endeavors.
"I hate climbing," Eloise sighs. "Haven't got any rope.... Well enough. Up we go!"
Despite her complaints, the Magus starts a brisk ascent.
The Hound stays behind remaining dormant, unless called, Iesha and Sour heck show some reluctance but luckily everyone makes it to the area above without any major issues.
The narrow pathway gives ends at a small stairway that descends 10 feet to a recessed iron door. The door is rusted shut and blocked by something on the otherside of the door. The door appears to be wet from condensation and cool to the touch as well.
The pathwayyou stand on is narrow and due to the groups size, it would require someone to head back down if the Hound were to be summoned. Unless of course they laid prone with it standing over them again...
Upon seeing the difficulty with opening the door, Sour Heck begins to sing inspiring
Now standing besides this massive stone building, its much easier to see the four towers that spiral upward from it, though while climbing up the group noticed a rail-less stone bridge spanning the gap to another tower. This tower stood apart from all the others, seeming to be made of a darker stone as well compare to the rest of the strange sprawling mansion.
Adelram produces a crowbar and tries to open the stuck door. He uses his Ectoplasmic Lashes to take it and shove it into the door. Then they slowly try to pry it open.
w/crowbar, bardsong
Sunset stands with her back to the cliff and looks out admiring the view for a moment as every one gets ready for the door to open. She holds her sword easily and ready.
"Yeah, that doesn't look ominous at all," Eloise scoffs, looking at the separate tower.
The Magus casts a quick cantrip and hands Sunset three of her platinum coins.
"In case you need to cast Coin shot once we're in there," she explains.
Sunset arches an eyebrow to indicate her curiosity.
"I have coin available for such a spell..." She replies then looks at the coins "Perhaps we should save such amounts for later?" She does offer the platinum back... but will keep and use said items if Eloise definitely thinks it's the better idea.
Sunset looks towards the doorway...
Aside from scaling the stone walls, or scaling the cliff edge, which both appear slick with condensation. There was little else that could be done other then pry open the obviously jammed door that Adelram was straining to pull on.
However he wasn't able to budge the door, not even an inch.
Sour Heck starts singing an inspiring dirge, inspiring Adelram and the others in their attempts.
(+2 to your checks)
This time when Adelram attempts to pry the door Sour Heck pitches in, his dirge inspiration lingering for several long moments afterwards.
Iesha also offers to help...
With the aid of his friends, Adelram tries to open the door again.
with crowbar, bardsong, Aid Another
Adelram, with several others assisting, pry on the door with all his might, the door groans and water starts to leak from around its edges. Adelram realizes with a shock that the door was moving easier now but for every iota its opened, more water gushes out and its not long before the entire ledge you all are standing on has turned into a small but rising creek as the water washes down the pathway to create a new waterfall...
Any attempts to stop the door from opening fail as the shear amount of water pressure presses it the rest of the way open until it flys open. Releasing a sudden deluge as water rushes out of the flooded towetr. Threatening to sweep the group away into the dark frothy waters far, far below...
"Everyone dig in!"
with bardsong.
With a deep breath, Sunset deftly adjusts the grip on her sword and drops flat against the ledge. Laying flat, minimizing her 'shape' so as the allow the power of the water to push her against the path of the ledge.
Lym grunts and strains to make way against the rush of the water!