Warned about tugging the bellpull attached to the monkey's skull, Robin cannot help himself. Using an arcane spell to actually effect the tug, no one is really surprised when the monkey mouth opens and emits a shrill simian screech for about 15 seconds. After the simian shriek ends, you hear an answering moan from upstairs once again that chills your flesh. The long, keening moan ends again after a few more seconds.
The item does detect as magical and is identified as a hungry decapitant. And you have seen what it does....
The rug covers most of the mold stain, so its hard to tell what has happened or much about the toxicity of the mold without moving the rug first.
"No, don't!" Marcellano hisses in panic--but too late. Covering his face, he lets out a low moan when he hears the noise from upstairs. "Now you've done it. Why is it you halflings always have to play around with things?! That bell-pull was enchanted with an alarm spell, so whatever created it is most certainly aware of our presence now...not to mention anything else within earshot."
He glances at the ceiling warily. "Do you still think we finish exploring this floor first?" he asks the others.
Qetsiyah shakes her head as the shrill sound fades, making sure her hearing is not now impaired. She gives Marcellano a half-smile and shrugs as if to say, 'Halflings... what can ya do?' and then proceeds east to check out the rest of the room.
As Marcellano scolds Robin, Kizzy just shrugs and keeps exploring. The moaning from upstairs stops again, with no apparent result to the party. Kizzy continues on, the strange moldy stain forgotten in the hubhub of the decapitant, into the dining room of the old manor house.
A mahogany table surrounded by chairs sits in this room. Twin fireplaces loom to the west, while to the east, stained-glass windows obscure what could've been a breath-taking view of the Lost Coast. Each window depicts a monster rising out of smoke pouring from a seven-sided box. From north to south are depicted a gnarled tree with an enraged face, an immense hook-beaked bird with sky-blue and gold plummage, a winged centaur-like creature with a lion's lower body, and a snarling woman's upper torso, and a deep blue squidlike creature with evil red eyes.
In addition to the table, chairs, and stained glass, doors leave this room to the north and to the south. Both are currently closed.
Marcellano looks like there's more he'd like to say to Robin, but then he just sighs and nods in acquiescence. Following Kizzy into the dining room, he raises his eyebrows and crosses immediately to the large, stained glass windows on the east side.
"Now this is strange," he comments as he examines them closely. "These windows must look out on the Lost Coast--if we could see through them, they'd be providing a spectacular view. In fact, given the room's placement, it'd be the most stunning room in the house. Which makes the choice to use stained glass...odd." He frowns thoughtfully as he continues to pore over them.
The cleric stands in the middle of the room, light shining from her shield as she casts and maintains concentration on a Detect Magic spell.
The windows are stained glass, so there is no way to open them, or to let more light in here. Also, there is no magic detected in this room.
Marcellano stares at the stained glass windows for another few seconds, then shakes his head and looks away. "There's something about those symbols, but I just can't...bah. Nevermind." He casts his eyes over the rest of the room. "Nothing else of note in here...shall we continue to the south? We may as well ensure that nothing will creep out of that room to attack us as we explore to the north."
I agree. Let us fully explore this level of the house before moving upstairs.
Kizzy's brow wrinkles as she ponders the strangeness of the room.
"Looks like someone has a monster fetish. Do you think that weird box is a real thing? Here's hoping it's not here if it is..."
She moves to the southern door at Marcellano's suggestion and waits for Robin's nod before opening it.
Cadas studies the room from the entry using her normally keen senses and her ability to detect magic before entering.
It looks like something disturbed the person reading that book and they quickly fled this room.
Robin strolls toward the book. "That's silly. Who's afraid of a little book?" The curious halfling picks up the tome and begins reading.
Qetsiyah raises an eyebrow at the jester. "Might also have had something to do with a certain screaming meanie going off nearby." She stays close to her halfling friend, growing ever more certain that he was soon to follow his nose to trouble.
Marcellano also pauses in the entrance to the room, scanning it carefully after muttering the cantrip to detect magic. "Be careful, Robin," he warns. "Haven't you learned not to go prodding into things by now?"
Nonetheless, if he sees nothing magical he cautiously crosses to Robin's side to see what the book is.
Unsure what to do Cadas moves to Robin and tries to help remove the scarf.
Kizzy's eyes go wide with shock as she watches the lovely scarf she had been admiring only a moment ago wrench itself around Robin's throat. She tightens her grip on her falchion for a moment before realizing she can't attack this threat without risking hurting Robin. She drops the sword and joins Cadas in trying to help the strangled halfling.
But she can't seem to do anything without risking pulling it tighter. Fearful for their danger-prone friend, she looks to the wizard an edge of panic in her voice. "Marcell, what can we do?"
"Hold on, Robin! We're right here with you."
"Robin!" Marcellano cries. He draws his dagger and hastens over. "Get the scarf off of him and spread it out so I can examine it. If it's merely enchanted, destroying the scarf is simple enough!" He wracks his brain for any idea as to what might be powering the scarf's malevolence.
Cadas, unsure of what else to do, tugs at the scarf.
Recognizing the manifesting haunt for what is is Cadas pours positive energy into it.
Some great wrong must have happened here to create this haunt. the cleric warns. If we can somehow calm the spirit then it can be put to rest.
Marcellano sighs as Cadas channels her energy into the haunt and puts it to rest. "Well done, there...do you suppose that taking the scarf might call the spirit? No, that would probably just anger it, I suppose." He grimaces, and squats to examine the book on the floor. "A history of Varisia...quite detailed. Putting this together with the blood on that chair and the bookend, there, I dare say this was the site of a rather gruesome murder." He straightens and picks up the bookend in the fireplace. "This may well have been the weapon used. Perhaps if we destroy is...?"
I do what I can Robin. But if there are too many haunts in this place I cannot stop them all. She casts Detect Magic in her efforts to understand the room better. The scarf looks valuable. lets remove it to make sure it is not used to hurt anyone else even if we never sell it
Marcellano contemplates the statue for a few moments, then carefully puts it back where he found it. "If you're confident that taking the scarf won't expose us to any danger, Cadas, I'll leave this here. I agree with Robin--we should investigate the rest of this floor." So saying, he heads over to the next door and prepares to cast his detect magic cantrip once Robin's cleared it and Kizzy's opened it.
I am not sure, only willing to take the risk. Leaving it here for the next person to pass by seems wrong. She will do what she can to make sure the scarf does not jump out and attack the party, including tying it to her pack.
Marcellano frowns, and peers around, his cantrip highlighting any sources of magic in the room.
Narcizia flutters nervously on Marcellano's shoulder. "*Crawk!* Creepy lady! Let's not go there! *Crawk!*"
Marcellano frowns, doing another quick sweep to ensure that there's nothing magical in the room. "Could it be another haunt, perhaps?" he asks Cadas.
Kizzy tried to think if the names rang any bells as she wiped away the beads of cold sweat that popped up on her brow. She really hadn't been prepared for ghosts and the like.
"Is there anyway to talk with such a creature? If not, should we head upstairs then?"
"I don't know about talking to it..." Marcellano says slowly. "It may depend on exactly what it is." He keeps his crossbow at the ready as his eyes sweep the room.
"I, for one, would be happy to head upstairs instead."
"Lorey..." Marcellano says with a frown. "That was the name of Voral Foxglove's daughter. Voral was the last known occupant of this place--died about thirty years ago, now. If there's someone saying Lorey's name...is it her? Or someone else?"