As the small wolf's paws land on the keys the piano bursts into a strident tune...a popular Varisian dance tune from two or three years ago.
To everyones amazement Aliwolf is suddenly swept into a series of rapidly increasing pirouettes, and leaps across the room in the arms of an invisible dance partner.
Ali only
Naria swings round at the sudden music to see the bizzare site of a Gnome in the form of a Wolf doing traditional Varisian dance without a dance partner. "Thats something you dont see every day." Is the only comment she can initally think of coming away with.
Muchorak also clearly stunned at the sight of the wolf dancing and merely stares in disbelief. "What kind of spirits are trapped in this place?" Is all the Shoanti can mutter...
Romon hurries back to the party and stares in disbelief at the waltzing wolf. "Has she gone nuts?"
Will Save1:
Yelping in surprise Aliwolf remains fascinated for a moment, her eyes seeming to gaze in shock at something. Then she grows and, her paws scrabling against the air in panic, she shakes her head and drops to the floor, the macabe dance suddenly ending.
Remaining on all fours for a moment, her tongue hanging out of her mouth the Wild Druid suddenly flows to Gnome form and instantly bursts out in a steam of excited and confused words "Was woman! And Music! Ali was dancing with pretty woman who then became very unpretty and very dead dead! Ali no know what happen! But she think someone make pretty woman dead dead with their hands on her neck! Icky? Healy Man? Big Bear, you know and tell Ali what was yes yes??" as her big round eyes earnestly look back and forth to her friends and pack mates to help her make sense of the strange event.
"It must have been a ghost, the spirit of a person who died. Her spirit has stayed here instead of going on. She must have been trying to tell you something."
Ali
Will Save1:1d20+3
Yelping in surprise Aliwolf remains fascinated for a moment, her eyes seeming to gaze in shock at something. Then she grows and, her paws scrabling against the air in panic, she shakes her head and drops to the floor, the macabe dance suddenly ending.
Remaining on all fours for a moment, her tongue hanging out of her mouth the Wild Druid suddenly flows to Gnome form and instantly bursts out in a steam of excited and confused words "Was woman! And Music! Ali was dancing with pretty woman who then became very unpretty and very dead dead! Ali no know what happen! But she think someone make pretty woman dead dead with their hands on her neck! Icky? Healy Man? Big Bear, you know and tell Ali what was yes yes??" as her big round eyes earnestly look back and forth to her friends and pack mates to help her make sense of the strange event.
Muchorak looks at Wolfspirit his face struck with a look of confusion. He slowly reaches down feeling her head as if he is expected for the spirit to be now tainted. Assured Wolfspirit is fine the Shoanti looses some composure and wraps her up in a hug. Quickly catching himself he sets her back down, "I cannot explain what just happened Wolfspirit. These spirits are strange to me." Not looking at the others, embarrassed of his emotional display, the warrior returns to the hallway, "Shall we move on?"
"Oh uh yes. Lets" Naria replies seemingly unerved by the whole situation.
Romon shakes his head and glides down the corridor toward the next door.
He's already moving east down the hall. He stops to check the door on the north wall of the corridor.
Listen, perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Find traps, Perception 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16
If needed disable device 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
You listen at the door and hear a faint scrabbling sound.The door isn't trapped as far as you can tell.
Romon pulls back and whispers, "Something on the far side. It's making a scratchy kind of sound. Rats maybe?"
Muchorak reaffirms his grip on his weapons and nods at Romon; signalling his readiness.
Slowly, almost reluctantly, Romon opens the door.
Ali smiles hugely as BigBear wraps her up in a big hug. When he sets her down though she staggers slightly. Putting out her hands for balance she answers the concered looks and questions "No no, Ali think she be good, just...not feeling so strong right now. But she can keep going." as she finishes with a brave smile. Without another word she flows to Wolf form, dropping to all fours and padding along in her accustomed place.
As stated previously all doors into rooms open away from you.
Romon pushes the door open, again the warped and twisted wood groaning in protest .He finds himself looking into a simple washroom.
An ancient metal washtub stands to the west, a ring of mildew crusting its inner surface. A strange, furtive scratching comes from inside the tub.
When Inikai sees that this is a washroom he mutters "If touching the piano makes one dance, I don't want to see what touching something here does."
At the sound of the scratching he takes a piece of cloth from his haversack and lets it go as if about to drop it to the floor. Curiously it remains in place for a moment before moving towards the bathtub, as if floating in a stream. It then hovers just above the tub, just inside the lip of the tub. If nothing reacts he causes it to bob up and down like a flag blowing in the wind.
Theres a rough and enraged sounding squeak and the scrabbling sounds redoubles in it's speed.Then a rat..a filthy diseased huge rat leaps up and grabs the cloth tearing at it.
The creature is obviously blind it's eyes swollen shut with whatever disease it harbours its fur is only existant inpatches and buboes and tumors mar its skin.
Looking at the sad creature Muchorak finds himself in a lock, on one hand he simply wants to close the door and move on, and in another could slaying this rat end it's misery? With no answer forthcoming into his mind he looks at Wolfspirit with an expression of doubt...
My that doors getting crowded..you are in a 5' wide corridor just now and noone has said they are entering the room.So by my reckoning 4 off you are occupying the one square that gives a LOS into it.
Map coming later today
"Shut the door! Leave it in there!"
Scenting the stink of disease her animal instincts cause her to back away from the creature but when BigBear looks his question to her she understands and her Drudic heart goes out to the creature. Flowing to Gnome form she says "It life no more good. Dead dead it better be." with a sad look on her face.
Nodding at Wolfspirit and his expression grim the Shoanti steps upto the creature and brings both blades to end it's life...
Muchorak cuts the rat into three uneven parts.
A quick look round the room reveals nothing of interest.
Completeing the grim task Muchorak returns to the hallway and the final door within...
Romon shakes himself, an exaggerated shiver, and walks to the last door.
He goes through his usual routine there. Listening carefully, probing the door's edges.
Listen, perception
Find traps, Perception
If needed disable device
Whispering a small prayer to the tiny departed four legs, Ali sniffs once to herself and flows back to wolf form, following her leader as always. Much less moved by the event, Lunas pads alongside his den-sister.
Romon gives the door the all clear and shoulders it open.This seems to have been a Parlour or Drawing Room and must have been quite cosy once.
Now it is marred by the unnatural dampness and the thick sheets of mold that cling to the curtains closed over the southern window
Naria will enter and have a look over the room
Naria steps into the room and frowns. She looks around the mouldering furnishings and then turns her attention to the mold trying to determine if it is one of the inimical types known to infest deserted areas.
Then there is another sound ... music? That is ... unexpected. Possibly there are others in this building than me and the screamer and the Presence - I have felt it, ever since I was brought into this structure. I close my eyes ... there is no new presence of evil here. That means there may be others come to this structure!
"'Ello!" I shout my loudest. "I am up 'ere! A prisoner! In ze name of Shelyn, 'elp me!"
Will they hear me?
I twist desperately in the tight bonds, re-opening the wounds bitten on my body by the foul ghouls, wounds I have not dared try to heal in case they return. I grit my teeth against the pain and manage to slam one booted foot repeatedly against the foot-board of the mouldy cot. If rescuers do not hear the sound, then perhaps the boars will break, giving me more leeway to move.
Strength:
"Burning this place would improve its worth tenfold, " Romon mutters as he steps into the room behind Naria. Sword drawn he advances on the curtains and draws them aside.
Muchorak nods at Romons observation, "Indeed and the point sinks more and more into the mind." the big man pauses, "I believe the view from these cliffs would also be greatly improved if the scar that is this home were no longer there."
Ali's ears prick up at something as do Lunas'
Inikai is disgusted by the mold covering the walls. He wishes that he had reacted with the power to move objects from a distance before Romon drew so close to the moldy curtains. The encounter with the manticore has shaken him, though, and he is not as sharp as he should be.
Romon sweeps away the moldering curtain and stares at the window for a second
Romon
Romon reaches out. "Hello ..." He's frowning as he turns back to the party.
Muchorak just looks at Romon, frowns, "Shall we move on?"
"Yeah nothing really to see here"
Her sensitive ears pricking up at an unexpected sound Aliwolf listens for a moment and then swiftly flows to Gnome form speaking excitedly as soon as she has the vocal cords to do so she blurts out "Ali hear something! Sound like woman! She say she upstairs and need help! We go help her quick quick now, yes yes?" as she looks to BigBear and the others.
Her sensitive ears pricking up at an unexpected sound Aliwolf listens for a moment and then swiftly flows to Gnome form speaking excitedly as soon as she has the vocal cords to do so she blurts out "Ali hear something! Sound like woman! She say she upstairs and need help! We go help her quick quick now, yes yes?" as she looks to BigBear and the others.
"Are you sure it's not this place playing with your mind like it did earlier?" Naria asks seeming somewhat sceptical of the situation.
Strength:
"Can you not 'ere me? I am in ze attic!"
"I am going to shastize you, Skinsaw Man ..." I mutter grimly.
"My mind did not give me these burns, Naria. But I agree that it could be this place luring us to a trap."
Looking with some uncertainly at the small sorceresss Ali cocks her head, seems to consult with Lunas for a moment and says "Well Ali no know if what she hear be real or no, but Lunas hear it too. And now woman say she in something called "Ze Attic".