The party scrambles up the rope and onto the balcony of the plantation. Catching your breath you look out over the lawn to see the three initial dogs passed out and the one very large dog dead.
The balcony is a beautiful, sun bleached wood decking at least five feet deep and long enough to host several small tables and chairs for evening tea. Two lovely glass doors are centered on the wall. One leans slightly open. There are windows on either side but all the glass is crusted over. There are no sounds other than the singing of birds and an occasional monkey howl.
A glance behind you shows a very odd sight. The huge fiendish dog appears to be fading! List a morning mist, the visage seems wispy and dissipating. As you gawk, the monster is gone. In its place is very normal sized, battered, bruised, and stabbed dog.
Luenevyn clambers over the balcony railing and lets out a shuddering breath. "Sweet Charmalaine, that was close!" He notices the mangy dog now lying where the huge dog fell. "Was that what we were fighting? I would swear it was ten times that big! Where'd the big one go?"
He scans the yard and notices the sleeping dogs. "So who wants to go back down and make sure the other ones don't turn into some hell-spawned demon-dogs? I volunteer NOT to." Luenevyn slumps to the ground, back against the railing, and runs his hands through sweat-soaked hair. "I need a drink. Anybody have some hooch on them?"
Prat slumps agains the side of the building looking off across the horizon at nothing in particular. Trying to control his fearfull panting he takes deep breaths and mutters, "Where did that flash come from? What witchery did that beast have?" He clasps his arms around his pulled up knees and rocks nervously as he starts to hum a common Elvish night song hoping to calm his frazzled nerves.
"Anyone noticed anything strange when we were attacking that dog?"
Concerning the weird behavior with the giant dog, no one has heard of anything like that before.
In response to the elf's question Summer asks, "Does anyone perhaps have a ranged weapon so that we could shoot them from here? Or perhaps we could just take them to someone who cares for extremely mean stray dogs?" Summer is very mystified about the huge dog seeming so small now and would think that fear had just exaggerated it in her mind if not for the fact that the others noticed it too.
What do you do with the sleeping dogs? Just let them lie? ...sorry, I couldn't resist.
2. A pretty decent sized bedroom. This room was probably used for guests or the children of the house. The wall paper, although faded, is still rather flamboyant. There are no other furnishings.
3. Master bed chamber. This room has a broken window. A large dresser leans against one wall. The top drawer is open and there appears to be a large nest in it. Several owl pellets litter the floor.
4. Master's Retreat. This room has a large red brick fireplace.
5. Servant's Quarters. There are several molded pallets on the floor.
6. Sitting Room. Built in bookshelves line the wall on the left of the stair's landing. Obvious faded squares on the walls indicate where grand pictures once stood. The floor is carpeted but stained badly and smells worse. A brief hallway to the foyer shows more empty picture spots.
7. Foyer.
8. Study. This large room is bare.
9. Feasthall. This huge room holds the remnants of a grand table. Someone chopped it into more manageable pieces.
10. Kitchen. The kitchen has a fireplace with room for grilling a small pig. There is also a huge metal stove and several ransacked cabinets. There is a door to the back of the house. A narrow doorway leads to an empty pantry and another to the crawlspace underneath the stairs.
Luenevyn:
Summer:
Let me know if you do anything that first night or next day I should be aware of.
Lam-ang suggests that the party go through the house. He has a feeling that there is someone or something else inside the house.
Summer walks over to the mold and carefully cuts some of it of and wraps it in a cloth, all the while being careful not to touch it.
Shock seems to have stunned Prat. He is listless and unusually quite, eating only if food is put infront of him and going only where someone he trusts guides him. Other wise he spends the next several hours worried about the darkmagics that are at play here. Several times he spits over his right shoulder in a superstious ritual to ward off Grumpkins.
Summer watches the strange behaviours of Prat, Elaine has never taught her much about superstition. Finally curiosity gets the better of her and she asks "Is there something wrong?"
"Alright. Who's in favor of a little ghost hunting?"
What do you do with the sleeping dogs? Just let them lie? ...sorry, I couldn't resist.
If no one else seems willing to take care of business, Luenevyn will go outside the front doors and club the unconscious dogs. At the first sign of movement, however, he runs back inside, fast! (He also recovers his rope & grapple from the balcony.)
"Alright. Who's in favor of a little ghost hunting?"
"You think there's more here than just the dogs?" Luenevyn sighs and picks up his club again. "OK, I'm in. But I don't know how effective this will be against ghostly spooks."
"Yup. Got any holy symbols? They're said to be effective against the undead."
Summer watches the strange behaviours of Prat, Elaine has never taught her much about superstition. Finally curiosity gets the better of her and she asks "Is there something wrong?"
"There must be something evil here! How else can you explain the mysterious dog and that sudden burst of light it caused."
As time passes and nothing else seems to happen Prat begins to calm down and revert to his normal self. At the mention of ghosts, Prats curiosity gets the better of him and he starts to get excited again, "I've never seen a ghost, do you really think there is one here?"
When Lam-ang starts discussing ghost hunting Summer says, "Might I remind you that we were payed to kill the dogs and that is all. However it does pay to do a job thouroughlly." She then turns to Prat and says "The burst of light did not hurt any of us in fact it seemed to hurt the dog somewhat. That would indicate that there may be a force that is trying to help us. Perhaps Tolin sent along a little more help then we know about."
When Lam-ang starts discussing ghost hunting Summer says, "Might I remind you that we were payed to kill the dogs and that is all. However it does pay to do a job thouroughlly." She then turns to Prat and says "The burst of light did not hurt any of us in fact it seemed to hurt the dog somewhat. That would indicate that there may be a force that is trying to help us. Perhaps Tolin sent along a little more help then we know about."
Prat thinks about what Summer has to say and cautiously agrees, "Sure that sounds possible, but I still don't like witchcraft." Once again he makes a sign to ward off evil.
"That huge dog sure scared the wits out of me. Prat you were amazing."
"The only thing I remember about ghosts is that their remains are usually hidden somewhere near where they haunt. Maybe we can look around for clues. Journals and the like."
Everyone:
DM & Luenevyn:
1d20+4=21
Summer is beginning to think that it is time to be moving on. "If we are going to explore the house then we should get started. I suggest we get started with this room first." she says pointing ahead to the gathering room.
"Ok. Let's go."
Luenevyn gets to his feet with a sigh. "Lead on, then."
Summer will take the place behind Lam-ang.
"Someone start out a light. I need to have my hands free just in case we encounter something nasty."
The house is dark and dank. Exposure to the humid air has caused everything take on a faded, sagging look. Anything that wasn't too big to fit through the doors has been taken. The few remaining pieces of furniture are in bad shape.
As you carefully inspect the top and then bottom floors you notice the house is still rather sturdy. With some dedicated effort it could return to its former glory. Although not very large, the manor is very functional.
After a few tense moments with creaking boards and random rats, the house is declared clear.
As Luenevyn hefts his club to finish the dog problem, most of the rest of the party heads out to arrange a less thump-laden solution. pieces of rope and strips from the meat sack make perfect muzzles, collars, and leashes. By the time the dogs begin to stir they are secured.
As the sun sets behind the trees and a wild gloom settles in, a quick reconnaissance of the yard yields nothing of note. There is a spider laden wood pile out next to a tool shed and fence gate leading to overgrown cotton fields.
Although none of you sleep comfortably, the night finally passes. The next day drags on and on and on. Eventually you find yourself trying to keep busy by engaging in idle chatter. Lam-ang, Lance, and Prat practice mock swordplay while Luenevyn watches from the porch. Summer mills about in the what used to be the garden. Evening comes and then night with any sign of your relief.
The second night in the old house is broken by the arrival of a huge owl in the upstairs master bedroom. It flaps and squawks and eventually leaves.
Morning and another day of trying to stay active. Just when the debate of whether you should stay or not starts getting heated, whistling can be heard from down the driveway. A lot of whistling.
Soon the dwarf companion of Tolin appears with a halfling and a small herd of gnomes! Several miniature donkeys with overflowing carts bring up the rear of this comical little caravan. The dwarf, Kaskus steps forward with a rather bright-eyes, older gnome.
The tethered dogs start raising a ruckus and the gnomes scatter. Once it is apparent there is no threat everyone settles down.
With a grumpy sigh Kaskus says "Well I see you managed to contain the situation here." He looks around and then to the gnome. "This is Urol Rorol, the new owner." The weathered old gnomes bows and then moves toward the house.
"Looks like you've made an impression with the boss." Kaskus says. The halfling steps forward
"I am Kora Whistlegap," the wizened old lady says with a bit of whistle. She eyes you for a moment and then hands Lance a satchel. Inside is a pouch full of gold coins and a letter. "I am to await your response and then hurry home...I'm waiting."
"Now get these dogs out of here and be off with you!" Kaskus says.
Gnomes begin to scurry all over the lawn. Some seem to be inspecting the grounds or building while others begin unpacking the donkeys and carts. You're not sure but there seems to be a lot more gnomes than you first thought.
Luenevyn tries to peer into the satchel. "How much gold you got there, Lance? Shall we divvy it up? Five ways even."
"Wouldn't mind to have some gold."
Seeing that the satchel is full of gold Summer says "Even split sounds like a good idea. We may also be able to earn ourselves some more if we go to this Lady's home." Summer turns to Kora Whistlegap and says "Tell her that I at least will come."
"Hobnobbing with the hoi palloi? Sounds like fun. You can tell the Lady that Master Luenevyn will be pleased to come as well."
Luenevyn addresses the group. "Should we all meet up tomorrow before the dinner party? I know I have some shopping to do."
"Even split sounds fair to me. I'll take the dogs down to the trainers at the docks and see what can be done with them. Anyone want to give me a hand?"
DM:
When I make it to the docks I approach a animal trainer and see if they would like to purchase our animals. If they don't want them I will see how much it is to get them trained.
Players:
Prat:
"I say we take the job. I am really beginning to like you guys. Plus a party would be fun. It is also very interesting how important people suddenly need us."
"Wouldn't mind the work. See you then tomorrow before the party."
"Even split sounds fair to me. I'll take the dogs down to the trainers at the docks and see what can be done with them. Anyone want to give me a hand?"
DM:
** spoiler omitted **Players:
** spoiler omitted **Prat:
** spoiler omitted **"I say we take the job. I am really beginning to like you guys. Plus a party would be fun. It is also very interesting how important people suddenly need us."
Lance and who ever goes with him: you take the dogs to the docks and find a burly crew that has interest in mean dogs...they offer you 1 gp apiece, seeing how they aren't trained and probably not trainable.
Summer takes her split of the money and then leaves to go back to Elaine's.
DitheringDM:
She also presents the mold she cut and says that it was in the house.
Later Summer also goes out to do some shopping with her newly aquired wealth.
Lam-ang accompanies Lance and the others to the docks.
Summer takes her split of the money and then leaves to go back to Elaine's.
DitheringDM:
** spoiler omitted **
Summer:
The next evening, one by one you approach the Vanderboren estate.
Vanderboren Manor is located in the eastern section of the Merchant District; the seven-foot-high stone wall that surrounds the estate is impossible to miss, as is the towering, gothic, three-story house that dominates the grounds within. Leering gargoyles and capering nymphs festoon the eaves of the manor’s roof, and several trees give the manor grounds a nice buffer from the bustle of the city. The front gates have been left open, but no one greets you until you reach the front door and knock. After a few moments, the same wizened halfling woman you met at the plantation answers the door. She thanks you for arriving on time and asks you to wait in the atrium, claiming Lady Vanderboren shall be with you shortly.
Lam-ang is not at ease with all this finery and he is distinctly aware of how poor he looks.
Luenevyn sashays in wearing new clothes (though not of high quality and cut). He sweeps off his jaunty hat and sketches a bow.
"Good evening, Lam-ang."
Tugging at his worn clothes, "Yeah. Good evening, Luenevyn. I see where your share of the gold went."
Summer walks in trying not to look to terribly out of place in the finery surrounding her. She is dressed in clean and elegant but at the same time simple clothes although the way she walks betrays the fact that she is out of place in a skirt. She nods to the others that are there and follows the halfling.
Prat hustles into the manor and sees the others, "Wow! This place is fancy. Think we will get paid a bunch for doing this?"
"Do we even know what we're being paid for? Ordinarily, I'd think the Lady might have succumbed to my dashing charm, but I don't think she's seen me before. And it doesn't explain why you've been invited." Luenevyn gives a wink.
"Any ideas what we're here for? More dogs? Or perhaps we'll be moving up to enraged cows..."
"I believe she's hiring us so she can have more time to... um ... be with you. Haven't you noticed the way she glanced briefly in your direction when we fought off those crazed rogues at the docks?"
"Really? You think she saw me?"
Luenevyn spits into his hand and smooths back his hair.
"Think about it... why else would she ask us to attend a party?"
Summer looks vaguely disgusted when Luenevyn spits into his hand and then says "That's not going to work. There isn't enough spit in the world. Not to mention that a noble lady or most other ladies for that matter, wouldn't fall for a peasant like you."