"Interesting little location." Grace notes. "No sign of ghouls or ghasts or beasties of the night."
Grace sings softly to herself as she tries to move the bookshelf enough to look behind it.
Delendir does a cusrory review of the library but doesn't see anything htat immiedately jumps out at him. He and Grace quickly check the other doors on this floor to find much of the same - empty with a thin layer of dust. Not find any immiedate signs of danger they quickly join their companions on the second floor.
After arriving on the second floor you note that the stairs continue up to a third story or there is a hallway with a room on the left and a room on the right.
Eyes shooting up to the ceiling Sunday will point out to the others at a particular floorboard above them.
Jessica looked back as Delendir and Grace caught up and asked them quietly, "Did you find anything?"
Delendir negates with his head at Jessica.
The half-elf then nods to Sunday as he has also heard the creaking. He immediately loads his bow and prepares, advancing with the group to the third story access.
He positions there, looking up and making a sign to Sunday for him to know he has this side of the stairs at reach.
Nodding to Delendir and waiting for the others Sunday will then begin to sneak up the third floor.
Elisai follows her friends up to the third floor, but stays slightly toward the middle of the pack if possible. Ideally, she doesn't want to be first into battle if an enemy should reveal herself, nor does she feel she has such a fine eye as Delendir might have, but she does want to be close to the action, and so prefers to stand mid range.
Sunday rises up the steps to the top floor. Unlike the previous floors, this one is drastically different. A fire burns in the fireplace and illuminates this sitting room. A love seat sits empty in the middle of the room with chairs on either side face that face the fireplace. Shadows dance across the pair of closed double doors on the other side of the room adjacent to the steps. A second closed door to the east also remains closed.
Two crimson flower pots with well cared for plants adorn the far east and western walls of the room. Two half-eaten bowls of soup and a pair of wine glasses half full of red wine sit unfinished on the floor in front of the fireplace.
Sunday will look around the room to see what door was most recently used.
Unlike the other floors, this one is not coated in a layer of dust making it a little trickier to ascertain the frequency of use. Nevertheless, Sunday is is quite certain that the double doors to the north are the direction that is more frequently used.
Jessica remained in the rear of the group as she normally did with her glaive ready as they went up the stairs. Finding themselves in a floor that showed signs of recent habitation Jessica was careful to be even quieter than normal. She watched where she placed her feet as she moved and kept an eye out for anything of interest.
Delendir slowly climbs up the third floor stairs.
As Daud points out to the northern doors, the ranger nods and advances in order to check them.
If they appear to be clean, he makes the usual gesture of crossing hands in the air to the sides to make the others know, then let's the others open the doors as he holds his bow up at the ready.
Once Delendir has taken care of the doors Sunday will open them, bastard sword at the ready.
Grace steps back to the rear of the party. She does nothing but prepares to sing, to bolster the party at a moment's notice.
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Delendir's inspection of the doors shows that they are open and he believes them to be untrapped. He gives the signal to Sunday who flings them open to reveal a master bedroom with two occupants, one of which who is extremely familiar to you - Aldern Foxglove!
He is laying in bed wearing nothing but a robe with a beautiful brozend-skin varisian woman with curly dark hair that spills down her naked back. She sits astride him on the bed and both gasp as the doors fly open to reveal armed intruders. She pulls a sheet overtop of herself as she hops off Aldern and gasps, "Aldern!" to which he fumbles around a bit and says, "Iesha, darling, relax, I'm sure they are ... just, uh, late to dinner? What is it you fine folks require of me? Surely we can work this out. I have money. Take whatever you want, just, don't hurt us!"
Seeing a rather familiar scene, at least in setup, play out before him has Sunday wail and recoil, almost dropping his sword in the process. Mumbling incoherently and taking a few steps back his mind almost makes his body flee from what he's seeing but withholds long enough for the occupants to begin moving on their own and talking, distinguishing somewhat what he saw and what he had been through enough to make him hold his ground.
Hadn't they killed Aldern, or at least, what he had become? Sunday recall that clearly, having been half-asleep and half-dead at the time. Waiting for the others to speak or act he takes great pains to maneuver himself away from his female allies.
Grace raises an eyebrow at the sight of pale man and dark skinned woman in the middle of a moment of passion.
"Interesting." Grace mutters. She does seem to recall, after all, someone mentioning Aldren was as dead as dead can be.
"Of course, if they can duplicate Jessica's family..."
"Right! We can check their blood! Checktheirblood! Check it!" Sunday all too quickly adds.
The woman recoils at the sound of having her "blood checked". She pulls the sheet over her entire body with only her head poking out. "Nonono! Aldern, DO SOMETHING! They are going to kill us!"
Aldern puts his hands out towards the group with his palms facing them. "Alright. Listen. There's no need for blood. Just take whatever you want. I'll even forget to tell the city guard, ok? Just, please. We are no danger to you."
The sight of the two in the act caused Jessica to blush deeply and turn her back. She spoke up though, "B-b-but Aldern, how can you be here, we killed the ghoul you'd become back in Sandpoint? What's going on?"
"Check. The. Blood."
Aldern looks to Jessica confused. "Ghoul? Sandpoint?" He looks back to the naked frightened woman as if she had some answers but she just shakes her head. Turning back to Jessica he asks, "G-Ghoul? I'm afraid I'm entire unsure what you are speaking of. I have not been to Sandpoint for many months now. In fact, we've just returned back to Magnimar this morning after months of absence. P-Perhaps you have me mixed up with the Tanglefarth's next door." He nods several time in rapid succession, his pitch and rate of speech accelerating. "Ye-Yes. I I hear they like ghoul's in Sandpoint all the time. I think you've missed him by one home."
Check.The.Blood."
The repeated mention of blood again causes the woman to begin sobbing and shaking under the blanket.
Grace sighs as Sunday proves his usual, charming self and Jessica turns into a blushing flower.
"Children." She mutters and then steps forward. "Let me handle this, please?"
"My lord. My lady. Please forgive the interruption of your private time." Grace says, with a perfectly straight face.
"I am known as Wicked Grace. Adventurer and opera singer of some renown. My companions and I have come to this charming home today because, well, you see? We killed Lord Foxglove. Or, rather, we killed a ghoul who was convincingly claiming to be him. He was part of a conspiracy. A rather nasty one and we tracked it to this city. The conspiracy has already claimed several lives and we wish to shut it down before it can destroy more."
"Blood..."
The sobbing woman seems to take no comfort from the singers words. She looks at Grace confused as tears spill down her face. "You. You k-killed Aldern? B-b-but-"
Aldern reaches out to place an arm on the shaking woman's wrist. He tries to be strong but it's quite clear he's a second away from losing it himself. "It's alright Iesha, I'm not dead. I'm right here. Ok? Ok?"
Looking back to Grace he shifts in his sheets, attempting to hide his uncomfortably of being disrobed before strangers. "Please forgive my wife, she's doesn't understand this is just a misunderstanding. I can assure you Wicked Grace that I am alive and well. I am certainly not dead, undead, or any form of a ghoul. If someone is claiming to be me and you've dispatched them then perhaps you have rightly come here for a reward? Hmmm? Yes? I will certainly pay you a handsome fee for such a feat. Especially if murders were being undertaken in my name."
Aldern shivers at the mention of repeated blood from Sunday, avoiding all eye contact with the perceived murder.
Jessica could tell that Sunday was not helping matters any way and said, "Sunday, sush please,you aren't helping just now."
Teetering on the edge Sunday seems to snap out of whatever he was thinking as Jessica addresses him, going stock still. "... I'm sorry." he weakly says.
"It's alright Sunday, I know you're trying."
Sunday looks up to the priestess and nods, trying to calm himself for the moment.
Delendir lowers his bow as soon as he sees the scene. Placing his free hand covering his eyes he merely achieves to pronounce "Please... lady... cover yourself"
The ranger is blushed, having difficulty to articulate a word as his companions talk about checking blood and dead ghouls.
"B-but... Aldern, don't you remember us? The way we saved you from the goblin attack? The boar hunting we shared..." says Delendir as the word 'wife' lingers in his mind. Did Aldern not say he was widower? Was he not competing with Tal to get Jessica's favor?
Elisai is immediately on guard upon seeing the familiar enemy. Like Grace, she doesn't feel particularly awkward with what she walked in on but remains skeptical about what Aldern's claim. "There is probably a really simple way to check Aldern's claim. All we need to do is take them back to Sandpoint, and then check 'Our Alderns' claims on a variety of subjects including that he is a widower. Heck, I could even cast a couple of divination spells myself if I had the time to get to the bottom of this".
When Elisai mentions returning to Samdpoint Sunday leans over to her. "Orrr we could check their blood and see if it's red or not."
"B-but... Aldern, don't you remember us? The way we saved you from the goblin attack? The boar hunting we shared..
Aldern's neck shrinks back an inch in surprise. He then squints at Delendir trying to get a closer look at the ranger. "I'm sorry my good man, as much as I want to do whatever causes you to leave this place I cannot in good faith say that I've gone on a boar hunt with you. I mean, I do love a good hunt I do say. But goblin attacks? I think I would recall that!"
"There is probably a really simple way to check Aldern's claim. All we need to do is take them back to Sandpoint, and then check 'Our Alderns' claims on a variety of subjects including that he is a widower
Now Elisai earns the quizzical look from the noble. "Sandpoint? Widower? I've not been to Sandpoint in nearly a year I do say. It's such a small town, I usually send my man from the manor to fetch supplies. Hardly a reason to make a trip their myself I would think."
"I can most certainly assure you I am no widower." Looking to the woman cowering under the sheets he reaches in and pulls out her hand and holds it up for you to see. A brilliant diamond shining on it is hard to miss. "There is no need for divination spells I'm afraid. This is my wife, Iesha Foxglove. I'm not sure what it is you need to get to the bottom of but I do say that I'm quite confused."
The woman pokes her head out of the sheets and wipes away the tears. "I-I could make some tea. Or wine, do you like wine? Perhaps you could let us dress and we could talk without weapons and mentions of b-blood?"
Aldern nods at his wife, finding her question reasonable.
"The ghoul who was, rather convincingly, pretending to be you, sir, was both a serial killer and slain in your manor house. A disturbing place, if you'll forgive my saying so, and filled with all manner of unpleasant things. Considering at least three people we know and love have been replaced with shapeshifters, you can understand our concern here."
"That could be a good idea, why don't we wait out here for you and then we can all go down and discuss things. In fact I'd be delighted to help you make tea and refreshments Mi' Lady." Her tone is calming as she tries to soothe the woman's anxiety. She doesn't trust her but is willing to give her a chance.
Aldern states matter-of-factually, "Ms. Grace, I can attest without a doubt I am no ghoul! And, wait. Hold on a moment here."
Aldern speaks slowly, "Did. Did you just say you also broke into my manor house and killed people?" Aldern's bravery seems to be fading now, fear replacing whatever courage he had gained.
why don't we wait out here for you and then we can all go down and discuss things.
Aldern nods and covers himself with a pillow as he stands and swallows hard. "That would be appreciated."
In your earlier conversations you had not even the slightest suspicions of anything amiss. At the mention of 'shapeshifter' you think you see, wait was that triple eye-blink? No, it was probably nothing. Or was it? Are you convincing yourself there is something there now or did you see something? Maybe it's the fact you've encountered so much horror so quickly with such little trust, but maybe, just maybe the mention of that word causes the female's eyes to blink more rapidly than needed?. Still, there are none of the signs present from the last pair of shapeshifters. Or. Is she simply scared out of her mind at a group of armed intruders in her home?
The tight skin, the forced conversations, you pick up none of that vibe here. Everything points to a pair of frightened nobles who were barged in on in their own homes by a group of armed people who claimed to have killed people in his own manor house.
Yet...
Raising up his bow Delendir says "Wait, no one is moving out from here. This house windows are all boarded and it is clear no one has lived in the house for some time. I am sorry to tell you this totally stinks" he looks deeply at Aldern not allowing the woman out "We have been fooled since we arrived to Magnimar and I am starting to loose my nerves"
Sunday just rolls his eyes. "Delendir, we all know all that. There's wine in the house, they're not leaving."
...it is clear no one has lived in the house for some time.
Aldern nods to Delendir and sits on the edge of the bed. "It is true. My wife and I have been traveling in Korvosa for the last six months attempting to find additional funding for a business venture. We have just only returned home tonight in fact. The house is disgustingly covered with an inch of dust and I have yet to remove all of the boarding prior to our departure. We arrived home, had some stew, drank some wine and, erm-" he looks down at his naked body and over to his wife who blushes, "-were celebrating our return home when our new house guests arrived."
He shifts in the sheets to free his foot which what stuck. He slides his foot to the foot and twirls his ankle in a circle until it pops loudly with a crack. "Ah, sorry. I've been sitting on that for a moment now and it was killing me."
With a deep breath he holds his hands up and says, "We are caught in our birthday clothes and do not pose any threat to a band of well armed individuals who hunt ghouls, goblins and murders. Is it much to ask for some privacy to dress? I'm willing to keep one of you in the room if you promise to turn around and let my lady dress with dignity."
"How's about you not make demands of the people who are armed?"
"If it will appease you to have one of us stay in the room Delendir, why don't either Elisai, Grace or I stay, it wouldn't be right to have a man in the room with her when she dresses." She then said to Aldern, "I would think that acceptable provide who ever stays is allowed to take any defensive measures they feel needed. I would hope that, with what we've run into, you'd allow us that much at least for our own peace of mind."
Totally confused Delendir is carried by Daud's words and lowers his bow.
While they change dressing, the half-elf whispers "I do not trust a word they say"
The ranger hangs the bow from his shoulder but keeps an eye to the door while he gives a look around the house trying to find a clue to the truth.
"Neither do I," Sunday agrees with the ranger. "Okay, Jessica can help Iesha get dressed, but you," he says pointing at the man, "Will come out into the room with us."
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"I'm sure a man of Lord Foxglove's stature has nothing to be ashamed of when wearing so little." Grace says with a smile.
"Eli. Jessica. Why don't you stay here. The rest of us will go out into the hallway and wait for the lord and lady to get dressed."
Grace tugs on Sunday's arm and draws him out into the hallway.
"Boys, I'm unsure. She might be one of our shapeshifters. She might not be. But we have to be careful here or we might end up fighting our way out of this city through the guard. Alright?"
Making an annoyed sound Sunday keeps his eyes on the couple until Grace has completely dragged him out into the hallway.
"All we have to do is let me let me draw some blood, it doesn't even have to be a wound, your or Elisai or Jessica can heal it right back up afterwards."
" As Grace suggests that might take us to the guard Daud. Yet... I am sure it is not Aldern. At least not the one we have met " the ranger seems confused.
Then leaning on the wall he retrieves his silver hip flask and takes a sip offering it to the others "This is just too much for my nerves. Let them talk a bit more, and if what they say keeps having no sense, I say, let Daud perform his blood test"
Eyes shifting over to Delendir they linger before returning to Grace without a sound.
Elisai and Jessica agree to stay in the room while the two get dressed. The other three head back out to the fireplace and wait patiently as the doors are closed.
Iesha thanks Elisai, a tremendous sigh of relief taking over her. She bends over to the floor to pick up her clothes onces the door has shut. She says, "Thank you, so much. For understanding. Modesty and all. Tell me, what kind of wine-"
She scoops her clothes off the floor as Aldern pulls his robe from the bed. The next few seconds happen things break down quickly as several things happen.
The two Foxglove's let the clothes they were picking up fall from their hands revealing at each is brandishing a shiny and magnificently crafted longsword that was hidden in the clothing. With the doors opening inward, currently the two women are blocking entrance for their party members on the other sides. Apparently this entire event had been staged and things seem to be falling exactly the way they had planned it.
Iesha's teeth flares into a snarl and she mimics Sunday's voice amazingly as she says, "We could check their blood and see if it's red or not."