Tilver screams as the ghost's touch racks his body with pain. The ex-gladiator scrambles to get away, almost falling through the trap door.
Dain runs to the spiral staircase, but sees that the ghost is not pursuing, and slows. The team is panicked and spread throughout the house.
Back to you guys...
When he recovers his senses, Holys cautiously moves back towards the room with the ghost (although does not get close), trying to find the others. He waits there until the others arrive.
Tilver rushes after his friends, trying to collect them as they come to their senses.
"It didn't follow us. We're ok. But it's obviously a very powerful spirit. It seemed to want us gone, so I doubt it's the same thing that's keeping us here. And the voice wasn't the same as the house."
"Perhaps we ought to keep exploring and just avoid him for the time being." Tilver uses his healing wand, reversing most of the damage from the ghost's touch.
Yes. You're all assembled outside the gatehouse.
"I'm not going anywhere without Alakabam!" Velika whispers vehemently. "I'm going to sneak in and grab it. Cover your ears and if you see me run past screaming, you'll know why!"
"So... any thoughts on how to proceed? I'm not sure how one best battles a spirit like this."
"I don't think we have the means to fight it. So let's let it be - it clearly doesn't want to be disturbed. If we find the key elsewhere in the house, then we leave it in peace. If we search everywhere else and still have no key...then we can try and find a way to deal with it."
Tilver nods. "Agreed. So where haven't we searched? There's the top of the tower, and some rooms on the top floor. We could start there."
Holys considers it. "A sensible idea. Let's go to the top of the tower. In my experience, chambers at the loftiest heights can conceal the deepest secrets someone has."
"I think we should head to where your scout disappeared. The other voice almost certainly comes from there.
"Sounds good to me. Let's get going. This place gives me the creeps."
"We should head to the Madame's room on the top floor and search it, then move on from there."
When Velika ascends the ladder, the ghost is waiting for her, furious. "I killed you once! I can do it again!" The spirit flies directly at the gnome, entering her body!
"I'm not leaving without my gun!"
Velika feels a thrill of panic as the ghost attempts to take up residence in her body, but with an effort of will and a bit of First World magic, she expels the spirit, grabs her gun and slides down the ladder before it can attack again.
The trapdoor slams shut above her!
____________________________________________________________________
The team then proceeds to the third floor, arriving at the top of the stairs in what Dain calls "the Madame's Chamber."
Holys picks up an unattended item (a brazier from the table, assuming unlit?) and throws it at the curtain to see whether anything responds.
The brazier hits the curtain and falls to the floor in the expected manner. Nothing leaps at you.
However, shadows do seem to shift and lurk at the corner of your vision...
Dain and Magill begin a thorough search of the room including the bed, drawers, table, and tub.
Tilver uses his longspear to push aside the curtain. "I'm telling you, it's all very creepy. You think that ghost has the all-key?"
"There's something in the shadows, here. I can't pinpoint it. Be on guard, Dain."
In the south, red carpets cover the floor, and a large bed is made up with red and gold silks (all of which are filthy and worthless now). The chamber also holds a porcelain bathtub, a brass rack for towels and another for clothing, a table with an oil lamp, three braziers, and two chests of drawers. Everything is intact and relatively undisturbed, but covered with dust and cobwebs. The chests hold nothing but women’s clothing, most of which is extremely revealing, but of high quality.
The other end of the room, on the eastern side of the curtain, has a wooden bureau, a dark wood writing desk, and a wooden chair. The bureau is empty, but the desk still holds a pair of dusty books as well as some parchment, writing pens, and ink.
"Wait a moment."
Holys casts Detect Magic, casting his gaze about the room.
He is only interested in detecting sources of magic for the moment rather than staring to identify them. If he detects no magic, he gives the all-clear and asks Dain to tell him what, if anything, is written on the parchment on the desk, and what the titles of the books are.
If he does detect magic, he calls for everyone to halt, and points out the source(s), advising not to touch.
He also casts Light in the middle of the room, and tries to note whether that has an effect on the shifting shadows.
Nothing in the room is magical, save for what Our Heroes brought with them.
The shadows don't seem to move when you're concentrating on them, but the light spell only shifts them to deeper, darker corners.
Velika remembers what a bad idea this was the last time, but can't seem to stop herself from going over and riffling through the books to see what they say.
Tilver lifts his lantern to help Holys examine the shadows. He speaks a whispers and the lantern bursts with light.
The first leather book is the ledger showing all the business the brothel did from five years ago to three years ago. It names specific customers and dates and notes their preferences. While many of the entries are merely initials or "anonymous", there are thousands of names, including not a few of the city's most prominent persons.
Maquent's Journal
The second book is the journal of the brothel's madame, a woman named Maquent. In a beautiful, flowing script, this journal relates details regarding the operation of Pythoness House from 716 IA to as recently as 718. Maquent Dellisaria was a seer and prophetess expelled from the Fate Weavers. She and her partner, Radanna Scalth, operated the house as a brothel. An ardent follower of chaos, Radanna insisted that the two allow the house to be used as a front for a chaos cult called the Crimson Coil.
Following are some of the most interesting entries.
Bloom 18, 716
Urieth says that all of the girls believe the gatehouse towers to be haunted by the spirit of a young priest named Taunell.
Bloom 22, 716
Urieth has been attempting to communicate with the spirit of Taunell. She thinks he somehow has the ability to see anywhere in the house, but that one can interact with him only in the gatehouse towers.
Bloom 29, 716
No one shall go into the gatehouse towers. I shall lock the door myself. That unwelcome spirit is quite tenacious, and not a little dangerous. We attempted to put it to rest, but it made the process far too difficult, so we shall simply leave it there forevermore. (Which is fine with me—I have no liking of holy men and did not relish the idea of bringing one here for an exorcism when Urieth’s attempts failed.)
Growth 10, 717
There is another spirit within this house. At first I thought it was our old friend Taunell, but this is different. It has something to do with the statue of that horrid man. This is Radanna’s doing. I do not like it.
Moons 1, 717
Radanna and her friends keep going on about this “Night of Dissolution,” and the “coming changes.” And Lords of Chaos. The spirit in this house is growing stronger. I no longer feel at home here.
Rain 15, 717
The spirit in this house now has the ability to keep out those it does not want, and keep in those whom it does not wish to leave. Only while it sleeps are we truly free to come and go. At other times, I am a prisoner in my own home, though in truth I rarely wish to leave anymore. Where would I go? This filthy city has little for me. I see mostly darkness in its future, with just one possible ray of light. And even then, the light will never reach me. I shall end in darkness, and soon.
Harvest 9, 717
Radanna’s cultists have hidden some great weapons of power and items of chaotic magic in the cellars beneath the house and used the enchanted statue to seal the entrance. Only the spiral contrivance can move the statue, and it is broken into two halves—one for me, and one for Radanna. She says we are to keep them hidden and safe until the time when they are needed.
The cultists say the hidden weapons will strike down their enemies on the Night of Dissolution. I no longer care. Their true future is too entwined with chaos to foretell with any accuracy. Perhaps what they say is true. I do sense great changes coming in the next few years.
Yearsend 14, 717
I have somewhat befriended the Cobbledman. He grows more mad with each day, however. I hid my half of the spiral contrivance in his tower with him. I shall not even tell Radanna. Of course, she will not tell me where she keeps her half, either, but there’s really only one place it could be. Certainly no one could sneak a ladder up to that secret door without her knowing about it.
Sun 10, 718
The Day of Joining. Not a favored day for those in my profession. Radanna and her friends have brought forth a goat-headed demon to live in the high tower. Its presence disrupts my ability to foretell the future. It is a creation of beings called the Galchutt, Radanna says. An “earthbound demon” she calls it. To me, a demon is a demon. I do not care for the way it looks at us—like domesticated animals. I can also feel its oppressive age. It is very old.
Sun 21, 718
The goat-headed thing has called demons from the Dark Reliquary to it here. They join the horrible menagerie of rat-things the cultists already hide in our house. And, of course, the Cobbledman. Soon, it seems, demons will walk the streets of this city, and no one will give it a second thought. I have had a dream of death.
Sun 29, 718
The name of this month means nothing to Ptolus now. No sun shall shine here again, although a strange new moon haunts my vatic dreams.
Blessing 2, 718
Thabitha lost the key to the square tower. Radanna is furious. I shall have to protect the girl, or Radanna will certainly hand her over as a sacrifice to her terrible friends. Thabitha says that she was on the rooftop garden when she last had the key.
Harvest 22, 718
Well, it appears to be over. Urieth says the Knights of the Pale are on their way. The cultists flee. Radanna is slaying the girls one by one. I cannot stop her. The spirit keeps anyone else from leaving. My end comes in darkness.
Silas searches around the desk for any secret compartments that might house the key.
Velika points to the journal. "This is a very important story. I think we should search the gardens for the lost key."
Neither Velika nor Silas find anything secretive.
"Behind this door my scout found an empty hallway which leads out to the rooftop and the garden. The rooftop is where he was dispelled, so we need to be wary there." Dain flips through the ledger and the journal while Velika examines the door, "These books are both significant - we should take them." He looks to see if anyone else wants to peruse them before slipping them into his pack.
Heeding Dain's words of caution, Velika opens the door and moves quietly toward the garden.
"Good idea, though I'm a tad more concerned with the goat-headed demon and this 'cobbledman'. Hopefully the Knights of the Pale killed them all. It does appear that out ghost has a name though, Taunell."
"She doesn't say anything about the all-key. Perhaps it's in the cellar with the weapons?"
From the open archway to the outside, Velika can see the battlements, the roof garden and the towers of Ptolus beyond.
Dain and Magill stealthily move forward to join Velika. As he creeps forward, he thinks to himself, Taunell? Taunell....where have I heard that name?
Silas will stealth out after them.
Whaddya you stealthy lot do out there?
Holys, being less stealthy, stays in the archway for now. If the others move out of line of sight, he will join them.
Velika begins to search the garden for the key to the square tower that was mentioned in the journal.
Dain moves into the garden and helps Velika search for the tower key. Magill assists him by tunneling into the denser growth, occasionally poking her head up.
Tilver slowly moves out onto the rooftop garden, searching for any sign of metal.
There are many nooks and crannies, planters to look in, around and under, dusty corners full of leaves and old bird bones. As the team is just starting to look, Holys gasps, for he alone notices that they are under attack.
Six figures appear as if by magic from the wall to the west of the battlements. Six bony figures, their teeth clattering in their heads, some with bits of long hair or tattered finery still attached. They are the undead, skeletons moving in an awful semblance of the living. They are armed with swords and shields and move towards you with a purpose!
Initiative Order
Tilver (surprised)(2 damage)
Skeletons
Velika (surprised
Dain (surprised))(-1 level)
Holys (1 damage)
Silas (surprised)
This is a surprise round. Only Holys gets to go. One move or standard action only.
Holys, go!
"Undead, coming through the wall!"
Holys calls out in alarm, then moves to join the others, so he is not cornered alone by the advancing skeletons.
Tilver turns at Holys' announcement and drinks a Shield extract. A shimmer of force appears near him to block attacks. Then he grips his longspear and readies for the skeletons to close on his position. "I think I can hold them here, but get ready!"
Four of the skeletons charge while two dart back into the building. Tilver can now see that they're using some sort of hidden door. He stabs one and destroys it, severing its spinal column. The other three continue on in single file, attacking mindlessly.
Initiative Order
Tilver (2 damage)
Skeletons
Velika
Dain (-1 level)
Holys (1 damage)
Silas