The man looks up, startled, as Hikari greets him, nearly gashing his thigh with his glistening saw blade. Wiping the wet hair that is plastered to his face away from his eyes, he silently stares at the party.
The man makes no efforts to speak and goes back to his work.
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As the cold rain makes it way down the back of her neck, Hikari begins to get frustrated with indifferent attitude of the old man.
Drawing a deep breath to calf herself, Hikari says, "I can see you are devoted to caring for these grounds and your work is important. That is why we have been sent to assist you. Please grant us entry so we speak. It is for the children's sake that we are here."
At this point, the man just either doesn't hear you or acts liek he doesn't.
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Sky can only grin while the others negotiate with the ancient groundskeeper as if he were a guard in full plate. He thinks to himself, I'll see how this plays out a bit longer before I unlock the gate for them.
He is surprised when it seems the monk has already been in his pockets. Why must you spoil my fun, he thinks, but only chuckles.
Drenge smiles his toothy grin and squints at Hikari. Well, moldering texts tell of a coastal necropolis, rich with ancient treasures. Until the Tri-Towers Yard sank, no one knew the necropolis’s location.” Winking, he continues. "In ancient times, a wealthy merchant cut a ruby salamander ring from the hand of young cat burglar named Horastian. Horastian later became a renowned information broker and art collector. The Pathfinder Society hopes to magically locate the long-dead thief and his fabled hoard by using the ring as a divination focus."
Drandle Drenge pulls an iron key from his waistcoat. “I leave you with the key to the Drownyard gate. Remember, the Drownyard is a deeply personal site for many powerful Inner Sea families. You will tread upon the graves of their children. Be sure to give the site the respect it deserves.”
Unlocking the gate and entering the courtyard the party sees the man abruptly look up, stop what he's doing and pace over to you, saw hanging in his left hand. Pulling his glove off his right hand with his teeth, he smiles and reaches out to shake hands. "Heck of an evening we're having, eh? "
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Handing the key back to Skylark, Hikari grins mischievously, "Here, I think you dropped this while twirling in the streets..."
Making her way forward, Hikari shakes the man's hand and bows slightly, while saying, "That it is, if our reason to be here were not so great we would surely not risk such a soaking."
The man nods. "Got a sick little one then, or just a surprise visit?"
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Hikari glances to her companions and noticing Farfax's raised eyebrows is glad she is not the only one confused by this man's behavior.
"Err...", she starts eloquently, "We've been asked by a number of families with children who attended school here to examine the grounds, so if you were not informed, then I guess this would be a surprise visit."
She pauses momentarily trying to gauge the man's reaction, "What can you tell us about the children? Where were they when the school flooded?"
The man puffs his chest a little, then runs a finger along his saw blade. "The children are fine. They were in the classrooms, but I saved many of them!" Putting his thumb on the blade of the saw to test its sharpness, he says. "I thought I'd clean up a little while I waited on my daughter, Cassiel."
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Reese's eyebrows go up a bit at that, looking back and forth between Hikari and Farfax while her hand returns to rest on the hilt of her sword.
"Sweet Feronia, please don't tell me we've got an insane groundskeeper on our hands here...I don't carry the blade and flame to use on victims...even deluded ones who carry saws around."
"Er, is she at a different school now, old timer?"
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When Reese glances at Hikari she notices the monk's brows furrow suspiciously and her feet shift slightly to place her weight evenly on the balls of her feet.
Tsukiyo's ghost! Hikari thinks. There is no way the children could still be here and the families have no knowledge of it. But he mentioned his daughter...maybe he saved her?"
Hikari notices her pulse quicken and quickly recites a calming mantra she learned at the monastery before replying, "You saved some of the children?"
Glancing back at Reese and Farfax she shrugs her shoulders slightly and asks the groundskeeper, "If the children are safe, can you take us to them?"
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Sky watches the conversation with interest. His body language is friendly and non-threatening, resisting the urge to put a hand on his sword hilt. He begins fabricating lies which he can use if things turn sour. Yes that's right, I'm Lord Goldenrod, a parent and my daughter goes to this school too. I'm just here to pick her up. Must think of a name for her... hmm..
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Farfax takes notice of the groups unease. He cares little for games unless he's at a warm inn and has a strong drink. He stares intently at the man, trying to get a feel for him. Is this his way of mourning? His way of remembering? Perhaps a way of warning?
Whats he up to...
He will let us pass or he will be pushed aside Farfax spits in his head.
In response to Hikari, the man nods and motions to follow him, leading the way along the ruined paths of the Tri-Towers Yard as they wind their way around black ponds and gray, shattered buildings. Powerful fragrances precede one roofless hall where a thin path meanders through an abundance of flower arrangements in wild bloom.
Veering off the path, he smiles and waves you over with his free hand, and points to an entrance to a small classroom. Entering, you see ten students dressed in checkered uniforms sit stiffly at wooden desks, staring straight ahead. No one moves. At the front of the class, a conservatively dressed woman leans against the wall.
As the man enters the room, you see the teacher gesturing to the chalkboard and one student leean over and whispers to another, then both lower their heads in silent giggles.
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Farfax let's a grin break his normally sour face.
Likely the lessons taught here are of a more ethereal nature. These are the spirits of the lost Miss Reese.
He turns to the groundskeeper. In all his years creeping the dark paths he's never seen ghosts and knows little of how to approach the matter.
As you watch, the teacher continues to write and point to the chalkboard, while the children write notes, whisper among themselves, and fidget in their seats, all eerily without sound.
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Unaware of the spiritual nature of the classroom when she first entered, Hikari takes a closer look at the scene after Skylark and Farfax's comments.
To her companions Hikari whispers, "By the ancestors, they're all ghosts! We must find the source of these spirits unrest."
Glancing back to the groundskeeper she whispers again, "We should tread carefully with the groundskeeper, he may become irrational if we shatter his delusion too harshly."
As you whispers amongsat yourselves, the groundskeeper walk up to the teacher and begins whipering in her ear, occasionally motioning toward the party and nodding. After a moment he walks back over to you. "The school mistress has agreed to show you where you need to go. Where was that, I think I missed it."
The man turns and looks at Farfax with a look if increduality. "Who?"
Following the man and the incorporeal school mistress, the party is led out to a wide, black pool with an occasional bubble percolating up in the center. The groundskeeper motions toward the pool.
The school mistress move in short, jerky steps around the pool, the groundskeeper following. He leans in, then shakes her head. "She says the entrance is under the arm."
Mannlicher then turns when Farfax speaks. His eyes go a little wild when the slayer mentions the children being dead, but then shakes his head. "I don't know what your talking about, my daughter and the others are perfectly healthy!" He says loudly.
Hikari moves toward the arm, but sees that the pool is thirty feet in diameter and the arm in the center of the pool, fifteen feet away.
The groundskeeper watches Hikari with interest, nodding to Farfax.
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Reese mutters a curse under her breath in her native Ignan tongue before pulling her hair back and quickly ties it into a ponytail.
"Niyə həmişə mənə yerde çirkli var?"
She also hikes her blue dress up about a half inch, so it no longer brushes the ground, adjusting her belt to hold it in that configuration.
As she slides her exotic blade from its sheath, she advances to join Hikari, staying right beside her if and when she decides to wade into the pool, eyes narrowing to look for anything potentially dangerous about.
If Hikari starts to enter, Reese will as well, but will certainly speak her mind on the subject,
"这可要值得我得到这件衣服脏了，或者它出来你的那份奖励的！"
...blade at the ready.
As Reese and Hikari move out into the center of the pool, suddenly the water sarts churning and roiling as a large bug of some sort breaches the surface and moves to attack the duo!