Galen sheathes his dagger and fiddles with his candle lamp again, ensuring it is lit and shuttered in the hand with his palmed crystal before continuing. To Avrora he does a little bow and puts his arm forth in the direction of the hallway, as if deferring to a lady passing on a garden path or through a doorway.
Darian steps up to the door, interposing himself at the front once again. "Alright everyone, whatever those tracks are, let us be prepared in case they choose to be hostile."
He tests the balance of his grip on his blade and shield, then looks to the others and asks, "Ready?" before opening the door...
"I'm right behind you, cousin" whispers Varian, taking place just behind Darian. He also draws his morning star once again. Just in case our friend here doesn't feel talkative...
Avrora gives a nervou smile in recognition of Galen's good manners. Even with his love lying in perpetual sleep, he retains good humor. I should try to learn something from that.
She treads carefully down the hallway, stepping over debris and creaking floorboards, until she comes in line with Darian and Varian. She realizes that she is clutching her mace out of nervousness, but sees no reason to relax her grip just yet.
Varian notices Avrora's nervousness and smiles confidently at her, without uttering a single word. Then, he turns his eyes to the door and his smile turns into a smirk.
If there's something dangerous in here, it should be the one worried about us, not the opposite.
Phineas will stay close by Isabella, away from the door as it opens.
"Well Victor, a grand adventure this is so far, yes? One for the ages!" Galen stands back and motions for Rexus to come and follow along, his face bearing an easy smile even as his eyes scrutinize the nobleman for any concerns as to why he's standing so far back. "This way, as they say..."
This old workroom houses numerous old slaughterhouse tools, veterinary equipment, and woodworking tools, all of which are covered with a thick layer of dust through which strange tracks and patterns have been traced. Heavy mallets, crumbling ropes, and tools for restraining animals hang from pegs in the walls or rest atop leaning tables. Directly in front of the door in the middle of the room, a trap door sits ajar, propped open by a n old, rotting block of wood.
As the group peers into the room, the temperature noticeably drops a few degrees; although already relatively cold, the sudden temperature drop is just enough to allow those within to see their breath. The temperature quickly becomes less of an issue as walls suddenly begin to bleed from their cracks. The thick, red liquid glistens in the light and slowly begins to run down the walls. Lastly, writing appears in the dust on the floor, though no one here is able to read it.
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"By Cayden's tankard..." Darian mutters as the walls begin to seep blood.
Without averting his eyes, as much as he'd like to, Darian says cautiously over his shoulder, "Cousin...they teach you anything about this sort of thing back at the temple?"
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"Calm yourself friends. There is magic at work here. I can see the aura's." Isabel's voice takes on a slightly puzzled tone. "I can't make out what they are but it seems similar to the kinds of magic done in street corner performances... It can't harm us." She says with more bluff than conviction.
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"Milani's grace!" Avrora gasps as the walls begin to bleed. "Isabel, what sort of dark magic is this? You don't sound so sure..."
Phineas swiftly moves down the hall in response to his companion's exclamations. As he peers over this companion's shoulders and sees the blood pour from the walls, his face blanches and his eyes widen as he gasps in shock and fear.
It really was haunted. I honestly didn't expect that.
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As with all haunts, channeling positive energy in the area of the haunt or on the focal point of the haunt can temporarily neutralize it; completely destroying the haunt is more difficult, often requiring the spirits' remains to be laid to rest.
Phineas' fear gives way to curiosity as he recognizes the blood oozing from the walls. "Strange...I recognize this phenomenon. There is an unquiet spirit bound to this place due to great tragedy or death. Varian, you should be able to disrupt it by channeling; this one does not seem strong enough to be harmful, but be ready if it becomes hostile."
His teeth clenched and his jaws even more, Varian stared astonished at the horrific show waiting for them in the room. He regains his composure in a matter of instant, however. "Yes Phineas. I heard that this place was haunted. Now we'll see if this is an actual haunt...or something else" He focused on his inner devotion and whispered a prayer to his goddess. "O' Milani, please help your faithful rebel the nightmares in dark and liberate the spirits bound to this place for everyone deserves to be free, living or dead"
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"Isabel, careful!" Avrora calls out, stumbling clumsily into the room as well.
As Varian channels positive energy into the room, those within feel a warmth spread throughout their bodies. However, it doesn’t appear that it had much of any effect on the haunt - the blood remains on the walls, and the room remains cold. That being said, no more blood appears to be accumulating, and certainly the writing has stopped. Perhaps what remains now is nothing more than the after-effect of the haunt.. but it is apparent that nothing more is happening in the room.
A few seconds later, a haunting melody echoes up from the propped-open trap door; the melody is sorrowful and causes a chill to creep up everyone’s spine. It continues for about half a minute before slowly fading away, leaving a faint ringing in everyone’s ears as they strain themselves to hear anything else. Nothing but silence ensues.
”Well that was creepy,” Rexus breaks the silence, having creeped up behind everyone to watch as they try and neutralize the haunt.
Varian tries to hide every sign of fear caused in him by the eerie melody echoing up from the trap door. Remember...You should always set the example...
"Not so creepy until it means some real harm to us" he replies to Rexus in an attempt to encourage his allies and to relieve their souls. "We can't allow fear to stop us. Here, follow me" he says mustering his courage as he starts descending through the trap door, provided that there's a ladder or other means to climb down.
Propping open the trap door to prepare to descend it, Varian quickly notices that the ladder is no longer in place; peering down it with the aid of Darian's light, the group can see a fifteen-foot shaft through the masonry leading to the chamber below - at the bottom of said shaft is the rusty iron ladder broken into pieces, laying on the ground.
Galen studies the unpleasant strangeness of the room from the hallway still, keeping an eye on Rexus as much as he watches Varian, Isabel and Avrora explore around the trap door.
Fiddling a bit with his candle lamp to ensure he has a good grip upon it, he says absently to Phineas and Rexus, "A sad melody...it almost reminds me of the tragic opera 'Lost Omen, Last Azlanti'. Lady Shensen played in that one of course."
Phineas tentatively enters the room, his eyes flickering over the still, bloody walls and strange writing. "It does bear some resemblance. That was a most excellent and touching Opera, if a bit melancholy at times." Phineas moves over to the trap door and peers down to the chamber far below. He begins to feel a tightness bordering on panic grow in his chest as he contemplates trying to climb out of the hole. "I...I am loathe to admit it, but I doubt I can climb a rope without great difficulty. I am afraid that if I go down there, I won' t be able to get out under my own power. I have never been what you might call athletic, and have had little cause these last few years to engage in physical activity." Phineas pauses to consider the shaft and the chamber below. "Could we knot the rope, if someone brought one, before climbing down? If no one has a rope, we should probably go and purchase one."
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"What sort of Lady would I be if I didn't come prepared with such things?" Isabel asks with a smile. She pulls a thin coil of rope from her bag and holds it up.
"I also have a grappling hook if we need something to secure the rope to." She mentions, whilst tieing loops into the rope at regular intervals. After half a dozen loops she runs the rope through her fingers, measuring its length.
"This should be enough. If we pile as much weight as possible onto one of the tables it should be enough to hold us as we go down."
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Darian takes the rope from Isabel, his hand gently brushing across hers as he takes it from her and gets a firm grip. "I suppose the normal thing to do would be allow ladies to go first, but in this circumstance, i am afraid I must insist to lead the way down."
Varian pats his cousin on the back as he takes the rope from him. "I'm going to lead this time, cousin. Come on, is not that difficult. If I can manage to, everyone can, since my armor is heavier than yours"
Please Milani, help me not to let them down. They need courage.
With that said, his mouth whispering a silent prayer, Varian climbs down the trap door using the rope, asking his cousin to hold it as he descends.
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Galen smirks to Rexus and says, "Is this where chivalry demands we insist to take the first plunge into harm's way too? Very well then, ahh 'by my honor and the code I simply could not live with myself, unless either Varian or Darian goes first' there."
He quietly chuckles until his dancing light fades, and with an irritated look he mentally wills it back into existence to bob and weave along the hallway, even as he begins to extinguish his candle lamp and put it away in his satchel before his turn in taking the rope down.
Avrora gathers herself on all fours by the edge of the aperture, watching anxiously as Varian descends down the passage.
We might have dropped the dog carcass down there to see what attacks. Pushing aside such thoughts of caution, she bites her lip in anticipation, the glow of her shield casting strange shadows upon her face.
”Well, here I go.” Varian says as he stows his mace and begins to descend the rope. Considering how short the shaft is, it takes him less than a minute to reach the bottom and land on the floor with a clank. Immediately, he is hit by the eye-watering stench of urine and feces that fills this large room. Nests made of chewed crates and barrels line the walls, while rusty knives and hooks cover the tabletops.
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The darkness squeaks and chitters and three large rats, surprised by a delicious meal dropping in on them, quickly exit their nests and attack Varian. Two of them bite him with their long, wicked yellow teeth, drawing blood.
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Hearing the commotion, Darian peers down the hole towards his cousin.
"Damn it!" he says through clenched teeth before dropping the rope and jumps down the hole after Varian! As he lands, he readies his shield against any incoming rats.
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Oh dear.
Avrora watches in amazement as Darian leaps down the chute and lands on his feet. "I didn't know he could do that!"
Not trusting her armor and shield to carry her with such grace, she turns to the others. "Quickly now, gather the rope. Let's lower me down. They should manage a few rats alright, but there may be more and worse."
"Damn! Watch out everyone, we have company down here!" Varian shouts in pain as the dire rats hits him, but he quickly retaliates against the one in front of him, drawing his morning star and swinging furiously.
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"I'll try, but I am not sure how much I can do from here." Is that squeaking? What is going on down there? Phineas will go find a crate and drag it over to the edge. "Once you're down, I'll try and drop the crate on any enemies that wander into view from the top of the shaft. Go!"
"Right!" Galen rushes forward into the room now at Isabel's words, the humor he displayed to Rexus earlier completely evaporated in the face of real danger.
"Okay here I am...got it!" He skids over next to Isabel and sits down so as to not risk pitching over into the hole, planting his feet and grabbing up a section of the rope with his hands. "Got it...I got it...Rexus!"
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”Here, let me help!” Rexus stows his flask of acid and moves forward to grab the rope as they prepare to lower Avrora down the hole to help the others. With their aid, she quickly slides down the chute, her armor clanking and bouncing against the walls due to their lack of caution. However, she arrives with a loud clank on the ground safely, unhurt. However, as soon as she lands a dire rat the size of one of the mutts upstairs jumps and bites into her flank, ripping off a chunk of flesh.
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Rexus, looking down the hole after Avrora, winces as she’s bitten. ”Thats.. Thats gotta hurt. Hey, be careful! They’re likely carrying diseases! I read that in a book somewhere.”
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Darian draws his sword from its scabbard at his side, and in an attempt to take it down quick, continues the motion to try to slice into the thing. However, the thing proves more nimble than expected, and Darian's blade only manages to slice through the air.
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Varian's confidence is not shattered by the rats' attacks. "C'mon! We can do it! These are just rats!" And we can't hope to free our city if we are not able to fight some disease-carrying rats!
Clenching his teeth, Varian tightens the grip on his morning star but in the end he decides that he would be better finding another way to fight his foes. Maybe a summoned creatures will do "Hang in there, reinforcements are coming" he cries out as he steps back and starts conjuring.
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Avrora gasps in pain as the hulking rat finds a space in her armor and sinks its great incisors into her flesh. She spins around, drawing and readying her glowing shield in one fluid movement. She thrusts it forward ahead of her, trying to shoo the rats off. Clearly, they are not impressed.
"Alright, you want me? Come and get me." She glances nervously from side to side at Darian and Varian. "Something tells me the fun is just getting started."
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"Try and line them up over the shaft!" Phineas yells down while peering over the edge, straining to see what is going on down below. He is ready with a large piece of debris, waiting to shove it down to fall on any rat that walks into view.
Galen holds onto the rope but shifts to his knees to peer down into the hole, watching the combat with the monstrous rats unfold. It’s a long shot but with the light below he spies out a large rock or piece of flooring on the ground, and mentally hurls it towards the rat that Varian has just stepped away from.
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"Urph!" Phineas gives a shove on the heavy piece of half rotten wood held in his hands, awkwardly dropping it down the shaft in the direction of the one rat he can clearly see, the wood clattering and banging off the walls of the shaft as it falls. Phineas winces slightly at the noise, and yells down after the projectile. "Look out!"