"I'm not going to wonder too hard," Anna says after stepping out of the charred room. "Especially since knowing our luck if we keep investigating we'll probably end up having to fight one of the adults."
Danica looks for more secret doors while the group discusses the possible evolution of the slugs. Finally, in front of the last door, Anna goes through the usual inspection for traps and other dangers. Giving the all cleared signal, the door is opened and the group is able to move into the room.
A small ship’s bell mounted on a ship’s wheel sits atop a small altar of green stone at the far end of this chapel. A mosaic on the wall above the altar portrays a sea captain on the deck of a ship in the midst of a raging storm.
We have found a previous ceramic egg in that cave. I suspect...
Tolvan searches for a way to open the egg.
a gagged human skull.
Tolvan inspects the ceramic egg and finds a seam that lead to suspect that is can be opened. With Anna's help, the secret of how to open it is easily found. Inside, you find a carving of a gagged skull as Tolvan predicted. You also find a scrap of paper. On it is written: “Rider on the way with effigy. Meet at Old House outside town for exchange.”
Well, this agent did not meet any rider for an exchange. I wonder if we can get the effigy back....
"Only one way to find out. Let's head out to this old house. Do we know which old house?"
"Were we going to investigate the underground tunnels... more than Tolvan's lights revealed, I mean?" Ananias doesn't look enthusiastic to bring this up, but continues. "Not that I'm eager, of course, just that we're here now."
Anna rubs her shoulders. "Um, Ananias, we've been like two steps behind the Whisperers for the last year. I'd like just one shot at catching up to them. I think we're close. I think we find the old house first, then come back here later if we still feel like going for a swim."
I agree with Anna. We are not well supplied to explore watery tunnels even with the ring of swimming and the potions. The house it is.
Anna nods, believing the matter settled. She sheathes her daggers and gets ready to leave the chapel, but makes one more pass over the room with the ship's bell and the painting, just to make sure there isn't another source of treasure.
She also thinks about if she's heard about the old house that the whisperers are going.
"That sounds fine to me. I'm not going to argue in favor of going for a swim I never wanted to take anyway."
The blood warrior keeps an eye out while Anna and the others ensure that the investigation in the temple is otherwise complete, then makes ready to find the old house.
"Decision made. Let's help the captures out of here then we head to the house."
Inspecting the room with the painting, Anna notices a few things. First, the painting looks a lot like the statue in the center of the town. She remembers that the statue is dedicated to the town founder, Cassius Undiomede. The second thing is that the bell is engraved with the name Conqueror . The bell is also visible in the background of the painting. Once you are sure that you found everything there is to find in the temple, you lead the couple out of there and stand in the town square.
Anna asks around the square (and while they're taking the couple back, she'll ask them too) for directions to the Old House.
Feeling he has more in common with the alchemist Tolvan tries speaking with the man. He even offers to give the man the alchemical forumala he used to sustain the ghoul monk for a time for his help.
"The old house? I'm not sure I know..." The man stops mid sentence. "Could it be the founder's house?" He looks at the statue in the town square. "It is forbidden to go there. Bad things happened long ago, no one lived there for generations." He looks at you and your weapons and then at his wife. "If you really want to go, you can follow the Detstach River north for about two miles. The house is slightly off its west bank."
Thank you for your advise. I think we will check it out. Tolvan says, lacking a better lead.
Danica offers a silent thankful nod. As the group departs Danica closely approaches her friends "Let's head back and get our horses. 2 miles will be quick on horseback. At the same time we can question the stable boy for some info on the house..... unless Tolvan can teleport us all." Danica shows a questionable expression.
"A ride would be quite pleasant... and I like the idea of getting a little more info from the stable boy."
Anna rolls her eyes at the description of the house. "Yeah, that sounds like our kind of place all right."
She nods in agreement with going to get their horses, so she waves goodbye to the couple and starts heading toward the stables.
You walk back to the stable. The young man there sees you coming and start guiding your horses out. Once you are near enough, he takes a minute to talk to you. "So, did you find the stable master? Wouldn't mind having a break from work... and get away from here." He eyes the big horse in the back of the stable as he says the last part.
Anna shakes her head. "No, no such luck. Found some other weird stuff though. Anyway, we need our horses, and quick. We need to be someplace, and someplace soon, you get me?" she demands of the stable boy..
"Many thanks for your services in taking care of the horse. Your diligence will not go unnoticed." Danica inspects the horse and ensures that the saddle is firm and secure before she mounts her steed. She looks at the boy and asks "Can you tell us anything on the town history especially on Cassius Undiomede and bell in the middle of town?"
Before taking off she ask the stable boy one last question. "By the way, can you tell us anything about an old house that is located outside of town?"
"Cassius Undiomede? He was the founder of this town. They say that he was a pirate that decided to retire here." He stops talking just long enough to secure the last saddle. "There, that should do it." He turns back to face you. "His family were the leaders of this place for generations. That is until something happened at their house outside of town a while back. The priest says that the place is cursed now, and that no one should go there." He shrugs and offer one last thing. "Cursed or not, the place being overrun by the swamp now. Be careful if you think of going there. There are natural hazards in that swamp that can trap even the best tracker."
"A swamp you say?" Danica taps her horse's muscular neck. "Do you think the horses will be safe if we head to this house?"
Danica ponders at all the information given to her. "Does Cassius Undiomede have any living descendants today?
Perhaps we should hire a local guide? Would you know of any who might wish to earn some easy coin? Tolvan asks the young man.
"The horses will be fine while you travel alongside the river. There is an old path there and you should be fine. Once you move off the path and toward the house is where you could run into trouble." He turns to Tolvan. "Hiring a local guide? Good luck with that! No amount of money would convince anyone to walk near that place." The simple idea of going there seem to terrify the young man.
Looking at Danica, he answers her second question. "Descendants? Yes, for a while, they were the one that was leading this village. But after the events that happened over there decades ago, no one has seen anyone from that family ever again."
Danica hands over 2 gold pieces to the stable boy. "Many thanks for taking care of our steeds and for the information. We will be returning shortly." Danica prods the horse to ride forward.
Nodding in understanding Tolvan adds Well, it looks like we are gonna prowl around in a swamp for a while. I can scout while flying I guess.
"So you get to fly and we get to slog through the muck?" Anna shakes her head in disgust. "I shoulda been a wizard."
At least I can find you a good path. Tolvan says with a wink.
The stable-boy pockets the coins and walks back into the stable. The group leaves the village and follows the old path leading to the river. Once there, the path turns north. The trail is muddy and the progress is slow, but the group determination allows them to reach the point where the path turn westward into the swamp. At this point, the path is barely noticeable and anyone riding a horse might just end up injuring the animal.
You find several sets of shod humanoid tracks heading toward the manor, including one set of tracks that is much larger than the others.
Danica stops her horse and mentions everyone to do the same. She kneels down on the path they have been traveling on. "Looks like we are not the only ones here. There are a couple humanoid types going in the same direction." There is a pause while Danica continue to scan the area.
"Oh my..... this set of prints is much larger than the others."
She stands up and heads back to mount her horse. "Hmmm....I'll take giant kin over wraiths, ghosts and mummies any day." she says jokingly.
Anna gives a tepid laugh, but she had to agree. But to her, it still felt like the choice between execution by hanging or beheading. Either way, you were dead.
"Okay, good. Tracks. And they're going towards this house, right? It's not like they've already come and gone?"
Good eyes there Danica. I'll fly ahead and look for ambushers and traps.
"I think we should hide the horses and approach on foot. They may not know that we are on to them. We can sneak in and do some recon."
While the group waits in the mud, Tolvan flies ahead to scout out the place. It takes a few minutes of flying to get to a clearing. There he sees a two-story stone manse built on the shore of a small, swampy lake. The house is constructed of mortared stone and as a result, it has weathered the years fairly well despite multiple decades of abandonment. There is no sign of anyone out side of the house.
Tolvan scouts the best approach and returns to the group to guide them all in. Nothing moving out there. I think I can get us to the mansion without getting too wet.
Danica nods to Tolvan and then gets back on her horse. Now that she knows what see is looking for, she will continue to keep track of the sets of humanoid prints and the larger print.
With the scouting done, the group moves toward the house. On the way there, Danica still doesn't see any tracks of people leaving the place. Once there, you notice that it is exactly like Tolvan mentioned. The place is quiet and there is no sign of anyone there, at least not on the outside.
You saw some movement in the dark waters of the pond. The movement is only visible for a moment, and no creature can be seen, only the expanding ring of ripples in the water where it once was.
Anna gulps as she heads toward the house. "Aww, great. There's something in the lake."
Where? I didn't see anything. Maybe your eyes are playing tricks on you. It is a spooky place.
"Anna's eyes are NOT playing tricks on her. I definitely saw some movement in the waters as well." Danica slowly unsheathes her temple blade. "I really don't like the idea of us proceeding while our backs are turn. I suggest you guys proceed and I will take the rear to make sure that nothing attacks us from behind."
Tolvan connects everyone with a Message spell before gaining some altitude to examine the pond.
<<The water seems murky...>> he sends through the spell.
Tolvan rises in the air to get a better look of the lake. Still not seeing anything, he sends a message to the rest of the group. Before he can do anything else a great shriek is heard. It seems to come from the southwest and some trees shake as if they was something big moving in the swamp past the house.
"All right; being out in the open is no good. Let's take cover," Anna says.