"A more ominous invitation I have never seen before in my life...Master Darlock, if you would kindly...?"
Cristiel shakes her head at the odd building, "Just be on guard but yes, let us not dally outside like a gaggle of geese."
Camillo draws his sword and readies his shield, moving up to step through with Kithian.
Kithian shrugs his shoulders and moves forward.
Sayniek limps forward, sword in hand prepared to defend against whatever this strange house might hole.
Cristiel falls in last behind Vidar, guarding the rear as she said she would. Manartyelo lies bared in her hand as the strange blade hum softly.
Cristiel falls in last behind Vidar, guarding the rear as she said she would. Manartyelo lies bared in her hand as the strange blade hum softly.
Putting his large hand on the door the half orc pushes into the house with Cam close on his heels keeping a sharp eye out for traps and the like. As the party shuffles in the house creaks and moans and you find yourselves in a hall of sorts with high vaulted ceilings and exposed rafters. Large windows figure prominently on both sides of the entrance to the room but years of poor upkeep let in only murky, dingy light from the outside.
Trophies mark the room; a boar, a bear, a firepelt cougar. All are looking worn and moldering. The room hangs with damp acrid air tinged with mold and a cursory inspection reveals it is tinged throughout the floorboards and walls of the entrance.
Standing in the center of the room is the most disturbing of trophies. Set on a wooden pedestal is a hulking monster some 12 feet long with the body of a lion, a huge scorpions tail, batlike wings and a deformed humanoid face.
The hall has many paths to follow:
- 1. Continue forward to the back of the house (there appears to be a dining room back there).
2. A spiral staircase that leads up to the right.
3. A door past the stair case that heads right into house.
4. A door on the left wall that leads to the left side of the house.
Cristiel tilts her head to the side as her large, pointed ears pick up some sound. She points to the stairs as she whispers softly, "Someone or thing is crying upstairs."
"Yeah, I hear it, too, but..."
"Do you smell that? Burnt hair or skin, really faint - is that thing burning? I think it is!"
"Well well, a Manticore, isn't that interesting. Some member of the family must have been quite a warrior to slay such a beast.
Assuming of course it was not merely purchased..."
"Yes, I also perceive crying AND the Manticore is smouldering. Be careful everyone, it could be a trap.
Find cover just in case it might explode!"
"Give me a moment to examine it."
Keeping his shield between him and the manticore, Camillo sheathes his sword and approaches the beast to examine it for traps.
Perception 1:
Perception 2:
Strange hearing crying like that.
I do not smell anything burning, but since this place does not appear to have been inhabited in years, any crying or burning should be carefully scrutinized.
Expecting to get blown over backwards, Sayniek begins to concentrate on detecting the presence of evil in the room, starting with Smoky the Manticore.
Action: Detect Evil
Cam sees no traps or any other indications of "trouble" its just...barely...smoking...there isn't even really any heat coming from it. Barely perceptible.
Sayniek gets the same strange revelation she had before. Evil comes and goes from her line of awareness spiking in power then fading to nothing.
"Nothing I see here, but it would seem to be a sign that something or someone is about. Otherwise, the fire would have either destroyed the creature or put itself out by now."
He looks unconvinced, "Right?"
"Let us investigate the crying...We've seen some evidence of supernatural forces here.
Not surprising in a way, we do suspect a necromancer to have been here.
Ghosts...are to be expected."
"However, do not get careless, the Necromancer we fought was not overly powerful, it is quite possible that he has placed illusions here and there to make us weary of the unseen and unknown in hope of making us stumble into more mundane traps."
Perception:
Perception:
Kithian shrugs as he glances at Cristiel. "Well you got the ears to hear it, I don't hear or smell nothin."
Sayniek shakes her head as she is unable to determine what is causing the fluctuations of evil.
Very strange. I sense evil here, but it is all about. However, it is fleeting. As though it is there one moment and gone the next. Sort of like waves. The presence of evil just sees to rise and fall. I have never sensed anything like it.
"Yeah, sure - this isn't really on fire, it's an illusion. OK, let's go see who upset the baby upstairs."
He looks around at the others, Right?
Rullis activates his force shield and keeps it between him and that manticore statue. "I don't smell it either. After a whiff of Kithian's musk, probably can't smell anything." He'll keep a watch back as everyone moves up the stairs, following when able.
The group proceeds up the stairs and into a long hallway. Not unlike many homes this size the hallway is wide enough to have you walk two abreast.
Staggered in a long arc around the distance of the house there are 6 single doors and two sets of double doors (8 openings in total).
Camillo holds up a hand and listens in an attempt to locate the crying.
2
Cristiel stays on the stairs while the others try the first door on the right on the second floor. She keeps her eyes locked downward to make sure nothing creeps up behind them.
Perception: <-- although not quite as competent as Cam, the diminutive tank also is unable to locate the direction of the crying
Cam checks the door and at Kithian's urging the barbarian and bard step through into a small room featuring a child's bed, a chair next to a toy box and a looming stone fireplace.
Nothing else seems out of the ordinary though it is plain to see that quite suddenly Kithian is gripped in the throes of a vision of some kind.
The effect is sudden and fast as the half-orc goes wide eyed. The moment seems to fade for him in mere seconds but...
wil sv
Kithian staggers as he enters the room, his eyes go wide as his lips peel back from his teeth showing his orcish fangs in an animalistic snarl. "Gorum's spiked cod piece! I have received a vision! A vision from the Lord in Iron himself! I must leave this place and travel back to the lands of my people! The clans war with the orcs once again and they are both after my death! I must take the battle to them before they bring it to me! I will not run! Do you hear me? "
The large half orc spins around, his eye narrow as he looks at the others. "I will need companions in this fight. Will you come with me? We must slay the shaman for this! Yes, he is the one behind it all! He is the one who sent the assassins and now he has now turned my mother against me! His bones will adorn my armor!"
Huh...that was...unexpected to say the least.
Knowing master Darlock, it is either D, D or C...
Dementia, Divinity (as in inspiration, just like he claims) Or comedy.
It would not be the first attempt at humour that managed to slip the leash of his mind and get away from his tongue.
"Well, ever since we were attacked by those members of your tribe before, I suspected we would eventually have to deal with the instigator.
But one thing at the time, one battle at the time, we cannot run from this battle, nor our current foe either.
Necromancer now, Shaman tomorrow."
Kithian stares at Vidar for a moment then shakes his head as if he had a mouth full of bees. "Do you not understand you bearded goat buggerer? I have received a vision from the god of war himself! The necro romancer will have to wait! I must prepare! I must gird my self for battle! Where is my dog? I have to slay who ever wins the battle! Unless it is me mother then I will have to knock her out and talk some sense into her. Damn shaman. Why am I still talking to you?"
The barbarian sheathes his falchion as he begins to leave the room, bumping into the halfing as he does "Out of the way peck!"
Cristiel listens to the half-orc rave about orcs and war. The elven woman shakes her head, "As Vidar says, one problem at a time. You should not trust anything you see or hear in this place. We face an enemy spellcaster, whom like the wilest demons, might be capable of manipulating everything you perceive around you. Once we have captured or executed this necromancer, you shall have time to meditate on your visions from 'Gorum' and find out if they are true divine mandate. So calm yourself. Even if these visions are the truth, you can hardly do anything about them immediately."
"And here I was labouring under the misconception that you WERE girding yourself for battle by increasing your strength through combat with powerful opponents...
And gathering allies, maybe even friends for your cause.
My mistake..."
Vidar shrugs, seemingly unconcerned, but deep down fully expecting to have to force some sense into kithian, one way or another.
Sadly, since I cannot beat sense into him, I may have to allow HIM to beat ME until he sees sense.
I just have to get him good and mad first, should not be a problem, I am told I am VERY good at making people angry.
Cristiel turns to look at the others from her position guarding the top of the stairs, "I wonder if some lost soul unable to move on has latched on upon your mind, Kithian. If anywhere, in the lair of a necromancer you would expect the dead to not sleep peacefully. In the case of violent death, I'd expect the lost soul to feel nothing but the panic and despair it felt in its last few moments of life and it might only be able to communicate in such a manner."
Sayniek holds up her hand as the giant barbarian attempts to move past.
Halt great warrior. Let me investigate this room. If what Cristiel says is true, then my Lord Ragathiel shall help protect me and aid me in helping whatever caused these spirits to cease so that they can rest.
With that, the tiny iron golem moves into the room, shield raised to see if whatever effected Kilthian attempts to so the same to her.
Perception:
SAyniek sees nothing out of the ordinary.
Strange, I wonder what effected him. Let me try something else.
With that, Sayniek walks over to Kithian and reaches up to touch his hand, as she does so, a clean red light spreads from her hand and into Kithian, healing him of his wounds.
Lay on Hands @ Kithian: <-- sort of assuming Cristiel would have said that positive energy can harm haunts.
1. You need to catch up with Kithian cuz he seems intent on leaving unless he stops at someone's words
2. Sayniek would know enough about her own abilities at this point to know it won't help with the type of damage he is displaying (ie you can tell he is not physically harmed)
Kithian grunts at the his friends words and frowns. "Calm myself? Have you seen me fight? Well, you got big ears. I guess the thinks I am strong enough! Guess it because I lived through eating your cookin you crow pettin jabberjaw! And I got a mind like a steel ..uh ..."
The barbarian looks over at the Cam and snaps his fingers. " Whats that thing that catches mice? Oh yeah, a cat! Mind like a steel cat!" The half orc stops and shakes his head again.
I think he is resisting whatever it is that is happening to him, hmmm, anger may not be the answer, maybe appeal to our camaraderie...and how to do that best? With a joke of course...
"You are a fine one to accuse me of being a "goat buggerer" you know, at least with me, they are served a meal before hand, and *I* look them in the eyes, so there can be some kissing."
If he does not respond to that, then I KNOW something is wrong.