Simeon flips throught he engineering books, looking up "Hmmm, I wonder....perhaps there's been some work done in the Schloss somewhere..."
Joining the others in the master bedroom , he looks up at the portrait, "Pretty." is his only comment.
He steps out onto the balcony, craning his neck to get a better look around.
Nalun follows Prof. Plavini outside.
Professor. Did you mean what you said outside? About Vengeance being better off if he were more like the automaton downstairs?
A search of the master bedroom reveals the wardrobe full of rich nobleman clothing. The books on the bookshelf to be mundane, fiction for the most part and feel as though they have not been read or opened for many years. The credenza desk holds some mundane correspondence with an engineering firm but also a letter.
My Dear Count,
I have enjoyed our most recent discourse on the nature of the spontaneous creation of certain types of undead. In my many years of study on the subject, I have also attempted to discern the secrets from my own study of Osirian remains, those hulking mummies so prevalent in that desert environ. Perhaps when I travel back to the north country I will regale you with stories of my exploits in that dusty land. It has been a long time since I have enjoyed your company in person. Although I have grown greatly from the student I once was, the time I shared with you and Petros in study and event disagreement is one I shall always cherish.
However, I digress from the purpose of this current missive. Some retainers of mine have business in Lepidstadt in the coming weeks, and I was hoping to impose upon your intellect and unique point of view. They will be carrying a rather curious Tome, and I would love to have your learned opinion of it. If it is not too much of an imposition, please expect visitors toward the end of the month.
Regards,
Adivion Adrissant
Jaru reads the letter aloud. "Adrissant. He was at the funeral, an old acquaintance of the professor."
Jaru shakes his head, "I do not understand." He continues his search of the room, this time for a tome. He also takes a closer look at the engineering books in the other room to make sure there is nothing of particular interest. If nothing is found, he shrugs and beckons for the others to follow him back downstairs.
The books are of a specialist nature and would be worth a hefty sum of gold if sold. The booked marked and open pages seem to be on the subject of bridges.
Heading downstairs you find the golem construct with a plate of Cheese, fruit (wrinkled apples and pears) and dried nuts.
I hope you have not disturbed anything, it writes.
Jaru raises his hands. "We did not take anything," he replies. "But we are concerned about your master. You have said that he is indisposed, but we must talk to him. Will you take us to him or do we need to look for him ourselves?"
I am afraid Lord Caromarc is indisposed, the automatatron writes.
"Very well," Jaru sighs and turns to go through the door east of the stairs.
Emmett keeps an eye on the automaton while Jaru plays with the door, wondering whether it is in fact dangerous or not.
It's very patient at least...
You move past the Automatron into the rest of this part of Schloss Caromarc.
You find a library with shelves crammed with books, wall to wall. A comfortable leather chair sits in the middle of the room.
The books seem to be both medical texts and texts on engineering - as a collection they'd be quite valuable.
The next room along is a smoking room, with two plush chairs facing an unlit fireplace. Numerous jars of tobacco are on a stand as well as a number of pipes and a fancy calabash set.
The rooms to the south of the library and smoking room are both trophy rooms. They are crammed with taxidermied animals and stuffed heads, including a crocodile and an elephant head.
Emmett notices a concealed door in the smoking room.
Emmett paces through the room, checking the man's collection with a look of horror. Finally, he shrugs, then switch his focus on the room, its walls, floors, and he notices a line that in fact is a crack.
With a knowing smile, he points to it for his companions to see, his thick and worn finger tracing the outline of the concealed door.
As they gather around it, he looks for a way to open the door.
Nalun looks at the books idly before following Emmett and the others.
Nalun follows Prof. Plavini outside.
Professor. Did you mean what you said outside? About Vengeance being better off if he were more like the automaton downstairs?
Simeon shrugs, "Perhaps.Who am I to say? It does behoove one to consider the alterative to his existence. While I marvel at his creation, I cannot ignore the pain and chaos his mere presence seems to attract. Methinks, Ser Caromarc reached to far and found much more that he bargained." he finishes, walking with the others through the library and into the sitting room.
He waits patiently for Emmett to open the door he's found...
"Forward, Emmett. I am thinking a maker of golems likely has a secret lab and I wonder what other secrets might we find there."
The opens into something totally unforeseen... a dining area!
The vaulted ceiling of this large room is adorned with gilt. A pair of impressive halberd are mounted over the fireplace. A great table and 12 chairs take up the centre of the room.
As you move about the hall you can hear the faint sound of water and feel a slight draft from the upper side of the chamber. You are able to investigate and find a passage.
The golem of wood and wire follows you into the room, scratching at its slate.
You wish to sit and eat?
"Stranger and stranger..." comments Emmett as he follows Elidal to the hidden passage, looking for a way to open it.
He adds: "Remember that people came looking for him... Perhaps there is a connection to our golem friend's adventures in Lepidstad, mmh?"
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The tall priest is clearly disappointed and annoyed. "Who builds a secret to the dining room?" he asks no one in particular. He waves off the odd butler. "No, no. You have done all you can for us."
"Continue, Emmett. Perhaps this leads to the bath," he adds sarcastically.
The door springs open leading to a corridor. The sound of water and the faint roaring of the waterfalls grows louder.
Emmett takes the lead, advancing more carefully, weary of traps.
Nalun follows the group
It opens up to a corridor which terminates in a locked heavy wooden door - outside the door you can hear the roar of the river and the waterfalls.
Emmett, with a grunt of pain, puts an aching knee on the hard floor and inspects the lock for surprises, before producing a pair of needle-like instruments.
Tongue sticking out, he works the lock carefully.
"If Count Caromarc is in the habit of bathing in the river, you might be right,"
"You might avert your eye then, Elidal." Jaru says with a trace of a smile. "We might be about to disturb his bath."
Not surprisingly, after Emmett has picked the lock and opened the door you can see (and hear) the roaring waterfall below.
Stretching before you is a long stone bridge, without handrails, that leads to a new section of the castle.
Heading back to ensure that you've seen all there is to see you find the rest of the residential wing of the Schloss to be unoccupied and filled with expensive fittings, as well as a kitchen and cold cellar that includes a sizeable wine collection. There is even a billiards room.
It appears to be of solid stone, seamless and without signs of mortar.
Jaru encourages the others. "Lead on. Carefully across and keep a watch for more wind devils."
Emmett steels himself. Something about dying in the freezing waters of an underground river worries him beyond measure.
He carefully approaches the bridge, studying its surface: "It will no doubt be very slippery. I wonder who thought it would be a good idea not to have handrails... Fish people?" he mutters, his words filled with sarcasm to hide his fear.
"Anyway, the last bridge we crossed, and come to think of it, even that passage with the creature made of wind, ended up being nasty traps to send us to a drowning death. I say we take our time here..." and his eyes narrow and spy the other side of the bridge.
The bridge is 20ft long and the river surges below it, leading to a series of raging waterfalls.
The bridge terminates in another landing of sorts and a door similar to the one on this side of the bridge.
[edit]Bridge is 40ft long and 10ft wide
Jaru nods. "A rope would be long enough and surely a wise move. Let us try that."
The passage of one of you is safe and able to traverse the bridge safely. No traps or other hazards are detected.
Once on the other side, Emmett secures the rope to a wall and waves the next one to cross: "One at a time. Jaru, would you come forward?"
There are no worries and you are through to the other side. Some time with the lock enables you to enter the next part of the Schloss.
The large workshop is crammed with alchemical equipment but an explosion of some kind has ripped away the western wall, leaving a large gap in the floor and wall open, now wreathed with with scaffolding.It looks as if a stone bridge once connected this building with another on the far side of the gorge but only a slender rope bridge now hangs between the two.
Emmett turns to Simeon: "Did this happen recently? Can you tell?" he asks the scholar.
Jaru purses his lips. "Well, it seems the explosion was long enough ago that a rope bridge was built to replace the bridge that was destroyed. I think a safety rope will once again be a wise idea."
Simeon taps his lips, nodding at Jaru's observation, "Indeed, and the 'engineer's room down in the living quarters...recent...but how recent."
He bends over a burnt stone, lifting black soot up with thumb and index finger, sniffing...
Jaru purses his lips. "Well, it seems the explosion was long enough ago that a rope bridge was built to replace the bridge that was destroyed. I think a safety rope will once again be a wise idea."
Emmett doesn't reply, keeping his eyes on the scene of the explosion and the bridge ahead. However, his ears start to glow a deep shade of red.
Nalun assumes his normal role, assisting Prof. Plavini with his investigation into the burned remains of the bridge.