Sir Rekkart looks surprised at Halgrak's revelation. "Pull yourself together man. You don't know what you are talking about. His own bloody axe was used to kill them. There was plenty of evidence to convict Mord." He seems a little less certain of his final words.
Volta looks incredulously at Sir Rekkart, saying, "He doesn't know if he toes were cut off? That he doesn't know who did it? It seems something hard to be mistaken about. Why is it so hard for you to believe that you may have been misled by forged evidence and intimidated witnesses and jurors? This gentleman's statement alone would be enough to justify a reexamination of the trial, at least in any court that could call itself just. Or am I wrong about that Priest of the Judge of the Gods?"
Untrained, to assist Finngarth.
Sir Rekkart looks as if he was physically slapped. He turns on Volta "I am a paladin of Iomadae! I would never convict an innocent man! It is against all I stand for! Don't be silly man! Of course he knows who cut off his toes! Just look... His anger trails off as he goes to point at Halgrak and he is gone.
"Umm, what just happened?" he blurts out as the paladin disappears.
Give me a perception check.
Volta is about to reply to Sir Rikkart when the point to where Halgrak was. He looks about saying, "Well, spirit, if you kill everyone that talks not one will, and you will gain nothing in the end. Doubt if it matter though, insanity has no logic."
Any sign or sound of where the latest victim of madness went?
Kanna ponders the disappearance of Halgrak. "I suspect that we may soon encounter another body," she says gravely.
Volta speaks up again, "Actually Halgrak left with the jar in hand but I didn't see where he went. Still wondering what the spirit or anyone involved wants, maybe he does."
Other than the stairs going back downstairs, there are two single doors exiting this room and a spiral staircase going up.
Volta looks around to see if there is any sign of where Halgrak passed.
Track Halgrak.
If he finds a trail he will follow it otherwise he will check the two doors leading out and see if they are noisy in opening.
Door A.
Check for traps on door.
If trapped or locked.
Door B.
Check for traps on door.
If trapped or locked.
Volta says, "If someone would be so kinds as to open these doors after I check them, I would appreciate the assistance. Be prepare for uncanny attacks of course."
If the doors creak loudly on opening then it is likely that these were not the way Halgrak left and Volta will report such, otherwise he supports Seldion's plan.
Volta walks around looking at the floor for a few minutes and finds nothing. He walks over to the door next to Groff and examines it. He then opens the door and pushes it back and forth listening to the hinges. They do make some noise but not a loud screech.
This large area is partitioned into smaller cubicles by thin wooden walls with cracked panes of frosted glass set in them. Old desks litter the area, some overturned and emptied of their contents, others still standing where barristers once toiled under mountains of paperwork. A large window set in the north wall is shattered. Beyond, the sprawling desolation of Beldrin’s Bluff greets the eye, its tangled weeds and leaning storefronts strewn with bones and rubble. Suddenly, shadows flit across the frosted glass panes of the partitions as hollow voices whisper blasphemies on the wind.
Looking over Volta's shoulder "What in all the hells is that!?!"
"The haunts of this place are numerous and varied," sighs Finngarth fingering his holy symbol absently. "I hope we can set them to peaceful rest soon enough."
"Great more ghosts, just what we need."
Volta walks over to the other door, saying, "After I check this would someone else please open it?
Finngarth pushes the door open once Volta gives him the all clear.
Opening the other door, Finngarth sees a hallway stretching away and turning with a stairwell at the bend.
Curious about the other room (the first one), Kanna enters trepidatiously and looks around. A cursory search of the room reveals nothing (unless something makes itself known).
Finngarth follows close behind Kanna, hoping that the answer to what they seek is near at hand.
Kanna walks into the room and as he rounds the wall to the north he sees Halgrak sitting on the floor idly stitching his pickled toes back on to his right foot with needle and thread. The putrefied digits then take
root and his flesh starts to be eaten.
What compels a man to do such a thing? Ianfir bristles at the discovery.
Heading the hubbub, Groff heads over to see the current disturbance.
In a few minutes Halgrak's flesh is eaten and he dies a horrible death. As his death scream fades a giant slimy creature drops from the ceiling next to Groff.
Everybody but Volta and Finngarth up.
"GAAAAHHHH!!!" and he will try to hit it
power attack, dorn dergar
Groff sings at the beast and takes a large chunk out of but it is still alive.
Kanna immediately goes on the offensive. Taking up her shortbow, she launches two arrows in rapid succession.
The creature collapses to the floor, gore spattering some of the nearby desks.
Clearly rather unnerved Groff exclaims loudly "Now what was that thing?!? It almost fell on me!"
A giant leech. Ianfir says matter of factly.
"Now what is that doing in the middle of Absalom?!"?
"What indeed? Why was a perfectly normal man sewing his putrified toes back on? How did a half-orc end up hanging from the ceiling? Nothing here makes sense!" Clearly, Kanna is becoming frustrated.
Volta is slow to respond due to his injuries, "Is it over?"
After explanations:
He then, far too mildly, says, "Well, this will make sure that no one will ever admit anything ever again. Our persons of faith, do you have any guidance on how we can exorcism this or these, however many, dangerous and insane spirits? It appears that will be the only way out besides a hideous death."
To Kanna, "It makes sense only to the insane, a deeply insane vengeful being, likely something supernatural, but maybe some other explanation, I'll leave that to the holy."
Volta turns towards the newly reveled staircase saying, "If some comes forward I'll check these stairs so we can find a new place for someone to die horribly."
staircase if and only if someone comes with.
Check for traps on staircase
If trapped or blocked.
Not opening any doors yet.
Finngarth responds, "Such malevolence is beyond my ken. I have heard that haunts can be satisfied if a wrong is set right or they become freed to move on from the place they inhabit, but we don't seem any closer to solving the case her, or putting the death of perhaps an innocent man right."
"I guess we better keep looking then. " and he heads for the stairs up.