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Daehalya trips the large fiend, injuring it slightly, while Grundle attempts to lock the demons mind. Grundle hears a gurgle in his mind almost as it the demon scoffs at the notion.
Nicholo manages to find a critical soft point in the demons side and slips his rapier in down to the hilt. Malgamon flinches in pain and tries to grab ahold of the frailer tiefling.
The claw grabs ahold of NIcholo slamming him to the floor as it grabs ahold of him tightly. Onye tries to save Nicholo and claws the demon across one of its eyes.
Barbed tongues slither out of the face of the demon and begin to burrow away into Nicholo's brain leaving him with haunted screams inside his skull.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Nicholo
Malgamon (Red)
➤ Alvarius
➤ Onye
⠀⠀➤ Uhu
➤ Daehalya
➤ Grundle
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As the barbed tongues slither out and connect to his face ---Nicky screams for just a second.
DC 28
Images of Cheliax flip through his brain. Prison and dungeon scenes flash before his eyes, but then an image of the gate appears and lingers. The held image shows Nicky is in leg chains working with an axe on some back breaking chore. Just then, the nearby stone arch glows.
His chance at escape!
Nicky shakes his head as his mind turned images of the worst days into a memory of the best day. It survives the mental onslaught of this daemon.
HP 68/83
AC 25 (+1 vs. traps), deny advantage, cold resistance 3
Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +12 (+1 vs. traps)
Hero Points: 2
Deviant backlash DC: 10
Effects:
"You are outnumbered and already defeated, daemon. Be gone!" Daehalya says, continuing her assault on the creature. This time she doesn't bother to try to knock it down, instead just batters it with her staff.
Critical Success You precisely discern the target's strategy, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the creature until the start of your next turn and a +2 circumstance bonus to your next saving throw against the creature before the start of your next turn.
Success You deduce the gist of the target's strategy; as critical success, except the circumstance bonus is only +1.
Failure You fail to discern the target's strategy and gain no benefit.
Critical Failure You misinterpret the target's strategy and take a –1 circumstance penalty to AC against the creature until the start of your next turn, and a –1 circumstance penalty to your next saving throw against the creature before the start of your next turn.
Positioned safety behind Onye, Alvarius calls upon more evocation magic with a series of arcane gestures. Crackling electricity dances around his skeletal fingers before arcing out towards the daemon.
Grundle's brow furrows as Nicky wavers under the assault.
“The pain you feel is proof that you have endured, that you still stand where others have fallen. The world does not grant kindness freely, but in this moment, let it be known—you are not alone.”
He then sends an Amped Message to Onye.
"I do not think he can take much more. Do what you must."
The giant cat steps around the demon and then pounces, mauling at the horse-demon with all his strength and further spurred by Grundle's compulsion.
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Alvarius easily shocks the demon as Onye leaps onto its side, ripping into its ribs with savage tooth and claw. Daehalya clamly walks around to its head and jabs her staff through the demons eye as it snarls at her, spittle coming from its mouth.
Nicky resists some of the mental intrusion as teh demon pulls back slightly from its own injuries. Grundle soothes Nicky as the demon quickly loses too much blood and succembs to its wounds. The barbed tendrils go limp and nicky is able to pull them free from his face leaving trails of blood flowing down his cheeks.
With Malgamon and his minions defeated, the ice blocking the tunnel where Sakuachi went begins to melt slowly.
The giant cat transforms into mist, which melts away to reveal the amurrun prowler. "The battle against the demons was worthy," he says as he moves to address the worst of the wounds with a divine touch. "The tribe has done well."
"We must catch our breaths quickly," Daehalya says. "Sakauchi may be in trouble, and the ice is no place for someone to tread lightly."
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I might need a bit more than a catch of breath. I'm bleeding from more arteries than I thought I had in my body. Even my HORNS have droplets of blood coming from them! That's saying something.
It was like the demon personally blamed *ME* for mommy-demon and daddy-demon getting divorced. That demon wanted to skin me so badly.
As he gets some soothing and divine touches from Onye, Nicky feels better and can advance forward.
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Ruun, the Sarkorian god of stillness and ice, dwells in the depths of the Stareye Well. Ancient and unyielding, she is said to have emerged at the dawn of time when the first frost blanketed the world. Her domain encompasses the wisdom of silence, the patience of ice, and the power of unchanging resolve. Her followers were few, but devout, and among them was a prophet named Alkin Stareye, who first called upon Ruun in the Age of Madness.
Alkin, a disciple of the powerful Sarkorian war-priest Domora Hume, was tasked with seeking Ruun’s favor during a time of growing chaos. Alkin constructed the Stareye Well as a place of stillness where Ruun’s will could be made clear. It is said that Alkin spent weeks in utter silence beside the well, hoping for divine guidance. On the final night of his vigil, he received a vision of thick ice sealing away chaos, and thus he swore to keep the well sealed as a place of preservation until the day a worthy god caller would arrive.
The well has been sealed ever since, with the entrance caved in after years of neglect and abandonment. Few even remember its existence, and even fewer still remember the name of Ruun.
When Sakuachi and the party entered the long-abandoned cistern complex, Ruun stirred from her dormancy. Unlike the gods of flame or stone, Ruun speaks only in sensations: the bitter chill of doubt, the weight of ancient stillness, and the sharp clarity of understanding. It was not until Sakuachi made three offerings at the shrines of Ruun’s contemporaries—her furs at the Shrine of Ragmon, her spear at the Shrine of Kohr, and her astrolabe at the Shrine of Telios—that Ruun recognized her potential.
The offerings were not merely gestures, but symbolic acts of surrender: warmth, strength, and guidance—each essential to survival in the desolate north. With each offering, the air within the cistern complex grew colder, and frost began to spread across the walls, signaling Ruun’s growing interest.
The entrance to Stareye Well had long since collapsed, and none who remained in Sarkoris knew how to breach it. Recognizing Sakuachi’s resolve, Ruun exerted her power, breaking the ancient seal that separated the well from the central cistern. A deep, resonant cracking sound echoed through the complex as the ancient ice that once protected the well shattered, allowing water from the cistern to pour into the Stareye Well. The well flooded within minutes, submerging the ancient stone and altering the landscape of the shrine.
But Ruun did not intend for Sakuachi to be denied. Where once there was open water, Ruun solidified it into ice as hard as steel, preserving a path into her shrine. This ice is unlike any natural formation; it is suffused with divine will, cold enough to freeze metal in an instant, yet it will yield and melt if Sakuachi approaches, allowing her to enter. Only one recognized as a worthy god caller may tread this path without harm.
The water within the well has now become a shimmering, icy void, and the shrine lies deep within, preserved beneath centuries of frost. Sakuachi’s entry into the shrine is both a test and an honor, for she alone has rekindled Ruun’s watchful gaze. Whether she will survive the encounter or emerge with Ruun’s favor remains to be seen.
*****
As you enter the chamber you witness Sakuachi making her final sacrifice. "I give you all I have left to offer. I give my name."
Sakuachi begins floating in midair, held aloft by spectral owl wings made of dazzling blue ice, which extend from her shoulders. Though the well is freezing cold and she wears only a thin base layer of clothes, the seer doesn’t shiver or show any signs of discomfort. In fact, she seems utterly serene as she calmly regards you and descends gently to the ground. "My quest is complete. To become closer to the gods of the natural world, I have made my final offering,” she says. “I can no longer answer to the name I once went by. From now on, you may call me Snowy Owl"
Exiting the tunnel you see that it has begun to snow as thick flakes fall all around you, littering the ruins. Back outside at their campsite, Innumma, Ulikuq and Deniigi rejoice upon seeing their charge, but they don’t embrace her or even clap her on the back, perhaps sensing that she’s no longer quite of their world.
“The god Ruun has agreed to join me on my quest,” she announces to her fellows. “Our next destination is the Crown of the World.” To punctuate her words, she motions to a nearby stump. Ruun, a magnificent snowy owl rimed in shards of bright blue ice, manifests above the stump in a flurry of snow, then lands to perch on the fallen tree. The god blinks her eyes slowly while peering at each of her caller’s allies each in turn.
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If he had the lids to blink, he would. "Incredible. I'd say I've seen things on this journey. Things I never expected to see. I'm not a spiritual sort, but this transformation... it's enough to make me want to give it a try."
Alvarius then looks at Ruun. "Wait, are we hitching a ride?"
Daehalya merely nods. "Back home. Fitting that our voyage would end there ... especially considering all that we've learned on the way."
She thinks for a moment.
"Do you have a way to get us there more quickly, Snowy Owl, or must we travel by traditional methods still?"
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As the snowy owl manifestation nods in approval you each suddenly recall receiving a letter from Dr Ritalson on Egede asking you to travel south and return to Lepidstadt in Ustalav.
"Isn't the Crown the wrong direction though? I thought the doctor wanted us back in Lepidstadt. If he has the answers he says he has, I'd like to hear them."
To Ruun he says, "Think you can make a detour? If not, then point me to the nearest town so we can get a carriage or a ship or something. I'd rather not walk the whole way back."
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Well Yes, Snowy Owl - we need to both go North and yet also go to see our employer to the South. What a conundrum?!
I think Dr Ritalson had some juicy stuff, and being freezing cold is less appealing. So I'm hoping we go to Ustalav. Home of the Vampires.
Nicky gives a wink as if he's half heartedly joking.
He looks around.
We sure are in the middle of nowhere. A big scar in the land caused by the former demonic Wound World will do that to civilization. How are we getting back to our boss in Ustalav fast. Alvarius is a smart bone marrow cookie. He's right. We don't want to walk the whole way.
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Snowy Owl glances at the manifestation as if listening to something only she is able to hear. “Ruun tells me there is a magical gateway there that connects directly to the Crown,” she explains. “It will be more expedient for us to go south and use the gateway, rather than head straight north. You all are now tied to my destiny now so more than ever.”
Daehalya nods. "South then, back to Dr. Ritalson. And then home."
Yes. The tribe will head south," the amurrun agrees.
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Fortunately for you, the Worldwound is no more, making travel through Sarkoris much safer these days. The most direct route to Lepidstadt from Domora is 125 miles south, skirting the western border of Shudderwood to reach the headwaters of the Moutray River, then downriver another 125 miles to reach Lepidstadt itself.
When she was Sakuachi, the young woman was excitable and bubbly, but after the events at the end of the previous adventure, her soul and destiny merged with that of an ancient Sarkorian god named Ruun. Traditionally, Sarkorians become summoners known as god callers in order to enact the will of these supernatural forces, but in Sakuachi’s case, she and Ruun have become one: Snowy Owl. As Snowy Owl, she is more enigmatic, less excitable as you notice during the next several weeks of traveling.
Your last communication with Dr. Ritalson came in the form of a letter that invited you to meet with him in Lepidstadt to give him a full report of their investigations. After numerous weeks you find yourselves standing before Dr. Ritalson's manor amid a grove of trees not far to the north of Lepidstadt University.
The manor grounds are enclosed in a gothic, wrought iron fence through which access is possible by a single large gate. This gate remains open and a gravel path leads up to the manor’s courtyard, which is decorated with a mossy fountain featuring several water-spitting ibises carved from stone.
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We are finally here! Lots of travel and a good amount of boat work.
Who prepped the synopsis to share with Dr Ritalson? I mean, he needs the theatrical exposition of our travels. If you leave it up to me to do, I'm gonna need some shopping time to get props and I'll have to storyboard the whole thing.
For the sake of time, I think someone else should tell Dr. Ritalson what we have gone through these past few weeks.
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"Yes, I think probably more straight to the point seems better. Considering what we've learned about the Blackfrost Whale, I don't think we have time for props, or even just dinner and a show."
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Deciding to keep the synopsis of your investigation just down to the facts you knock on the door. YOu are greeted by a tall man in a threadbare suit. You slightly remember his name as you only met him a few times during Dr. Ritalson's meetings. This is Dr Ritalson's majordomo Ulwin Kivorak, a towering elderly human who moves deliberately yet gracefully and speaks in a low baritone.
Ulwin bows before you and greets each by name. “Welcome back! Dr. Ritalson sends his regrets that he cannot personally greet you at this time—he is currently engaged in an important matter off-site, but plans to return a few days hence. In the interim, he’s asked me to inform you that Ritalson Manor is yours to treat as home. You are not alone in waiting for the doctor’s return—you’ll find several of your fellows within these walls as well. Until he returns, the doctor encourages you all to rest, relax, and converse with your fellows. But first, if you’ll accompany me, I shall show you to your rooms.”
Daehalya nods, content to leave her travel gear in her room and refresh herself, before finding some of the other epopts to see what they may have learned.
She does have a small moment of concern, remembering that those who encountered Osoyo, the Blackfrost Whale -- as they perhaps did -- and inhaled its chilling, shadowy vapors developed paranormal powers, but also lost control of their minds, becoming potent yet senseless thralls. But she's sure that if they were in Ritalson's home, all would be well.
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A nice bed. ALL to myself?! No more bed roll on the ground in some funky country.... well, Ustalav is the definition of a funky country. So close to the Deadlands and with all the Vamps.
But I digress. It's got beds that are soft and comfot-abe-le.
Thank you Majordomo for the hospitality. I can't wait to smooze, socialize with gatewalkers and eat orderves.
Nicky accept the invitation and preps for a social gathering. Expecting a Bridgerton type ball.
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"No need to thank me Mister Nicholo." Ulwin says formally with a bit of a smile. "Though I suppose I am the only one here to accept such thanks it is appreciated."
The Manors lower floor contains lounges, a ballroom, a library, a conservatory, a dining room, a kitchen, servants’ quarters, and several bathrooms. The upper floor consists of bedrooms and bathrooms. There are enough bedrooms for each of you (and Snowy Owl) to have your own room, with the four other gatewalkers each likewise having a room of their own. These rooms were once guest rooms or family rooms, but today, Etward Ritalson is the only family member in residence.
Concerned about what may be happening with the other Gatewalkers, Daehalya approaches them to ask about their recent experiences.
"I assure you, I am a very important person and must be allowed access to whatever bone scraps you might have!"
Alvarius can be heard making strange demands and proclaiming his importance to the staff, but he is largely ignored over the next two hours.
The catfolk takes some time to learn what other gatewalkers have been experiencing.
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Daehalya finds an elderly Tian man sitting in a comfy chair near the fire in the study. He closes a book, looking up at Daehaly and offers a small appreciate smile as he point to another chair. He introduces himself as Takuzo and over the next two hours the two converse over the strange occurrences since the odd missing moment they share. Daehalya notices he is far more prone to listening rather than talking himself. "I have seen several just like us come and go from here the past few weeks. We all received letters from Etward Ritalson to come and give reports. Etward returns for reports, sends them back out on new missions and then goes out once more. You get called back here as well?"
* -- * -- * -- *
Onye finds a second Gatewalker, a stern, middle-aged Garundi woman, in the westernmost loung staring up at the sky through one of the many skylights. She glances down but barely takes her eyes from the sky. "Hello, what is your name?" She seems to notice Onye's presence. "The sky look different to you?"
* -- * -- * -- *
Alvarius tries to track down the staff but has difficulty fiding any of them. The moment he sees someone who appears to be staff they disappear around a corridor or into a room out of sight from him.
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And there I was! Juggling like a circus performer in this cave with ready to pounce and turn all of us into corpses. But the creatures were just mezmerized by the special flashing I made the balls do. Terrifying creatures from far off away, but entranced by a parlor trick, because they had just never seen such a sight.
and THAT is how I saved the party.
Whew! Our adventures have taken us everywhere and not just on Golarian.
DC 22
"Yes, we did," Daehalya acknowledges. "Have you heard about any of our fellows' reports? We had a hard time of it, and I wonder if others have had the same."
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Nicholo joins Daehalya in the Study speking quietly with Takuzo. He listens calmly and attentively to Nicholo's far more animated story. "I have herd litte of others reports but.." Takuzo's voice is a bit raspy as it has a small quiver to it. He leans in a little closer. "I have been having strange dreams since that moment. Dreams in which I am stalked through a vast frozen library by a furry, horned monster." He describes the monster in detail and it sounds identical to the figure you saw in your own dreams previously watching you from afar. "The last of these dreams was a few weeks ago. I got a good look at the creature. It wasn't a monster at all, but rather a person dressed in some costume."
"Onye Dinta," the catfolk answers. He turns his masked face toward the skylight. "The day does not differ. The tribe battled and slew the stars. The night may now differ."
Daehalya, deeply worried about what might be happening here and how Osoyo might be involved, decides to explore the manor to see if there are any secrets she can uncover. Could Osoyo be influencing Ritalson himself?
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Nicky buts into Onye's Conversation with a quick, That sky light sure is perfect for this room, and perfect for appreciating the vastness of things.
He then indicates he's hungry and goes to talk with the staff.
Might I taste test some of this? I really mean I'm hungry as all layers of the abyss, and I'd love some good grub. But, this looks like a swanky place - so I thought saying Taste test would be more civilized.
Nicky gives a wink at the staff. Letting them know he's a regular joe like they are.
OH! Garlic! What a subtle addition to this. Tell the chef that they made a masterpiece!
Supertaster bonus + Pursue a Lead.
Alvarius continues to try and chase down the staff, shouting after them about just how important he is. To no avail.
Grundle snaps out of the trance he has been in for the past several days and runs to change his soiled clothes. He returns and sidles up to Gatewalker Vaxtervin.
"It is strange, almost disquieting, to find ourselves beneath a roof once more. The scent of firewood and polished stone is no comfort—it is a kind of lie. It masks the truth of the world, which is blood, damp earth, and the slow, grinding indifference of time. Out there, at least, the suffering is honest."
Grundle's eye stare piercingly into the Gatekeeper's.
"Tell me—have your recent days been as bleak and absurd as ours? We spoke with a god, if it can be called that, beheld a golem stitched from the regrets of the dead, and encountered a beetle whose ambitions mocked the natural order. There is no arc to this madness—only deeper layers of strangeness, waiting to be unearthed."
After speaking with Vaxtervin, Grundle moves on to another Gatewalker (perhaps Iasanden?).
It’s strange, isn’t it—how we keep returning from these places. Not unchanged, just... worn thinner each time. I often wonder if the things we see out there shape us, or simply reveal what was always waiting beneath the surface.
Where have your travels taken you lately? Was it one of those quiet horrors—the kind that doesn’t scream, but lingers?"
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Onye continues speaking with Lunja as they stare up at the skylight. "When shadows stretch and sunlight fades, the whisper of the unseen begins—seek the key where dusk and dawn embrace." Lunja smiles briefly. "Loved reading books on mysteries growing up. This place seems just as mysterious." She pours a glass of wine and takes a small sip before pointing the edge of the twisted glass towards the mantle. "Last night I saw Dr. Ritalson replace a strange looking key in a nook in a fireplace. Not sure what it opens but he seems to make sure noone was around when he put it back."
* -- * -- * -- *
Just before bed Daehalya decides to wander the halls of the Manor, doing a small bit of exploring. Trough the numerous portraits that line the halls and old journals Daehalya comes to the conclusion that Etward Ritalson is the last of his line. The rest of his family perished in a river boat fire two years ago, and he’s lived alone in the manor with the serving staff ever since.
* -- * -- * -- *
Nicholo follows the staff around as they prepare the rooms for bed and dinner for everyone. With only a half‑dozen still on retainer, the majordomo, chef, carpenter, butler, and two cleaners fear that they may be laid off at any moment, and have been quietly but dutifully doing what they can in the meantime.
* -- * -- * -- *
Alvarius has difficulty getting any sort of word in with teh staff as every oment he turns to find on Nicholo is already there regailing them with endless tales as the tiefling follows them all throughout their duties.
* -- * -- * -- *
Grundle speaks with the other two Gatewalkers. First Vaxtervin is an intense gnome with bright yellow hair and several tattoos of strange runes along their arms and neck, who is found in the conservatory. He holds a finger to his lips as Grundle enters to quiet the room. "You hear that. I think this place might be haunted. Listen...." You wait a few moments but hear nothing. "See, there is is again." His interest seems piqued. "You really speak with a God? Which one?
After several hours of talking Grundle goes off to find Gatewalker Iasanden in the ballroom. Iasanden is a bald half‑elf who dresses in muted colors and spends his time annotating one of several large ledgers of hand-drawn maps. Several maps are spread out on the hardwood floor for ease of reference as he has dozens of locations marked. [b]"Where did you come from?" He asks staring at the map. "Where have you been?"
The questions linger on Grundle's mind as the group lays down to rest for the evening.
* -- * -- * -- *
Grundle, feeling like he is getting nowhere with the Gatewalker, decides to talk to the staff.
You wear worry plainly—like a cloak too heavy for comfort. The halls here are quieter than they once were, and there's a certain tension in the air, as though even the walls are bracing for bad news. Tell me... is something coming? Or perhaps something already has.
Your master is away, and I sense the uncertainty gnawing at the edges of your purpose. Is it true, then? That your time here may soon come to an end? We do not ask to pry, only to understand the ground beneath our feet before it shifts beneath us all.
Takuzo's voice is a bit raspy as it has a small quiver to it. He leans in a little closer. "I have been having strange dreams since that moment. Dreams in which I am stalked through a vast frozen library by a furry, horned monster." He describes the monster in detail and it sounds identical to the figure you saw in your own dreams previously watching you from afar. "The last of these dreams was a few weeks ago. I got a good look at the creature. It wasn't a monster at all, but rather a person dressed in some costume."
Onye continues speaking with Lunja as they stare up at the skylight. "When shadows stretch and sunlight fades, the whisper of the unseen begins—seek the key where dusk and dawn embrace." Lunja smiles briefly. "Loved reading books on mysteries growing up. This place seems just as mysterious." She pours a glass of wine and takes a small sip before pointing the edge of the twisted glass towards the mantle. "Last night I saw Dr. Ritalson replace a strange looking key in a nook in a fireplace. Not sure what it opens but he seems to make sure noone was around when he put it back."
Daehalya begins Day 2 as she finished Day 1, exploring the manor and seeing what she might learn before talking to the other Gatewalkers. She remains distracted, however, only pulling herself from her reverie and worried at the end of the day as she meets Vaxtervin. "Grundle mentioned you are hearing something odd?" she asks the gnome. "Some sort of haunting? I think Ritalson is the last of his line, but his family died in a boat, not the manor."
The catfolk speaks with Vaxtervin for a while before roaming outside the manor. "In the land of the godcallers, the tribe met a god of solitude called Ruun," he eventually explains to Vaxtervin. "There were many powerful beings encountered on the journey of the tribe."
"Vaxtervin believes the manor is haunted?" the catfolk asks. "Onye Dinta has not noticed any spirits beyond those who follow Onye Dinta."
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Nicky decides to talk with Vextervin.
At last! two gnomes in a room. I get to finally ask a question that has been burning inside me for a while.
What is it with gnomes and explosions? I was exploring a gnome village, and BAM! A stove explodes. Not 30 minutes later, on top of a rooftop with some strange water heating contraption and BAM! That explodes.
I've been traveling with Grundle a good while now and things have been mellow. So is it just me? or do gnomes that invent stuff intentionally want it a Aasimar's hair width from becoming unstable?
DC 26
******
Then onto the staff.
You know, back in the circus, we had this chemical paint that actually glowed like torchlight. You paint it on, then slide cloth along it and it'd glow like the mid-day sun! I bet I can get my hands on that and help make lamp lighting a whole lot easier.
DC 24 Deception.
*************
Explore. He pulls out the magnifying glass and checks out the place. Knocking on walls, and looking for spider webs.
*************
And Iasanden -
We have been here- we have been there - we have been EVERYWHERE!
DC 22
Alvarius is finally able to corner some of the staff without Nicholo present. "Finally! Now that you know about me, I do have some questions for you..."
Alvarius struggles mightily with connecting with Iasanden. He wonders if it's something he said, or if they simply are struggling with the fact that he's a walking, talking skeleton. Finally, the dam breaks. "Look, what you see is me doing my level best to survive. In a world where the very nature around us makes living a struggle, with poisonous plants to falling rocks, temperatures that will either freeze or make you bleed the water from your pores... I am somehow still alive. And I need to know more, because I can tell you walking amongst humanity makes this really tough. And I can only vaguely recall my humanity at all. Come now, share what you know and I'll do the same for you."
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The next day Grundle spends the entire day speaking with several members of the staff as they go about their duties. The manor is a grand estate, with high vaulted ceilings, lavish carpets, and walls adorned with portraits of past generations. Despite its beauty, there’s a lingering tension in the air, as if the walls themselves hold secrets. The distant ticking of a grandfather clock echoes through the halls. A faint draft carries the scent of old parchment and something faintly metallic. Every so often, a hushed whisper is heard from behind closed doors, stopping abruptly when he approaches.
Alvarius approaches behind him and decides to open the door startling the two cleaners near to death. One of them goes very pale having caught a glimpse of Alvarius beneath his cowl. "D..did that happen during this missing moment everyone keeps taking about?" The other maid quickly shushes the girl, pulling on her arm. "Don't be rude, Ulwin will have us on the streets you keep taing like that!" The younger girls still seems a bit more defiant. "I wasn't trying to be rude. Plus Ulwin been acting strange lately. He's not normally this quiet or strict with us."
* -- * -- * -- *
Meanwhile while Alvarius and Grundle speak with the cleaners Nicholo sets about exploring the Manor itself. He spends several hours testing each doorknob and flicking his way through books out of boredom.
Nicholo moved with measured grace into the Manor's lounge, the click of his boots softened by the plush rug underfoot. The lounge was still—too still. Velvet armchairs sat like sentinels around a dormant hearth, and the scent of aged brandy and old paper hung in the air like a memory that refused to fade.
His infernal eyes scanned the room, catching the way shadows pooled unnaturally in the far corner, where heavy green curtains hung from ceiling to floor. No breeze stirred them. No light bled through.
He approached with practiced calm, his tail curling in thought as his gloved hand reached out. The fabric was thick, dust clinging to its folds. Nicholo swept it aside.
Behind it: not a wall, not a window. A door!
Wooden, old, and masterfully concealed. Its surface matched the wall paneling so precisely that even a trained eye might miss it. But not Nicholo’s.
A faint groove ran along one edge—just enough to catch a fingertip. He pressed into it. The wood gave with a reluctant groan, and the hidden door creaked inward, revealing a sliver of darkness beyond.
* -- * -- * -- *
Onye feels like Vaxtervin may be seeing things not meant to be seen or not seen at all. Perhaps it is their ability beset by them by the missing moment or perhaps it is mental instability. After a day of meaningfula nd twisted talk he comes back with nothing much from the Gatewalker.
* -- * -- * -- *
Later in the day Daehalya, Alvarius, and Nicholo join Iasanden in loking over maps, marking where all they traveled from. "Absolutely fascinating!" He looks at Daehalya. "So you are naturally warm in that cold? I get cold so much, I don't think I could do it."
He seems to warm up to you a bit. "You know what, I have a map I set up several weeks ago." He goes to a cupboard and rolls it out. "This one is different. I think Dr. Ritalson has been coming and going from Lichgate several times recently. I caught a glimpse of a map the Doctor was working on last time he was here."
Explore the Manor (2 Hours) - DC 24 Perception
Speak with Staff (2 Hours) - DC 24 Deception, Diplomacy, or Intimidation
Gatewalker Lunja (2 Hours) - DC 26 Diplomacy or DC 22 Nature
Gatewalker Vaxtervin (2 Hours) - DC 26 Diplomacy or DC 22 Religion
Gatewalker Iasanden (2 Hours) - DC 26 Diplomacy or DC 22 Survival
Gatewalker Takuzo (2 Hours) - DC 26 Diplomacy or DC 22 Occultism