John just scrambles up the side of the crumbling staircase while the rest of the group tries to find steps still able to hold them. Everyone except Gaius is able to get up the stairs without injury.
Gaius tries to follow Evelyn but doesn’t see exactly where she went. His foot goes through a step and some of the falling debris hits him. He is able to get up the stairs in spite of this.
You come up into the kitchen where a stream of frenzied rats is also trying to escape the mansion. They are the last obstacle in your way.
Evelyn has heard plenty of tales of rats leaving the ship and is able to take advantage of what she has heard to scare them out of her path.
Gaius also knows a bit about animals and causes some of the rats to divert course. This gives Azalmak enough space to stomp through them without getting hurt.
Cara isn’t so fortunate and ends up bitten. Fortunately the injuries are minor and she makes it through.
John stomps through the middle of the pack. A combination of thick soles on his boots and strong stomping allow him to get through without problem.
As the last of you escape the manor, several main beams give way and the ceiling collapses on the kitchen killing any remaining rats. Within a few minutes, the whole manor collapses on itself.
As it is collapsing, you can hear a woman’s voice calling out. Soon you see Nixa coming towards you.
“I was worried when I saw the manor collapsing! I’m glad to see you all made it out.”
You have time to inspect the records you recovered along with the journal you found in the estate’s mausoleum. There doesn’t appear to be anything left standing of the manor to explore and you would need tools and several workers to excavate the wreckage.
|
As the last of you escape the manor, several main beams give way and the ceiling collapses on the kitchen killing any remaining rats. Within a few minutes, the whole manor collapses on itself.
As it is collapsing, you can hear a woman’s voice calling out. Soon you see Nixa coming towards you.
“I was worried when I saw the manor collapsing! I’m glad to see you all made it out.”
You have time to inspect the records you recovered along with the journal you found in the estate’s mausoleum. There doesn’t appear to be anything left standing of the manor to explore and you would need tools and several workers to excavate the wreckage.
To Nixa: "It was a close call. Only thanks to our teamwork did we make it out. It's a shame we weren't able to search the rest of the manor; perhaps another time."
To the others: "I wonder if we should have Father Ruvarra perform some rites, maybe a Consecration or a Hallowing, to permanently seal off the evil. And also to make sure any remaining demon bile still in the wreckage isn't 'picked up' by vermin of some type and continue that problem. Otherwise I fear whatever work the Vermlek did may be continued at some point in the future."
You gather what you have found and make your way back to town. The trip back is uneventful.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Emerging essentially unscathed from the collapsed manor, John's rage abates and begins breathing normally. He begins to brush off some debris and dirt.
A look of concern suddenly overcomes him. Reaching at his side, he comes to a terrible realization.
“I was worried when I saw the manor collapsing! I’m glad to see you all made it out.”
"I wish the same could be said for my mace," John mutters, realizing that he had failed to pick up the weapon in his rush to get outside.
"It was a close call. Only thanks to our teamwork did we make it out. It's a shame we weren't able to search the rest of the manor; perhaps another time."
John hestitates. He looks at the seemingly impenetrable cloud of dust and piles of debris before releasing a long sigh. "Yes, another time." The half-orc huffs.
|
|
"We did work well together, didn't we?" Azalmak smiles at Evelyn. "I'm glad it was on dry land though, water doesn't seem to agree with me.
As the group arrives back in town he starts off for the Mayor's office before pausing. "I assume we'd see the mayor first, so she can start making any arrangements she needs to after hearing what we have to say."
You report to Mayor Trinelli, telling her of what you found. You describe how the collapsing manor prevented you from destroying all of the demon bile and encourage her to have Father Ildris Ruvarra go to the estate to cleanse the grounds. Cara adds that there are people at her Abby that would help with that.
The mayor asks how immediate a threat this is and how dangerous you believe it to be. You warn her about the poisonous garden and indicate that as long as it is taken care of within a week, it really shouldn’t be a threat. She asks that you go with some of her guards tomorrow and explain it to them. They will work with the father to get the area cleaned up.
She is very interested in the records and asks if any of you can help Lupia Marietti organize them. This gives your group a chance to go through the records, including the journal you found in the mausoleum.
The journal recounts the adventures of Marcius Sarini in Sargava as a young officer. The book narrates interactions with Sargavans and bloody skirmishes with monsters. During his time abroad, Marcius befriended many locals and learned much about the traps and poisonous plants they used for hunting. He also met a brilliant woman named Eshebe, who had a son not quite a year after she and Marcius became acquainted. The final part of the book discusses hunting trips, including a successful manticore hunt and a plan to kill a chimera, but the ending of the story is missing.
The records you took from the hidden room includes a master list of the villagers taken along with some of the detailed records of how they were captured and what was done with them. Lupia says that the records of how the citizens were taken may still be of use to the guards.
Once you have gone through the records and make a full report, you submit it to the mayor. You keep a copy for yourselves since the society will want a report as well. The mayor goes through it and makes a smaller report of the findings. The smaller report includes the list of names and dates when the people were taken but leaves out many details of how it was done.
The mayor’s report is posted outside city hall. Soon people start lining up, curious to know what happened to their kin so long ago. The mayor encourages you to meet with some of the grateful people whose families are mentioned in the records. Many tearful townspeople also seek you out to meet and thank you. Though it will take a long time for the damage to fully heal, a grim chapter in Saringallow's history is nearer to coming to a close.
Before going back to the estate you make sure that the guards are equipped with some cold iron weapons. At this time John is given a new cold iron mace to replace the one he lost. You work with the guards to plan out how best to purify the area so no demon bile survives. They will be getting Father Ildris Ruvarra to do a ritual once things are in place. First they want to get some cold iron picks and shovels made for doing the excavation work.
As you are finishing up the work you receive a short message from Zarta Dralneen congratulating you on taking care of the problem before it became a large problem. It also tells each of your group where to go for your next mission briefing.