"Neatly schmeatly, if these guys didn't want their dumb law books messed up, they shouldn't have left them in a creepy haunted courthouse."
Carrie stumbles as the book she's holding tears itself from her hands, "Okay, okay! I'm sorry! The law books aren't d—Gaah!" she quickly and futilely attempts to apologize only to be interrupted when one of the floating tomes slams into her face, the force almost knocking her over.
"Oww..." she groans, rubbing her forehead where the book struck her. Carrie stares at the one that landed on the judge's desk for a moment, "Ominous."
Despite being hit herself, Zinly laughs heartily as Carolynn struggles with her rebelling book. "Valuable, I don't know," she answers Neronius. "But it damn hurts!!"
"Upstairs, then?"
Tolbold looks at Carolynn but says nothing after the books fly around. He then says to Neronius "That appears to be a scroll with magical spells on it. They may be useful. Can you cast them?"
"Cast them--and diminish the scroll's value? My dear boy, except in the most dire of emergencies, I would not think of such a thing!"
“If there are spells on the scroll and one of you can use them to get us out of here then you need to cast them. They are worthless to us if we die in here…” Halgrak says after hearing the idea of keeping the scroll to sell.
“My boy, wouldn’t it be nice to have some coin to take home to your family once we get out of here?” Killian plays devils advocate. Turing to Madge; “Do you think you are good to press on, or shall we stay behind?" The halfling stands, wiping her tears and brushes herself off and nods as if she is ready.
Rekkart; “Are we all ready? Is there anything else before heading up?”
Fine leather couches and mahogany table now covered in a thick layer of dust stand undisturbed around this chamber. Portraits line the walls here with plaques bearing names below, both now obscured with thick cobwebs. A simple iron icebox sits in one corner of the room, a few empty bottles perched precariously atop it.
Your vision goes black…
You’re sitting in the chamber you woke up in just a few hours ago, the assembled crowd are talking over one another. All waiting for one thing. The verdict. The judge appears from his chambers and slams his gavel on his desk; “Order in the courtroom.” hitting it a few more times; “I said order!”
Murmurs still flow through the crowd, but the judge continues; “Jarbin Mord. For the brutal and savage slaying of your own wife and six-year-old boy, it is the verdict of this jury, with which I concur wholeheartedly, that you shall hang by your neck until dead. May the gods take mercy on your blackened soul.”
Silence falls over the courtroom in the wake of this pronouncement of doom. The faces of the assembled crowd grow solemn as everyone feels the finality of the sentence, with a few exceptions. Several members of the assembled jury are smirking at each other. The hobgoblin, halfling, gnome, and young woman all seem both pleased and highly amused by this turn of events.
Your vision returns. Though it seems like minutes, your foot falls from the step you were just taking. Everyone around you entering this chamber doesn’t notice anything.
"That's a lot of doors - WOOOOW!" Zinli suddenly exclaims. She strides across the room to reach the icebox, and examines one of the empty bottles at random. "Do you think there's still some inside? I could use a drink."
She checks the box for traps - it seems only a cursory glance - and opens it if she cannot find anything.
Trevor checks the box with Zinli
Entering the room, Carrie suddenly stops and clutches her head, giving a quiet "Whoa," as she tries to piece together what she just saw, "got another one of those dream-visions. Gotta say, some of you looked waaaaay too happy at the verdict."
She takes a moment to look over the rest of the group, Madge, Ebin, and Patrissa, in particular, narrowing her eyes slightly before shaking her head, turning her attention to the icebox and joining Trevor and Zinli.
"Unless someone's been comin' in to replace the ice in it, anythin' in the box's gotta have gone bad by now," she remarks, looking over one of the bottles, "Except for any alcohol, I guess. But do you really wanna drink somethin' you found in a dangerous place like this?"
“Another vision?” Patrissa looks worried; “You see what this place has done to us… to Malgrim…” looking around to those named; “Don’t you think it would want to cause us to split up and be easier targets?”
Zinli makes her way to the icebox and looks within. There are few empty bottles on top, within it is empty minus one lidded jar. Picking it up the jar you see five bits floating within a yellowed liquid. Pulling it out you see five toes floating within the jar.
Madge gasp at the sight of the jar.
Halgrak is horrified and revolted at the sight of the toes in the jar.
"Ugh. Not my kind of stuff." Zinli puts the jar down.
My goodness! Who would put toes in a jar?! Perhaps this is a clue. Trevor puts them into his pack.
"Eugh...!" Carrie backs away, shuddering at the sight of the jar and just barely able to keep herself from retching, "my gods, why is that here?!"
"Don't wanna think about it. Let's just see what's in these rooms," she says, striding over to the door next to the icebox. She slowly turns the knob and pushing the door open slightly, hoping to see a hint of what might be inside before opening it fully.
Zinli's wish for having drink from the icebox goes unfulfilled. Carrie reaches for the door beside the icebox as she holds back a retch Gong – Gong
Patrissa, Madge, and Ebin audibly gasp as they turn towards the stairs Gong – Gong the grandfather clock the floor below rings out as if it is in this chamber
Gong – Gong “Everyone stand together, don’t flee as Malgrim did.” Killian shouts over the clocks chiming.
Gong – Gong The ringing of the clock echoes down this chamber. “Humm, we all seem to be well.” Killian brushes his white suit with his hands straightening his wrinkles. Patrissa nervously holds her necklace and mutters "it's eight."
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 fit across the frosted glass panes of the partitions as hallow voices whisper blasphemies on the wind.
"And yet there's no sign of apéritif..." Zinli sighs.
She peeks inside the room that Carrie just revealed. "Not much seems to be in there. Except more bad news."
She surveys the room, but doesn't enter. It'd be useless to risk more injuries if what's inside isn't worth it.
From the back of the group Tobold shudders and says "That clock still has my hair up."
When no one enters the room he says "What if there are clues in there that will get us out of here alive?"
I think you are right Tolbold. We might find a way to escape in there.
Neronius waits to see how this all plays out. No need to take unnecessary risks, after all . . .
As Trevor, Zinli, Talbold and Neronius are looking into the newly opened door from the door way, a few of the jurors are looking around the room. Ebin sets at the large round table, Patrissa and Madge are looking at the paintings on the wall, Killian is looking at the various empty bottles around the icebox, Halgrak is looking up the stairs from the bottom of them.
Rekkart approaches Carrie and tries to keep his voice low, “What did you mean some of us looked way too happy at the verdict? A guilty man was sentenced to death for the horrific and brutal murder of his wife and son. I never understand murder, but in most cases its not their own flesh and blood…”
Carrie sighs, explaining, "I don't know a whole lot about the 'standard procedure' of a trial, but I thought it'd be a lot more, y'know, solemn? That it'd be more about findin' justice for the victims than punishin' the guy who did it. Not somethin' to celebrate."
She pauses for a moment, "I dunno. Both of the weird memory-visions I've had have been from Mord's perspective. So maybe there's a bit of bias from him there. And maybe some of my own about the whole system. Sorry if I upset you, this is kinda a stressful situation."
Neronius squeezes his bulk through the doorway to examine the paintings--you never know what could be valuable!
Zinli sighs. "Alright, alright, I'll go first then."
With her pistol loaded - though she's not sure it'd help against ghosts -, she steps into the room, looking for clues. Whatever they may be.
Trevor follows Zinli
Neronius begins looking at the paintings on the walls. They are portraits of the judges over the generations, under each one is a nameplate of who the judge was and dates of when they were a judge. Neronius can tell that these are finely crafted works of art and were expensive to have commissioned. They would sell well, but you would have to find someone who might be interested in a high quality of a past judge.
“This is the second time it has been brought up that either the evidence could have been wrong or missed or the jury was happy he was gone. You have not upset me, I just know that with the evidence provided pointed against Jarbin Mord.” Rekkart pauses; “They are heading in.” pointing to Zinli and Trevor leading the way in. He follows.
Zinli and Trevor make their way in. The first thing that catches their attention is that outside of the courthouse there is a sickly tree swaying in the yard outside. The hollow voices whispering is nothing but the wind whipping through the branches and hissing through the cracks in the frosted panes of glass here.
You begin searching and you begin finding a few things throughout the desk that are not overturned and emptied. Stuffed in one drawer you find several red Varisian silk scarves stuffed. Within the same desk you find a journal, taking a quick glance through it you easily tell that it is a moneylender’s journal.
A thick milky slim drip from the ceiling above Rekkart and it lands on his shoulder. Brushing his shoulder off the slim strings on his hand between his fingers. Looking up, hidden within the shadows casted on the ceiling a Giant Leech drops from the ceiling and attacks Rekkart. He is quick to react and dodges out of the way of the creature's bite.
Initiative: Round 1
All of You
Giant Leech
Carrie follows Rekkart into the office, "Eugh, what a mess," she murmurs under her breath whilst carefully stepping through the debris and scanning around the room with her lantern, "Looks like this place was where all the bureaucrats did... Whatever it is they do," she yawns, "I'm not into that bookkeepin' junk, so I'll let you all—"
She interrupts herself when she hears the soft "splat" of mucus on Rekkart's shoulder. When he looks upward, Carrie angles the lantern to shine light onto the ceiling, illuminating the oversized leech.
"Gyah! What the hell?!" she yells, flinching as it detaches itself from the rafters to bite at the Iomedaean. Carrie lets out an utterance of disgust as she winds up and kicks toward the bloodsucker.
Hearing the commotion from in the room Tolbold moves towards the others.
Trevor pokes around the various desks with interest. Hmm.. Looks like a journal..nice looking scarves. When they slug drops down, he yelps and then goes after the slimy thing with his blade.
Neronius shakes his head in dismay as more shouting interrupts his examination of the artwork. Mildly curious as to what they've discovered, he walks slowly in the direction of the office.
"Niiice," the gnome lets out a whistle of appreciation at the sight of the scarves - considerably less boring than some moneylender's journal. She ties a pretty one around her neck. "Not sure it's got anything to do with the case though-"
A squelchy sound, and Carrie's scream make Zinli turn around abruptly. She points her gun at the giant leech and shoots.
Carrie’s kick lands with a sickly thunk and a rope of mucus covers her foot and as she retracts it after her effective kick.
Tolbold moves in and sees the giant leech’s maw attacking out at the breastplate of Rekkart. Neronius moves in the direction of the sounds of combat. Zinli’s bullet rips through the oversized worm at the same time Rekkart draws his blade and cleaves the creature in two.
"Bleh," Carrie groans at the leech mucus covering her boot. Grabbing a bit of wooden debris from off the floor, she hops to the nearby wall, balancing herself against it with one hand as she scrapes the slime off her foot.
Once satisfied with her cleanliness, Carrie tosses the wood plank back onto the floor, "So, aside from that big leech, anythin' interestin' in here?"
"If you're quite finished disturbing vermin, could someone take these paintings off the wall and stack them near the door? You'll be generously compensated for your trouble. I think they'll fetch a pretty copper," says Neronious, chuckling absentmindedly to himself.
Hearing someone say something about a moneylender's journal, Neronious walks over, nearly out of breath by the effort. "Let me have a look, please. There are those who find and those who understand, and I am among the latter. Perhaps there's proof of something I suspect: bribery of one or many involved in the trial of the individual whose spirit has interrupted my repose."
Neronious takes the moneylender's journal and starts flicking through it.
Trevor hrumps.
Getting to the room at the end of it all Tobold looks around and then begins checking all of the desks. He says "It looks like we found a journal and some scarfs? These mean anything to anyone?"
Rekkart cleans his blade from the life blood of the leech before sheathing it with a slam; “You think we are just disturbing vermin? We are looking for a way out of this place. And your mind is only drawn to a few coppers?” he pulls free a coin purse free from his hip. Opening it he looks within before drawing the strings tight and throws it at Neronius. “Here, take that for payment to help with what really matters and don’t bother yourself with paintings of old judges.” Rekkart turns and begins looking through the debris for more clues.
You find
Opening the moneylender’s journal, you see that it belongs to a barrister named Alastir Wade. Within the pages you find several debtor’s vouchers with a crude signature on them. All of them marked with the name Halgrak. There is another piece of note that is circled. It is a buyer’s receipt for a string of 12 fire opals.
The scarfs were stuffed in the desk and have no identifying markers on them that would reveal who they would belong to.
Looking through the remains of this room you find a lot of legal paperwork for various cases over the years. Depending on how much time you spend reading through the paperwork more information could possibly be revealed.
"Buncha scarves?" Carrie ponders, tilting her head in thought, "Was someone tryin' to pawn 'em off for money or somethin'? Kinda a weird thing for a broker or whatever to just have crammed in a desk drawer."
Making her way to one of the desks, she begins sifting through the paperwork...
"Selling the paintings when we don't even know how to get out of this place. Ha! Weird idea."
"Anything in that journal, then, o wise one?"
Neronius looks mildly amused at the adverse reaction to his suggestion about the paintings. "I see no reason to let present circumstances dampen future prosperity."
He gives the coin pouch a shake and pockets it with pursed lips before replying to Zinli. "The journal tells the tale of barrister named Wade who was in the profitable habit of furnishing hard coin to a serial debtor named Halgrak. It may be that Wade used some of the funds from his enterprise to purchase fire opals. What does that tell us? By itself, nothing! And yet . . . it may be a vital clue when combined with other information yet to reveal itself."
Neronius sighs and looks around. "If we don't escape soon, I shall be forced to consume my emergency supply of foodstuffs that are neither gourmet nor warm. Perhaps it would be better if the spirit of vengeance that lurks in this place returns to kill us all."
He returns to looking at the paintings, an idea slowly forming in his mind.
I'm afraid that finance is not one of my areas of expertise. Hmmm a string of gems like a necklace? Perhaps a gift or bribe.
Neronius looks mildly amused at the adverse reaction to his suggestion about the paintings. "I see no reason to let present circumstances dampen future prosperity."
He gives the coin pouch a shake and pockets it with pursed lips before replying to Zinli. "The journal tells the tale of barrister named Wade who was in the profitable habit of furnishing hard coin to a serial debtor named Halgrak. It may be that Wade used some of the funds from his enterprise to purchase fire opals. What does that tell us? By itself, nothing! And yet . . . it may be a vital clue when combined with other information yet to reveal itself."
Neronius sighs and looks around. "If we don't escape soon, I shall be forced to consume my emergency supply of foodstuffs that are neither gourmet nor warm. Perhaps it would be better if the spirit of vengeance that lurks in this place returns to kill us all."
He returns to looking at the paintings, an idea slowly forming in his mind.
"A bit of cider will get you right back on your feet if you faint!"
"Other room, then!" Zinli strides confidently to the door that was left unopened.
Carrie shuffles through the paperwork. Names, dates, evidence, accusations, strategies… everything starts to jumble together as the weight of getting out of this courthouse causes the words to blur.
As Neronius reads off about a buyer’s receipt of a string of 12 fire opals Patrissa quickly moves to close her shawl and cover up her necklace that she has been clutching. A string of 12 fire opals. He slowly walks towards the double set of stairs.
Halgrak is the name of the Half-Orc that is part of the jury and is with you.
Zinli opens the door to reveal a long thin hallway that has a narrow set of stairs built into the corner and the hallway continues to the north
Trevor whispers to Neronius Patrissa has a necklace of 12 fire opals. Also Halgrak is the name of one of the jury members and is with us.
"There's a hallway over here! Come on! I can go first."
Gun in hand, Zinli leads the way.
Carrie furrows her brow whilst reading through the papers, moving to narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth before slapping the page she's currently reading back onto the desk with a frustrated yell, "I can't make heads or tails of anythin' they wrote on here! One of you more bookish types can look through these!"
Hearing Zinli call out, she replies, "Comin'!" as she darts out of the room, nimbly bounding around whichever companion or article of furniture might be in her way.
Glancing at the relatively cramped corridor she asks, "Kinda narrow; where d'you think it goes?"
Our first secret passage?
Walking down this hallway you come to the corner where there is a set of stairs that leads up to another floor. The smell of fresh sea air and a cool breeze comes from above.
Rounding the corner the hallway continues and leads to a dead end at a doorway that opens into another large room dark room. There are a trio of couches that match those in the entry room on this level and two large wooden cabinets.
"Okay, this one will be quick to search." Zinli opens the cabinets.
Trevor checks around as well
"Kind of a roundabout way to get into this room, huh," Carrie says as she steps into the room, glancing around at the relatively clean surroundings.
She walks to the cabinet Zinli isn't at to open that one as well.
Puffing with exertion, Neronius bends over to catch his breath. He points towards the stairwell leading to the sea air and cool breeze: "I detest fresh air--bad for the lungs, you know. Nonetheless, there could be access to the roof and one of you could signal for help or work your way down a drain pipe to send rescue."
Bet you a copper something bad will happen if we try.