Ghosts of Gauntcliff: Chapter Two

[ewancummins]

"Well, this all looks very well-made. Now, unless we run the risk of embarrassing someone taking the waters, shall we proceed?" Everline suggests.

(OOC: Continuing to scan for magical auras. Also holding Ray of Clumsiness ready in case of treachery.)

Denys chuckles.

''Oh, there's no risk of that. We are the only ones here, just you and I."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"After you, then," Everline says.

[ewancummins]

Denys pushes through the door labelled 'Gentlemen' and strides down a short, down-sloped gallery to a closed wooden door. After Everline catches up with him, he opens the second door and passes through into the pitch black space beyond.

A moment later,Everline hears a small scraping sound, and then a soft amber glow flickers into life. Denys stands facing her through the doorway a lantern raised in front of him. Elongated shadows slowly shift on the faintly glittering walls of the cavern at his back. Sancerre's face remains half-hidden in shadow, despite the closeness of his lantern.

''Won't you come further in with me? I have such sights to show you, Mademoiselle Vaughan."

[ewancummins]

(duplicated- mods please delete)

[Ken of Ghastria]

"There is a type of undead, creatures of shadow. They are craven when it comes to any sort of light, but there is no end to their hatred of the living." He mutters, stamping his cane in irritation against the ground. "I'd rather deal with the situation now, if possible, but maybe trying to get some more information about what was actually going on down there is a good idea. Do you think, before we go, it would be safe to take a closer look around the ruin? There could be some clues here."

"Agreed," says Primeiro. "First, I'll make sure that our 'trusted guide' has not scampered back to the chateau with the animals." Still carrying his rapier, the young gentleman limps across the rubble, retrieves a walking stick with his free hand, and goes to the entrance to ascertain Melmoth's location.

[ewancummins]

"Agreed," says Primeiro. "First, I'll make sure that our 'trusted guide' has not scampered back to the chateau with the animals." Still carrying his rapier, the young gentleman limps across the rubble, retrieves a walking stick with his free hand, and goes to the entrance to ascertain Melmoth's location.

Primeiro finds Melmoth outside, not far from the entrance to the ruins. The man sits on a lump of stone and watches the mules graze in the sunlight grassy field.

''Need something?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"I must admit I am... somewhat claustrophobic, Monsieur," Everline says, backing up a step at the sight of the glittering cave walls. "Should you be capable of illuminating the next room in its entirety, I would be content to watch from the doorway for now. I ask for your understanding."

Certainly, Everline's breath is coming a little fast and her colour has faded. The hands clenched in her skirts could just as easily be a nervous gesture as what she is actually doing, to wit, seizing the hidden wands.

[ewancummins]

the baths

"I must admit I am... somewhat claustrophobic, Monsieur," Everline says, backing up a step at the sight of the glittering cave walls. "Should you be capable of illuminating the next room in its entirety, I would be content to watch from the doorway for now. I ask for your understanding."

Certainly, Everline's breath is coming a little fast and her colour has faded. The hands clenched in her skirts could just as easily be a nervous gesture as what she is actually doing, to wit, seizing the hidden wands.

''Ah, I am surprised! I would have guessed that you liked these close, shadowy spaces. You seemed so excited by my cellars. Perhaps it was something else? "

Denys chuckles, and then retreats into the shadowy cavern.


A moment later, a second oil lamp flickers to life and dispels most of the gloom. The changing room is a cavern about half the size of the antechamber. The floor has been levelled and improved, but the ceiling is festooned with stalactites. Mineral deposits glisten on the living stone walls.
Benches are arranged about the chamber. Curtained alcoves line the walls.

Denys waves his hand at the far end of the cave, where thick shadows pool and shift like ocean waters on a rocky beach. As Everline's eyes adjust to the change in light, she can make out a gloomy corridor.


''The waters await us. Please do come and see. I would hate for your readers to miss out on a first-hand description of what lies beyond."

[Adam]

Presuming that the others agree, Benn begins carefully making his way around the immediate area, pressing on the ground with his cane before stepping onto it, starting with an examination of the altar if possible and then moving outward.

[Ail]

Eustace joins the conversation at Thom's prompt.

"I felt the shadow down there, too. Rather, I saw it. I don't think it was a mindless hating thing, as Benn's shadows suggest. This one laughed at me, sneering. Almost as if it was taunting me and wanting me to be afraid. I suspect it does have something to do with the creature in the cell. So I say we should be careful. Benn, can you tell us what the signs on the door say? That might also be important."

[PathOfDreams]

After coiling the length of rope and listening to the conversing of the others, and remembering the account Dorgio gave of the creature he confronted, Petrie is suddenly reminded of the figure he spied near the entrance of the chateau. He directs his comments towards Dorgio, "Could that beast thing you encountered 'ave been the figure we sighted from the ship, the one near the pier I mean? Not that the thing could be related to this incident, but I also 'ad a close encounter... in front of the chateau... just before you all met me there."

Petrie slings the rope coil around his arm and slides it up to his shoulder. He follows suit and begins searching the immediate area around the pit and table, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. His speech continues, "I got close to it, just a few paces. I couldn't discern what exactly it was, but it was certainly wearing a wrap of sorts, maybe a cape or... a cloak. I found a scrap of the material amongst the mulberry brambles through which I chased it, on the east side of the resort."

He continues his searching. "Eh, like I said, it's probably not related but something to consider; keep in the back of our noggins then."

[Adam]

Eustace joins the conversation at Thom's prompt.

"I felt the shadow down there, too. Rather, I saw it. I don't think it was a mindless hating thing, as Benn's shadows suggest. This one laughed at me, sneering. Almost as if it was taunting me and wanting me to be afraid. I suspect it does have something to do with the creature in the cell. So I say we should be careful. Benn, can you tell us what the signs on the door say? That might also be important."

"I only had a moment to examine it, but it resembled an archaic form of the common tongue of Mordent. It was a warning that danger lurked behind to our 'flesh and souls' and an imperative not to open it."

[Ail]

Eustace adds

"We should surely bring this up to Denys later tonight, but I'm getting the feeling that he and his staff are hiding something. It is not conceivable that three of us have sighted strange creatures in just half a day, and the locals haven't. Why should they all dismiss them as 'feral cats'? It looks like the standard excuse for anything out of the ordinary and, let's be clear about it, we have not seen one proper feral cat yet. If I hadn't seen a thing down there and found it supernaturally disturbing, I would even find Melmoth's suggestion that it was a feral cat to be absurdly ludicrous. But as I have, I'm worried."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro finds Melmoth outside, not far from the entrance to the ruins. The man sits on a lump of stone and watches the mules graze in the sunlight grassy field.

''Need something?"

"Yes, quite," says Primeiro, a bit testily, as he half-walks, half-limps toward Melmoth. "Information about this place. Your employer, Monsieur Sancerre... what has he told you about these ruins? Their history, what they were built upon, what dangers you personally should be mindful of?"

[steveflam]

Juergin realizes that it may be best if they have more ample time to investigate. As well it would be more preferable if they had the whole day to investigate. Though rather inexperienced, he does wonder as the others do why Mr Sancerre did not tell them more of this place. Did he even visit this place? Maybe a good relaxing soak in those springs would help them all relax.

"Well, whatever I saw on de beach I don't tink it is what is below. You all say it is one under dead beast unt I know I saw a livink thing with a red eyes and long snout. I know some of you saw it too. I tink dey are separate. I know I am young, but have survived a pirate attack on my deceased father's ship and am alive. They have regretted attacking my fathers ship as they are all dead now due to my hand. I am neither proud or ashamed of what I did. I feel I have to tell you dis so maybe you can understand me better. I did not grow up in Lamordia as a normal Lamordian boy, but on ships with my father as soon as I was able. He captained a successful merchant ship until the pirates killed every member of the crew except for me."

Juergin looks at the ground and rubs his foot across the ground, slightly embarassed.

"So the little skiff I have I stole from the dead pirates and used it to return home to give the news of the ship and my fathers fate. I did not stay long as my older brother took it upon himself to become head of our family and run business. My mother is not happy with the situation but knows me well. I can't stay there and be restless. I chose to leave and explore the lands I live in. I found work on the Captains ship and came here with an invite to the island through the Captain. Well, dat is mein story and I suggest we take our time to search dis place at a leisurely place."