Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Online roleplaying at the Café
User avatar
Ail
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3429
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 7:33 am
Location: Egham, UK

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Ail »

When he can, Eustace follows up with

"This place is not normal. I recall some legends of places like this, tendrils of information that I gathered from lost books in the dark corners of dank libraries.

This is a construct of sorts. This whole abbey. It's like a lair of some creature, and it's built from the essence of that creature. Ink and shadow seem to be the dominant theme, here, so I guess that is proof this is connected indeed to Primeiro's painter, that Fredrik Dodds.

We can do nothing here, it is beyond us to destroy it... but I have a mind that whatever is in that chest may be key to its demise, and we should somehow take it. At any rate, my advice is to go back quick to the Château. We have much to read yet, much to search. Surely, there must be something about this Dodds in the library!"
Zumba d'Oxossi (A Stitch in Souragne)
Brother Eustace (The Devil's Dreams)
Robert de Moureaux (A New Barovia)
User avatar
Adam
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3742
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:24 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Adam »

"We are fine, Captain," Benn says, shouting through the door. "Only some bad dreams..."

"We're going to see to him, don't worry about that Evie. He'll pay for what he's done, to us and to those who came before."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
User avatar
Rock of the Fraternity
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 6225
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:16 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Rock of the Fraternity »

"She must have been weak," Everline rasps, eyes skittering over and past Benn, rolling like those of a woman caught in a fever. "Maggie. The poor girl. Not able to withstand... bend... endure... She must have been..."

The hoarse voice stops, and those luridly purple eyes meet Benn's.

"The youngest woman on the island. As I am, now. He went for the youngest women... and the youngest man. He's a rapist, Benn. A... pedophile, maybe? That means he is a coward at heart. I will drive fear into his skull like a spike...! No. I would like to, but I won't. Just kill him. Fredrik Dodds deserves to die. Everline Vaughn deserves to kill him. Am I right? I am right, aren't I? My mind is not... not working right."
Welcome to my webcomic, Sarcantasy.
You can read it here:

Comicfury; Tapas; Webtoon

Come drop by and leave a comment; you'll make my day.
User avatar
Adam
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3742
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:24 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Adam »

"No, it would seem that it is not." He helps Everline up from the floor and into a chair, fishing around inside his vest pocket and coming forth with a flask. He unscrews the top. "Here, this may help to fortify you."

OOC: It's brandy.
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
User avatar
Rock of the Fraternity
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 6225
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:16 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Rock of the Fraternity »

"But am I right?" Everline rasps, accepting the bottle -- and taking a very healthy chug from it. She starts to cough, but takes another long draw on the flask. "I need to be right. I don't want to be a monster. How can I kill anything if I'm not right? Am I right?"
Welcome to my webcomic, Sarcantasy.
You can read it here:

Comicfury; Tapas; Webtoon

Come drop by and leave a comment; you'll make my day.
User avatar
ewancummins
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 28523
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:35 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by ewancummins »

THE PRIVATE BAR

The Captain’s voice calls out--
''Alright then, good night.'

Footfalls recede beyond the door.

Charlotte lights a candle. In a quavering voice, the woman asks,
‘’Benn, is she right? This Dodds, he seeks out younger victims? “
She clutches Jonas closer to her bosom.
The little boy whimpers.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
User avatar
Adam
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3742
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:24 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Adam »

"You're just fine," he throws her a wink, "and at the moment you're distracting me from my work. Very inconsiderate, wouldn't you say? Now let's hear no more of this 'who am I' nonsense. You're just fine. You're safe. You're at the manor house. He can't hurt you anymore here."

He pats her on the shoulder and turns back to his family. "From what we've seen thus far, the thing has targeted people it painted a portrait of. To my knowledge, Jonas has had no portraits painted, so let's not worry about something that we have no reason to suspect will happen."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
User avatar
Rock of the Fraternity
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 6225
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:16 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Rock of the Fraternity »

"I am sorry," Everline says, her eyes rolling towards Charlotte. "I am so sorry. I think it must be so. I am so sorry. I know who I am. I am not safe here, not anywhere on this island. I need to know I am right when I say Dodds should die by my hands."
Welcome to my webcomic, Sarcantasy.
You can read it here:

Comicfury; Tapas; Webtoon

Come drop by and leave a comment; you'll make my day.
User avatar
ewancummins
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 28523
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:35 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by ewancummins »

Charlotte mumbles something.

She lies back down on the pallet with Jonas drawn close in her arms.

''I'll try to sleep."
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
User avatar
Adam
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3742
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:24 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Adam »

He nods. "You've nothing to apologize for, my dear. No one can imagine the ordeal you're being put through. Let's just hope that they're succeeding at destroying the workshop and will see to the end of this Dodds creature once and for all."

He pats her once more on the shoulder and returns to his work, a new determination fresh on his face. "...falling asleep at the writing table...inexcusable..."
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
User avatar
Rock of the Fraternity
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 6225
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:16 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Rock of the Fraternity »

"At... tacked," Everline rasps. "Like... before. Remember? In the... parlor? Before we went... out to the Abby."
Welcome to my webcomic, Sarcantasy.
You can read it here:

Comicfury; Tapas; Webtoon

Come drop by and leave a comment; you'll make my day.
User avatar
ewancummins
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 28523
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:35 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by ewancummins »

Charlotte stares up at the ceiling, breathing slowly, eyes wide open.
Jonas squirms in her tightly locked arms.
''Mommy, ouch."

One of the three candles burning in the bar-room gutters and dies.

Everyone in the room hears a scratching sound from under the bar counter...
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
User avatar
Adam
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3742
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:24 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Adam »

"Oh for the love of..." he slaps the pencil down to the desktop, before standing in irritation to go investigate the noise.
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
User avatar
ewancummins
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 28523
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:35 pm

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by ewancummins »

Adam wrote:"Oh for the love of..." he slaps the pencil down to the desktop, before standing in irritation to go investigate the noise.

Looking under the bar counter, Benn sees a closed set of sliding panels. The noise is coming from behind one of the wooden panels.
Delight is to him- a far, far upward, and inward delight- who against the proud gods and commodores of this earth, ever stands forth his own inexorable self.

-from Moby Dick (Hermann Melville)
User avatar
Adam
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 3742
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:24 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

Post by Adam »

He pries the panel open.
"Of course," Benn mutters, "It would be a damned shame if we ever knew what the hell was actually going on."
Post Reply