The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter One

[RocEter]

Hearing the shouts from Tuke as he walks back to the Manor. Jullian picks up his pace (as best he can with his injured leg). Moving as fast as he can with his hand on the hilt of sword.

A bandit in the Manor? Ezra let me get there before anyone is seriously hurt. he thinks to himself.[/i]

[ewancummins]

Tristan laughs to hear Goran tell of Tuke's latest antics.

''A tree? Haha!Crazy old Tuke!''

The young Arkandaler then joins Julian in the stables, where he attends to his mare. When he hears Tuke's not-so-funny screaming about a bandit, he reacts quickly.


''Tahl, you'd better come along, might be more than one robber in the house.''


With that, Tristan runs off to the larder.

[JMaytr]

As Julian enters the kitchen from the outside he is greeted with a shock: Emilio is hunched over Mariabella who is bloody and dead, her face a mask of terror. Agna lies off to the side of the larder, broken jars of fruit and spices surrounding her. There is a trail of blood that leads from Mariabella to where Agna lies. It is hard to tell if Agna is alive or dead from where Julian stands.

"Master Julian! Mariabella...Did Tuke scream something about bandits? Is Agna..."

The old man's face looks an unhealthy white.

[ewancummins]

''Blessed Path! Where are the bandits?''

Tristan looks around the room, trying to find some sign of the intruder or intruders.

[Irving the Meek]

While the others enter the house, Tuke runs over to his guest house as quickly as his short legs will take him. He digs under the bed until he finds a small chest. The little fool practically rips the hinges off the chest as he digs for the tools he needs.

Finally, he pulls out a thick leather bandoleer. As he opens each pocket and checks the contents, he reviews his story.

A round, scored, thick glass bottle, filled with a viscous reddish oil. A bandit. Keep it simple. You don't want to confuse Agna. He swallows hard. If she's alive. Please, Ezra, let her be alive.

A small, heavy, coarse-woven burlap bag, filled with rubbery marbles. A female bandit. A hag. A witch, a crazy beggar woman. Really scary looking.

A thick stick of black, greasy chalk, wrapped with waxed cord on one end. Looking for... for what? That flower? Maybe.

Tuke slips on the bandoleer. Good enough. Let's see how it goes. Showtime.

[PathOfDreams]

Having wacthed the halfling return to what appears to be his quarters, Goran slows his pace and approaches the Guest House but waits outside.

When the halfling reemerges, a voice from the shadows outside greets him, "Tell me my halfpint friend, why is it that my sister has brought you here in the stead of leaving you on the trail?"

A hollow stare from a pale white face [mask adorned] floating close to his own is all the halfling can make out in the darkness (1)

(1) Hide check to make it appear as the my head is floating, result 11.

[Lord Skybolt]

So were are these bandits Tuke spoke of ?:Tahl thinking to himself what Tristan just spoke out loud on entering the house . Giving a raised eyebrow to Tristan after looking around as well .

[ewancummins]

So were are these bandits Tuke spoke of ?:Thinking what Tristan just spoke out loud on entering the house . Giving a raised eyebrow to Tristan after looking around as well .

Tristan turns, grim-faced, to Tahl and says-


''I'm note sure where the robbers went. They killed poor Mirabella. Bastards. Agna was hurt , too, and I'm not sure how badly. Maybe I can use the dogs to track 'em, even the rain, a good hound might pick up the scent.''

[RocEter]

As Julian enters the kitchen from the outside he is greeted with a shock: Emilio is hunched over Mariabella who is bloody and dead, her face a mask of terror. Agna lies off to the side of the larder, broken jars of fruit and spices surrounding her. There is a trail of blood that leads from Mariabella to where Agna lies. It is hard to tell if Agna is alive or dead from where Julian stands.

"Master Julian! Mariabella...Did Tuke scream something about bandits? Is Agna..."

The old man's face looks an unhealthy white.

Jullian kneels down next to Agna, he examines her for any possible wounds and tries to find the pulse of her beating heart (1)

With out looking up Jullian speaks "Tristan, Tahl search the manor for this intruder, I will tend to Agna. Emilio Alert my Uncle and tell him his needed in the Larder, immediately."

1. Heal check result is 23

[Lord Skybolt]

Tahl nods to Jullians order and begins a search of the manor for the culprits .

[Irving the Meek]

Tuke, still pale and shaking, jumps back when he sees the mask floating in the dark. He peers into the black for a moment, relaxing a bit when he realizes that it's a man in the dark.(1) "Please don't scare me like that, good sir. I've had enough bad shocks today."

He smiles disarmingly.(2) "My name's Tuke. Mirabella's husband hired me to entertain guests. After he passed... well, there was a need for me in Lucia's household."

A panicked look comes over Tuke's face. "We ought to get back to the house, good sir. Agna, Lucia's maid, was pinned by that horrid woman in the pantry. And Mirabella... I... there's not much a little fool like me could do, good sir, I ran for help as quick as I could, but I think Mirabella's in a bad way. The harridan had her in her hands, and there was blood..."(3)

He swallows hard. "Please, good sir. We need to hurry."

(1) Spot check, result 12, beats Goran's Hide check.
(2) Diplomacy check, result 18. Obviously, it doesn't impact another PC, but please consider it while crafting your reply.
(3) Bluff check, result 19. Again, not enforceable against another PC, but please consider it. Note that Tuke's choosing his words very carefully; nothing he said is precisely a lie, but he's omitting some details.

[JMaytr]

Julian finds the girl's pulse easily. Agna appears to be unharmed, but she still won't awaken. Julian notices that the trail of blood from Mariabella to Agna ends at the half vistani's hands; they are covered in blood.

Goran and Tuke enter the kitchen.

As Tahl searches the house swords drawn, Roderigo emerges from his chambers in pajamas carrying a musket. Seeing the elf, Roderigo rushes to his side.

"What's going on Tahl? Emilio says poor Mariabella is dead."

Tristan moves like the professional he is, quickly towards the kennel. Taking the larger of the hounds, the brown bitch, named Elsie, out of her cage, Tristan notices that the hounds all appear agitated. Still, Elsie responds to his commands and the two turn towards the Manor. As they rush towards the building, Elsie makes a sudden bee line towards the greenhouse but begins to whimper and backtrack. The hound moves quicker to the manor, but the trained handler that he is, Tristan knows it is out of fear.

[RocEter]

What is going on here? Julian thinks to himself.

He stands up and walks over to Mariabella's corpse and checks her to what kind wounds where inflicted on her(1)

As Tuke and Goran enter the Kitchen he doesn't pay any really attention to them. "Tuke what happened here? he asks.

1. heal checks result is 25

[Irving the Meek]

Tuke looks over at Julian, horrified. For one instant, Julian sees the the truth written on Tuke's face: I'm terrified. I need to talk to you alone.(1)

The halfling then launches into what could only be described as one of his more brilliant performances.

Sobbing hysterically, he flings himself onto Mirabella's body. ""Oh, sweet mistress! Oh, how could that wretched hag have done this to you!" He then turns to Agna. ""Agna! Are you hurt! Oh, you poor girl!" He half-crawls, half-staggers through the blood trail, pulling Agna to him. He cries bitterly over her bloody fingers, kissing and massaging them. "Oh, brave one! How you must have struggled to try and save our mistress's life!"

He turns to Goran, Julian, and the others. " There was a... a bandit. She was filthy, crazed, hysterical. She had Mariabella by the neck. She wanted something... something out of the pantry. I don't understand what. Agna struggled with the bloody witch, and I ran to get help, but my feet got out from under me, and... oh, I'm such a worthless little fool!"(2) Tuke wrings his hands over Agna, washing her face with tears.(3)(4)

He glances up at Julian again. Not all true. Help. Oh, Ezra, Help.(5)

(1) Secret message via Bluff, result 16.
(2) Bluff check, result 25. Your call as to whether this is a little or a lot implausible. If you saw the blood trail, you might think it unlikely, but...
(3) Sleight of hand, result 24. Tuke has, in the midst of his hysterics, made a point of smearing the blood trail about and cleaning Agna's hands. The "evidence" should, if Tuke has succeeded, be a great deal less damning now.
(4) Spot check, DC 12. Where's the tea jar? Does the blood smell like that flower? It's worth noting that Tuke is covered in blood now himself, and is trying very hard not to think of the grubs that might be in it; provisional Will save of 24 vs. horror.
(5) Secret message via Bluff, result 15.

[ewancummins]

Tristan moves like the professional he is, quickly towards the kennel. Taking the larger of the hounds, the brown bitch, named Elsie, out of her cage, Tristan notices that the hounds all appear agitated. Still, Elsie responds to his commands and the two turn towards the Manor. As they rush towards the building, Elsie makes a sudden bee line towards the greenhouse but begins to whimper and backtrack. The hound moves quicker to the manor, but the trained handler that he is, Tristan knows it is out of fear.

''Elsie, heel!''
Keeping his musket tucked tightly under his right arm, Tristan advances with all due haste upon the greenhouse. He looks about, hoping to spot any sign of an intruder.