The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter Two

[ewancummins]

After Tuke leaves, Tristan quietly lays the boning knife on the counter.

A boning knife? Does he think that we mean to fillet her corpse?

''Don't think that we'll need this, after all.''

He turns to Harold and says-

''There's that axe by the the shed in. You can use that. I've got a hatchet. As for chains or rope, I think that I have seen something like that in the shed. Let's go now.''

Tristan straps his pack onto his back, grabs his weapons, and heads out the backdoor. As he leaves, he shouts over his shoulder to Roderigo Pancrazio-

''Don't worry, boss, we'll take care of this and then check out that tunnel.''


Once outside, he marches resolutely towards the shed, gripping his hatchet in his right hand. At the shed, he waits for the others to join him.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Harold pats Ana's hands one last time and gruffly advises: "Have a cup of tea, girl, and take your ease for a few minutes. You look done in." After that, he follows Tristan. "Damnable business," he mutters when he reaches the shed.

[Lord Skybolt]

Finishing what he was eating Tahl get's his court blade thinking this slice's things up rather nicely, then go's after Tristan .

[PathOfDreams]

Goran enters the rear passage in front of the kitchen as Tahl is leaving the back door. With his leather armoured jacket on and his dual scabbard already in place on his back, Goran stops just outside the kitchen to put on his backpack. He cinches it down tight and snathces up the two oil torches he found in the vestibule.

Goran glances sideways into the kitchen at his father. He offers no words.

With a swift and deliberate movement Goran disappears out the back door. It takes him just a short but hasty sprint to catch up to the others at the woodshed.

When Goran arrives at the woodshed he hands the old scholar a torch, "For the tunnels try not to spill the oil, who knows how extensive these passages will be. Perhaps they will take us to some forgotten silver mine, eh?" He urges with a small chuckle.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Harold immediately hands the torch back. "This business with Marilena's body comes first," he states. "And I have no need of ... torches. Stand ready, I am going to open the shed on the count of three. Have your weapons in hand."

[ewancummins]

Tristan stands to the left side of the shed door, hatchet at the ready.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"One," Harold says, putting one hand on the door handle.

[RocEter]

After dropping his bags off Julian returns to the Kitchen to find everyone gone, with the exception of his Uncle and Agna.

"Where has everyone gone?" he asks no one in particular.

[PathOfDreams]

Goran quickly steps to the side on the first count, promptly jamming the ends of the lanterns into the rain-softened earth. He slides his pack off his back and lifts the top cover. While stepping back from the shed door about ten paces, he pulls from his sack a coiled length of hemp cord. Goran unwraps near half of it and deftly configures a lasso. (1) [size]

(1) Use Rope check, result 23

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Two," Harold says, beginning to push the doorhandle down. He calls to mind the Words of Power he has not spoken in so long ... And they flow into his thoughts as easily as water running downhill.

[JMaytr]

The texture of the door handle inside of Harold's fist is coarse with flakes of rust coming off in his grasp. The air around him seems to grow colder, but despite this he feels a sweat forming behind his ears and knees. Birds and insects that were moments ago chirping and buzzing loudly have gone quiet as if holding their breaths in anticipation.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Harold mutters something under his breath. If anyone listens closely, they might hear words of Draconic: "Neque vis, neque infortunium me tangete. Lorica magi me vela." And there is a brief shimmer around the old scholar.

The next instant, Harold shouts: "Three!" - he pulls open the door and steps to the side in that same movement, leaving the shed open, and incidentally removing himself from the door opening.

(OOC: Casting Mage Armor and opening the door commando style.)

[JMaytr]

The group is assaulted by the sight of poor Mariabella's corpse. It lies in the same state as the evening before, though the body has now attracted more than a few flies. The insects explode from the body in a fury, buzzing nosily past the group into the fresh Borcan air. (1)









(1) Will save

[PathOfDreams]

Goran has just got the large lasso whirling above his head when the Mage swings the door wide. At the sight of the bloating lump Goran is caught with a shot of relief, relief that for now there isn't an undead charging from the shed... then sorrow hits him just as hard. The swinging rope falls as lifeless as the corpse in his sight as he lets his arm fall to his side.

Goran pulls his hatchet from his wide belt and advances into the shed, head hung, face expressionless.

WILL save result 20

[ewancummins]

Tristan blanches at the sight of Mariabella's corpse, though it could hardly of have been unexpected as he had himself lain it out last night. For a few seconds, he looks as if he will be physically ill, but soon recovers his bearing.

''Be careful, Goran.''

Trsitan moves to join Goran inside the shed. Once inside, he sniffs the air.

She's only been here overnight. Flies, that I would expect. Still, she oughtn't be truly decayed. Ugh...I'd better check for worms...

Tristan cautiously approaches Mariabella's body, holding up his heatless [magical] torch for better light. He visually inspects the corpse.