The Devil's Dreams, Chapter 3

[ewancummins]

"The sinking?"

''Yes, the houses have been sinking a little. Strange rumblings 'neath the ground. Isn't that why they hired you fellows?"

[VAN]

"Well yes but we didn't have much time to check the caves. When does that started?"

[ewancummins]

''Ah, I don't know for sure when it began, but we certainly all noticed it last year. Master Ferenc hired some miners to poke about down below- but I think only one came back. Some kind of trouble..."

[VAN]

"Yes I have heard about the miners. Have you noticed any earthquakes before in this zone or the one 2 days ago was the first? And do you remember any other strange phenomenon that happened recently?"

[ewancummins]

"Yes I have heard about the miners. Have you noticed any earthquakes before in this zone or the one 2 days ago was the first? And do you remember any other strange phenomenon that happened recently?"

''Earthquakes? No, not really anything big like that- just a little movement now and then. Some sinkholes appeared in the yard. I can't recall anything else strange happening. "

[ewancummins]

an unused room, the guesthouse


The only room in the guesthouse that isn't given over to the use of the guests or frequented by the servants is a ground floor storeroom. The storeroom is stacked about the walls with piles of winter blankets, motheaten heavy curtains, a pot-bellied stove, a couple of empty coal scuttles, several battered rattan chairs, a scarred side table, and some other things. The brick walls are thick and the room is out of the way. The air is a bit musty and dusty; but there is a shuttered window that could be cracked, if need be.

Alain has gathered most of the party in this room, which offers privacy if not elegance.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

In the guestroom

Dorgio has to fight to keep from pacing in the cramped room. "Eustace is right," he says, "We need to be going back in the caverns. I don't like it, but after seeing their room I am thinking the twins are still in the caverns--if they live. They may have tried the downstream path. I'm...not eager to go the other way again any time soon."

[RocEter]

"We probably will have to go back into the caverns, but we should look into the possibility that there maybe more then one entrance located on the manor grounds." Thom says. " When you checked outside of Crespin's window did you happen to find bare footprints leading up to or away from the window?"

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"The manor grounds, or maybe even the foothills. But you're right, for good or ill, I don't think the cellar is the only entrance to the caverns. Not by a span."

[Ail]

"We probably will have to go back into the caverns, but we should look into the possibility that there maybe more then one entrance located on the manor grounds." Thom says. " When you checked outside of Crespin's window did you happen to find bare footprints leading up to or away from the window?"

"Indeed... I and Benn, we found bare footprints near the window to Crespin's room. But I recall that you, Thom, had been investigating another window. Did you find bare footprints there too? In our case, they seemed to move cautiously around the window and then move away. It is possible that the owner entered the room meanwhile, as it was a relatively easy jump.

Then... we shall have to reread Theophile's papers. There have been some curious connections... I think it's perhaps better to share what we found in the Professor's room, by the way. We must connect every hint in the papers that suddenly makes new sense to us. I have found myself going back several times trying to recall things I have heard. Most of them, are things I heard from one of you, in second hand, so to say, so they are all mixed up in my head. But for now, what I think is most urgent, is just to concentrate on everything Theophile wrote about the passages: their lay, the things he found down there, how long ago that was, etc. We have to prepare an urgent expedition for the twins. We have to be fast and accurate to get all the information available but not waste time with things that can wait."

[Adam]

"If we do return to the cellars we will need to acquire proper weaponry to fend off the rats." Benn muses. "I have yet to see the rat who can withstand a face full of flame. Torches, and as many bottles of lamp oil or kerosene as we can find. That's what we need."

[Ail]

"Hummm... yes, and I'll need to reflect on the proper prayers to ask Belenus for. At noon I'll retire to my room for that. It isn't far now, I'd say.

I could make some igniting substance, but huh.... it would take a few days for a single vial, so it isn't an option right now..."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Didn't I hear someone say sumthin' about a fungus what eats heat?" Everline says. "'Stead of fire, how's about acid?"

[VAN]

"Thank you very much, you were very helpful. If I have more questions I will definitely come to you."

[ewancummins]

"Thank you very much, you were very helpful. If I have more questions I will definitely come to you."

''Yes, well, it's been nice chatting, but I've got work to do, young fellow."

The old woman shuffles away, swinging her duster at the line of paintings along the hall.