Ghosts of Gauntcliff Chapter Four

[steveflam]

"Thank you, Dark One."

Juergin really has no idea what to think. This is way above what he has experienced in his young life. He turns to his two "new" friends. "So, please, bring me to the fat one I call Benn."

The lad still looks around, not behind him, mind you. He looks to see how the houses are built as well as what kind of people are in this strange place.

[ewancummins]

"Thank you, Dark One."

Juergin really has no idea what to think. This is way above what he has experienced in his young life. He turns to his two "new" friends. "So, please, bring me to the fat one, Benn."[/i]

The lad still looks around, not behind him, mind you. He looks to see how the houses are built as well as what kind of people are in this strange place.

The whole city looks strange, as if it had been made by generations of mad builders. Most of the houses lean out into the street at strange angles, like rows of drunkards leaning over a ditch. Many of the buildings lie in ruins, and others look like unfinished work. Some have no doors or windows at all, and others are perforated with many such openings. Juergin sees brick walls, marble facades, and timber frames all jumbled without any discernible order or theme. Some buildings are so much wider at the top than the base that it’s a marvel they stand at all. Others are tiny in scale, small enough for fairies. A few are gargantuan, fit abodes for giants.

A mighty bell tolls in the distance, three thunderous peals.

The one-eyed monsters cover their ears.

They shout in unison:

"Hide, hide!”

[steveflam]

Juergin starts at the bells. "What the fuck?" he whispers to himself as he scrambles, following Gruz and Smezel closely.

"Gruz......... Smezel........... what is the bells? Why must we hide?"

Juergin will follow both weirdos and when they attempt to hide, he will do the same.

Juergin uses his Hide ability. He has, um, a freakishly good bonus for Hide, by the way.

Hide check 33

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio shakes his head. "Maybe the Dusklord wasn't their deity, but a creature they wished kept at bay? Perhaps that spell, it was something they were keeping out of the wrong hands? Either way, I am thinking we must return to the abbey, sooner rather than later."

[ewancummins]

Juergin starts at the bells. "What the fuck?" he whispers to himself as he scrambles, following Gruz and Smezel closely.

"Gruz......... Smezel........... what is the bells? Why must we hide?"

Juergin will follow both weirdos and when they attempt to hide, he will do the same.

Juergin uses his Hide ability. He has, um, a freakishly good bonus for Hide, by the way.

Hide check 33

Juergin follows the little weirdos into the gaping door of a black stone house. Inside, the house is dark. He can make out skeletal wrecks of old furniture and tattered curtains, but hardly any other details.

[steveflam]

"What is the bell ringing? Why are we hiding? Is it from the Dodds? I would like to know the house where fat one is, please."

[Ken of Ghastria]

The side parlor --

"If this Dusklord is the deity of those monks, then how do we fit that with the inscription on the door that seemed to make this god so malevolent? There's something here I can not quite get."

"If I recall correctly from Benn's reading," says Primeiro, "the scroll was considered 'heretical' by most of the monks. Certainly not part of their traditional creed. Perhaps they used necromancy as a last resort? As a dark method of controlling these ... whatever they are ... just long enough for the monks to trap some of them behind the magically sealed door. But the task was left half-done. They didn't trap all the creatures and they lacked the means to destroy them ... I'm guessing that's where the lost 'scepter' came into play."

He stands proudly. "I am at your disposal, gentlemen and lady. If you believe swordplay will be required after the scroll is read or the dead girl is, um, questioned--" Primeiro seems dubious of the chances for success there, "--I shall accompany you. If not, then I shall assist with the patrol guarding against the pirates."

[ewancummins]

The Side Parlor


Thom yawns. Dorgio yawns right afterward. Despite the conversation going on about them, both men fall fast asleep.

[Ail]

Eustace nods at Primeiro and says


"I thank you wholeheartedly. We need all the hands we can get, and my heart tells me we will also need fighting. I think both you and Dorgio are right. But that shows the dangers of trusting dark forces. We should maybe keep this scroll for an emergency, but use it only as a last resort. And let's hope we're really dealing with resentful unliving here... at least, I know that kind of enemy.


He looks around as he hears a yawning from behind him, and frowns as he sees Dorgio and Thom fall asleep.


"What in Brigit's name?..."

[Adam]

"Just once," Benn mutters, "I wish something just came out of the bushes and talked to me when I tried that."

Not really seeing any other signs or landmarks, he wanders towards the noise.

[Ken of Ghastria]

The side parlor--

Primeiro roughly attempts to shake Thom and then Dorgio awake. "Come on, damn you! Wake up!"

[ewancummins]

Dorgio and Thom waken after a few seconds each of rough shaking by Primeiro.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline yawns, her head starts to droop -- and she looks up, blinking rapidly. "Oh, sod," she says, with feeling, her eyes widening. "Not good, this."

[Ail]

"We should leave this room or get ready to do battle. We are under attack here!"

Eustace cries.


"It may be time for the latter, so here goes..."


Eustace casts a Magic Circle Against Evil in the room, centered on himself.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Primeiro says, "Now what? The scroll or...." He looks at Dorgio. "This ritual to speak with the dead girl... Would it still do any good? Or have we run out of time? As Eustace says, we seem to be officially under attack."