Ghosts of Gauntcliff: Chapter Six

[ewancummins]

"Din' they go off in a rowboat ta find help?" Everline asks. "Seem ta remember someone sayin' such." She glances briefly at Sancerre.

Denys scowls at Everline.

''Not a rowboat, don't be ridiculous. It was a larger boat with a proper sail. I wouldn't have sent them out so ill-prepared, girl."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Nice ta have that cleared up, then, ole chap," Everline replies in a deceptively placid tone of voice.

[ewancummins]

Denys shrugs and says to Everline,

''I think you need a nap, young lady. You look worn out and your manners are getting worse the longer you avoid rest."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"A nap sounds champion, guv," Everline says with a merry grin. "It'd mean postponin' the sterilizin' o'the beast's workshop, though."

[ewancummins]

"A nap sounds champion, guv," Everline says with a merry grin. "It'd mean postponin' the sterilizin' o'the beast's workshop, though."

''You don't seriously intend to accompany the men into that evil place? "

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Where'd you think I went last night, then?" Everline asks, still smiling. "Hurt the blighter too, I did."

[ewancummins]

"Where'd you think I went last night, then?" Everline asks, still smiling. "Hurt the blighter too, I did."

''I think you would be making a terrible mistake by going back to that place. The last thing in the world you should want is to risk another encounter with the shadow-thing. You might be killed, or driven mad. To be perfectly frank, you seem only partially sane now, and you look terrible. You need sleep. You ought to hide from the monster. Maybe you should stay within the consecrated circle Eustace is going to make."

[Ail]

"Well, then, I guess it is time we go about doing it indeed, M. Sancerre. I think either the Dining Hall or the Ballroom will be good places. The Ballroom might be better to place everyone, it has more space and probably less furniture cluttering the place and casting shadows. Also, tables are natural places for a shadow creature to hide under, so my bet is on the ball-room. Does anyone have other takes?"

[ewancummins]

"Well, then, I guess it is time we go about doing it indeed, M. Sancerre. I think either the Dining Hall or the Ballroom will be good places. The Ballroom might be better to place everyone, it has more space and probably less furniture cluttering the place and casting shadows. Also, tables are natural places for a shadow creature to hide under, so my bet is on the ball-room. Does anyone have other takes?"

Denys nods.
"The ballroom does sound best, Eustace. Very clever of you."

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Agreed," says Primeiro. "That is clever. Nicely reasoned! Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm going to my room to check my supplies before we head out to the ruins. If someone NOT involved in the preparation of the spell wishes to accompany me for safety reasons, I won't object."

[steveflam]

"Dark One, I am going to have to go inside and find the others. Can you scout ahead for me and find them, please? I will wait here in the shadows."

He waits and when Dark One is going, asks Gruz and Smezel "Do you know any secret way in the chateau here? That would be really helpful. By the way, I like your new magic clothes. They look good on you."

....

Dark One soon returns.

''I could not find them. "



Gruz and Smezel show the boy a way into the chateau via crawlspaces under the floor.

Jürgen uses the crawlspace to enter the Chateau.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio nods in appreciation. "Yes, the ballroom. Clever indeed!"

"The rest of us, we had better be getting prepared. The darkness is awaiting."

[Ail]

"Then, in that case, I will simply consecrate the room, and forego other protections. We will need them in the Abbey. Primeiro, on the way to your room, could you please take a look at mine, and see if the window shutter is still closed? I left everything in disarray, but with the window at least closed. I wouldn't like to know it had been opened again. I would be most grateful."

He lends a brief smile to his words, to make his request not sound like an order.

[ewancummins]

Jürgen
In the pitch dark, the boy must move by feel and with the help of his companions. After crawling for several minutes, Jürgen finds a grate that, when pushed open, lets him into a large room near the back of the house, lit by a single candle on a table in the far right corner. Looking about, he makes out the dim shapes of tables, cabinets, hanging pots and pans, a row of stone ovens, and a couple of doorways. The air here is warm and smells of butter, fresh baked bread, and cooked fish.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Of course," says Primeiro to Eustace. "I'll be back as quickly as I can." With that, he leaves the room - and immediately draws his sword as he heads to Eustace's quarters first, and then to his own.

_________
OOC: Ewan, see yesterday's PM.