The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter Three

[RocEter]

Julian looks over to Tristan, after the beast falls and sheathes his blade.

"Tristan grab Goran's weapons, Thal grab my cousins legs and help me carry him back over by my brother. We will wait a few minutes to see if the Paralysis wears off. If it doesn't we will have lock the gate the up for now, and return them to the manor." He says.

He then reaches down and grabs his cousin under his arms and around his chest.

"You know I am going to have a terrible time explain this to your father." he says to Goran as he lifts him up.

Once Thal has assisted him, he begins to walk backwards towards Sebastian.

[Lord Skybolt]

Tahl shall help Julian with Goran as he says .

[PathOfDreams]

Although the ranger lay motionless, his eyes tell a story of fright. Upon being lifted by his cousin, one whom he barely knows, his eyes shine with excitment and relief that he is now once again out of danger.

[Griselda]

The sight of the wagon fixed, plus a horse, is almost unbelievable. Ezra, what could I possibly offer them that would be thanks enough? Emilio's expression, however, quickly dampens her enthusiasm. She has wits enough to drop a curtsy to Iosip's bow and the words rise to her mouth: "Nais tuke." (1) And again, she is startled by herself, her cheeks flushed. Glancing down, she does not see Iosip's reaction, but looks up in time to see the vardos vanishing into the mist. An unfamiliar sensation wells in her, and she wants to call, "Come back."

Agna feels her face growing hot with embarrassment at Emilio's comments and is grateful Iosip, Madame Nadezhda and the rest did not hear him. Though she's glad he's clearly feeling at least somewhat back to himself, she tries to find a way to defuse the situation before he goes too far down this road. Her voice is low, her tone polite, and though shaking slightly, loses no firmness of purpose.

"I'm fine, sir, we both are. Iosip merely wanted to introduce me to his aunt, who was very kind to me. Yes, we both got a fright, but in the end, we're all right, and Ezra and they were far better to us than we might have expected. We could have met Lothario Enzo or someone with even less scruple, if that were possible, or I might have had to leave you to start walking back to the manor for help, and then what?" She pauses, as her voice has started to rise -- imagining too many possibilities -- and begins again. "Lady Ezra would wish us to be gracious for what we were given. We should get started. We have a lot to do. Let's see how well this horse behaves."

'Nothing from a gypsy comes free'? She swallows, stung, mumbles something like "excuse me" and goes to find her shawl and basket. Picking them up, she gazes for a long moment down the road in the direction of the vardos. Sometimes, in the fall and spring, her heart feels like a flying bird trapped inside her breast, filled with a near desperate longing to be moving out and away. The feeling returns in earnest now, and she wonders, if I let my heart go, would it come back?

With effort, she turns back to the wagon.



(1) "Thank you" in Romany, according to the handful of online entries I've found. I don't know what language passes for patterna in Ravenloft.

[ewancummins]

Tristan gathers his own weapons first, then snags Goran's stuff. He skeedaddles back through the gate.

''I'm going to close and lock the gate once we are all through.''

[JMaytr]

IN THE TUNNELS-


After about thirty seconds, Sebastian and Goran find the sensation in their limbs returning and the paralysis gone. The creature from the mound is motionless on the ground of the tunnel. There are shreds of clothing and rotten livery about the corpse (1).

The tunnel continues on for at least another 200 feet before it turns to the west. The ceiling along the path is littered with similar flacid roots found here, where the creatures dropped from.



(1) Knowledge Local or history checks

[ewancummins]

Once the party is safely behind the gate, Tristan closes and locks it.

Turning to the others, he asks-

''Well, should we continue exploring? ''

[Varrus the Ethical]

This looks familiar, Sebastien thinks to himself as he looks at the dead creatures that attacked him.








(OOC: Knowledge History 16+3=19 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2315061/)

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"I have expended my energies for the day," Harold says. "I vote we turn back to recuperate for now. At the very least, we have the preserved foodstuffs to present above to master Pancrazio, and that scroll case and the black jar to investigate."

'Among other things,' he adds in the privacy of his thoughts.

[PathOfDreams]

Goran takes another moment to compose himself while still laying on his back, taking in short, rapid breaths to avoid too much of the choking dank of the tunnel air.

Just as quickly, he begins breathing normal again. The ranger stands and gathers his equipment. "I hate to concede to this or any other danger, but the old man is right." He grabs at his leather where his stomach churns and whinces noticably. "Unnnghh."

In a low, pain-wracked tone, "Julian it is time... we must leave now. Harold, if we bring the belongings of these undead to the surface, will that attract more of these creatures to follow us? Also, I'll need the map of this place, whichever of you created one." Goran holds out his gloved hand, palm up.

[ewancummins]

Tristan nods in agreement.


''I'm for going back, too. We've done a lot for one day, Harold's hoodoo is used up, and two of our party are injured. ''

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Whether more creatures will follow if we bring things to the surface, I do not know," Harold replies with a shrug. "It is possible, is the best I can say at this point, but not bringing these items to the surface might deprive us of weapons to use against them during our next foray. As for the map, I have been making it -- and I would appreciate it if you let me finish it before handing it over. Obviously I have not added in the most recent information. You may recall we were ... interrupted just now."

[Varrus the Ethical]

Standing over the body of the final Ghoul, Sebastien is shocked when he realizes what he sees.

"Holy Ezra! I...I think I this one is a Pancrazio." He says, carefully removing the signet patch from the corpse's clothing and holding it up for the others to see.

"Judging by the funeral livery I would say this...this person died a century ago. Something truly foul must be happening for the dead of our family to rise as ghouls."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Interesting," Harold says. "Perhaps you young gentlemen would reconsider the wisdom of giving your family tree a good shaking when we get back to the manor, so we may see whether there's any bad fruit hiding between the branches? In any case, let us be out of here forthwith. I would not still be here when the kind of person or creature who can turn century-old corpses into limber ghouls comes here to see why there has been a disturbance. And for our peace of mind, we might block this tunnel some way once we're out."

[RocEter]

Julian nods as everyone else suggests returning to the manor for the night.

"Very well we will return, but tomorrow we have finish searching these tunnels." he pause for a moment to listen to his younger brother.

Looking back to Harold to as he mentions going through the Pancrazio family tree once more. "I will discuss looking into the family tree with my uncle. Also as much as is pains me to say this, we have borrow the ring on Great Aunt Luisa's finger, for that chest." he says.

Julian motions for everyone to start moving out, he will head up the rear.