Ghosts of Gauntcliff: Chapter Five

[Ail]

Eustace nods apprehensively

"I was thinking the same thing, Primeiro. I don't think we did."

[ewancummins]

THE OLD ABBEY-



Petrie calls his hound, but the dog won't enter the ruined abbey.
The Forfarian mutters, ''Beast might be showin' better sense than us.." He walks into the ruin with his lantern raised in his left hand and his sword hilt clutched in his right.

Looking around inside, he remarks to the others, "I don't see any ogre, or whatever it is you expected to find. Now, the door? Should we try that?"

[ewancummins]

THE DARK TOWER


Jürgen knows that he will die if he remains to fight these terrible monsters. Dizzying terror sweeps over him, and he turns round to race towards the hall door (the only visible exit).

[steveflam]

The lad runs and closes the door behind him, looking for some kind of solution to this madness. "Dark One, find me a way out this hellhole."

[ewancummins]

The lad runs and closes the door behind him, looking for some kind of solution to this madness. "Dark One, find me a way out this hellhole."

Dark One flits down the hall towards the open shaft of the tower.

The door to the chamber of the robed monsters remains closed behind Juergin.


A moment later, Dark One returns,

''There is an narrow ledge bout thirty feet below the platform outside this hall. There is a small door set into the ledge, and beyond that door a short hall with several doors. I looked behind one and found some stuff in a closet; rope, a lantern, some other things. Does that help?"

[steveflam]

The lad runs and closes the door behind him, looking for some kind of solution to this madness. "Dark One, find me a way out this hellhole."

Dark One flits down the hall towards the open shaft of the tower.

The door to the chamber of the robed monsters remains closed behind Juergin.


A moment later, Dark One returns,

''There is an narrow ledge bout thirty feet below the platform outside this hall. There is a small door set into the ledge, and beyond that door a short hall with several doors. I looked behind one and found some stuff in a closet; rope, a lantern, some other things. Does that help?"

"Yes, yes it does. I can climb down to this ledge, or try at any rate, Dark One. Wish me luck."

Juergin begins climbing down, hoping for the best.

[Adam]

Benn can only smile at his crude efforts at constructing a raft before throwing it into the water, jumping on board with his cane and a crude oar. He starts out using his cane to push his way along like a punt, but has the oar for if the water gets deep enough to need it.

[ewancummins]

BENN-

Benn can only smile at his crude efforts at constructing a raft before throwing it into the water, jumping on board with his cane and a crude oar. He starts out using his cane to push his way along like a punt, but has the oar for if the water gets deep enough to need it.

...

The waters remain shallow till Benn is midway to the islet. He has to spalsh and paddle the rest of the way, half-chokling on the toxic fumes of the dead lake. After a few minutes of paddling, he reaches the rocky islet with the cave mouth. The raft slides to rest on the rough stones.

[ewancummins]

JUERGIN-


Nimble as a monkey, the boy climbs down the side of the inner tower wall, to the small door above the narrow ledge. He is able to push the door open and enter the short, dark hall beyond. Feeling about, he finds a door on the left side of the wall. Dark One whsipers in his ear

"That's the storeroom."

The door is locked.

[steveflam]

Juergin nods and removes his tool pick from his pocket. He attempts to open the lock on the door.

[ewancummins]

Juergin nods and removes his tool pick from his pocket. He attempts to open the lock on the door.

Juergin opens the lock without much difficulty. Pulling open the door and feeling around the closet in the dark, with some help from Dark One, he finds:

• a lantern

• eight flasks of lantern oil (smells like whale oil)

• a small box that holds four tindertwigs

• a large sack

• 50 feet of hemp rope

• a ten foot gaff pole, like the kind used by fishermen and sailors

• a jar of nails

• a length of iron chain, about twelve feet

• some moldy cheese and biscuits, inedible unless he’s really hungry

[steveflam]

The lad uses one of the lantern oil flasks to fill the lantern if he has to. Then he uses his flint steel to light the lantern. He observes everything, quickly deciding to leave the moldy cheese and biscuits there. Taking inventory of everything he thinks a moment about the oil and nails and a nasty bomb he could create.

Having placed the lantern on the floor he places everything in the sack except for the chain, which he wraps around his shoulder and hip. HE also keeps the pole, unsure of how to proceed now. He keeps the pole as a walking stick and approaches another door.


Whispering, he tells Dark One "Look inside this door and a few others, maybe we can get out or find something helpful."

[ewancummins]

The lad uses one of the lantern oil flasks to fill the lantern if he has to. Then he uses his flint steel to light the lantern. He observes everything, quickly deciding to leave the moldy cheese and biscuits there. Taking inventory of everything he thinks a moment about the oil and nails and a nasty bomb he could create.

Having placed the lantern on the floor he places everything in the sack except for the chain, which he wraps around his shoulder and hip. HE also keeps the pole, unsure of how to proceed now. He keeps the pole as a walking stick and approaches another door.


Whispering, he tells Dark One "Look inside this door and a few others, maybe we can get out or find something helpful."

(Note that one end of the pole is a sharp metal hook. The pole can easily be used as a walking stick or staff, of course.)


Looking about, Jeurgin sees that he stands in a short hallway with five doors:

• the open door at his back, through which he entered the hall from the ledge


• the closet door, behind which he found the lantern and other things


• a closed door at the end of the hall

• two closed doors on the side of the hall opposite the closet door


Which door is he investigating after equipping himself?

[steveflam]

Juergin advances to the end of the hall, to that door as quietly as possible.

[ewancummins]

Juergin advances to the end of the hall, to that door as quietly as possible.

Jürgen creeps across the stone floor to the door at the end of the hall.

Dark One slips under and returns a moment later to report:

"It leads to a long spiral staircase that winds down into the darkness."

The door isn't locked...