Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Aye, 'tis said," Everline says, her eyes narrowing as she looks Griffith in the face. "Fine that they're spooked. Let 'em slack off, and they'd be food for the shadow-beast, or worse, for this Dodds. Let fear make 'em sharp, so long as they don't panic."

[ewancummins]

The private bar-


Griffith smiles at Everline and then turns to face the others.

"I hear a whole lotta jaw jackin'. Talkin' out your plans is right smart; but what I want to know is which one of you is the leader? Who decides? I don't know much about all this ghosts and goblins stuff, but I know that a crew without a captain had better elect one. Otherwise, you'll end up wastin' precious time and maybe workin' at cross purposes. That's my advice, take it or leave it."
The sea captain then pours himself a double shot of whiskey and sits back to observe the party.

[ewancummins]

Jürgen, underground

The boy has had time to calm down by the time he arrives where he, Dark One, Gruz and Smezel are. And one thing is clear.
"Yes Dark One. And Denys Sancerre doesn't care about what happened to Benn and Jonas. He doesn't care about what happened at the
Abbey ruins. He doesn't care about what happened to Everline. I think he needs to be taught a lesson. He made me so mad, I could have exploded. And now there is a mob after me."

He is pacing somewhat, thinking. "I know I will make a good captain, better than any of them. And have a great crew. I am very smart, too. I have Gruz and Smezel to prove it. Dodds didn't kill me and trusts me to do it too. I survived the pirate attacks on my fathers ship.
Those thirteen pirates are all dead. And who killed them? ME."

He looks at both Gruz and Smezel and smiles and then continues. "We will eventually leave the island. Sooner than the later. Denys doesn't know the fear he is responsible for on those men and Everline. He will learn, however. I need a nap before we teach him a lesson. Dark One, can you wake us at the witching hour[2 a.m]? We will go and make him regret his noble attitude towards us all."

As the boy lies down to sleep, his dark companion wraps around him like a blanket.

‘’Sleep well, I will watch over you."

[Adam]

"We aren't exactly sailors, Captain, but your point is well taken," Bennedict acknowledges. He turns to Eustace. "We escaped because Gruz and Smezel had some means of opening a gap between the shadow world and this one. I don't really understand how it worked, nor do I have access to the power."

He nods to Primeiro "I think you may be right. I say burn the studio and be done with it. Either you will find the creature there or you will leave its home in ruins. Both are positive outcomes, as far as I'm concerned."

[ewancummins]

Griffith slices some bread, fish, and cheese to make a sandwich.
"While your crew works on defeatin’ this shadow monster, or this Dodds fellow, or whatever it is you’re up against-- me and my crew will be workin’ on ways to get everyone off Gauntcliff.“

[Ail]

Eustace nods to Captain Griffitt.
"It is a sensible idea, but while the fog remains low you probably will have no chance. Yet, if you could direct your energy and that of the guests to that end, that will give enough of a purpose to people to actually avoid panic. It would be good, in my view.

As for us, we need rest. But the abbey seems urgent. Let's go there at once while we have a modicum of protection in the ballroom, and try to eliminate one post of the enemy. We should be able to rest after that."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"I'll be stayin' here," Everline announces. Her eyes alight on Griffiths and Sancerre for a moment, and they are full of ice. "Someone has to play bodyguard or Benn and his family while you chaps are razing the workshop, right?" Everline makes an odd little gesture, and is suddenly holding a knife. Another gesture, and the blade is gone. "Might as well be me, I suppose. Hope you don't mind if I camp out with you and take my ease; just poke me if I snore, or scream if something unpleasant comes crawling out of the cellar."

[ewancummins]

Griffith says ''Aye, I'll poke ye as needed, girl.''

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"That weren't an invitation to you, sir," Everline says, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "I was addressing my friend, here. Be told."

[ewancummins]

"That weren't an invitation to you, sir," Everline says, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. "I was addressing my friend, here. Be told."

Griffith smiles bandly.

''What, you're particular about who wakes you up?''

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"I'm particular about no being woke up as if I'm some tuppenny harlot who's been paid for the night an' the next mornin'," Everline says, bluntly. "Anyhoo, I'm beddin' down close ta Benn an' his family. They'll wake me if aught befalls. 'Tis no likely ta be your concern."

[ewancummins]

Griffith chuckles.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

"Elianna is safe," Dorgio tells Primeiro. "Lorna too. Ah, that's another girl," he adds, quickly realizing his comrade would have idea whom he meant. "Both safe when I checked. Why are you asking?"

"Either way, we can't waste any more time than we need. If we are to strike, let it be now!"

He turns to Griffiths then. Part of him still hated the sea captain, but Dorgio knew he'd have to work with him, even if that meant swallowing his pride along with a slug or two of brandy. "And if you're trying to help the others flee the island, be wary. Juergin, the boy, he claimed the Shadow was at the shipwreck. I am not knowing if we should be trusting his words...but it would be wise to keep them in mind."

With that, he stands and stubs out his cigarillo. "Well then, shall we be going?"

[ewancummins]

The captain says " I'll take note of that, thanks."


Denys turns to stare at Everline for a moment. He opens his mouth as if to speak --but turns and leaves the bar room without a word.

[ewancummins]

The expedition

Melmoth leads the mule train down the narrow dirt trail under the light of the moon and stars. The closer the party gets to the seashore, the thicker the mists grow. Dorgio, Primeiro, and Eustace ride or walk behind the grim-faced guide, with the half-man Penda bringing up the rear on a donkey.
The air of the central hills is mostly clear, but as the party draws closer to the sea, the fog rises and thickens.

…

After arriving at the Old Abbey and carefully securing the site, the heroes descend into the pit. Past the lead-paneled door which yet hangs open, they pass into the shadowy lair of the enemy. Their light sources are dimmed by some weird property of the vault, just as before. Further demolition of frames and easels turns these objects to oily black stuff that oozes into the floors and soaks in like ink. None of it burns, and the gross structure seems impervious to permanent damage.
After several futile attempts at arson and a thorough ransacking of the place, the party has found no objects not made of shadow stuff—with a single exception. The chest that Dorgio had tried to recover from the crawlspace appears to be made of real, solid wood. Recovering it from the crawlspace might be easy enough, given a pole and a hook, or some other arrangement.

Meanwhile, in the chateau's private bar room
Benn scribbles away, making notes and fighting off a growing weariness. His wife and son have already fallen asleep behind the bar, on a cot Denys brought down earlier in the evening. Everline sleeps curled up on an adjacent cot at the end of the long bar.

Benn sighs, slumping over his writing desk lost in dreamless sleep.

Everline feels a heavy weight pressing down in her chest, forcing the air from her lungs. She opens her eyes to see a pale faced man streaked with red burn marks sitting on her chest. Nothing else in the bar room looks solid; it’s all just a hazy sketch done in charcoal tones. Her half-naked assailant leers at her and licks his chapped lips. With freakishly long fingers, he slowly undoes the lacing on her tunic.
“Little girl, did you miss your special friend, Mister Dodds? “

When she tries to fight back, she is unable to move her limbs, or even to cry out for help.
Dodds playfully tosses Everline’s hair with his spidery fingers.
"Such a pretty girl.”

...


Rock, click on this OOC note before you post any response-

VIEW CONTENT:

Your PC just got another negative level. Dodds totally controls the dream, so she can't fight back, unlike the first night. You should skip to waking up, after the nightmare. I won't detail it all. It's bad, really bad. Roleplay her waking reactions as you like, but I'd imagine there will be some screaming.