Death House

[alhoon]

Vorj turns pale at the sight of the ghost, his courage failing him. The paladin seems overcome with fear. All reason leaves his eyes.

Van takes no chances. In an instant his scimitars are in his hands. While the warrior keeps his resolve he is visibly shaken. His non-magical scimitars don't seem to do anything but superficial damage to the spectre.

Seemingly undisturbed by the attack, the spectre quickly strikes Vorj in the face with one ghostly translucent hand. The paladin's face turns from pale to deep gray as the creature attempts to draw out his life-force.
For a split second the party watches horrified in the pale light as Vorj's life-force is attacked by the force of the grave. Vorj croaks once weakly and his eyes turn in their sockets to show only white. His knees buckle and he topples in front of Van like an empty, life-less sack. Only Walter's silent wail accompanies the thud as the paladin hits the floor.

[alhoon]

Burdur grinds his teeth as the paladin falls. "At least, he was a royalist" he says before he starts chanting in dwarven. The pale light of the holy symbol condenses over the spectre and beams down, but the apparition manages to dodge the beam.
Swearing, Burdur moves a few feet away to touch the bed, clearing the way for Kimber.

The Druid's resolve is seemingly strengthened as her ward drops under the life-draining touch of a cursed entity that has no place in the physical world. She chants in Sylvan and her club becomes enchanted. Kimber deftly takes the dwarf's place and strikes at the ghost bolstered by anger, desperation and Moradin's blessing. The club passes through the essence of the spirit but it seems to have drawn her attention.

The spectre quickly turns on the druid and attempts to grab her throat, but the half-elf proves to be too agile for the distracted spirit.

[VAN]

"Vorj!"

Cries Van as sees the paladin dropping down. Even if royals are he sworn enemies Vorj has saved his life and the fighter for sure doesn't want to see him die like that. He slashes the spectre with his scimitars twice hoping to deal more significant damage this time.

"Burdur, can you do anything to destroy it? or enhance my weapons? they aren't that effective!"

[alhoon]

The scimitars pass through the ghost's form, as the spectre futilely tries to dodge Van's blades. The form of the spectre seems to have been weakened somehow. She's more translucent, less formed but still as full of hate.

"Burdur, can you do anything to destroy it? or enhance my weapons? they aren't that effective!"

Burdur, pale from the shock and fighting his horror, doesn't allow fear to stop him from grumbling. "What exactly do you think I'm doing human?!" and he falls back to chanting. Another beam of sacred flame forms over the spectre and this time the apparition doesn't have the time to dodge as the holy light burns away some of her connection to this world.

[kintire]

Kimber is also grey with fright but steps into the fight, flicking her club at the monster, the green fire shimmering over it. Her rapid, flicking strikes are difficult to avoid, but are not landing with huge force as she seems nervous of the thing's grave touch

[alhoon]

With the combined attacks of Kimber and Van the spectre, already diminished, is defeated. The undead doesn't show pain, desperation or fear during the fight. Only madness and hate. When the final blow lands, the apparition's form dissolves into white smoke that dissipates like steam over hot tea.
The party isn't immediately confident that the spectre was defeated and it's not a trick. There was no screams of anger, curses or anything specific. A couple of seconds pass and all they can listen is Walter's wail that has grown more sad and deep as his mother's ghost dissipates.

While Van and Kimber are still looking around, weapons ready, not sure that the battle is over, Burdur comes in the room.
"Out of the way long-ears!" he insults the half-elf. Rudely pushing her aside, he kneels over the paladin and puts his stubby fingers on his neck while he puts his hairy ear right on top of his mouth.
"He's alive. Badly wounded but still alive. He won't survive long though without healing" he says after a moment. "Kimber, would you bring him out of unconsciousness? Or should I expend my last power?" He manages to make the suggestion sound like a complaint.

[VAN]

Still a bit shaken from the encounter with the ghost Van kneels over Vorj as if wanting to be sure that he is alive and the dwarf isn't bluffing.

"I hope there will be no more ghosts around...Now, Burdur, how much longer will your spell last? We need to get benefit more time possible, so unless Kimber can actually heal Vorj I suggest you do it. I don't want to risk his life, he is lucky that he is still alive and I plan to keep him that way."

[kintire]

Kimber was already turning to her fallen companion as soon as the ghost had dissipated.

"I can do it."

Her right hand is already glowing a rich leaf-green and as she touches the fallen paladin the glow spreads from her fingers into his grey form.

The instant the spell is completed she rises, turns, hefts her still glowing club and delivers a ferocious blow to the middle of the mirror from which the specter emerged

[alhoon]

Vorj is pulled out of terror-filled unconsciousness. He inhales sharply and kicks out, still weak, surprised and afraid. "Oh, Moradin's beard!" Burdur exclaims annoyed. "The ghost is dead. Again. Cut it out!" he admonishes the paladin that has just been to hell and back as if he was a kid asking for candy. He steadies the writhing man with his stubby hands. Vorj quickly overcomes his horror now that the spectre is defeated.

As Kimber hits the mirror, it shatters with an unearthly sound, accompanying Walter's cries.
And there's a secret door behind it, leading to a stair leading to the attic.

[VAN]

"Good job Kimber!"

Van gives to the paladin his greataxe and says:

"How do you feel Vorj? We can take a break for a while, go to the ground floor that seems to be the more "friendly" one, rest for a bit. Then go back here and check the rest of the room and secret door Kimber found."

[kintire]

Kimber gapes at the secret door.

"Uh yes... Thanks. Not what I had expected I admit, but thanks anyway!"

She says nothing at the talk of a rest but certainly looks keen.

[Ken of Ghastria]

"Hell's breath," says Vorj weakly as he sits up. "I felt... the touch of death." He looks around at his companions. "Thank you. Truly."

He accepts his greataxe from Van with a grateful nod. "Yes, some time to rest would be welcome before we ascend those stairs. Are any of you injured?"

[alhoon]

"You are" the dwarf replies and moves to the first floor.

[VAN]

Once at the first floor, Van leads his companions to the kitchen they have found, he is ready to drink some water when thinks one more time where they actually are.

"Burdur, I know I might ask you a lot, but you first said that dwarves can get poison better than humans, so just in case something happened while we were upstairs may you try the water and the food please. If you don't want to I will. I want to be sure that we can eat and drink safely before Vorj does, he is weak right now so better not take any risks."

[alhoon]

Burdur seems annoyed. "I have already tried them human. I have no problems taking the first bite though." He grabs a slice of cheese and some left-over bread as he takes a seat on the kitchen table.
He looks at Vorj "Royalist, I don't know how I could non-magically bind wounds like the ones made by the apparition. But if its wounds of the soul, praying could help. At least, it wouldn't harm. Say a couple of words for us too... " he says with a touch of sympathy.
Then he adds with a frown as if admonishing a kid "and do that silently. Prayer is a private matter. We don't want to know what's between you and your Goddess."