Ghosts of Gauntcliff Chapter Four

[ewancummins]

the hills




"Prove? We are on island friend. Plenty of cliffs and natural hazards, plenty of chances for accidents." Thom says looking down at Bruno. "But lucky for you I consider myself to be reasonable and rational man. So why don't you tell me what you and friend were going to bury before our timely interruption? Of course if you aren't in the mood for talking, I suppose I can just leave with my associate here and his hound..." He says.

Thom pats down Bruno to see what, if anything, he has on him.

Thom finds a clasp knife at Bruno's belt, a small purse with seven bright copper coins in a purse hidden under his shirt, and a pendant about his neck. The pendant looks like an eye made of blue and white glass.

""We wuz burying some property, that's all. Ours right and legalwise. We jest needed to...ummm...I wish Vincent wuz here. Thinking hurts."

[RocEter]

"That so, Bruno?" Thom says taking the knife from Bruno, letting him keep his necklace and copper. "Well Bruno what If I said you can walk away with a much heavier purse if you were to let me and my associate here have the said property? You can tell you friend, Vincent is it, that we stole it from you. What say you to that? Walk away with your life and some gold or do I leave you to associate and his hound?" He says.

[ewancummins]

Everline, in Benn's room


Charlotte sits in the corner, mumbling to herself.

Dorgio is sprawled in an armchair, dozing.

Everline hears a light tapping at the closed door to the hallway.

[ewancummins]

"That so, Bruno?" Thom says taking the knife from Bruno, letting him keep his necklace and copper. "Well Bruno what If I said you can walk away with a much heavier purse if you were to let me and my associate here have the said property? You can tell you friend, Vincent is it, that we stole it from you. What say you to that? Walk away with your life and some gold or do I leave you to associate and his hound?" He says.

""Um....yeah, okay, Wait, 'ow much gold for me?"

[RocEter]

"Well now that all depends on what you are selling now doesn't it?" Thom says with a smile.

[ewancummins]

"Well now that all depends on what you are selling now doesn't it?" Thom says with a smile.

''Ummmm...Fill my purse wid gold and we got a deal, guv'nor!"

[RocEter]

"Here is a sample to come." Thom says reaching into his purse and picking out 5 fat gold coins depositing them into Bruno's purse. "Now tell me what I am buying and then will talk about how you will take my associate and his hound to where they find it." He says.

[ewancummins]

"Here is a sample to come." Thom says reaching into his purse and picking out 5 fat gold coins depositing them into Bruno's purse. "Now tell me what I am buying and then will talk about how you will take my associate and his hound to where they find it." He says.

''Those coins are fat."

He drools in the sand.

""Unnn...you got to let me get up. Me and Vincent got some treasure, whut we nicked...err...found. A box of treasure."

A sad, befuddled look comes over the big brute's face.

"I wish we could have kept it."

[ewancummins]

Benn, in the dark place-


Benn swings his cane, but misses whatever it was the bumped into him in the dark hall.

[steveflam]

Juergin in the dungeon

The young lad runs in the dark and hears a noise. Fear of the crazy man spurs him on and he keeps running. He bumps into something hard and falls on his ass, out of breath for a moment. He lets out a grunt and stands. Then he sees in the darkness, is it Benn? And as a lighted ghost!

"Herr Benn, are you dead? Is that you? You look like a ghost. It is me, Juergin. The crazy man is coming quickly and we have not much time! Have you a light?"

[ewancummins]

Benn and Juergin in the dark dungeon


Benn recognizes Juergin's voice.
He has no light but the faint glimmer of his protective dweomer.


Both Lamordians hear a man's laughter, and then a voice in the darkness-


"Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head."

[steveflam]

Benn and Juergin in the dark dungeon


Juergin crouches down low, dagger in his hand. His heart beats ever so fast. He whispers in Mordentish, the language he speaks to Dark One usually "Dark One, I do not know if you can hear me, but I need you, Benn needs you." I his other hand he reaches into his pocket and pulls something out, holding it in his hand tightly. He points it in front of him and thinks hard for help of any kind possible.

[Ail]

"Ms Sancerre, we informed you as best as we could. Benn and Juergin only disappeared after we returned and we informed you as promprly about that as we could.

Now, about my theory. Yes, it has holes, unfortunately we can't even understand what is going on. But the first attack, on Everline... that happened on the same day we went to the Abbey, and she was not there. I don't know if there can be any relation, there may, but in any case, with the whole island as a tourist attraction, someone would go there eventually. The Abbey was not a secret, and I think I remember people from your staff or even yourself recommending it as a nice place for a stroll.

At least, the danger has been found with us present, who I hope are better equipped to deal with it than guests in holidays. I just hope!

Do you know anything of the religion of that monastery? I think there may be some links to an old Barovian cult, of all possible things."

[ewancummins]

"Ms Sancerre, we informed you as best as we could. Benn and Juergin only disappeared after we returned and we informed you as promprly about that as we could.

Now, about my theory. Yes, it has holes, unfortunately we can't even understand what is going on. But the first attack, on Everline... that happened on the same day we went to the Abbey, and she was not there. I don't know if there can be any relation, there may, but in any case, with the whole island as a tourist attraction, someone would go there eventually. The Abbey was not a secret, and I think I remember people from your staff or even yourself recommending it as a nice place for a stroll.

At least, the danger has been found with us present, who I hope are better equipped to deal with it than guests in holidays. I just hope!

Do you know anything of the religion of that monastery? I think there may be some links to an old Barovian cult, of all possible things."

''I've walked through the Old Abbey myself, and I never had this kind of trouble. The floor is uneven in places; you have to keep an eye out for loose masonry. Beyond that, I had no reason to think it wasn't safe. If I had known the danger, I never would have let you go into that place, believe me."


He offers Eustace some tea.

"I don't know much about the ruins. I found some faded murals on one of the walls, pictures of the sun; rising, high, and setting. I imagine that might have had something to do with the religion of the monks. I'm afraid I don't know much more about the matter. To be honest, I wasn't certain the place was an abbey until you confirmed that conjecture with the information from the papers you found."

He fills another cup, this one for Primeiro.

"We had to call it something for the visitors. The Old Abbey sounded better than 'those ruins', and it did have the look of a monks' house. A name seemed helpful; and the place would remain mysterious enough to attract curiosity seekers."


A servant brings a plate of buttered scones to the table. Denys takes one and eats it.
""Mm mm. Food will help us think. We won't be any good to anyone if we are famished and fatigued. We can't sleep right now, so we should at least eat. No wine, though, I think-- better stick with tea."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Silently, Everline rises and positions herself to the side of the door -- the side it won't swing into if opened. She pulls her morningstar out of its hiding place and holds it ready to slam into the face of anyone who tries to force entry. "Who is it?" she calls out.