Ghosts of Gauntcliff Chapter Four

[ewancummins]

A child's mellow voice calls to Benn from the thick darkness beneath the bedframe."Come under the bed and I will show you something special. A secret. You like secrets, don't you?"

Benn presses his back to the wall, using it to get back to his feet while still facing the bed. He mutters another spell, enchanting his clothing with magical energy, before muttering to the voice "Come out and face me, or stop wasting my time with idle chatter." He directs the hammer to smash towards the source of the voice.

The hammer flies through the air and knocks the bed over on its side. Benn sees a trap door, which had been concealed by the bed, fall shut.

[ewancummins]

"I think it is so-so. I want Jonas too and someone to lead me to fat human. Then you can have my treasure."

The creatures, a dozen strong, lead Juergin through the dark halls to a shadowy room where paintings hang on the wall. Lifting the candle, which sheds only a weak light, Juergin can make out the blurry faces of people on the canvases.

Gruz whispers, "The Dodds' go here lots. Me scared."

The Chief says,
"Um...We put the little boy here. Gone? Uhhh...that's not good."


Juergin feels the right side of his body itching from head to toe.

[steveflam]

"Jonas?" Juergin calls out then asks the others. "We need to find him. Here, here's my coins." He removes from several hiding places 15 gold coins and places them on the floor. Just be honorable is all I ask."

He scratches absently at his side, unsure as to why he is itchy all on one side.

[ewancummins]

"Jonas?" Juergin calls out then asks the others. "We need to find him. Here, here's my coins." He removes from several hiding places 15 gold coins and places them on the floor. Just be honorable is all I ask."

He scratches absently at his side, unsure as to why he is itchy all on one side.

''Coin!''
"Mine, mine!"

The small creatures fall to squabbling over the coins like seagulls fighting over washed up fish, totally ignoring Juergin.

The itch on his right side grows stronger. He hears a familar voice in his right ear, barely audible over the brawling monsters.
"Boy, Juergin, help me...trapped."
It sounds like Dark One.

[Adam]

Bennedict moves to the trap door, reaching down to give it a tug. If it doesn't open, he gives the spiritual hammer a mental command to smash it open.

[steveflam]

"Guide me with your voice, Dark One, I'll find you."

"Gruz, you promised to help me, please keep your word."

[ewancummins]

Bennedict moves to the trap door, reaching down to give it a tug. If it doesn't open, he gives the spiritual hammer a mental command to smash it open.

Though he tugs hard on the iron pull ring, the door won't budge.

His conjured hammer bursts the portal with ease, though.

Looking down, Benn sees an open spiral of wooden stairs descending into a vast, dark vault, like the tomb of a giant.

The guide-moth flutters down into the space below Benn, and circles the stairwell.

[Adam]

Knowing that if he takes a moment to think about it he'll lock up with fear, he plunges down the stairs after the moth.

[ewancummins]

"Guide me with your voice, Dark One, I'll find you."

"Gruz, you promised to help me, please keep your word."

Gruz looks up from the pile of little monsters.
"'Me help?"

Gruz turns to bite the ear of his neighbor, and then seizes two gold coins that the other monster drops. Juergin's 'little buddy' then dashes to the boy. He sticks his tongue out and makes vulgar gestures at his fellow pygmies.

Dark One's voice seems to be coming from behind one of the paintings on the wall.

[ewancummins]

BENN

Knowing that if he takes a moment to think about it he'll lock up with fear, he plunges down the stairs after the moth.

Benn's only light is cast by the moth.

The stairs hang in the middle of the vast stone chamber, open on all sides and unsupported by standing timbers. Looking down, Benn can barely make out the floor far below.
With each step, the rickety stairs shake, threatening to fall apart.

The door over him slams shut with a thud.

[steveflam]

Juergin is realizing that these things can be easily goaded with gold. He runs over to the paintings. "Follow me, everyone, I have more coins! Gruz, stay with me."

"Dark One, talk again, I think I am close."

[ewancummins]

JUERGIN

Juergin is realizing that these things can be easily goaded with gold. He runs over to the paintings. "Follow me, everyone, I have more coins! Gruz, stay with me."

"Dark One, talk again, I think I am close."

One of the ugly little clowns looks up from the pile.
"'Gold?Gold?"

Dark One's voice calls from behind a painting on the wall in front of Juergin and set above the level of the boy's head( or perhaps from the painting).

[steveflam]

Juergin places the candle on the floor and with both hands, tries to remove the painting. "Yes I have more coins, but I need to find my friend now."

[ewancummins]

JUERGIN

Juergin places the candle on the floor and with both hands, tries to remove the painting. "Yes I have more coins, but I need to find my friend now."

Gruz takes hold of the candle.

"'Me help."

The creature whispers to Juergin, "We share gold. Gruz good."


Juergin pulls the painting free of the wall, revealing a hollow space. At the rear of the nook, just out of easy reach for Juergin, rests a tall wine bottle. Something black swirls inside the glass.

[steveflam]

Juergin hops up so he can reach in and grab the bottle. "Dark One, you see me now? I see you, my friend." Juergin feels some happiness for the first time since he came to this place.

"Gruz, yes I can share a lot of gold with you if you help me with fat man and his little boy," whispers Juergin to Gruz.