Ghosts of Gauntcliff, Chapter Seven

[Adam]

Benn awkwardly cradles his books, scroll, pen, walking stick, and now a morningstar in his arms (which should tell you how well trained he is with the weapon) and nods as the two head out of the room.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline hisses, then grabs Benn's stick -- and shoves it between the straps of her backpack. "Put... in bag," she says, jerking her head at the books.

[Adam]

Not having a bag, Benn snatches up his jacket and stuffs the scroll and prayerbook into one of the deep pockets. The he still looks comically awkward with the morningstar, but mutters out a brief prayer to ignite the end in bright white light. "A trick from brother Dorgio," he mutters before gesturing out the door with it.

[ewancummins]

Charlotte exits the private bar via the hallway door.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Wait!" Everline hisses at Charlotte as she limps after her. "Not safe alone!"

[Adam]

Benn heads after the women, nodding in appreciation as he gives the morningstar a test swing through the air.

[ewancummins]

THE BALLROOM

Charlotte slows her rapid stride --but only barely.

The little party reaches the ballroom to find the doorway open. Guttering lanterns hung along the walls throw light out across the open floor, and the big chandelier suspended from the ceiling at least doubles the light in the chamber. The shipwrecked folks and the servants cluster in the middle of the room, looking out with frightened expressions. The cross lighting throws many changing shadows across the smooth hardwood floor.


Near the wall and about three paces to the left of the doorway as Charlotte and Everline enter, two sailors have pinned a dark-haired young woman to the floor. She kicks and screams.
‘’Help me, Help me!”

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio stands stone-still for a few seconds even after Eustace casts his spell. But eventually Dorgio shakes off the worst of it, and looks intently as Eustace gives his explanation.

"Yet...this body, there has to be something to it. We were not meant to be finding it. The shadow, it wanted to keep us out of here. Is this corpse another of Dodds' victims?

He forces himself to look at the corpse again. Though he doesn't reel back in horror this time, he still cringes to see the horrors wrought upon the body. "Or perhaps...what are we knowing about Dodds? That he painted pictures of children, yes. That he's likely the entity responsible for the girl Maggie's death, and Everline's...attack. He kidnapped Jonas. And when I dreamed of Those That Guide Me, they told me to protect "the children."

"In Lamordia, they were having a term...lustmord, a killing for carnal pleasure. What if Dodds was such a man, but one who preyed on the young? That would be explaining much. And the way this man died...tortured, castrated, buried alive...this is the work of monters, or the work of people who believed this man to be a monster. I...have seen what good men can do when they feel the gods are on their side," he adds, truthfully enough."

"So what if this corpse isn't one of Dodds' victims...what if it's Dodds himself?"

[Adam]

"What is going on in here?" Benn says, stepping to the front of the group. "Who is that woman? Why are you holding her to the ground?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Everline makes an ugly snarling noise, all anger and hatred, and points her wand at the two sailors -- but does not trigger it yet. "Aaaanssswer!" she hisses at the men.

[ewancummins]

"What is going on in here?" Benn says, stepping to the front of the group. "Who is that woman? Why are you holding her to the ground?"

One of the sailors, a balding man with a gold earring, looks up and answers,
''Passenger-- she's gone mad!"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Mad... How?" Everline growls, wand not moving an inch.

[ewancummins]

"Mad... How?" Everline growls, wand not moving an inch.

The two men continue to press the girl down to the floor.
The other sailor, a handsome youth, replies,
''She started talking crazy-like, just a moment ago, and then she bolted for the door.We're supposed to keep everyone together."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"What kind of crazy?" Everline insists.

[ewancummins]

"What kind of crazy?" Everline insists.

The older, balding man answers,
''Something about the 'burned man is coming for us all'. Madness, that's what it is."