The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter Three

[JMaytr]

Gianna waves her hand in a response to Sebastian's question, almost as if it annoyed her.

"Yes Sir Julian is leading the band along with my son Goran. I imagine they will be done with their foolish task soon. If you like you can wander about the manor re-acquainting yourself with it."

[Varrus the Ethical]

"Thank you Aunt Gianna, I think I will do just that" Sebastian says pleasantly before taking his leave of her and walking towards the passage.

"A little exploration will be good, and in any case my sinuses should clear away from that miasma hanging around aunt Gianna", Sebastian thinks to himself, choosing to go left down the passage adjacent to the vestibule on a whim.

As Sebastian walks though the passage, he glances into the dinning room and ante room, taking note of them before continuing down the right passage.

[PathOfDreams]

What is that, footsteps?... It sounds like footsteps... they are getting closer... where am I?... dusty and pungent now... under a dank bed... two pairs of boots in the hall... in the room...

Like a distant thunder rolling nearer, seeming to take a lifetime, Goran begins to recognize the voices of friends. "Goran...injured man?... out of there... rest your weary bones"

"Here!" he chokes. Phlegm and bile still lingers in his throat. A sudden burst of light under the bed shocks Goran's senses further causing his eyes to tighten like a virgin. Shortly after the strain dissolves from his body.

Goran begins to wiggle out from beneath the bed. His eyes meet Tristan's with embarassment as he holds out a hand to the dogman.

"Come, drag this frightened faun to his feet" Goran jests in an attempt to lighten the previous gloom.

[ewancummins]

Tristan reaches a hand to aid Goran. He has an apology of his own to make.

''We ran away...I'm sorry. Harold says the haint did something to our minds. Come on, Goran, we'd better check on Tahl and Julian.''

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"None of us covered ourselves in glory just then," Harold growls, still leaning heavily on his quarterstaff. "Let's just see about round two, shall we? Do you need to spit again, Goran, or would you rather drink? I have a waterskin, just cup your hands."

[PathOfDreams]

Goran nods at Tristan's suggestion while cupping his hands to form a crude bowl. Thirstily he gulps the liquid then splashes the rest across his face to refresh his demeanor.

"Let us gather ourselves and the others" He announces feeling somewhat renewed. Goran checks his gear for anything lost in the panic.

[JMaytr]

Goran finds all of his gear intact and not lost. As he pulls himself out from under the bed, his gaze falls on the chest in the room and its strange lock. For a brief instant the lock seems red hot quickly growing cold.

[ewancummins]

Tristan begins to search for Tahl and Julian.

[PathOfDreams]

Goran appears for an instance to be absent minded, then he blurts "Tristan wait... this... this chest, there is something not natural about it."

He ponders for a few seconds, "Harold perhaps this is your specialty." While he is speaking he bends to a knee to visual inspect the lock a little closer. (1)

(1) Request DM roll for spot check or whatever is needed for thorough look. I have currently misplaced my character sheet.

[ewancummins]

Tristan halts, then turns about and comes back into the room.

''You two go ahead and have a look at the chest. I'll keep an eye out for the others, and also for anything else that may appear.''

[RocEter]

Julian holds his stance in the hall, with Tahl. He listens for others as he stands there(1).

(1) Listen Check 1d20+3=22.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Harold frowns at the chest, and mutters something under his breath as he glowers at it. "Hoc quod est occultus, video," the old man growls.

(OOC: Casting Detect Magic and making an Ethereal Empathy check worth 12.)

[JMaytr]

UNDER THE GREENHOUSE-

As Goran takes a closer look at the lock he can see that it is of the highest quality. The workmanship is like nothing he has ever seen in Borca or during his stay in Barovia. It has a slot for a circular key about the size of a womans ring (1). As he searches the outer sides of the chest, Goran sees little wood carvings of a satyr playing his pipes and of three little children following him into a darkened woods. Like the lock, the carvings are of a high quality.

Tristan finds Sir Julian and Tahl at the stairs where the boy had been.


AT PANCRAZIO MANOR-


Sebastian looks into the dining room and the ante chamber. The first has a long cherry wood dinner table surrounded by twelve matching chairs and covered by a long red cloth. Two silver vases on silver platters adorn the top, each placed in the middle spaced about three feet apart. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling and a large hearth looms in the west wall, black and dark inside waiting to feast on flames. The hearth is carved from the same wood as the chairs.

The northern wall has a brilliant, round glass window that extends into the yard. A well worn but still exotic looking velvet day bed lies in front of the window. Along the walls are six different paintings; landscapes inter-spaced with portraits. They feature Pancrazio's from generations past: Giovanni, Carmen, and Antolini. The founding nobles of the house. Antolini had built the original Pancrazio Manor. Sebastian remembered the names from his youth from the stories his mother had told him.

The ante room has a couple of plush red sofas and a small wooden table stands between them. There is a Ezran bible on the table along with a silver, flowerless vase. There is a painting on the wall here of a blond girl looking into a creek. Her dress is odd looking and her features are foreign.

(1) WIS check

[ewancummins]

Tristan addresses Tahl and Julian-

''Hey...sorry we ran away. Harold says that the boy was some kind of ghost!
Umm...maybe we'd better stick together? Harold and Goran found a locked chest in that strange room-''

Tristan points into the room.

''They are looking at it now.''

[Varrus the Ethical]

The unusual painting catches Sebastian's eye as he looks into the ante room. He walks into the Ante room to examine the portrait, checking the frame for labels.