3) The Return to the Not Exactly Haunted House

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

Umrick will follow along if someone wishes to go first, otherwise he is fine with leading.

[coil23]

Doubtful will listen carefully for a few moments at the door before trying to open it and go back into the "musician's" barracks.

[OGRE MAGE]

Doubtful pisses on the headless dead body of Vhing and then sets fire to the green slim in the bowl. He moves to the secret door and listens for a long while before opening it.

The room is quiet. There are no threats in sight.

The three things that still need investigating are:

The secret wine cellar that the gnome claims to have entered through. (that secret door was next to the stove)

The still barred room full of skeletons and whatever lies "beyond".

The private quarters of Sanbalet? (this room was hastily searched long before you looted the body)

[Mant72]

Keilif:

The nervous priest follows the lead of the older, wiser druid. "I still think it best that we secure a place to rest and recover our divine boons. We are little more than invalids in our current state..."

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

This might be a good place to rest. We can explore what is behind the other doors while holing up.

Can we get the description of the room, Rob? I wasn't playing when people came through the first time.

[coil23]

Doubtful

Rest would be good. I think we are more likely to be able to help Jervis in town rather than staying here- it is just down the hill. But if we stay this seems as good a place as any. Maybe later we can check out that one wing of the second floor we didn't get to before.

Doubtful looks to see if there is food and drink for them in the room. If that is taken care of he examines all the room entrances to make sure they can barricade themselves in.

secret door they just came through-any way to bar the door; at the very least they can shove beds up against it
trap door up to the first floor of the house proper- this may be the tricky one, looking for any lock or way to bar this entrance
door to scary skeletons- make sure this door is firmly barred, and the table up against it just to be sure
door to fancy bedroom- double check nothing threatening in here, including checking for secret entrances

When everything seems ready for lockdown then Doubtful will go up the stairs through the trap door to stand in the first floor room above just to listen for any signs of activity in the house proper.

[ravenn4544]

Ben confers with Jarvis "We should think about getting some rest and setting some watches. I figure the boys have the cavern guarded so we should focus on watching the sea for any unexpected guests. We can sleep on off for a few hours"

[OGRE MAGE]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

This might be a good place to rest. We can explore what is behind the other doors while holing up.

Can we get the description of the room, Rob? I wasn't playing when people came through the first time.

A few barely burning torches line the walls this former cellar room. You see 10 single beds (crude affairs, little more than thin mattresses on boards) with their heads to the south wall, each with a small wooden locker at its foot. In the center of the stone floor is a long wooden table on which there is a variety of cheap metal cutlery and earthenware crockery together with a large jug about half full of light brown liquid. There are a dozen wooden stools around the table. Against the north wall are two casks, one larger than the other and both broached. The larger one is nearly full of a clear liquid, the smaller one about half full of light brown liquid. A metal dipper hangs on the outside of the rim of the larger cask. I believe that most of this stuff was either smashed or dumped out before the group left the last time so, no fresh water or anything left to eat or drink in here other than a few scraps that you didn't steal originally.

Next to the casks is a large empty wooden bin that used to hold foodstuffs before you pilfered every bit of it. (mostly done by the now dead halforc) Near the bin is what appears to be a crude metal wood-fired stove standing in the fireplace. This is the spot that Umrick originally entered this room but the door is hard to make out from this side and wasn't even noticed the first time the group was in here. Above the stove, on the shelf, are some iron and earthenware cooking utensils. Next to that is a small pile of logs.

The room doesn't look too much different than when you ransacked it the first time 2 days ago. The mess made by Vhing seems to have been straightened up a little but the foodstuffs are still scattered and smashed and the barrels and jugs are all still tipped over and empty.

The door to Sanbelet's room is still open and the other door is still barred with the DANGER warning still quite visible.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sanbalets room is dimly lit from a burning three branched candelabra sitting on a table. The candles are nearly spent. The whole room is clean and tidy. There is a comfortable looking bed with a wooden locker at its foot. A small table with a padded chair sits against the east wall. It was quickly searched, producing a normal cloak, some books, and a special lantern.

This is the room where the group found the signaling lantern and the parchment with the strange markings on it.

image.jpeg (820.81 KiB) Viewed 712 times

This is an obvious clue that I wish you would stop ignoring.

[hedgeknight]

Burly, the Burglar Baker

Burly enters Sanbalet's private room...again...and begins to take his time searching the room. He sits down at the desk and goes through the drawers. He takes a close look at the chest to see if he can figure out how to open it. He looks under the bed, including the mattress and pillowcases.

If he finds nothing of interest, he lies down to take a little nap while the others pilfer around.

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

Umrick will help Doubtful move furniture in order to try to keep anyone from getting in.

[coil23]

Doubtful

We may have to make due with rations until we head down the hill back to town.

Once the room's doors seem secure Doubtful will take a long moment to listen with his ear against the DANGER door, dreading the idea of going back into the room. Unnatural and terrifying. So many crimes against nature in this old house and below.

He checks on the wounded in the party to see if they need any tending before he settles down to rest himself. The druid will also check to make sure Jervis has everything he needs at hand. Make yourself comfortable, lad. When we get back to town we'll get you fixed up. When resting, Doubtful contemplates how Pelor could help him to restore the young man's eyesight.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

The young cleric also helps to tend to the injured, cleaning wounds and replacing bandages to help prevent infection. As Doubtful examines the "DANGER" door, Keilif speaks up, "I have no desire to enter there, but if it is necessary, I could call on Shiliel to perhaps turn the abominations."

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

I did not pass through that door. Do you know what lies behind it that requires a warning and a bar?

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Keilif turns to the gnome, "Damned souls, skeletons unable to pass from this world to find rest."

[coil23]

Doubtful adds, lots of 'em too. Wonder if oil and a lit lantern tossed in could tame things down a bit. We may test your bond with your god if we need to go through. Maybe they are all meant to protect something awfully important. A live person to question wouldn't be amiss.

[wolfpack]

jervis feels around to find a place to sit while the others earch. he tries again pouring water into his eyes trying to clean them out.

[Scott308]

Umrick Histix, Gnome Fighter

I like the idea of trying to set the skeletons on fire. However, if there is anything else in the room that would burn, it would likely be destroyed as well. Maybe we could let one out at a time, allowing us to outnumber and overpower it here in this room.

[coil23]

Doubtful ponders this suggestion. Hmmm...the door open wide enough to allow one to slip through but the table is against it and Jervis can shove it closed again when we give the word. We could even smear oil, or better yet lard if we can find some, on the floor just beyond the door to make footing slippery work for the skeleton while we attack from two sides. A miniscule smile appears as he recalls the lard technique used as a Halloween prank on a certain Esmerelda in town one year. it was almost worth the terrible boils that suddenly appeared the next day.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Hearing the details of the plan, Keilif adds, "Yes, these are good ideas, but I am still of the mind that we must recover more before proceeding."