Party 15

[maasnssmaamsm]

As you come to the full height of the red marble staircase, you come to a dusty balcony with a suit of black plate armor standing against one wall, draped in cobwebs. Oil lamps are mounted on the oak-panneled walls, which are carved with woodland scenes of trees, falling leaves, and tiny critters.

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

As Braid and Sothoth begin making their way to the doors on the third floor, the half-orc catches movement out of the corner of his eye. Unfortunately, he was not fast enough to warn anyone before the suit of armor sprung forward, slamming it's fists into each or them. The metal gauntlets left large bruises where they hit.

 

[Scylaxu]

Willan reached the top of the stairs and stopped. Lost in his thoughts, he momentarily halted his headlong search for the baby. He couldn't get Riner's disfigured face out of his head. Even after he recovered, some of the children would not play with him. For months after, the life seemed to seep out of Riner's parents. Willan had never seen that kind of vulnerability in the faces of grown halflings. It scared him. For the first time he realized there were things to fear in the world beyond his parent's discipline.

Soon, Braid, Sothoth and Parundar had caught up to him. Parundar seemed to be pondering over something too. I wonder what's gotten to him?

Braid gave him a crooked look as he passed by as if to say, "you rush me and now you're just standing there?" Braid, letting out a small grunt, went for the door. As the figures of Braid and Sothoth passed in front of him, movement behind the pair caught Willan's eye.

As Willan watched, the previously inert collection of armor squeaked and creaked to life. creeeeaaaaak! Slowly, it raised it's arm, breaking the cobwebs stretched across the gaps of it's figure. In the blink of an eye, it moved to strike Braid and Sothoth.

Instinctually, Willan lifted his hand to protect his companions. "No!" As magical energy flashed though Willan, crystals of frost began to pop and spread across the black armor. However, Willan could see that the magic had only a fleeting effect. The frost cracked and flaked off just as quickly as it had formed. The black suit of armor delivered two swift and powerful blows to Braid and Sothoth.

Thankfully, the pair rose to the threat. They retaliated with a ferocity he hadn't seen in either. To his side, he could hear Parundar beginning to mumble his own incantation.

What have we gotten ourselves into?

 

[MelvinGoober]

Parundar followed behind the party, lost in thought. His feeling of dread held his frail frame a few steps back from the front line bruisers.

Parundar didn't even notice the armor moving until he heard Willan cast a spell. His eyes darted up just as the frost started dissipating and he saw the suit of armor land two heavy blows upon his compatriots. Noticing that Braid seemed to shrug off the strike a bit more easily, Parundar headed towards Sothoth with words of healing. He lay a hand upon Sothoth, casting a Cure Wounds spell as he says, "Hey, you okay?" Parundar sees the bruise fade a bit, but he notices that it's not quite as effective as his incantations normally are.

I need to focus!... No time to worry about "what if," it's all about what's "right now"! If I'm not in the zone, I'm not as effective as I need to be, especially for what may come next!

 

[Garros]

Air escaped Braid's lungs for a moment. Pain erupted from his side. The armor had punched him. Oh it was going to pay for that. The half-orc took a deep breath and gritted his teeth.

Braid rushed forwards. His face met cool air. Flakes of frost erupted from the moving plate. Willan had tried to cast a spell, without much success.

Sothoth joined Braid in the struggle, raging and ready to fight.

"Sothoth, go high!" Braid yelled as he swung his axe. The armor moved, but it was too slow and clunky. Braid aimed low. The axeblade went through the upper right thigh and knee, leaving a huge gash. No blood spilled or meat ripped. The armor was empty inside. The thing staggered, leaving it wide open for Sothoth.

Braid used the momentum to bring the axe back up, ready to strike again.

 

[corielldog]

Sothoth hissed in agony as pain wracked his side, he wasn't very sure of what it was that hit him before he looked over to the armor

Sothoth sees now, Sothoth has never done battle with armor but he will today"

Sothoth roared at it, his muscles tensing up and his veins bulging from beneath his scales, his fury seemed so powerful that even his scales seemed to get a few shades closer to red.

"Sothoth is fine Parundar" His grimace slightly faltering as he could feel the inflammation going down, "This shall be your last day" his voice became more feral and saliva foamed at the edges of his mouth just as Braid yelled to him "Sothoth, go high" In reply, he brought his axe down onto the dome of the helmet, concaving it in the process

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

The armor, having taken some serious blows, begins falling apart. Bits of leg and head begin crumbling to the ground. Despite this, it still lurched forward, slamming into Braid's back as the half-orc had gone for it's legs. It attempts to steady itself and bring its arms up into Sothoth's chin, but its leg crumples as it moves, causing the blow go go wide.

 

[Scylaxu]

Seeing the magic fail to take hold and his companions' success with brute force, Willan thought it was time for a more direct approach. Willan grasps the handle of the dagger at his belt, grits his teeth and fills his lungs with air. Sweeping his dagger out of his belt, he lets out his best war cry. The armor, now huge in Willan's eyes doesn't seem to notice his tiny ferocity, instead choosing to focus on his companions.

Where can my little dagger hurt this thing? The leg!

He rushes forward and takes a mighty swipe at the already crumpling leg. In an attempt to steady itself, the armor whips it's arm to the side. Willan eyes go wide, his arm stops it's forward progress and his whole body flails in an attempt to avoid getting clobbered by it's steadying hand.

A bit ashamed at his failed attempts to keep this thing from taking his companions down, Willan rights himself and looks for another opening.

 

[MelvinGoober]

When the armor crumples in the middle of its attack on Sothoth, Parundar senses that it's wavering.

Following the bold lead of Willan, Parundar takes to force and wields the new longsword. Unfortunately, it's a bit heavier than he thought, and his swing glances off the armor, doing nothing but possibly giving a high-five to a fly that might have been relaxing there.

"Blast it all!"

 

[corielldog]

Sothoth tries to swing once more at at the armor, this time coming up a little too short, instead of focusing on a hit, he instead tried to wail on it like a frenzied maniac, missing completely and slamming his axe into the floor board

 

[Garros]

Braid fell on his knees. His back felt like a giant log had fallen onto it. He was going to feel that one after a night's rest. The half-orc looked up. The armor was still moving about despite the state of its destroyed leg. His companions kept wailing on the thing. None of their blows struck true.

Braid glanced behind him. They were now at the top of the staircase. There was a railing overlooking the floor below them. An idea began to form in Braid's head. Well if weapons weren't finishing it off...

Braid got up and swung his axe from his hip and across. The force of the impact hooked the blade into the living armor's chest. Braid didn't stop there. He pivoted on his back foot, swinging his target around. The armor stumbled. With only one leg, it was unable to stop what was happening.

Completing the circle motion, Braid threw the armor over the railing.

 

[corielldog]

Sothoth watched as Braid tosses the armor over the stairs and with that, his rage also fell and he began discussing a short rest with his allies while he ventured into the room he tried to enter originally.

As he opened the door and stepped in, he saw what was once a beautiful bedroom with a nursery to the side, at that moment the synapses in his brain began firing off “wait...nursery...that means...baby” just as he stepped to the door to the nursery he noted the rocking chair next to it began moving, something that rocking chairs don’t really do

“My friends! Sothoth has found something, Willan I need your knowledge of magic to assist me with what I’ve found”

 

[Garros]

Braid swung the axe over his shoulder and looked around. Better make sure nothing else moved. The carvings on the wall caught Braid's eye. It seemed to detail some sort of outdoorsy happening except… not really. Braid came closer to the wall. Now he could clearly see the details in the picture. Bodies hung from the trees. Disgusting worms popped from the ground.

Parundar in the meanwhile offered to heal up Braid. The half-orc shook his head: "I can handle myself for now," Braid pointed at the wall with his free hand, "But look at these images. I knew something was up with this place."

“Corruption at its finest. You think they bought these like this, or an evil presence altered them into such disgusting pictures?” Parundar replied.

Braid grunted. "Neither of those options sound good."

Sothoth went to the door he originally wanted to open. "This place, very dangerous," The dragonborn said, "That couldnt have been the beast though."

Before Braid could reply the wall next to him melted. He took a step back, almost falling over his own feet. The newly revealed opening showed a set of stairs that lead further up. Braid cleared his throat: "Let's… let's check out the other rooms first before we check that one out,"

Willan then stated his concerns and some eagerness to take a rest. Parundar and Sothoth seemed to agree. Some rest would be good after all that trouble. Though they should first make sure nothing else was moving around. Braid walked to the northernmost door and openend it. The room seemed to be some sort of storage space. There were only dusty shelves, some sheets and a broom. Nothing too interesting. Braid closed the door.

"Nothing interesting here."He said while walking up to the other north door.

Braid then heard Sothoth's voice: "My friends! Sothoth has found something, Willan I need your knowledge of magic to assist me with what I’ve found”

Braid tightened the grip on his axe, just in case.

 

[corielldog]

Sothoth looked to Willam, watching him closely until he heard the halfling say Be careful everyone, "I think there is a spirit in this room" followed up by Parundar saying "Don’t go in, I get the feeling that whatever is inside, perhaps even the door and room itself, are beyond us.”

Sothoth thought for a moment and realized this spirit had not yet passed on due to the violent and traumatic death it suffered. He thought to himself that since he spoke to his ancestors so often that it should be easy to speak to this spirit. "Oh great one who has passed before us, speak to us and let us help you! Why have you not been able to pass along from this world?" his voice boomed throughout the room, not yelling but speaking in stage voice and bowing before the chair with elaborate movements of his hand, movements that anyone better versed in religious procedures would realize are intended for Dragonborn dead and only Dragonborn dead, while this may not offend other spirits, it definitely doesn't make them happier

No response was received, however, the spirit appeared, a terrified-looking woman who sat silently in the chair. Not reacting in any way to sothoth or his prayers

 

[MelvinGoober]

Taking a moment to collect himself, Parundar took stock of the situation. He recognized that he healed Sothoth, but then Braid took an additional hit from the armor. Braid shook his head at the offer for healing, much like how Terrance would shrug off a beating back then.

The portrait made Parundar's skin crawl. He shuddered at the two possibilities, whether an evil presence decided to take up residence here from within the family members or from without. The prospect of rest sounded very appealing, though Parundar didn't expect he'd find much sleep anytime soon.

When Parundar saw Sothoth and Willan head towards one of the rooms, he felt an overwhelming sense of dread and warned the others. Sothoth's resonating voice filled his ears, a confidence and reverence that reassured him, if only a little.

 

[Scylaxu]

Willan smiled at Braid's show of power over the black armor. As the rush and danger of the fight began to fade, and the room returned to a brief silence, Willan could hear his heart thumping in his ears. His mind replayed the events leading up to the fight. He had been so focued on helping the children and finding that baby that he had ignored everything else.

His companions had started moving again, talking about the grotesque wall when suddenly one of the walls melted. "yip!" What is going on? Armor that attacks, morbid and melting walls?

Willan and his companions stood there in shocked silence for a bit. Braid finally broke the silence, "Let's check out the other rooms first before we check that one out." Sound advise.

"Yes and while we recover we should also regroup. We started off hunting wolf beasts. Then we set off to rescue a baby. I'm not sure if any of you noticed but the doors closed on their own and all the strength of a halfling could not pry them open. We've heard no baby, the very house has attacked us and the gruesomely decorated walls are melting. I don't know about the rest of you but I feel my instincts aren't serving me very well in this strange place. Perhaps we should talk over our circumstances while we have a rest." The group agrees but decide to make sure there is nothing else dangerous in the immediate vicinity before taking a short rest.

Willan lets Sothoth and Braid take the lead. Shortly after entering one of the rooms Sothoth calls out to Willan specifically, "My friends! Come look at this, Willan Sothoth needs your expertise in magic". Willan inwardly rolls his eyes. People always assume because I can do things I also understand things. Oh well, I'll play along. It wouldn't do any good to explain right now.

Willan joins Sothoth in the large bedroom. Immediately he knew something was wrong. Sothoth pointed out a rocking chair - not just a rocking chair but a rocking chair. Sothoth obviously hadn't set it to rocking. It was rocking on it's own. Willan surprised himself by actually having some insight into what this was. This is a spirit and it has something to do with that nursery.

Coming to a dead stop, Willan spread his arms out in a warning gesture. "Be careful everyone, I'm pretty sure a spirit is in this room" He let the presence of the spirit wash over him for a moment or two. It was a strong presense but also very angry. Nothing good could come of disturbing whoever or whatever this is.

Willan took a couple of steps backwards. "I think it would be best if we didn't disturb it" Sothoth seemed to want to give it a try. "If you feel like you need to Sothoth. Just be careful... you might be poking the badger"

Sothoth reassured him that he's spoken to his ancestor's spirits many times. "I usually stick to the living. She's all yours"

Willan stood back and nervously waited to see how this would turn out.

 

[Garros]

Braid barely heard the chatter coming from the other room. Everyone seemed to be worrying about a ghost? Well they had yet to scream in utter panic.

Braid adjusted his top hat and opened the door in front of him. It lead into an old bathroom in disrepair. The baby didn't seem to be in here, so the half-orc closed the door.

"Bathroom," he said to no one in particular as he made his way to the double sided doors that faced the bathroom. Inside was a very large bedroom. Nobody seemed to be sleeping in it. The wardrobes also appeared to be empty. There was an old rug of some sort of big cat on the floor. Braid's eye then fell on a shiny box next to the bed. Now that was interesting.

Braid grabbed his axe with both hand and entered. His gaze shifted from the bed, to the rug, and back to the box. Nothing moved, even as Braid made his way to the box. He openend it and saw more shiny things. They may as well take their own payment for this job. Braid stuffed the box in his bag.

When Braid got out of the bedroom, he heard Sothoth seemingly pleading with a spirit despite Willan's and Parundar's warnings. The half-orc quickly went up to the door of the nursery.

"Leave that thing alone before we anger it," Braid motioned to the staircase that the previously melted down walls had revealed, "Let's go upstairs, there's nothing here left for us."

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

You make your wat up to an attic space. The bare hall is choked with dust and cobwebs.

 

[Garros]

Sototh seemed unwilling to go up with them. The dragonborn really wanted to help the ghost. Braid took a quick glance at the creature in the rocking chair. That thing did not seem friendly at all. Braid pushed on.

"That thing looks more eager to tear off our faces from where I'm standing."

Willan agreed with Braid, which the half-orc appreciated. That turned out to be enough to make Sototh relent. Braid nodded towards his barbarian companion: "You've got a good heart dragonborn. Maybe there's a priest we can talk to in the town," Braid turned and went up the stairs. "For now, let's try and find that sodding baby."

They arrived at the attic. There were four doors, two on each side. A window right in front of them looked out into the fog. Other than that, only dust filled the room. Sothoth checked out the room to the northwest. Willan and Parundar took a look at the window. Braid turned and opened the second door to the left. It lead to some sort of guest room.

"Still no baby," Braid grunted, closing the door.

Sothoth yelled something out in the other room: "Sothoth has found a body!"

The animalistic face of the ghost flashed in Braid's mind. He replied while going to the door across from him: "Don't touch the corpse, just in case. There is angry spirit below us."

The half-orc put his hand around the handle and pushed. Locked. Braid took a step back and readied his axe. He then looked down and saw the lock. He wondered...

Braid took out the iron key he found earlier and put in. A perfect fit. Sometimes it did help to stop and think. He turned the key and opened the door.

 

[MelvinGoober]

Parundar breathed a sigh of relief when the others agreed to stay away from the nursery. The enthusiasm that Sothoth showed in saving the spirit made Parundar smile. I've got good teammates this time 'round...

Willan beckoned Parundar to assist in checking for an exit strategy. A very smart choice! Parundar accompanied but could ascertain little but that there's a force that wants to keep the group in the house. "I'm sorry, that's all I can tell..."

"When did you find that key, Braid?!" Parundar was astonished at the fact that Braid held back from swinging the axe into the door. "Good thinking!"

 

[corielldog]

Sothoth wanted this woman to pass on, he heard from his father that it is pain for a spirit to stay in the mortal realm and pain is something this woman had had enough of. As his companions tried to get him to leave her, he started to become frustrated, feeling the need to help her, eventually though, Braid convinced him to leave saying that they may be able to get her help elsewhere.

Sothoth climbed the stairs and entered the northeastern door, as he opened the door, he was greeted with furniture covered by sheets and a trunk in the back of the room. He ran to it, opening it up and found a skeleton wrapped in bloody cloth "this is her" he thought to himself, he was too distracted with thought to figure out what had happened to the body so instead he just called out "Sothoth has found a body!" what are the chances it would be him to not only find the ghost but also what he believes to bbe her body

 

[Scylaxu]

Willan admired Sothoth's attempts to console the tortured spirit. When Braid rejoined the group, he also seemed reluctant to disturb the spirit any longer and encouraged the group to explore the stairs past the melted wall.

"I'm all for helping lost children and abandoned babies but this is something else entirely - I would prefer we move on as well"

As the 4 companions climbed yet another flight of stairs, Willan again reflected on their current circumstances. The concern for the children and the baby began to fade, bringing into sharp focus a new concern. What have we gotten ourselves into? When we decide to leave, will we be able to?

Cresting the top of the stairs, a small window comes into Willan's view, the oppressive fog swirling just beyond. He takes a moment to listen for any sign of a monster, spirit, baby or otherwise.

However, Willan can't seem to concentrate on his surroundings with the swirling fog in view. He takes two decisive steps towards the window. He began gently pushing and prying on it. Hrm... nothing I can see holding it closed, but it still won't budge.

Willan searched the memories of books he's read and conversations with people smarter than him for anything that could seal up an entire house. I can hold a person in place, but could you do that to a whole house? Would you need to do it to each door and windows separately? How would that even work?

Recognizing that he was clearly out of his element, Willan turned to Parundar, "Hey Parundar, can you come help me with this? The door downstairs was sealed shut after it slammed and this window seems to be sealed shut as well. There's no lock or mechanical reason that I shouldn't be able to open it. I can't figure it out. Could you take a look? I'm worried that when we decide to leave, we won't be able to."

Parundar walked over to assist with the pondersome window. Willan pointed out the construction of the window, the parts that should move, then pushing to demonstrate that it held shut.

Speaking softly now, "I have a few more drastic ideas for getting out including setting Braid and his axe to work but I thought we should try a less forceful approach first."

Willan and Parundar spent the next few minutes quietly discussing the nature of the apparent force on the window. They came to the tentative conclusion that the house itself doesn't want them to leave. Armed with at least a slightly better understanding of their circumstances, Willan turned to see if Braid and Sothoth have found anything.

 

[maasnssmaamsm]

This room contains a bricked-up window flanked by two dusty, wood-frames beds sized for children. Closer to the door is a toy chest with windmills painted on its sides and a dollhouse that's a perfect replica of the house you are standing in. These furnishings are draped in cobwebs.

Laying in the middle of the floor are two small skeletons wearing tattered but familiar clothing. The smaller of the two cradles a stuffed doll that you also recognize.

 

[Scylaxu]

As Willan was finishing his pondering of the window, he heard Braid fiddling around with a key and a door for a moment, then a click and a slow door creak. Willan expected the now familiar sound of Braid's steady, searching pace. However, he heard nothing and glanced over at Braid standing in the open doorway. "Braid? What it is"

Braid glanced over to Willan and Parundar with a significant look. Willan cautiously got up and scurried over to see what was beyond the locked door. The sight of the skeletal remains riveted Willan into standing just as still as Braid. Immediately images of the very life like crying children in the street flashed through his mind, noting the familiar clothing and the same stuffed bear. They weren't just late, they were faaar too late. These children and their baby brother hadn't been alive for a very, very long time.

Willan felt himself react with a heightened awareness of the danger here, emotional turmoil of the children, the baby, and now thrown into a twist of perspective he wasn't entirely prepared for. Similar to the day he accidentally destroyed a noble's living room, he felt a torrent of power surge within him. This time though, he knew the power and was ready to contain it. He felt the power reacting to his needs and fears, expanding within him.

Through that haze of internal power, he could see much more, soooo much more here. As he explored the mansion with his power, he tried to put words to it. "I'm getting a sense for the magic here. It's the magic of the dead, gives me the creeps. Those kids might have been right about one thing though. There's something in the basement. The power is strong there."

"I feel... the children's spirits are in this room, and I can feel their mother's spirit just below, still so... angry and violent."

Twisting and turning his body to take in his complete surroundings, "I can also feel others. Many Many others. There are... there must be hundreds of other spirits here. The other's aren't nearly as strong but together they're working to keep us here, and to... lead us somewhere."

Understanding a bit more about the nature of this house, the unmovable windows and doors suddenly make all the sense in the world to Willan. This isn't something they have to figure out like a mechanical trap no more than one can figure out a person.

Parundar suggests that, "... we need to do something before they will let us out." "I think you might be right Parundar."

 

[Garros]

Braid turned around and headed to the place Sothoth was standing. Those skeletons belonged to children. They wore the same clothes as the one they saw outside. The same children that had asked them to come in and save their baby brother.

The same ones that didn't come in with them.

Braid stopped in front of the trunk the dragonborn had pointed out. It contained another skeleton, older, definitely female. As far as Braid could tell, this one definitely was the corpse of the spirit below.

They had been tricked.

"There's no FUCKING BABY IS THERE?!" Braid roared, raising his axe.

Sothoth pointed to a spot on the floor: "“Technically there is a baby. It is just...dead."

We'll see about that. Braid brought down his axe on the floorboards. The wood cracked under the force. The impact had made a hole large enough to see through. Now Braid could look into the nursery down below. There was a crib. In it was a tightly wrapped blanket in a baby-sized bundle.

There was no baby.

"No baby!" yelled Braid in Orcish. Suddenly he felt a chill come up his spine. The spirit did not appreciate what Braid just did.