Party 6

[Locke9558]

Hazel gives Reppip a chuckle, "I hadn't heard those before Reppip. That was funny. Got anymore of that? They sound like the kind of jokes my father liked to make." She continues to walk down the path, keeping her eyes open. She's on high alert, but she's not very nervous. She likes her group, and she's confident they can handle whatever is coming. "This mist sure is persistent ain't it. I imagine we'll need to get used to it. Probably be seeing it a lot 'round here."

 

[Chinchster]

Varïs continues walking with his group trying to keep his eyes open as best as he can, still almost shaking with anxiety. They laugh but do they know of the monsters that lurk in the darkness? He giggles awkwardly to try and keep the positive mood amongst his team as they continue onward.

 

[AtomGray]

"Reppip, I'm sorry. I should leave the jokes to you. If I'm honest, we need you here. That lightness and humor... that's rare, it's something we don't have a lot of on our own."

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

??? Village:

The road continues on for quite some time, muddy from recent rain and with no clear end in sight -- just straightforward and solitary in its path forward, cutting through the otherwise impenetrable forest. The tracks lead on into the distance, but by the silence that looms outside of your own travel banter you get the sense that they had no plans for turning back and stopping. The reasons for such remains a mystery to you four, but you have no choice but to continue on in the hopes of finding an explanation.

Eventually the tracks are lost entirely, the earthy path leading into gravel roads and eventually cobblestone, as your route leads you to a small village. In the darkness of night (which you can now barely make out the moon, high in the sky, behind thick clouds) you can make out a series of wooden houses, dark as tombstones, laying behind the receding yet everpresent fog. This late into the evening it seems all of the buildings are shut tight, with no sign of respite. (How late? You're not quite sure, as the passing of time itself seemed to be lost within the fog.)

Just as you're beginning to take stock of this area, a soft whimpering draws your eyes towards a pair of children, standing in the middle of an otherwise lifeless street.

 

[Locke9558]

Hazel gently approaches the children, though she doesn't get too close. She's not entirely sure this isn't a trap. "Hey there kiddos. What's got you so down? Aunt Hazel is here to see if she can help." She stops about ten feet away, then kneels so she can get on their level, and does her best not to let her uneasiness show in the smile she gives them.

 

[AtomGray]

As they enter the town, Benson causes his spear to glow with white-gold radiance. The children appear and Benson stays back, looking then over. Something isn't right here, he thinks. When Hazel steps forward, Benson calls for the guidance of the threefold god to help her speech to help find the truth.

 

[ratbot]

Reppip tries holding back, still feeling a little bad about how flat his jokes had fell. But he bolstered himself back up thinking I am here for the telling of tales, I am here for the joy of others. Just as much as I am to sing of the strong and brave, I am also here to bring light and mirth wherever it is needed. He steps forward to the children.

"Hello! Greetings. I am so pleased to make your aquaintance. We have just been out and skipping along the trail..."

Reppip then starts to skip back and forth in front of the children, to get their energy and joy up before truly launching into his performance. He then attempts to flip backward, but his foot caught on a wagon rut, causing the backflip to only have half the momentum it should, thus landing him right on his back instead of his feet. Reppip bites his tongue in the fall, but decides to continue on.

"And we were so happy to find our way back to a village. BACK to a village."

Figuring that no two things can go wrong at hte same time, and to attempt to make this look intentional, Reppip removes a few coins and odds and ends from his sack, and begins to juggle them while lying down. The pain from his bit tongue, flipped back, and the embarassment causes the items to occasionally crash down on his face. HIs tongue is bleeding significantly, as he tries to tell jokes, causing his mouth and beard to become misted with blood.

After he gets up, Reppip turns to everyone.

"I don't know what you thought you saw, but some vile illusionist just made a terrible and very false scene that certainly did not truly exist of my supposed failure to perform. I was just standing over here the whole time. Really."

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

??? Village:

As you approach, you can get a better look at the children: it's a lanky girl, probably not older than nine or ten, holding close to her for warmth a shorter and younger boy. He himself clings to a small stuffed doll, its fabric and stitching worn and torn with age. As the older girl perks up and is about to say something to Hazel they're suddenly interrupted by Reppip's attempt at merriment. Unfortunately he falls flat both physically and comedically, and the girl simply blinks her eyes a few times and tilts her head, confused. The boy, meanwhile, flinches at the sound of something falling and turns to nestle deeper in his sister's arms, nearly breaking into tears again.

"Shh, it's nothing. No big baddies out here, just friendly people see?" The girl shushes the younger boy and looks to you all with a pure sad puppy dog pout, still trying to be comforting by patting the boy's back. "Sorry sirs and madam, he's just scared o' the monster in our house! We've been hearin' it all night, and he won't go back inside unless it ain't there no more."

As she mentions their home, she points over her shoulder to a tall brick row house that looms in the faint torchlight. It's seen better days -- the windows are dark and grimy, the gate rusted and trembling as it squeals on its hinges. To either side, the neighboring homes have all been abandoned, their creaking windows and doors boarded up and left abandoned to time.

 

[Locke9558]

Hazel gives the children her best attempt at a comforting smile, "Monster in your basement you say? Well Auntie Hazel will be happy to help you take care of that. Would you mind showing us into your house and pointing us to where we need to go?"

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

??? Village:

The girl looks to Hazel and slowly nods, starting to step forward -- though the movement is fiercely resisted by her brother, who holds tight to her legs and seems unwilling to budge. She sighs, patting him on the head before looking back up at the paladin. "Mmmm... I think I can do that, yeah, but Thor's not gonna want to step foot inside and I don't wanna leave him alone -- he's stood out here all night when it's gotten bad before. Plus I don't wanna get to close to it either myself," she says, shivering under her dark cloak. "I can point you inside and up the stairs but I think that's it."

 

[Locke9558]

Hazel stands and gives the children a nod, "That will do just fine. You can wait and we'll let you know when things are taken care of. Is there anything else you can tell us about what's going on?"

 

[Chinchster]

Varïs giggles from Reppip's performance, it visibly helped calm his nerves after all of the mental stress he pushed upon himself. Overhearing the kids state something is in the house Varïs looks around for a couple of rocks to cast light upon to help illuminate their path throughout the house.

 

[ratbot]

Shaking the stiffness out of his back, and wiping his lips and beard clean carefully, Reppip falls back into character, thrilled to see Varïs benefited from his innovative performance.

"Well, let us go and take a look at this haunted house."

He marches forward.

 

[AtomGray]

Benson turns to the children, "What about your parents, where are they? Also, I understand if you feel like there is no place to go, but we can't just leave you on the street. You can come with us, or go to a neighbor's, or maybe a church if there's one in town."

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

??? Village:

The girl tilts her head thoughtfully as she thinks about the monster. "Mmm... well, Mama and Papa never let us go in the basement, that's where they keep the monster locked up I think. But that don't mean it doesn't get real loud some nights, like tonight." Looking to Benson she frowns slightly, patting her brother again on the back. "Dunno if the church man likes us, he don't talk to us really. We could try to go there but I think we might get lost," she notes as her gaze towards the looming fog across the streets. This late into the night you could barely even see the next house over, the iron fence putting some distance between this house and its neighbours.

"N-no, it's scary out there," sniffles Thor, turning away from the street before his gaze slowly turns up towards the house. "I'd... I'd rather be here, but I still dun wanna go inside." He tugs at his sister's clothing incessantly. "Don't leave me Rose..."

"You didn't let me find Mama or Papa before you bolted out, or even give me time to check on Walter in his crib," the girl apparently named Rose says with a slight frown, before turning back to the group. "Hmm... maybe we can sit on the porch instead, if that's okay with you sirs and madam? It's a roof over our heads at least, and the gate keeps most things out even though it don't close too well anymore."

 

[AtomGray]

For a moment, Benson's blood runs as cold as the glaciers that surrounded his childhood home.

...Crib?

He closes his eyes for a second and a blank look comes across his face.

Don't be emotional. Take a breath. Think.

When he opens his eyes again, he acts calm and takes two steps toward the house. "Ah, well if your parents are inside, we should speak to them first. Wait here on the steps if you like, and we'll fetch them and get to the bottom of this."

The trained part of him says not to worry. That this is most likely a misunderstanding. Children hearing things in a basement. Hadn't he and his brother made stories like that as a child?

But that other part of Benson... it hooked him like an icy finger under his ribs and pulled him forward. Telling him to run. Charge in.

Save them.

 

[Locke9558]

"It'll be just fine if y'all wait outside. We'll go head on in, find your parents, and we'll see about taking care of the monster you have downstairs. Don't you guys worry your pretty little heads. Aunt Hazel will take care of everything. Though you do make sure to stay just right by the door. We'll come get ya when it's safe again." She nods toward her companions, "I'll head in first. Y'all stay behind me. I get the feeling there's a lot more going on than just a monster hiding in some spooky basement." She equips her weapons, rolls her shoulders, and heads for the doorway.

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

Strange House:

Rose nods at you all with a small smile, hugging her brother closer. "Thank you kindly sirs and madam! The door is open, they never give us keys or anything. Don't you worry about us." As she says that, Thor looks up and manages the slightest of shy and uneasy smiles, his face faintly illuminated by the magical light of Benson's spear. "T-thank you... see you soon, maybe."

The two kids lead you through the old gate and towards the house, sitting down on the stone portico and waving you off as you peer into the house proper. You're greeted with an immaculate foyer, decorated with portraits and heraldries of seemingly foreign design. A series of stoic and stony portraits of aristocrats hangs to the side, the plaque on the frame reading "The Dursts" in dulled, golden lettering. On the southern wall you find a shield emblazoned with a coat-of-arms, a golden windmill surrounded by a red field. Twin mahogany-framed doors lead deeper into the manor, beyond which only dim light peeks through the gaps.

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

Main Hall:

Pushing past the large doors after inspecting the strange heraldry for a bit (none of which the group could identify), the stoic gloom of the foyer opens up to a glittering main hall, obviously designed to impress with but a first glance. Its wood-paneled walls are ornately carved with idyllic scenes of frolicking nymphs and satyrs. At one end of the hall, a sweeping red marble staircase climbs to unknown heights; at the other is a black marble fireplace, cold and unlit. Mounted far above the mantleshelf, seemingly more for show than for any semblance of use for combat, is a shining longsword with a windmill cameo worked into its hilt.

Beneath the sweeping staircase there are three other rooms: a wood-paneled dining room, a smaller kitchen door to its side, and a lounge to the right of the foyer entrance. A small closet also stands in the corner, shut tight.

As you take a few moments to grasp your bearings, the silence is softly broken by the faint melody of a harpsichord beginning to play. It's a soft and soothing melody, albeit sloppy and seemingly novice in its execution, and seems to drift down from the second floor.

 

[AtomGray]

Benson keeps a cautious eye on the other entrances of the room. He casually looks for signs of recent activity in the room, and though he can't really tell one way or another, he doesn't see anything that seems off to him.

"Sounds like they're upstairs," he says to the others. "Varïs, you want to throw a light up there and see where these stairs lead to?"

 

[ratbot]

Reppip swings his lute forward, thinking that a musical conversation might be enjoyable and break some of the tension, he fingers a few notes to be sure of the mode the piece is in, only to realize that there is no way anyone could hear a lute over a harpsichord, especially if the lute is in another room. Sighing sadly, he swings the lute around to his back again.

 

[Chinchster]

As they enter the main hall Varïs looks around at the wooden carvings on the door and before he can think about it sees a glimmer from a sword above the fireplace. "This place is kinda creepy, I'd be outside too if I was a child."

As he hears the noises from upstairs he gives Benson a nod, casting light on a small rock he managed to grab outside and tossing it to the top of the stairs.

 

[Chinchster]

After tossing the rock Varïs looks to his friends, "can we just check this floor quickly to make sure nothing comes up behind us? I'd rather not accidentally harm someone because they scared me from behind." Giving a sincere smile.

 

[AtomGray]

But... There's someone up there, Benson thinks to himself.

He knows that Varïs has a point, though. He knows that something isn't right - hasn't been right since they entered the mists. They all feel it.

He shrugs. "You're right. Better not take any chances. Thanks, Varïs."

 

[Kanaxe_Ru]

Closet:

Peeking around the closet, there's a scattered collection of dark cloaks and coats in various sizes, some dustier than others. There's a slight swaying as the breeze from opening the door pushes them around, but otherwise it is fairly still and seemingly devoid of anything suspicious. On an upper shelf, sitting sadly out of Reppip's reach, is a tall and dapper top hat with a wide brim.

Hunter's Den:

Deciding to scope around the halls, you decide to start looking through one of the larger rooms. Heading through the grand oak doors you are greeted with the impressive sight of a hunter's den or lounge. On the mantle above the grand unlit fireplace, even larger than the one in the main hall, lies a mighty stag's head as a centerpiece, the shadows giving it an imposing appearance. A number of taxidermied animals -- mostly wolves, their snarls frozen forevermore -- stand on display around the room between dusty glass cabinets.

Fine comfy chairs draped in furs face the hearth, separated by a fresh cask of ale and a pipe rack on the small mahogany side table separating them. On the side the goblets are dry and empty, with a small candelabrum shining in your own light -- though the wax of its own candles has melted over, leaving only little white puddles on the stained wood. Over to the other darkened corner of the room, there's a larger round table with a wide base and covered with a thick cloth, surrounded by sturdy bar stools and overseen by a gleaming chandelier.