Chapter 1: Death House

[Gregorotto]

They elect to take a moment and collect themselves, affected so by the animated armor and the specter. As the rain batters the house and the voice of small children fades, they are left with only the sound of settling. The house adjusts, creaking from the wind, croaking under the weight of its own untold history, leaving the group from Daggerford to question themselves about, well, themselves. The summoned fey spirit from Shazzar, perceptive and ready to hear things, hears nothing extraordinary, and is in no harm. Only cobwebs greet Narra, but Shazzar can feel something: a great unease. Is it from the house? The realm?

Why does Shazzar get the sense that Narra is fearful, scared of never going home again?

As minutes creep into an hour, the rain gently raps against the roof, dripping down. Flashes reveal little about the city: there is a central town square area where lights can be seen, even in this distance and above the Mists; there are two buildings along the northern and southern edges of town, the northern-most looking like a cathedral's steeple, the other looking like a fine mansion that unlike many buildings has been upkept. Beyond that, the Mists obscure much of the hinterlands of this Village of Barovia, and the castle above, now invisible.

But they can't stay here forever.

They have rested, and must head onward, and get out of this house.

Out of Character

A short rest appears! Congrats, do whatever you need to do.

Let's go hunt some, uh. Well, not orc.

[Kavonde]

DYNAHEIR | HP 15/15 | AC 15 | Initiative +2 | Passive Perception 12

After an hour, Dyna begins to feel restless and is the first of the group back to her feet. "I think it is time that we resume moving. There is more of this house to explore, and no doubt further ghosts and evil spirits that need a righteous thumping on the head. I think we should investigate the rest of this floor to see if there are any mischievous ghost children in need of a time-out."

Edited March 17, 2023 by Kavonde
(Hit Dice) (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Joliet

---

HP:   12/12

AC:   14

Init:  +3

PP:   13

FeaturesSecond Wind: 1/1
Languages: Common, Paridon Creole

ConditionNormal

Ammo⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍

IC

As the group rests, Joliet listens to the exchanges concerning the Red Wizards, but she only catches about half the meaning, not being familiar. She has nothing to say on the matter anyhow, so she focuses her brown eyes on the door in case of intrusion. When Giselle and Altaïr make inquiry regarding her weapon, she doesn't let her gaze waver, but she smiles and responds cordially enough. "I'd be lyin' if I said I knew all on how it works. Papa gave me the skinny years back, but it was an explanation fit for a child."

 

She fishes a bullet from her pouch and spins it across the dusty floor toward the two paladins. "That slug right there is just metal, but it gets shot out by a little explosion of black powder. Realizin' some or all of you aren't familiar with the stuff, seein' as how I couldn't find a merchant in the know back in Daggerford. Can't speak to how the stuff is made, but it takes a spark and goes boom. There's some riflin' down the barrel of the gun that sets the slug to spinnin', makin' sure if flies straight and true. At which point, the maths is simple, yeah? Hard object movin' mighty fast meetin' soft objects movin' mighty slow," she explains. "Have a look, but then send it back. I only got so many bullets left. Maybe there's a gunsmith round these parts, but I gotta conserve just in case."

 

When Dynaheir signals she is strong enough to continue, Joliet springs up from her seat below the window and gathers her rope. She takes the bullet back from Giselle and Altaïr and stuffs it back in her ammo pouch. "Best not to waste a moment, yeah? Not sure if we're the hunters or the hunted now. Bit of both, I imagine. But what we know for true is that this is their home turf, and that gives them the advantage.

 

"They may have suits of armor that lurch to life. Just means we bash apart any we come across. They may have spooks that drift through walls. Just means we take those walls down. They may have devil children lookin' to entrap us like spiders in a web," she says, before brandishing her gun. "Just means they're in for a spankin'."

OOC

Move:  Following Dyna.

Action:  n/a

Bonus Action:  n/a

Reaction:  n/a

[Gregorotto]

So it is decided: a meticulous search of the house, floor by floor, starting with this one. Whether up or down after is a discussion they'll have to have.

The balcony in the bedroom is not worth attending to: there is nothing out there, no reason to go out there, no questions left open for them. They saw it from the street: they can trust in that. This takes them next, Dynaheir led by anger, to the first door they ignored, which once opened and illuminated, reveals a storage room or closet of some sort. Dusty shelves line the walls of this room, a few of the shelves having folded sheets, blankets, and old bars of soap on them. In the corner leans a cobweb-laden broom, forgotten: this is clearly some maid's closet of some sort. It might be worth investigating more closely.

Next they come to the opposite end of the landing from the bedroom they've visited, and meticulously guided, Dynaheir opens the door not seen from the stairs, so as to leave no rooms unchecked. Rashemen does not have such rooms: this dark chamber contains a wooden tub with clawed feet, a small iron stove with a kettle resting atop it, and a barrel under a spit on the east wall. Going into the roof is what Joliet informs her is a cistern used to collect rain water, which they have in her home city; only Altaïr, native to desert Zakhara, has heard of such a thing before. Joliet has to wonder, looking over the barbarian's shoulder, if the plumbing works in this house. She is in no hurry to find out: but the room might have secrets of its own.

Lastly they come to the final room, with double doors. Expecting grandeur, they are met with it, albeit aged and forgotten. The double doors have dusty panes of glass set in them, resembling windmills. Unlike much of the house thus far, there is no secret meaning to them, no hidden images to discern. Once open, a faint scent of perfume, long forgotten and hard to tell, hits them: they have found the chamber of the masters of the house. The dusty, cobweb-filled bedroom has burgundy drapes covering the rain-washed windows. Furnishing include the massive four-poster bed with embroidered curtains and tattered gossamer veils, a matching pair of wardrobes, a vanity with a wood-framed mirror and what Joliet assumes is a jewelry box and Dynaheir assumes is a witch box, given how sorceresses from Aglarond have such things. A padded chair sits before a tattered, ancient cat-skin rug, which for once Dynaheir knows exactly what is: a red tiger, found most places in the North. Though not as gorgeous as the native Rashemi snow tiger, the beast must once have been grand: now forgotten, the rug is past its prime before the dusty fireplace. Above the fireplace sits a portrait of a couple, sitting together in what is clearly a wedding portrait. The style of veil and dress are foreign, with floral patterns going along the edges near her arms and collar bone. The man wears what is clearly a wig, and is dressed in garb and vestments that indicate his nobility in this land. The picture on the first floor is of the same couple: but the man wears no wig, showing his white hair, and both look rather severe compared to this softer image. It is unclear how many years passed between the making of his painting and the one on the first floor they briefly spied.

Elsewhere in the room is a small parlor in the southwest corner, where a table sits forgotten with two chairs, a porcelain bowl and matching jug empty of water waiting for them. Dynaheir checks the door to the back: another balcony, this one as empty as the one in the smaller bedroom. Joliet checks the door in the middle of the room, expecting a closet: she finds instead a small chamber none but she and perhaps Giselle could fit in: from the wire she can immediately see this is a dumbwaiter, or a lift. Servants would put food or something on the lift and raise it to the bedroom; another string would act as a bell. These are exceedingly rare in the lands of Faerûn, though Giselle seems to have heard of them. How? Her temple has had none to speak of, nor does anywhere in Daggerford that she knows of. Perhaps in Waterdeep?

Whatever the case, this world, this chamber, is one from a life left forgotten.

These are the rooms of the third floor.

Out of Character

Alright, fast tracking this:

Give me specific actions per room, if you have any. I assumed everything got a quick look instead of a deep search, but we can retroactively do any of that. Investigations, Perceptions, Survivals, all would be good checks to make here. Feel free to make any knowledge checks you think relevant. When we're done we'll proceed to the next event, whatever that may be.

If you want a version of the map where the light is shining on any room in particular for more vivid detail, I can provide that in accord. If you're super concerned about the balcony in the second bedroom I'll fix it in my next map post so it's visible, but there's nothing there.

If you wanted to roll for HP in your short rest, don't forget to do so!

Edited March 18, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Joliet

---

HP:   12/12

AC:   14

Init:  +3

PP:   13

FeaturesSecond Wind: 1/1
Languages: Common, Paridon Creole

ConditionNormal

Ammo⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍

IC

Joliet follows Dynaheir through the rooms of the third floor like a protective shadow. Should something lurch its way to life, she's got her hand steady on the butt of her revolver, ready to draw. She's keeping her eyes peeled for danger, first and foremost, but she's also wondering if the masters of this manor ever owned any firearms themselves. She pays particular attention when they discover the master suite, as a person might stash such a weapon or its ammunition in a bedside table. "Do a lady a favor and keep an eye out for more of those slugs like I showed ya," she says to the others. She herself inspects the jewelry box, opening it with the tip of her gun, just in case a miniature monster leaps forth.

OOC

Move:  Searching for baddies and investigating likely spots to hide bullets.

Action:  n/a

Bonus Action:  n/a

Reaction:  n/a

[Lukenary]

Giselle the Drowned

---

HP:   11/11  |   AC:   17  |   Init:  +3  |  PP:   11  |  Lay on Hands: 2/5

Features

Divine Sense PHB, pg. 84
As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover. You can use this feature 4 times per long rest. 2/4

 

Lay on Hands PHB, pg. 84
You have a pool of healing power that can restore 5 HP per long rest. As an action, you can touch a creature to restore any number of HP remaining in the pool, or 5 HP to either cure a disease or neutralize a poison affecting the creature. 2/5

Traits

 

Darkvision BR, pg. 39
You can see in darkness (shades of gray) up to 60 ft.

 

Fey Ancestry BR, pg. 39
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Spells

None

 

IC

Giselle followed close behind Joliet, for the value of reconnaissance was not lost on her.  She followed up the search of the bedroom with her own.

 

"What secrets hide here, in the dark of this room?  I think our purpose - whether we wanted to be here or no - will be enlightened by discovering as much as we possibly can about the house's owners.  This bedroom seems a good place to start.  The ethereal twins' parents, perhaps?"

 

Where Joliet seemed to be searching for weapons, Giselle was more concerned with the story of the (presumably former) inhabitants.  This place has secrets aplenty, I can feel it like heavy weather affecting an old sailor's bones.  The way out is only by knowing these people.

 

She realized she was thoroughly distracted by her thoughts.  Determined, she checked the contents of the wardrobes and vanity.  Regardless, the paladin crept lightly around the room, checking every shadow.

OOC

Move: Search the master bedroom along with Joliet. 

Bonus Action: None.

Actions:  None.

Item Interaction:  Rapier at the ready.

[DoNotFearToTread]

Quick Stats

HP:   11/11

AC:   15

Init:  -1

PP:   13

Spell Slots: 0/2

Spells: Heroism [D], Sanctuary [D], Command, Cure Wounds, Protection from Good/Evil, Shield of Faith

Conditions:

Scooby and the Gang

Sulimann rises from his seat on the floor and pulls the pack back over his shoulders with a groan. Settling into the middle of the pack as the group starts moving forward, he pauses briefly at the set of exposed stairs leading upwards. That wasn't there when he came through before, the others must have opened it behind him but was there even a door to indicate its existence? One floor at a time, that is the smart play, but up before down again would make as much sense. Filing into the larger room, he moves along the wall to allow the others as much access to the room as they need. He has little interest in the contents of any containers here, but he does open the other doors. The dumbwaiter makes little sense to him and the confines of the tiny space immediately puts him on edge, so he moves to the door across the room from there and steps out onto the balcony. Open space is a welcome thing.

"With this manor left in such a state, I have to wonder why people in the town haven't reclaimed it for their own use." He stares out from the balcony, surveying the town around them. Can he spot the children in the doorway? A bit of stretching over the railing will tell. If people from the town had come here, they'd likely have suffered a gruesome fate at the hands of the spectral woman and whatever other horrors surely await them. "Sometimes a good haunting story is enough to keep people away, I suppose."

 

[Kavonde]

DYNAHEIR | HP 15/15 | AC 15 | Initiative +2 | Passive Perception 12

Dynaheir, after giving the area a cursory once-over and recognizing the rug, lets her companions search the floor while she leans out over the balcony. She looks up, trying to judge if there's yet more of the house above them to investigate, then down, judging the distance to the ground. She's heard tales of haunted manors--usually cursed by spectral Red Wizards bent on causing as much pain and torment as possible--and some of them have involved the mansion seeming to be much larger on the inside than they appeared from without.

She also tests how secure the railing here is. Could she and the others attach rope to it and climb down, if need be?

Once her inspection is complete, she looks out over the dark, misty landscape, idly searching for any interesting landmarks or signs of life in the wilderness she might be able to spy from this high vantage point. They'll be out of this house soon enough, she reasons, and then on their way to kicking the butt of this land's evil ruler; it's never too early to start drawing a mental map of the area.

[Gregorotto]

There are no Red Wizards here.

No, Dynaheir and her companions find quite a bit, but none of it magical, none of it damning, and unfortunate for Joliet, none of it remotely resembling bullets. Nothing in this house seems to suggest they know what anything like a firearm even is: the only weapons they've seen are swords.

What they find in the Master bedchamber is quite a bit of goods in the jewelry box: the box itself has a fine silver that impresses anyone with any working knowledge of metallurgy, because of how the gold is set within it, the filigree delightfully wove within. Inside are three golden rings, and in a small box that clings to itself but opens with some force, a thin necklace of... is that platinum? Set in the center of the necklace is a topaz pendant, a gorgeous thing.

Beyond that, there is only what they can see with their eyes. Investigating, they find a few details of note.

The bed has marks of having been moved... by use, given inferring minds. It has not been scooted to conceal something, but with the force of people within that bed. There is nothing out of the ordinary here, nothing to indicate foul play or anything but a happy home, though not too happy, if the portrait is any indication.

Nor does the water closet have anything of note, nor the maid's closet... well, not initially.

As they check, Giselle and Sulimann taking the lead, keen eyes spy the broom as it begins to move, leaving them quite awares. It begins to float, and then, to fly at them: to attack, it seems.

But with the door open, they can choose to simply shut it.

If they're quick.

Out of Character

Alright, we have a few options:

• If you want to avoid a combat situation, shut the door to the maid's closet (closet door to the bedroom on the map). DC 13 Dex Save by any one of you who made a check above DC 15 on Perception or Investigation. Success shuts the door; failure means we're in combat.
  • If you decide to pursue this route, I imagine we're going downstairs? I'll do much the same, provided there's not combat in the way.
• If you want to fight it, give me first round actions.

Discuss in Discord!

[Lukenary]

Giselle the Drowned

---

HP:   11/11  |   AC:   17  |   Init:  +3  |  PP:   11  |  Lay on Hands: 2/5

Features

Divine Sense PHB, pg. 84
As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover. You can use this feature 4 times per long rest. 2/4

 

Lay on Hands PHB, pg. 84
You have a pool of healing power that can restore 5 HP per long rest. As an action, you can touch a creature to restore any number of HP remaining in the pool, or 5 HP to either cure a disease or neutralize a poison affecting the creature. 2/5

Traits

 

Darkvision BR, pg. 39
You can see in darkness (shades of gray) up to 60 ft.

 

Fey Ancestry BR, pg. 39
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Spells

None

 

IC

Giselle eyes widened as she saw the broom come after them.  The musty smell of the room assaulted her nose.  Everything felt a bit too close, a bit too trapped.  And now this thing was coming after her.  She felt a ringing in her ears, sounds dampened around her.

 

"NO!" she shouted in revulsion at the animated object, attempting to shut the door as quickly as possible.  With a sigh of relief it shut, trapping the unnaturally moving thing behind them.

 

Her face twisted as she considered their options.  "We need to get out of here if we can.  Let's go."

OOC

Move: To the door to shut it.

Bonus Action: None.

Actions:  (Dex Save

Item Interaction:  Rapier at the ready.

Note: Sorry about the dice thing, I tried inline dice and clearly it didn't work.

[DoNotFearToTread]

Quick Stats

HP:   11/11

AC:   15

Init:  -1

PP:   13

Spell Slots: 0/2

Spells: Heroism [D], Sanctuary [D], Command, Cure Wounds, Protection from Good/Evil, Shield of Faith

Conditions:

Are Any of These Objects Not Animated?!

Giselle is fast, and he is very much not, but once the paladin has the door shut before them Sulimann is able to apply his shoulder to it to keep it that way. Could the broom break through a solid wood door like this? He doesn't know, and he doesn't feel inclined to risk just letting it happen.

"Good reflexes." He gives Giselle a nod of appreciation as he says it. He is finding a lot to appreciate about his new companions and that save certainly makes the list. Twisting so that his back is against the door, with all his weight holding it in place, he waits for any broom-related annoyances to stop. This puts him facing the stairs, which reminds him of another set of stairs he'd seen earlier.

"Those stairs up. Why conceal them?" He tries to recall from the view they had while approaching the manor whether above them was another floor or an attic. "I've never been a fan of secrets." Only once he is content with the security of the closet door will he step away.

 

[Mamori23]

  Altaïr Abd al-Aziz | HP: 5/12 | AC: 18 | Initiative: -1 | Passive Perception: 11

IC

"I am settled on my belief this house security is made up only by inanimate objects set to murder." The brisk comment made in clenched teeth came from the paladin, having settled in his role of passive victim due to unfortunate cirucmantas. This house was odd, it held objects from his home and a few from others. A mismtach of cultures all clogged together in desolate space unerved as much as it did gain his interest. Why was it all here? 

On Sulimann question, Altaïr turned towards the hidden steps. He was still of the opinion that no matter the risk, it would better for them all to part ways from this madness — though generally that was his opinion of anything that nearly tried to kill him. He quirked a brow, a slimmer of curiosty once more peeking through his thoughts. "If I had to make a leap of guess, it may have something to answer why these spirits are abound. Or very least maybe some gossip of secret affairs, as that ghost who attacked me did look a tad bit...upset." A joke? Maybe, the golden hues of his eyes didn't reveal much other than a brief glimmer of humor before they went right back to annoyance. "If you would big man, I'll go in first. Hopefully nothing jumps out again. I might scream this time."

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by Mamori23 (see edit history)

[emotionaut]

Joliet

---

HP:   12/12

AC:   14

Init:  +3

PP:   13

FeaturesSecond Wind: 1/1
Languages: Common, Paridon Creole

ConditionNormal

Ammo⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍

IC

Joliet finishes her sweep of the master bedroom, coming up empty with respect to ammunition. It was a long shot, but since her departure from Paridon, her supply has only dwindled. She's going to need to find a new supplier soon, else learn to make the bullets herself. She riffles through the jewelry box with the muzzle of her revolver, hoping against hope the lady of the house had reason to stash something more than her shinies. "I'm disinclined to take this stuff, out of some lingerin' respect for whatever laws might prevail 'round here. But I'd happily look the other way if someone else felt it an adequate payment for the trouble to which we've been put," she says as she lets the lid fall shut.

 

Then, after the broom closet has been sealed and talk turns to where next, she bobs her hat's brim toward the upper floor. "That apparition was tryin' to escape to that upper floor when we splattered her across the ceilin'. I'm curious to see what's awaitin' up there, especially with it bein' behind a hidden door," she adds to the discussion. 

OOC

Move:  Following whoever takes lead up secret stairs

Action:  n/a

Bonus Action:  n/a

Reaction:  n/a

[Gregorotto]

Quick enough.

Reflexes kick in and Giselle slams the door shut, not wanting to deal with yet another figment of this house's dark imagination. As soon as the door slams shut, something slams into the door with a resounding THUD, then another. And another. And another. After six hits, it begins to sound as if the broom is destroying itself, as splinters and bits begin scattering the floor after each hit.

Yet they do not hear it, as the group from Daggerford, led by the man from Zakhara, head up the secret stairs into the decrepit attic above.

The stairs lead into a bare, cramped, and with their presence overly warm set of stairs with steps too narrow for comfortable approach, forcing them to stoop as they turn and head up to a door, which Altaïr leads them on. Opening the door, he moves them into a bare, expressionless attic, with a multitude of doors to choose from: two on the north-facing wall, one immediately across from the furthest of those two doors, and on the southern wall, another door directly above the nursery bedroom below. This floor is much smaller, much more compressed, and it seems there is little room for going further up: this must be the top floor, an attic.

But why so many rooms in an attic of all things?

Out of Character

Apologies for my misunderstanding last night. We've moved floors. Unfortunately a quick search of this floor is not possible.

Go nuts.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[Mamori23]

      Altaïr Abd al-Aziz | HP: 5/12 | AC: 18 | Initiative: -1 | Passive Perception: 11

IC

Altaïr heard the old wood give way on each of his steps making him tentative on its stablity; or more perhaps it was his nervers getting in his head. Either way, the banished Zakharan was none to pleased once they arrived at the attic to see more rooms to explore. All that meant in Altaïr's mind was more chances to get attacked by a broom.

"That one," He tilted his head towards the room likely above the nursery, "I'd say we check there first. Perhaps something of worth?" Another tentative step moved to approach the doorway with his heart beating louder as he grabs the handle to slowly open. 

By Helm's, or the faiths, please spare him. 

OOC

Move: Approaching the room above the nursey door.

Action:  n/a

Bonus Action:  n/a

Reaction:  n/a