The Fall of House Pancrazio Chapter Two

[Lord Skybolt]

"So did you think that was necessary in the least ? " Tahl asking Tristan while waiting with him about them opening the crypt .

[ewancummins]

While tending to his horse, Tristan answers his friend,


''Yes. At least now we can tell Roderigo Pancrazio that Luisa's body appears unmoved and uncorrupted. That might give the old man some measure of peace. We still need to figure out what that thing was last night...and why it resembled Luisa as it did.''

[Irving the Meek]

Tuke blinks. "What? Luisa's body was in the tomb? What on earth?" Baffled, the little fool racks his brain, trying to think of any tales that give a hint as to what happened last night(1). "If that wasn't a 'real' zombie, then something else created that parody of Luisa. Either it was sorcery of some kind... or the worms animated that husk? But how? Why?" Why. That's the strangest question of all. Why would someone - or something - create a worm-ridden shell of the old woman and send it a-roaming last night. To fetch the flowers? But they grow everywhere; they're practically a weed. What madness is this?

Bardic knowledge check, result 21.

[JMaytr]

The cleric Calder Boiyer regains consciousness.

"Whats going on? Was I attacked? Are you all okay?"

[RocEter]

"By Ezra's Light, Tuke! Must everything boil down to sorcery or foul play? Have you told your stories so often that you believe that we live in world that when the undead walk there is some nefarious sorcery behind or some evil priest controlling the undead? We live in Borca and in these cursed lands the undead roam." Julian says to Tuke his one eye staring hard at the little man.

Walking over to the priest he kneels beside him. " You are fine Brother, nothing happened. You fainted at the gate, have no fear we are unharmed and my Great Aunts body is still within the tomb."

Julian turns his head towards Tuke and continues. "Tuke when we get back, I don't want you to mention anything about sorcery or some demon messing with the family, unless you have solid proof that there is indeed such things going on. There is no need to cause any other unrest and worries within the family, for now we need to focus on where that tunnel leads and what is down there." he says.

[Irving the Meek]

Tuke looks up at Julian, a sorrowful and contrite look on his face. "I'm so sorry, Master Julian. A little fool like me doesn't have much room for brains in his head, and I do let my mouth prattle on. I'll be good, I promise."(1)

Behind his well-rehearsed facade, Tuke looks at the paladin with regret. I'd hoped you were different, Julian. But behind the fancy armor and the eye patch, you're just another version of the rich folk I caper for. That's a shame.

Tuke climbs onto the back of Tristan's horse, striking an indolent pose. I'll do what I can for Phebe, and lay the groundwork for an escape if things get worse. Maybe Agna and Tristan will come with me. If I'm right and Magenta's been playing with dark forces, then things are going to get troublesome at a fast clip. Sticking around for the end of that tale will probably be right unhealthy.

The little fool loads his black walnut pipe, lights it with a tindertwig, and puffs on it a bit to steady his nerves. The scent of cherry tobacco fills the air. "I keep a good pipe in my vest for my betters. Would you care for a smoke for the road, good master?"

Bluff check, taking 10 DC 18 to see the truth.

[PathOfDreams]

While mounting the unstable and malnurished steed, a look appears on Goran's mug in response to Julian's reprimand of the tiny fool; a look of jubilation accompanied by a long smirk.

HAHA He laughs inside, I told that little ass to shut his mouth yesterday, I hope for his sake the poor bastard abides the words of our champion. I can't help but think, however, that he is near the truth. Tuke can't possibly be as absent minded as he lets on, chances are there is some sort of malcontented sorcery at hand. It seems, as long as he does not let his tongue get him into trouble, he will come of some use.

Looking around at his companions and finding them mostly ready to depart, he asks of the priest, "If you need further assistance father, we are here for you, you need just say so. If not, I must ask that you bid us leave as we are all anxious to return to the manor, important matters awaits us."

[ewancummins]

Tristan chuckles to see Tuke lazing on the back of his horse.

''Tuke, you sit the saddle, eh? I'm going to walk her home, at least half way. Poor old girl, she's hard used, as are most of our stable, sad to say.''

With that, Tristan takes hold of the mare's halter and guides her onto the road, homeward bound.

These poor animals....I need to get more food for them. Hmmmm....the still might do for raising funds, if I can find a good source of juniper berries. They've got to be clean and wholesome.

Bah...blighted Borca! It's a right pretty country, and there are winsome maids aplenty, but all the best land belongs to the the Dilisnyas or the Boritsis. The rest of the farmers get the weedy, tainted patches of dirt.

Now, maybe if we could find that treasure, assuming of course it's even real.....

[Lord Skybolt]

Thinking the same thing to himself about the state the horse's health . On the way back to the manor he rides close to Tristan and whispers to him:"For the horse's feed . " and slips him 2 GPs(=)









= Is equal to 40 days of feed for one horse . Divide as needed for the horse's at the manor .

[JMaytr]

Calder Boiyer watches the party leave the cemetery grounds, perplexed that they did not tell him anything about his time passed out. He looks to the Pancrazio crypt and sees that the door is closed. Satisfied that the Pancrazio's and their servants took care of what ever problem was inside the crypt and the deeper chambers, Bioyer returns to the temple and resumes his gardening.

AT THE MANOR-

Harold Noor is led into the mansion and seated in the front hall. (1) Where maria bella would normally meet him, Emilio's story during the trip to the manor reminds the older man of why she is absent. Instead he is met by Roderigo, who enters looking haggard and filthy.

"Ah Harold! It is good to see you. I am unsure if Miss Phebe has roused yet...last night was trying for all of us. I instructed Emilio to fill you in on your journey here so I hope i don't have to retell you the horrors we all experienced.

"I have a task for you and the others when they return from the Ezra temple. The tunnel in the greenhouse is quite deep and labyrinthine. I searched with my lantern until I came across more of those worm things that had infested the carcass of my deer mother. I'll need you all to go into the tunnels and clear it out....but there is more. I'll wait for the others to fill you in completly. I'll have Agna bring you breakfast or some sort of snack as soon as she dresses my cousin."

Roderigo rushes into the kitchen, oblivious to the large clumps of earth he trails behind him.

(1) WILL SAVE DC 13

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Milord Pancrazio, please wait!" Harold exclaims, bolting from his chair and hurrying after Roderigo as fast as his old body can carry him. On his shoulder, Mouser hoots mounrfully as she flaps her wings to maintain her balance.

"You have to listen to me," Harold demands as soon as he's caught Roderigo up. "There are more problems than the rising of the dead, there are some very lively wolves at your door!"

[JMaytr]

Roderigo stops in his tracks.

"Explain this to me. What do you know?"

A Thundering knock on the Manor's front door echoes through the halls. Roderigo looks towards the entrance where a hastily moving Emilio has rushed to open the door.

Standing in the doorway are 3 men clad in padded armor, wearing flintlocks and sabers at their belts. The lead man holds an ornately crafted blunderbuss. It is as wicked looking as the grin on the mans face. The men wore the standard of house Dilisnya.

"Oi there! Master o the house at home!" The man with the blunderbuss yelled into the foyer.

Roderigo shot Harold a glance and whispered to the man, "Are these your wolves? Say nothing of last night."

Roderigo moved toward the men. "I am current master of the house. My mother has recently passed."

"Aye! I'm to inform his lordship that my master Lord Ivan Dilisnya wishes to extend his condolences to your family. He will do this by rewarding you with the privilege of eating at his estate in a gala party he is throwing in Lady Pancrazio's memory. Attendance is required of course."

The men did not leave the doorway. The man to the right of the Blunderbuss man extended his hand, palm upwards waiting. Roderigo looked stunned for a moment but then recovered. He fished a dirt caked hand into his pocket and pulled out a fistful of coins. He counted out 5 silver and another 12 coppers and placed them into the outstretched hand.

Dilisnya's men were all smiles.

"Good day milord, the feast my master has planned should be in two days time. May Ezra take care of you all." The men turn and leave, mounting horses waiting for them in front of the manor.

Roderigo slams the door to the manor hard. Real anxiety is palpable on his face. "This could not come at a worse time. With Enzo and last night and now this? I am broke!" He looks anxiously at Harold. "You all have to succeed in the tunnels. You have to."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"These are not the wolves I referred to, no," Harold whispers, once he's reasonably certain that the Dilisnya-hired goons have left. "Enzo came to see me this morning. He thought to hire me to spy on this household and learn of its financial situation. I made him believe I was willing, but I would not work for a swine who implies I have ... romantic designs on Miss Phebe. Look!"

Harold presents the platinum coins he got from Lothario earlier that day. "Do not bother to confront him with it," the scholar says in a grim tone of voice, "he'll only lie. ... Roderigo, if you can not set this house in order, I would say your best option is to gather everyone and everything you value and make a run for the border before anyone catches on that you're leaving."

[JMaytr]

Roderigo scoffs at Harolds suggestion.

"I Would never flee this manor! It is my ancestral home! I'd never compromise it's safety!"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"In the end, sir, you must decide which is more important to you," Harold says, quiet dignity returning to him. "Your anestral home ... or your family. Now, then. I should like to see Miss Phebe before I see about this ... tunnel."