Death House

[VAN]

Van gets his scimitars ready and says the obvious:

"We are not alone in this dungeon...which makes perfect sense since not long time ago someone tried to bash the dining room's door...But as Vorj said we have to keep going as it is...Kimber can you sent Pungsley to scout ahead again?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

Vorj tenses at the eerie sound. With obvious reluctance, he pauses his ascent, and he gives Kimber's odd "friend" an opportunity to scout ahead.

[kintire]

Kimber nods and lofts Pugsley into the air, looking nervously around as he conducts a sweep

[alhoon]

The strange animal turns takes flight and exits the corridor of the staircase. For a few long moments there's silence. Then the stealthy scout re-appears unharmed and continues on the other side. Then it returns and lands on Kimber's feet. Both corridors must be clear. At least for a little.

[Ken of Ghastria]

Vorj waits a moment. "All right then," he says, and then he resumes going up the stairs.

[VAN]

"Apparently is safe to move a little further. Lets keep going. I vote North. I don't have any particular reason to believe that is better but we have to choose a corridor."

[Ken of Ghastria]

"North, then," agrees Vorj.

[alhoon]

With Pugsley leading, the party filters to the North. They pass through the 4' wide corridor, Vorj, Van, Kimber and Burdur in order, with the echoes of the distant chanting in their ears.
They pass in front of two deep alcoves, probably family crypts, with open stone caskets inside them. One stone slab, leaning on a wall writes "Walter Durst". This was to be Walter's resting place.

Further to the north, the packed earth corridor turns to the west and opens to a large room. Wooden small pillars and overhead beams keep the hewn earth ceiling at 8 ft. above the party. This seems to be the quarters of low rank cult members. A wooden table with 4 chairs is in the room and there are several (4) alcoves with moldy beds.
There is a corridor leading out of the room on the other side of the entrance.

And there are remains of food on the table. Someone used it recently.

[kintire]

Kimber eyes the food with some concern. At a gesture, Pugsley zooms off to have a quick glance around the corner of the passage ahead, while Kimber slowly surveys the area, seeing no need to point out the obvious with regard to the recent food. She does however mutter:

"Four of them. That's not too bad, right?"

[VAN]

Van looks at the food remains concerned.

"Four but maybe only one alive...Or it's might be an illusion or a trap."

He studies for a moment the chair that was moved and if there are marks on the floor. Then he gets a dagger out and pushes slightly the crumbles aside.

"We need to figure out if the one in here, left in hurry when heard us or took his time. Oh and as far as I know undead do not eat...so or this is a trap or someone else is down here."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Vorj nods in agreement and says, "The house itself is working against us. I wouldn't trust any 'clues' that are left behind for us. As you say, Van, if someone is here, I doubt it's anyone who eats bread and cheese."

He carefully looks behind the stone slab marked "Walter Durst," to see whether it's concealing anything.

[alhoon]

Walter's grave is empty.

[VAN]

"Well in any case we need to proceed even if there is someone alive in here or no. Better stay focused and have our eyes open. Kimber can you send Pengsley ahead?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

Vorj takes several steps into the corridor on the other side of the room, his eyes scanning for traps or other threats.

[alhoon]

Looking down the steps (into room 25) as far as his human eyes can pierce the darkness aided by the magical light, Vorj doesn't notice anything dangerous. What he does notice is a small overturned stone near the well in the center of the room. It appears as someone kicked it over when passing from the impression on the ground.

As the party enters the room and it is bathed with light, they see that the big room has a well.
A 4-foot-diameter well shaft with a 3-foot-high stone lip descends 30 feet to a water-filled cistern. A wooden bucket hangs from a rope-and-pulley mechanism bolted to the crossbeams above the well. Five side rooms once served as quarters for senior cultists. Each contains a wood-framed bed with a moldy straw mattress and a wooden chest to hold personal belongings. Each chest is secured with a rusty iron padlock.

What's missing from these rooms are the usual critters and roaches that should be here, in the moist room near the well.