Ghosts of Gauntcliff Chapter Four

[Ken of Ghastria]

The side parlor-

"I didn't find anything much man-made that was worth collecting when I came here; of course, I've been very busy with building and setting up my chateau and the bath. There is a stone table in the abbey ruins with some strange old writing carved on it, but that's about it. Gauntcliff was uninhabited for a very long time. The island's history is pretty murky. Nature's charms, Mademoiselle- 'twas Nature's charms brought me here."

Primeiro interjects, "'Nature's charms'? What... the much-discussed 'waters'?! If they truly do have rejuvenative properties, they're beginning to look like honey for the trap. Were you not curious about why others were not alive nearly such a 'life-giving' source?"

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"Don'tcha 'member the history a'this place?" Everline says. "Folks've disappeared out 'ere. Ha. Solved that little mystery, ain't we just?

Now then, about the getaway boats. You got any, squire?" This last question is aimed at Sancerre. "And 'as anyone else been pokin' about the place since you got 'ere?"

[ewancummins]

"Don'tcha 'member the history a'this place?" Everline says. "Folks've disappeared out 'ere. Ha. Solved that little mystery, ain't we just?

Now then, about the getaway boats. You got any, squire?" This last question is aimed at Sancerre. "And 'as anyone else been pokin' about the place since you got 'ere?"

Denys frowns.

''There is no need to be rude."

[ewancummins]

The side parlor-

"I didn't find anything much man-made that was worth collecting when I came here; of course, I've been very busy with building and setting up my chateau and the bath. There is a stone table in the abbey ruins with some strange old writing carved on it, but that's about it. Gauntcliff was uninhabited for a very long time. The island's history is pretty murky. Nature's charms, Mademoiselle- 'twas Nature's charms brought me here."

Primeiro interjects, "'Nature's charms'? What... the much-discussed 'waters'?! If they truly do have rejuvenative properties, they're beginning to look like honey for the trap. Were you not curious about why others were not alive nearly such a 'life-giving' source?"

''The Ghastrians were poorly organized, that's all. As for the springs- few people knew about those until fairly recently. An obscure bit of lore, you see."

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio frowns, an expression that quickly becomes a rictus of trepidation. Seeing the look on Benn and Charlotte's faces, he does not need to be told who is missing. "Yes, we should be searching their rooms first," he tells Juergin and Eustace, "And Eustace is right, we should be staying together."

[Adam]

Benn nods and wordlessly turns towards their quarters, walking briskly.

[Ail]

Eustace follows in the direction of Benn's room. He adjust his goggles on his eyes, ready to pore his inquisitive look in the most minute of places.


"If I only knew what kind of creature we're dealing with"


he sighs.

He turns to Charlotte


"If I understand correctly, Jonas disappeared in your room? With all doors and windows closed, right? That can only mean one of the following things:
a) someone opened the door or window and managed to interfere with its lock in a way that it became locked again, as if from the inside
b) someone inside the room locked the door after Jonas left
c) Jonas never left the room. Given that he is disappeared, he either is in the room in some kind of undetectable state or he's trapped in some ... uh ... space out of this reality, if such thing is possible. But I've heard things, so let's consider all possibilities.


As they approach the room, he inspects the lock and handle of the door very closely, looking for any traces of break-in or locking from the outside.

[ewancummins]

Eustace finds no sign of a break-in, or any sort of tampering with the door. Likewise, he finds no no marks, smudges, or damage to the windows and shutters.

While Eustace looks over the egresses, his friends search the room.
They find nothing out of order or in any way remarkable, except for a sooty stain on the wooden floor of the closet.

Juergin's shadow slides out of the closet and crawls across the floor towards Jeurgin.

Charlotte spots the creeping shade; she screams and swoons to the floor!

[Ail]

Eustace turns around, his shoulders slumped.


"As I feared, there are no signs of break in. Nothing. The boy must not have left the room. "


When the others mention the stain at the bottom of the closet, he slumps to examine it, very carefully, with the help of his goggles.

[steveflam]

Juergon sighs. "I forgot to mention that Dark One has come first to ssee if he might sense something. Sorry Herr Benn."

[Adam]

Benn rubs the bridge of his nose in response to Juergin's apology, trying desperately to keep his temper under control. He helps Charlotte to lay down on the bed and joins Eustace in examining the sooty stain.

[ewancummins]

Benn rubs the bridge of his nose in response to Juergin's apology, trying desperately to keep his temper under control. He helps Charlotte to lay down on the bed and joins Eustace in examining the sooty stain.

The stain is cool and dry. It does not wipe away or rub off at a touch, or even with vigrous scrubbing. There are no stray splotches around the roughly circular black spot on the floor. The dark area actually shrinks as Benn oberseves it. At this rate, it will vanish in a few minutes!

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

As the dark spot begins shrinking, Dorgio begins chanting and waving his hands over the soot-colored patch, calling on The Morninglord to grant him insight on what kind of foul sorcery has taken the child.



{{OOC: Detect Magic}}

[ewancummins]

As the dark spot begins shrinking, Dorgio begins chanting and waving his hands over the soot-colored patch, calling on The Morninglord to grant him insight on what kind of foul sorcery has taken the child.



{{OOC: Detect Magic}}

Dorgio sees an inky aura centered on the stain. He gets a glimpse of a dim shape moving beneath the magical field, as if he is looking through a sooty glass pane or a door into a dark room.

[Ken of Ghastria]

The side parlor-

''The Ghastrians were poorly organized, that's all. As for the springs- few people knew about those until fairly recently. An obscure bit of lore, you see."

Primeiro raises an eyebrow. "'Obscure bit lore'... you mean lore about the natural springs, monsieur?" he asks. With effort, he conceals his frustration and manages to maintain an amiable, helpful tone. "How, then, did you come about this knowledge? Reports from a trusted source? The description must have been striking for you to have made the voyage to such an apparently isolated place."