Death House

[alhoon]

The party eats and rests, barricaded in the large dining hall. As minutes turn to hours, Burdur looks more and more suspiciously at the Creations, since they don't seem to go away as he would expect, as summonings do.
The afternoon turns to night and night turns to dawn, uneventfully. Nobody rested well. Nightmares plagued them all. And more than once the party jumped up grabbing weapons by the sudden screams of a sleeping comrade. Even Kimber's creations seem edgier the next morning.
Burdur, having the last watch, rouses everyone up after having said his morning prayers. He looks at Vorj and says "My magic grew stronger after our trials yesterday too."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Vorj rubs his hands over his haggard face. "I'm glad for that, truly," he says to Burdur. "Perhaps all hope is not lost." He gets up slowly and checks his weapons.

[VAN]

"If we are all ready then better get going. Sooner we go to the basement better we solve this house mystery. Kimber can you please tell one of your little friends to scan ahead when I open the door? Don't forget that we aren't alone somebody tried to break in not long time ago..."

Van gets closer to the door and tries to listen.

[alhoon]

Van pulls the large table from the door but when he tries to listen, he doesn't listen anything. The door opens easily with little noise. The house beyond is mostly dark. The shutters they've broken the last night seem to have been repaired. The Panneling they've broken in this room seems to have remained broken. Mostly. There are bits and pieces that seem to have replaced themselves on the walls.
The house is repairing itself.

Burdur looks at the two creatures. "They are still here? How long do your summonings last?"

[Ken of Ghastria]

"For that matter... well, what exactly are they, Kimber?" asks Vorj.

[VAN]

Van points the shutters and the pannel to the others.

"Guys, the house seems to repair itself...I'm afraid traps will be set as well and maybe the nanny's ghost will be back. We should be prepared for everything. The ghost attacked us when we got closer to the crib so better get immediately to the attic and go to the basement. If we encounter Rose again, better not talk to her at all. We have already Thorn with us..."

[kintire]

Kimber nods to Van and mutters to the slender creature.

"Pugsley, go take a look around!"

The two pairs of bat wings extend and the creatures lifts into the air and begins sweeping the house ahead of the group, its wingbeats silent and its dark fur blending with the shadows. the other creture sits on Kimber's shoulder and begins to snooze.

"Oh these? well they're..uh.. well Pugsley is mostly a scout, i reckon, and Chutney spits. Acid. At enemies and so on." Chutney opens one eye, languidly waves her tubular snout and returns to snoozing. "And they are more... animal companions than summons. they will stay around as long as they are needed..."

[Ken of Ghastria]

"... All right," says Vorj finally. Turning to Van and Burdur, he adds, "As soon as the... scout returns, let's do as you say, Van. The less time we spend here, the better."

[alhoon]

The party ascends to the attic and they move to the room that contains the secret entrance to the stairs they've discovered in the Rose's doll-house.

This dusty chamber is packed with old furniture (chairs, coat racks, standing mirrors, dress mannequins, and the like), all draped in dusty white sheets. Near an iron stove, underneath one of the sheets, is a wooden trunk.

The secret door is at the big column at the western part of the north wall, according to what they've found. But the party doesn't know how to open it...
which doesn't present a problem since a formerly disguised wooden door in the mortared wall opens by itself slightly a creaking noise. From the slightly ajar door, the party can see a staircase filled with cobwebs that descents into darkness...

[kintire]

Kimber eyes the door suspiciously.

"It just opened for us? Well, that's not suspicious at all.."

She glances at Pugsley

"Go take a look. quietly, and not too far..."

[alhoon]

The flying animal slithers on silent wings and disappears in the darkness. Not too much later, it reappears covered in cobwebs and dust.

[kintire]

Kimber nods

"Safe for the first bit... at least no creatures. He can't spot traps really..."

[VAN]

Van frowns as the secret door opens by itself.

"We have witnessed couple times already that this house is kinda living. It repairs itself, the portrets change and we get in there and now this. Apparently even the house want us to go to the basement which is at least creepy...Anyway, Burdur can you cast the light spell again? Or if someone has a torch now is the right time to use it."

[Ken of Ghastria]

Vorj sniffs in annoyance. "More traps," he says. "But it seems we have little close but to play this game through to its end." His massive axe in his hands, he steps forward. "Mind if I take point, Van? Burdur, if you do have that light spell handy, cast it on my weapon. I'll light a torch otherwise."

[alhoon]

Burdur, as suspicious as everyone else puts a light spell on Vorj's axe.

The door opens to a wooden, creaky circular staircase full of cobwebs and dust. But, with the light shinnying on the steps the party can see something else:The dust is disturbed. The cobwebs hang ripped from the masonry walls.
Someone else has passed through recently, and that's not Pugsley.

Vorj takes the lead. The steps protest under the paladin's weight. The descent is at least 50 feet through cobwebs and disturbed dust. The steps end in a claustrophobic dungeon, not a basement.
Then, they hear it. First Pugsley's senses and Kimber's keen ears pick it up. Then the rest of the group as they're about to exit the staircase.
An eerie, incessant echoing throughout. It's impossible to tell words or where it comes from yet.