Grim Deed Part 11

Meanwhile, beneath the Manor Umbergloom...

The adventurers had come across a bridge covered in vegetation. The hunt for the vampires has turned into... discussion amongst plants. The bridge across corpse eating and poison spitting plants posed no trouble for Culix, who took a look around, to discover floating bladder like beings. After, Carver had taken moment to commune with the vegetation - and the very same being floated out to commune in return, tendrils and spores floating alike.

While the corpse flowers below were apparently more interested in just... food, the floating sacs instead drove for a bargain - in exchange for freedom, they would tell the secrets of this mansion. Which, by the adventurers' understanding, meant a possible ambush in the room across the bridge - and the fact Graves could be a vampire as well?!

Nobody really knows what is going to happen next in the Manor Umbergloom, not even the party while they discuss their options.

But the floating bladders were quietly spitting spores at each other again.

While Carver had their chat with the beings of earthly origins, the rest of the party had been put up to work in digging a way through the refuse pile that blocked the other passage. Nothing in the pile was moving, or come back to life. Yet

"These spore clouds will share the secrets of the mansion," Carver calls back. "The vampire is across the hallway of the carnivore flowers." She mutters something beneath her breath, removing one of her quivers and hangs a gleaming red scale to its side, which comes with the smell of smoldering ash.

GAME: Carver casts Flame Arrow. Caster Level: 14 DC: 17

"Thank you weird floating spore sacs!" Skyler calls out, because his mama (or rather, a series of nannies) raised him right. The Swashbuckler is making arcane gestures as he uses a mage hand to shovel, because there's no way in all the hells he's going to actually *touch* the refuse in this place. He glances at the goblin shoveling shit, and suggests, "So shall we go before our fine feathered friend gets a wing cramp? Do we wanna charge forward, or draw the bitch out?"

Culix doesn't need telling twice that she can stop her shoveling for now- she's not built for manual labor, unless you count carrying expensive silverware out of dusty old cutlery drawers. She folds up her army knife, and instead pulls out one of her daggers. "I'll sneak ahead, see what we're dealing with. You guys follow behind, maybe try sneaking if you can manage it, but if you give me a bit of space I should be able to shiv her even if she spots you guys." she tells the others.

"Wait what, those things weren't floating aggressively over here to attack us?" Reithak groaned, finally stopping flapping madly, and taking a moment to catch her breath. "Well, alright. Let's get going, then! Before anything else concerning shows up."

"I think we jus' get her." Carver says. "I think that like her, Graves might be possessed of unlife. Or so the fungi seem to suggest in their limited understanding." She shrugs at Reithak, "Jus' because they might not be enemies do not mean they would not eat us if it seemed easy or favorable. That does not matter though." She has undead to kill.

The floating sacs instantly - relatively instantly - seem to back away from the fire and huddle tightly towards the corner. Sporification of the surrounding air near them increases rapidly, but they seem to be more interested in keeping their distance from the fire arrow more than anything.

"Sounds good! Lets go!" Skyler says brightly, giving the spore cloud things each a wiggle of his fingers in greeting slash goodbye slash thanks as he nods for the others to go ahead of him, "I'll take rear guard in case something else decides to spontaneously murder us." And he rolls his shoulders, hefts his sword, and prepares to attempt to sneaky sneak.

GAME: Skyler rolls stealth: (3)+7: 10

"Nah I'm pretty sure they did wanna eat us, too, but carver sweet talked them." Culix calls back to Reithak, before slinking forwards and crouching down, blending into the shadows as she skulks towards the disturbed bottles on the wine shelf to give them a closer examination.

GAME: Culix rolls stealth+2+4: (2)+21+2+4: 29 GAME: Carver rolls stealth+8: (14)+28+8: 50 GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception+1: (13)+1+1: 15 GAME: Reithak rolls stealth: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aelwyn rolls 9: (19)+9: 28

Carver's armor and cloak almost seem to shift and meld to shadow and earth, aiding her along the way in following Culix's lead. She grips her bow with a sneer, narrowing focus down as they come to an end of one hunt at least.

Carver has partially disconnected.

The party makes their way across more stealthily, as in the case of Culix and Carver - and less stealthily. Skyler with his cheek-clapping bravado and Reithak with her tail-wagging swagger do not quite manage to hide from the larger corpse plants - and one of them reaches into its pitcher, quickly flinging a large glob of fluids over the two adventurers, covering them both with the weird tasting fluid.

It smells. Reeks. Vaguely reminds one of juniper twigs and banana. Worst of all - it tastes. It tastes like a long night down the Goblintown, the final shot before the moment of regrets. But nothing burns nor hurts.

Through the doorway of the room across the bridge, the inside looks dark, but covered in cobwebs. Racks of bottles line up the walls: whilst three cage like containers are stuffed into the corners.

Skyler barely bites back the offended yelp as he's gooped by the flowers below, scowling as he reaches into his great coat with his free hand to pull out a vial of something red and fiery. He glares daggers as if preparing to throw the alchemical fire down below on the flowers. "Fucking flowers." He mutters, and with slow reluctance puts the bottle away and makes an arcane gesture with one hand, muttering syllables so that arcane energy surges across his body cleaning him. He glances with bright grey-green eyes towards the others, following after with a certain petulant stomp.

<OOC> Carver says, "Can I knowledge check what the flower loogie does?"

GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/nature+2: (15)+16+2: 33 GAME: Culix rolls perception: (7)+14: 21

Reithak was not being particularly careful passing through the area, and the paid dearly for this mistake, as they're covered in an incredibly unpleasant liquid. The egalrin has to fight back the urge to curse loudly so as not to get any more in their mouth while wiping away the worst of it hurriedly. "Oh gods, I thought we'd be free of most of the smell once we were clear of that room." The egalring bemoaned.

"It is unpleasant but you will be fine," Carver says after a moment of distant inspection of the pair. She does not necessarily want it on herself. "I have used something similiar to make myself unpleasant to wildlife, to keep them away or less interested in eating me." She looks back to Culix to see if they found a way in yet.

The accident with the corpse flower fluids aside, the party make their way inside the room with relative ease. It is dark, covered in cobwebs and looks like nobody has been in this section for years. Entering inside proper, the party find containment cages that probably belonged to the floating sacs in the corners. Other assorted boxes and equipment were covered with sheets. What looked like a large painting was also hung up on a wall, covered with a sheet.

When Culix sneaks inside the room and touches the one section of the rack that _seemed_ disturbed, a wine rack with leaking bottles_ the whole wine rack suddenly shakes and set of wide teeth appears around the hand, along with two eyes.

<OOC> Skyler says, "Throwing a tanglefoot bag at it"

GAME: Skyler rolls ranged: (12)+16: 28 GAME: Aelwyn rolls 5: (18)+5: 23

Skyler is a powerful, skilled warrior, a fighter that has taken on some of the most vile creatures in the land and stood up to demigods in their planes of death... His reflexes are sharp and he is canny in the way of combat, even if he's a little dim academically. Which is why he reacts quickly and decisively...

By screaming like a little girl, a high pitched shriek of surprise and fear, and pulls a small burlap sack from his great coat that he throws at the wine rack attempting to hit it between the eyes. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

GAME: Culix rolls weapon20: (20)+14: 34 (THREAT) GAME: Culix rolls weapon20: (8)+14: 22

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "Confirmed! Roll the damage and as roll reflex save." GAME: Culix rolls reflex: (6)+14: 20

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "The mimic does not get a new weapon today."

GAME: Culix rolls 1d3+1+1d3+1+3d6: (3)+1+(3)+1+(13): 21

<OOC> Culix says, "I'll move to cover (risking AoO) and attempt to re-establish stealth, then. I have hide in plain sight so long as there are shadows within 10' of me." <OOC> Aelwyn says, "The mimic takes the AoO..." GAME: Aelwyn rolls 10: (17)+10: 27

GAME: Aelwyn rolls 1d8+6: (6)+6: 12

<OOC> Carver says, "Is culix grappled or just bit and released?" <OOC> Aelwyn says, "12 damage and the mimic grapples you into its sticky maw!" <OOC> Skyler says, "Look for the deed!"

<OOC> Culix says, "I believe it still has to roll against my CMD to grapple, with the grab trait" <OOC> Aelwyn says, "It says here that the target is automatically grappled due to the mimic adhesive. ._." <OOC> Culix says, "Alrighty! No stealth check then since movement fails."

"Fuck!" Culix yelps as the jaws attempt to snap around her wrist. Her dagger comes up and she plunges it right into the mimics eyeball. She gives it a twist for good measure, and then yanks out and turns to try and get away from the beasty. Unfortunately, it manages to land a hit on her as she turns to flee, teeth sinking into her shoulder, and she cries out in pain as blood soaks the cloth of her shirt. She struggles, but can't pull herself free.

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "The mimic simply constricts Culix. I believe there is no roll, since Culix cannot escape the grapple because of the adhesive?"

<OOC> Culix says, "That seems unlikely, generally that's not how grapple effects work. I could look it up?" <OOC> Aelwyn says, "Please. ._." <OOC> Carver says, "They cannot get free while adhesive is active." <OOC> Carver says, "every melee strike can mean their weapon gets stuck too." <OOC> Culix says, "Yeah, and it has the constrict special attack so it was supposed to deal additional damage last round too."

GAME: Aelwyn rolls 1d8+6: (1)+6: 7

<OOC> Culix says, "Constrict means that it deals damage as soon as it establishes a grapple and automatically every time it maintains it." <OOC> Aelwyn says, "Alright, one more then..."

GAME: Aelwyn rolls 1d8+6: (3)+6: 9

The mimic got a faceful of tanglefoot into its eyes, stab from its mysterious assailant and it reacts aggresively. By chomping down _hard_ around Culix's arm. The teeth were not just for the show - and they hurt. It remains still as it slowly shifts shape, but holds its teeth around the party's rogue for now.

<OOC> Reithak says, "I'd like to identify the monster type before I do anything further" <OOC> Aelwyn says, "Roll dungeoneering!"

GAME: Reithak rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (7)+6: 13 GAME: Reithak rolls 1d20+3+4+1+2: (19)+3+4+1+2: 29

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "That's a hit!" <OOC> Reithak says, "threat with rapier"

GAME: Reithak rolls 1d20+3+4+1+2: (13)+3+4+1+2: 23 GAME: Reithak rolls 2d6+6+4+2d6: (4)+6+4+(9): 23

Carver rushes forward, rather than using her bow, muttering a quick shaman's incantation before touching Culix's shoulder. There is a great sense of vertigo, of being weightless for just a second before she slips right free of the binding adhesive.

GAME: Carver casts Freedom of Movement. Caster Level: 14 DC: 18

<OOC> Skyler says, "Imma hit it"

The mimic's teeth snap shut as Culix is dropped from its grab - and the mimic makes a slow, tar covered blink.

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "Go for it!" <OOC> Skyler says, "Activating haste boots" <OOC> Aelwyn says, "Hasted!"

GAME: Skyler rolls weapon1+1: (6)+20+1: 27

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "Hit!" GAME: Skyler spends ONE point of PANACHE. <OOC> Skyler says, "Doubling precision" GAME: Skyler rolls damage1+9+9: aliased to 1d6+10+9+9: (4)+10+9+9: 32

Reithak draws their unpleasantly smelly rapier, which began to glow with a bright glow as it skewered the mimic soundly, taking a large chunk out of the beast on the return, more so than the blade should have. "Just a moment, we'll get rid of it!" Reithak coughed, immediately regretting the decision while they were still covered in goop.

The moment Culix is free, Skyler clicks his heels like a certain trademarked Kansas farm bitch with a shoe fetish. Arcane energy surges up his shiny black boots, suffusing the redhead as he surges forward with his blade perfectly poised.

"Fuck this plaaaaaaace!"

As war cries go, it's mid. But the blow he lands?b That's impressive, a twist of his wrist causing him to slice the tongue from the mouth in a spray of gore and blood on the assembled party. He blinks, wipes his face, and says in a conversational voice. "I got some of it in my mouth." He smacks his lips and gags.

The mimic does not have a retort to make, before it is skewered - and then it loses most of its consistency, looking now nothing but a puddle of various questionable substances upon its spot on the wine racks. Some of the very rare vintage wines were now covered in mimic goop and gore.

<OOC> Skyler says, "... no deed?!" <OOC> Skyler says, "NO DEED?!" <OOC> Skyler cries

... and yes, there is a slender and shiny metallic tube in amongst the remains.

Culix clutches her arm where the creature bit into her, "Bastard was quicker than I thought." she grunts through gritted teeth, now the thing has been dispatched. "Thought your plant friends said the vampire was this way?" she asks Carver, then grunts, realizing that Carver just saved her ass, and forces herself to soften her expression. "Thanks for the save." she adds a moment later, before looking back towards the wall the mimic had been covering- incase there's a passage further in beyond. She does spy the shiny tube, and slides it loose of the gunk with her toes. "Someone wanna grab that? Don't fancy reaching into this thing a second time."

'Possibly I misunderstood, it is not an exact science.' Carver admits with a frown. She goes up to the painting and pulls the sheet down.

Still gagging on the mimic goo, Skyler snaps his fingers, makes a few arcane-looking gestures, and makes a grabbing gesture with one hand. The slender, metallic tube is jerked into his hands thanks to the sorcery of his gloves. "Got it. So we wanna skedaddle and burn the fucking place down on the way out?" He looks hopeful.

The sheet reveals a large, wall sized painting. It depicts the manor and its occupants. The servants, standing in one side, wearing the same clothes and the strange masks as before, four of them roughly same sized, one shorter and one that greeted the party before from the door. A golem - an actual war golem - was standing behind them, with a mossy growth on it and carefully holding what looks like a small skeleton in its arms. The familiar armour who flanked Graves in the Guild was standing there as well. Off to the side, one could see the turned back of a woman dressed in black; whereas Graves, whom _presumably_ was standing in front of the staff, with his arms spread out, was unfortunately mostly covered with red fluid, as was rest of the painting as well. Somebody had thrown a vat of red something over it, it appears.

The title plate reads 'Manor Umbergloom's residents'.

Carver considers the grand reveal with disgust, hands on her hips.

Culix's arm which is slowly stopping its bleeding is released. She goes for her usual habit of scratching her cheek, but then realizes she's got blood all over her and wipes it off on her pant leg instead, before proceeding. "I mean I still kinda want to stab that vampire, but I guess we could just head back now. Forget all the weird shit we saw here, hand over the deed, hope we get paid and not backstabbed." she says, and the shrugs. And then glances over Carver's way- she'd been the most driven about hunting the vampire after all.

Reithak shook off her weapon and putting it back into the sheathe. "Everyone alright? Didn't bite off any of the important bits I hope?" Reithak sighed. "Someone didn't like that painting for some reason, seems like."

"I bet the golem-fucker cheated on the vampire with the metal man and a strap on attachment." Skyler says consideringly, as he tilts his head at the painting, "She got the house in the divorce or breakup and now he wants to get it back so he can raise little metal butt babies with his golem lover." Beat. "Do vampires and golems have butt babies?"

Skyler adds, "I guess they could build them. Do you think the artificers sell kits?"

'If you wish to go, then go.'. Carver says flatly. 'I am not finished here.'. She seems pretty confident for someone willing to track a vampire on their own. Lotsa folks probably ended up dead that way. She does not refute Skyler lore so it must be true. She will turn back and consider the room one last second before heading back out.

"Nothing important, just my arm. Got another one." Culix tells Reithak and then sighs, but nods her head at Carver. "Figured as much. Back to shoveling shit then? I think that's the only way we haven't gone yet." she says as she moves to follow Carver out. She eyeballs Sky with the cylinder a moment, "Keep that safe, yeah? I'm going to absolutely lose my shit if anything runs off with that again." she adds then.

GAME: Carver rolls stealth: (18)+28: 46 GAME: Reithak rolls stealth: (11)+12: 23 GAME: Aelwyn rolls 1: (5)+1: 6

The Swashbuckler stops his ranting about unnatural acts of creation, and sighs at Carver's words, giving Culix and Reithak an pleading look. He sighs again and tucks the deed in the back of his belt under his coat. "If something gets to it there, it will have to have bought me dinner first." He promises Culix, and rolls his shoulders to settle his coat better. He then moves to join the crew hunting the vampire.

GAME: Skyler rolls Stealth: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Culix rolls stealth+2+4: (17)+21+2+4: 44

The trip across the bridge goes without an incident this time around; and the trio of Tsaalgrends wait for the victorious party to return from across the bridge, occasionally spitting spores at each other. They seemed to follow Carver at a respectful distance away.

While the party were doing their grim duty in executing and finding the deed, and even the more gruesome task of starting to shovel across, there is sudden loud banging on the large metal door. A muffled '-ing door!' can be heard, before Butler wearing a leather mask and very long thick gloves looks around. "You lot still here?" He calls out, before wading further in. He was wearing fresh set of overalls and was cursing every step of his way. "The 'Lady'," A word spoken with not much impression, "Has a message to you lot!" He wipes his goggles with his arm. "If ye lot still there, that is." Another wipe. It looks like he still couldn't see too well.

Carver turns to the sound, splattered with blood and far worse things besides. The message better be fucking good or be better get fucking gone.

Culix went back to helping with digging out the muck, but spins and draws her dagger again when the door to the slime room opens. "Oh yeah, what's she want?" she demands then. She also issues a shrill whistle to call back her shadow from the room beyond, incase they need it.

Thankfully getting past the bridge again this time unscathed, Reithak was left to awkwardly stand there while others were continuing to dig. "Is that so? Any clue why she would want to tell us anything at all or just have a message?" The egalrin wondered.

<OOC> Skyler says, "I'm going to use my last tanglefoot bag on him" <OOC> Aelwyn says, "Not sure what was expected, but go for it!"

GAME: Skyler rolls ranged: (12)+16: 28 GAME: Aelwyn rolls 1: (2)+1: 3

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "Stuck."

"What!? YOU?!" Skyler reaches into his coat when the butler arrives, pulling out one last tanglefoot bag and tossing it at the man.

Again.

The bag hits Butler straight into the face when he is about to answer, holding his arm up. "... gods be cursed." He attempts to slowly move his head and body, but most of his outer clothing were stuck down onto the ground - once again. "Hey, I ain't got a clue what you lot are digging here or what's the bone with the lass, but she told me to tell you lot... well, a lot of flowery bullshit I'm sure, didn't write it down." He attempts to move his arms again. "Damn it kid, again, really?"

Another shake. "She got a letter for you lot! 'cause you all stink or something, and she doesn't want the carpets be ruined while dancing or whatever. So come get the effing letter."

"I don't-" Culix starts to say to Skyler, but it's too late, the projectile is already thrown. "Well. Whatever." she says, not particularly caring about the butler getting beaned again. She heads over towards the Butler to take the latter from him, "You know, if this place wasn't so... awful, you'd probably be less covered in gunk." she advises as she takes it and starts reading.

Carver does have a question! 'Whose bones was being carried by the war golem in your family portrait?'

"I guess I can't blame you for chucking that at them, to be honest, but it really is kind of unnecessary." Reithak shrugged. "Maybe give that letter a quick look before you open it though. You know, in case she's a wizard that likes the spell explosive runes, or it's filled with some horrible venom trap or something equally unpleasant."

"Eh, if it wasn't for the pay." The letter is easily snagged out from underneath the overalls - on top of other set of overalls stocked with various potions and vials, the man was truly prepared, and it still carried a faint scent of perfume. It wasn't otherwise booby trapped, though, just brutally suffocated by everything else down here, of course. "The portrait, eh? Still here?" The Butler would make a motion with his hand. "Gardener's pet. Dog, I thinks, pretty large for one. Never goes far without it. You lot mind keeping the door open the way out? That damn thing's driven me mad the past year."

"Dear adventurers,

Your hard work and toil surely would be an inspiration - but we all must look our best when laying down our lives on the ultimate gamble, surely you agree?

So go rest your eager young hearts, my bold, virile adventurers, and come refreshed. Let us meet fresh and rejuvenated.

With this invitation, you are welcome to Manor Umbergloom.

With love,

A blood red lipstick stain."