Grim Deed Part 8

In yet another installment of Manor of Umbergloom...

The hunt for the vampire known as Lady Blythe has borne fruit - to an extent. Reithak managed to discover floor plans for the manor in the office, whilst Carver used her keen ranger senses to find the perfume trail of the vampire.

She was close by. Just beyond the solid wall.

But the Butler was very little help - especially due to being entangled by Skyler - and Culix could only do so much against the thick walls of the manor. It was built on old money after all; invest in quality construction!

Culix sighs and shakes her head, "I'm not finding any hidden passages. We could go try our luck with the alchemists fire blobs." she says and then after a long pause, she frowns, and scratches her cheek. "Or... well... there is something I could try." she says then, and looks away awkwardly. "Just... promise you won't freak out?" she asks the collected group of adventurers, but Carver with her particularly pronounced hate for the undead gets a longer glance.

She closes her eyes for a moment, and then clenches her hand- hard enough that her pointy goblin nails bite into her palm, and she holds the hand out, allowing a few drops of blood to fall into her own shadow- rather than just staining the carpet underneath, her shadow ripples like the surface of still water disturbed by the drops of blood. It stretches and elongates, before splitting off into a second shadow painted across the floor, but without a body accompanying it. "Can you get through this wall?" she asks the shade.

GAME: Carver rolls Will: (19)+10: 29

Carver watches as Culix requests patience, lifting an eyebrow when the gaze lingers on her. She steps away from the wall to observe, bow still in hand. Her expression is placid up to roughly the carpet staining, tight around the eyes as the shadow. When it peels away from Culix and finds unholy life of its own, her breath hisses out.

She forces back the disquieting voice that demands to kill without question, but the quiet from the ranger is now painfully tense.

"It takes a lot to freak me out." Skyler promises solemnly to the gobber, with that artfully thoughtless grin that he's all but got trade marked, "Worse comes to worse, we can always go steal one of those slimes and use it to blow the wall up!"

He then watches with utter fascination as Culix bleeds out a shadow-baby, eyes wide and glittering with interest. "Oh that's *cool*." He enthuses, grin widening broadly, and adds on top of Culix's request a polite, "Please?"

Quietly waited for the others to investigate said wall. After al, she was the back up if they couldn't destroy it, anyways. The egalrin crossed her arms, watching everything curiously. "Nah, that stuff isn't that weird. Hope we can actually get through, though."

The shade responds to Culix in a discordant, hissing chorus of unintelligible whispers. It sounds enough like speech to be recognized as such, but in no language that has ever graced living tongues. Culix cants her head, though, understanding, and nods. "Just a peek then. Look out for doors, windows- any way we might get in, and a vampire. Stay hidden, and come right back, don't fight." she instructs the shade. Its hissing, whispering acknowledgement follows, and it slithers along the ground and to the wall in question before it begins to slip through.

She turns towards Carver again, and assures her; "It's safe. It... I didn't make it, I brought it here from the plane of shadow, and its bound to me. And it can't make more." assuming she knows at least a little about Shades.

GAME: Culix rolls 12: (19)+12: 31

<OOC> Culix says, "Shade's stealth"

GAME: Culix rolls 8: (12)+8: 20

<OOC> Culix says, "Shade's Perception"

GAME: Aelwyn rolls 21: (10)+21: 31

"No comfort." Carver says. "If they can find an entrance, we can try to use it. I am also fine with simply adapting the tools we have to make one." Explosive ooze charge plan sounds like a comfortable solution to her, and likely more efficient than turning the wall into food. "Though risk burning down the entire house if we do."

The talk of shades just goes right over Skyler's head, eyes glazing over slightly before he blinks rapidly, dismissing the attempt at figuring out what exactly Culix is talking about before his brain roasts from the attempted overclocking of his brain. "Will you know if it dies?" He asks, brow furrowing as he expresses what thoughts he was able to generate, "Like if the vampire decides to eat it?" Beat. "Does it even have blood?"

"Well, maybe there's an entrance, maybe not. I'm a bit worried if we take a bit too big of a detour, that bloodsuckers just going to have flown the coop, so to speak." *Reithak shrugs.* "I'm for whatever gets us in the quickest, within reason, 'course."

"Or- well, maybe I did make it. But it's not made out of someone, at least, not someone else. Just... shadow stuff, and and a little bit of me." she adds to Carver, and then to Skyler she frowns "Oh I'll know." A few moments later the shade emerges once more, and slithers its way back over to Culix, slipping back into her shadow. It whispers to her once more and she curses. "She's in there alright, there's windows on the far side, and there's a way in from above. Attic I guess? And my shadow thinks she spotted it. She waved."

"Deathless can scale the outside walls, with very little difficulty." Carver says. "If the windows are large enough. An' she won't willingly leave her coffin. They are special to a vampire, they are not simply just expensive cuts of wood but tied to their beings. Losing one is at great cost and it is unlikely she would have another nearby. More likely, this room is a defensible and perhaps even trapped against living creatures."

Carver has partially disconnected.

"So are we going to scale the walls? Or are we gunna tie a string to Deathless and let them pull us up the wall into the window?" Skyler asks brightly, and adds to the shadow-creature, "Thanks, Creepy Shadow Culix!" He glances around, and frowns. "Do we want to go nab one of those napalm elementals?"

GAME: Carver casts Perceive Cues. Caster Level: 13 DC: 15

"Let's not burn this place down to get to the vampire, as much as I really wouldn't mind that at all." Reithak sighs. "Sounds like we need to go through one of the windows, unless someone has a better idea."

Culix nods her head, "I could probably scale up to the window too." she says, "But... there's a proper way in, and I don't know if the windows are locked or anything, and she might just flee again through her hidey hole. If we can find our way around to the room that way, we at least know what's outside the window if she flees that way, and Deathless is already out there." she says, and then thumbs back towards the panel they looked behind to spot the ladder and the oozes. "Which means fire slimes."

"Let's not give her more time to prepare." Carver says, as they return to the slime room. Looks like they will be descending to the stinky murky depths! As she does, though, she mutters through an incantation and takes a deep breath from a vial that seems to be swirling with wind inside it.

GAME: Carver casts Life Bubble. Caster Level: 13 DC: 16

<OOC> Culix says, "I'll try to wand myself before going in."

GAME: Culix rolls use magic device: (18)+13: 31

GAME: Culix used a Wand of Blur.

<OOC> Culix says, "20% concealment for 4 minutes"

Happy enough to just go along for the ride, Skyler reaches into his pocket to pull out a handkerchief, tying it around his nose and mouth. He also reaches up to adjust the little veil on his spiffy hat he stole from the parlor, shielding his face behind the bit of lace and moves to join the rest.

"Guess that's the way the wind's blowing, then." *Reithak mused, following down along with the rest of the group. "Smell bothers you folks? It'll be fine, just focus on getting to the other end! Too important of a job to get bent out of shape from a few bad smells, I'd say."

The party makes their way back over the ladder leading downwards, with the completely innocuous dragon statue looming. The room way below is still dark; but those with special eyes can see that there are still black shapes still moving. The slimes are still waiting.

<OOC> Culix says, "I'll go first, keeping my special eyes peeled for traps, and being sneaky."

GAME: Culix rolls stealth+2+2: (18)+21+2+2: 43

GAME: Culix rolls perception+1: (8)+14+1: 23

GAME: Carver rolls stealth: (14)+27: 41

<OOC> Culix says, "+1 on perception is for traps, have improved darkvision."

<OOC> Skyler will go last? No darkvision

GAME: Aelwyn rolls -5: (13)++-5: 8

GAME: Carver casts Blessing of the Mole. Caster Level: 13 DC: 16

<OOC> Carver says, "Bam, now you do."

Culix makes her way towards the ladder. She takes a slender carved rod of electrum out of one of her various belt pouches, and then with a flourish, she discharges a portion of the magic stored within it to blur her form, making her indistinct. She then pulls her hood up, and then slides down the ladder carefull not to make a sound as she gets towards the bottom- dismounting and taking a look around the dark tunnel, marking potential enemies and exits.

GAME: Culix rolls 12: (18)+12: 30

<OOC> Culix says, "That's the shadows stealth, belatedly."

Carver hands Skyler a small eyedropper, with a murky fluid. "The eyes." It's a poor explanation, but she is already focusing on the ladder to descend after Culix.

She touches down as quietly as the rogue and her shadow, frowning intently. The deed? Forgotten. She's looking for ways back up to hunt.

For a brief moment, Skyler is tempted to squirt the eyedropper onto his tongue. Sure, it's murky looking and probably smells disgusting and tastes worse, but... For once, the intrusive thoughts don't win and Skyler shrugs one shoulder at Carver, tilting his head back to drop a few drops in each eye before handing it back.

"I bet she has the deed." He says to no one in particular as they head down, "Gods know that'd be the way it works in this damn house."

To Reithak, he adds, "It isn't the *smell* as much as the taste, y'know? Like when you fart and you can taste it in the air."

Reithak took up the rear, and was doing a very good job of pretending to be perfectly fine in the darkness. It helped to have good eyesight to begin with, but that only got one so far.

"So keep your mouth real closed. I expect there's a big ole bath in store for most of us after this is said and done, just something to look forward to to get through this mess. Wouldn't be surprised if they have the deed, and even if they don't, better for everyone they're gone."

GAME: Skyler rolls stealth: (7)+6: 13

GAME: Reithak rolls stealth: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)

The climb down is quite long. The stink, the awful smell starts to waft from down below, a hot air palpable on exposed skin. The humidity will probably not quickly leave the adventurer's skin. The stone turns into cobbled stone, and the ladder was covered in all kinds of substances. Moss, slime, probable oil, and probably bodily fluids. Darkness swallows the party.

Reaching the very bottom, the party see the full extent what they were guesstimating above - a massive black slimy was slowly rolling around what appears to have been a wine cellar. Large cedar balls, the size of small huts, lay on the far ends of this cavernous basement. Everything was covered in flimsy, film like membrane - but despite all the sound the party does, it seems to be ignoring them. There is a large door at the very end.

And it smells. It smells like death.

GAME: Culix rolls perception: (17)+14: 31

Culix sneaks along the room, heeding the slime and skirting around it where she can, until she gets to the door at the other side. She pauses, giving the door a once-over for traps, and then reaches for the handle to try it a if it's locked or not. Her other hand rests on the hilt of one of her daggers, ready to draw it at a moments notice.

Carver draws her bow, and the string almost seems to sing as she lines a finger against it. Her eagerness is palpable, especially without the discomfort of the pungent aroma that no doubt ails the others.

GAME: Carver casts Gravity Bow. Caster Level: 13 DC: 14

Gagging slightly even through his improvised mask, Skyler follows along with eyes squinting against the burn of the stench. "Wow, pungent." He mutters, before gagging again. He shudders, closes his mouth, and walks after everyone as his eyes adjust to the darkness.

Reithak squinted more in the dark of the room. "Yeah, I've got nothing." The egalrin grumbled. "Can't see much in this light, and I don't want to give you all away by lighting up a big fire that might blow this place up or set it on fire. Could use magic, but I'll trust you folks to be going the right way, for the time being, and, yeah, no, this place does smell pretty darn bad, even I can tell that."

Culix's nose wrinkles at the smell, but frankly, she's been in a lot of sewers and this is hardly even a 6 on 10 on the stink scale. She shakes her head after trying the door, "Not locked, stuck." she whispers back to the group and then pauses to ponder the options. "Forcing it'll be noisy." she adds with a meaningful glance towards the slime that hasn't attacked- yet, but then takes out her multi-tool, manipulating the various levers on the goblin device to produce the Crowbar attachment. "Anyone feeling strong?"

<OOC> Culix says, "Crowbar gives +2 to strength checks to force open a door or chest."

GAME: Carver rolls strength+2: (1)+2+2: 5 (EPIC FAIL)

Nnnngh! NNNNNNNNGH! Carver grips the crowbar, setting it to the hoist, and presses down. She presses down until veins pop in her arms, and sweat across her brow. She presses through her lung capacity before surrendering with a sharp curse. "/Doors/." Her disgust is palpable. "This mansion exist for no other reason than to be vexing."

Squirrelly he may be, but Skyler winces in sympathy at Carver's failure, walking up to place a hand on the woman's shoulder, "You did good! If you'd been able to get into the door easily, I'd have been more concerned." He narrows his eyes, "This place legit deserves to burn to the ground." He glances around, faintly hopeful that someone else will agree so he can start building a coalition among the adventurers to call it an L and just burn the place down.

Until then? He reaches for the crowbar, "Let me try? I'm moderately well built. Maybe you loosened something!"

Carver does offer the crowbar to Skyler, admitting defeat. She's not going to be able to do it, so might as well be someone else! "Good luck."

GAME: Skyler rolls strength+2: (12)+1+2: 15

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "It moves slightly, but there's a loud whining squeak as the thing starts to move. Want to keep going?"

GAME: Reithak rolls strength +2: (7)+3+2: 12

"I'll give it a try!" Skyler says confidently, pausing to lift his mask to spit on his hands. Why? Who knows. But he saw someone do it once! He jerks on the crowbar, wincing at the squeal before stepping back. "I think it's moving, but I'm not quite strong enough. Anyone else want to try?"

"Having trouble getting through it? I mean, I'm big, but I'm not that strong. More of a beanpole than anything."

The egalrin stepped up to the door and grabbed the crowbar, and tried to press the door open, but being mostly blind didn't help with getting a good grip. "Jus-, what the hells did they glue this thing shut with?"

The door - slightly tilted, as the hinges have seen better days - refuses to yield to Carver's command. It does not help that the corner of the door seems to be scraping against the cobblestone floor; or that the crowbar has no good purchase due to the slimy substance covering it. Skyler's efforts makes the door move though - with a loud threatening sound. Reithak takes the crowbar and the door just barely moves, leaving the gap open. A dark hallway is visible - with that mess they saw from kitchen.

The large slime continues to move around, now lumbering between the party and the stairs.

While the larger folks work with the crowbar, Culix keeps an eye on the slime as it lumbers around. She knows where her strengths lie, and strengh isn't one of them, but is a little surprised by how noodly the tall folk are. They're supposed to be strong! Still, though, the slime doesn't seem to be making any aggressive moves so she takes her eyes off it for a moment to look back towards the group and see how they are getting along. "That stubborn, huh? Well, I was saving this for a rainy day but..." she produces a small vial of an oily substance, and then goes to apply it to the rusty hinges.

GAME: Culix rolls knowledge/engineering: (8)+6: 14

Culix pauses, and then stoppers the vial again. She takes out one of her less magical daggers and then crouches down, she shoves it under, and then tilts it up to try and lift the door. "Try again." she tells the others.

Carver joins Reithak in assistance, to overcome this terrible foe!

GAME: Carver rolls strength+2: (4)+2+2: 8

Taking the hilarity to it's apex, Skyler joins Carver, grabbing the end of the crowbar and jumping up to throw his body weight down against it.

GAME: Skyler rolls strength+2: (8)+1+2: 11

GAME: Reithak rolls strength +2: (13)+3+2: 18

<OOC> Aelwyn says, "It opens!"

Puts more of their body into levering the door open, and while they couldn't see very well, they could at least notice a slight change in airflow with the door opening. "There we go!" The egalrin hummed, stopping and catching her breath for a time. "Only needs to be enough to get through, right?"

The door starts to open - reluctantly, and with great effort, but it does open with the added extra leverage. However...

The door lets out a long whining sound - and then clanks open, half crashing into the cobblestone. The adventurers are not left with much time to rejoice - as the slime suddenly stops. A moment later, it starts to ooze its way towards the party.