Session One Hundred and Thirty-Two (Graveyard of Empires Summary)
Session 132 November 23, 2016
11:30 am, 20th of Tanrilden, entry foyer of the Keeper Estate fka the Grell Estate.
AD Clock reads 00.00.04.26
While Axel, Chuq, Ronan and Thorfus inspect the grounds and outbuildings about the mansion, Edan and Father Habraham explore inside. Footsteps and sobbing from the second floor draw their attention, so Edan sends Casear the bold to inspect. He follows his familiar shortly after. The three outside then join Father Habraham in the foyer and we all follow Edan to the second. More sobbing can be heard behind a door, so enter to find nothing within.
Edys Appleby is summoned to inspect the room but lunges at Chuq with a dagger. Struck unconscious, the illusionist appears to be over 90 years old. Father Habraham’s healing are ineffective. As we hoist the old man’s body, Thorfus witnesses a shimmering between him and the floor. His magic axe’s lash is too slow to connect as we hustle the dying illusionist to the front door. As we approach, we hear doors slam shut and the curtains flutter as if in a stormy wind. This is followed by the sound of shattering window on the 2nd floor then we see Edan fall to the ground outside. His fall wasn’t too bad, he recovers quickly. Habraham fumbles with the front door exclaiming it won’t budge. The monkeys have no problems opening the door so we can all exit.
As this occurred, Ronan was inspecting another part of the estate. Leaving Bellisonte with Father Habraham, we meet Ronan on the first floor. We rush to the basement when someone begins to yell hysterically. Outpacing the rest, Chuq and Ronan rush down a hallway. Ronan promptly slamming the doors shut behind them. Thorfus barrels through the first door after his monkeys fail to open it. Beyond is a hallway where Chuq can be heard laughing. The monkeys quickly open the various doors in the hallway discovering wine cellars. In one along the north is found a lonely rusty old sword. Following the laughing, Thorfus discovers a secret door, behind he finds Chuq the Monk shackled and chained between two pillars with Ronan carving into the Monks back.
This room strangely resembles Alain Grell’s lair in Kurlumen. After Ronan is subdued, Chuq’s bleeding flesh spells “ring Grell Bring Calle”. Thorfus shows Alain’s head making Ronan go limp; he seems himself once he recovers. While the three examine the disturbing trappings in the torture chamber, Edan has grasped the rusty sword only to be burned by the heat it radiates once it’s in his clutches. Ronan allows us to sheath the blade in his scabbard so that we might take it with us.
Wanting to destroy Alain’s toys, we collect various devices and an abundance of hair before ascending a spiral staircase to the top floor of the mansion. Beyond the single door at the top landing we see a transparent figure writing on the wall. The writing appears to be in blood. Thorfus sends a monkey to show the apparition Alain’s head. As the figure turns, Chuq and Thorfus flee in fear for hours through the streets of Midmark until they reach the Jolly Gorgon. The two have aged 10 years older. The Ghost disappears through a wall.
With Thorfus gone, the monkeys behave off. Ronan takes the box with Alain’s head which causes the autos to follow him out.
Edys dies form old age when they all meet outside. Unfortunately, Father Habraham fails to resurrect him. Bellisonte goes looking for Chuq. Edan examines the sword which is no longer hot when held. He removes his mind blocking circlet but doesn’t get a response from the sword. Ronan suggests Father Habraham speak with the dead to ask Edys for advice.
It is now 4:00 pm back as Habrahim cast speak with dead. Minutes pass before we are speaking with Matillis Orlebar and Sibilie Grell, the two spirits haunting this house. They want Adren Grell and his illegitimate daughter, to be with her and to punish him. Father Habraham advises to bury those two in blessed ground since they are both dead. Arden allegedly committed suicide while jailed for slavery and Calle was euthanized by Grayz the Devilfish. Before we leave for the Jolly Gogon, we ask Habraham to blesses a patch of ground in the garden so that we may bury Edys there.