Ludolf allows himself to smile quickly at the sound of Tiäsa's laugh. "Yes, let's go and find her." He says with a nod, then walking back the way she and the kenku went, bringing the drawings with him.

"Right. Real quick sanity check here, before we go charging into things. We got attacked by our own shadows in a creepy sub-basement, encountered a man who immediately froze up in utter supernatural fear, and there's a child making crazy drawings of death and torture." She pauses a moment, in thought. "Maybe the kid's possessed or something."

Daventry looks to Ludolf and Triasa. "So... be careful. I'll hang close."

She draws her blade and summons forth light, focusing the spell on the blade entirely except two inches closest to the hilt. Then she sheathes it again, the light covered by the sheath. "In case we need it in a flash, without blinding everyone all the time..." 

"Yes, but try not to upset the child with your blade, I believe it may be harder to get sensible answers out of it if you do." Ludolf says as-a-matter-of-factly, as they move back to find Gailby.

Tiäsa nods to Daventry. "Yes, possession seems possible.  But let's be cautious with the child." She is ready to follow with the others back upstairs to find out where the child went."

You all leave Gailby's room and start walking upstairs. As you walk along the long corridor you bump back into Klin as he is returning from talking to Crinkle. Assuming you continue back to the middle level you are again struck by the number of people who sitting back's against the very heavy appearing wooden bookcases and the large granite table below the giant stone book sculpture. Approaching the table Varnyr and Fembris nod their heads at you as you appraoch. Crinkle as her back to you as she is speaking softly to the young girl. Gailby seems to have calmed down with dried tears on her cheeks. 

Fembris, who has ?thankfully? regained control of her voice blurts at you, "Oh thank goodness you're back. You figured out how to end this madness? Right?!" Not waiting for a response she continues with a look of relief. "Oh I knew you would do it. Thank you thank you thank you.!" 

The others stare at you all and Fembris rather blankly. Until Gailby speaks up, "Is Daddy OK? He seemed pretty sick... Is he going to die?" Tears again start forming at the corner of her eyes.

@Triäsa  You are not sure about the cloud but the scenes do seem to match the lyrics to the song in many cases. Lyrics below for a refresher.

Pardot collected the 'artwork' as the group was headed out of the room. Once they approach the girl again, since he had gone to her to keep her safe earlier he's hoping he may have built some trust, and walks up to her asking calmly, "Gailby, my friends are helping your dad. We'll do everything we can. But," as he pulls out the papers, rolled up so as to not immediately show the images, "did you draw these? They're pretty scary."

Gailby looks at Pardot with tears now returning to her cheeks. "I can't stop drawing them. I hear the words all the time... it never stops.... if I draw the words then I don't sing them... it is scary... all of this is scary... I just want to go outside!!!" The little girl again starts crying and balling. "Daddy I want Daddy."

Crinkle looks over the girl, sighs as she just got her to calm down. "Now now my dear. It appears they are friends of Fembris. That means they are here to fix all this. Please my dear do try to settle down. We will go see Dad in a few. He just needs a moment I am sure. He'll be cooking dinner again in no time."

As you all talk books again fly off the shelves around you with a sudden viciousness and angry hurling themselves violently at your heads.

Gailby = 1

Pardot = 2

Klin = 3

Tiäsa = 4

Ludolf = 5

Daventry = 6

3

5

Klin and Ludolf make DC13 Dex saves or take 3. Take half damage on a success. As the books fly from their homes and try to bludgeon you to death.

Quote from Alsdad >>

Gailby looks at Pardot with tears now returning to her cheeks. "I can't stop drawing them. I hear the words all the time... it never stops.... if I draw the words then I don't sing them... it is scary... all of this is scary... I just want to go outside!!!" The little girl again starts crying and balling. "Daddy I want Daddy."

Crinkle looks over the girl, sighs as she just got her to calm down. "Now now my dear. It appears they are friends of Fembris. That means they are here to fix all this. Please my dear do try to settle down. We will go see Dad in a few. He just needs a moment I am sure. He'll be cooking dinner again in no time."

 "It's ok little one." Pardot says, trying to be reassuring. "And you'll see your daddy again soon. Ms Crinkle is right. We're friends trying to help." He then ducks his head as books fly off the shelves towards his friends, holding up his shield above the little girl as well.

Pardot go ahead and roll persuasion with advantage 

Ludolf dex save: 9

"Look out!" Ludolf calls out to the others but he doesn't notice the heavy tome that hits him in the back with a heavy thump, knocking him over.

(Ludolf brought the drawings, post #2259, but Pardot could take them from him as he started questioning Gailby :-)

As Klin and Ludolf are pelted by books taking all three points of damage the little girl actually lets out a little chuckle at the scene.

She then smiles at Pardot, "I like you, you are a very nice man and I think you're right. Daddy's going to be just fine. If Ms Fembris and Auntie Crinkle think you can help then I know it's going to be alright." Pardot you can see with your insight she is trying to put on a brave face but there is still look of fear and fatigue in her eyes. She wants to believe you but there is a hesitancy in her eyes.

At this point Crinkle speaks up again, "Come little one would you like to see the Fireflies? I can open the door and we can watch them fly for a bit and then check on your father?" She would then start to usher the girl back down stairs unless you stop them. 

Triäsa follows up asking Gailby, "Do you know when you first started thinking about these words and drawing the pictures?"  She keeps her voice calm as she speaks with the child. "And what about the shadows? Do you know what those are?  It's there in every picture."

"I'm okay, thanks for asking." Ludolf mutters as he gets up again after the books have finally come to rest. "And I'm always glad to entertain." He says with a strained smile in Gailby's direction before joining her and Triäsa, hoping the young girl could provide them with some enlightenment.

Gailby looks at Triäsa with all the seriousness an 8 year old can muster, "I-i-it's been a few weeks, I started drawing after Dad started singing the silly song. He didn't like my pictures but if he got to sing about those sort of things then it's only fair that I get to draw them." She sort of stares off as she starts thinking about the shadow, "The shadow causes all of this. When I close my eyes I can see it and I can see all these horrible things happening..." Her resolve is again breaking and the emotional rollercoaster continues as tears return, "He thinks it's funny. He laughs at it all and then the shadow sings! He sings songs about people getting hurt. The shadow is very bad."