Glugrug shrugs off the reasoning behind the gnome's eyes. He seems in his right mind at least for the moment. 

He nods at Aranea's word of the other woman's death. "Unfortunate, perhaps," he says. "At least she died in battle and can take that with her to the next world with pride."

He nods at the suggestion to pursue the worms. He checks his armor, shield and (so far unused) weapons, looking every bit a prepared soldier of a mighty hobgoblin legion. "I am ready," he announces.

Aranea enters the bedroom with the large hole. For the moment she stays clear of it. She's looking for anything else that could prove useful, like the dagger Jerrick found, or any information the Count or the baron's wife.

Investigation - 8

Jerick looks into the hole and listens for movement.

Perception 23

As Jerrick investigates, Glugrug stands ready to act if anything nasty happens when the gnome looks in the hole. 

 As Aranea enters the bedroom she sees a young man sitting at a desk. He has his hands over his ears and he rocks backwards and forwards muttering softly to himself. His movements are frantic and he looks completely mad.

Aranea just about hears him say,

"Deep into that darkness peering long I stood there, wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

As Jerick investigates the hole he hears the sound of crunching and the tearing of flesh.

Aranea approaches the young man and peers at him with curiosity. He doesn't look as if he has been attacked by the worms, but he is displaying the same sort of strange behavior the man in the lobby had. Had these worms driven all the party guests mad?

"You there," she says sharply to the young man. "What is your name? Where is Baroness Elenore? Where is Count Lebrim?"

Jerick tells Glugrug what he hears. Then, hearing Aranea speaking, he goes to see what she's doing, rather than think about entering such a terrifying hole.

When he sees another madman, he's exasperated. Instead of engaging with him, he leaves Aranea to get information, and starts investigating the room for clues or helpful items.

Investigation 23

The young man jumps to his feet when Aranea speaks to him. He begins to back away,

“I knew what I was doing when I killed the old vulture. I was so careful that night, so very careful not to make a sound as I entered his room. It had to be done. He watched me with his eye, watched me through the walls!”

Jerick finds a painting on one of the walls of a man that looks similar to the mad man that Aranea is speaking with. However, there are some features that are slightly different.

“I killed him. But why does his heart not stop beating?! Why does it not stop?!”

Glugrug looks at the portrait, then at the babbling younger man. He looks again and again between the two before he nods, finally thinking he understands.

”Did you slay your own father?” he asks with a strong tone of accusatio.

Jerick looks for a plaque or nameplate on the painting, anything useful.

Investigation 13 

He tells Aranea about the painting and points out its differences with the madman before them.

(What are those differences, if they're relevant?)

(Not really relevant, it's as DarwinCullins says.)

The man turns to Glugrug and snarls, "It is true! I killed him."

Then the becomes frightened, “Louder it becomes, louder! I cannot bear it!”

Then he turns to Jerick who has noticed a plaque with the name Fortuno Moldavia, "You! Can't you hear it? You can, can't you? The thumping of his beating heart. It torments you, doesn't it?"

Then he turns back to Aranea, "But you, you can't! You can't hear it!"

(Aranea make a Constitution saving throw.)

Jerick lies to the madman. "Yes! Is that what that rhythmic noise is? Dead Fortuna's beating heart! But I can't tell from where it comes! Can you show us and we'll end it for you. And me. For us both."

Deception 5 

Persuasion 8 

Constitution 7

Aranea glares at the young man. It is clear he is mad and raving, although the information that he killed the former Count was interesting. Still, it didn't lead them any closer to finding Elenore or even the current Count Lebrim.

Aranea is about to castigate the madman, but she catches on to what Jerick is attempting. Instead of insulting him, she says in as sweet a tone as she can muster, "Yes, tell us where the sound is coming from. We can help you."

Deception 2

"You do hear it?" the man says almost excitedly. Then his expression changes.

"I don't know!" he almost wails. "I don't know where it comes from."

As Aranea watches this strange man, she starts to hear a soft rhythmic thumping sound. It is difficult tell which direction the sound is coming from.

The man then seems a little calmer for a moment and then stares into space before singing.

“Through a circle that ever returneth in
to the self-same spot, 

And much of Madness, and more of Sin 
And Horror the soul of the plot.”

Aranea shakes her head in disgust. It's clear she won't get much more out of this madman. As she turns away, she hears the rhythmic noise. She narrows her eyes. What is this now? She joins the others at the hole in the floor, curious to see if that is the source of the noise.

Jerick follows Aranea to the bedroom floor hole. "What say you? Do we venture into the darkness? I see nothing but hear something feasting."

"You will like the worms. They are noble creatures. They will triumph in the end. They will reduce the world to red powder and white bone — and the blackness of the pit. Only then will the incessant heartbeat stop! Only then!"

“While the angels, all pallid and wan,
Uprising, unveiling, affirm

The play is the tragedy, ‘Man,’ 

And its hero, the Conqueror Worm!”

Aranea peers down into the darkness. For the moment, she decides not to tell the others about the rhythmic beating sound she can hear, lest they think she is falling prey to whatever madness has taken hold here. She strains her eyes to see if she can see anything in the darkness.

Darkvision - 60 ft

"Unless the baroness is somewhere upstairs, I fear she lies below. Hopefully she is not worm food already!"

Aranea looks down through the hole and sees some casks of wine next to a wall.

Jerick responds, "Well if that's the case, and rescuing her is our only way out of this nightmare, let's have at it."

Jerick climbs down into the hole and immediately inspects his surroundings with his 120ft darkvision.

Perception 23 

Barring any immediate danger, he starts investigating the surrounding area for clues as to the whereabouts of the Baroness. He's also interested in these casks of wine. Is there anyway he can crack one open and get a sip? He's thirsty for some liquor and has this cool dagger...

Investigation 15