Janek pauses as he looks into the chamber and hears the sudden silence. He feels he must whisper back to Alcazar. "Seems we've reached the end of this trail. Guess we should see what's in here." He cautiously walks along the outside ledge, over to the opening to the small cave and the refuse. Before disturbing anything, he tries making a visual inspection of what might be there, fearing the worst in what seems a chamber for sacrifice.
(Investigation: 5)
It seems to just be a large pile of bones and other organics materials rotted beyond description. There are countless types of mould and writhing worms. The sight of the pile makes you retch, and you are glad that you have not had any breakfast yet. You notice there are occasional rats scurrying about, both near the pile and elsewhere in the room - these creatures always seem to find a way to wherever something edible is found - even something as unappetising as this mound of refuse.
Alcazar continue to follow cautiously; he has no desire to get any closer to the pile of refuse but it acutely conscious of the concept of safety in numbers. Diseases are probably the least of my concerns, he mumbles as they proceed, looking around for the source of the now-gone chanting.
Alcazar continue to follow cautiously; he has no desire to get any closer to the pile of refuse but it acutely conscious of the concept of safety in numbers. Diseases are probably the least of my concerns, he mumbles as they proceed, looking around for the source of the now-gone chanting.
Staying away from the refuse pile, you have a closer look at the rest of the room.
There is nothing that suggests that anything in this room could makenloud noise, let alone create chanting.
The main feature of the room is the central dais/altar. Metal chains with manacles are attached to the pillars at the ground, and then the through loops above the altar. The effects appears to be that a prisoner could be chained up and lifted up to hang above the Altar. The raised platform around the edge which you are standing on might have been for the congregation of whatever ceremonies took place.
The altar is ornately decorated, and there are carvings around the dais, but you will have to get closer if you want to examine them.
Janek quickly turns away from the wretched pile of refuse. "I suppose the altar is going to be the heart of this corrupted house. Time to look closer. It might be best if you stay back Alcazar. Might put you in position to save me should something go wrong." He then moves to the spot near the secret entrance, trying to hop over to the platform containing the altar, avoiding the water if possible.
Janek quickly turns away from the wretched pile of refuse. "I suppose the altar is going to be the heart of this corrupted house. Time to look closer. It might be best if you stay back Alcazar. Might put you in position to save me should something go wrong." He then moves to the spot near the secret entrance, trying to hop over to the platform containing the altar, avoiding the water if possible.
(Athletics if needed for jump: 7)
You try to take a running long-jump to cross the gap to the Dais without taking to the water. You accelerate, but just as you get to the edge you slip on a bit of wet moss. Having failed to jump to gain height, your momentum carries you forward at speed, and you end up falling downwards and hitting the middy water, at speed. You end up skidding to a halt just at the door of the Dias, covered in water and dirt. The water here is about a foot deep.
You step out of the water onto the steps of the Dais, and they to shake off some of the mud and water.
As you reach the top of the raised platform, the chanting begins once more as thirteen dark apparitions appear on the ledges overlooking the room. Each one resembles a black-robed figure holding a torch, but the torch's fire is black and seems to draw light into it. Where you'd expect to see faces are voids.
@Alcazar: you are on the ledge and close enough to examine them in more detail. They are entirely non-corporeal, and appear to be oblivious to your presence, with their void heads firmly facing the altar. You tentatively prod one with a foot, but encounter nothing. These seems to be less than spectres - just the memory or absence of something.
Nonetheless, the apparitions chant again, their words reverberation through the room and dungeon. But this time the words have changed:" One must die!" they chant, over and over. "One must die! One must die!"
Janek looks back at the robed apparitions. "Now what?" he asks Alcazar. "I don't suppose one of the apparitions can be the one to die?" After another pause, he asks, "Does the secret door still open to get out?" Already wet and muddy himself, he moves into the water to the north end of the room to check out the wheel that looks like a mechanism for a gate. (Trying to deduce what it does - Investigation: 14 -or if there's little information, he'll try to turn it.)
Janek looks back at the robed apparitions. "Now what?" he asks Alcazar. "I don't suppose one of the apparitions can be the one to die?" After another pause, he asks, "Does the secret door still open to get out?" Already wet and muddy himself, he moves into the water to the north end of the room to check out the wheel that looks like a mechanism for a gate. (Trying to deduce what it does - Investigation: 14 -or if there's little information, he'll try to turn it.)
Looking around you, it becomes clear to you that the whole purpose of this room, perhaps of the whole house, is to being victims to this very altar to die. Perhaps in some way the building itself remember and tries to carry on the human sacrifices the Durst's and their cultists used to perform.
Clearly having no interest in being the sacrifice yourself, you begin to move to the portcullis. The mechanism beside it goes into the wall and looks like it may move the gate. You give it a tentative turn, and indeed the portcullis begins to raise. You continue to turn until it is fully open.
However, as you open the gate, you are once again struck by sudden silence - the chanting has stopped once more and all the apparitions are facing you. They cry out together "The sacrifice is denied!"
As you watch, they turn to face the opposite wall, containing the cave with the refuse heap.
They call out to th heap of decaying organic material: "Lorghoth the Decayer, we awaken thee!", repeating this three time. You don't need a sixth sense to deduce that something horrible is about to happen, and you watch with dread.
A few seconds after the last chant, the entire mound of refuse begins to move, beginning to move forward by the sheer act of rubbish migrating from the back of the pile to the front of the pile. It moves towards Janek, but is noticeably slower than the average humanoid or monster. (It moves at 20ft per round)
As the shambling mound of refuse and rub ish begins to move towards you, the chant changes again: "The end comes! Death, be praised!" - which is repeated over and over
"The beast comes at last," Janek deflates as the refuse comes to life. "Let's see if we can rid this place of this curse," he adds as he draws his two longswords.
He's ready to stand his ground and meet the creature. Though he's not totally without caution. "Be ready to flee if we must, Alcazar!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(Botting Alcazar)
Alcazar casts Magic Missile at the thing, hoping to slow it down. Damage: 2, 4, 3
The missiles strike, but the huge living heap of refuse and garbage barely seems to notice. The pieces of rubbish that were struck by the magic bolts fall down with the recoil of the force, but just seem to become part of the pile once more. It continues to move towards you at its slow but steady speed.
(Roll insight or nature or arcana please, whichever you prefer)
A small group of adventurers, consisting of Celeste Lightbringer, Nicholas Achard, Rodan and Thulewyn Thunderwood, was on a journey to the city of Neverwinter to seek employment, when they were engulfed by a strange unnatural fog. Whichever direction they turned, the fog seemed to confuse them and turn them around so that they ended up entirely lost until they arrived at a gate to the land of "Barovia". Having little choice, they followed the only path available to them to a nearby village, to find most of the village covered in the same fog. The doors and windows of the houses are firmly shut. You knock on some doors, but even where you are certain that houses are inhabited, the villagers seem intend on hiding and not answering. There is a single house on the outskirts of the village that seems to be standing alone in the eye-of-the-storm so to speak, not covered by the fog. Knocking on a few more doors on the way, you get lucky and at one house, get a response.
A male voice, filled with fear, shouts through the firmly closed door. "Go away! The House has already claimed a group of you outsiders. Most never come out again anyway, so what does it matter! Just go away, and leave us alone!" With that, he seems to retreat even further into his house and you get no further reply,.
It is clear to you that the man was talking about the single tall house not covered by the fog. You approach the house and take a closer look. It looks uninhabited and empty - but somewhat strange. Some window shutters start flapping back and forth, but you see no signs of life.
(THE MOMENT WHEN THE CHARACTERS INSIDE LEFT THE ALTAR WITHOUT A SACRIFICE, AWAKENING "Lorghoth the Decayer")
As you watch, a sudden change seems to come over the house. The entire thing, suddenly seems to come alive with sound and movement. All the fireplaces appear to spontaneously ignite and spew forth thick smoke to many of the rooms inside. The window shutters and doors appear to grow fangs, thorns and claws - which would make it difficult for anyone to get in ... or for anyone inside to escape. Over the crackle of the now-burning fireplaces, you hear a faint sound of chanting and in the deathly silence of the village are able to distinguish the words "One Must Die!"
From what the voice behind the door said, and the sudden change in the house, you conclude that whoever went in the there earlier, the House seems to be intent on trying to turn them into some form of living sacrifice.
Standing before the corrupted manor, Rodan looks at it for a long while, before turning toward his companions. "This is all a bit bleedin' peculiar, innit? That gaff, mate... it's got a proper dodgy vibe, it does. It reminds me of the tale of the Laughing Tower, it does. Three young pals stumbled upon a right tall wizard's tower deep in some dark, twisty wood. Takin' the mickey outta each other, they decided to have a butcher's inside, but ended up gettin' split, didn't they? The tower's defenses, see, they were the tower itself. It was all enchanted-like, twistin' and changin', with rooms lockin' off and stairs goin' nowhere, it was. Them kids, they would've been in the brown stuff, they reckon, if not for their proper determination and their tight-knit mateship. They shouted to one another all night long, givin' each other a leg up when their bottle started to wobble. And in the end, they cracked the bleeding Tower's maze and scarpered."
Then he scunches his elven face a bit, with a look that might be fatalism. "So, reckon we fancy a bit of a smash and grab, do we? If that's the plan, it might need a bit more than a drop of gumption on our own part. But c'mon, we've all copped worse, ain't we?"
[Rodan will spend bonus actions to extend bardic inspiration (1d6) to Celeste Lightbringer and Thulewyn Thunderwood.
For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.
Furthermore, these are Combat Inspiration dice.
A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from you can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll, or, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses. ]
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The blonde elven maiden inhales sharply and takes a few graceful steps back from the nightmarish house as it starts transforming in front of her pale blue eyes, her slender hand instinctively going to her exquisitely crafted elven longbow. She had the company of the other three for a short time as they literary bumped into each other in the unnatural mist that had caught her on her pilgrimage from Silverymoon. She had always trusted the Lord of All Songs, Milil, to guide her steps, but after leaving the mysterious fog she now found herself in a veritable realm of dread. May the light of her god shine on her still. During her short time with the others she had not offered much about herself but responded politely and properly as one would expect from someone schooled in the finest courts of the realms. Her exquisite thin white gown had seemed out of place on the road but she was still armed with her elven longbow and a pair of short elven curved blades tucked into her thin belt, and she also carried a lightly packed backpack. Most notable though is the radiant tiara adorning her forehead, giving her appearance an almost unearthly brilliance.
Still watching the sinister building before her she listens to the elf's unsettling story, then somehow feeling emboldened by his words. "I will go inside with you brave one, but my reason for doing so would be to make sure no one is trapped in there, in that thing." She says, trying to sound brave herself, her voice quite melodious and beautiful. She then looks over from the elf to th dwarf and the human. "Will you join us gentlemen?"
"Well that's bloody annoying," Nicholas mumbles as the house seemingly comes to life on its own, its exterior entrances transforming into monstrosities of some kind. It was relieving to be out of the dense fog that seemed to cover almost everything in this land...But a part of him would take it over whatever evil held this house in its grasp.
He listens to one of his new companion's tales, still unused to the way they talk. "I can't say I've ever fought a house before...But yes, I've definitely been chased by evil more frightening than this.",
With a nod, he draws the whip at his hip, simultaneously grasping a silver amulet worn around his neck as he whispers a prayer for light. Releasing the amulet, the whip begins to emit a soft blue light. He claps Thulewyn on the shoulder next with a grin, "eyes up friend, it seems we'll be slaying some monsters after all."(Vigilant Blessing to Thulewyn).
To the others, he says. "Yep, we're coming with you."
Vigilant BlessingTCoE, pg. 35
As an action, you give one creature you touch (including possibly yourself) advantage on the next initiative roll the creature makes. This benefit ends immediately after the roll or if you use this feature again.
Looking around at the chamber and the beast, you realise the the truth of what is happening. The Cult run by the Dursts was unsuccessful in ever achieving anything of real significance, such as summoning a fiend from the lower planes.
But enough human sacrifices and general malevolence eventually led to the creation of this strange, living, monstrous pile of filth and rubbish. The strange apparitions are the remnants, or the trapped souls, of the cult.
So while the cult and all its members died long ago, the house itself seems to continue to draw in potential victims for sacrifice, to carry on the work.
It seems to you that you could resolve the situation if you can satisfy the hunger of the cult and the House by creating a sacrifice - ideally something other than yourselves. Or you could try to remove yourselves from here and to deny the Houses its sacrifice.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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It seems to just be a large pile of bones and other organics materials rotted beyond description. There are countless types of mould and writhing worms. The sight of the pile makes you retch, and you are glad that you have not had any breakfast yet. You notice there are occasional rats scurrying about, both near the pile and elsewhere in the room - these creatures always seem to find a way to wherever something edible is found - even something as unappetising as this mound of refuse.
Alcazar continue to follow cautiously; he has no desire to get any closer to the pile of refuse but it acutely conscious of the concept of safety in numbers. Diseases are probably the least of my concerns, he mumbles as they proceed, looking around for the source of the now-gone chanting.
Staying away from the refuse pile, you have a closer look at the rest of the room.
There is nothing that suggests that anything in this room could makenloud noise, let alone create chanting.
The main feature of the room is the central dais/altar. Metal chains with manacles are attached to the pillars at the ground, and then the through loops above the altar. The effects appears to be that a prisoner could be chained up and lifted up to hang above the Altar. The raised platform around the edge which you are standing on might have been for the congregation of whatever ceremonies took place.
The altar is ornately decorated, and there are carvings around the dais, but you will have to get closer if you want to examine them.
Janek quickly turns away from the wretched pile of refuse. "I suppose the altar is going to be the heart of this corrupted house. Time to look closer. It might be best if you stay back Alcazar. Might put you in position to save me should something go wrong." He then moves to the spot near the secret entrance, trying to hop over to the platform containing the altar, avoiding the water if possible.
(Athletics if needed for jump: 7)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
You try to take a running long-jump to cross the gap to the Dais without taking to the water. You accelerate, but just as you get to the edge you slip on a bit of wet moss. Having failed to jump to gain height, your momentum carries you forward at speed, and you end up falling downwards and hitting the middy water, at speed. You end up skidding to a halt just at the door of the Dias, covered in water and dirt. The water here is about a foot deep.
You step out of the water onto the steps of the Dais, and they to shake off some of the mud and water.
As you reach the top of the raised platform, the chanting begins once more as thirteen dark apparitions appear on the ledges overlooking the room. Each one resembles a black-robed figure holding a torch, but the torch's fire is black and seems to draw light into it. Where you'd expect to see faces are voids.
@Alcazar: you are on the ledge and close enough to examine them in more detail. They are entirely non-corporeal, and appear to be oblivious to your presence, with their void heads firmly facing the altar. You tentatively prod one with a foot, but encounter nothing. These seems to be less than spectres - just the memory or absence of something.
Nonetheless, the apparitions chant again, their words reverberation through the room and dungeon. But this time the words have changed:" One must die!" they chant, over and over. "One must die! One must die!"
Janek looks back at the robed apparitions. "Now what?" he asks Alcazar. "I don't suppose one of the apparitions can be the one to die?" After another pause, he asks, "Does the secret door still open to get out?" Already wet and muddy himself, he moves into the water to the north end of the room to check out the wheel that looks like a mechanism for a gate. (Trying to deduce what it does - Investigation: 14 -or if there's little information, he'll try to turn it.)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Looking around you, it becomes clear to you that the whole purpose of this room, perhaps of the whole house, is to being victims to this very altar to die. Perhaps in some way the building itself remember and tries to carry on the human sacrifices the Durst's and their cultists used to perform.
Clearly having no interest in being the sacrifice yourself, you begin to move to the portcullis. The mechanism beside it goes into the wall and looks like it may move the gate. You give it a tentative turn, and indeed the portcullis begins to raise. You continue to turn until it is fully open.
However, as you open the gate, you are once again struck by sudden silence - the chanting has stopped once more and all the apparitions are facing you. They cry out together "The sacrifice is denied!"
As you watch, they turn to face the opposite wall, containing the cave with the refuse heap.
They call out to th heap of decaying organic material: "Lorghoth the Decayer, we awaken thee!", repeating this three time. You don't need a sixth sense to deduce that something horrible is about to happen, and you watch with dread.
A few seconds after the last chant, the entire mound of refuse begins to move, beginning to move forward by the sheer act of rubbish migrating from the back of the pile to the front of the pile. It moves towards Janek, but is noticeably slower than the average humanoid or monster. (It moves at 20ft per round)
As the shambling mound of refuse and rub ish begins to move towards you, the chant changes again: "The end comes! Death, be praised!" - which is repeated over and over
"The beast comes at last," Janek deflates as the refuse comes to life. "Let's see if we can rid this place of this curse," he adds as he draws his two longswords.
He's ready to stand his ground and meet the creature. Though he's not totally without caution. "Be ready to flee if we must, Alcazar!"
(Janek Initiative, if needed: 13)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
(Yes, please roll Initiative. It might be slow, but moves towards you like a glacier)
(Checking in... guess we're still waiting for another initiative roll.)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
We are, yes. Unless you want me to just roll for Alcazar?
(Think at this point we should try to move along without Alcazar for a bit!)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Living refuse pile: 17
Alcazar 7
(Botting Alcazar)
Alcazar casts Magic Missile at the thing, hoping to slow it down. Damage: 2, 4, 3
The missiles strike, but the huge living heap of refuse and garbage barely seems to notice. The pieces of rubbish that were struck by the magic bolts fall down with the recoil of the force, but just seem to become part of the pile once more. It continues to move towards you at its slow but steady speed.
(Roll insight or nature or arcana please, whichever you prefer)
(OUTSIDE THE HOUSE, A LITTLE EARLIER)
A small group of adventurers, consisting of Celeste Lightbringer, Nicholas Achard, Rodan and Thulewyn Thunderwood, was on a journey to the city of Neverwinter to seek employment, when they were engulfed by a strange unnatural fog. Whichever direction they turned, the fog seemed to confuse them and turn them around so that they ended up entirely lost until they arrived at a gate to the land of "Barovia". Having little choice, they followed the only path available to them to a nearby village, to find most of the village covered in the same fog. The doors and windows of the houses are firmly shut. You knock on some doors, but even where you are certain that houses are inhabited, the villagers seem intend on hiding and not answering. There is a single house on the outskirts of the village that seems to be standing alone in the eye-of-the-storm so to speak, not covered by the fog. Knocking on a few more doors on the way, you get lucky and at one house, get a response.
A male voice, filled with fear, shouts through the firmly closed door. "Go away! The House has already claimed a group of you outsiders. Most never come out again anyway, so what does it matter! Just go away, and leave us alone!" With that, he seems to retreat even further into his house and you get no further reply,.
It is clear to you that the man was talking about the single tall house not covered by the fog. You approach the house and take a closer look. It looks uninhabited and empty - but somewhat strange. Some window shutters start flapping back and forth, but you see no signs of life.
(THE MOMENT WHEN THE CHARACTERS INSIDE LEFT THE ALTAR WITHOUT A SACRIFICE, AWAKENING "Lorghoth the Decayer")
As you watch, a sudden change seems to come over the house. The entire thing, suddenly seems to come alive with sound and movement. All the fireplaces appear to spontaneously ignite and spew forth thick smoke to many of the rooms inside. The window shutters and doors appear to grow fangs, thorns and claws - which would make it difficult for anyone to get in ... or for anyone inside to escape. Over the crackle of the now-burning fireplaces, you hear a faint sound of chanting and in the deathly silence of the village are able to distinguish the words "One Must Die!"
From what the voice behind the door said, and the sudden change in the house, you conclude that whoever went in the there earlier, the House seems to be intent on trying to turn them into some form of living sacrifice.
[Outside]
Standing before the corrupted manor, Rodan looks at it for a long while, before turning toward his companions. "This is all a bit bleedin' peculiar, innit? That gaff, mate... it's got a proper dodgy vibe, it does. It reminds me of the tale of the Laughing Tower, it does. Three young pals stumbled upon a right tall wizard's tower deep in some dark, twisty wood. Takin' the mickey outta each other, they decided to have a butcher's inside, but ended up gettin' split, didn't they? The tower's defenses, see, they were the tower itself. It was all enchanted-like, twistin' and changin', with rooms lockin' off and stairs goin' nowhere, it was. Them kids, they would've been in the brown stuff, they reckon, if not for their proper determination and their tight-knit mateship. They shouted to one another all night long, givin' each other a leg up when their bottle started to wobble. And in the end, they cracked the bleeding Tower's maze and scarpered."
Then he scunches his elven face a bit, with a look that might be fatalism. "So, reckon we fancy a bit of a smash and grab, do we? If that's the plan, it might need a bit more than a drop of gumption on our own part. But c'mon, we've all copped worse, ain't we?"
[Rodan will spend bonus actions to extend bardic inspiration (1d6) to Celeste Lightbringer and Thulewyn Thunderwood.
Furthermore, these are Combat Inspiration dice.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
[Still outside]
The blonde elven maiden inhales sharply and takes a few graceful steps back from the nightmarish house as it starts transforming in front of her pale blue eyes, her slender hand instinctively going to her exquisitely crafted elven longbow. She had the company of the other three for a short time as they literary bumped into each other in the unnatural mist that had caught her on her pilgrimage from Silverymoon. She had always trusted the Lord of All Songs, Milil, to guide her steps, but after leaving the mysterious fog she now found herself in a veritable realm of dread. May the light of her god shine on her still. During her short time with the others she had not offered much about herself but responded politely and properly as one would expect from someone schooled in the finest courts of the realms. Her exquisite thin white gown had seemed out of place on the road but she was still armed with her elven longbow and a pair of short elven curved blades tucked into her thin belt, and she also carried a lightly packed backpack. Most notable though is the radiant tiara adorning her forehead, giving her appearance an almost unearthly brilliance.

Still watching the sinister building before her she listens to the elf's unsettling story, then somehow feeling emboldened by his words. "I will go inside with you brave one, but my reason for doing so would be to make sure no one is trapped in there, in that thing." She says, trying to sound brave herself, her voice quite melodious and beautiful. She then looks over from the elf to th dwarf and the human. "Will you join us gentlemen?"
(Janek Insight Check: 24)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"Well that's bloody annoying," Nicholas mumbles as the house seemingly comes to life on its own, its exterior entrances transforming into monstrosities of some kind. It was relieving to be out of the dense fog that seemed to cover almost everything in this land...But a part of him would take it over whatever evil held this house in its grasp.
He listens to one of his new companion's tales, still unused to the way they talk. "I can't say I've ever fought a house before...But yes, I've definitely been chased by evil more frightening than this.",
With a nod, he draws the whip at his hip, simultaneously grasping a silver amulet worn around his neck as he whispers a prayer for light. Releasing the amulet, the whip begins to emit a soft blue light. He claps Thulewyn on the shoulder next with a grin, "eyes up friend, it seems we'll be slaying some monsters after all." (Vigilant Blessing to Thulewyn).
To the others, he says. "Yep, we're coming with you."
As an action, you give one creature you touch (including possibly yourself) advantage on the next initiative roll the creature makes. This benefit ends immediately after the roll or if you use this feature again.
Looking around at the chamber and the beast, you realise the the truth of what is happening. The Cult run by the Dursts was unsuccessful in ever achieving anything of real significance, such as summoning a fiend from the lower planes.
But enough human sacrifices and general malevolence eventually led to the creation of this strange, living, monstrous pile of filth and rubbish. The strange apparitions are the remnants, or the trapped souls, of the cult.
So while the cult and all its members died long ago, the house itself seems to continue to draw in potential victims for sacrifice, to carry on the work.
It seems to you that you could resolve the situation if you can satisfy the hunger of the cult and the House by creating a sacrifice - ideally something other than yourselves. Or you could try to remove yourselves from here and to deny the Houses its sacrifice.