Andrei scratches at his scar before replying.

"When you are ready for the hunter's bane you will be ready to control your curse. But you will need to be ready for both" he says. Again, it's something that Tilo has heard many times.

Lando stops at the sight of the skeleton stuck in the chest. 

“Well alrighty then...”

lando will check the chest for any more traps before exploring the contents. 

Reggie pokes his head around the corner into the secret room. "Is that wise? I don't see any stairs or kids. Shouldn't we be moving along?"

“I am merely passing the time while Tilo tends to his wounds.”

Lando pauses and looks up from the chest. “Did you see these books? This family is into some dark stuff. The monster those kids heard, if there really is one, is likely the result of some dark ritual performed by the parents”

The rest of the room is trap free. 

Close inspection reveals that the skeleton belongs to a human who triggered a poisoned dart trap. Three darts are stuck in the dead adventurer’s armor and ribcage. The dart-firing mechanism inside the chest no longer functions.

Clutched in the skeleton’s left hand is a letter bearing the seal of Strahd von Zarovich, which the adventurer tried to remove from the chest. Written in flowing script, the letter reads as follows:

My most pathetic servant,

I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth.

You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a stillborn son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.

Your dread lord and master,

Strahd von Zarovich

 

The chest contains three blank books with black leather covers (worth 25 gp each), three spell scrolls (bless, protection from poison, and spiritual weapon), the deed to the house, the deed to a windmill, and a signed will. 

The will is signed by Gustav and Elisabeth Durst and bequeathes the house, the windmill, and all other family property to Rosavalda and Thornboldt Durst in the event of their parents’ deaths. 

“Well, these could come in handy, and something tells me the owner isn’t going to miss them, or even notice they are gone”

Lando takes the scrolls books and deeds and places them in his bag. 

“I reckon we should get back to Tilo and see how he’s doing”

On his way out of the study, Lando will quickly check the desk for anything of interest to reveal more about this sinister family. 

The desk has several items resting atop it: an oil lamp, a jar of ink, a quill pen, a tinderbox, and a letter kit containing a red wax candle, four blank sheets of parchment, and a wooden seal bearing the Durst family’s insignia (a windmill). The desk drawer is empty except for an iron key,

Casually, while turning his head to look around the small room and the larger library, Reggie offhandedly utters a couple seconds of noises from his mouth — a short string of raspy, dissonant sounds which makes the hairs on both Artus's and Lando's necks stand up. As he glances toward Artus, he sees the minotaur looking at him with confused eyes. "What?" the humans asks genuinely.

Almost without thinking Lando grabs the key then continues on his way out. 

“Hair ball?” He asks Reggie. “There was this one old priest at the temple use to get them all the time. Serves him right for harassing the stray cats the way he did”

Reggie looks at Lando, even more confused, and then noticing the cleric shoving something in his pocket, asks, "Lando?" He looks again at Artus. "Why are you looking at me that way? And what are you talking about ... 'hairballs'?" he asks Lando.

"What was that noise. It was not very nice to my ears... Worry me you do..." Artus will look around the secret room.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Reggie looks at Lando, even more confused, and then noticing the cleric shoving something in his pocket, asks, "Lando?" He looks again at Artus. "Why are you looking at me that way? And what are you talking about ... 'hairballs'?" he asks Lando.

At Artus's and Lando's words, Reggie's face looks stricken. He quickly recovers and clears his throat. "You must have misunderstood me. I simply said I don't like this place." As Lando leaves the library, Reggie waves impatiently at Artus. "Come on!" He follows Lando distractedly.

Arus follows Lando snickering a little. "Pays to be thorough."

Gossamer drapes cover the windows of this elegantly appointed hall, which has a brass-plated chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Upholstered chairs line the walls, and stained-glass wall hangings depict beautiful men, women, and children singing and playing instruments.

A harpsichord with a bench rests in the northwest corner. Near the fireplace is a large standing harp. Alabaster figurines of well-dressed dancers adorn the mantelpiece. Close inspection of them reveals that several are carvings of well-dressed skeletons.

Artus goes over to the harpsichord and begins to play. Artus isn’t to familiar with the harpsichord but he does manage to get some decent melodies out, the rhythm could use some work though

Performance: 13

As Artus begins to play the Harpsichord you hear somewhere in the distance a low sounding moan coming from somewhere upstairs. It matches the erie tune that you are playing on the instrument. When you stop playing the moans stop as well. 

Artus plays a little bit more while listening for the moaning. He watches Reggie and Lando as he starts and stops a couple times.

"I can keep playing and you guys go figure out whats upstairs? Or we can all go upstairs... Don't really want to be left alone. This house is creepy"

Each time he plays the moaning matches the music he plays and stops when he stops.

“Let’s go check on Tilo.”