Eldon successfully ascends to the second level without making any noise. The doors to the rooms are shut, but they don't appear to be locked.

Upon reaching the second floor, Eldon gets the feeling that the scent of undeath may still be above him. At this point, his eyes for the grave disperses.  Unlit oil lamps are mounted on the walls of this elegant hall. Hanging above the mantelpiece is a wood-framed portrait of the Durst family: Gustav and Elisabeth Durst with their two smiling children, Rose and Thorn (Eldon would recognize these two children from the street pre-entry of the house). Cradled in the father’s arms is a swaddled baby, which the mother regards with a hint of scorn. Standing suits of armor flank wooden doors in the east and west walls. Each suit of armor clutches a spear and has a visored helm shaped like a wolf’s head. The doors are carved with dancing youths, and if anyone were to inspect it further, they would notice the youths aren’t really dancing but fighting off swarms of bats. The red marble staircase that started on the first floor continues its upward spiral. A cold draft can be felt coming down the steps.

Eldon will just wait for the rest of his party at the top of the stairs - he just looks at the picture taking in the family trying to pick up on any other clues about them. He hones in on the mothers look towards the baby and all he can think to himself is why a woman has that look at her own child.

[OOC]: Long stretch but insight check into the body language of the mother and father, specifically with why the mothers attitude maybe like that towards the child.

insight check: 16

Eldon inspects the facial expression and body language of Elisabeth Durst, and the way she stares at the baby. Eldon may detect that Rose and Thorn carry a resemblance to their Mother, while the baby does not.

Unable to tell if the doors to the downstairs rooms were open or closed, but seeing Eldon rush up the stairs, Kestrell follows.

Cinna is very unnerved at this house and follows the others upstairs  

Xavice takes a few deep breaths before following the rest of the party up the stairwell.

Image of the Second Floor

The entire party advances up the stairwell in pursuit of Eldon. The party would essentially notice the same things. The four suits of armor, and the family portrait that has the two children they recognize from the street. The stairwell continues to spiral upward into a third level, but they're some rooms here on the second floor as well.

 Kestrell opens the first door on their right as they reach the second floor, and steps in.

"It looks like a bedroom in here, guys.  Two beds, one has been slept in.  I'll check out the closet."

Kestrell performs a Perception check to see if there is anything dangerous in this room: 9

Kestrell walks into the Servant's Room, an undecorated bedroom and the room contains a pair of beds with straw-stuffed mattresses. At the foot of each bed is a footlocker. Tidy servants’ uniforms hang from hooks in the adjoining closet. Kestrell would notice that a dumbwaiter is installed in the west wall, a shaft that goes from the kitchen through this bedroom. A dumbwaiter is a 2-foot-wide stone shaft containing a wooden elevator box attached to a simple rope-and-pulley mechanism that must be operated manually.

Eldon will just hold his finger to his lips as he walks towards the second door and walks into what he assumes is a study or library. He begins to search for anything that may assist in providing insight into the house and what happened.

[OOC:] Investigation Check: 3

Upon entry to the library, Eldon sees red velvet drapes covering the windows of this room. An exquisite mahogany desk and a matching high-back chair face the entrance and the fireplace, above which hangs a framed picture of a windmill perched atop a rocky crag. Situated in corners of the room are two overstuffed chairs. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the south wall. A rolling wooden ladder allows one to more easily reach the high shelves.

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 bookshelves hold hundreds of tomes covering a range of topics including history, warfare, and alchemy. There are also several shelves containing first-edition collected works of poetry and fiction.

Quote from Ryno628 >>

Kestrell walks into the Servant's Room, an undecorated bedroom and the room contains a pair of beds with straw-stuffed mattresses. At the foot of each bed is a footlocker. Tidy servants’ uniforms hang from hooks in the adjoining closet. Kestrell would notice that a dumbwaiter is installed in the west wall, a shaft that goes from the kitchen through this bedroom. A dumbwaiter is a 2-foot-wide stone shaft containing a wooden elevator box attached to a simple rope-and-pulley mechanism that must be operated manually.

 Kestrell looks down and up the dumbwaiter shaft and attempts to open each of the footlockers.  Not to take anything but to look for clues.

"The kids didn't say anything about servants.  Whose are these?"  He wonders out loud.

Eldon walks over to the desk and begins to look through the drawers, hoping to find more information or something in there.

Kestrell sees that both the footlockers are both empty, riddled with cobwebs and dust. The dumbwaiter still appears operational, but it's only capable of holding a certain amount of weight.

[OOC] And how about that room at the end, behind the beds.  Is that a door in there that I can go through and check out?

 As Eldon searches through the desk drawers, he discovers only a iron key.

OOC: @Kestrell, that room is inaccessible from the Servant's Room, and you wouldn't see any hints of a room there.

Kestrell returns to the stair landing and opens the door to the piano room.  Seeing the Piano he says:

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"  And goes to play a few notes.

Eldon takes the key, placing it in his pocket. There was no doubt in his mind this may be useful. He just shuts the drawer and begins to walk out to rejoin his party.

Kestrell enters the conservatory. 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.

OOC: Make a Performance check for playing the harpsichord.

"Ah, tis a harp!  I haven't touched one of these in years."

OOC: Performance: 15