Hoodini returns to perch on Alys' shoulder. "Nothing to report. A little incense, but that's considered normal."

"Very well then. Let's head in the chapel." You all head into the chapel and you find that the incense is the only thing that could be considered normal. Inside, you find that the holy artworks that normally adorned this chapel have been destroyed and replaced with crude drawings of cities being overtaken by nature, with buildings being covered in overgrowth and humanoids being torn apart. At where the altar is, there is a destroyed symbol of Mielekki on the floor, replaced by the same symbol that you all saw in the library, a skull with vines going through it. There's a book on the altar as well. "Well, I guess that sells it. He's gone crazy."

Kashger, even if half of her being is a child of nature, is horrified by what she sees, staring at the drawings. 

“When I said nature will reclaim what it once had...” Yvan breathes, looking over the crudely drawn drawings. “This isn’t what I meant...” He keeps his guard up in case something or someone tries sneaking up on them. 

Perception: 17

Rinn moves forward and looks at the book to see if it holds any clues. "I'd agree Vastra," he says as he moves. "I don't believe we're dealing with someone rational at all. We should keep our guard up."

Investigation: 15

Alys will walk all the way up the altar to inspect the book. Why would this be the only thing left untouched?

Yvan: The chapel is clear of any threats to the party.

Alys and Rinn: You open the book and as you peer through it, you can't tell what he's saying. At first you chalk it up to being the sloppy writing of a mad Druid, but then you realize that it's not in any language you recognize.

Rinn shrugs, looking to Alys. "Gibberish or the rantings of a mad man, but perhaps we take it with us to see if someone can decipher it later."

Stella looks around in silence, quietly absorbing the scene. "I'll be glad to get out of here," she murmurs softly. "What do you think happened to Theleus? For that matter, where is he?"

Obsidian sinks his claws into her shoulder pad, seeming to agree with her sentiment.

“Hmm.” Alys will reach up to adjust her glasses, and as she does she’ll cast Comprehend Languages on herself to read the contents. She’d run her fingers along the page and Hoodini will lean in to look too, but more out of habit to be nosey than actually being able to understand what she’s reading. Alys would pick up the book to carry with her to read on the way if the party is eager to move on.

Rinn chuckles, "Or we could do that."

Stella: "Well, none of those zombies look like him, so I'd imagine that he's still alive."

Alys: You cast Comprehend Languages, allowing Kasha to remain in her tiger form instead of switching out. When take another look at the writing, the magic influences your mind, allowing you to recognize the Druidic shapes, as if you had known them your whole life. You recognize this book as being a journal of sorts for Theleus. It's still incredibly difficult to read, as going insane has taken quite a toll on his penmanship and he tends to go on nonsensical tangents at points. But from the readable and relevant parts of the journal, you can gather that one day while walking in the woods and meditating he came into contact with some supernatural being that he only refers to as 'the Master'. He writes that this being is ancient and how it will one day return to set this world right. As you read on, he mentions how he will do his part by making this manor into something that would be pleasing to the Master. The last thing that you're able to make out is that he thinks that the manor's staff are much improved in their new forms. 

Despite all Baranabus saw and heard, his expression only went from jovial to neutral with an underlying tension. A flicker of hope grows in his eyes if Alys should reveal her findings of a 'Master'. But regardless of what is learned there (or lackthereof), the half-Orc mutely steps outside of the chapel, intending to wait until the others finished their business inside. When the others see 'him' again, he's taken on the appearance, nearly the size, and finally the clothing of the Bugbear from trip. He would say nothing however, preferring to point towards manor's foundation.

Alys would pet Tigsha as she reads through it all the first time. On her second pass through, she'd speak out loud to the others, "What I'm able to conclude from these journal entries is that there was a day he was out in the woods meditating. He says he came into contact with a supernatural being. He only refers to this being as "the Master'." She'd point to a specific line in the journal, "'One day this ancient being will return to set this world right.'" Her finger would follow along to the next two points, "'I will do my part by making this manor into something that would be pleasing to 'the Master'.' and 'I believe the manor's staff are much improved in their new forms.'"

"Well that is terrifying. This Master of Theleus' sounds like bad news since if that's what his idea of making the world right is. And if Theleus approves of his coworkers being murdered and zombified, he's more than just a simple madman. Save that book, Alys, we'll need it to let Maxwell know what Theleus became, and why we had to take him out."

"Agreed. I'll keep it close." Alys would nod to Vastra, tucking the journal safely in her pack. "If there's nothing else, it looks as though we cleared the left wing. Shall we back track and move on to the right?"

Tigersha chuffed softly as Alys pet her, resisting the urge to nuzzle her as to not disturb her reading. Her hand and fingers felt good upon her fur. She sat quietly as Alys read from the book, and when she was done, looked at her with the eyes of Kasha, but also with an inquisitively concerned look. This didn't bode well. Her tail had a mind of its own as it playfully flopped to and fro.

"Yes, before we think about explaining to Maxwell why we had to take Theleus out, we should probably actually do the deed," Stella agrees. "Shall we?"

You all exit the chapel and return to the main hall, choosing to head towards the right. Like with the other side, this hallway ends in a door. You open it and enter into another long hallway with multiple doors on either side. There is no sign of Theleus or any other being, alive or dead in the hall. You open each door to find a wrecked bedchamber. "This must have been where the servants slept when they were alive. Theleus isn't here, so I surmise that he must be upstairs. Is everyone ready to go face him now?"

Stella nods. "Let's go."