Caine seems a bit confused and glances at the tunnels, before beginning his climb up the rope. But just as he gets within range of Jaesali, his eyes cloud over. The monk suddenly lets go of the rope and plummets to the bottom of the pit again. 

However, it barely affects him. Caine clutches his head and screams, "The rats! Get them out of my head!" 

He begins pulling out tufts of his own hair. Caine begins punching and kicking fiercely at the empty air around him. As he does so, the veins of his skin begin to turn dark. Jaesali notices that the dusty tome from the skeleton begins to glow. 

Outside, Helena, Tam, and Nolla hear the horrible piercing screams of Caine. What do they do? 

"What the hell! Caine? Are you ok?" He looks almost as if he is debating wether to go after him or not.

Nolla looks to the building, not sure if she wants to know what is causing him to scream like that. She glances to the others nearby. "Suppose we need to go and check that out..." She says, gulping a bit as she nervously pushes raven-black hair behind an ear.

Tam looks worriedly over to Nolla but shakes his head and starts moving away from the building.

"I'm not going in there..."

"The book!" Jaesali jumps down, knocking the book away with her javelin. She gives a quick look around as she grabs Caine's hands. "Caine! It's from the book! Did you see anything in it?!"

Helena looks up at the screaming and rushes in to see a hole in which Jaesali is standing over Caine while he screams in agony about rats. She’s a bit stunned at the sudden turn of events, but pulls herself together. She pulls out her bow above and prepares to fire at absolutely anything that tries to go near them, especially rats considering Caine’s words.

Nolla moves in with Helena, standing at the top of the hole. "We need to move people." She hisses down to those below.

The rest of the party rushes to the second floor of Brugel's Brooks, and all bear witness to Caine's transformation into insanity. However, only Jaesali dares to plunge into the pit in an attempt to rescue her afflicted comrade. 

(@Jaesali, take 6 damage. Dex Save 20 for half.) 

When Jaesali reaches the bottom, Caine bears no sign of noticing her. He begins clawing at his face, as if to dislodge some insidious pestilence in his skin. Blood begins running down his cheeks as his screams intensify. 

Down one of the tunnels, Jaesali hears a click, such as a lever makes when being pulled. The walls around her turn alive with the sound of grinding gears, and she can see the trapdoor overhead begin to fold in and close. Darkness takes hold as the light is slowly cut away. Yet, the rope is still there for Jaesali to climb. (Athletics with advantage) 

Above, the rest of the party sees the closing trapdoor and Jaesali's predicament. What do they do? 

Helena fires an arrow at where she can hear gears in an effort to break or slow the trapdoor.

Arrow Attack: 23 Damage: 5

Helena's arrow impacts the crumbling stone wall. There's a screech as some gears are stopped, and the trapdoor's closing begins to slow. 

With more time to climb the rope, Jaesali has advantage on her Athletics check.  

DEX save: 2

Jaesali shakes Caine as she hears the sounds of metal moving. She looks up in alarm to see the trapdoor closing. Realizing there is nothing to be done for Caine, she goes to the rope in time to see Helena's arrow. She tosses her javelin up and begins to climb.

13

“Hurry up! This thing isn’t waiting around for you!” If allowed, Helena will try to pull the rope up with hopefully people’s help to get Jaesali up quicker.

Tam stays outside casting ever more anxious looks to the building then the surrounding darkness.

"Maybe all of this was a mistake."

Jaesali just manages to clear the trapdoor as it shuts underneath her. Caine's howls are barely muffled, and instead grow louder and louder. Until they suddenly stop. It's a quiet for a moment, but everyone can hear the sound of a something being dragged across a stone floor. 

Caine is gone. 

(@Everyone, gain 4 Stress.) 

Inside the bookstore, the rats, which infested the premises, have disappeared. 

"Let us get out of here." Nolla says, her voice a bit shaky as she nibbles on her lower lip in a nervous manner. She heads for the door and moves away from the building. Glancing to Helena, "Can you find those tracks so we can at least be moving in a helpful direction, otherwise I don't care whichw ay we go, as long as it is away from here..."

Tam looks at everyone as they come out and notes the missing Caine. He swallows but doesn't ask as he follows Helena out.

((Full stress to Tam even though he didn't go in?))

Jaesali grabs her javelin, using it to push her up. She hands the end of the rope to Cedar, taking a slow breath as she stares at the trapdoor. Then she follows Helena out of the room and down the stairs. 

"Can we make it? Or are we forced into the large building?"

Helena takes a breath and gives a prayer to Caine’s passing before nodding at Nolla.

”Yes I can follow the tracks, and I don’t care if it’s dangerous, we’re getting as far from this place as possible. It is not right.”

 She’ll lead the way following the covered tracks out of town.

Tam follows Helena.

With Cain's demise weighing heavily on their consciences, the party flees town, following the tracks. Circling around the decrepit manor, they can't but feel notice a few rats scurrying behind them, the vermin observing their exit. Only until the party finally leaves the manor grounds do they subside. 

The tracks lead to the edge of the forest, but Helena is able to find a small path through the woods, hidden by branches and brairs. Helena feels a small sense of pride- it takes skill to follow tracks which are so well-concealed, and locate such an obscure path through the forest. 

(@Helena. Since you rolled a natural 20 on your Survival Check in a previous post, you are relieved of 1 Stress.) 

The sun is falling fast. Within half an hour, it will be dusk. In the dim light, Perception checks will be made at disadvantage unless you have darkvision. 

The tracks also lead down the path. The way forward is clear, all that is required is the strength to follow it. 

(@Everyone. Please tell me your marching order and what you are doing as you move. Also, I'm assuming you are eating your rations for the day as you travel, right? Someone, please deduct a slot of rations.)