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Mendenton: Part 5 - New Clues (IRC)



Dungeon Master: We left off having visited Ullena of Arden. We had returned to the Inn of the Feathered Serpent. Last time at the house we had found a secret passage and a room of skeletons which we ended up fleeing from. It also seems that there is quite a bit more to what has been happening at the house than we first suspected. For instance, we discovered a hidden room with numerous beds. So let's start in our rooms at the Inn of the Feathered Serpent.

Balan "How many days do we need to rest?"

Alex sits down on his bed, his back still aching from that damned dagger.

Gerom "Got any of that healing available, Alex?"

Alex "Yes, I suppose so... Who's the most badly wounded?"

Balan "That traitor. We'll string her up good when we catch her."

Gerom "That's right. She murdered Quinn."

Alex "When I put my hands on that bitch Mirenn..."

Balan sighs. "Too bad about Quinn..."

Foline "Yes.. he was so nice. Just when he was about to tell me his stories."

Gerom "Speaking of which... we should arrange for ... ceremonies..."

Balan "We left him at Ullena's."

Gerom "And.. the dead have no use for their things, either."

Alex is quite angry.

Balan "Alex, you got hit pretty hard... how long with your talents will you need to heal?"

Alex "It depends... might be minutes... Might be more..." He tries to stretch his hand and reach the wound in his back, then tries to heal himself. His wounds slowly close.

Dungeon Master: There is a knock at your door.

Foline turns to look.

Gerom answers the door.

Dungeon Master: The innkeep stands there outside your door.

Innkeep "Sirs? May I interrupt?"

Balan nods and watches Alex heal himself.

Foline "Something serious?"

Alex turns to the innkeeper "Any.... problem, Sir?"

Innkeep "You have a visitor, sirs. The priest, Sabaten, of Lathidus, has come to visit you."

Alex "I see..."

Innkeep "He has come to offer his condolences and his services."

Gerom "Well, then, send him in."

Innkeep "All right then. I shall." He departs.

Foline is curious.

Alex doesn't trust the newcomer. In fact, after that Mirenn affair, he doesn't trust anybody at all except for his close friends... "I've.... completed my regeneration. Is any of you in the need of healing?" He smiles.

Gerom "Lathidus is the god of goodness, light, and of law."

Foline "Really?"

Gerom "Aye, lass."

Foline "What does it mean exactly Gerom? What ceremonies does he perform?"

Dungeon Master: A few moments later the innkeep returns. With him is a hard faced man with a short monkish haircut level about his ears and balding on top. His brown monk's habit is plain but you can see he is strong like that of one who has grown up doing farm work. He gazes steadily at you with brown hazel eyes. Seemingly out of place, at his side, he carries a large wooden cudgel and flail, tucked together.

Alex stands up. "Welcome to our humble room."

Sabaten "You must forgive me for interupting what must be a time of sorrow."

Balan is checking him out.

Gerom "Yeah... Quinn's death was pretty unexpected and all."

Alex activates Truth Ear. He doesn't trust any strangers anymore.

Sabaten "I am Sabaten of Lathidus and when I heard of your grief and efforts against evil in the Cursed House I came to see who you are."

Foline "It wasn't such a pleasant place"

Balan "Yeah. Nearly lost all of our lives up there at that place."

Gerom "We are adventurers."

Sabaten looks you over with a steady and unwavering gaze.

Gerom "We were betrayed in that place.. and Quinn, no all of us have payed a price."

Balan growls, "Mirenn....."

Alex "We have been betraid by an elven maid known only as Mirenn. She poisoned Quinn and almost backstabbed me to death..."

Foline "Alex almost got killed", looking at Alex, smiling a bit, happy again to see him alive.

Gerom "She murdered the mage, and stabbed alex, here in the back." He is looking over the priest for the proper holy symbol, just to be cautious.

Dungeon Master: You can easily see his holy symbol stiched into the sleaves of his habit.

Sabaten "If you will have me, I have come to offer my services as a healer and as a companion in your crusade against the evil that fills that house."

Foline "Is it that simple for you?"

Sabaten "Yes, lady, it is that simple."

Alex notes the priest's truthfullness "You do speak the truth. You are welcome.... among us. After so much loss..."

Gerom "There are undead in that place, but there are also people. Bad people."

Sabaten "I have no fear of the undead." Sabaten looks about you, pausing at those of you who are wounded. "I can assist you with those wounds."

Foline looking curious at the priest. Wondering if he will be the one to replace Quinn.

Alex "Undead are magical creations. Nothing more.... nothing less... Your flail will be useful against these skeletons..."

Gerom "I think that the 'haunted' atmosphere of the place is mostly to keep people from finding the real evil that dwells there. Why else would Mirenn have attacked us so?"

Sabaten nods. "Will any of you accept my prayers for health?"

Foline "I will."

Gerom "I will."

Alex "I could help in the healing process, if you will need it..."

Balan is fine.

Alex "The wounds of my flesh are already sealed, unlike the wounds of my soul"

Foline takes Alex's hand.

Alex holds Foline's hand tightly but gently, enjoying her warmth

Foline whispers to Alex "You will be fine", smiles.

Alex leans on Foline's shoulder "I will, I will... in time, we all will be fine..." There is a tear in his eye.

Gerom kneels to accept healing.

Sabaten approaches Gerom and lays his hands over him. "Let this warrior of good be healed," he murmers. You all observe many of Geroms terrible wounds instantly close up. Sabaten then turns to Foline and approaches her. "You wish divine healing?"

Balan "Wow."

Gerom murmurs a prayer of thanks to Lathidus.

Foline "A little may be, yes." She smiles, still holding Alex's hand.

Sabaten speaks a prayer to Lathidus over Foline and her wounds close.

Alex "Thank you, Cleric... Though I do not share your beliefs, I thank you for helping my dear Foline."

Sabaten "When will you be ready to travel again to that dark house?"

Foline looks a bit astonished and thinks, wow.

Gerom "Let us return to the house of evil and banish the darkness."

Sabaten "I will be ready when you are. With my god to guide my hand and prayers we cannot fail."

Gerom "Damn straight. That's the kind of talk I like to hear."

Foline thinks, 'All this gods lately...'

Alex "I suggest that we rest one night, and then move to our destination by dawn."

Balan "Well, I'm ready - the more time we give them, whoever they are, well, it can't be good."

Gerom "We should crush them while they are unaware."

Balan "Oh, they are aware, they have to be. We released those undead, remember? That can't go unnoticed."

Gerom "Yeah... but they will be expecting us to run away like beardless children."

Balan "Like we did...."

Sabaten "But no more, we will crush them still."

Gerom is starting to like this Sabaten fellow already.

Alex "All right. We will move."

Sabaten "Good. I have prepared with prayers and can leave straight away." A faint smile crosses his face.

Gerom "We were shaken by the treachery of Mirren. She'll get hers."

Alex "And sooner or later I will catch that traitor Mirenn. I will make sure that she will pay for her treachery.... In eternal agony. Foline, could you just buy a new armor for me? that suit of padded armour is almost torn apart and soaked with blood."

Foline looks at Alex's armor. "Of course! How much you need Alex?"

Alex "I need 5 goldpices, Foline"

Foline spares 5 gold pieces to Alex.

Alex "Good... so we should move to the market, and from there to old house."

Balan stands up and stretches his legs out. "Let's go!"

Gerom straps on his pack.

Alex straps his pack, takes the money that Foline have offered him, and readies his short sword and light crossbow. Then he opens the door and stepps into the corridor.

Balan heads out and to an armorer.

Gerom heads out.

Alex comes with Balan.... his padded armour needs to be replaced.

Dungeon Master: You travel out from the Inn of the Feathered Serpent and to the market square where you find an armorers.

Alex enters the shop.

Gerom makes conversation with Sabaten while he is waiting and is telling him about how thoroughly he crushed the giant spider a few days ago.

Sabaten Sabaten listens approvingly to Gerom.

Foline "Alex, I'm going to sit net to a tree until you finish. Remember to find me before you go to the house", smiles.

Alex "See you later, Foline" he smiles back.

Foline goes and finds the closet tree, then adjust a fine sitting postion.

Dungeon Master: The armorer is a hearty man with bulging muscles and a swarthy look.

Armorer "Welcome to Billiey's Armors. What can I do for you fine sirs!"

Alex "I am in need of a fine suit of leather armour, sir."

Billiey "Leather armor! Well, lad I have the fixings for one. Stay awhile and I'll size you up and finish putting it's straps on!"

Alex "How much is it? I am quite low on cash..."

Billiey "Shouldn't take more than an hour of your time. Six gold ones, lad."

Alex "All right." He shouts out, "FOLINE!"

Foline moves hand on the nature near her, closes her eyes for a while, when she hears Alex. She opens her eyes, looking to see where Alex is. "Yes?"

Billiey Billiey sizes up Alex and begins to set some tar to boil for fixing straps to the already made leather plates.

Alex "Foline, I'm terribly sorry for disturbing you." He smiles "Can you please lend me one more gold piece? I do need it for my armor..."

Foline "It's ok Alex." She gives him another gold piece. "Here, take." Holding Alex's hand, giving him the coin and she keeps the touch between them for another few seconds....

Alex enjoys Foline's soft, warm touch.

Foline "Go now." She takes her seat back, watching Alex going, then she closes her eyes.

Balan To armorer, "Got any crossbow bolts?"

Billiey "Aye lad. That I do. Silvers for the lights, goldens for the heavies."

Balan "I'll take a quarrel of your light ones." He hands Billiey a silver.

Alex hands billiey the 6 golden coins

Dungeon Master: Billiey hands Balan a quarrel of light bolts, takes Alex's gold, and continues to work on the armor.

Gerom finishes his story about the spiders, and starts talking about centipedes.

Dungeon Master: After an hour has passed, Billiey finishes the suit and hands it to Alex.

Alex wears the suit and smiles, "Thank you sir."

Billiey "You're welcome! Come again when you need repairs!"

Alex leaves the shop and goes to find Foline. "Foline? Foline? Wake up.... we need to go."

Foline opens her eyes. "Hey...", looking at Alex for a few seconds, then stands up. She is smiling.

Alex smiles at foline and joins her on the way to the haunted house.

Balan "Alex, are you ready to go?"

Alex "Yes, I am"

Balan "Time to slay those skeletons and find Mirenn." He departs.

Gerom "Yeah. Let's go."

Sabaten "It is time to crush that which dwells in that house of evil."

Foline goes with Alex and the rest.

Balan "Let's go then." He heads out towards the city gates and to the house.

Sabaten follows alongside Gerom.

Gerom belches. "You hear that, evil? Take that!"

Dungeon Master: You make your way from the Towne of Mendenton and head up the muddy hillside to the House of Dodokilno. As it is approaching evening now you see strange lights of a ghostly green up near the sillhouette of the house. The lights seem to be floating in the air, off the cliffside to the left of the house, over the high plunge into the sea. The lights dance about. Moving quickly at times then gracefully. Sometimes they move far over the harbor from the house and then return to it. Fading and then reappearing at times.

Balan "See that! Look!"

Gerom belches again. "What?"

Foline looks at the anomaly.

Alex looks at the glow and raises an eyebrow.

Balan "There are lights in the house."

Alex "Some kind of magic, I'd bet." He readies his light crossbow... and his mind.

Balan "Think so?"

Alex "Possibly. Let's go in there... no point in waiting."

Foline "Never saw this kind of thing. Why you think it's magic Alex? I don't seem to like that much."

Alex approaches the front door. "I've heard much of magic, Foline."

Sabaten "We have nothing to fear."

Gerom "Ggrrrmmmphf. Stupid magic crap."

Foline stares at Gerom for a moment.

Gerom "We going in, or what?"

Alex "Magic isn't very special, unlike my Talent or the devine healing powers."

Dungeon Master: You make your way up the muddy escarpment and to the house where you can see it more clearly. As you approach within 200 feet you see a lightning like flash of light dance randomly from window to window within the house.

Foline blinks.

Gerom "Hrmmph.... that's odd."

Balan "Uh...."

Gerom "Hrrrrmmph. Damn underwear's riding up again......"

Alex "Somthing is... wrong... in here..."

Gerom "Damn right something's wrong."

Sabaten stands firm and observes the house.

Alex tries to concentrate harder and continues towards the house.

Gerom adjusts his armor.

Foline "It IS looking like magic."

Balan "Is it?"

Foline "What else could that be?"

Balan "Demons... devils... willo-the-wisps come to steal us away..."

Dungeon Master: The house suddenly falls dark and it seems much darker than before, darker than it should be with the light of day still moving through evening.

Foline tilts her face.

Alex approaches the front door nevertheless, his light crossbow firm in his hand and his mind firmly preparing for psionic combat.

Gerom "Hey. We got a job to do here."

Sabaten "Nonsense. It senses our approaching doom. Our rightious might."

Foline feeling dissagreement with the priest.

Sabaten approaches with Alex.

Gerom "Let's show'em we're not beardless scraplings!"

Alex "Come on Foline... we must find vengance for Quinn's cold-blooded murder!"

Gerom follows close behind, still adjusting his armor.

Balan "Skeletons...."

Dungeon Master: You arrive at the front door of the house. All is quiet within.

Alex "We should head for the cellar."

Balan nods slowly. "Why don't you go first... Gerom?"

Gerom "Damn right."

Foline is ready with her staff

Foline "I will go with Gerom. There is dark!"

Dungeon Master: The door to the house will not open. It seems to be barricaded or locked.

Gerom bashes it in with his axe.

Dungeon Master: With splintering wood, Gerom smashes the front door of the house. Beyond you see a collection of old furniture pushed up against the door, making it impassible.

Balan "Hmm. Who did that? Mirenn perhaps?"

Gerom continuous bashing through furniture.

Alex "We must try to bash the barricade together."

Balan "There is that back door too, by the kitchen."

Alex tries to help Gerom push though.

Dungeon Master: Your progress is loud and the rotten furniture is being decimated by Gerom's axe blows.

Foline helps out. "We should clear more wide passage !"

Dungeon Master: With a final effort the last of the furniture is bashed aside and a narrow way is clear through the rubble.

Alex follows Gerom into the opening, and lights a torch.

Foline "There could be ambush or something."

Gerom "Let 'em come."

Dungeon Master: Your torchlight flickers off the familiar interior of the house's entrance.

Gerom cautiously heads for the cellar stairs.

Foline goes aside Gerom.

Dungeon Master: No one appears to challenge your entrance of the house.

Alex follows Foline closely.

Balan follows along.

Sabaten stays near the front of the party.

Dungeon Master: You make your way to the kitchen, and then down into the cellar. Nothing has changed down here. The secret passage at the end remains closed.

Foline still near Gerom, looking to the sides and front. Recalling the place where she almost lost Alex.

Alex "All right.... open it up.... I'll cover you."

Balan goes to open it.

Alex aims his crossbow at the closed door.

Gerom "I'll go first.... skeletons you know."

Balan pulls the loose brick to open it.

Foline is ready at the passage opening.

Dungeon Master: The stone wall slides almost silently aside.

Gerom cautiously pushes into the passage.

Dungeon Master: Beyond it is dark, but your torchlight briefly reveals that disaster has struck within. From what you can see by your limited light, the beds are in disarray and chests are overturned.

Alex whispers to the rest "If you find Mirenn.... try to catch that traitor alive. We need to know who sent her."

Foline "What....."

Dungeon Master: With a clattering you watch as from the dark the animated bones of skeletal figures rise to challenge your entrance.

Balan "Aie!"

Dungeon Master: The skeletons charge towards you.

Sabaten "Stand fast!"

Gerom "Yeah that's right, payback!"

Foline "Look out!"

Alex tries to fire his light crossbow at the creature.

Foline is ready in the front, to bush the skeletons with the staff.

Balan stays back.

Alex follows foline, drops his crossbow and readies his short swrord

Skeleton#1 claws at Gerom's face but misses.

Skeleton#2 also claws at Gerom and spins itself around with a terrible attack.

Skeleton#3 attacks Foline with a broad swipe and lashes her across the face leaving a nasty cut.

Skeleton#4 attacks Foline as well and misses her by just a hair!

Foline "OUCH!"

Skeleton#5 rushes to attack Alex and misses him.

Sabaten brings forth his holy symbol and begins speaking out a holy prayer against the skeletons.

Gerom stands so that he may only be attacked from the front and lays his axe into the nearest one and a skeleton is crushed beneath his axe.

Foline strikes the skeletons but misses.

Alex , angered by Foline's pain, tries to slash at the undead abomination with his short sword but cannot hit.

Sabaten "Begone, and perish before the light of the righteous, ye creatures of evil!" The remaining skeletons turn from Sabaten and flee to the corners of the room in terror!

Gerom "Feel the wrath of my mighty blade!!!!"

Alex "Foline, do you need help?"

Sabaten "See how they cower before our might!"

Foline readies to hit the skeletons.

Alex will try to avoid the skeletons and search the room for anything of value.

Dungeon Master: The skeletons cower and try to defend themselves against Gerom and Foline.

Gerom "Yeah. see how they crumble to dust when they meet my axe?"

Balan starts searching through the rubble and checks out the room the skeletons came from.

Alex tries to avoid the skeletons and searches the room for anything of value.

Foline smashes a skeleton with her staff but it still stands.

Gerom swings twice with his axe, though both attacks miss.

Dungeon Master: The skeletons, seeing that they will be destroyed, renew their attack.

Skeleton#2 attacks Gerom and hits him for glancing damage.

Skeleton#3 attacks Gerom but only hits his armor.

Skeleton#4 attacks Foline but misses widely.

Skeleton#5 attacks Foline and scores a terrible hit across her face and neck.

Foline " OUCH !!! ALEX!"

Alex "I'm comming, Foline!!!"

Gerom attacks with his axe but cannot hit his foe.

Foline attacks the skeleton back and caves in Skeleton#3's chest with her staff. It perishes.

Alex places his hands on Foline's back and tries to heal her wounds while she fights these..... things.

Skeleton#2 attacks Gerom but misses.

Skeleton#3 attacks Gerom and strikes him for on his shoulder.

Skeleton#4 attacks Foline but misses.

Alex continues to heal Foline's wounds

Sabaten approaches to slay the skeletons.

Skeleton#2 attacks Gerom but misses.

Skeleton#3 attacks Gerom and it misses him.

Gerom swings twice and with a mighty effort he slays both of his opponants into shards!

Skeleton#4 attacks Foline but misses her.

Foline hits the skeleton with her staff and it falls apart, dead.

Dungeon Master: All of the skeletons have been destroyed.

Alex smiles at his friends' victory and continues to heal Foline one more round.

Sabaten speaks a prayer for eternal rest over the bones.

Foline turns around. "Thank you Alex". Holds his hands, as he heals her.

Gerom checks out the scratch he got from the skeleton.

Gerom "Augh. 'tis only a flesh wound."

Sabaten watches Alex, "How is it that you can heal her wounds? What faith do you profess?"

Alex "I hold faith in Baeast as well as Arden, however they do not grant me the power to heal. I do so in focusing my mind... In honing my soul." He continues to heal Foline for one more round and then stops it, with Foline suffering no more pain.

Sabaten "Hmm. Indeed." He speaks a prayer, "Holy Lathidus, grant me pure discernment so I might see good and evil."

Foline holds Alex's hands together with him. Watching her wounds disapprearing.

Gerom (to Sabaten, whispering) "Delusions of granduer, I tell you..."

Sabaten looks carefully at Alex. "I know not what pact you have made, but I warn you to abandon it lest what forces of evil grant such powers take hold of your good soul."

Alex "I am.... a Mentalist, as some call it. A Human depandant on his own mind, spirit and soul."

Foline looking at Alex in the eyes. "Thank you Alex". She smiles.

Alex "I have made no pact with no evil forces... I was just born capable of reading minds and doing several other.... tricks."

Sabaten "This Mentalist cult is pale before the glory of the true god, Lathidus. Do not let the lies of your fellow Mentalists provoke you to evil and away from Lathidus' righteous path."

Foline frowns a bit at Sabaten.

Alex "There is not just one path. There are many. Arden, Baeast, Lathidus and my own way are all right... look around you and behold the harmony of creation... so many different ideas, so many seperate minds... Like leaves floating on the sea of thoughts..."

Sabaten's brow furrows in concern. "It is said that those who have embraced the Lord of the Wild do fornicate with the beasts of the wild and commit other impure deeds. Know you of these acts? They are revolting in the eyes of the light."

Alex "Don't let your prejudies fool you. Baeast does not sanction such acts, niether does Arden."

Foline looks at the priest. Feels a bit angry about someone going against Alex.

Alex "And niether does my own.... path."

Sabaten "All men must choose their own path freely, to walk in the Light or in darkness, I merely warn you of the dangers of the dark and do not condemn your spirit, for it is good. But I would be dissapointed to see one who is good, fall into disgrace."

Foline "Alex is good !", looking at Alex.

Alex "I will not fall into disgarace, for there are many ways except for your light. Many types of light, and many types of darkness."

Sabaten "Enough." He dismisses the conversation, "There is still evil here which must be cleansed. We can speak more of this later when time permits."

Foline whispers to Alex : "Don't let him make you unstable Alex !"

Gerom is checking out the room the skeletons were in originally.

Balan "There's nothing in the room that we loosed the skeletons from."

Gerom "What of this other door?"

Balan "It's locked and I can't open it."

Gerom "Locked, eh?" Gerom hefts his axe. He shrugs, and lays into the door with his axe.

Alex picks up his light crossbow from the floor and aims it at the door

Balan "What now then?"

Alex "We should break through it"

Sabaten directs his frowns elsewhere in the room.

Gerom keeps hacking. "Pretty sturdy ass door we got here."

Dungeon Master: The door is enforced with steel bands on its backside. Hacking through it will take time.

Alex tries to help Gerom with his short sword.

Balan starts searching for secret doors. Around that wierd stairway.

Foline looking from the side, also glancing at the room.

Foline tries to find traces of others footprints.

Gerom keeps hacking.

Balan "There is a lever here behind this stairway."

Sabaten "Indeed?" He goes to investigate.

Balan pulls it.

Dungeon Master: With a grinding, quite loud, you watch as the ceiling where the stairs ascend into lowers down. Looking up the stairway you can see into one of the rooms of the house.

Balan goes up the stairs.

Dungeon Master: A loud voice booms from the room at the top of the stairs. "Fools.... DOOM will now hunt you for disturbing my rest!!!"

Balan runs down the stairs and to where Gerom is "AIEEEE!!!!!"

Gerom "Yeah Right! Come get some if you're so tough!!!!"

Sabaten "What is this?!"

Dungeon Master: A cold wind blows down the stairway and into the cellar.

Sabaten heads for the stairway.

Balan "You heard it.... it's the screaming room. The thing in the screaming room!"

Alex readies his light and his light crossbow.

Sabaten walks up the stairs and takes out his flail.

Gerom continues hacking at the door.

Alex follows Sabaten.

Gerom "Stupid magic crap."

Foline follows Alex quickly.

Sabaten reaches the top of the stairs, "Come forth to your doom, evil!"

Alex stands to the priest's right, his light crossbow ready in his hand.

Sabaten "There is nothing here. Tis a ruse. I see no evil."

Alex "It is magic, Sabaten."

Balan stays at the other end of the room.

Gerom keeps hacking at the door.

Balan "Did you hear that Gerom? Didn't you hear it?"

Gerom "Yeah... it's just some crappy magic to fool us away." He finishes hacking through the braced door and now it's contents have been revealed.

Balan "Well, its working."

Gerom looks into the newly revealed room.

Dungeon Master: This small room is clearly the quarters of a person senior to those who live in the 'barracks' main room, since the furnishing is less crude and the place is clean and tidy, as if cared for by a servant. There is a comfortable-looking bed in the northwest corner with a wooden locker at its foot. A small wooden table stands against the east wall, and beside it iS a padded leather chair. On the table is a brass 9-branch candlestick and in it burn 3 candles, giving the room good illumination. The candles, though not fresh, are far from spent. Under the table is a small wooden box and a bullseye lantern with a moveable shutter over the lens; the lantern is unlit. On a shelf above the table are stacked three books. In the "northeast" corner is a wooden cupboard with the door closed.

Balan enters after Gerom has.

Gerom sits down in the leather chair and spins around. "Whooooooooooooo!"

Foline "heheheheh !!!!!"

Balan grins.

Gerom then takes a look at the cupboard.

Dungeon Master: The cupboard is not locked it's contents are neatly folded clothes. The cloths are fitted for someone of medium build, human sized. They are mens clothing, and of very good quality. Soft.

Gerom "Ooooh. Soft."

Balan is thinking of trying some on. His own clothes are pretty dirty.

Alex returns to the breached room downstairs "Found anything of interest, guys?"

Foline followed Alex.

Balan picks up a book.

Gerom holds up the clothes. "Oooooooh... sooooft."

Balan "Ho ho ho! Cool!"

Balan "Check this out." He shows Gerom a book with pictures of humans in erotic positions.

Gerom "Hey.. that's coooool...."

Balan "I can't read it, but who cares! I'm keeping this one."

Gerom checks the other two books, gleefully.

Foline looking at Balan and Gerom.... doesn't understand their hustle.

Balan shows Foline the erotic book.

Foline taking the book and throws it. "It's not a nice book at all !"

Balan retrieves the book.

Alex examines the box under the table

Alex opens the box "I've found some oil... some flint and iron... and a strange paper in here." He examines the parchment more carefully. Mysterious parchment scrap

Balan looks at the other books.

Gerom looks at the other two books, since Alex has taken over the search of the footlocker.

Alex "And a water-proof coat in here."

Foline "Anything out of interest Alex? Balan got a disgusting book there".

Alex gets up and glances at Balan's book, then raises an eyebrow. "Disgusting? Just... cheap entertainment. I have found better things in there... like some oil and a water-resistant coat."

Foline "Show me Alex"

Alex points at the box.

Gerom "So someone probably signals out to the water with the lantern, then."

Alex "Signals..."

Foline "Signals?"

Alex ponders a bit, becomming more worried with every passing second. "A spy most probably... or some smuggler. We must tell someone we do trust..."

Gerom "Sure... raincoat, lantern... smugglers. Makes a lot of sense."

Foline whispers something to Alex in Nelaoni.

Gerom "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villiany. Plus, there's not enough porn to go around."

Alex "Smugglers, pirates, spies.... anyone of interest in signaling the sea. And someone with money for all these expensive clothes."

Gerom "Hmmmnnn... Some sort of code? for the lantern?"

Alex "I had the same thought..."

Gerom belches.

Alex "There are apparantly two kinds of signals. X's and -'s."

Balan examines the paper.

Gerom "Like Tic Tac Toe.... wait... maybe not. Tic Tac Toe has O's."

Alex "You should examine the lantern... Find out what signals could it produce"

Gerom "Maybe it's more like Shale, Granite, Obsidian...no, that has Obsidian."

Alex "I'm not good with mechanical devices."

Gerom "How about we just torch this mansion. That'll send a big enough signal."

Balan "Are you some fire addict, Gerom?"

Gerom "I LIKE fire. Almost, well, not quite as much as I like rocks."

Alex thinks.... a typical dwarf.

Foline doesn't find much interest at the paper.

Alex "We should first figure out what this place is."

Sabaten "What is in the books, Gerom?"

Gerom "Hmmn.. there's some funny looking markings in this book here."

Alex looks into Gerom's book.

Gerom "I reckon this one here looks like a dead cat." (pointing at the word 'row')

Alex "A dead.... cat?"

Gerom "And this one here is sorta like a stick man. Books sure are funny."

Balan grins. "Can you read, Gerom?"

Gerom "Of course I can read! I read the moves of my opponents in their eyes... Course, skelletons don't have eyes.... But I read 'em anyway."

Balan "Ha."

Alex examines the book quite carefully.

Balan grins erratically.

Gerom looks around for the priest.

Alex "I've found some kind of nautical book... everything a sea faring man needs to know..."

Gerom "Everything?"

Alex "I think so.... tides etc... a least for this area."

Balan "Tides huh. Why would someone want that?"