The nethermost caverns... are not for the fathoming of eyes to see; for their marvels are strange and terrific. Cursed the ground where dead thoughts live new and oddly bodied, and evil the mind that is held by no head. Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes. For it is of old rumour that the soul of the devil-bought hastes not from his charnel clay, but fats and instructs the very worm that gnaws; till out of corruption horrid life springs, and the dull scavengers of earth wax crafty to vex it and swell monstrous to plague it. Great holes secretly are digged where earth’s pores ought to suffice, and things have learnt to walk that ought to crawl.
—H. P. Lovecraft, excerpt from the
Necronomicon in “The Festival”
As the party approached they could see several carriages pull up and deliver nattily dressed party goers. They headed up the steps and into the mansion. Ciprian directed the group to a copse of trees about a half mile from the mansion house. There the group talked about plans for approaching the manor. They needed to get two people out of the house, possibly one in a dungeon, assuming there was one.
Agna sent Barnabas on a scouting mission. Armania was concerned there would be guards patrolling the grounds. When Barnabas returned he indicated that there was no one outside, in front or rear. The hedge maze was completely overgrown and spreading. There were lights shining out of several windows, although they were dimmer on the second and third floors.
Given that the invisible Ciprian reverted to gaseous form and flew to inspect the windows. On the first floor he saw a servants chamber, a statuary hall with "people" traversing the hall, a ballroom with musicians and party goers, he determined that five of the eight were human. What the others were was open to question. Next he found a dining hall with four humans and four vampires eating and drinking among fine tables and sideboards piled with food and drink. A door seemed to lead into the dining hall also. Then he found another door and seeped under it where there was a kitchen with two servants. One octagonal area was dark.
The second floor had windows looking in on hallways surrounding an inner core. The two octagonal areas held a bath area with double tubs while the other was sumptuously furnished with sofas, a wardrobe, a sunken pit stuffed with pillows and an iron cage hanging from the ceiling just above floor level. The cage was large enough to hold a human.
A five-foot ledge surrounded the top floor of the mansion. The ledge lay three feet below the windowpanes and had four stone gargoyle statues that overlooked the ordinal points of the house. Ciprian became corporeal to cast detect magic on the gargoyles but he found no magic thereon. The first window had a curtain covering it but the sash was not gaseous limiting. In the chamber was a mass of dresses and ball gowns blocking the entire west wall. Another window looked in on a study, while the last two had bed chambers, one more luxurious than the other.
Armania was intrigued with finding a fancy party gown and she eventually talked Erevel and Agna to join her in looking for a new outfit. After Ciprian cast message, the party headed to the northwest corner of the mansion and Ciprian entered as a gas to assure that there was no one in the room. As he found nothing but a door, the rest of the party entered and searched the gowns and shoes for a better look attending the party. As the party changed or stuffed outfits into packs, Ciprian peeked out the door and found a guard, dressed in armor, a cape, with sword and shield. Determined to not start a fight yet, he retreated to the room and suggested they leave in gaseous form and enter the front door. Before that Ciprian entered the kitchen and looked for trap or secret doors. One door in the kitchen led to the dining area, which had a door which led to a grand chamber. Another door in the kitchen was impassible, even in gaseous form. A door in the entrance hall that led in the same direction was also impassible.
"Do you have an invitation?"
Ursina stepped forward and presented the invite, "Here is our inivitation."
"Ah, I see this invite is for Delmaria, you must be the lady's guests!"
"Yes, yes we are," Ursina responded.
"In any event you must directly petition Lord Avaric to remain."
"Where would we find him?" Ciprian asked.
"He is in the main chamber ahead. Tonight he is a tall bearded man in tails with a rapier at his side. May we take your cloaks and coats?" the servants ask indicating the alcoves where pegs held fine cloaks and coats.
"We are fine as we are," Armania answered.
"Certainly, but you would be more comfortable in proper attire," a servant said eyeing Erevel and her great sword.
The servants indicated the group could enter the main hall. "Please seek out the master."
A red carpet ran down the center of the room, toward a set of grand staircases that led upstairs. Gleaming brass candelabras were positioned in corners to provide a festive light, along with a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. The dark hardwoods of the floors and doors had been recently polished, and the smell of scented oils lingered lightly in the air.
Five creatures inhabited the room, Ciprian noted that two were human and two were vampires. The fifth was a tall, dark-haired man with a neatly trimmed beard who appeared hale and robust for a vampire. He was dressed in elegant clothing, with a rapier on one side and a mask hooked on his belt on the other. In his hand was a goblet of what appeared to be red wine.
"I see that you are strangers, but I heard that you are guest's of Lady Delmaria?"
"Why yes we are. We are searching for a Count Lowls. Have you heard of this man?" Ciprian asked also adding a description.
"Count Lowes, you say? Never heard of such a Count, but then again why would I have. What has that to do with Delmaria?"
"Nothing directly, we are merely here to see the Lady. Do you know where she is?"
"I acknowledge that she is also a guest, but I have no idea where she is. You are certainly free to stroll about the manor and seek her out. I suggest they start with the ballroom."
"Why certainly we will look around and enjoy your fabulous mansion." Ciprian responded.
"Can I interest you in a glass of wine?"
Ursina began to respond in the affirmative but Ciprian's glare provoked her to stay silent. "We will pass on the wine at this time."
"I understand but take your time and enjoy the music and food and drink."
The group headed to the ballroom, minus Agna who stayed back floating around the white ceiling. The ballroom was past the statuary hall beyond double doors. The large octagonal room had a domed ceiling that was twenty feet high at the center. Four marble pillars provided structural support and the floor was polished marble. Red silk ribbons were twined around the columns and tied in large bows to provide a festive appearance. Along the south wall, a wooden bandstand had been erected with a small set of steps.
Three musicians played a placid tune as the others talked or danced. Ciprian recalled that he had seen humans in the room but he had no idea what the other three creatures were. No one in the room resembled the painting of Delmaria. After circling the chamber and enjoying the music and architecture the group headed to the Dining Room.
Three dark cherry dining tables ran parallel to each other along the center of this long room. Against the north wall and the northeast corner, wine and other refreshments were displayed; the area also served as a place for servants to exchange dishes. A crystal chandelier hung in the center of the hall provided illumination. A door with a glass window opens to the east and provided a view of a sloping garden and hedge maze beyond. Two other wooden doors exited to the west and north.
Agna flowed up the stairs to a sitting room on the second level. There she reverted to corporeal form and strode back down the stairs to wait for the rest of the party. In the dining hall the humans and vampires engaged the group in conversation. Where were they from? How did they know the Lord? Were they excited for the presentation of Delmaria?
"Do you know where Delmaria is now?" Armania inquired.
"Well, not really but she is to be presented at 9. We are looking forward to greeting her." a vampire said enthusiastically.
It was clear that the humans were not as interested in this event and they could be seen nervously peering around the room. Gavril, Erevel and Ursina were bored talking with this group and headed back to the Main Hall. Ursina headed to the door that led north where Ciprian could not pass. She found the door locked but Gavril noted that this had attracked Lord Avaric's attention. This group then headed up the stairs and were joined by Ciprian. Agna and Armania stayed behind still talking with the other guests.
"Who might you be?" the man asked.
"I am Ciprian. We are looking for Delmaria. Her father has send us to talk with her."
"Oh, I see. But we do not know where she is."
"And who might you be?"
"I am Ultor. Ovanda we have some guests here"
Shortly around the corner to the west entered a beautiful young woman, also dressed in a sumptuously fashion ball gown. She and the man looked scarily alike.
"This is my twin Ovanda," Ultor said in introduction.
"We were assured that Delmaria would show herself at nine. We wait with bated breath." Ovanda added.
Gavril felt aroused and excited and almost agreed to leave with her, but just as he was ready his mind snapped back to the clearly illicit nature of the encounter and he refused. Ciprian took the moment to identify the pair as Sayona, an undead but he also saw hints of Anti-paladin. He then whispered to Armania and Agna to join them on the second floor.
"Ciprian, I see you are a musician," Ultor said as he moved close to the bard. "I would love for you to stroke my instrument. Follow me and we can enjoy each other greatly."
Ciprian started to follow Ultor as he walked to the west. Erevel, Gavril and Ursina moved out to follow as did Ovanda. Ultor led past a staircase leading upward and stopped at a door which probably led to one of the octagonal rooms. Armania, who had cast Greater Invisibility and Agna joined the group as Ursina also cast Greater Invisibility.
Ultor produced a key and opened the door into a lovely chamber. Carpets lined the floor of the octagonal room, including a tenfoot-square and three-foot-deep center area filled with silk and satin-covered pillows. Four well-stuffed sofas sat against the corner walls and face the center of the room. To the east and west were two black iron cages, each large enough to house a human being and suspended a few feet off the floor by a heavy chain. Against the north wall was a wooden wardrobe.
Ciprian stopped just before entering the chamber while Ultor held the door open. Ursina detected an evil aura around the two creatures. Gavril stayed back with Ovanda as the group discussed entering the room with Ultor. After a short period Ovanda headed into the room and lay down in the sunken area on pillows and began to undo her dress. Ciprian entered the chamber and stared at the site before him as Ultor moved in also.
DM's Notes: The party earned 3,200 XP for the night.
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