Kalmus checked over the room for traps then moved over to check the paper...

There is nothing of value in the escritoire, nor does there appear to be anything else of note beyond the scorched writings that sit cold in the hearth. No traps, that you can find.

The paper is parchment, common stock, thick and heavy grade. It is  scorched, burnt along the edges, but the thickness seems to have prevented it from being fully burnt. You note hasty scribblings on the top layers. They seem to made with a fine quill - the paper has small tears, as if the writer was pressing too hard in his haste to finish the composition. Why he threw his composition into the fire is a mystery.

The top sheet reads as thus:

Lord Krevar is mad. For a third time he has stormed into my room raving about enemies outside his doors. Better he should look within his doors at the transparent fiend he calls friend. Amazing how closely the two words compare! HA! I shudder, recalling the sight of bones and vessels pumping clear liquid through its body. We have yet to find where Lady Quarfors has gotten to. I will leave come the morning, find her or not...at least, if I still live.

Regis, Lord Quarfors

The remainder of the writings are burnt crisps that disintegrate at your touch. Suddenly, you hear the faint sound of footsteps from down the hall.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:21, Thu 14 Nov 2019.

ooc: uh-oh

Moving quickly and quietly towards the door, Kalmus looked towards the sound to see if it was a threat. After reading the note or journal entry, he was a bit rattled. He stuffed the note into his pouch for later reference, maybe there were more documents that would illuminate who Lord Quarfors was.

"Boss, sumptin's comin," Agrax said from her post outside the door. "A shuffling humanish type thing, cloaked and bent over like a broke stick. Talkin' to itself, cussin' an' fussin'. Whatschoo want me to do?"

"Stand by, I have an idea." Kalmus moved forward and neared the figure. He said, "Lady Quarfors?"

The figure peered out from beneath the cowl of his cloak and said, "Lady? You must be blind. I'm no lady." The voice was cultured.

Sure enough he lifted the cowl to reveal a man's face, though terribly disfigured. It was apparent that he was old now, and seemed to have sufffered some cruel scars, perhaps fireborn, or acid. One lid, the right, seemed sealed shut, the skin over it sunken into the socket as if the eye itself was no longer there. He had to turn his head to see all three of the party with his good eye (Pious exited the room with Kalmus).

"Who are you," he asked.

Kalmus regarded the walking ruin before him and thought Well, 50/50, guessing this is the Lord of the place. Answering the man or whatever it was, he said, "I"m a wanderer, I did not know anyone lived here. Forgive the intrusion, who, praytell, are you?"

"I am called Reggie," the man said, an element of disgust in his voice. "I am the the manservant of the keep, such as it is. Who, pray, are you, and what right do you have to be here?"

The man appears a bit mad.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:14, Fri 15 Nov 2019.

"What? You do not know me? Kalmus the ah, Baron of Greyhelm! Where is  your master?

"Baron of Greyhelm?" the man shouts. "Where the hell is Greyhelm? There is no Greyhelm in the registry! Who are you!"

The man is obviously overwrought.

Make an idea roll, per the new house rules.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:32, Sat 16 Nov 2019.

Pious stands uncertain, unsure what to do in the face of this raving man. Agrax grips her halberd tightly, ready to defend Kalmus if the man grows more belligerent.

Both missed their idea rolls.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:34, Sat 16 Nov 2019.

03:15, Today: Kalmus the Grey rolled 62 using 1d100 ((62)).

&@##@%Q$#$%#!!!

"You have a copy of the Registry? We're not in it? How OLD is that Registry?"

Nonplussed by Kalmus' screams, Reggie cringes. Suddenly, the manservant turned to look behind him. It takes Kalmus a moment to discern what the man was staring at - it was apparent that he was disturbed by something.

Then that something became vaguely apparent. From the darkness an ethereal figure approached.

From the sway of her hips, she was female and exotically alluring, her every step catlike in its grace. A bit taller than a normal human female, she wore a rapier at her hip, leather armor warded her chest, and twin bandeliers of daggers crossed between her breasts.

What truly disturbed Kalmus, however, was the transparent nature of the approaching doxy. Within the framework of the body, the skeletal structure could be seen, invisible blood flowing through veins and arteries like some mad doctor's living anatomy model, a skull with eyes that stared at you with...hunger.

"Reggie, dear, why didn't you tell me we had guests?" she asked in a sultry voice.

Behind Kalmus, Pious whispered "Gods and Demons!"

The crazed man fell to the floor, and pleaded, "I did not know they were here, Mistress."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:35, Sun 17 Nov 2019.

OOC: I'm going to assume that Kalmus has heard tales of the otherworldly 'ghouls' that have colonized the shadow areas in and around Lanhkmar. Based upon what you see, and descriptions you may have heard, including their fondness for human flesh, you guess this is indeed one such creature.

Take note, however, they are not ghouls in the traditional sense. They are living entities.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:26, Sun 17 Nov 2019.

"Dear, helpless Reggie," she murmured. "Don't cower like a craven before our guests. Go and find a bottle of wine, the finest mind you, and bring it to the dining room. Hurry along now, else I should be wroth, even more so than I am now."

As the man scurried quickly away, she said to Kalmus, "Your holy friend seems out of sorts. Have no fear, I've but recently had dinner, so you are safe for the nonce. I would hear news of the outside world if you're willing. In return, I offer you safe passage from this doomed place without interference."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:37, Sun 17 Nov 2019.

Oh, crap... yeah, I remember them now!

"Agreed. We've recently arrived in the area and were told that this was a ruin and no one lived here. I would be more than happy to tell you of what we've seen." Kalmus gave the ghoul a slight bow, "Kalmus the Gray at your service."

"Polite, I like that," she murmured. "Come, follow me."

She leads the way along the corridor to the end, passing multiple doors equidistant from each other to where a narrow staircase leads down. The stairs are wooden, and creak loudly, but seem sturdy enough.

At the bottom, you find yourself in a pantry that opens into a large kitchen. Following her through the kitchen you scent a faint miasma of decay, though you're unsure which part of the kitchen it comes from. Rather than ask questions, you follow silently until at last you make your way to an intimate dining parlor with a circlular table and high backed chairs, and a fire already lit in the hearth.

"This is my favorite room in this forsaken place," she said. "Please, take a seat, Reggie will be here shortly, I'm certain."

Her voice is cultured, but the accent is unlike anything you've ever heard before, alien and obscure.

Sure enough, Reggie arrived post-haste with several bottles in his hands.

"Leave now," she said to the man servant; he did so without word.

With languourous precision, she opened a fine red and poured for each of you. Then she sat and sipped her own and asked, "What brings you to this place?"

Kalmus lifted his glass in salute then sipped the vintage, savoring its flavor. He set his glass carefully on the table, composed his thoughts then answered, "This wine is excellent! May I say that your hospitality is as gracious as our manners were shoddy in this incident. Truth, we had heard that this place was abandoned and held adventure, mystery and wealth. Since we had little else to do and a slight run in with the underside of polite society recently, we decided to come here and see if there were any silver goblets or loose coins lying about. We did not know it was your home or we would have knocked. Seems our sources have lied to us and we owe you an apology. I am deeply sorry we disturbed you even though it's led to the broaching of this fine vintage."

Her grin is disturbing.

"I almost think you're trying to seduce me, Kalmus," she said with mocking laughter. Then, in an instant, her demeanor changed and she said, "I could snuff you out like a candle, if I so chose. I see an opportunity, however, for me and for you. Behind the mansion is a small, how do you say, obelisk?" She says the word softly, as if tasting it, before continuing. "Yes, obelisk, an honorarium beneath which the former lord of the manor is laid to rest. A venal man, his will and testament indicated nothing for his three children. Rumor has it that a secret entrance opens into the chests and coffers of his wealth...if one could but find it."

She sighs, sips her wine, the red a titian glow as it descends her esophagus into her gullet.

"I have spent two years trying to find the entrance to no avail. Two of the three children are dead. I ate them - they were quite tasty. The third, seeing my corruption, fled wisely and has not returned. A shame, really. She was quite a lovely girl. I was hoping she could lead me to the secret entrance so that I might recover said wealth."

"My deal with you is this: find the treasure and I will offer an equal split. Keep in mind, however, should you betray me, I will devour you slowly as you watch."

With a macabre grin she asks, "What do you say?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:25, Sat 23 Nov 2019.

"I say that you've made me the best offer I'll get tonight. I would be happy to find the treasure and split it with you. I had not imagined that I would find someone to partner with on a potentially lucrative venture. Tell me, why would the man be buried with the loot? What possible use would he have if he's dead? Was he such a bastard that he decided to take it with him? I think if you decide to eat me, I'd like my friends to have my stuff, sell most of it, get really good and drunk as a wake and keep the rest. What would I possibly want when I'm cold in the ground or maybe warm in your belly?" Kalmus shrugged. He didn't really much care about the woman's origins or appetites, he DID care about the information she could provide and the potential power an alliance with her could bring. Sure, it was a risky thing but Kalmus didn't get into the life to play it safe. Maybe she would eat him or maybe make him rich. Kalmus smiled and waited for her reply.

ooc: After she responds, Kalmus will go check the monument and see if there is any clue to where the entry might be or why the man would want his treasure buried with him.

"Polite, and a pragmatist," she said. "And why, indeed. Apparently the man was obsessed with his wealth. You'll find the obelisk in the back, sitting atop a small rise, about a quarter of mile away. You can see it clearly in daylight. At this point, you'll need a lantern to see much of anything outside. Happy Hunting, Kalmus. I am counting on you."

True to her word, night had fallen. Also true, the lantern did lead the way in the dark. Soon enough you reached the obelisk, plain with only the surname 'Krevar' engraved on the face.

Kalmus noted everything he could. Based on the previous post, the area seems to be a small hillock, Kalmus is going to assume that the mound is artificial for the moment and check out the obelisk. He notes the shape of the base, height of the monument and the orientation, the nearest structures and anything natural that is close. If there is nothing near that suggested an opening or the remnants of construction, he will assume that the entry is either buried or at some distance from the obelisk.

Turning to Agrax, he said, "How high do you recon this mound is? What sort of grade does this look like? The Clear Lady said that there is an entry, so I'm guessing we don't need to dig, just figure out where the builders sealed the tomb off. I'm looking for anything that might indicate a tunnel or maybe some other access. What do your Gnollish eyes see?"

Agrax hands the halbard off to Kalmus and gets down on all fours and begins to sniff the ground. She starts in the area around the obelisk, then expands the search in concentric circles until she's almost to the mansion again.

Suddenly, she stands and jogs back to where Kalmus and Pious wait.

"I found a depression," she said. "It's barely noticeable, little more than a divot that runs a couple yards one way, and a yard the other in rectangular fashion, almost in the shape of a coffin. It doesn't seem to be a natural formation, rather it seems to me that someone dug a hole, then did not fill it in completely so that eventually it sank a bit."

As she takes her halbard back, she leads Kalmus toward the spot, with Pious coming behind. As you stand in the darkness, you observe a few things: Attached to the house is a decrepit wooden tool shed, the left door hanging loosely from one hinge. Tools are scattered outside the shed, as if someone rifled through to find implements of digging and such. It appears that once their lack of usefulness was apparent, whoever was searching the shed left the implements were they lay.

Turning your attention back to the task at hand, you focus your full attention on the depression, shining the lantern's light along the ground. You don't really see what Agrax is talking about until she gets on four legs again and walks the depression's perimiter. It is so vague as to be invisibile, but by angling the lantern in just such a way, you barely make it out.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:00, Sun 24 Nov 2019.

Checking the shed for digging implements, Kalmus and crew begin the excavation of the depression. Once they get some dirt out, he'll evaluate: empty grave or hidden entry?