The hallway ran west for a long distance lined with doors on the north and south. There were mounted suits of armor and displays of weapons hanging from the long walls. Every type of weapon know to the heroes were attached somewhere on the walls. Ralom heard conversation from the door to the west. Opening it he found a parlor with the atmosphere of a tropical riverbank. There was even a shallow trough filled with muddy water and a half submerged crocodile along the south wall. Hand-packed dirt covered the rest of the floor, and lush green forest scenes decorated the walls. Inside people mingled talking and admiring the decorations. The paranoid Ralom cast a detect evil which indicted two members of the crowd.
Meanwhile Arvien checked the first double doors to the north, which led to the dining hall holding a large table filled with food. Several party guests moved around the table picking sweet meats, fruit and various roast pieces to fill their plates. The wall murals depicted endless fields of grain, orchards, and grazing lands filled with cattle, goats and sheep. A live goat was tethered in one corner while a sheep was in the opposite corner. There was a door on the southeast corner.
Seglun and Grunyar moved on to the first door on the south, inside she was greeted by a peaceful forest glade. Trees and brush adorned the walls, augmented by a few potted trees in each corner. A Unicorn stood unmoving in the southeast corner. Additional doors led east, north and west. o party guests were present so Seglun exited out the other north door back into the hall. Arvien moved on with Baru to the next double doors on the north. These led into an elegant ballroom, with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and large windows along the north wall that looked out over the lawn. A band was arrayed against the west wall playing formal dance music. Dozens of guests were dancing as others mingled or sat on the sofas and chairs. Two other sets of double doors led south from the Ballroom into the hallway.
Seglun and Grunyar moved to the next doors on the south. These opened onto savannah grasslands. Wall murals made the room seem to extend forever to the horizon. Only a handful of isolated trees were visible. An antelope stood in the southeast corner and a crouching lion in the northwest. Again server people were milling about in these room so Ralom searched again for evil. Of course several guests appeared as evil characters, whether they were doppelgangers was the question. Door again led east and west from the chamber. The Seglun, Grunyar and Ralom group moved to the next set of southern doors, which led to a area that felt like a cave. The walls were painted to resemble rock walls, black archways on the walls appeared to be branching tunnels. There was no light in the cave, which didn't bother the heroes, but there were not party guests.
Drovic, Baru, Varrid and Arvien wandered around the Ballroom looking for "Bloody Jack" as they had come to know the killer. With so many people in the room, and several of them evil as Baru determined they were lucky to find each other again to leave at the farthest western doors. Grunyar stayed behind in the cave to ruminate on the utter blackness, while Ralom and Seglun next found the main entrance. Pegs on the walls held cloaks and outerwear, guests were entering the manor house through the main doors, heading for various rooms of the mansion. The next room on the south appeared as an arctic wasteland, "snow" littered the floor. A white bear stood menacingly in the southwest corner, ignoring a seal in the south east corner. Large ice blocks were strewn around the floor. As there were several party guests present, Ralom with his never ending supply of Detect Evil again found three or four guests grinning evilly. But once again Ralom found no magic so he wasn't that interested.
The next room Drovic and Arvien happened upon appeared to be a county fair. The walls were painted with pictures of brightly colored tents, jugglers, clowns and vendors hawking their wares. Wandering around the room was a juggler, a fire-eater, a clown balancing a small white dog on his head, a man with a trained bear. At booths along the walls, vendors vied to entice guests to try their hand at games. Once such card game was led by Scrags Gallant, who Varrid had accosted in the streets several days ago. Drovic went to bring Varrid to the room to talk to her compatriot. When she was alone with Scrags, Varrid engaged him again with apologies for threatening to turn him over to Logan. She agreed with his assessment that the city was better without Logan's presence. Scrags indicated that he was in the manor house purely as entertainment. He often tried to work the crowd at these gatherings, Bloodsorth didn't seem to mind. Baru found Scrags and a couple of other shady characters among the vendors at the fair. Arvien found the next parlor was filled with guests swimming in a large pool. There were changing rooms on the east wall with towels and swim wear available. Several guest lounged around the pool which seemed to be deeper in the middle. The lights were kept low in this chamber making it hard to see under the water. The next two doors on the north were locked.
Seglun and Ralom continued examining rooms on the south, the next one appearing to be under the sea. The walls were blue-green with swimming fish and water plants painted on them. A mural depicting a shipwreck was painted between the two north doors. Coral and sea plants line the walls and a shark hung from the ceiling. Doors again led east and west so Seglun decided to go through the west one. This chamber had walls covered with murals of snow-covered valley surrounded by a mountain range that extended to the horizon. Large rocks lined the walls and were stacked in the corners. Many looked as if the were covered with snow. There was a chill in the air and a mountain goat on a rock staring down at the group. A mountain lion stood on another rock doing the same. Doors led north and west from the room. The final room on the south was painted with a desert scene, the floor covered by a thin layer of sand. Cacti and other potted desert plants filled the corners where snakes, spiders and a coyote hidden among them. A camel was tethered to the wall in the southeast corner..
The whole party was now at the southern bend of the hallway which led to the west foyer, matching the eastern one. Another locked door stood on the west wall of the corridor. Counting heads Baru noticed that Grunyar was missing. Ralom and Seglun recalled seeing him in the cave room and they thought he as also with them in the arctic wastelands. Now the group started to worry, where had he gone, Drovic looked down the long east wet corridor, several party guests moved around from chamber to chamber but he did not see Grunyar. Meanwhile Varrid picked the lock on the west door where she found a room crammed full of furniture, stacked up to the ceiling in places. The furniture was in good shape, maybe it was moved for the party. A narrow path meandered into the room. Varrid followed it in where she came upon the body of Grunyar, with Dirk licking his face. Just as Baru walked up, Grunyar moved his arms and legs with strenuous effort. Grunyar recalled being in the cave room when he felt a pin prick and then was unable to move. He was dragged here by two humans, one of which looked just like him. He was just able to move again as his comrades entered this store room. As a group the party filed out and up to the next locked door. Varrid opened this door which led to room dominated by a large desk on which scrolls and papers are scattered. A large bookshelf stood on the west wall. There are a few chairs and a scribes table. On the wall was a map of Paridon, the sites of the five murders marked with red X's on the map. On the desk are two interesting papers.
One is a list of possible targets, the other a list of names, including Edmund Bloodsworth and Andrew Logan.
A woman in worn and patched clothes, in her 50's approached Seglun, looked her over and demanded her name, place of birth, occupation and race. Seglun responded with her actual name, hometown and Gnome. Satisfied this lady moved on to all the members of the party. She pointed at Drovic and demands that he take off his shirt.
"That's right, lovie. Take the shirt off. Don't want to, eh? Well, a boot'll work just as well. You better cooperate or I'll blow the whistle on you and let everyone know you're dopplegangers. Everyone know dopps can't take off their clothes, because the clothes are part of them!"
The woman keeps up her demands as the party guests watch with mild curiosity. Drovic refuses to comply and the woman demands that all the party take off a piece of clothing as she pulls a dagger, waving it at Drovic. Just as this encounter was teetering on violence a Paridon guard, Sgt. Jan Trembot moves up to the woman and says "Now, Maab you know that you are to leave the party guests alone. Follow me we can go outside and talk." The tow move off together, out the front door and onto a bench where Arvien watches them from the porch, listening intently.
Ralom looked in the desert room for evil as he was interrupted previously. Several party guest showed as evil and as he looked he noticed two camels in the chamber. "Wasn't there only one camel in here before?" he wonders to himself. Suddenly from the west door way Baru charges and attacks the camel. The party guests run screaming from the room as a battle erupts. Two guests stay behind and attack the party as the camel turned into a hawk and flew from the room and down the hallway. Drovic watched the hawk as it entered another chamber farther to the east. Meanwhile the rest of the group was under attack from the two guests. They were dispatched quickly and turned into dopplegangers on the floor of the chamber.
The group then paced down the hall to the door into which the hawk had flown. Opening it, they found one party guest who introduced himself as Joseph Wilberforce, a local writer who planned to write a book that would reveal the true nature of "Bloody Jack". Ralom whispered to Seglun that the man was evil and Seglun moved in to the rear of Joseph as Ralom and Baru prepared to attack. A maid entered the chamber from the east with a tray. "Canapes, Canapes. Who would like a bite?" she asked approaching Ralom, Baru and Seglun. She moved into the hall and offered the treats to Drovic also. Finding no takers she entered the ballroom.
Just as Seglun was about to stab the party guest, several others entered as the clock struck 9. "Lord Bloodsworth will now greet everyone in the Ballroom. Are you coming?" Foiled in their attempt the party reluctantly entered the Ballroom, Arvien invisibly, and tried to make themselves unobtrusive, moving behind sofas or other party members. At the middle of the east wall, a bearded man in elegant attire and white gloves climbed onto a chair. A hush settled over the room as he tapped a silver spoon against the champagne glass he held in one hand.
"To my dear friends I need no introduction. But some of you are attending my annual party for the first time and thus may not know me. I am your host, Sir Edmund Bloodsworth."
Sir Edmund raised his glass high, then made his toast. "To a long life for all of us. I hope that we are always able to enjoy the bounty of life as much as I have enjoyed having all of you here with me on this festive occasion."
As the heroes realize that this is the killer, Bloody Jack, he looks around the room, eyes falling on each hero with a start of recognition. Then an evil smile spread across his face. As Sir Edmund steps down from the chair several guest surround him and he is swallowed up in the crowd. Ralom finds too many evil characters in the room to be able to identify anyone as Sir Edmund.
Seglun and Varrid wanted to explore the areas of the manor that they had not gotten to yet, while Arvien and Grunyar stayed behind to watch the Ballroom. At the last locked door in the hallway 'Varrid found another storeroom filled with pieces of furniture. Amid the jumble of chairs and tables several winding paths give access to areas away from the door. At the end of one of the paths Varrid finds a young mans body dressed in plain trousers and shirt. The man had been strangled. Ralom took note of the body, memorizing the face as he hoped to find the doppleganger representing him. Meanwhile Seglun was looking for a secret door at the turn of the hallway and in the office. She was unsuccessful but Drovic turned into a mouse, found a crack in the wall behind the bookcase. This led into another chamber, where he saw a door in the east wall. The chamber had no windows, a desk a hallway with three doors and five corpses strewn around. Changing back to human, Drovic opened the door for all to enter. Examining the bodies, two were in some state of decay while the other three were fresh, in fact one was Sir Bleygas Smythe whom the group had previously talked with.
Varrid was called upon to open the locked doors in the short hallway. The first room had shelves with potions, a magic scimitar, and magic bracers. Also there was an ornate dagger case lined with red velvet, with the imprint of a dagger with some sort of gemstone in its pommel. Ralom scooped up the magic items and the case. The second room held two chests filled with shiilings and pounds. Also several boxes of gem stones and jewelry. The third held scrolls cases filled with financial, birth certificates and family records.
At this point the group headed back to the Ballroom and as Varrid entered the room she was bitten by a scorpion of the floor. The group entered through three different doors into the Ballroom. As Varrid looked around the scorpion transformed into Sir Edmund. Arvien shouted "It's Bloody Jack" and as the battle started the majority of the guests fled for the doors out of the manor house. Baru and Seglun set upon Sir Edmund while Grunyar fired arrows at him. Drovic found himself in the hallway with a guest attacking from one of the scenic rooms. Ralom was enlarged by Arvien and in the panic and confusion a full fledged battle raged between the heroes and the guest dopplegangers. Sir Edmund held a wicked looking dagger with a gem in its pommel and red symbols etched into the blade attacking Baru and leaving him bleeding after the attack. Meanwhile Ralom and Arvien were busy with several guests and Drovic felt weak after several attacks. Attacks from Baru, Varrid and Grunyar each flayed the flesh of Sir Edmund but he still stood strong. A few doppleganger guests fell in the battle and Drovic finished off his nemesis and downed a curing potion. At that moment Baru fell to the ground under Sir Edmund's vicious attack, with his life bleeding out on the floor. Ralom was hemmed in by several guests and was unable to move toward Baru. Sir Edmund fell to Varrid's dagger and she forcefully placed her foot on the blade not deigning to touch the evil looking item. Ralom was leery of channeling since it might heal the enemy Sir Edmund but Drovic flew to Baru's side and forced a potion down his throat to stem the bleeding.
The remaining doppleganger guest started to flee the room as they saw their leader on the floor. The party let them go and proceeded to healing up as many of the group felt spent and exhausted from the
ferocious battle. Ralom tossed the case to Varrid and she scooped the evil looking blade up into it, closing the lid securely. As the clock struck 10 the group fled the manor, through the carriages picking up the frightened party goers, and headed for the sewers. The water flowing in the sewers was higher than the group recalled, in fact the dry walking path was now underwater. As they moved something nudged Grunyar's leg from behind. Turning around he saw something bobbing in the water. A coffin! The lid was open and inside lay to partially decomposed body of a woman. By the look of her clothes , she was a member of the gentry. As he viewed the sad remains, one of the woman's hands sifted slightly. Grunyar sprinted forward but the whole area was awash in coffins as the group weaved and dodged around them maintaining a quick pace to Sodo's hideaway.
When they found Sodo, the party handed over the case with the dagger and Sodo beamed as if he knew he'd won. Seglun was adamant that he hold his bargain and remove the burrowing beetles from their chests. Beckoning them to follow, Sodo waded down the tunnel. He pressed an ear to the wall, then tapped on several bricks, moving his hand in a complicated pattern. A secret door, disguised to resemble part of the sagging brick wall, swung slightly open. Behind it lay a chamber filled with dark, stagnant water. Wisps of fog curled out of an arched tunnel at the far end of the chamber.
"That archway leads to another place and time," Sodo said. "There is no boat, but don't worry, you won't need one." Suddenly, dozens of men in top hats and black formal clothing strode out of the sewer tunnel. Each looked exactly like Sir Edmund Bloodsworth. Each held a gleaming dagger that looked just like the one in Sodo's hand.
"I've showed you a way out, but I never promised that you would live to use it," Sodo hissed.
Led by Arvien the party sprinted to the archway and through into the mists. As they moved forward(?) they felt the infernal devices in their chests begin to move. But instead of burrowing deeper, the beetles were transforming and crawled out of holes in the heroes chests and flew away.
A dark forest of gigantic, mossy gray firs and pines hemmed the party in on either side. It was daylight and the pathway led away in front and behind them.
DM's Notes: The party earned 2732 XP for the entire night (Bardan, Dopplegangers, Sir Edmund, etc.) and now have 23188 XP and are now at 5th level.
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