Misgivings, Part 2 (Friday, Neth (XI) 2 4707 AR)
The heroes continued their exploration of Foxglove Manor. The grime and mold encrusting the windows filtered the sunlight to dim light within. There were dusty mounds of dead flies on some windowsills.
Musicians' Gallery. This large room featured two padded chairs and a long couch facing a wide alcove lined with stained-glass windows. These windows depicted a diverse array of animals and plants - from north to south were a large pale and ghostly scorpion, a gaunt man holding out his hands as a dozen bats hung from him, a tangle of dull green plants with bell-shaped flowers, and a young maiden sitting astride a well in a forest while a spindly spider the size of a dog descends along a string of webbing above her.
Bruthien and Tsela identified all five of the subjects in the windows as classic spell components for necromancy magic (scorpion venom, vampire's breath, the tongues of deathwing moths, belladonna, and the heart of a maiden slain by poison); Tsela recognized those spell components as having ties to several known lich apotheosis formulae.
Guest Bedchamber. This entire bedroom was caked with a thick, spongy layer of dark green, blue, and black mold. The mold in this room was disgusting and foul smelling. The appearance of an attic whisperer in this room gave the heroes a creepy bit of foreshadowing for the rest of the house. The heroes defeated the tortured spirit.
Upstairs Washroom. An iron tub sat in the middle of this room, the floorboards around it sagging with the tub's weight.
Master Bedroom. This once fine chamber had been destroyed. The bed was smashed, mattress torn apart, walls gouged as if by knives, chairs hacked apart, and paintings on the walls torn to pieces - with one exception. A portrait hanging on the northwest wall seemed to be untouched, although it hung backward, its unseen subject facing the wall.
After the heroes entered this room, they suddenly became dizzy and staggered. Some of the heroes heard the sound of a woman's voice saying, "What do you get up to down in the damp below?" An instant later, the dizzy spell passed but Thurden and Tsela became filled with an overwhelming hatred of women, and for a while were driven by an urge to attack Shalelu. They used of all their capabilities in an attempt to kill her, but thankfully stopped before doing so.
Stairwell. These stairs led up to the attic. The door to this stairwell was locked but Fen picked it. When the heroes opened the door they caught a brief snatch of sobbing.
Gallery. A stone fireplace sat in the northwestern portion of this chamber. Paintings hung on the walls to the north and south, each covered over with a thick sheet of dusty cobwebs that obscured its subject from view.
Wiping away the dusty cobwebs over the paintings revealed portraits of the previous tenants of Foxglove Manor. The three to the north depicted Vorel and Kasanda Foxglove and their daughter Lorey. Vorel was a tall, middle-aged man with long dark hair, a clean-shaven face, and dark blue noble's clothes, while Kasanda was a stern-faced brunette woman with wisps of gray in her short hair and a flowing blue dress. The five to the south showed Traver and Cyralie Foxglove, their son Aldern, and their two daughters Sendeli and Zeeva. Traver, like Vorel, was tall and thin, but with an even narrower face and a thin mustache. Cyralie was a young woman with long red hair and an impish smile. Each painting bore a plaque that identified those pictured within.
When all of the portraits had their cobwebs cleared away, some of the heroes noticed the room grow cold. Then the temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Breath frosted in the air and fingers of rime slithered across the walls. The figures depicted in the portraits suddenly shifted from portraits of living people to those of dead folk. Kasanda and Lorey slumped into misshapen, tumor-ridden corpses. Traver grew pale as a long cut opened in his throat and blood washed down over his chest. Cyralie blackened and charred, and her arms, legs, and back twisted as if broken in dozens of places. Aldern's flesh darkened with rot, his hair fell out, and he deformed into a ghoul-like monster. Both Sendeli's and Zeeva's portraits frosted over but otherwise remained unchanged. Vorel's entire portrait, frame and all, erupted into a sudden explosion of fungus and tumorous growth. This wave of fungus and disease washed over the entire room in seconds before the room suddenly reverted to normal.
Bedroom. The furniture in this bedroom, while dusty and unkempt, did not exhibit any major signs of water or mold damage. The one exception was a dark stain on the desk near the northern window. As soon as Thurden approached the desk, he shuddered.
Workroom. A large number of wooden planks, rope, and other repair supplies were stored here. The ceiling above sagged noticeably; in several areas patches of the sky above were visible.
Storeroom. This room was stacked with old furniture, sheets and linens, boxes and crates, and other bits. Nothing of value could be found here.
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