Party
- Abram – Human Wizard (Myk)
- Gallius – Tiefling Bard (Gaz)
- Kantor – Half Orc Cleric (Hag)
- Sylvester – Halfling Rogue (Ben)
Adventure
Before leaving the parlour Gallius expresses his certainty that the chimney is the way they must go. There’s some debate about the sense of trying the chimney first and the havoc the fire creature may wreak once released, so the topic is put to a vote – Gallius, Abram and Kantor (unexpectedly, but based on his vow to release the creature) vote to try the chimney first. They remove the grate and the creature bursts free and swells to an impressive size before striding into the hallway and scorching the tapestries within. It then bursts through the main doors to the manor and leaves the estate.
Sylvester climbs the chimney with a magical light source from Abram and determines the room above is a bedroom. Kantor climbs into the room first, with the other three following and bringing up their packs.
They search the room, discovering large double doors made of an alien material and without any handles as well as three single doors. Abram and Gallius investigate the mirror which was covered in the corner of the room, after Kantor unveils it with his lit staff, whilst Kantor found and began reading a journal on a lectern.
Abram and Gallius were able to discern that the mirror is deeply magical, plumbed into the manor and strong in conjuration magic. Kantor read some entries in the journal, discovering the author’s fear of dying and their desire to sustain their life, and most recently their retreat from the mortal plan to “the Gloam”.
Meanwhile Sylvester decided to open one of the three doors in the room with handles and was immediately set upon by a skeleton stepping out of the darkness. As skeletons poured out of the doorway Gallius signalled the retreat. Abram was next to follow. Sylvester was knocked unconscious and dying in the melee and Kantor almost suffered the same fate whilst trying to retreat with Sylvester’s body in tow – his escape down the 20′ chimney shaft was too much for the Halfling he carried, who was summarily cremated with radiant flame. The party retreated to the first room they searched in the manor, the bathroom, to rest. Kantor brought part of Sylvester and used it to return the skeleton’s silver razor.
Sylvester woke at the base of the mirror; equipped only with a crowbar, dagger and a sack. He was unfamiliar with any events in the manor. Realising he was alone in a room full of at least 15 skeletons he opted to flee but found the glass in the windows unbreakable. Instead he took the nearest exit, the chimney shaft, and climbed to the roof. Lowering himself to the next floor he found himself on a balcony where he discovered a telescope. The view through the telescope was muted of colour and showed a ruined village with a stone obelisk surrounded by skulls at its heart in the place of Tolm. A strange, long-limbed humanoid was dragging two bodies down a ruined alleyway… Sylvester jimmied the telescope loose before heading into the first floor of the manor.
Creeping down to the ground floor hallway he found a broom sweeping unaided and failed to hide from it. The broom lowered as a lance at tilt and struck Sylvester square in the chest, knocking him unconscious once more. As the party rested they heard the screech outside and came to investigate, battling the broom and besting the construct before discovering the unconscious Sylvester. A man whose dead body they’d only just set to flame.
With this Sylvester unconscious, other party members injured and their resources low they opt to return to Tolm. On the journey Sylvester comes to and makes it apparent that he doesn’t know of their journey to the Manor, though he recalls their intent to undertake the quest for Domino. He also shows the telescope he discovered and allows the party each to take a look. In turn they see the ruined village and a huge tower stood where the Manor should be. As Gallius views the tower he feels he is being watched and turns the scope to see an enormous figure in black plate staring back at him.