"Wasn't Düsser an old Centralian noble house? They went extinct a couple hundred years ago if I remember correctly."
"I guess these bandits must have found the old manor house and turned it into their hideout." Jeffrey mused.
"Wait, there is a family that lives here?" Orisa asked. "Why though? It's literally nowhere from nearby services."
"I swear, Katherinsand people are weird."
"Rich people with more money than common sense, Orisa. Though there were some rumours that they dealt in some shady stuff. Certainly explained why a noble family got extinguished in a single night."
Jeffrey tried to recall some of the stories he had heard about the Düssers. 'Let them just be stories, though I wouldn't be surprised if there was a kernel of truth in them,' he thought.
"The Düssers were a noble family that was known for dabbling in magic and for being, well...shut ins. They mostly live in the middle of nowhere practicing magic and all sort of weird stuff, until one day, a huge explosion was heard for miles around. The source was from Lake Düsserhorn. The manor was empty of everyone and everything living, the lake had an extension, a shallow depression on the side nearest to the manor and a mystery for the ages. Now the lake and the Düsser lands are abandoned, save for our friends the bandits here it seems." Jeffrey explained.
"Wait, how did you know all this?" The woman asked. "You have some connection with them or something? seems odd for someone to know a noble house that deeply."
The Barbarian look annoyed, visibly his patience was wearing low as he gave a mean look to Jeffrey. "I'm bored, and when I'm bored I need to hit someone" he grumbles. "So maybe you two are done talking and we can go check this fancy place for gold ? Dead are dead, stupid to waste time over them. Well, except when they're not of course" he say. "So ? We move or not ?" he almost shout.
"That depends on which serpent deity that priest was worshiping. Serpent cultists' behavior in general often reflect the nature of their deity," Khosrow adds his own opinion in the conversation."Hah! He's bored, he said. Why, he needs to hit someone when he's bored too! You sure you're a follower of Crom, you big lug? You sound like this Snake cult priest I once met. Grumpy little shit he was."
"That depends on which serpent deity that priest was worshiping. Serpent cultists' behavior in general often reflect the nature of their deity," Khosrow adds his own opinion in the conversation.
"Back in the Great Desert, for example, there's a Cult of Ningishzida. You can always find temples or villages dedicated to him in most known oases. His followers, especially the priests, are often looking grim because he represents the underworld. However, those same priests of Ningishzida are excellent gardeners as he's also the serpent god of vegetation. So you can expect to see a beautiful garden if you visit one of their temples or villages in my homeland."
"Hah! He's bored, he said. Why, he needs to hit someone when he's bored too! You sure you're a follower of Crom, you big lug? You sound like this Snake cult priest I once met. Grumpy little shit he was."
The Barbarian raise a brow at this, mumbling "That seems interesting for once…"…"That depends on which serpent deity that priest was worshiping. Serpent cultists' behavior in general often reflect the nature of their deity," Khosrow adds his own opinion in the conversation.
…before growling in frustration "Mages… typical, always flowers and gardens", sighing deeply, talking a couple of deep breath to try to calm himself."Back in the Great Desert, for example, there's a Cult of Ningishzida and you can always find temples or villages dedicated to him in most known oases. His followers, especially the priests, are often looking grim because he represents the underworld. However, those same priests of Ningishzida are excellent gardeners as he's also the serpent god of vegetation. So you can expect to see a beautiful garden if you visit one of their temples or villages in my homeland."
The Barbarian's smiles widen, maybe a bit more predatory that he would like as he walk again toward the two, trying to put all the sweetness he is able to in is voice."Ah, not one of yours then, mage. I think he was from some cult worshipping a snake-man, or was it a man-snake? He never made any sense what with all his muttering and mumbling and hissing. Truth be told the street urchins and most dockrats were glad to see him gone, the creepy fucker."
The Barbarian's eyes flash brightly for a second as he begin to speak in a distorted voice… uh wait, sorry wrong universe.
The Barbarian's eyes narrow "I think I know who I will hit…" he say in a sweet, happy voice", starting to walk toward Jeffrey when his attention is caught by Khosrow.
The Barbarian raise a brow at this, mumbling "That seems interesting for once…"…
…before growling in frustration "Mages… typical, always flowers and gardens", sighing deeply, talking a couple of deep breath to try to calm himself.
The Barbarian's smiles widen, maybe a bit more predatory that he would like as he walk again toward the two, trying to put all the sweetness he is able to in is voice.
"Jeffrey… Khosrow… Come here please, I would like to tell you a thing or two…" he say, opening his arms as if he was intending to embrace them both, when in fact his intent is to knock their heads together, although not to hard, not hard enough to hurt them, but maybe to pass a message.
Khosrow rolls his eyes at the brute's words. "Barbarians... typical. Always crude and uncultured," he shakes his head, it puzzles him how the Barbarian's society came into existence like this.…before growling in frustration "Mages… typical, always flowers and gardens", sighing deeply, talking a couple of deep breath to try to calm himself.
"You call tell us from this distance just fine. I'm sure Orisa, Jeffrey and I can hear it if you speak clearly, Barbarian," Khosrow dissuades him from placing his arms on both the battlemage and the rogue's shoulder. He would rather not letting himself be embraced and getting too close with that hooligan's acrid and grimy body.The Barbarian's smiles widen, maybe a bit more predatory that he would like as he walk again toward the two, trying to put all the sweetness he is able to in is voice.
"Jeffrey… Khosrow… Come here please, I would like to tell you a thing or two…" he say, opening his arms as if he was intending to embrace them both, when in fact his intent is to knock their heads together, although not to hard, not hard enough to hurt them, but maybe to pass a message.
"Enough about me. How about you, missy? I'm quite shocked to hear you're familiar with Tanah Selatan soldiers. I thought most westerners rarely ventured out of their jungles before adulthood."
"Ah, not one of yours then, mage. I think he was from some cult worshipping a snake-man, or was it a man-snake? He never made any sense what with all his muttering and mumbling and hissing. Truth be told the street urchins and most dockrats were glad to see him gone, the creepy fucker."
The Barbarian's eyes flash brightly for a second as he begin to speak in a distorted voice… uh wait, sorry wrong universe.
The Barbarian's eyes narrow "I think I know who I will hit…" he say in a sweet, happy voice", starting to walk toward Jeffrey when his attention is caught by Khosrow.
The Barbarian raise a brow at this, mumbling "That seems interesting for once…"…
…before growling in frustration "Mages… typical, always flowers and gardens", sighing deeply, talking a couple of deep breath to try to calm himself.
The Barbarian's smiles widen, maybe a bit more predatory that he would like as he walk again toward the two, trying to put all the sweetness he is able to in is voice.
"Jeffrey… Khosrow… Come here please, I would like to tell you a thing or two…" he say, opening his arms as if he was intending to embrace them both, when in fact his intent is to knock their heads together, although not to hard, not hard enough to hurt them, but maybe to pass a message.
Jeffrey smiled at the barbarian's antics and shaked his head. "I'd rather keep my wits and looks intact, thank you very much!"
Khosrow rolls his eyes at the brute's words. "Barbarians... typical. Always crude and uncultured," he shakes his head, it puzzles him how the Barbarian's society came into existence like this.
"You call tell us from this distance just fine. I'm sure Orisa, Jeffrey and I can hear it if you speak clearly, Barbarian," Khosrow dissuades him from placing his arms on both the battlemage and the rogue's shoulder. He would rather not letting himself be embraced and getting too close with that hooligan's acrid and grimy body.
It will not surprise him if bath and hygiene are strange, foreign concepts for the Barbarian.
"Sure, let's go to the manor then."
The group walked for a short time until they reached the manor. Orisa promptly broke the lock and, just like that. The door to the old, abandoned mansion was opened.
And inside it revealed something nobody thought they would see. The chalice, standing right on top of the table.
"Huh, no way it's that easy." Orisa said, before she slowly started entering the manor.
"Sure, let's go to the manor then."
The group walked for a short time until they reached the manor. Orisa promptly broke the lock and, just like that. The door to the old, abandoned mansion was opened.
And inside it revealed something nobody thought they would see. The chalice, standing right on top of the table.
"Huh, no way it's that easy." Orisa said, before she slowly started entering the manor.
Khosrow shakes his head at Jeffrey's reaction at Orisa's "successful" attempt at jinxing the party. Does he have to be that overdramatic?"God be damned woman, why must you invoke the Demon Murpheh! Fuck it, this time I ain't gonna be gentle anymore! Anyone fighting us imma give 'em the 'spike up their guts!"
Khosrow shakes his head at Jeffrey's reaction at Orisa's "successful" attempt at jinxing the party. Does he have to be that overdramatic?
As the Isijamese warrior's fingers are inches away from touching the chalice, Khosrow quickly move ahead and his left hand snatches her right hand away from it, drawing a surprised expression from the woman.
"Wait." Khosrow says before Orisa gets her chance to speak. As he releases her hand, the battlemage hovers his other hand, which is radiating cyan light, over the chalice and table.
He slowly waves his magically glowing hand from side to side to check if there is some kind magic trap or any arcane-based trigger mechanism that will release something the moment the chalice is touched or moved from the table.
So far, Khosrow detects nothing out of the ordinary from both things. He turns to Orisa and nods, signalling her that it is alright to pick up the chalice.
Jeffrey cleared his throat before Orisa could lift the chalice. He lifted his closed hand to his mouth and blew into it, releasing puffs of fine powder from his hands.
Jeffrey blew several times on the chalice, the surface and the side of the table, revealing a small line tied to the chalice from a small trap below the table.
"Some kind of a fire trap, I think. Had you lifted the chalice the trap would've exploded spraying you with bits and pieces of the table."
"Just please for the love of god, do not tempt the demon of misfortune, missy."
Orisa only looked at Khosrow weirdly, thinking his actions to be a bit excessive, but nonetheless relented.
After a bit of waiting, and Khosrow proceeding to scrawl the area for magical traps. She finally got the greenlight to grab the chalice.
Just as she was about to grab it though.
Orisa looked downwards, to the wire arrangement that lead to some sort of piece of paper, most likely a fire spell or something. The woman proceeded to only sigh before she worked quickly on disarming the trap. Something Jeffrey nor the others didn't expect her to be able to do.
Orisa then grabbed the chalice and nodded her head towards the others. "Alright then, this chalice seems to be what the guy's asking for, why don't we walk out of here and-"
Excuse me?
Orisa tiled her body, her sword immediately ready. "Who's there?!?"
You'll find me downstairs lady, oh, and please. Do bring your friends here.
She turned her head back towards the rest of the team. "Did you guys hear that?"
Everyone besides her only shaked their heads.
"Someone's downstairs, I'm pretty sure a manor like this does have an underground level. Someone's down there and they said that they want to meet us. I don't really know about you, but I want to go there. It feels right for some reason to go there. I don't know why."
The Barbarian let go an hearty laugh, slapping Jeffrey hard in the back in amusement "Are you afraid of some spirit ? They can't even wield a sword !", before become serious, turning toward Orissa. "But he's right, we got what we came from, why not simple leave and get our reward ?""So, a disembodied voice calls out to you and you're going to follow its instructions, no questions asked?"
"So, a disembodied voice calls out to you and you're going to follow its instructions, no questions asked?"
The Barbarian let go an hearty laugh, slapping Jeffrey hard in the back in amusement "Are you afraid of some spirit ? They can't even wield a sword !", before become serious, turning toward Orissa. "But he's right, we got what we came from, why not simple leave and get our reward ?"
PLEASE!!! DON'T LISTEN TO THEM!!! Please Western woman, just follow us downstairs, we need your help, I will promise that no harm will befall you or your party.
"Really? are you serious about this?" Orisa asked, seemingly talking to thin air.
Yes!!! please... we just want to get out of this prison!
Orisa then closed her eyes and contemplated the offer for a while, is it the right thing to do? freeing whoever's held down there? perhaps they are being held downstairs for a good reason, or perhaps they were imprisoned there by the bandits due to their interference in their operations.
The group was just looking at Orisa strangely before she opened her eyes and turned towards the party. "We are going to free whoever's downstairs, Jeffrey, watch for traps, Khosrow, scrawl for magical traps, and Mr Barbarian, knock out anyone who looks at us funny. I am not leaving here without ascertaining whoever's downstairs."