Eleanor

It took her but a moment to find everything she needed in the kitchen and on a plate Eleanor brought back into the main room what the man had asked for and more - bread and butter flavored with honey, pieces of cold beef and, much likely to the man's amazement, cheese and grapes. In her other hand she carried a mug full nearly to the brim and set it down beside the plate of food. The grapes were more than plentiful and she snapped a small branch off the main that she munched on herself as she stood behind the bar counter, leaning against it.

Here you are, good sir. The witch eyed the brooch but did not touch it. Instead she spoke to Agatha, I think we'll be just fine with Maloch to watch over us this evening.

Eleanor knew very well there'd be no such thing as Maloch watching over them but her sense of humor was grim.

Agatha

Agatha hears the clack of the brass on the wood and feels around on the counter for her. She takes her time feeling out its curves and edges. Eventually, a smile crosses her face.
Thank you. It is very kind of you, but I cannot accept this. When the inn has settled again and you are free to leave safely, I will accept it if you will still part with it.
Agatha slids it gently over the counter towards Asbjorn.
I hope that I don't seem ungrateful. It's beautiful, but I hardly feel worthy of such a gift just now.

Agatha's attention turns to Eleanor.
Good. I'll be headed to bed then. Goodnight to both of you. If you need anything, my room is the first up the stairs. You should also feel free ask Maloch. He doesn't sleep, so he's sure to be awake if there's anything you need.
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Maloch

Oh, why thank you for inviting them to bother me. It's not as though I do anything while you're all sleeping the night away.
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Agatha

A coy smile lights up Agatha's face. You're quite welcome. I didn't think you'd mind. Her attention returns to the other two. He's not as unhelpful as he seems. He's just inconsistant about it.
Goodnight. Agatha picks up her cane and heads towards the stairs. As she walks, she keeps one of her hands on the walls. The longer her hand is on the wall, the less she seems to have to use her cane.
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Maloch

You shouldn't use them so much. The walls. The inn notices.
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Agatha

The inn has power, but I think you give it too much credit for consciousness.
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Maloch

I don't think you give it enough.

Maloch's shifting form seems to droop, as though depressed. I have business to attend to. His form disappates in the fog.
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((Ooc: Maloch will still be here if you two decide you need him, but his attention has been somewhat diverted. [I'll explain later, promise!] Otherwise, with Megu having stable introwebs and coming home Saturday or Sunday, I figure we can end the night once you two finish up your conversation. Sound good?))

(( No problem! I'll just wait for CZ to post and call it quits for the "night." ))

Asbjörn

Asbjörn accepts the platter from Eleanor with amazement in his eyes. Th-thank you, lady. And that, along with slipping off his gloves, is all the manners his growling stomach allow him before he tears into the veritable feast, shredding chunks of tender beef with his bare fingers and stuffing his mouth so full of plump grapes their juices spill out onto his stubbly chin.

Asbjörn pauses his meal, swallowing after a moment, and stares blankly at Agatha. He has never before encountered such an obvious insult, and yet she seemed positively oblivious of her slight. He purses his lips, but is careful not to show his displeasure. Very well, matron. I bid you good night. His eating recommences, albeit at a much slower pace, as the strangeness of this new setting weighs heavily on his mind

Eleanor

Eleanor does her best to smile despite being thoroughly disgusted with the man's lack of manners. She finished with her portion of the grapes and after Agatha has climbed the stairs she straightens and stretches. I will bid you goodnight, good sir, and will see you on the morrow.

With that the witch makes her way up the stairs and to the room that will be hers. The inn had kindly seen to the room being outfitted to her taste in purple and gold and filled with the odd combination of sewing supplies and books. After changing into a night gown she crawled into bed and was soon fast asleep.

Asbjörn

Asbjörn gives her a sterile wave. Good night, lady. He pauses and does a double take as Eleanor disappears up the staircase. 'What,' he finds himself wondering, 'is a woman dressed in cloth as golden as the shining curls of Sif doing working in the kitchen?' He also finds it quite strange indeed that people in these parts do not introduce themselves but decides to rectify their oversight on the morrow.

After a couple minutes, he manages to clear off the plate and, leaving it empty and under the bar, makes his way up to his room with ax in hand. There, grabbing the bottom edge, he pulls off his chainmail short, overtunic and all, and drops it in a heap on the floor at the foot of the bed. He leaves the sword leaned up against the bed frame and, plopping down onto the straw-stuffed mattress, takes off his boots, slipping the long knife contained therein underneath his goose down pillow. He pays little attention to the simple, austere decoration--not more than a chair and bedside table, in addition to the bed--as he lays down in the unfamiliar bed and dreams of days long past.

((Ooc: Okay! Day 2!))

Anika

Anika knocks on Agatha’s door early the next morning. Wake up, Agatha. Please wake up. I can’t find Maloch. He was in the cellar and now he’s not and I don’t know where he is and-!
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Agatha

Agatha opens the door in her night gown, tying the bandages around her eyes. Hush, darling. Maloch can take care of himself. He’s here to protect you; you don’t need to worry so about him.
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Anika

Yes I do! I am the one protecting him! He gets chased around by those things with the tentacles and the eyes and the only reason they don’t find him is because he hides with me!
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Agatha

What? And how did you know he was in the cellar? Maloch can get in it? Did he take you?
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Anika

No, I just… I don’t know. I just know where he is, usually. You can see things in here, can’t you come try and get the door open?
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Agatha

Agatha sighs. Alright, if it will calm you down. Give me a moment. I’ll meet you down stairs.
Agatha closes the door and changes.
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Anika

Anika hurries down stairs and leans against the cellar door.

Eleanor

From downstairs in the main room of the inn one could hear singing, if they cared too. Eleanor was already awake and dressed for the day in a much more practical pair of breeches and stockings with sturdy leather shoes and a white puffy sleeved shirt that was fitted at the wrist and buttoned down the front. Over this shirt she wore a deep blue vest and she sang to herself while she worked. Her voice wasn't terrible, she could certainly carry a tune, but she wasn't about to make her living by her voice alone.

The witch had put things to right in the inn; she had swept and dusted the main room and the bar counter, the contents of the bar were organized and she had just started on the kitchen as the others began drifting downstairs.

Good morning! she called out, frightfully cheerful at so early an hour.

Anika

Anika looks at Eleanor from the stairs like a startled deer. She means to wish a good morning back, but everything comes out in a jumbled mess.

Mornin' Have you see Maloch I can't find him He was in the cellar Now he's not and I don't know where he is And he's always here with me And if something got him it'll be my fault I shouldn't just let him leave like that And-
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Agatha

Hush, child. Agatha is dressed as she comes down the stairs with her hand sliding along the wall. I know you care about the creature, but he is very capable of keeping himself. He must've spent many years before you.

It smells much more... clean in here. Is that your doing Eleanor? I thank you for it. It had an uncomfortably musty smell. If only we could so easily fix the smell of the fog.
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Anika

You can smell it? I don't smell anything.
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Agatha

If you could see as well as I can, you would be able to smell it too, I'm sure.
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Anika

Anika falls silent at that and instead leans her head against the door.
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Agatha

When you have a moment Eleanor, you said you would take a look at the cellar door. Anika is rather worried about it.

Eleanor

We can take a look at that cellar door first thing for Anika's sake. She puts away whatever she had in her hands and finishes tidying up before she stops to wait for Agatha and Anika to lead the way to the door. Afterwards I'll make some breakfast for everyone.

Asbjörn


Breakfast would be most welcome, lady, Asbjörn booms from the top of the stairs. He had left his armor in his room along with his sword, and stands tall, dressed in a finely embroidered, short-sleeved tunic. He makes his way down, his soft leather boots silent on the age-worn steps, and rests a hand on the ax tucked into his belt with a sly grin. But what's this about a troublesome door?

Ling comes down the stairs following Tindwyl, who is now eavesdropping pointedly on Anika and Agatha's conversation.

Ling
She doubts she'll get anyone's attention, but turns the whiteboard towards Agatha anyways. Ling chews on her bottom lip worriedly as she writes. If the door is locked, do you think there might be a good reason for it?

Tindwyl
Tindwyl gives Eleanor a half-hearted greeting and, overly laden with sarcasm, adds I like what you've done with the place. Then she moves on towards the cellar door, tapping Anika on the shoulder. I kind of thought you and Maloch were a package deal. What happened after Mika dragged us upstairs?

As if in reply, both turn at the sudden crack of Asbjörn's voice. Tindwyl raises a skeptical eyebrow and lifts a hand to darken her goggles automatically. Ling shrinks back towards Agatha.

Tindwyl
It's rude to carry around a weapon, you know. It's mocking and, perhaps, overly familiar. Introductions are a useless formality to Tindwyl. You're gonna take someone's head off with that thing.

Eleanor

I have the feeling our good friend knows how to properly use that ax of his; both to remove heads and deal with troublesome doors. Eleanor had caught sight of Ling's board and she nods, almost in agreement. Ling does have a good point - perhaps we are not meant to open this door? Curiosity killed the cat and all.

Anika

Anika looks up, rather confusedly, to see there's a new guest in the house. She turns to Agatha and Eleanor. Neither one of them seems to be worried about the odd man with the ax, so Anika smiles at him.
That'll work.
Her smile fades as Tindwyl speaks. We are. We're supposed to be. When the fog rolls in he can leave and all, but he shouldn't. He went in the cellar and he never came out and now he's not in there. I don't think he's in here at all. I can't... I can't tell where he is.
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Agatha

You're certainly welcome to try, sir. And would someone be so kind to tell me what Ling said?
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Anika

She thinks it might be locked for a reason. But that's fine, I mean if you don't want to go in that's fine. I just want to see what's in there. Maloch was really intent on going in and I'm worried something happened to him.
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Agatha

I have no question that he can handle himself. On the rare chance that he is in trouble, do you have any idea what you would do to help him? If there is an issue in there, it should be something we think through first.
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Anika

I'll figure it out as I go along. She turns to Asbjorn. Please try to open it.
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[[Ooc: If Asbjorn does try his hand at it, please don't automatically say the door has been hacked down. Stuff will happen if he tries!]]

Asbjörn

Asbjörn gives Tindwyl a knowing smile as he slides past her and around to the door. It may be rude to carry weapons where she comes from, but it is clear that neither of them are in their native lands. He shoots Ling a smirk as he stops before Agatha. It would be my pleasure, matron. His arms are bare today, save for a torque on silver wire around his left wrist, and the well-defined muscles in his forearms ripple noticably as he pulls the ax from his belt. He then turns his gaze to the door, his highly trained mind ticking away as a look of dangerous concentration washes over his face. From his casual stance, Asbjörn explodes forward, a lifetime of experience and physical hardship focused into a flurry of blows that fall upon the doorknob like rain.

The Inn

With each blow, the door cracks loudly. However, as Asbjorn pulls back to strike again, the last cut in the wood heals itself. The chips and dust vanish as they land on the floor. After a few blows, the door quivers as though alive, as though in pain. Deep below the inn, a deep, echoing howl comes up through the floorboards. It is quiet and muffled, but audible. The sound reverberates through the wood and makes the walls vibrate. Something cracks loudly under floor and the inn shakes.
Another crack. And another. They come more quickly and more violently until after a particularly loud destruction, all falls silent.

The door is still in tact and quite locked.
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Agatha

Agatha clutches her cane tightly. Is everyone alright? Is the door open?
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Anika

Anika shrinks back from the door and Asbjorn. ...Maloch?

Eleanor

The door is quite assuredly still shut, Grandmother. I'm fine, at least. Eleanor had watched the proceedings with a critical eye and now had the impression that someone, or something, was wounded beneath the floorboards because of the man and his ax.

( OOC- Hey, Zombie, do you have the keyboard shortcut for that darn ö in Asbjörn? It bugs me having to copy-paste it and I'm way too lazy tonight to go look it up 8D )


Tindwyl
She's still suspicious of the axe, but oh well. Anybody that built can pretty much do whatever they want around her as long as she gets to watch. Tindwyl crosses her arms and leans back against the counter. Somehow she doesn't think this endeavour is going to end well.

As Asbjörn brushes past her she looks back at Anika. I don't like the sound of /that./ Not knowing where he is. It isn't sympathetic, but rather, a little suspicious. She doesn't like the sound of anything Maloch does. The most high-magic Tindwyl has ever been involved in was the one time Yilara Shirelin tried to summon a daemon when she was drunk.

Ling
Of all people, Ling is the one to squeak an Oh, no, st-- st-- stop it! when the cry of the unknown wounded party under the floor comes up through the boards. Someone-- someone--

Mika
From the top of the stairs, Mika shouts, far too loudly for the environment, What the hell was that? He appears halfway down the staircase with still-mussed hair and an expression somewhere between furious and confused. Jesus! Caroline, shut up! This seems to be mostly to himself. Lost for words, as he comes down the stairs he repeats, What the living hell was that?

(Meguzu - Alt + 0246
All - Sorry I didn't get a chance to post sooner! My day has been a little hectic. <_<)

Asbjörn

Defeated, Asbjörn snaps a kick at the door, to little effect. Although he has never seen it before himself, he recognizes well enough the effects of magic. Troublesome door, indeed, he mutters pensively, frustration oozing from his words. I know not how next to proceed, but I daresay I made it angry. Let us hope that groaning is all it does.

[[No problem, CZ. School just started for me again so I totally know how it is.]]
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Anika

Anika comes back up to the door and, frustrated, jiggles the handle again. When she looks down, she notices something under the door. Apparently, Asbjorn's attack loosed something behind it. She reaches down and pulls through the crack beneath the door. It's a letter, which she reads aloud.

James –
It’s as far away as we could get it. Can’t get it past the door. Amy tried to run out with it seven days ago, but she… Gods she…

We can’t get it past the door. Can you hear it? I can. Gods, it won’t stop. I read a story once. Can’t remember what it was about. But I remember the man heard a beating heart under the floorboards. It’s like that. It’s exactly f---ing like that. I’ve been here for a whole year. I can’t take it anymore. If you’re not back soon…

If you can’t find me, it means the inn found out what we tried to do. It means it knows we figured it out. I think the thing is conscious. Or it almost is. Or it used to be, but not long ago. If we’re not here, get out. Get out anyway you can. Don’t look for me. It’ll find you two.

Anika looks up at the rest of the group with a worried expression on her face and looks at the door to the inn. Does anyone know who James is?
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[[Okay! Opening to the first puzzle! I'm going to be using Anika and Agatha to point you in the right direction because I don't trust my lame puzzle making skills, but they won't really help in the actually process of trying to figure things out because, well, I know the answer. Good luck adventurers!]]

(( This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! ))

Eleanor

I know the story they're talking about! The Tale of the Telltale Heart by Poe.. but. Hm. Eleanor looks at the rest of the group with a thoughtful expression on her face. In the story a man is murdered and buried beneath the floorboards but the murderer begins to hear the beating of the man's heart.. and eventually confesses to his crime.

Do you think something similar has happened here?

( THE INN IS COMING FOR US ALL DDDD| RUN WHILE YOU CAN )

Ling
In a brief burst of pride at being useful, Ling is about to supply the name of the story when Eleanor talks over her. She flushes and slumps back into her hunch. It's her favorite Poe. Although the first time after she read it she heard the faintest of heartbeats everywhere she went for a week.

Mika
Yeah, okay, great, what the living holy sh-t was that.

He stomps towards them, and then grinds to a halt beside Agatha; she seems to be the most knowledgeable of them. His tone is a little desperate. Come on, Jesus, tell me you heard that. The screaming. If it's just her screwing with me again, I'm going to stab myself in the face.

(( Aw, poor Ling! *gives Ling huggles galore* If only I had known..! ))

[[Muhuwahahahahahahahaha! YOU BET IT IS!]]

Agatha

Agatha gives Mika a stern face. I think we all heard that, young man. Agatha puts her hand to the bandages over her eyes. It's not here. Louder. It's not here. Wherever that... noise came from I don't think we're in immediate danger. The thing isn't conscious. It acts in accordance to some other instinct.
It's not here.
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Anika

Anika looks over at Agatha worriedly, but says nothing about it. Instead, her attention turns to Mika. Do you have a Maloch too? Maloch doesn't scare me like that anymore. He used to. When I was little, but... Anika sets her jaw and starts towards the front door. The fog drifts in from the cracks more heavily.

Floor boards, you said?