Inspection of House Durst: Upper Floors

A compulsion draws us back to the second floor library, where we discover a hidden alcove. In a ruined chest lies a small fortune and deeds to property, along with a skeleton bearing a grim letter from Count Strahd Von Zarovich. The casual cruelty in his words suggests a taste for sadism. He criticizes the dead man's tragedies stemming from philandering with hired help, if I'm not mistaken, but I remain uncertain of why humans would require such extensive outside help to aid their young. I recall so little information from my existence prior to ceremorphosis, and reaching back for these trivialities has no reward in the effort.
 
Before leaving, I collect the unusual tomes present in the hidden room for further consultation.
 
Our search of the third floor continues. The gunslinger and the monster hunter lead the search. A room to the South houses an inconsolable ethereal undead entity, which appears to be the youngling caretaker. She guides us to the adjacent room, in which the crib of the baby lies empty, despite the hollowed sounds of crying rippling through the air. In impatience of finding the truth of this room, I hastily (and foolishly) demonstrate my powers to the stranger-companions, whipping away the veil of the crib with my projected soulknife. Tensions are driving me towards aggressive behaviors. The spirit disappears, leaving our questions in her wake.
 
Though we find a route to the attic behind a mirror, we inspect the remainder of the third floor for safe practice. A bathroom and master bedroom lie empty and without complication. The monster hunter inspects a closet and is attacked by an animate broom, but opts to lock it inside, leaving it to rattle up a cacophony as we ignore it and advance to the attic. The constant milquetoast windmill imagery, paired with the creeping sensation of lurking threats, has me in a growing irritant state.
 
The immediate room connects to the children's quarters, showing the skeletal remains of the duo we encountered outside; it would appear Quicknife's test, while decent improvisation, requires some further nuance. As the elf woman inspects their toys, the spirits of the children appear-- apparently unaware of their own demise-- and are at a loss of words. In frustration of their deception, I claim the boy's skull; the monster hunter declares that such remains must not be taken, and in the moment of tension, I decide to indulge him. A trophy of momentary vanity has no value if it creates deeper existential threats in the short term. My aggressive recklessness becomes more clear to me, and I resign to continue observation of the others. The monster hunter pledges to the children to lay their remains to rest in the crypts below the property.
 
In the next room, numerous pieces of furniture lie draped under sheets, a tomb of forgotten pieces. Among them, a body lies wrapped in bloodstained sheets. We assume it to be the youngling caretaker's remains, and as the elf woman begins to unravel them, her hands are clasped by the apparate spirit, who enters to further bemoan her loss of the infant. From what it sounds like, either the family matriarch had a taste for cruelty, or she was host to whatever the monster in the basement is. I have no interest in this family's business, but if these companions are set on dealing with these terrors, I would see it resolved simply to be rid of the constant noise.
 
We journey down to the kitchen and dining room on the first floor to rest our weary feet, where our group decides to make introductions. The human monster slayer is known as Simon Belmont of Wallachia; the gunslinger is known as Alfonse Kalazorn, an elf who also comes from a lineage of monster hunters; Talin Quicknife, my earlier companion is a semi-professional agent of an unknown entity who escaped slavery at the hands of the Red Wizards; and the sickly elf, Lenore Dharenshyl, seems fit to hold her own secrets.
 
Asked as to what race I am, I introduce myself in full without extensive detail; Talin is quick to give context that my kind are slavers, but I make it clear that I have no interest in domination schemes. In full disclosure, I notify Talin that it was I who hired him through an intermediary at the mutual party's suggestion, and offer to pay him his entire promised wage for his participation upfront (at the cost that it will guarantee his loyalty). He agrees, and I pay him his entire 50 gold piece contract.
 
I seek to know more about Lenore, and as I call to her repeatedly-- my volume continually escalating-- she seems to stare off into space for a stretch before finally responding with nondescript answers. There is more to her than she lets on.
 
These companions are effective by first assessment. They lack coordination and unified stances of perceived morality (myself included, according to Belmont's philosophies) but they share a drive to survive.
 
Barring disappointing performance in the approaching conflict with the monster below, I trust a pact can be made from which an effective partnership and mutual growth can stem. The path to survival and mission success is taking form.