NIGHT 009

[allthekeys]

|| THREAT DOWN

|| NIGHT 009: GENERAL As night falls, the humid heat does not subside with the setting sun; if anything, the air seems to have grown thicker from it. A loud, droning buzz of some sort of insect fills the air outside, although the source of the noise proves elusive. The Crows seem uneasy tonight, most hiding in the castle as though afraid of something that waits outside. They will find their friends and hide in their hair the moment they pass by, and Terra, Kaito, and Hibari might find themselves at times so encumbered with the feathered bodies that it becomes hard to move. They are quiet for once, not calling or making the smallest noise. They seem unnerved by loud noises, shivering quietly on the shoulders of their chosen perch. As night approaches, Zephram begins to rub at his neck, seeming almost rebellious for a moment before he finally rises from the lip of the fountain, leaving the fish to pick at the ice that melts quickly without his presence. He makes his way into the castle and up the stairs, all the while rubbing at the thick line of scar tissue that crosses his throat. Kaito will notice that his pocket feels unusually warm, and that burrs caught on his jacket have started to grow roots into the wool. The moisture that fills the air seems to be enough to fuel them. The golden seed that he took from the bedroom has now begun to sprout, and by midnight he will discover that what was in his pocket is now a small sapling with golden bark and crimson leaves. He will also discover a pair of leather boots sitting on his assigned cot, with no sign of their maker. Hibari will notice that the skeleton's jaw has shattered to pieces, and the apple he'd placed there is gone. Murtagh will be released from his cell and brought to the Guard Captain. || THE TOWN Something dark seems to have settled over the town, though the workers continue to build. Several of the men and women have broken away from the crews, facing out into the darkness with lanterns held high to cast their light as far as they can. They have drawn cloaks up around their faces, leaving little skin exposed despite the heat. The town is almost disturbingly silent, with people running quickly from house to house if they must be out at all. They barely seem to whisper, and those who dare to make noise in the town will find themselves hurriedly shushed by those few shopkeepers who keep their shops open, or perhaps attended by one of the Gargoyles currently patrolling the area. The Baker stares out into the darkness from inside his shop, keeping a lantern lit to guide anyone who might find themselves trapped outside there. Inside the Cheese House only one lantern is lit, sitting at the feet of the young woman who tends shop there. She is sitting on the floor behind the counter, wrapped in a small blanket and eating sour pickles directly from a jar. The old woman stands near the outer window, but she seems insubstantial; there is an odd flickering quality to her now. It seems almost as though she might vanish. The Apothecary has its door closed, but despite this the small sign by the window still says it’s open. Sure enough, the door is unlocked, and anyone who comes inside will be greeted quietly by the young shopkeeper. He appears nervous, but that much is understandable, and he throws wary glances out the windows at the creatures outside. Inside the apothecary, someone has hung a long string dotted with perfect spheres of glass near the door. It catches and refracts every mote of light, scattering it into a million pieces over the ground, changing colors with no apparent rhyme or reason. It seems to catch each raindrop, almost as though it uses the droplets of water to make new beads of glass on the string. The Butcher stands in his shop, surrounded by the swinging, bloody carcasses of newly received stock. He, unlike the rest of the town, does not seem to notice or care for the odd hush that has settled on the town. He works steadily, breaking down the carcasses, covered in flecks of blood and meat. The odd, rhythmic thunking sound sounds throughout the night. He is unfriendly and entirely unwelcoming, and does not seem to wish to engage in commerce. It is safe in the monastery tonight. The door is once again unlocked, and Treasa answers again. She is hesitant to let anyone inside--but tonight, for the first time, it is possible to enter should someone feel they are in real danger. A stray cat wanders the town. || GARDENS AND YARD Even at the castle those outside seem a bit uneasy with the night. The dark workers work without stop on the new building, now recognizable as a two story affair with wide upper openings that seem intended to at some point be doors. The short man is still hard at work with his plans, barking orders from time to time. The area around the work area has been hastily illuminated with scores and scores of torches and lanterns, many held by exhausted seeming guardsmen who seem barely able to keep themselves on their feet. The Garden seems to be trying to overgrow the walls around it. The Gargoyles outside tear at the vines and seem to be engaged in a stalemate war with the overgrowth, each side regenerating whatever damage the other does. The plants within the Garden are incredibly active, and the Green Man often seems to appear near anyone passing within it; the crow that usually accompanies him is barely visible, huddled close and tucked within a small nest of vines and wood where the ghost's chest would be. Both the Garden and its keeper are dangerous to anyone over 18 that is not blatantly nonhuman. The Fog has returned it, and within it move dark figures. They are silent as they move, and quick to prey on those who dare to wander out alone, long bony fingers wrapping around their bodies as their energy is sucked from them. The Wraiths seem to have followed the fog, and will hunt those moving outside; the gargoyles do not even seem aware of them. They stalk the narrow lanes of the town, and the shaded paths of the garden. Anyone alone will find themselves easily caught out by these creatures and drained of their life. They are not the only thing that has come in with the fog. A woman and a Gryphon arrive near nightfall, dropping out of the sky and landing near the new building. The gryphon is healthy and strong, saddled and well-tended with gleaming feathers; the leathers that he wears are well made. The woman in contrast seems wrong somehow. Although her armor is well tended and the fabric is unmarked, there seems to be only fog where skin should . Her mask covers most of her face, including her eyes, though she seems unbothered by her apparent blindness. She stands next to the gryphon, looking up at the building nearing completion and attempting to lure the two little ones to her with bits of meat. Throughout the night, she can often be found next to the bird or examining the containment of the one in the Zoo. Her treatment seems to displease the woman, and she spends several moments arguing with the guards about it. Soubi will find himself with the strange sense of being studied, as though the woman is attempting to take his measure. The gryphon within the zoo is restless, often attempting to hover over Soubi. || CASTLE: FIRST FLOOR In the Kitchen, the cook sits on the small stool, peeling a pile of unfamiliar roots and dumping them into a pot of water over one of the smaller hearths. A warm, spicy smell fills the room before long, but the Cook does not move, slowly breaking down the pile of roots as the night toils on. The woman the Lord called Ilanna sits alone by one of the work tables in the kitchen, leaning over it and shaking with sobs, her arms around herself as if her own body is the only thing she has left to hold onto. Her eyes are open and staring distantly ahead, but at what is difficult to determine for anyone who’s trying—and a second look to her face shows that something is very wrong. The sheen of something over her eyes is faintly reflective, and although her dark irises can be easily seen behind the bright film, the colour is muted and odd. It pools painfully in the corners of her eyes and is forced out with effort onto the skin where it slowly drips down her cheeks and the sides of her nose, leaving streaks of what looks—metallic? golden?—on her brown skin. It’s stuck to her eyelashes, her fingertips and knuckles, and there are drops on the table. It brings her obvious pain to cry like this. Her breath hitches with almost every sob, but she doesn’t seem to be able to stop, nor tear her eyes away from what only she can see. In the Great Hall, something has been tearing at the banners with long claws; the serpent banner seems maimed as an afterthought to shredding the others. The Guards have taken a tighter patrol, searching the Hall and its adjacent areas with weapons readied. The Gargoyles indoors have taken to posting themselves at doors, although they seem oddly slow to respond to movement in their area. Something has carved into one of the walls; the letters are clumsy, raked out with large claws, with a simple message: "THE NIGHT STIRS". The stone is not healing as it normally would, and bleeds some sort of odd, oily black substance. Around the First Floor a hollow, inhuman laugh can be occasionally heard just around a corner or out of sight, away from the guards; those spending enough time on this floor may glimpse a large, dark shape with gleaming eyes and teeth slipping between rooms. Someone has written something on the floor of the Throne Room. It seems odd, and the words are difficult to read for anyone without the ability to fly. Alone at night he came for me, and drew me from my bed. He took from me that childish place, and made a wife of me instead. Within me grew a seed of dread, as childhood choked to death. Seemingly the source of this odd phrase is a young woman sitting on the floor at the foot of the dais, her long hair pulled back from her face with jeweled pins. She is a slender, pale thing, with hair the color of blood. Her eyes are dark, bright with a light all their own. Her fingers are wet and stained with berry juice, with berry skins sticking her her wrists and face. She holds a bowl of the fruit in her lap. She sucks the juices from her fingers, careful not to swallow the seeds that she scatters on the velvet runners surrounding the throne. She hums to herself, jarringly, forcefully out of tune, and her body rocks from side to side in time. The woman is not dangerous to other women who enter the room. They will see only the young woman eating her fruit, humming to herself. She largely ignores them, content to snack on her fruit and make a mess of the room. But the men who walk into the room will find her utterly captivating. The berries seem to cling to her lips, begging for their kisses and caresses. They will find themselves drawn to her, lured in until they are utterly tangled in the illusion. She will reach for them, caress them, and draw their hearts free of their chests. They will have time enough as they die to watch her eat it, licking her fingers clean of their blood. The Collector's Library is quiet tonight. The new guardian sits with his baby-bundle and rocks her gently. He is perfectly willing to engage in conversation--so long as it remains quiet. || CASTLE: SECOND FLOOR The Bleeding Child haunts the Main Hallway tonight, the small bloodstains she leaves behind from her bleeding arm telling of the path she’s taken. Something appears to agitate or worry her and she doesn’t bother hiding the knife she’s carrying, her hold on it always shifting. Her grip on it is deceptively strong, however, and shouldn’t be underestimated by any adult who crosses her path. She’s quick to lash out tonight, but it appears to be out of desperation rather than anger. Any children won’t be harmed, but instead ushered into the nearest corner where the child hushes them. In the Zoo, is is obvious that the animals are experiencing discomfort. The Unicorns are all marked with fresh injuries, and flies are bothering them greatly as they stand in a miserable huddle. The foal sometimes wanders away from the other three, sniffing at the barrier that contains them within their cage and flicking her small, useless tail to try to scatter the flies. Her mother calls for her occasionally, and she always goes to her side when called. But it never seems to last for long as she wanders away from her mother again to explore the limits of her prison. The Centaurs seem to be in similar levels of pain, though the male is nearly unmarked save for a shallow slice on his shoulder that bubbles with fluid. The female appears to have recently been whipped across the chest and back, with one blow clearly having caught her across the face. Despite the heat, she shivers, the male standing helplessly by, arms still bound behind him. The White Tiger paces its cell restlessly, occasionally feeling about the door with its paws in a manner far too careful and calculated for a mere beast. The Black Tortoise spends part of the night rearranging the meager bedding and trappings of its cell, adjusting placement and silently watching those passing by. The Wisps in their cages have taken up a dizzying dance, an odd sort of chiming music barely audible from within the enclosure. The Jester is sitting on his bed, still looking ill and unsteady. He seems to be trying to go somewhere, but his legs will not support his weight. Gilly has settled in his lap, and one of his hands rests on the crow, a small half smile twisting his lips as he touches the clothes the bird is wearing. In what was once the Gold Bedroom, the Tyger is curled on the floor; it watches the door, tail lashing occasionally. The creature does not move while the door is open, and the heat of the flames seems to have lessened—but those who enter further than the doorway will find it far from passive. Within the Jungle Bedroom, the snarling from behind the locked door has intensified. The taxidermy animals are once again alert; blood seeps through the creases around their eyes and trickles down their faces, and they appear to be keeping a close watch on anyone in the room. The two stuffed black leopards have broken their chains and returned to guarding the locked door, though for the most part, they will not move unless bothered. They make an exception for Kaito; if he spends any significant amount of time in the room, they will rush to attack. || CASTLE: BASEMENT The woman in the Tapestry room is sitting on her knees, peering at the pile of stones covering the hole in the wall. The sound of metal against stone can be heard from the other side of the small wall, but it holds. As the night goes on, a tentative smile seems to steal over her face, her hands clutched against her stomach as she sways. The woman in the Porcelain room is savoring a mug of tea and a few spicy smelling cookies, her eyes half closed as she inhales the steam. A wrapped package of more tea and a few other items has been left on the bed, the coverings half unraveled. For the first time anyone can recall, she looks just the smallest bit hopeful, as though some strain has at last released her. One of the Crows sits on her table, picking up crumbs from the cookies and muttering to itself. The Sirens are in the Common Hallway tonight. They are not moving about, or even making much noise, but instead sit together in a hushed circle. They all wear veils and keep their heads low, ignoring most who come near. They are not safe to be around, however, and any who linger to interrupt their grief will find their ire is as real as ever. || THREAT DOWN GENERAL: • The weather is still hot and humid • The Crows are uneasy and have hidden throughout the castle • Zephram has left the fountain and returned to the upper floor of the castle FIRST FLOOR: • The cook is peeling roots in the kitchen • Ilanna is also in the kitchen, crying • The banners in the Grand Hallway have been maimed; Guards and Gargoyles patrol it. There is strange writing on one of the walls • Hollow laughter can be heard around corners throughout the floor • A large dark shape with gleaming eyes and teeth is slinking between rooms • A message is written on the floor of the Throne Room • The Heart Eater haunts the Throne Room. Men need beware • The man in the Collector's Library is willing to engage those who are quiet 1. Receiving Room 2. East Hallway 3-8. Small Parlors 9. Collector's Library 10. Grand Hallway 11. Grand Dining Room 12. North Passage 13. Castle Kitchen 14. Pantry 15. Common Room 16. The Steward's Room 17. Steward's Bath 18. Southwest Passage 19. The Musicians' Parlor 20. Throne Room 21. Guard Passage 22. Captain's Quarters 23. Soldiers' Barracks 24. Soldiers' Bathing Area SECOND FLOOR: • The Zoo animals are in distress, and some are injured • The stranger who arrived at the yard is occasionally at the Zoo, watching the Gryphon • The Jester and Gilly the crow sit on the bed in the Motley Room • The Tyger haunts the Gold Bedroom • The Bleeding Child haunts the main hallway • The taxidermy in the Jungle Bedroom is once again alert, and something is growling from behind the locked door 1. Main Hallway 2. Silver Bedroom 3. Silver Bathroom, 4. The Storage Room 5. Upper North Passage 6. The Barren Room 7. The Sandstone Bath 8. The Motley Room 9. Collector's Library (Upper Level) 10. Head Bedroom 11. Museum 12. Colonial Study 13. Plush Bathroom 14. Locked Room 15. Glass Gallery 16. Mural Bedroom 17. Round Bedroom 18. Gem Room 19. Jungle Bedroom 20. Locked Door 21. Marble Bathroom 22. South Passage 23. Exotic Zoo 24. Servants' Room 25. Magpie Bedroom 26. Slanted Bathroom 27. Fortune Hunter's Bedroom, 28. Locked Room 29. Crystal Bedroom 30. Crystal Bathroom 31. Gold Bedroom 32. Gold Bathroom 33-34. Open Parlors 35. Music Box Bedroom 36. Enclosed Orchard BASEMENT: • The woman in the Tapestry room is staring at the stones that cover the hole in the wall • The woman in the Porcelain room is having tea and cookies, along with a Crow • The sirens are grieving in the Common Hallway 1. The Cells 2. The Carpenter's Room 3. Porcelain Bedroom 4. Glassmaker's Room 5. Tapestry Bedroom 6. The Pottery Room 7. Basement Generator Room 8. Torture Chamber 9. Basement Hallway 10. The Hole 11. Basement 12. Basement Passage 13. Stone Washroom 14. Wine Cellar 15. Women's Quarters 16. Empty Dorm 17. Common Hallway 18-27. Dorms THE TOWN: • The town is silent and dark tonight • Wraiths are active outside • Gargoyles patrol outside • The Baker keeps a lantern lit to guide people to his shop • The Cheese House's shopkeeper sits on the floor behind the counter. The old woman in the shop seems oddly insubstantial • The Apothecary is open • The Butcher is busy at work • The Monastery is safe--and for the first time it is possible to enter • A stray cat wanders the town 1. The Bricklayer's Shed 2. Smithy 3. The Cheese House 4. The Tailor's Shop 5. Butcher Shop 6. Metalworker's Shop 7. The Brewery 8. Market Square 9. The Well 10. Apothecary 11. Confectionary Shop 12. The Bakery 13. Toy Shop 14. Pub 15. House 1 16. House 2 17. House 3 18. House 4. 19. Monastery 20. Gardens 21. The Shelter 22. Rose Cottage 23. The Burned Out Row GARDENS AND YARD: • Workers continue to build an expansion to the stables, under the direction of the short man • The garden and the Green Man are active and dangerous • Wraiths are active in fog that has spread • A woman and a gryphon have arrived near the new building

Comments

NIGHT 009 PLOTTING THREAD

[allthekeys]

Anything you'd especially like to play out or explore? Any plans or goals for this update? Any questions?

Note it all here, and go forth and plot!

[power_of_dominance]

Will the stray cat in town approach if offered food?

[allthekeys]

It sure will! It appears quite curious, if a little cautious too, but will approach and lick and sniff at the food before eating it.

[whiteofcrime]

Murtagh is going to keep looking for a book to interpret Zeph's spell with, assuming he gets let off by the Guard Captain (outcome pending, obviously).

Kaito will want to tend to the centaurs (or other creatures) in the Zoo.

I was still hoping to talk to that person in the library but I understand Cait is kind of absent at the moment...

Would like to talk to Ilanna if possible.

If someone wants to help Kaito deal with leopards in the Jungle Bedroom, that'd be swell.

And if anyone would like to help Mukuro experiment with his stolen orchard fruit then let me know. It will involve getting badly (but not fatally) hurt.

[masterofthewhip]

I'm down to help with the orchard fruit!

[bloodyashes]

Kaito will probably catch Asch at work tending the unicorns at some point, because they are his Friends.

[enharmonica]

Sorry Kaito, you're probably going to run into N in the zoo again because he is overly concerned about these animals.

NOTE TO MODS

[whiteofcrime]

Murtagh rolled a 10 for finding a book related to Zeph's spell in the library.

And Kaito rolled a 4 for finding a ruler. 8| I wish he had been looking for a memory stone gdi.

(For reference's sake, pre-emptive 19 and 37 rolled for Mukuro/Kaito's resistance to Heart Eater in case that's needed.)

Also, Mukuro should have continued doing double chores during the Day in order to try and impress the Steward and get in good with the Lord. I'm not sure if I have to log that but I was busy last week.

[allthekeys]

slides over here

I'm in Montreal right now but I'll be back home by Monday evening, prior to that I'll come check tonight etc for comments to this SO I will be less absent I'm sorry

the dude in the library will definitely stress quiet, as is implied in the update, but he's perfectly willing to talk to Kaito!

-Caitlin

[masterofthewhip]

Richter will be attempting to visit the VILLAGE and the MONASTERY. At the monastery, he will be collecting a vial of holy water and a cross. Anyone who knows Castlevania well will know what happens then.

HYDRO FUCKING STORM, BABY!

One of Richter's powers is to make it rain holy water, destabilizing dark entities and generally having rain effects, including:

-breaking humidity
-encouraging plant growth
-making nice plink sounds on the roof

If he makes it to the monastery, and they have holy water, I will be trying this closer to midnight.

I need to talk to Cait about Richter's interaction with the monks.

He may also talk to the man in the collector's library and offer his protection, as he did in the day for the craftspeople.

EDIT: Richter rolled an 18 on his "avoiding wraiths" roll, so he will make it the first leg of his trip safely, probably to both places, and not get accosted until he's on the way home.

[shuttersense]

Rei can go with Richter to the Monastery! It's safer to go in groups, and she's slowly gotten a little more rounded when it comes to defence.

More importantly, she's met Treasa, which may or may not work in their favor.

Also holy water showering down sound so nice. break that humidity!

[enharmonica]

Rock Types are weak against water. B|

Anyway, I'm up for doing town stuff with Richter!

[allthekeys]

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. I enjoy the plinking sounds on roofs especially.

the monks have holy water and crosses, so he'll be able to get them! They'll want to know what he wants them for though, which means talking to them, which means talking to Treasa a little more than the monks themselves. So having Rei tag along will, in fact, be helpful for that.

-Caitlin

ETA: and the dude in the library will be uncertain of being offered protection, but he'll accept for the sake of his baby

[zangenasai]

So I did a general roll of "how much can Nem explore everywhere before getting killed due to her own lack of care for her own health" and... Rolled a 4.

So she's apparently going to get a lot of exploring and discovering done without dying. Somehow. ...IDEK her luck.

WHAT ALL IS SHE GONNA BE ABLE TO FIND and what all do you need me to roll for now...

[shuttersense]

Well, if she wants to explore with someone who can get a past read on things, there's Rei! Depending on what's there,and what she touches (and how well she rolls) she can get Nem a LOT of info.

so if there's a specific room you want to check for things, they could work together.

[allthekeys]

GIVE US A GENERAL AREA? I mean she's basically going ninja on getting noticed by monsters, so go for the questions/pick a place!

[bloodyashes]

Asch will encounter the Gryphon Lady in the zoo (while he's attempting to tend the unicorns), and he got a 2 on his fonon sense roll so uh. yes. That's a thing.

And then he got a 4 on fonon sense roll for what the hell is happening with Ilanna in the kitchen and I am going to take my blessings where I can and stop there.

[shuttersense]

depending on what's going on with Ilanna, they might need to confer, a bit. The fact that she's crying metal is disturbing. Just a bit.

Basically: does she need to touch the crying lady for a better idea of what's up

[shuttersense]

Rei will be trying to talk to Ilana.

She will also try to speak to the Heart Collector.

If she can, she'll offer to wash the wounds of the centaurs if they give permission.

Interested in speaking quietly to the man in the Collector's library, and the women in the Craftsmen rooms.

Also interested in investigating various rooms to check for various object reading. May be willing to go to town if with company to visit tradesmen and monastery.

Haven't rolled for anything yet, but that depends on what happens.

Re: NIGHT 009 PLOTTING THREAD

[redeyesazuredragoon]

Nidhogg is presumably still free unless the guards try to leash him again, so I don't know what you guys want to do with that. If he's free he'll want food so he might wander toward the Zoo area.

Estinien is going to generally be sticking close to Hope, so wherever she goes (because he has concerns, okay, after last time), probably wander the halls and try not to get involved in anything too stupid. He likely won't sneak outside.

... I uh. I mean to backtag Zeph at some point, too. I've just been busy so I haven't gotten around to it. >_>; So if he learns anything from that, he might contact the Catspy, maybe.

[enharmonica]

N is going to be spending a substantial chunk of time in the zoo because he is distressed about this. He'd be trying to be of some measure of help to the animals, and also still trying (but likely not succeeding) to talk with them.

I'd also like to do stuff with the Town!

[angel_of_death]

Walter, being a regular customer at the Cheese House, has noticed the young woman's condition and is concerned. He will try to talk to her.

I would also love for him to have an encounter with the Green Man.

[fifthreplacement]

I am so late urgh. But shiny update is shiny, and I like the new format.

Click is definitely going to be curious and worried at Ilana, along with staying in the Kitchen in general. It seems safe so staying safe.

I'm debating toss Lind at the Heart-Eating Ghost, but that will depend on how well I can manage her.

Sync (after having a near-panic attack at oh god it's night again) is definitely going to be worried about the unicorns being hurt, Yiya in particular, so he'll be in the Zoo for at least part of the night. I'd definitely like him to run into Gryphon Lady, though his fonon result was nowhere near as good as Asch's (59). Unsure what else I'm going to do with him yet :|a Though he'd probably going to find the black goo message at some point and puzzle over it (while holding himself together incredibly well thanks dice).

Tharaman will probably also Zoo things and be unhappy about it, though he'd like to see if the White Tiger will 'speak' with him, or react. Aside from that, generally unhappy at it. I'm also curious how the Bleeding Child will react to him.

Akito and Agito I'd like to throw at the Baker, because chances are good they were both outside and they know the danger the fog can bring.

[icebrand]

Ysayle just newly arrived and will be introducing herself as Lady Iceheart to anyone she comes across. The name plate on her trunk in dorm 23 reads Ysayle but is covered in aether ice. Since that was a 93, it began to melt before she ever left the room. Stupid thing.

She'll be drawn to the presence of the gryphon rider with a 43 roll. If she can alleviate the pain of the beasts within their cages, she will likely make an attempt to do so regardless of her own well-being. First she will make an attempt to communicate with them before approaching, so if it's apparent they want nothing to do with her, she will back down.

Maybe she can offer them some relief from the heat with some ice water.

Depending on who she speaks with early on in the night, she may head out into the town. May not. It depends. I'm open to pretty much anything though since she just got here.

[humble_scholar]

Thancred Is coming back from his canon update - which means he'll be wearing a black cloth as an eyepatch over his left eye, his visible eye is now blue, his hair's longer, he's got a very short goatee, and he's openly wearing a couple of very noticeable blades.

He's going to be snooping around some and looking for basically checking up on his CR; some of his castmates are getting a bit of priority, esp. Syhrgeim and Estinien, but he'll be looking for pretty much anybody who knows him and may pop up helping others!

Kuja is active and a little on edge; he's already familiar with the wraiths, so if someone wants to go outside, I'm open to plotting for him volunteering to accompany them while hovering around the doors not quite going out himself. He'll also be studying the marks on the wall around the great hall with a light spell floating around him, and I'm open to any other plotting with him as well.