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Well, it seems that we were right. There IS something strange and creepy in this manor, and it’s neither Cynv nor Sortor, which is quite a relief. Especially for Cynv, even if that doesn’t clear her totally, at least there is something here that can explain what is happening. It seems that Lady Icyhill got a liking in necrotic magic and have cause a curse on this place. That would explain the none stop blizzard and the strange behavior of my colleague. If only those rich, stupid people would stop playing with something they don’t understand. Necrotic magic is dangerous and unstable. Every magic book in existence said it at least ten thousand time! But I’m not that surprise, noble family always think that they are superior and that they will succeed where hundred of thousand have fail before them. Pff... Those arrogant fools.
But enough rambling, let’s get to the story. It’s all start two day after Cynv tried to kill Sortor. Early in the morning that day, she was complaining that it was always cold in her room. Because I wanted to keep a better eye on her, for her and mostly my safety and also because there is a storm AGAIN! I had no other choice that to help her on this “cold room” mystery. Initially we tried a couple of trick to warm it up but nothing seem to work, leaving her no other choice that to take the other guess room which don’t have that problem. But after our little investigation, as we didn’t feel like joining the other upstairs, we decide to search the reason of it. At first, I thought it was a huge waste of time. After all, we are under the ground. I mean, the dirt is frozen, it supposes to be cold. It just makes sens for me, but Cynv was adamant that it wasn’t normally like that, so she convinces me to help her investigate that strange icy wall. It didn’t take us very long to find the origin of it. After all, the wall is not that big. The problem was coming from a crack in one the brick. A cold draft was coming from it, keeping the wall and the room cold. Which was bothering as it mean that Cynv was right, and I was wrong. Let just say she wasn't shy to mention it... A lot
But true be told. I don’t really mind. It’s all fair game, and it was really entertaining to work with her! She seems more relax and funny since we are living only the two of us in the basement. I could say that it’s because we have a bit more privacy, but I think is mostly because she feels least threaten... But let’s get back to the story, I got side track again...
Of course, a draft meant that there were something on the other side. Initially, I thought it was a sealed emergency exit and that why the door was lockable from the inside, but Cynv thought it was a counter band tunnel. Maybe slave or something like that, which would have coincided with the wave of kidnapping of those last couple of years... Needless to say, we were both too curios to just let this crack be. So... we decided to remove a brick or two, so we could pass our head and take a look... Which did take some time. We aren’t really equipped for this after all, but it was nothing that some elbow grease can’t fix so after an hour or so, Cynv was finally able to poked her head through the hole to get a better look at the other side and what she found was very... let’s use striking. I had to take her place to be sure she wasn’t inventing something, as what she was saying was too hard to believe.

On the other side of the wall, there is a completely frozen cave, filled with very well-preserved corpses. Because of the heavy fog, we weren’t able to see all the room. So we will take a couple of hours to remove enough brick from the wall until we could make our way in. But before, I wanted to quickly write all this in my book. But now, going to go move some brick!

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It did take us almost all the rest of the day, damn that my hand hurt... but we did succeed in our endeavor and were able to visit this spooky secret area, and it is much more sinister that with thought. Inside this room, there is a grand total of six corpses completely frozen and covered with ice and snow. All dressed neatly and extremely well-preserved, which is nice as It didn’t smell rotting flesh... They were like frozen in ice and time. There were also a book on an altar, which is what pike my curiosity the most. It is very old but in good general condition, although a little aged. Because I didn’t want to read a book in a cold room full of body. I meticulously take it out of the room to read it later, probably tonight, after I write all of this down.
But after our find, we were not really in the position to close it like nothing happen. Manor are not supposed to have secret sacrificial altar to good know what, and we didn’t know what to do with those body. So we decide to let Sorda know about it which, just like us, got him curios. In fact, it makes everyone curious as when they heard us telling to Sorda that we found a secret room in the basement. Sortor et Serrena both follow him there, but I think they didn’t think it would be the creepy kind of secret room as Sorda face turned pale as he entered, showing a certain trace of terror as he saw the six corpses freezing in a secret room in the basement of the mansion of the family he serves.

After a little push on our side to give him the courage to enter, he finally started to look around the room. He check every frozen corps in detail, but those in front were those that really shock him the most. It was the husband and son of Lady Icyhill, both have been missing for four years. About two years before the death of Lady Icyhill and the abandonment of the manor, but that not the most disturbing! She has told the rest of the family that the two had gone on an expedition to the north and never returned! Of course, they add a full funeral for them with empty graves that they have buried not really far from here, but the all “Death on an expedition” was a total lie and realizing that was too much for Sorda. It marks him, it broke him... I did try to console him, after all, there is nothing we can do for them, but Sorda was... Changed from this encounter. It seems that the curiosity killed the cat... Or the innocence of the cat. After our little visit to the secret room, he just says that were done here and that we are leaving as soon as the temperature outside will allow it. He then locks the door to the guess room with the altar room and tell us that this zone is off limit. We should never get back to that room before hide the key on himself. We did try to argue with him. We waned to explore a bit more this strange room, but there were no point speaking with him, he didn’t answer. Cynv try to physically stop him from leaving, but he didn’t really react. I don’t think he can handle this anymore. We may have lost another one here... Even if it just mentally.

For the book, Sorda didn’t ask it back, so I take it as I can keep it but Sortor notice it and also wanted to keep it. In fact, he wanted it so badly that he even threaten me to give it to him, but when Cynv intervene. He let everything go and simply leave. He seems to been afraid of her ever since the incident, which can be useful for me. But the more I think about him, the more I think that even him seem to have changed, he speaks more that when we meet at the tavern and is way more aggressive. This manor is really getting on everyone head... I Can’t wait to leave, but for now, I can finally read the book. I wounder if I can find more information about that room in there…

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