Scene 2: Cursed blood

Alexander's injured eye aches from the cold, a light grimace coming across his face as they move out into the graveyard. At Claire's muttering, Alex steps closer and puts a hand on her shoulder to pull her a little closer against him.

"Stay close, stay warm." He whispers, staying respectfully back from his grandfather as he stands at his sister's grave.

Claire flinches back from Alexander's touch, then she takes a breath and hesitantly leans into him, accepting the little bit of shelter he can provide from the rain and cold. He does notice that she doesn't completely look comfortable with it, however.

Claire tries to follow Roderick's lead with unsure steps, doubting the whole idea as she is confronted by the rain and cold outside. Still, she is driven forward, either by curiosity, a super natural force, or simply to make sure Roderick doesn't get lost. Her eyes are instinctively attracted to the place where the women were. She stops for a moment, rubbing her glasses. It seems there are some marks left on the muddy soil, but she can't tell what they are without inspecting them more closely.

As she considers if the women's footprints could have lasted the entire day, Alexander catches up and puts a hand on her shoulder to shelter her a bit and keep her warm. Elias doesn't hide his disapproval; after all, he is the big brother who should take care of his little sister, not Alexander. Even so, he seems distracted by something in the distance. "Did you see that?" he asks them, pointing towards the direction of the mausoleum where Roderick.

Claire considers walking closer towards the tracks in the mud to take a better look but decides it's not worth it to step out of the half-shelter from the rain that Alexander provides. Instead, she turns to where Elias was pointing. "What did you see?", she asks him. "Is someone there?"

A strange tremor pervades the old man's body. He curls up as if in pain.

When he straightens up, his face seems fixed in a grotesque, mask-like grin.

Nathaniel figures he should do something while they are out here. But he's not a leader, and the doesn't believe in curses and otherworldly gobbledygook (Although being at the Manor with his family might be changing that). So he sticks with what he's good at; detailed observation. He starts examining what he can see around him, looking for anything odd or out of place.

@Dr_B

Roderick looks at the perfect replica of his sister laying on top of the smooth marble sarcophagus. He grabs the metal handles as if to open it, but then stops. Completely motionless, his breathing so weak he could be taken as a statue himself. Luckily, none of the others seem to have notice it as they were distracted by Elias.



You are abruptly brought back by the sound of barking dogs. It looks like the Caretaker did take care of it as you asked.

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@bowlofspinach,@crazybirdman

Elias looks surprised as Claire asks him about what he saw. It would seem he expected everyone to have noticed whatever it was. He starts talking but makes not sounds, his usual confidence shaken by the recent events. Before he manages to speak, Nathaniel gasps in surprise. Observant as always, he paid close attention to how Elias moved his finger, drawing a line in the direction away from the mausoleum. When you hear the dogs starting to bark, Nathanial is already running. Stopping close to an open grave, he jumps inside and starts digging the earth looking for something, anything, but there is nothing in there.

Claire pulls herself out of Alexander's arms and runs after Nathaniel, stopping at the edge of the open grave. "Nathaniel, what are you doing?", she asks him, her voice sounding slightly panicked. "Is something wrong?"

He painfully straightens, turning in the direction of the barking to scan for intruders coming from that direction. He strains his eyes to pierce the darkness of the night.

"Wha, what do you mean 'Is something wrong'? Mr Rookwood looks as if . . . . and Elias looks to have . . ." Nathaniel looks to Elias, as if to confirm he is in the spot his cousin was pointing to. Only then does he fully realize he is waist deep in a grave looking at a gravestone for someone that shares his christian name. "I suppose the simple answer to your question is that 'Yes', something, likely many things are wrong" he adds before climbing out of the grave to look around, making one last futile attempt to try and see whatever Elias did

Claire and Alexander run after Nathaniel finding him waist deep in a grave. As he climbs out, Nathaniel stops, almost frozen in panic as he stares at the tombstone in front of him. Though Nathaniel himself didn't find anything in the dirt, something else seems to be catching Alexander's attention...

Elias stays behind, looking surprised as he talks to himself.

Recognizing the dog's back, Roderick immediately suspect that his plans to catch whoever the trespassers are worked. After his unsettling experience, he decides to focus on finding out from which direction the dogs are barking.

Nathaniel tries in vain to dust himself off as he peers into the dark. Hoping to see something that proves he and Elias aren't mad.

Where are the noises coming from... He thinks, turning this way and that.

Claire feels something tingling at the edge of her mind. What could it be?