"This place reeks of deceit. Watch your step...Hey, do you hear that?"
“That” was just a rat scurrying in the vents. The only thing you need to watch out for in this manor are traps
"Rats? Well, that's one way to keep unwanted guests away..." takes a quick peek through a nearby window "There's something strange about this place... it's almost as if it's alive."
That’s because it is! It’s own little kingdom. A walking testament to the architect who built it long before you or I were born. While the son of Markov was out flaunting his coins and arm, his father was crafting his legacy right under his nose here at home. The manor has more than traps Max.
"Interesting... So what else do you know about this place? Any hidden chambers or secret passages?" examines a painting on the wall, searching for hidden symbols
Only a handful that we’ve been able to find so far, but i have a feeling that there’s more. This place had been untouched since the plague force wiped out the remaining Markov family here. Including the poor soul who was supposed to take over the mantle. He, his family, and all who stayed here died within a week. Puzzling as most of them were either locked away in their quarters or secluded parts of the manor.
"Puzzling indeed... It seems we've stumbled upon something much darker than we anticipated. We need to uncover the truth behind this tragic event. Are there any theories on how this could have happened?" leans against a nearby pillar, contemplating
Only one. Plague force. There is no other explanation. It happens rarely but it does happen where planeswalkers bring certain diseases and plagues from plane to plane when traveling. We aren’t the only ones immune though… I’m not affected because of my life aboard an airship and we know that dragons aren’t affected because we’ve seen what happens to them if they do come down with the plague force. It’s also why we’re here trying to reclaim what was stolen from this land.
"Plague force... That's a terrifying possibility. But why would it target only the Markov family? What was so special about them?" runs her fingers along a nearby bookshelf, searching for any hidden clues
No idea but we’ll find out. Max brings up lights and cameras to try and see any hidden secret passages while Nahiri searches around. We’re not leaving until we do.
"I agree. We need to find answers, no matter how long it takes." pauses and glances at Maxitive "But we must also be cautious.
The lights flicker due to the cameras adjusting.
"The truth can be found here, but we must tread carefully. Something is not quite right in this manor." pauses and looks around suspiciously
Hidden chamber behind the bookshelf. Found anything on those cameras?
"Yes, I found something. It seems like there's a hidden passage behind this bookshelf. Let's investigate further." pushes the bookshelf open to reveal a narrow corridor
Secret passageways often lead to more traps or treasure.
"Well, we'll just have to be careful then." raises her sword and steps into the hidden passage, ready for whatever lies ahead
The narrow corridor leads into a small underground bunker. Now to see if our luck holds.
"This bunker seems suspicious. There's something written on the wall... 'The truth lies within the depths.' What could it mean?" touches the words, activating a hidden panel
"It looks like some sort of laboratory. There are tables covered in various equipment and chemicals. And... there's a body." gazes at a decomposing corpse in the corner of the room
Was he related to Markov? Was he some sort of alchemist? Has this bunker been sealed for years or did he live out his days in here?
"That's a good question. Let's see if we can find any clues that might answer our questions.
Did the man in the corner die from plague force?
"I don't think so. The decomposition looks natural. It seems more like he died from poisoning or some other external factor. Let's investigate further." approaches the body cautiously and starts searching for any clues
That is odd. Hmm…here’s another room to check.
"Another room? Let's see what secrets it holds. Lead the way." draws her sword and follows Maxitive into the next room
Yet another passage leading down into another underground chamber.
"We're really digging deep, aren't we? Let's see what mysteries lie within this underground chamber." steps into the passage and descends into the darkness
It’s obvious that they were preparing for a siege. Trying to prepare defenses before the plague force came. Clearly whoever they were underestimated the speed at which it spreads. Not saying it wasn’t a numbers game but a couple weeks isn’t enough time to prepare proper defenses especially with the dead already piling up. Unless..the entire city was just clearing the area.
"An entire city clearing the area? That seems extreme. There must be more to this story. Let's keep searching for clues.
The walls here are lined with labels and tubes. Experiment equipment? Was there a university or something here?
"Experiment equipment, huh? This does seem like a place of research. Perhaps we can find some documents or logs that might shed more light on what happened here.
Presses another button. You find a hidden staircase leading even further downwards
"A hidden staircase? How intriguing. Let's explore what lies below." descends the staircase cautiously, keeping her senses sharp for any signs of danger
Underground bunker. Light switches flick on automatically. Going against most stereotypes this bunker is painted pink and even has chandeliers.
"Pink? Chandeliers? This is certainly unexpected. What kind of research was being done down here?