THE TIES THAT BIND ||| THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA

Terror of Tal'Dorei

"He's gone..." Scanlan gasped as he shadowed both Ragnvaldr and the twins, stepping inside the established disgustingly macabre room followed closely by Percy who squeezed through the tight passage, pistol drawn blocking the only viable escape Krieg had. Behind the battle ready gunslinger Grog peeked his head in as did Keyleth. Moonless meanwhile, stayed closely beside Trinket, both animals seemingly reluctant to enter the room.

Glancing around the enclosed space, each member of Vox Machina investigated the strangely tranquil study noticing instantly the mysterious artefacts and dusty tomes, alongside a myriad of jarred specimens stacked end to end on the well maintained shelves along the walls, a far cry from what lay mere meters away next door. "Quite the keen observation, Scanlan." the white haired noble grumbled, flicking open his blackened coat and holstering his Pepperbox once more.

The party's Druid quickly swooped in behind Percy, hugging the wall as she ran her covered hand across the dozens of wooden drawers and shelves, looking for any evidence as to where the would be murderer disappeared to. "There must be a hidden exit or trap door. Fan out. Look for some kind of fulcrum." Percy ordered, straightening his crooked stance and pressing a single finger to his spectacles, pushing them snuggly to the bridge of his nose.

"Wait, a fuck room?" Grog misinterpreted as Pike's eyes widened in astonishment at the Goliath's woefully wrong question all while an infuriated Ragnvaldr marched passed him, hand axe balanced on his shoulder as he scoffed at the shrill statement, moving to one of the shelves beside the cluttered wooden desk placed squarely in the centre of the room and began searching violently through the neatly arranged tomes. Sliding one after another from their tightly packed slot, attempting to find some form of hidden lever.

Vax whom stood silently, leaning casually against the edge of the desk flicked through one of the hundreds of tomes. "I mean, that's what I heard." he stated as calmly as ever while his sister unrolled a worn old scroll flat on the piece of furniture's flat surface.

Instantly Percy's face grew an expression of impatience, quickly correcting his aloof compatriots. "A lever, a button. Just... Stand over there, Grog. And don't touch anything." he demanded pointing toward one of the four corners of the study although, it just so happened to be the one closest the gaudy painting facing right toward the desk. 

Without an ounce of disagreement the Goliath trounced over toward his assigned place as Pike gripped onto the symbol of Sarenrae hanging around her neck. Instantaneously her eyes glowed a brilliant bright gold, using her blessed magic to locate any magical artefacts nearby, however, it didn't take long as every single piece of Krieg's collection grew a rippling yellow outline only the Cleric could see. "You guys, everything in this room is magical. Where do we even start?" she gaped as the others continued with their own brand of investigation.

Rubbing the back of his ashen skinned, bald head Grog's pouting face twisted into one of absolute glee as his eyes landed upon the towering painting. "Oh. Oh my..." he gasped, white eyes wide as he grinned ear to ear rushing forward toward the artwork depicting that of a strange, perverted amalgamation of what looked to be a dark haired, red skinned Tiefling woman with that of a smoothened, scaleless dragonborn's face. The woman stood wearing nothing but a pair of golden bracers with her toned back turned toward the googly eyed Half-Giant, hiding everything from sight with a thin white sheet apart from her backside which was barely hidden by her flowing, raised tail. 

"Oh, how booty-ful." he giggled ecstatically, slowly reaching toward the taunt red globes level with his head. Oddly enough, Ragnvaldr having finished his investigation of the bookshelf and finding nothing at all turned his attention toward the near drooling Goliath, his natural expression instantly scrunched into one of disgust. Partly at Grog's thinly veiled perversion as well as the sheer butchering of an otherwise beautiful race of horned humanoids.