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Description
.....Our tour continues.

Despite the macabre appearance of this bleak,ancient manor,we decide to brave its hallways.Upon crossing through the doorway,we find ourselves in a small vestibule,dimly illuminated by the cobwebbed chandelier above our heads.A formal portrait,that of a young man in khakis and a pith helmet,hangs on one wall,while directly opposite is a larger painting,a depiction of a fearsome African warrior,his face hidden by a good-sized wooden mask,and a lengthy spear clutched in one muscular hand.The first portrait begins to change---the creases of advancing age begin to line his face,his hairline recedes,fading from dark to grey to white,his clothes wither and tatter,until his very flesh melts away,leaving him little more than a skeleton.This bizarre transformation holds our attention,when suddenly---we hear and feel something shoot past us,apparently too swift for our eyes to follow,when we notice yet another change.Within the first portrait,a large spear has buried itself in the chest of the hapless corpse,which falls backwards,out of the very picture itself,as we hear the soft but sudden crash of dry bones.The other painting has changed as well---the spear is now missing.
A sliding panel in the wall provides us with our passage into our next stop,a formal sitting room.The dim lighting,provided by a few dusty lamps and a lit fireplace,allows us to see the few pieces of worn furniture scattered about.A large bay window dominates one wall,through which we observe a jungle shrouded in perpetual night,the distinct sounds of unseen wild animals in the distance.Above the fireplace hangs another portrait,this one of a stocky,middle-aged man with a mustache,decked out in outdated military garb.
Suddenly,an unseen voice,seemingly coming from the very walls,addresses us:"Greetings and salutations,my former fellow mortals,to the,er,uh,Doomed Adventurer's Club.I am your host,you may address me as the Colonel."He then identifies himself as the man in the picture,and tells about how he and his wealthy cronies came to this jungle years ago,building this hunting club,"where we had splendid hunting for many years,eh,wot?"---the sound of the wild animals outside gets noticably louder---until one day,an aged voodoo woman,the high priestess of a local tribe,came to the club and informed its members that their actions had cursed these lands---the animals get even louder,and are joined by the sound of drums---and unless the club is shut down and its members leave,a terrible fate will befall those foolish enough to remain---the animals and drums get louder still!---to which the Colonel recalls his initial reaction,"Oh,stuff and nonsense---silly superstition indeed!!I mean,really---what could POSSIBLY happen?!?"
The room is immediately plunged into darkness as the sounds outside abruptly cease.A moment of silent gloom,and then---the crash of thunder,a flash of lightning which illuminates the room momentarily but brightly enough to reveal the Colonel's portrait gone---replaced by his head,stuffed and mounted over the fireplace.An aged female cackle can be heard as the room is once again darkened momentarily.The lights resume,as the room is restored to its former state.
"Oh,right---forgot about that---nasty business,that.But,stiff upper lip and all,we must press on!"remarks the Colonel as another wall slides open,allowing us passage out of this haunted chamber.

Our tour will continue.....

Description
.....Our tour continues.

Despite the macabre appearance of this bleak,ancient manor,we decide to brave its hallways.Upon crossing through the doorway,we find ourselves in a small vestibule,dimly illuminated by the cobwebbed chandelier above our heads.A formal portrait,that of a young man in khakis and a pith helmet,hangs on one wall,while directly opposite is a larger painting,a depiction of a fearsome African warrior,his face hidden by a good-sized wooden mask,and a lengthy spear clutched in one muscular hand.The first portrait begins to change---the creases of advancing age begin to line his face,his hairline recedes,fading from dark to grey to white,his clothes wither and tatter,until his very flesh melts away,leaving him little more than a skeleton.This bizarre transformation holds our attention,when suddenly---we hear and feel something shoot past us,apparently too swift for our eyes to follow,when we notice yet another change.Within the first portrait,a large spear has buried itself in the chest of the hapless corpse,which falls backwards,out of the very picture itself,as we hear the soft but sudden crash of dry bones.The other painting has changed as well---the spear is now missing.
A sliding panel in the wall provides us with our passage into our next stop,a formal sitting room.The dim lighting,provided by a few dusty lamps and a lit fireplace,allows us to see the few pieces of worn furniture scattered about.A large bay window dominates one wall,through which we observe a jungle shrouded in perpetual night,the distinct sounds of unseen wild animals in the distance.Above the fireplace hangs another portrait,this one of a stocky,middle-aged man with a mustache,decked out in outdated military garb.
Suddenly,an unseen voice,seemingly coming from the very walls,addresses us:"Greetings and salutations,my former fellow mortals,to the,er,uh,Doomed Adventurer's Club.I am your host,you may address me as the Colonel."He then identifies himself as the man in the picture,and tells about how he and his wealthy cronies came to this jungle years ago,building this hunting club,"where we had splendid hunting for many years,eh,wot?"---the sound of the wild animals outside gets noticably louder---until one day,an aged voodoo woman,the high priestess of a local tribe,came to the club and informed its members that their actions had cursed these lands---the animals get even louder,and are joined by the sound of drums---and unless the club is shut down and its members leave,a terrible fate will befall those foolish enough to remain---the animals and drums get louder still!---to which the Colonel recalls his initial reaction,"Oh,stuff and nonsense---silly superstition indeed!!I mean,really---what could POSSIBLY happen?!?"
The room is immediately plunged into darkness as the sounds outside abruptly cease.A moment of silent gloom,and then---the crash of thunder,a flash of lightning which illuminates the room momentarily but brightly enough to reveal the Colonel's portrait gone---replaced by his head,stuffed and mounted over the fireplace.An aged female cackle can be heard as the room is once again darkened momentarily.The lights resume,as the room is restored to its former state.
"Oh,right---forgot about that---nasty business,that.But,stiff upper lip and all,we must press on!"remarks the Colonel as another wall slides open,allowing us passage out of this haunted chamber.

Our tour will continue.....