1) The Haunted House

[coil23]

Doubtful

I hear no objections from Vhing so it's official.

Smothering a smile, Doubtful moves to assist Burly in moving the intrepid explorer.

[ravenn4544]

Ben suggests to help guard Vhing. Dry heaving and looking now pale, "I'll watch the stubborn bastard - I'll just end up slipping on my own vomit in a fight anyway... Don't forget to check on us..."

He'll keep an eye on Vhing's wounds and attend to them in a rough fashion to help keep him alive.

[OGRE MAGE]

After extensively searching the attic, the two young men head back to the others.

It is decided that Vhing will be laid to rest in the kitchen and that Ben will watch over him, giving the others time to continue their search of the house while there is still plenty of daylight left.

The party somewhat carefully carries their unconscious comrade down the steps and reconvenes in the kitchen area. The doors to the hallway and scullery are propped open so Ben can watch the back door and the stairs leading down, all while still attending to the half-orcs nasty wounds.

Again, I am simply trying to move this part along. If I am going to fast for some of you to act, please feel free to backtrack if there is something that you would still like to do.

Also, feel free to utilize your private threads to accommodate actions that you might not want the others to hear. That is what they are set up for. (I still have players that are PMing me that stuff)

Thanks.

[coil23]

Doubtful

How about if we check that small hallway with doors off the front room, opposite the stairs, up ahead and to the right?

hallway with three doors, off room "1"

But first I want to check the front door...just one more established portal for use later.

With that Doubtful carefully walks ahead and inspects the front door and the floor around it, including for any teacup-like alarms. If all seems safe he will slowly open the front door.

[wolfpack]

Doubtful

Did I really hear you talk of selling creatures into captivity for coin, Jonas? We had to kill these creatures to protect ourselves but all they were doing is protecting their home. They deserve better and we are better than that.

Jervis looks looks at doubtful like his face just fell off from leprosy.

Horses, Pigs, Mules, Cows, Dogs, chickens, sheep. Growing up on a farm all of those things are bought and sold. Just like the beef, ham, and mutton you eat.

They are only animals

Jervis will put the critters in the hat box, and head downstairs axe in hand to assist in clearing the level.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Doubtful

How about if we check that small hallway with doors off the front room, opposite the stairs, up ahead and to the right?

hallway with three doors, off room "1"

But first I want to check the front door...just one more established portal for use later.

With that Doubtful carefully walks ahead and inspects the front door and the floor around it, including for any teacup-like alarms. If all seems safe he will slowly open the front door.

Keilif will walk along with Doubtfu, trying to be ever vigilant for any anomalies.

[hedgeknight]

Burly walks to the hallway with three doors and waits with Keilif while Doubtful checks the front door. Rolling pin still in hand, he cleans the sucking bat blood off of it, frowning at what will likely be a stain. "Grandmother will never forgive me for this." he mutters.

[OGRE MAGE]

As the group moves towards the front of the house, they look up to see the hole in the ceiling where Vhing stuck his foot through the upper floor.

At the front door, Doubtful finds that a small chunk of wood has been wedged in between the frame and the door. It seems like the door would have to be forced open with some might from the outside in order for it to open. The chunk of old wood is at roughly goblin height off the floor.

No noise is heard from behind any of the three doors in the west wing of the dilapidated home.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Keilif speaks to Doubful and Burly, "Let's keep the wood wedged where it is. It will serve us as a lock. Shall we investigate the rooms down the hall?" He then carefully makes his way down the hall and stops at the first door on his left. He listens closely, and if nothing is heard, he will try the handle.

[hedgeknight]

Burly agrees with a nod, and backs up Keilif as he tries to open the door.

[coil23]

Doubtful

That door wedge is actually pretty exciting news, Doubtful thinks to himself. This could mean that we may not need to split up at all tonight. Just one camp out back- close to the well, safer for the wounded, safer for everyone, fewer alarms to place. Frowning, he does think of one drawback- everyone camping together is bound to encourage chitchat. Chitchat invites others' attention and distracts our own. If only everyone else could be morose like me- we'd be safer and more effective this night. Alas, only Shoo-Fly has the wisdom to see me as a role model.

But back to the present. Nodding to Burly and Keilif to acknowledge understanding, Doubtful stands to the side of the door about to be opened with club raised.

[Nordbo]

Danny Cruester

(after having wiped all the batquito blood off from his knife, using a nearby curtain whose colour the stains might complement) stands by the door-to-be-opened, knife still ready. He spends a few nanoseconds reflecting over how humans (and their ilk) can act like a scared school of herrings one minute, then like a coordinated pack of hunting barracudas the next. And that includes himself....

[OGRE MAGE]

Since Vhings neck has already killed most of the adversaries in the house, I will speed this part along a bit.

Ermulf stays with Ben to watch over Vhing. They keep their eyes on the doorways as the party continues to investigate. The box of stirges has become quite the curiosity for the mangy Shoo-fly who paws at it mercilessly.


In the west wing.....

image.jpeg (234.06 KiB) Viewed 737 times

All three doors open in on rusty hinges with a creaking noise that irritates your spine. The room on the left 2 was clearly a library. Broken and empty shelves line the walls, some of them are in complete disrepair. The only books you see are piled in a large moldy pile in the corner.

The room across the hall 3 might have been an office or study. A large writing desk sits against one wall. It is partially smashed open and riddled with damp rot. Most of the drawers have been forced open or smashed. There is one central drawer on the desk that is still intact. It is locked however, and the key is nowhere in sight.

The larger room straight ahead 4 is nearly completely empty except for a small pile of refuse in the southeast corner. You see a glass door to the north that leads out onto an enclosed, paved patio. The floor out there is badly cracked and the whole place is choked with weeds.


Injuries:
Jonas, slightly
Ben, moderately (sick, poisoned)
Vhing, unconscious

[hedgeknight]

Drawn to the books like a moth to a flame, Burly enters the old library and begins to rummage through the moldy stacks of books, hoping to find something salvageable and worth reading.

[coil23]

Doubtful

Doubtful, taking a lesson from the goblins, looks around for something to use as a wedge to keep the glass door impassable from the outside. At least they will hear if someone breaks the glass. Doubtful wedges the glass door and then waits in the hall looking out onto room 1 while the others finish their searches.

[Mant72]

Keilif:

Keilif makes his way into the study to examine the desk. He will try to find a way to open the central drawer. He examines it carefully, but if he is unsuccessful, he will use his crab mallet to help it "comply".

[wolfpack]

jervis helps kelif search the desk.

[Urson]

Alec
Alec will accompany Burly, searching the library. The books are just so much paper to him, but he'll examine the walls and shelves for hidden compartments.

[Nordbo]

Danny Cruester

joins the breakout bibliophiles. He starts scanning the book-ends while hissing to Alec & Burly: "Psst! If you see any marine-slash-magic titles.... like Kelp and Kabbalah; a primer....or the Abalones & Alchemy manual - give me a shout"

[Mant72]

Keilif:

While checking out the desk, Keilif finds something interesting and calls out to the others, "I think I've found something! It's some type of square compartment attached to the bottom of the back of this drawer. It's locked, but I think we might be able to pry it open. Danny can you try your filleting knife? It might be thin enough to wedge it in."