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Khahl-Ehl, elf:

Avoiding dung and mold, the young elven archer placidly watches the rear with an arrow poised to fire.

Hellebore pokes at what she guesses to be dung. It's a clumped, powdery mess. If it is dung, it is not at all fresh. The party divides, moving alertly and carefully through the narrow corridors. They steal glances back towards the courtyard through the central windows, but nothing moves down there. Rrkox flutters about nervously, but settles with the eagle back in the courtyard.

The party meets again at the north corner of the tower, where they find an old human skeleton. It is very old. Any clothes have rotted away, and leather pouches are cracked and ravaged by the elements. A quick search uncovers a scratched piece of lapis lazuli, probably not worth much. A dusty emerald is also found. It must be worth several hundred gp.

Otherwise, nothing is found on the floor. There is no evidence of recent batsquito activity.

Hoping to get a view of what lies beyond, the party is disappointed to find that the trees rise higher than the tower's top most windows.

Actions?

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 07:40
Conditions: 33F, damp and grey, west wind at 20 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Light in from windows
Injury Status: None

"Excellent, " comments Hellebore in a satisfied tone. " Onward and downward, then, to check the third floor. Yenny, could you carry those stones until we return to your usurer kin in the city?"

Lorilee remains silent and follows the group, however since she is near the back she keeps an eye out behind (and above) them, so as not to be surprised.

Dandelion looks around, and asks...

Did anyone notice any way to access the roof, or attic even? Perhaps we continue our walk around, paying attention to that?

"I could stop them trees from blocking the windows," offers Angus. "Wouldn't take more'n a day, I reckon. Give us plenty of firewood, too, once they dried out."

GM can correct this, but my understanding is: There is that the tower is in a large clearing, perhaps 100-200 yards in each direction, which is then bordered by trees on all sides. We just can't see into the wilderness beyond because we're not taller than the trees, but there is plenty of sight-line around the tower itself from up here. The window-blocking is only at the first floor, and is because of a mass of brambles growing around the tower from the canal side, perhaps 10-20 feet thick, and taller than the first floor windows. Those brambles were not there when we arrived yesterday.

Hellebore peers out the windows and down to the ground four stories below, considering as she listens to Angus. "I grew the plants at the window... I don't like the idea of anyone being able to slip in through the first floor windows to evade our snares and catch us from behind. It would take time and effort for them to hack a pathway through a bramble that thick... a modest reassurance."

Yenny pockets the two stones and follows the gang down to the third level.

Marullus wrote:GM can correct this, but my understanding is: There is that the tower is in a large clearing, perhaps 100-200 yards in each direction, which is then bordered by trees on all sides. We just can't see into the wilderness beyond because we're not taller than the trees, but there is plenty of sight-line around the tower itself from up here. The window-blocking is only at the first floor, and is because of a mass of brambles growing around the tower from the canal side, perhaps 10-20 feet thick, and taller than the first floor windows. Those brambles were not there when we arrived yesterday.

That's exactly right. So, third floor then?

or until our new stronghold is clear.....

The party finds the layout of the third floor is identical to the first and fourth floors. Nothing of interest is found. The walls are clear of mold and the floor clean of batsquito dung. A couple of leaves, shed by nearby trees, is all that lay on the floors. The party returns to the second floor and faces down the webs strewn everywhere. It looks like tough going - the group estimates that if they split up, they will meet on the opposite corner in a couple of hours after hacking through all the webs.

Actions?

Date: 18 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 08:20
Conditions: 34F, damp and grey, west wind at 15 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Light in from windows
Injury Status: None

Hellebore looks dubiously at the webs before them. "If an adult were here, I think they might've come out last night. I am fine if we leave them be and use the time to scout southward in search of Town No Go. We can speak to the spider younglings once they hatch. Thoughts?"

Angus regards the webs more with curiosity than skepticism. "I'll go with whatever y'all want to do, but I gotta confess to having a fair hankering to see what's past all them webs."

"You know what they say about curiosity."

Arnulf reaches out and plucks one strand of webbing like its a stringed instrument, dramatically cocking an ear as if listening to music.

"I agree with Hellebore. Let's bug out. This will all still be here when we get back. You think anyone else is dumb enough to go bushwhacking through there?"

Yenny- "the day is getting on. If we pass through all this, we'd probably want to spend another night--and I'm not sure that's a good idea. Whatever might be back there doesn't seem to be killing the good folks of Alleborg. Can't say the same for the orcs."

Khahl-Ehl, elf:

"If we are determined to rouse sleeping dogs, we could simply set the webs alight," Khahl-Ehl offers quietly. "But I am happy to leave this tower in search of orcs."

Tempus is happy to go along with the majority

Dandelion is ok to do either.

Angus looks down, chastened. "Of course. Nothing past them webs is hurting Alleborg. Let's mosey on."