As you travel towards the location that the dogs sniff in the air trying to track down the Jester and also following the scent. It takes you close to the edge of the city where it touches the water. As you continue following the roads you come to an area protected by a big wall. Following the mossy wall you make you way to the main gate which has been woefully ignored. The gate itself shows signs of wear and rust. A metal name tag reads, "Blackpaw Estate".

As you make you way inside of the gates you notice that hardly anything has been maintained. Hedges are overgrown, there is a maze like area to your right that you pass that has many birds perched on top of the maze itself. Fountains filled with green water from things growing in the water.

The house itself looks dead from the outside. As darkness closes in there is no lights that are on inside that you can see. You have a few more minutes of dusk light before it fades into the darkness of the night.

Olyx gasps upon seeing the dilapidated estate. It looks abandoned, but more than that- it looks ominous and creepy. He shuddered, then turned around to the rest. His voice was hushed, without even realizing it.

"So... we are here. Now what? Are there guards? Do we search? Should we beware of something...?"

He fought down another shudder along with his fear that urged him to just tuck tail and run. Gripping his sword, he followed the others inside, following their lead- now was not the time to strike off on his own.

As they came upon the estate Mosii leaped atop the outer wall and then picked an elevated path to follow as the others wound their way through the growth and brush that threatened the path.

Once they come to a stop, Piper leaned down to ask, "Should I send something inside to take a look?"

"Can we get in quietly, without kicking the door down?" Hunter asked.

"I can, I Grishnakh goblin, I smart!" Jenkins exclaimed and began forcing a window.

OOC I guess stealth is appropriate to roll for this? Also, don't know if it makes a difference or not, but Jenkins doesn't have lockpicks.
12:25, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 7,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5.  Jenkins stealth
 

Kai shrugs.  "We could set it on fire and see who comes out.  Turnabout and all that."

"And what if we set off some of that flammable substance of his and burn the whole city down, or kill an innocent?  We are not yet that desperate.  We use finesse and stealth."

Aeress looked at Piper.  "Can you do that without anyone knowing any better?"

"Depends on if someone is looking."  Piper replied.

"If someone is watching us from the window right now, won't matter what we do.  If there's no one standing guard , then probably."

Quentin remains on lookout until Jenkins reports or something else happens. From his horse he can probably see over the wall, so he looks for those who might be outside, but interested in us, as well as those inside who can be seen from his position near the entrance. If no one is seen, he also tries to interpret, or at least detect, any footprints left by those going through before us.

10:22, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 1,3 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  Survival.
10:20, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 4,4 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4.  Notice.

Taking a moment to catch his breath and steel his nerves, Olyx tries to take a better look at the manor, trying to put his little knowledge of tactics to good use- potential ambush spots, places that would have less defense or would be easier to scale- and where potential sentries might be placed... any scrap of information that might come in handy.

"Fire's always a bad idea", he shuddered again- saying no to fire was a reflex to all sailors.

10:05, Today: Olyx Mintarios rolled 5,1 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max (((4+1)5,1)) - using Battle

Jenkins is able to climb up to a window and manages to fall on the other side softly. You hear a thump and then silence once she is on the other side. For a few minutes while you are discussing there is nothing. No sounds, no lights and nothing that stands out in the courtyard. A second later the door creaks open and Jenkins is standing in the door way blood is rushing from her hand as she runs back to Hunter.

"Hhouse look empty but they be traps" she says showing Hunter the wound with an arrow that looks like it pierced her hand.

"Give me that hand darling..." *crack* says the arrow breaking "...now hold still, it will hurt one bit." Quentin pulls the halves of the arrow out of the wound and assesses if there is any serious damage. Assuming there is, he takes a small bottle from his bandolier and hands it over to Jenkins, ordering "Drink." If she drinks, that absolutely cures the wound and she's as good as new.

So, if the wound goes beyond merely Shaken, Quentin has healed two.

21:36, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 5,11 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+5)11.  Maybe Alchemy to offer a remedy.
21:35, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 3,11 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+5)11.  Healing to diagnose the wound (like, if there is actual wounds penalty)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:40, Wed 24 Jan.

Olyx looks at the little goblin with a mix of worry and amusement. At least the rest seem to be treating it nicely, even Quentin- who didn't seem a particularly charming or likeable fellow, at least to him.

The night air was getting chilly, and he shook his limbs a bit to return some feeling. The leathers creaked softly at his movement. "So, traps, hmmm. Do any of you have any experience with such shenanigans? Or we be goin' in blind and hopin' for the best?"

He tried to poke the door with his blade to open it up a bit and check the inside, but without actually stepping foot in the house yet.

Jenkins is a bit reluctant to let Bad Torturer Man touch her, but she remembered that he was Bad Torturer Man because he was so bad at torturing, not being anywhere cruel or Vicious enough.

Pulling the arrow out hurt, but then Bad Torturer Man offered her a bottle, which she grabbed eagerly. "Ooh, Alcohol?" She queried, and gulped it down, before making a face."Not alcohol.  You Bad pirate too. But make pain go, good stuff!"

"I can go looksie" she said finally, seeing as the others were dithering about, scared to step into the dark. She went up and thumped Bad Pirate Man on the leg, "Out the way, Biggjobs. You blind."

Opening the door, Jenkins cautiously entered the room, being careful where she put her feet and what she touched. Not wanting to get shot again, she was primarily looking for traps and listening to see if the house was occupied, but she was also on the lookout for a light source of some kind. The bigjobs outside might be deadly fighters and sorcerers who had obliterated hundreds of thousands of her kind over the centuries, but in the dark they were almost helpless.

OOC: Done editing  (I think!)

11:10, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 11,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,1.  Jenkins notice.

15:11, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 3,11 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+5)11.  Jenkins stealth.
 
This message was last edited by the player at 02:13, Thu 25 Jan.

“This seems abandoned” Lirian said. “Or someone makes a decided effort to give this image, I don’t know. Traps are of course a possibility we cannot rule out…”

Lirian looked at the doors and windows, trying to see if there has been much time since used last time (mosses or other debris in the doors, rust, etc.) and/or if they might be trapped.

19:30, Today: Secret Roll: Lirian rolled 2,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1.  Notice. Inspecting door and windows. – 2,1. Clear failure…
This message was last edited by the player at 11:34, Thu 25 Jan.

With the door open, Piper hunkered down atop Mosii's back while the feline stalked forward and slipped inside the house like a furry ghost.

She herself kept her eyes open and looking as the pair went, the dimness not causing her any issues with being able to see.


Piper rolled 18.  Stealth (Mosii)

Piper rolled 4,8.  Notice (Piper).

"It's not like I'm serious about burning it down," Kai replies, though he wouldn't have necessarily been upset if they took him up on the offer.

"Door's open, a trap's sprung.  Either no one heard it or they're laying in wait.  The only way to find out is to go in."

"I'm not the best with traps but I'll go first and hopefully find them before they find me."

Does Thievery cover Detect Traps, or would it still be Notice?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Thu 25 Jan.

Aeress let the stealthier ones go ahead, but followed their path after a slight delay so they wouldn't be so far away from help.  Aeress was surprisingly light footed.  At times.

20:30, Today: Aeress Veles rolled 5,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3.  Notice if Needed. – 5,3

20:30, Today: Aeress Veles rolled 3,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Stealth check if needed. – 3,4

Hunter moved up to the door, ready to fight a rearguard or to come in to assist, whatever was needed. Though given the falling darkness and the fact that the house was even darker inside, he doubted he'd be much use until someone made a light.

Quentin suggests that he instead does rear guard outside the house, with dogs, horse and all. He would let the dogs in when the leaders say so.

Realizing that the darkness was hindering them more than helping them, Olyx sighed rested his sword, tip-down, momentarily on the entrance. He swung his pack around, deposited it on the ground, and started summarily rummaging inside, relying on his touch.

Soon enough, he came up with a small, sturdy lantern and a small box with flint, tinder and steel.

With practiced motions, he quickly lit up the lantern, fanned the small flame a bit until it was sufficiently bright, then secured the lantern and threw the flint and steel back inside the pack, a little haphazardly.

Retrieving his sword, he smiled and looked at the others. "Well, now we ain't blind anymore- jus' half-blind", he said, chuckling at his own joke before stepping inside to look for traps or whatever was in store.

11:31, Today: Olyx Mintarios rolled 3,2 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max ((3,2)). -lol, failure

OOC: It would be notice checks. Thievery would be more for locking picking/pick pocket.

Lirian and Olyx do not notice anything out of a regular house that appears to be run down with very little upkeep. The goblin takes to the front with her newly healed hand creeping through the house while Piper and Aeress are close behind. Each of you notice different things. The first floor of the house seems very much like a place that was once built for someone with a royal background.

Jenkins is the first to notice a rug in the middle of a study close to the left hand side of the house. The little goblin tugs the rug backwards and reveals a pit trap of sorts just waiting for someone to walk over.

Aeress notices that to the right hand side in dinning room there is a torch holder that seems oddly cocked, when she grabs it slightly a huge blade swings across the room putting a huge slice against the heavy oak table sitting in the middle of the room.

Piper checks the stairs leading up to the next floor and notices that the wood is rotten. While not a trap someone could fall through if they weren't watching their step. For her it poses no threat.

Stay on the first floor explorer deeper in the house itself or move up to second floor? Mention what floor you are making notice rolls for.
Map

This message was last edited by the GM at 14:35, Fri 26 Jan.

Lirian put the bow on her shoulder and took the quarterstaff to enter the house. “Too close for  the bow" she thought. She was careful where she stepped on, testing with the staff where she saw anything suspicious, trying not to make noise while exploring.

She was, like Piper, unhindered by the low light, but, having been raised among humans, understood they need more light and didn’t say anything when Olix lit the lantern, but tried to remain in shadows. She moved close to the stairs.

“While I am lighter than most of the others, you’re still more so” she whispered to Piper. “Can you go exploring the higher floor? I’m not sure the stairs will hold even my weight…”

In the meanwhile, she looked what was under the stairs. Was it empty or a eall, and if the latter, there seemed to be any room there?


17:28, Today: Lirian rolled 3,10 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+4)10.  Stealth while exploring the house. – 3,10. Success with a raise, I guess…
This message was last edited by the player at 16:31, Thu 25 Jan.