Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom

[Josh]

"Is this where you saw the murdered bodies earlier? Can you give us some more details on that?"

Grafth tries the door. If it opens, he will enter the hall and do a cursory search (sight, sound, and smell).

[Lara]

wentzjw said:

Grafth tries the door. If it opens, he will enter the hall and do a cursory search (sight, sound, and smell).

Pellorien lays a hand on Grafth's arm, staying his motion.

"Wait a moment...," she says in a low voice. "Please, let me be useful here. I'll look for an alarm or other trap. And if it's locked, I may be able to get it open."

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Spot check = 22
Listen check = 10
Search check = 25
If needed, Disable Device check and Open Lock check
(I rolled the OL check, but it occurs to me that the results of the Search check are needed to decide what comes next, so do we disregard or save that roll?)

[Josh]

"You could be useful by telling us what is going on! Stop skirting the issue- there are six of us here and only one who claims to have seen evidence of a mass murder. What is going on?"

[Jeff]

Neither Grafth nor Pellorien see or hear anything through the window. When Pellorien searches the door for signs of anything or amiss, she finds only that the door isn't locked at all.

With the door now ajar, light from the streetlights spills into the front of the home. Grafth and Pellorien can see the hall and a few doors. The residence is entirely dark, otherwise. When Grafth steps past the threshhold, he hears...nothing. It smells lived in, homely....a kitchen nearly has been in use sometime in the last day...and there is a slight metallic tang in the air that might have been blood. Difficult to tell now. If so, it has been cleaned up.

Tangat, still at the bottom of the steps, woofs quietly. He seems a bit disturbed.

_________________________

Lara: This is one of those secret Search rolls, because if you roll low and find nothing, you know it's most likely because you rolled low. Same for rolling high. In any case, she found nothing in this case and didn't need Disable Device nor Open Lock. Which is good, 'cause that Open Lock roll wouldn't have done the trick anyway. Most of the time, you'd want to 'take 20' on Open Lock anyway, provided you have the 2 minutes to spare.

[Joe]

Streko reaches into his bag and pulls out his sickle, then moves inside with the others.

[Lara]

wentzjw said:

"You could be useful by telling us what is going on! Stop skirting the issue- there are six of us here, an only one who claims to have seen evidence of a mass murder. What is going on?"

"I don't think I can be any more straightforward," Pellorien replies. "Several dead gnomes, and later a group from House Orien."

[Darren]

"It may be true. Tangat smells death in the air, as well," Kalarian says as he moves inside. "Pellorien, you said you saw the gnomes BEFORE the group from House Orien arrived? I wonder what they did with them? You would think that news of this would have travelled. Regardless, I doubt House Orien is directly involved in the murder. Rather, I'd say that they stumbled upon the clean-up done by our Emerald Claw friends. Let's look around and see if we can find any clues about what happened here. Master Streko, I think perhaps we can risk a little light from Cutter's latern..."

_____________
Kalarian will begin to search the house, aided by Tangat's keen senses.

[Joe]

"Perhaps we should decide upon an order in which we search through this house before we get too far inside it?"

_____________________________

What is the daylight factor? Do we need an everbright lantern already? If so, Streko uses his free hand to remove the lantern directly from his pack, open one of the shutters of glass and shed light onto the scene, although this could cause a problem with the shifter and half-elves up front and the humans and dog behind him.

[Jeff]

It is dark outside; light of some kind will be needed within the townhouse. If Streko carries the everbright lantern—certainly built for taller people to carry—it would still work: it would be in constant motion. It may cast long shadows but it would illuminate all around.

[Josh]

"Let's see... more straightforward... How about- where exactly did you see them? Out there, or in here? How many? What time of day? In what condition? Who else was around? Were they collected? What makes you think that it is truly connected to this mess?"

Exasperated, Grafth looks around at the others, "You're willing to just go on with this? With someone that clearly has no intention of giving us the full truth? You'll follow this vague information into Host knows what," he says, motioning into the darkness beyond, "yet shun the help of someone who willingly offered their information back there?

"Perhaps you've all grown up in a world where such deception was tolerated... or perhaps encouraged," he says, looking at Kalarian and Streko with intent. "Then by all means, follow- into ambiguity and misdirection. I'll stand guard here at the entrance- someone who desires the well-being of all here needs to be on watch."

[Jeremy]

Goran thinks for a moment about trying to mollify Grafth, but decides instead to let the debate run its course, it could yield valuable information.

"I don't think we should be here much longer." he mutters, glancing about with heightened caution. "This was my suggestion, but I don't know now if there's much to be gained here. I would suggest we withdraw to a safe position in the shadows or amongst the crowd, somewhere we can look inconspicuous, and watch the people. That, in my opinion, is where we'll gain the most information. I'd like to see who comes in and out of here, who's milling about."

---

Jeff, what I meant by Heal Slots was the slots I have, daily, for my healing ability which I used after the attack on the road, etc. Slot, was in fact your word! ;D

[Darren]

"Easy, Grafth, easy. I agree with you, actually, but since my first attempt at figuring this mess out was met with so much resistance, I figured this way was a good one to try. I do not, truly, know where else to search for clues, so since we're already here, we might as well have a look around. Unless someone else has a better idea?" Kalarian's voice takes on a tone of mocking innocence. "I suppose we could wander around town asking for Malov? Yes, I'm certain that will yield some results, won't it? I'm certain that plenty of people would be happy to talk with us at that point."

Kalarian moves closer to Grafth. "You're right, though. Wandering in blindly is a bad idea. Someone should watch the door, but I think we need your keen senses inside. Goran, perhaps you would keep watch? The rest of us should split up into teams of two and begin searching the rooms here to see if we can find anything." Kalarian seems almost annoyed as he says, "Does this meet with everyone's approval?"

[Jeremy]

Goran leans in to Kal, speaking quietly.

"Watch your tone, Deneith. I have learned to tolerate your arrogance with a grin, but some of these others have not. If you wish to lead, you would do well to exercise a bit more diplomacy."

Speaking at a normal tone again he says,

"I'll watch the door. Complete your business, but try not to be too long about it. We're a waiting target, and those who hunt us know we're here. I can feel it."

He moves over to any window near the door, carefully looking outside. If there are any candles or lights present he extinguishes them, to take advantage of his low-light vision. He draws the blade given him by the Lady, and keeps it drawn, down by his leg. His sword is drawn, clutched in his right hand.

Goran will 'turn on' his senses as best he can (hopefully after a day or so he's adjusted to the city a little).

---

Listen check please.

[Jeff]

Goran positions himself beside the window, to keep an eye on the street. Kal begins to move farther in, then stops to speak again.

Streko (presumably with the everbright lantern) illuminates the main room and hall. The home seems normal, with small pictures or pieces of art on the walls. There is a small family lantern shuttered on one wall in the hallway.

The only sounds to be heard are the voices of your party.

[Joe]

Streko walks up to the first door he comes to, which should be directly in front of him as he heads toward the narrower hallway that veers to the right.

"I would suggest checking each door and room that we come to. I would not like to be walking down a hall and something unpleasant step out from behind us."

With that, Streko will test the door knob on door number one after listening at it to make sure he doesn't hear heavy breathing on the other side.

____________________________

Pellorian and Goran or on Streko's immediate left, Oss is to his right and behind him while Kal is on his direct right and down the hall....if the map is correct.

[Josh]

After a long look towards his silent companions, Grafth shrugs. "You may not be of any help, but I'll be damned if you'll become an impediment."

To Goran, he gives a quick nod. "Yes, let's be quick about it. If you see something, whistle to us."

Grafth moves forward and calls to Streko. "Let's just be systematic about this. Streko, I'll team with you." He reaches into his pack and produces the sunrod he took from the day before. "Kalarian, would this be of any use to you?" If Kalarian can use it, he tosses it his way.

Peering down the hall, the shifter tries to make out the number of doorways in the space. "Perhaps you and Tangat can check second and fourth doors while we check the first and third."

With that, Grafth follows Streko to the first door, inspecting the room as he opens the door.

______________________________
Granting that Streko and Kal agree to continue with this plan, he will move with Streko to the third room next, unless there is anything of import in the first room.

[Darren]

Catching the tossed sunrod, Kalarian spares a quick glance towards his pack where the ones he carries are. Shrugging, he strikes the rod against the ground, activating its illumination. "Your plan is sound, shifter. I accept."

____________
Don't forget, everyone. I believe Ed and Lara are off at this point, so we probably shouldn't move too much further ahead.

[Ed]

Oss boggles at the shifter's anger and says, "Quiet doesn't sound like such a bad idea given that we're breaking into a house and don't want to be detected. But maybe that's just me..."

With that, the half-elf moves into the house, following Streko.
______________________________________
If the plan has changed and players are no longer okay with other characters being "silent" for most of a day (so long as we do post at least once a day), then just let me know. But I thought that was the plan so I'm a little puzzled...

After a long look towards his silent companions, Grafth shrugs. "You may not be of any help, but I'll be damned if you'll become an impediment."

[Josh]

"There's a difference between 'silence' and concealing the full truth. Not to mention that anyone who might be here has heard us already."

______________________
Last Oss post before this one was June 13th, before we even got to Fenwolt's and I was writing under the assumption that neither you nor Lara would be posting this afternoon which would have meant that a minimum was not reached for either.

Not to be a stickler, but it's true. Since the discussion I have limited my posts to three max per day even though there was opposition to that from others. I thought we agreed that at least a minimum of one would occur each day.

Also, board "silence" and character "silence" are completely different. Neither of the last posts from Pel or Oss gave any idea of what their actions over the next few moves would be. How are we meant to react to the characters?

[Joe]

Streko turns, furious.

"Either quit your bickering or go elsewhere and beat each other to a pulp! Right now, we must focus on what is at hand. Our lives are in danger...and possibly my sister's as well. I'm tired of the constant bickering and back-stabbing here. We have a job to do, so let's do it, shall we?"

Returning his attention to the first room, Streko enters cautiously, his senses alert. Turning back to Grafth, he hands the shifter the everbright lantern.

"You hold this. I'm afraid I might trip over it." He pushes the lantern toward the shifter.

assuming Grafth takes the lantern...

Streko moves deeper into the first room, inspecting it as closely as possible for anything that might help with his "investigation."

[Jeff]

Streko approaches the first door, a sickle in one hand and the everbright lantern in the other. Grafth walks beside him. Grafth smells blood for sure now.

Kal heads to the second door, holding the sharash in one hand and the brightly-glowing sunrod in the other. Tangat follows with his nose to the ground, whining. Everyone can tell he’s not happy to be hear.

Goran takes watch from the window, and Oss and Pellorien stand behind in the wide foyer. Pellorien notices a clock on the wall before her. Its intricately carved wooden face displays the time at which the clock stopped: midnight. Small metal weights hang still. The pendulum is missing entirely. She also can see a dark stain on the hardwood floor. Very likely blood that wasn’t cleaned up in time to prevent the stain.

Streko finds that the knob of the first door won’t turn. Locked. He offers up his lantern to Grafth.

Kal reaches out and opens up the door in front of him. The sunrod’s light floods the room beyond, revealing a children’s bedroom. Three small beds within, and a low table in the middle of the room that looks more like a woodworker’s workshop than a child’s desk. There is sawdust all around the room, and a great deal of footprints that have scattered it. Kal can see evidence of dried blood in here, and smell it, too. It sours the stomach.

Through the window, Goran sees a figure making a slow, if purposeful, line toward the residence: the woman in bulky rags, who was sitting on the sidewalk across the street. The people on the street moving past ignore her. Goran, who stands backlit by an everbright lantern and a sunrod, can’t quite tell if she thinks she’s approaching in secret or knowing Goran is watching her from the window. One thing he can tell, with the low-light vision afforded him by his ancestors: she has very finely-tooled leather boots for a woman in rags.

[Lara]

wentzjw said:

"There's a difference between 'silence' and concealing the full truth. Not to mention that anyone who might be here has heard us already."

Pellorien chuckles, though there is little amusement in the sound. "Right, and the lights you're using will also probably call attention to us. Stealth wouldn't seem to be a talent many of you exercise.

"I came here to meet Fenwolt's brother. Fenwolt thought that he might be able to refer us to someone who could help us make sense of Gurend's book. I've studied the arts for some time, Fenwolt had even more study under his belt - but even he couldn't make sense of most of it." She pauses, her face animates and her voice increases ever so slightly in volume, despite the caution she had exercised earlier. "It's really, really interesting stuff. Something about conjuration. Fenwolt said it's like building bridges, which is actually kind of boring until you think a little bit about how it might be done... I... Oh... Well, I just want to learn more. And I owed it to Fenwolt to talk to his brother."

Pellorien looks around the hallway and moves to a bit of shadow, where she conceals herself.
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Hide check

[Ed]

Oss moves to follow Streko. He will continue to do so, assisting Streko with his search.

____________________________________
Josh, apparently you're right. I would have sworn I posted yesterday. I remember typing it up, even. Not sure what happened there.

[Josh]

As Oss moves forward, Grafth steps aside. "See if you can get this one open, I'll check the third door now, so that the dragonmarked can proceed."

The shifter moves past Kalarian and Tangat, wincing as he catches the odor of the second room. He moves to open the third door, looking also toward the dim corridor to his right, straining to hear any signs of movement from either side. No weapon is drawn, but he does grip his shortspear less as a walking stick and more as a defensive item.

________________________
Ed, word up.
If the third door opens, Grafth will cautiously enter and inspect the space.

[Darren]

Kalarian steps cautiously inside of the room, inspecting it a little more closely. He takes care not to spend too much time standing in front of the window, and to keep the sunrod as low to the ground as possible.

___________
Search check, please. Also, I'd like to take note of whether or not it looks like the blood on the floor has been purposefully cleaned, or if it simply dried where it was. Does it look like bodies have been moved across the floor? i.e. are there drag marks in the blood or in the sawdust?

[Joe]

Streko offers the lantern to Oss...if he chooses not to take it, Streko will shutter the lantern and return it to his backpack. He will then remove his sunrod and keep it close to the ground. If Oss wishes to hold the lantern, then Streko will do a complete search of the room to the best of his abilities.

[Jeremy]

Goran moves from the window for a moment, turns and hisses to the others:

"Extinguish your lights...NOW!"

And, giving the dagger another glance, sheathes it quickly, holding now only his sword. Once the lights are out, he will peer around the corner of the window again, to see what he can see (if 'she' is still there).

---

Jeff, is the door still open? I thought we'd closed it. But if it is, the moment Goran hears anything on the stoop he'll turn to the door, standing just behind (and beyond) the door itself.

Can I do another Listen check?

[Joe]

Streko shutters the lantern and returns it to his backpack before Oss can take it away.

With the light completely out now, Streko fades back into the darkness and waits to see what will happen.

_________________________________________

Hide check for Streko please.

[Jeff]

Kal is pretty sure that there had been bodies—at least one—in this room. The blood was shed, but there wasn't much shuffling around. It looks as though the bodies have been moved with some care.

With the lights centered on Streko and Kalarian, the hallway offers no shadows for Pellorien to hide in. She is forced to step into the corner of the foyer. Soon Streko douses his light and attempts to hide as well, just beside Goran.

Goran keeps his eyes on the approaching figure. The brightest light behind him has gone, but Kalarian's sunrod in the second room spills into the hallway. It's difficult to imagine that Goran is not still in silhouette from the outside looking in.

The woman approaches the steps of the townhouse, disappearing from Goran's sight when she moves close, just behind the wall that serves as a railing. Goran can hear only her soft approaching footfalls, the clatter of a passing coach in the street, the breathing of his companions, and the slow steps of Kal in the second room.

______________________________

The door was never shut. Shutting it now would be even more conspicious than suddenly killing all lights.
Pellorien's Hide check = 24
Streko's Hide check = 14

[Jeremy]

Goran is hunched slightly, all his reflexes ready to spring.

His voice barely rises above a whisper.

"Don't attack or release any magic until you see me make a move. Wait for the right moment."

He mutters, eyes fixed on the figure (or where he will expect it to be), twisting his grip tighter on the sword hilt. He's pulled as far away from the window as he can, while still keeping an eye out it. The half-elf is ready for battle.

"It may not be an enemy...but..."

---

..and to the Hells with conspicuous man...Goran just wants to look out the window without presenting too much of a target! This guy or woman is coming here no matter what, looks like!