Avon calling, the Elf mutters.
He looks back at the group defensively Just something disarming I say when I am trying to get access to a house.
"Oooooookay." Rholf says amiably at the ringing of the bell. "It's been too long since I took these kinds of chances. Refreshing."
"Don't look at me that way" shrugs the mage with a smile.
"After all, we have no reason to think Dobitoc's father as hostile. Specially after we did some free pest cleanup in his front yard..."
Edwin shrugs in apology and tucks away his tools, a silent confession that this particular device is beyond his skills. For now.
Edwin nods approvingly, whether at the pulling of the rope or the witty commentary is unclear.
"In detective work, the simplest solution is usually the correct answer." He declares firmly.
Then he tilts his head thoughtfully.
"Not ALWAYS, of course." He smiles a little, leaving no doubt as to which situation he prefers.
Edwin assumes the stance of one pretending to wait patiently for the door to be answered. This conveniently allows him to keep one hand on his whip.
He mentally reviews what little they know about Dobitoc's 'Father', and combines it with a healthy amount of informed speculation based upon his observations of the man's workmanship on Dobitoc and the Golem-Dogs.
His mind thus occupied, he idly casts his glance about, looking for an alternative entrance should no one answer the bell, and they wish to bypass the door entirely.
After a minute, a small door at eye level opens up for a second. Then the door slowly opens outward.
Edwin doesn't see anything else related to the door and the trap he knows is there until it opens; there's a bypass crank to the side.
"Ah! Excellent!" Edwin says, noting the crank handle just inside the door as it slowly opens.
"Would you be so kind as to inform the master of the house that Mister Drood and company are here to see him? Regarding Dobitoc. Oh, and you had a small pest problem at your gate. Troll infestation. Might want to have someone scrub the stones soon, that green blood stains something fierce."
Edwin says breezily before even looking to see if anyone is standing behind the door.
You feel like there's somebody there. But there is no answer.
"Shall we, then?" Rholf asks before stepping inside to have a look around.
The door opens into an entry hall. There's a fireplace (red) and a stairway on the right that rises to the north. A Gallery can be seen above the entryhall; it's the "yellow" at g-l 3.
There's a painting of a man above the fireplace.
A door at Y4. Another door at u4 and another at AA 7.
There's also a wood panel door under the staircase. Between yz 5.
Larissa follows Rholf in.
"Hello? We've come to see if Dobitoc is OK. We believe he was coming home."
Aethorduil shrugs slightly as his new frriends pour into the home. After a few moments he returns his arrow to its quiver and enters.
No response. But....you feel like someone is in the room with you.
The picture seems to be looking right at you.
Larissa intends to wait patiently until the man of the house shows himself. She doesn't want to be rude - yet.
Right on.
N'Kai happily proceeds to enter the house.
"Hello, Count Carromarc, sir?? Anyone here??"
Nothing else seen, heard, or smelled with your perception roll.
Huzzah
Leik waits, unsure of what to do and taking his cues from others. It is unlikely the buggy mercenary has even BEEN in a house owned by a person before, having typically accepted his jobs from men in taverns or the tents of military camps paying mercenaries. Although familiar with the concept of ownership when it comes to things one can carry, he knows enough to know that there are different rules in the house of another, but not so much that he knows what those rules ARE...
There sure is a lot of wood. And the fireplace smells like ambrosia.
Edwin's gaze passes over the room slowly as the others attempt to elicit a response.
"Apologies for our unannounced arrival Count Carromarc. We are,... associates,... of your son, Dobitoc. We were in the midst of clearing up some cases of mistaken identity when Dobitoc decided to return home. He seemed rather upset at the time, and we wanted to ensure that he arrived safely. He DID arrive safely I trust? May we speak with him?"
Diplomacy:
Edwin seems far more interested in what he sees around the room than in putting sincerity into his tone.
;P
The painting is of a young man, noble. The painted figure is surrounded by museum artifacts which aren't extremely important clues of any sort and so I won't spent 3 months detailing. You notice in the picture that, through a window, it can be seen that a bridge connects this very building to an alchemy lab, which as you could see earlier from outside is utterly demolished; burning it might actually improve it.
There's also a mirror behind the painted figure in the painting. In the mirror you see a four armed white ape which seems stitched together.
Noone or nothing replies to Edwin's speech. The painting seems to be looking at you though, Edwin.
Human architecture - its so.... ugly and crude, Aethorduil thinks, critical of the new surroundings.
Rholf walks to one of the doors . He listens for a moment before knocking and calling out "Hello?"
Perception:
"That is,... I was going to say 'Uncanny', but I think 'Unsettling' is a more apt description." Edwin muses, indicating the painting.
"It actually seems to be looking at me. More so than any artist's rendering I have encountered before."
"Hrm,..." Edwin ignores the most plainly obvious doorway that Rholf moves to. Instead he studies the painting for a moment, memorizing the architecture of the room in the painting. Once satisfied that it was not painted in THIS room, and certain that he would recognize the room once he found it, Edwin moves to the doorway with Rholf.
Edwin examines the door for 'unpleasant surprises', ;)
Then he checks to see if it is locked or not. :)
"Well, we rang the bell, and we WERE invited inside. Or so I would take the opening of the front door to be an invitation. Barring evidence to the contrary, I will presume that our erstwhile host is occupied elsewhere in the residence, and that we are expected to join him."
He gives a small smirk to the others.
"In other words, shall we continue?"
Not locked. No traps in evidence.
Edwin opens the door with a flourish.
(Then peeks in the room, to ensure it is 'safe'.)
"Ladies first? Or shall our noble Rholf illuminate your path?"
The next room is a wine cellar, 10 feet by 10 feet. The walls' shelves hold bottle upon bottle of wine. There's a door north.
"Nice collection" comments N'Kai while looking at the wine.
Then he casts Light on his scimitar as he moves to the front of the party, and proceeds to open the door to the north.
"I will lead, just in case more nasty surprises await"
The next room is a household storeroom.....furniture polish, mops, brooms, buckets, and crates of supplies.
Larissa lets the men lead to 'protect' her and then realizes that they will be coming back out because the room is so small, so she starts looking around the room, trying to tell if anyone has been around recently.
Rholf, seeming to snap out of whatever musing he'd been entertaining, shakes his head briefly, sending the flames silently whipping into a swaying dance briefly. Turning from the supply closet, he takes more thorough stock of the entry hall.
Edwin shakes his head. At himself, mostly.
"Upstairs I think. Master Rholf, Master N'kai, if you would be so kind?" Edwin indicates the stairway with a nod as he draws his bow and knocks an arrow to it.
The fireplace has been lit.
The place has been cleaned routinely.
"I´d rather secure the ground floor before we move upstairs, just to be sure."
N´Kai checks the wood panel under the staircase.
It'll open easily.
When he does, though, he hears something move. Something big.
Edwin stops, and closes his eyes.
"OF course. Miss the forest for the trees. I must cultivate patience." he mutters.
Edwin looks at N'Kai, unwilling to move and set off,... whatever, with out warning.
"Blast!! What now?? Where does that sound come from??"
It's right behind the door you're fiddling with...
The elf puts an arrow to his bow string, ready for a threat following N'kai's expression of frustration.
N'Kai draws his scimitar and puts up three fingers, giving the rest of the party time to prepare before sliding the door open...
Positions plox.....
"Dobitoc? Is that you?"
Nkai in y 11.
right on.