Zed concurs with Augrym's observation, but has no further insight.
Concerned that the story here is going to be complicated, The Baron recommends moving the party back a bit for a building by building exploration.
This cottage, sized for a small family, is fairly well kept and modestly furnished with simple accoutrements. Food long rotten and thick with flies still sits on half-empty plates in the kitchen. There is no sign of a struggle.
Two other cottages across the main road are in similar condition.
With each home, Taranis's countenance grows darker. Gorzeh's storm brews in his eyes, the winds blowing out hope.
This structure, though fairly new, is poorly built. The clapboard walls have large gaps and its roof sags alarmingly. Behind the cottage sprawl a mud-filled enclosure and a covered shed. The smell of decay and filth emanating from the dwelling is horrendous.
Around the muddy pigpen behind the cottage are scattered the rotten, half-eaten corpses of a number of feral hogs, now covered in clouds of fat black flies. One wall of the pen has collapsed, and a particularly massive feral hog has broken in and currently feeds on the bodies of his starved kin. Upon noticing you, however, the hog squeals and bolts off into the hills.
Putting the smell out of consciousness, Taranis and the others give the building a search before continuing on.
The smell inside is far, far worse, but you find nothing but very dirty clothes, a bed with even dirtier sheets, some rotten food, and not a single bar of soap. Apparently the missing resident was not fond of bathing.
This large, two-story building partially overhangs the river bank. A wagon sits at the loading dock with a pair of barrels on its bed and another waiting atop the loading dock itself. A sign above the front entrance shows a barrel and a smiling dwarf.
Marc's question remains unanswered by a circuit of the building's exterior. Aside from the loading dock, there is a single door into the structure (also from the west), which is made of stout timbers built atop a foundation of fieldstones. Marc does not see any damage to the building, nor any evidence of forced entry.
"What's in the barrels?"
The barrels are sealed tight. Marc stabs a hole in the lid of one and is rewarded with a rich, malty smell of ale.
The interior of the structure confirms this to be the home of Varnhold's Lucky Delver Stout. Another dozen barrels of sealed and finished product are inside, along with much, much more in various stages of fermentation, held in brewing vats.
DV60, Scent
and LLV Scent
LLV, +3 well-lit visual if Aurora nearby
Augrym spots a loose floorboard under one of the vats, and finds a locked strongbox underneath.
"Normally I'm all for taking the spoils, but this entire seen makes me a bit... unnerved."
"This town was an ally to us. If we were surrounded by bodies, I'd say yes. Until we see corpses, this is a missing persons case."
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Yeah...no one touches anyone else's possessions here. Unrak is also clearly both creeped out, and very puzzled.
”I would offer a differing opinion here. I would recommend we take the contents of this strongbox in order to ensure that nobody else does while everyone is currently away. Also, there may be a message inside that might be useful.”
Augrym gets to work on seeing what’’s inside.
After reviewing the contents, Augrym goes to check the door to the structure for traps.
Augrym does not think the strongbox is trapped in any way, but his lockpick breaks when he attempts to open it.
Upon the unsuccessful attempt, Taranis adds "Let's worry about the upcoming spriggan issue first, then talk treasure."
Without lockpicks, if the door is locked, Augrym uses his crowbar to open.
Now that we are inside this two story building, let’s explore thoroughly both floors.
Move on to the next building if there’s nothing left in here.
"Indeed. If the settlers are now settling in the Boneyard, we can come back and take it all to distribute. If they are held somewhere, I wouldn't feel right. Come now, let us ford to the southern side."
Down by the muddy bank, you step cautiously into the ford. The river is cold and dark, and the water soon reaches your chests -- but Zed's estimate seems accurate, and you should be able to cross without any need to swim.
+2 if Surprise
You are only a few feet across, though, when a large dark shape moves through the water to intercept your path. A lobster-like creature with a thick armored shell erupts from the water ahead! A pair of tiny eyes gleams above a mouth full of writhing tentacles, hungry for a meal.
Round I
1. Marc, Zed, Taranis
2. Kn Nature
3. Augrym, Unrak
Taranis takes out a scroll which has sat unused in his pack for well over a year. He reads the words aloud as they turn to droplets of water.
Suddenly, Toth's massive paws turn to flippers! With a whistle Taranis orders his companion forth! "Drink deep and think fast!"
Zed identifies this creature as a chuul, an aquatic hunter known to use its massive claws to grab and constrict its prey. It also uses its tentacles to paralyze prey within its grasp. Chuuls are immune to all poisons.
Now ready for a fight in the water, the tiger-shark savagely attacks!
for
for
MISS
-----------------
A transformed Toth flies into battle. His shark teeth scrape on the chuul's hardened shell, though one fin gets in a solid blow.
Round I
1. Marc, Zed, Taranis
2. Chuul (8 dmg)
3. Augrym, Unrak
When it’s my turn...
Aiming over the top of the chuul, Zed lets fly a spell of Glitterdust that snares only the aberration.
ZED! USE THE WAND OF LIGHTNING BOLD OR SOMETHING!!!
SUCCESS
Zed's shower of golden sparks does nothing to slow the creature down, and it goes after the transformed Toth with alacrity.
HIT plus SUCCESS
Seizing the tiger-shark, the chuul quickly transfers Toth from its claw to its iron-grip tentacles, which begin issuing a pale secretion...
Round I
1. Marc, Zed, Taranis (Toth 39/54 hp, grappled, Fort)
2. Chuul (8 dmg)
3. Augrym, Unrak
"Toth!" Taranis casts a spell of Liberating Command on the tiger.
Even with his master's magical help, Toth cannot break the chuul's grip. Toth's muscles grow numb from the secretion, but he fights off the paralysis, at least for now...
Round I
1. Marc, Zed, Taranis (Toth 39/54 hp, grappled)
2. Chuul (8 dmg)
3. Augrym, Unrak
Taranis adds a spell of Acid Maw to Toth's suite.
Toth attacks with tooth and flippered claw while grappled.
watching Toth getting manhandled by this beast is more than Unrak can handle while staying coherent. Flying into his typical rage is not even a conscious choice, he simply sees red, and seeks to destroy the threat.
With a bellow of rage, Unrak plows through the water to stand against the monster, heedless of its claws
Studying his target (move) Augrym adds Bane (swift) to his weapon and activates his helm (free) and fires his wrist launcher(standard).
Unrak struggles forward through the water, churning waves in all directions . Augrym fires a shot before the big man passes, but the water protects the chuul enough to render the shot harmless.
Round II
1. Marc, Zed, Taranis (Toth 39/54 hp, grappled)
2. Chuul (8 dmg)
3. Augrym, Unrak
With Toth grappled, Zed dare not use the wand, though he does take it out. He goes with the sure thing
Zed opts for his most reliable spell, putting a few holes in the chuul's hardened shell.
Round II
1. Marc, Zed, Taranis (Toth 39/54 hp, grappled)
2. Chuul (25 dmg)
3. Augrym, Unrak
"Fighting retreat to land!"