Jader studies the tracks. He tries to determine if he might know what they belong to
After investigation of the tracks he cautiously looks around the perimeter of the cottage and it’s windows and doors
Jader is distracted about the tracks wondering what kind of creature could have made them and only casually looks around the perimeter
"This place is really too quiet. It's rather unsettling." says Vashina, feeling like she needs to say something to break the silence.
Vashina looks at the tracks with Jader.
The strange tracks give Vashina pause. She doesn't know what could have left such weird tracks and this only adds to her unease. As Jader starts to checks he building she can't help but feel the need to do the same.
Following the lead of those before him, Tess checks out the tracks.
.
She gets a certain desire to follow them, but doesn't break off from the rest of the group again.
Kar will move up to one of the shuttered windows and try and hear anything that might be inside.
Ignoring the tracks as he realizes the garden has been left untended, he frowns. "You all seem quite concerned about the lack of noise here. Is it not like what we've seen through the rest of this place?"
Shrugging, he joins the others in peering into the windows
As they approach the lonely cottage, the unusual tracks on the ground nearby jump out at Kalathiel immediately. He takes the time to check them out and make note of their features. "Curious, very curious..." he mutters as he goes about his work.
Satisfied, he turns away and goes to inspect the cottage itself.
Ignoring the tracks as he realizes the garden has been left untended, he frowns. "You all seem quite concerned about the lack of noise here. Is it not like what we've seen through the rest of this place?"
Shrugging, he joins the others in peering into the windows
[dice=Perception]1d20+2
If it is like the rest of this place, that is not a comforting thought. So far we have found more unexpected danger and fewer friendly faces than we had planned on. I hope this place is not the same and is instead just empty.
Finding no new information amongst the group Jader moves to enter the cottage through the front door. Shield and scorpion whip at the ready
The exterior of the farmhouse is sturdy, with shuttered windows. There's very little of note about the perimeter.
Jader steps up to the front door and, noticing the door to be slightly ajar, pushes it open. Within, the interior of the farmhouse is comparable to the other private homes seen thus far in the tour through the ghost town. It contains only simple wooden furniture and an assortment of common household and personal items. Unlike the other residences, this house is in disarray, with chairs and tables flipped over blankets torn to shreds, and produce such as corn and melons gnawed upon and then discarded to rot on the floor.
The house seems to have two bedrooms, towards the back byond the common room - one larger than the other.
Tess walks in. "Huh. This place looks completely ravaged. I wonder why this place exactly, and not the rest? ... Then again, we've not been in that many places yet. I suggest after we finish up here, we follow the tracks and see what got moved out of here. It's the first sign of intelligent life we've seen here, after all."
Jader tries to see more details within before he ventures into the building
He enters and is careful to avoid the warped board, but gets closer to inspect it and try to see if anything is underneath
Anything inside? Kar asks. I'll move around the back to see if there is another door if you don't see anything.
Looking to the interior, Posh crinkles his nose. "Well...I'm not sure how intelligent it is to keep house in such a fashion...but I suppose it as close as we've seen."
Hearing Kar's offer, he nods. "I'll follow to the back, in case you need help." he offers, silently falling in a few feet behind the monk.
If he can’t see anything hidden under the warped board then Jader will move on to inspecting the bed rooms
Jader moves past the board, pointing it out to others as he shifts his weight forward to press on into the farmhouse. After only a few steps in, a light clutter from the larger bedroom forces him to stop, and approach even more cautiously, others following close behind.
A few steps offer you a view of the large bedroom. Inside, you're treated to an odd sight. There's a barrel, presumably the one or one of such that caused the odd trail outside. Beside it, leaning hard against it, is a small hairless wretch of a creature. With long thin arms like tentacles and wide spiny claws, the creature greedily sucks liquid from a small hole it had punched in the barrel.
It removes its mouth for a second, emits a low gurgle, lurches slightly, then continues to drink. If you were to guess, you'd figure that this little beast was drunk.
Vashina stays completely silent at the sight of the strange looking creature. She recognises it for what it is but doesn't want to startle it. She looks towards Jader for an indication of how he wants to handle the situation.
Still not having any word from anyone inside, Kar heads around the back of the house.
Kalathiel recognizes the drunk little creature for what it is almost immediately. He prepares himself, waiting for the signal to attack.
Tess peeks into the house, noticing things are still quiet, and very slowly approaches the rest as they look at the creature.
Jader has no idea what the creature is he silently casts a message spell and links with Vashina
After casting the spell he whispers ”Is it dangerous? Should we kill it? What are it’s strengths and weaknesses?”
Following Kar around to the back, Posh eyes the window. 'Would have been nice to find a door...but I suppose not all places have doors. It's like an apartment, but much bigger.' he considers.
Glancing towards his companion, he points to the broken window. 'Is he going to try to squeeze through there? He did say he was looking for a door and that is technically an opening... A bit door-like if you're small enough. I don't think he'll fit through there though. Perhaps I would, but I hope he doesn't ask me to. There's a perfectly good door around front...'
Finding himself lost in his own assessments, he stays silent behind Kar.
Vashina whispers a message back to Jader.
"It's a Choker. They're known for being quite nimble and have quick reactions. Those tentacles can hold on tightly so be careful."
Jader replies back to Vashina
”Should we kill it. Or is it intelligent enough to talk and give information”
Kar shares a look with Posh and then heads back around to the front of the house, looking for anything of interest.
The window is big enough for Posh to fit through without difficulty, and Kar with some difficulty. However, the shutters appear to be latched from the inside - they'd probably have to be broken to open the window.
"I think there's only one way to find out if it will talk."
Despite its obvious drunken state and questionable intelligence Jader attempts to intimidate the creature into talking if it is able
After attempting to intimidate he asks
Who are you? What are you doing here? What has happened to everyone? Where did they go? What do you know about what has been going on here?
Jader asks while brandishing his Falchion and trying to appear fierce
Tess follows along with Jader, pointing her trident at the... thing they're looking at.
Kar and Posh, having finally made it back around to the front door, peek inside and see that there is indeed something worth note. Why didn't they tell me there was something in here like I asked? Kar wonders in his head before stepping in the doorway, keeping his back to the wall.
Vashina holds back from the creature while she waits so see what the creature does in response to Jader's forceful questioning.
"Apologies for not responding, Kar, it seemed some silence was in order. There's...some manner of creature here, but we're trying to see if we can wring any info out of it."
The creature looks up at Jader's approach, but is obviously much slower than it would usually be. It's odd, black eyes blink slowly as it stands uneasily on its feet. Then, after what seems like a look of recognition, the little creature turns, and clumsily rushes towards the window.
Jader instinctively lashes out with his Falchion when the creature decides to bolt towards the window. His paranoid nature getting the better of him
However the attack was clumsy and he follows the creature to the window in an attempt to prevent it’s escaping
Jader swipes at the creature but misses, its odd gait seeming to throw off the attack. The little creature goes to the window and begins to pull at the shutters.
Kar breaks for the door and begins running (ie double moving) back around to the back of the building again.
Turning around, Posh hobbles after Kar. "Hold up...I'm coming to save you!" he calls out after the faster man.
Tess runs up to the creature and attacks with her trident!
Vashina sees how strongly Tessa can attack and decides to help her with some divine guidance.
She moves over to a safe spot and mumbles a spell where the words sound like water flowing down a river.
Jader attacks again with his falchion but he cautions everyone ”Don’t kill it if possible we want to get information if it can speak “
Jader trying to be cautious flounders with his attack
Jader and Kar make their way to the back of the home and wait for the shutters to open.
Trident spears the little creature with her trident. It squeals and turns, trying to wriggle off of the weapon. With the power of Vashina's spell behind it, the strike is telling and plunges nearly all of the way through the creature's side. It raises its odd, long and slender arms in alarm, even as thick blue fluid oozes from its side.
As it turns, it slips aside Jader's attack inadvertently.
Jader has no idea what the creature spoke and he looks to the others for help
Kar looks to Posh, standing next to him at the rear of the house, and says, Remember that they wanted it alive.
Kar will ready to flurry of blows the creature should it come through the window. He will do non-lethal damage.
Tess can almost make sense of what this thing is talking about, but struggles to make anything coherent out of it.
"Mister Nanjet, did you manage to hear that?"
"Hear what m'dear? You talking about the strange grunting sounds? I just figured you all were having a bit too much fun in the bedroom..." calls out the gnome.
Glancing towards Kar, he frowns. "Alive you say? Hmmm...." the man promptly sits crosslegged on the ground and pulls out his spellbook. "Alive...alive...alive..." he keeps mumbling to himself as he flips through the pages.
Stabbing his finger at a particular page, he looks up with a smile. "I've got one for that! UH....can we come back tomorrow and deal with it?"
[dice=Linguistics]1d20+8
"Hear what m'dear? You talking about the strange grunting sounds? I just figured you all were having a bit too much fun in the bedroom..." calls out the gnome.
Glancing towards Kar, he frowns. "Alive you say? Hmmm...." the man promptly sits crosslegged on the ground and pulls out his spellbook. "Alive...alive...alive..." he keeps mumbling to himself as he flips through the pages.
Stabbing his finger at a particular page, he looks up with a smile. "I've got one for that! UH....can we come back tomorrow and deal with it?"
Kar just rolls his eyes and doesn't respond.
Tess tries working the language out in her head one more time, and then it hits her.
"Guys, I think I know what it's saying. It's saying it's hurt and asks us not to kill him."
Tess drops her weapon and shows her empty hands to the creature, to show that she's not planning to attack anymore.
"I didn't get any of that, Tess, but i trust you." says Vashina as she follows Tessamine's lead and lowers her hands and tries to seem less threatening.
Jader sheathes his falchion and tries to assume a non threatening stance while he waits to hear anything useful the creature can communicate