If you have a passive Perception higher than 14:
"The villagers have not disappeared. They are within their dwellings. This is sensible or suspicious. On known evidence," he takes out his rain-sodden notepad, "I am inclined to think suspicious."
He edges towards Manny. "Mage Mandrake, my investigations are hampered by the constant downpour. Can you extend your personal shelter to cover my notebook?"
"The villagers have not disappeared. They are within their dwellings. This is sensible or suspicious. On known evidence," he takes out his rain-sodden notepad, "I am inclined to think suspicious."
He edges towards Manny. "Mage Mandrake, my investigations are hampered by the constant downpour. Can you extend your personal shelter to cover my notebook?"
"Hm? WHat? What am I, an umbrella bearer? Frickin' insurance company? That's what I have HIM for!" Mandrake grumbles, pointing a thumb at the implacable IT. HE tsks as he look sover the soggy mechanical man.
"This rain is gonna make rust in places you didn't even know you had,..." He mutters, seemingly not even noticing the shield protecting IT from that rain that he put there a few moments ago. Although it seems like two months... ;P
Despite his grumblings, his fingers waggle briefly, and the small dragonborn's notebook puffs a burst of steam, and is dry. The rain that continues to aim for it seems to slide away from it at the last second.
"I am most grateful Mage Mandrake. Papier mache is not a helpful component of the archive. This, however," Akahale taps meaningfully at his notepad, "will be. In the event of my demise, please ensure its safe return to Drachenholme."
The group of heroes find themselves once more at the foot of the steps leading up to the cliffside church. Lightning arcs overhead as storm clouds continue to lour over Ashenport.
"Let us see if this edifice has re-populated and proceed to the ex-mayor's dwelling."
Akahale proceeds briskly up the now very familiar stairs.
"Yeah. And we can see if any more crazies in hoods have shown up, then check out the mayor's house too!" Manny pipes up, following the dragonborn up the steps,... he then steps back and to the side with an 'After You!' gesture to everyone's favorite door opener, er, barbarian.
"Yeah. And we can see if any more crazies in hoods have shown up, then check out the mayor's house too!" Manny pipes up, following the dragonborn up the steps,... he then steps back and to the side with an 'After You!' gesture to everyone's favorite door opener, er, barbarian.
"Say does this place have a back door?" Rowan asks.
"Its just that if this idiot didn't have this trapped then it won't be that important, shame there's nothing we can use to batter it down without endangering whoever's doing the battering..." Rowan muses as he glances at Seram.
"Your call," he shrugs.
The group make a thorough search of the church and its underlying secret shrine. Aside from the numerous fishmen corpses and those of the cultists, as well as the twisted body of the cult leader, they find no living cultists.
As you make your way back into town you spy a large house that seems as if it could be the residence of someone important.
"Aha! An evil dwelling. Let us approach."
Akahale knocks at the door.
No-one answers.
Akahale cautiously tries the door.
Akahale cautiously tries the door.
"Didn't that church have some suitable sized pews we could us to batter this door down?" Rowan asks Seram.
Akahale finds the door is locked.
Akahale finds the door is locked.
Thievery to open door (1d20+6=10)
"I fear my skills are inadequate in this respect." Akahale's attempts to pick the lock result in a mutter draconic curse and a broken pen nib.
"Luckily, I have a spare pen. And there is always Mr Zal."
Thievery to open door (1d20+6=10)
"I fear my skills are inadequate in this respect." Akahale's attempts to pick the lock result in a mutter draconic curse and a broken pen nib.
"Luckily, I have a spare pen. And there is always Mr Zal."
"So... Manny is this door enchanted?" Rowan asks.
Seram approaches and uses his trusted door opening technique
"So... Manny is this door enchanted?" Rowan asks.
"It may have been. It now appears to be kindling."
"That aughta work and if the door won't budge we'll use my axe to start splitin her."
"So... Manny is this door enchanted?" Rowan asks.
BOOT TO THE DOOR!
"Ummmm,... Sure, why not?" Manny replies, his head buried in a search of his robes for his still missing bread.
"You are now the proud owner of a pile of +1 Toothpicks/+2 vs stuck food" He mutters as he searches a forgotten pocket.
Akahale silently hands Manny a left over croissant, picked up from the breakfast table.
Seram approaches and uses his trusted door opening technique
"Sounds like this home owner bought better doors than those downstairs..." Rowan muses.
The doors give in with a thud, and are now open.
The doors give in with a thud, and are now open.
"Okay now that was anti-climatic, still maybe we can use the door on any traps like those we encountered under the chapel?" Rowan shrugged.
Akahale pokes his snout around the doorframe. "Apologies for the intrusion. Is anyone at home?"
No-one answers Akahale. You can see that it is a well-appointed house, as attested to by the wrought-iron fence surrounding the property and the many elegant windows.
Investigative senses a-tingle, Akahale steps inside. "Further exploration is warranted, I believe."
The little dragonborn steps inside to find it is indeed a residence that is well-furnished. No-one seems to be around that he can see.
"Come out, come out wherever you are!"
Manny sing-songs as he peeks in the doorway,... from behind the relative safety of Grafire's and Seram's broad shoulders,...
"I am no advocate of breaking and entering in the normal way, but the previous owner was a cultist of deep evil. I propose to investigate his study."
Akahale looks for likely doors.
Grafire uses hands signals in a veiled attempt to be sneaky. Signaling to Seram to try and flank any obstacles in the way.
"We need to flush any beings or criters out into the light." Grafire says in a low rumble. "Or not..." Feeling suddenly inspired by Seram, Grafire grips his axe and starts looking for hiding spots to smash.
Echoing Many now Grafire also sings in a sinister low rumble. "Come out, come out where ever you are...Muhaha..."
Perception:1d20+4=17
IT continues alongside Mandrake, withholding comment.
Rowan sighs.
Reaching into his belt pouch he scrabbles momentarily for a small copper coin and then flips it inside the now open hallway.
"Heads or tails? Or was that King or Queen? Never could get that darned currency depictions straight!" he mutters after waiting to see if anything happens once the coin hits the hallway.
The friends find no-one in the hallway. There are stairs to go up and many doors to go through. After conducting a search of the residence, they find no-one at home.
Grafire spots a trapdoor in the scullery, however.
Rowan's coin lands heads.
The friends find no-one in the hallway. There are stairs to go up and many doors to go through. After conducting a search of the residence, they find no-one at home.
Grafire spots a trapdoor in the scullery, however.
Rowan's coin lands heads.
Rowan walks in and retrieves his coin.
Standing up he looks around and asks,"So have you found Manny any new clothes and did you see a pantry anywhere?"
Akahale hunts for trousers, before joining his egg-brother by the sinister trap door.
"Pfft, and here I was looking for a fight"
The group find clothes for a large male, several smaller females, and servants' clothes.
Rowan guesses that the house was abandoned within the last day or so, perhaps earlier.
"Garments. Doubtless belonging to evil beings, but nonetheless serviceable for your needs Mandrake." Akahale proudly offers Manny his finds.
"Blue might suit you."
"Garments. Doubtless belonging to evil beings, but nonetheless serviceable for your needs Mandrake." Akahale proudly offers Manny his finds.
"Blue might suit you."
"So now onward, to the scullery?" Rowan asks striking a heroic pose ruined by a growling stomach.
"So did you spy a pantry during the search?" Rowan asks sheepishly.
Manny accepts the trousers with a doubtful look on his face, but mutters a mumbled thanks before taking the proffered clothing and stepping behind a bedroom doorway to change.
Several tense moments later, accompanied by grunting and what could be described as sounds of combat with a cloth golem, Manny's voice floats out from behind the door.
"Hey, these aren't half bad. Thanks guys! Well, what'ya think?" Many asks as he pulls the door open and shows his new wardrobe.
The elderly man looks like he was either dressed by a child, or lost a bet.
BArely peeking out from under his robe and beard is a vest, and his new shirt is somehow fitting OVER the robe. At least his pants are on properly, although you can only tell because the robe is pulled up between his legs and tucked into his belt washer-woman style.
"This is much better, and wermer with all this blasted rain!" HE declares happily.
"Oooo, pantry? Did someone say lunchtime?!?"