You quickly disintegrate the body and the ash drifts away on the wind. The four doors in the rookery are all locked and do not appear to be trapped.
10 minutes later, the healed group had exposed of the evidence and regrouped silently before the doors. Who locks the doors on the top floor? Let's check it out. Skarn points at the first door on the right, approaches and Beginns to work at the lock.
Skarn starts working on the lock. With a few seconds work it pops open. The locks are good quality but few can stand up to a person of his talents.
Gently pushing open the door you find a spacious bedroom is spacious, outfitted with comfortable furniture. A large bed, an oak writing desk, an armoire, and an armor rack furnish the room. Hanging from the north wall is a fishing pole and net with several lures hooked into the netting, all of which look immaculately clean and well-cared for. The south wall has a mural depicting an impossibly tall warrior covered in plate mail, his red eyes glowing through the slit in his helm. The warrior wields a greatsword and is slashing through armies on a vast blood-soaked beach. A small stone altar with a softly glowing smear of blood atop it stands in the room’s southeast corner.
The scene on the mural depicts Gorums realm, the Clashing Shore in Elysium.
He Tomas, isn't that the altar that blacksmith told you about? I take it this is Ordulf's chamber then. He paused while they looked around the room.
Hmhm. He must be a big fishing fan with that fancy gear displayed like that. Did we hear any smalltalk about his hobbies in town? Skarn asked the others, while taking down the fishing gear from the wall, inspecting it and putting it in his Spacious Pouch, acting as if this was the most normal thing to do.
He then went on to investigate first the mural, then the altar.
Sassarra will search the armoire for anything of interest. "If we can desecrate the altar, all of the foes will be slightly less capable, but it may draw attention."
She will then search the desk.
Searching the room turns up nothing much of any interest. Some spare clothes, a few religious texts, oil for cleaning armour and weapons and the like. The only other thing of interest is the valuable looking fishing rod and tackle.
After rummaging through the boss's room, the group moves on to the next door counterclockwise.
Maybe Tomas wants to assist?
You quietly unlock the door, carefully pushing it open. As you do so Skarn steps on an old bone which cracks unless his heel with a loud snapping noise causing Jax to hiss loudly in surprise. Two voices inside shout out, Hey, who goes there. What's the idea of disturbing us, this is our rest period!
They sound loud, angry and harsh. The room is filled with a thin, freezing fog which billows out into the rookery as the door opens and all of the surfaces are covered in rime. Skarn can just about make out that there are a pair of tall, hairy, humanoids with wide mouths full of wolf like teeth inside. The room is clearly some sort of barracks, with a few simple beds and footlockers and some furs covering the floor.
Skarn curses himself for his unusal clumsiness, but quickly regains composure. He hand-signals at Tomas making it clear, he'd like to proceed down the stair, and also points at the sigils and badges at his make-shift Gorumite uniform that the party is wearing. Since Ordulf wasn't in his chambers on this floor, he's most likely somewhere downstairs.
Sassarra quickly responds with a gruff, "Sorry" As she pulls the others back and shuts the door. She'll listen for a moment in case anybody sound like they are getting up.
Well dont bother us again shouts one of them as you close the door.
Surprised by Sassara's fast reactions, Skarn shrugs and moves on to the next door.
Moving around the rookery Skarn opens the next door quickly and quietly. It reveals a long, bare corridor illuminated by the occasional everlight spell. It bends at the far end, leading to parts unknown. As you are about to head further in you hear the sounds of voices talking from around the bend and they are getting closer. It seems a guard patrol is approaching!
, Success
Quick, hide!
Realizing that all of us hiding may be an issue, she pushes Tomas against the wall, kissing him like people sneaking off for a little fun away from the crowded barracks. As they come up, she pulls her cloak around to cover her modesty. As well as hiding Tomas drawing his sword if need be. "A little privacy, guys?"
The guards give the briefest of nods at Sassarra and fail to notice the rest of you. They had out into the rookery, briefly noting that the roc is missing, Must be out hunting one of them mutters, Filthy night for it says another.
"Let's find out where they came from." Tomas whispers.
The group quickly head inside the fortress, closing the doors behind you. At the end of the passageway it turns and opens up into a broad stairway, heading downwards.
The stairs open into a large hall containing two wooden tables with long benches. Each table is covered with partially finished meals, dirty utensils, and mostly emptied goblets. Greatswords and other assorted weapons hang on the walls. The western wall has two arrow slits that let cold air and the howl of the wind from the mountains beyond. Double stone doors exit to the south. Three doors in the east wall lead to small chambers, and a small hallway ends in a fourth door leading further into the fortress. A stairway to the east leads down.
This is clearly the main mess hall for the fortress. Given it is late at night the place is empty.
Skarn leads the group silently down the corridor and the stairs. Not making any sound whatsoever he looks through the mess hall.
hmhm. Should I? Probably not. But then again, this could be hilarious.
Skarn investigates the weapons hanging on the wall. Are any of them magical, Jax?
The thief within Skarn is tempted to just put everything in his Pouch.
Sassarra will skirt the room, listening at all of the open doors and trying to see as much as she can without being obvious to anybody behind them.
She motions Skarn to take the other doors so we could get this quicker.
Checking out the weapons on the wall, none of them appear to be magical.
Sassarra does a circuit of the room. The double doors to the south are locked. There is little sound from them but they are thick and sturdy. You know from your scouting that they lead out to the battlements and the siege engine and that a group of guards will be there along with another at the other end of the battlements.
The stairs lead down into darkness. There is a sense of openness down below but no noise. The three small chambers that lead off this one are a mix of storage rooms, a small kitchen and the latrines.
The short passageway to the east leads to a closed door. Sassarra can hear the sound of voices arguing within. It is difficult to make out what they are saying through the heavy door although there seems to be at least 3 or 4 people inside.
Attacking and disabling the siege engines would be pretty cool, but I don't think it does us any good. We're not preparing for an assault. So I'd say we surprise the tea party behind this door?
"Give me a minute" she says as she pulls out her crystal ball. She will spend one minute doing clairvoyance at the next room to get a better idea of who they are.
Sassara's magic shows her a grand chamber with walls lined with a variety of tapestries and banners, each with a different color scheme and insignia. At the center of the room, a grand oak table divides the chamber in two, with comfortable-looking chairs surrounding the table. Two maps, one of Hagreach and one of the Linnorm Kingdoms, covers the table, each with several wooden markers arranged on the map indicating potential wartime maneuvers. Double doors exit to the south, and two doors exit east while another exits west.
Four creatures sit around the table. They are clearly arguing about something. Two are clearly wolf like humanoids, more adlets like those you met upstairs. One is a large, three eyed, blue skinned giant. the last is a strange mix of humanoid and spider, wrapped in leopard skin furs.
She will explain the situation. "If we can get them fighting among themselves, that would solve the problem without us spending much resources." she explains, looking at Tomas. "If nothing else, hopefully they will not work together if we have to fight."
Sassarra recognises the various banners as belonging to various Ulfen clans which have recently either vanished or were wiped out by unknown assailants.
She recognises the large, blue skinned giant as a Snow Yai, the two wolf humanoids as adlets and the strange spider humanoid as a jorogumo.
"Let's do this. Tomas, you lead. Tell them, we're here on Ordulf's invite. He wants to offer us some of his soon-to-be-conquered land or something. Jax, keep Haste ready, if things go sideways." Skarn whispers.
He then takes the nearest Greatsword from the wall and carries it casually over his shoulder with one hand, while holding his Dogslicer under his coat in the other.
Tomas straightens his clothes and prepares to speak...
You push open the door and march into the large banqueting hall. The four do not immediately notice you but when they do they stop arguing with each other and start getting angry.
The strange spider humanoid sneers, What's this, more of Ordulf's would be allies. No doubt this will make the division of the spoils even more difficult!
"Hello. Please, don't get up on our account. We're here on the General's orders. I expect to be offered a Barony in a recently liberated area. That said, we'll be moving on. Thank you."
It's actually right there, where your finger is, Sir. You better look elsewhere. Skarn was trying to assert dominance.
Sassarra will look them over. "Seems like Ordulf is optimistic in how much territory he will be capturing." She chuckles, "or perhaps he's just gathering potential rivals into one place."
What are you insinuating, hah, I see you trying to sow even more division damn you snarls the spider woman. The large giant cuts in, If you are joining the battle for Hagreach then you had better take your place. I dont care what you want as long as you stay out of MY mountains. The two adlets seem unhappy at this but sit quietly fuming.
Your mountains? According to Ordulf, and I quote, "that giant really doesn't need another mountain next to his mother." Are you sure, the Gorumite is the ally he pretends to be? Skarn drops the Greatsword he was demonstrately carrying.
Sassarra nudges Tomas and nods her head toward the adlets. Despite her voice being quiet, it carries well. "Always keep track of the quiet ones. They're usually making plans while everybody else is talking."
"I really don't see how you trust 'that' one." Tomas whispers to them.
The effect of your words are startling. The snow oni leaps to his feet and begins to pound on the table while the strange spider woman scuttles backwards, up the wall of the chamber. The two adlets glance at each other and spring back, drawing spears. Frosty mist begins to flow from them, coating the floor and table with rime. Tensions are clearly much increased.