Pardot takes a deep breath, calming himself, and then walks over to Klin placing a hand on his shoulder and offering him a berry. He then, seeing the keys come out from the jackal, takes another breath and looks around ((19)), for something they might fit.

For just a moment, Triasa is startled by Ludolf looking into her eyes and his words.  But she then focuses on keeping concentration on the spell.  Once Daventry has a candle light she proceeds to investigate for items with magic, although fruitless.

When finished she gives Ludolf another brief glance then continues to look about the rooms. "Where did the carts go? They must be stashed somewhere? And the keys go to something?"  She searches about for any signs of another door or area they might have missed. 

(Perception: 21)

(OOC - Also, you mentioned we didn't find the books we were looking for in the two rooms. What was the second room?) 

When Ludolf finally breaks free of Triäsa's spell he quickly tries to get his bearings back. "Yes, hrm, excellent, amazingly practical ritual that Triäsa, now let's investigate the next room." he says a bit too quickly, indicating the room to the northeast from where the aberrations came. "...can you go on Klin?" 

 Perception: 5 Investigation: 9
But he clearly hasn't recovered fully from the spell :-P

Quote from Culuril >>

For just a moment, Triasa is startled by Ludolf looking into her eyes and his words.  But she then focuses on keeping concentration on the spell.  Once Daventry has a candle light she proceeds to investigate for items with magic, although fruitless.

When finished she gives Ludolf another brief glance then continues to look about the rooms. "Where did the carts go? They must be stashed somewhere? And the keys go to something?"  She searches about for any signs of another door or area they might have missed. 

(Perception: 14)

(OOC - Also, you mentioned we didn't find the books we were looking for in the two rooms. What was the second room?) 

 Since the battle you have searched the corridor where you were fighting and the northwest door that led to the storage room. There is still a door to the northeast where Korvala and the aberrations came from. 

You don't notice anything new on in either of those two rooms you feel that they have been search rather throughly.

Daventry nods to the others, and offers Klin a hand up. In a well-practiced and familiar manner, she summons forth the mage hand and opens her way into the room Korvala emerged from.

Perception: 9 

As Daventry assists him Ludolf's investigation reaches new heights.
Investigation: 24

The door, partially open already, swings in freely at Daventry's magic. There is a faint light in this room that is flickering from a set of candles mounted along the eastern wall. This room is much better maintained than the rest of the structure but it is still dirty and meager. This appears to be a combined office and sleeping quarters. Along the west wall is a bed tucked firmly against the wall while the center of the room is occupied by a ragged wooden table and chair. There are papers strewn about the surface and a small ledger. The north wall is currently empty but to Ludolf meticulous inspection he notes markings and the collection of dust seem to indicate there were two objects hanging on the wall, perhaps longswords. 

As the group continues their search of the room you discover the following:

1. The papers and ledgers seem to the business dealings of the now defunct book store. The business was meager though recently they sold three books for 250gp each. Those books were named Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions, The Dark Hunger and Fallen Tethyamar
2. They seem to have budgeted 50gp for "living expensive"
3. A second category labeled business expenses seems to be where most the money is going to and includes titles such as, "rent" and "bribes"
4. The other profits are placed under placed in a category for "diamond" At the bottom it reads 450/1,000gp
5. Finally as you all search around the bed, you find there is a trap door that seems to lead down underneath structure. It is not locked.

"Hmm. We've the logs, but no gold. At least take the ledger as proof they sold the books that killed the two Seekers." Daventry grabs one of the lit candles and continues downward through the trapdoor, the hand opening it for her as she prepares to descend.

(Assuming Ludolf's 24 and the trap door being 'not locked' means he gave it a check for traps)

Perception: 3

Triäsa says, "We should probably hang on to that ledger, just in case someone wants further proof all those creature/book things came from here."

Once the trap door is found she adds, "Well, I am sure we will find something useful down there.  Perhaps I can switch my light spell to one of you? I can then take up the rear since I can see without it."

"Good thinking, I can take care of it." Ludolf says, grabs the ledger and puts it in his shoulderbag before moving up behind Daventry trying to see what is expecting them below.
Perception: 16

The group of you are easily able to move the bed, lift the trapdoor and are immediately blasted in the face with a cold damp air. Dug into the earth is a narrow hole, about 3 feet in diameter, that descends down into complete darkness. There is a small wooden ladder along one side that provides access to whatever is lurking below in the darkness. From the top you can see about 20 feet down to the edge of Triäsa light spell. There are bugs and worms writhing in the dirt walls but nothing else seems to be amiss. 

(If you decide to head down the hold please give me an order of descent. Also, you did find the 50gp in one of the chests in the storeroom not sure if anyone picked it up or not just wanted to make sure you all saw that.)

Dav will go first. She also has the gold in her inventory.

(15gp from the wererat + 50gp here + what we can get for selling the hand crossbow and scimitar, as far as loot im tracking. I can make a loot bank character if y'all want and track things that way.) 

Nominate Klin going second followed by Lud, Tri and Par in that order.

(Makes sense, a loot character sounds like a very good idea)

You all start descending down into the darkness and the air continues to colder and more damp. As you get to about 15 feet below the surface the light just illuminates a dirt floor another 15 feet below you. It appears to end into a very small room with only enough room for one of you to stand at the bottom. In the room you see two wooden chests reinforced with iron struts. Each chest has a padlock on the outside securing it's contents from would be thieves.

Hitting the bottom, Daventry calls up what she sees. She ignites a torch from her pack to provide better light.

"Well, I can try to do my work down here, but if it's a struggle we can tie some rope and haul the chests up. Pardot, care to give a look? You seemed interested last time I worked a lock."

Investigation (traps): 17 

Thieves' Tools (first chest): 11

Thieves' Tools (second chest): 16

If Pardot can shimmy down and help w/ guidance:  4, 4, 4 in order

"Or we could use the keys you found on Korvala." Ludolf suggests dryly as Daventry starts with her tools.

"Hah, yep." Daventry shakes her head. "It's been a day." She uses the keys instead. 

Triäsa grins at Ludolf's suggestion about the keys.  "Perhaps I should just wait at the top if there's no room. Pardot?" she says, as he was the last to head down. "I have to get out of the way anyhow if you are going to help."

Presuming Pardot moves, she will go to wait at the top in the room.