[Sorry but the pictures aren't loading for me! Don't know if that's an issue on my side or yours but I've refreshed a couple times and still had no luck! Do you think you could please try resending them?]

Quote from Shiverquill >>

[Sorry but the pictures aren't loading for me! Don't know if that's an issue on my side or yours but I've refreshed a couple times and still had no luck! Do you think you could please try resending them?]

 Oh no! They don't work?! sorry let me try again

https://imgur.com/a/6y6iWIF

https://imgur.com/a/aD1tZoi

Sparkles searches the house fairly thoroughly and is shocked to discover the markings on the wall. '...there must have been children' she mutters, and informs the party of these developments as she goes. When she finds the little beds and the journal in the cramped room, she's understandable upset, thinking that this must have all belonged to Haley and Ardin, the kids, before something must have happened to them, whatever that could have been. The notes make even less sense than their fate, and she shows them to the party, musing that they're 'very ominous...we should follow their warnings closely. We also still have that cellar to explore in a couple hours when the rain passes, but after this I don't know what I expect to find...'

"Interesting" William replies to Sparkles as she shares her findings. "Well.. we don't have anything better to do while we wait out the storm... we could go and investigate the caller now." The undertaker suggests as a few stray water droplets drip from his hat. "I'm already wet anyway".

Kolette stands and shrugs, "We could. Come on Syed, the door is probably locked." she gestures towards the grand outdoors. "Let's keep our eyes alert for worms with big nasty teeth."

While waiting for the rest of the party, she will cast Light on her horns.

Zeren sighs and draws his sword.

"Well. Looks like we might be facing combat again. Not really interested in fighting a worm but if we need to we need to."

He doesn't look too bothered about the strange things happening.

"Let's stay together for now. Last time we split up we got ambushed."

Syed stands up from his spot by the fire, closing his journal with a soft snap. Kolette's invitation to investigate the cellar seems like a good diversion from the storm's relentless noise. He picks up a pouch with a set of tools, then nods and stretches before making his way over to her, casually climbing onto her shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Mind if I hitch a ride?" he asks, already settling himself in place before she can respond. "Better vantage point from up here. And don’t worry, I’m light." His tail flicks slightly, keeping his balance as he adjusts to Kolette's movements.

Turning toward his mastiff, he gestures to Mellow. "You stay here, boy. Bark if anyone else comes in. We’ll be back soon." With that, he readies himself on Kolette’s shoulder, eyes already scanning ahead for anything unusual as the group prepares to head outside. "Let’s hope it’s not were-worms this time," he murmurs, though there’s a flicker of excitement in his tone.

Kolette welcomes her companion to her shoulder with a nod and a pat. 

Eren looks up at you kind of with a 'I don't know about this' look on their face but doesn't do anything to stop you. "A'ight if you gotta go-"

You all make your way to the front door, one of you perched on the other's shoulder. Syed found a cozy spot on her shoulder. Kolette's horns make for a make-shift headlamp as it casts dark shadows against the muddy floor. Shadows squash and stretch along the walls of the house with its ethereal light. Mud sticks to your boots and feet when you slosh about. Lightning strikes further up ahead, and hail pours.

The cellar door is beneath you. It gray wooden doors creak with the thunderous wind. Two large wooden planks board up the entrance with another metal lock. 

Sparkles shivers in the rain, still listening out for Starry, and says to Syed 'Alright bud, do your thing and get this lock picked! And if we do end up fighting some evil worms, don't freak out if I start eating 'em. They were some good protein in the woods y'know, and the rain might draw them out!'

Syed grins down at Sparkles, giving a playful nod. "Worms on the menu, huh? I’ll make sure they’re tenderized first." He then pats Kolette’s horn lightly. "Mind stepping a bit closer?" He asks Colette to help him. As Kolette obliges, Syed smoothly runs down her arm like a practiced acrobat, landing lightly near the lock, careful to keep his paws free of the mud. He crouches before the lock, pulling out his thieves' tools with a swift, practiced motion.

His hands work deftly, slipping the picks into the mechanism. The rain taps on the cellar door as he quietly hums to himself, feeling for the tension in the lock. The first click comes quickly, then the second, his fingers dancing with precision. "Almost got it..." he mutters as he wiggles the last pin into place. (Thieves' tools check: 23, 19 if with disadvantage, incl. 2 from Guidance)

@Sparkles

You check for signs of Starry but see none. Outside of the noise of thunder the woods itself sounds dead.

 Syed's deft work pays off (( 23 > 15 DC))! The locks clicks once, twice, then three times, which would have taken longer had you not been for your skills.

 Suddenly a ball of hail lumbers towards you overhead, striking past the roof awning. It lands right onto the lock, slipping it off its hinge. Unfortunately the wooden door itself seems to have been rotting for a long time. It rumbles. When a second hail hits a split second after the last one, you find the wood underneath you find your foot sinking into the rotted wood, and its creaking. Another ball of hail straight above you is just about to be pummeling through.

((Syed, please do a dexterity check to see if you don't fall in!))

Shayara had been slow getting into the house, she seems to always be taking her time and when she does rush its with a slight limp as she leans on her staff. Finally inside she sets to take a load off as a stool pulls itself close the the fire positioning itself beneath her as she sits. "Well a it is quite convenient that the house should be here when we most need it, still im sure there is more to this place than meets the eye...there always is in these circumstances" she grumbles a bit about the weather as she warms herself by the fire but is mostly quiet until Sparkles relates her thoughts about the children and their journal. "My my such an active imagination children have, still im sure we should place some value in it since it was here for us to find"

"To the cellar, already? I suppose there's no time like the present, we are all rested and prepared for whatever may be down there after all." She follows the group as they approach the cellar door. Happy to have the light of Kollettes antlers she nonetheless casts her own spell as the crystal atop her staff glows like a torch.  Lacking any real mechanical aptitude or knowledge of locks she allows the squirrel to do his thing watching on with interest.

William Shields his eyes from the bright lights generated by his companions. He is tempted to dismiss them but figured it is important that all.of his companions be able to see in the dark. 

While out in the weather, William stands patiently in the soaking rain as water pours down from the brim of his hat. He once again attempts to shield Syed from the rather as he works but struggles with being so close to Kolette's bright horns.

If William is able, he would attempt to help Syed by grabbing him before he falls into the basement.

Zeren stands ready for battle.

Seeing Syed fall he lunges to help if his furry companion falls.

Syed feels the rotten wood give way beneath his feet just as the lock clicks open. "Uh-oh—" he mutters, scrambling for balance as his foot sinks in. His tail flicks in agitation as the second hailstone smashes down, making the door creak even louder. Without thinking, he reaches out clumsily toward the closest hand, hoping to catch hold of something before the ground fully gives way beneath him. "A little help here!" he squeaks, his paw darting toward William first, but the brightness of Kolette's horns momentarily blinds him, causing him to fumble and nearly miss the grip. With his claws he tries to latch onto William's coat as he dangles precariously over the opening, "Not exactly how I pictured this going!" he mutters nervously, trying to find his footing. (Dexterity check 4, or 10 with advantage)

At Shayara's words Eren couldn't have helped but feel a shiver down their spine. "I was hoping miracles do happen..." They fiddled with their locket, eyeing the place more warier now than before. No wonder they felt unease when you decided to go check out the cellar.

Syed nearly falls into the hole first when the wood gave way then with his fumble, but, with the aid of William, he finds a way. The ratatosk clings to the undertaker's coat as he dangles precariously over the edge. However the undertaker also topples over too! Maybe the light was in his way or he didn't realize the full strength of his lunge, but his grab forward ends up with his foot slipping in the mud ((William's DEX Save 1 + 2 = 3 lol)).

Zeren rushes over with an arm out to grab his buddy. But he too also slips! He grabs a loose bandage and, like that, rips off a piece (not too much though that it would all come unraveling off) ((Zeren's DEX Save = ... 2))

You three all make for an amazing pratfall because you all crash into each other like a train-wreck and are sent hurtling down the cellar doors. You all come tumbling down. What a hard-knock life!

Actually well, instead of a hard landing, you fall on what makes a crackle-crunch like a pile of dried dead leaves (maple specifically now that you look at it). Though the rotted wood that you fell through can't be said to say the same. At least it was rotted so you don't feel so bad. You'll likely feel it in the morning. Owie.

Next to your semi-soft pile there was a ladder. Typically these would have stairs, but you'll guess a ladder will have to do. The third hailstone still comes barreling in and conks Zeren right in the head. Surprisingly no damage was taken, just to your ego perhaps?

((Do a perception check if you want to look around inside!))

((hahah sorry I just thought it would be so funny ))

"Hey guys, you could have used this ladder right here you know." Kolette says as she makes we way down the ladder. When she gets to the bottom, she takes a look around while helping her friends to their feet.

Perception check 14

Sparkles also follows down the ladder, the way illuminated by Kolette's light. Honestly, she would have expected a more calculated entrance then having half the party get hit by falling haybales then topple through the door, but at least they're inside now. When she reaches the bottom, she goes to help the fallen party members, but then realises it might be smart to keep an element of surprise on any potential enemies. Seeing as the other party members have probably alerted any creatures, the least she can do is stay hidden so she can get the drop on them in the case of an attack. She crouches down and finds a place that shades her from any light and keeps her covered, readying herself to jump out and surprise attack anything that comes their way. [Stealth check to hide: 18]

Syed groans, rubbing his head as he sits up from the pile of leaves. "Well, that could've gone smoother," he mutters, flicking bits of debris from his fur. He glances over at the ladder with a sigh. "Could’ve used that, huh? Thanks for pointing it out, Kolette."

Shaking off the awkward tumble, Syed adjusts his thieves' tools, making sure everything’s still intact. He then scans the dim cellar, his eyes narrowing as he focuses on any shadows or signs of movement. "Let’s hope we didn’t wake anything down here," he whispers, keeping low and alert. (Perception: 6)