Chipper joins alongside Kess, offering another point of view. "More so, how do you think your sister would react to us entering the house? Would she cause us to need to be... defensive? By aiding us you could mitigate such a situation."

intimidation: 18+1 = 19

Chipper, make that with disadvantage.

second roll: 16+1 = 17

"Like we'd care about her!" The other brother pokes him on the shoulder. "Uh, what if she freaks out again?" They stand there for a moment. "Fine." They head for the door, trying to ignore the three corpses.

Ada just stares at the two boys. "I am sorry for your loss, but your mother did horrible things. She had to pay the price for what she had done. Now please, answer our questions."

The paladin glances at Kessintra as she makes the threatening remark to the boys, but it comes out hollow, as if she doesn't really mean it. "We aren't going to hurt you. I only punish the wicked, and drinking yourselves to oblivion isn't as wicked as what your mother was getting up to."

Persuasion - 26

Razz flits down from wherever he’s been perching, his dragonfly wings humming softly as he lands lightly on the table. With a casual flick of his wrist, he uses Prestidigitation to chill the wine before smoothly pouring two cups, sliding them toward the brothers.

"Well, well. A promise is a promise, and I’m not one to leave a drink undelivered—cold, just like the situation you’ve found yourselves in."

He pauses, letting them take a sip before continuing, his tone shifting from playful to just serious enough to make an impact.

"Now, I get it. This is a lot to take in. Waking up from a good buzz to find your dear mother not-so-alive anymore, that’s bound to put a damper on the evening. But, if we’re being honest, she wasn’t exactly winning any 'Mother of the Year' awards, was she? And here’s the thing—right now, you have a choice. You could sit here, drinking, mourning, wondering what happens next… or you could help us find your sister before she ends up another casualty of your mother’s ambitions."

He leans in slightly, his glowing golden eyes narrowing just enough to press the weight of the moment.

"I know it’s been a rough night, but your sister doesn’t have time for you to nurse a hangover. So, why don’t you do the right thing—for her—and tell us where we can find her? Finish your drinks, give us the address, and maybe, just maybe, we can all end the night with one good deed to our names."

Then, with his signature smirk, he raises his own glass of wine (whether real or conjured) in a toast.

"To bad decisions, worse luck, and hopefully, one right move to balance it all out."

Persuasion Check: 24 (18 if with DisAdv) or +5 to whoever has a higher roll to help them?

(It would be 11 if Ada has disadvantage due to killing their mother right in front of them lol)

((Do the guards have anything? Perception: lol nat 1 +3))

That wasn't the source of the disadvantage. The guards have their daggers. You can't find anything else.

The two don't seem intent on drinking anymore. They seem slightly calmer when Ada says they won't be killed. They still refuse to pick up a glass. One of them solemnly says, "We'll take you there."

Kessintra stands back up without taking anything, her hands reaching to grab her lyre and start playing of their own accord. A few of the spirits quiet while the rest only grow louder in her head.

Performance: 7

Garrick just stands there passively as the others try to calm the brothers. Once the party starts moving, he follows them to the house.

"Drink, or don't drink. As fey, I only promised a round of drinks, not that you had to drink them.  Should we know anything about the house before we get there? Those symbols were rather unsightly and I'm curious if we'll come across anything similar?"

Persuasion Check 23 (if needed)

You hear one of them mumble something along the lines of, "It's all contained in the basement..."

The basement? Kessintra raises an eyebrow, following the brothers along with everyone else.

Razz flits alongside the brothers, wings humming lightly as he gives them a sideways glance, swirling the last drops of his own drink for effect.

"I have to say, you two were much more fun when you were drunk. All secrets and stumbles—less brooding, more bad decisions. Now you’re all ‘serious’ and ‘responsible’… it’s honestly a little unsettling."

He sighs dramatically, then smirks.

"But fine, since we're all playing the ‘let’s be useful’ game now—your house, your basement, your mysterious ‘everything’ waiting for us below... tell me, should we be expecting more delightful surprises? Family skeletons? Secret Strahd fan clubs? Or did dear Mother leave behind a journal titled ‘Dinner Plans With the Darklord’?"

He lets the joke linger for a second, then shrugs.

"Because if this whole region has taught me anything, it's that nothing in Barovia is just 'in the basement'..."

Ada shakes her head. "Of course she kept everything in the basement," she mutters. "Lead the way then."

She follows the two brothers and the rest of the party out of the inn, taking up the rearguard position. 

The brothers fail to laugh. While they guide you through town, they start to think of what you might find in the house. "Well, there's of course some books. Things about devils, Strahd, stuff like that." "There's also her 'book club' and imp." "Oh, and one psychotic sister." Both of them give a singular dry chuckle.

Eventually you come upon a house that seems disgusted with itself. A slouching roof hangs heavy over furrowed gables, and moss-covered walls sag and bulge under the weight of the vegetation. As you study the house’s sullen countenance, you hear the edifice actually groan. Only then do you realize the extent to which the house hates what it has become.

"An imp, hm? Well I can finally put my Infernal to use at least, maybe get it to join us. We already have a tiger and Strahd did ask for a good show." Kessintra remarks as she studies the appropriately depressed house. "We'll try not to kill your sister. Is she locked in the basement or roaming the house?"

"She's locked..... not in the basement. In her room."

"Imps and devil-symbols." says Chipper. He turns to Ada, "Think you'll be able to divinely sense our enemies? I can't help but think there'll be more fiends than a mere imp to find."

He'll ritual-cast detect magic before they enter.