"As is," Jorin says, reading over Drusk's shoulder, "That is how they get you."

Jorin will head outside and inspect around the foundation of the house, looking for anything out of the ordinary.  Investigation:14

Outside, Jorin finds a hand cart behind the cottage, stacks of firewood, other farmstead tools and stuff. Nothing out of the ordinary. The cottage is made of wattle and daub, which is to say, a wooden frame with a reed or other material latticework between that is then covered with a mud/dung/clay mixture to make the walls inside and out. It is in fair condition, and appears to have been repaired in a few spots since Criella bought it. Jorin and/or Drusk could probably smash through the walls with not much trouble, but this is a common means of construction. The roof is thatch.

The sturdiest part of the building is the fireplace (fitted stones) and the floor (laid flagstones).

Hildigrim returns to the cottage. "Nothing else appears atypical," the halfling reports. "Perhaps we should lay low and prepare an ambush."

Would Jorin, with his smithing background, be able to repair a hole in the exterior wall?  It's not blacksmithing, per se, but seems like an easy enough task for the crafting inclined...

If Jorin attempts to mend the exterior walls, Drusk will pray for Guidance to assist him. (Or he could help instead, if Jorin prefers that.)

"Once this place is secure, we can think about finding the scattered sheep and getting them back in the sheepfold."

(Asking Criella:) "Did you bring any other animals to this farm, besides your sheep? Did they react oddly when they got here, or only after the recent events (tree fire, two slaughtered by stick men) ?"

Jorin is pondering punching out some of the more recently repaired spots to see if there is anything hidden in them, but isn't sure if he could fix them holes he made or not.

OOC > In the interest of not spinning your wheels...

Jorin makes noises about investigating the recently repaired parts of the cottage walls, and Drusk gets interested, at which point Criella notes that she is the one who repaired them when she moved in. She’d be happy to show Jorin how it is done, if he is curious. She does not recall anything odd about them, but does note that the place was pretty shabby when she got here, all but the floor, and she was grateful for that. She even had to repair the fireplace a little.

She’s only had sheep, and everything was fine at her place until a few days ago.

Jorin heads back into the cottage.

"Drusk, would you shine a light up into the chimney?  Maybe a around it a little bit too?  Let's give the chimney a good looking at."

OoC:. I have a -1 to investigate lol, so maybe Srusk could make the toll with advantage for me helping?

Drusk already investigated the chimney with a 6. It looks like a chimney. :)

OOC > For continuity, Mrs. Brinarei will remain, but will not “continue” with the party when the rest move on.

The old tiefling looks over the deed and agrees that it looks pretty standard and unremarkable.

OoC: d'oh!  I went back a page or two or check for that but must have missed it.  Did anyone check the floor or is there a crawlspace maybe under the floor?

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

OoC: d'oh!  I went back a page or two or check for that but must have missed it.  Did anyone check the floor or is there a crawlspace maybe under the floor?

 (OOC: I was steering in that direction in posts 156 & 158, but didn't follow through with an ability check. And I guess Criella might not think of a floor crawlspace when Drusk mentioned looking for a "hatch".) 

Jorin is poking around the fireplace when Drusk reminds him that he had already checked there.  

"Let us take a look at the floor.  Criella said that and the chimney were in the best shape when she bought the place.  Maybe there is a crawlspace under the floor." Jorin says and will help Drusk inspect the floor of the cottage.

Following Jorin's suggestion, Drunk kneels down to check the floor. He taps the floor stones with the butt of his mace (lightly!) to hear if there are any open spaces underneath. Also checks the mortar and seams for designed openings, secret or covered by dust.

Perception roll with help advantage: 13 (not great, but would've been worse without Jorin's help)

OOC > I like to think of Drunk and Srusk as Drusk’s inebriated typo-alter-egos.

Hildigrim comes into the cottage to see Drusk and Jorin carefully tapping on all the flagstones. They are working deliberately, but have found nothing. Mrs. Brinarei comments that the floor is unusual for a cottage like this, they are usually packed dirt.

Drusk suggests either:

1. checking the exterior of the house, to see if it looks like there is a lower level, a hidden entrance, or a mismatch between the interior room size and the exterior walls, or
2. round up the sheep and return them to the pen

Whatever the others vote to do next, he will give Guidance or help, whichever they prefer.

Quote from Mingofaust >>

OOC > I like to think of Drunk and Srusk as Drusk’s inebriated typo-alter-egos.

Lol!

"Maybe this was once a different building or something that was not a cottage?  That might explain why the floor is not just packed dirt."

"I'll check the exterior," Hildigrim offers. He goes back outside to check the exterior of the house to see if it looks like there is a lower level, a hidden entrance, or a mismatch between the interior room size and exterior walls. :)

Investigation: 9 (-1 if perception would be more appropriate)

If Drusk gave him Guidance before he scurried back outside: 3

Inside, Jorin and Drusk finish their survey, and Hildigrim examines the outside. It does seem that the flagstone floor of the cottage is more permanent than the rest of the building. But you have yet to find anything clear. For the record, Hildigrim and Vanja have yet to Investigate(Int) the inside of the cottage.