“Aye.  Mayhaps we are being too cautious.  But few men die thinking ‘I should have been less careful’.”

OOC: Map in campaign PM; will post here once I can get my editor back online. Also Rattinger achieves GM inspiration (1 reroll) for the awesome description!!

"Indeed sent for but by messenger. All other attempts to contact Highhammer went unanswered," Longshadow explains unsheathing their other short sword and walking with purpose towards the temple the party can see at a cocked angle passed a stone well in the center of the village.

The air is stagnant and cold. Winter's grip here hasn't let up. Slush stands on the road mixed with other filth. It's a chilling atmosphere to be in what seems like a deserted town full of visible signs of attack.

Loa investigation of the area moving closer towards the temple yields a flurry of movements as vultures scatter. He notices abandoned carts, an overturned table in the market 30ft ahead, as well as a team of dead cart horses attached to an overturned cart of root vegetables just beyond that. The birds however seem to be the only living thing now visible as the ascend into the gray winter evening.

Arthos skulks along as he looks into the windows of the buildings he passes, hoping against his rationality for a sign of life. 

“What happened here.” He mutters under his breath. He once again scans up and down the road, looking for signs of a large invasion force. “Certainly it would have taken a considerable force to desolate the whole town like this, right?”

OOC: Looking for tracks coming into town, maybe like an orc hoard or mass of goblins… generally, signs that stand out from the more mundane foot traffic the town sees, and not the foot traffic of folks fleeing the town. If you need a roll let me know which. 

OOC: Arthos nature check or investigation, rollers choice for tracks. I need an additional perception for peering into windows.

Loa stands out, making an imposing figure amongst his more humanoid companions. He moves alongside alert to danger.

Longshadow is silent. Their attention is fixated on the temple ahead, their eyes still white.

"Death has touch every part of this village," the drow says in a low voice. "Stay close," they add looking to where Rattinger has disappeared but Arthos is still visible to them.

Rattinger will continue to move as quietly as possible while trying to keep up with the rest of the group.  He remains 30 feet of their right flank.  

(What direction are we coming in from?  I assumed the south but I thought we were passing the ruined tower which is on the north side of town on the map)

If we get close to the tavern as we pass toward the temple, Rattinger will take special care to look in those windows.  A tavern seems like a likely place for survivors to hole up.  Perception 7

* nat 1.  It looks like this town doesn’t have a tavern. *

"It was definitely sudden," Loa says, indicating the overturned carts and dead horse, "and it wasn't voluntary.  We should approach with some caution."

Loa looks at the temple as they approach to see what entrances are visible other than the front door. "Shall we circle the building first?" (Perception: 8 - If needed)

Gareth:

Gareth will indeed stay close to Longshadow as they approach the temple stealthily.  He remains alert for any suspicious signs of movement or sounds that may indicate someone or something is near…

Perception:  16

Thordilgon is walking along in the back, carring his cannon.

OOC: The party came from the north. The road to Ferim (road 2) and road to Triskele (road 3) are swapped as I said in the PM. The "Garrison" is another tavern!! Y'all came passed the ruined tower to the north I am assuming you've rounded the corner passed the well into the market area outside Pelor's temple.

Looking in the windows Rattinger is unable to see inside. It's too dark as the evening light begins to wane and there are no light sources, not even a fire in the hearths, inside.

OOC: The first tavern, the Garrison, which the party passed entering the village went unnoticed because it was abandoned much like all the buildings they have already passed.

Gareth only sees signs of struggle. Places where people must have been assembled in mass then lead somewhere else.

Lingering by the well Longshadow pauses.

"It's obvious they meet with some sort of force but who or what could have overtaken an entire town and left...no trace," they offer gesturing at the signs of struggle but nothing is clearly indicating who or what assaulted the villagers! "Death," the drow says again eyes still white. "It's quite near," they add pointing ahead at the now visible closed doors of the temple of Pelor.

Peering in windows (perception): 19

tracks (Nature): 6

As the rest of the group continue to approach the temple, Rattinger will remain as hidden as possible given the terrain, prepared to provide ranged cover for the group if they run into trouble.  He will hang back if the others look to enter the temple.

Can Rattinger tell which direction the mass of tracks lead off in?  Nature 20

If the others succeed in entering the temple without incident then he will emerge from cover and join the others inside.

((OOC - May have been missed above. Are there other visible entrances beside the main door?))

Arthos can see signs of life on the windows, a meal set out but not eaten rotting on a table.

Rattinger notices tracks and gathered in the market square then the mass of people moved towards the temple of Pelor. They look like they're all humanoid in nature and are not more than a day old!

Loa only sees the front doors to the temple that are closed.

OOC: Apologies the site locked me out again. I could view the page but not post. I am now only mobile and waiting for my new laptop. Bear with me!

“Let me see what I can find,” Loa says as he moves forward. He carefully moves up to the door, standing to the side of it. If he needs to he pushed the door open slightly and tries to see if there are signs of life inside. Perception: 24

Loa moves to the door pushing it but it does not respond. The door says firmly in place.

"The sense of death is overwhelming now," Longshadow says in a low voice as they stand just outside the doors. "I myself have attempt to contact Highhammer he does not answer," the drow adds with a strained expression as if a foul smell is invading the space around them. Looking around Longshadow spots Arthos and Rattinger.

"Either of you have a more subtle approach," Longshadow asks. "The doors are locked," they add, " surely we could break them down however if that's the route agreed upon," they add looking to Loa, Gareth, and Thordilgon curiously for council.

Towering over the group the soils oak doors are nearly 10ft tall and seem to be locked.

Rattinger emerges from his cover and joins the others by the temple doors.  He kneels to inspect the lock while simultaneously drawing a wrapped bundle of thieves tools from his pack.  First, Rattinger will inspect the lock for traps.

Perception 8

Assuming no traps are detected, he will attempt to pick the lock.

Thieves Tools 16

And he will attempt to do all this as quietly as possible.

Stealth 12

Gareth:

”I don’t have any special infiltration skills,” replies Gareth in a quiet whisper as he stands at the ready.

"I don't have any tricks for doors, although that is something handy that I might have to look into..." Arthos says, waiting expectantly for Rattinger to finish his work.

As Loa pushed on the door he notices a symbol had been carved there. He had seen them elsewhere in the town already but had been too focused on finding people to pay too much attention. “Do any of you recognise this? It feels familiar but I can’t place it.”

OOC: Religion checks everyone else.

Rattinger is able to easily discern it is not trapped but he does take a while to unlock the door. At first, Rattinger thinks maybe his thieving skills have gotten rusty working with the church and it takes a few nail-biting seconds before finally, the doors come open swinging in slight before stopping abruptly as if blocked from the inside! The sun is now setting in the late winter sky and clouds have been building all day. The village is still barren of life save the vultures the party disturbed while coming into the village market. 

"Death," Longshadow says wrinkling their nose. "I suggest we enter here," they explain moving towards the doors looking at the others. "Gareth, help me with the doors," they add looking to  the monk with a concerned expression.

OOC: Have we lost coach?