Okey dokey. On to the last "lead" you were told about at the castle?

OOC: Indeed!

OOC > Yes! Please and thank you.

As they walk companionably side by side, Evy seems troubled. "It's been different being out here," she says. "I mean people at home could be hateful, sometimes, about who we are, but there weren't that many. I know my parents kept me insulated from some of the worst of it in the city, and on the estate, of course, there was never anyone..." she falters a little.

"Well, I know you remember Riegor. Yes, that kid from the village down the way at the estate."

"Yes," she smiles at Val's growing grin, "That kid, the one I kissed when we were eleven, and I got so worked up that something went awry and he ended up with antlers for a day."

But her face falls. "I don't know if you knew though, that his parents didn't see it that way. They came to the manor, I was there in the foyer when they arrived, and they were so... angry. I was so frightened and... now I understand that they were afraid, too. But I didn't know that then."

"Anyway," she straightens up. "Mother and Grandfather took them into the study, and I was shooed out to play or something. I never saw them again, Riegor either. I think the family had them relocated. I hope it was gently, but knowing the way Grandfather is, I don't hold much hope for that." She is quiet a moment. "I wasn't naive at eleven. I knew people didn't like us. I thought it was because we looked different, but I realized later it was also because of my family, because of Grandfather and his... business. Our business."

"But out here, where nobody knows us, it's all about how we look, isn't it? Nothing to do with anything we, or the family has done. It's just plain old hate. It's almost refreshing if it didn't infuriate me so."

Val laughs with the initial recalling of the Riegor/antlers tale, but lets that feeling wash away as the memory takes a bad turn. "A little of this and a little of that. I don't think our family is in a very common place. I bet you can count in one hand how many tiefling families have managed to ascend to a position where they earn a writ of noble status. Grandfather achieved that one way or another, and we both know it wasn't all above board. Be it the fact that we are tieflings, or that we are tiefling nobles, or the way Grandfather ascended into his seat, people will always find a way to put others down so they feel better about themselves."

Val places another friendly hand on his cousin's shoulder: "But it is not always like that. Not everyone needs to find issue with us. Sir Tristan trusted us with his family matter and we proved ourselves. He is now trusting us with the well-being of his realm. I figure our race, status, or Grandfather have little to do with any of that. If anything, he heard you could put antlers on snotty kids and hired us on that fact alone." Val tries to end his speech with comedic tone.

“He wasn’t snotty,” she says, gratefully taking the change in tone. “He was dreamy.” She bats her eyes coquettishly, then laughs.

A moment later she smiles genuinely at Val, puts a hand on his shoulder, then lets it drop and continues to walk.

Val laughs along with his cousin once more and continues walking by her side.

A moment later, a thought enters Val's head. He asks Evy a question or two: "Do you think we should have investigated that hamlet back there more thoroughly? They were unpleasant, sure, but they could be hiding something and asking us to meet in the woods was their way of deflecting the situation. Or am I the one overthinking things now?"

Evy narrows her eyes. “They were squirrelly about something, for sure, but everyone’s got something to hide. You think it might have something to do with the thessalhydra? Maybe that poor guy plowed the wrong field, as it were, and they fed him to the beast?” She’s actually considering the idea, despite her off-color joke.

"We are not yet far from their place. Should we turn back and try to sneakily peek into their affairs?" Val proposes, realizing he sounds a bit paranoid. "Then again, the hydra also seemed to kill just that one kid back in town, right? Or am I misremembering it?"

“No, you’re right, it does not seem to do any rampaging. It just seems to kill and leave. Or maybe anyone around runs away in time? But there haven’t been that many witnesses… I think we might be overthinking it, still. It’s just a monster hunt, not a conspiracy.”

She keeps walking. “Let’s leave the little people their secrets and their prejudices, both.”

"You know best." Val agrees. He has learned to rely on his cousin on thinking matters like these.

The last lead you were given at the castle is another farm. You come to a long fence surrounding a large swath of land covered in berry bushes. A ways off, in what is probably the center, is a small home. You enter through the break in the fence and walk up the path to the house. The sun is waning, and it won't be long before it drops below the ridge. It's quiet here, and there's a cool breeze blowing down from the mountains, which are not far away now. The rustle of leaves accompanies you the whole way, but that and the rhythm of your boots crunching the dirt and small rocks are just about the only sounds. Something is fluttering in the breeze, and when you're close enough to the house, you realize a black ribbon has been tied to one of the posts holding up the porch roof. Reaching the house, you step up onto the low deck. Val ducks to keep from hitting his head. Evy knocks on the door, but there is no response.

Glancing at Val, Evy will come off the porch and circle the house clockwise, looking for people in the fields or nearer the house, and at the house for another entrance, or some other interesting thing.

Val points to the black ribbon: "They are mourning."

Val is uncertain if the look he received from Evy was a request to follow her or to circle around the other way. He does the former and keeps an eye out.

-> Perception check: 5

OOC > I guess Evy should roll Perception, since I think Val just inadvertently walked into a wall? 😂

Perception: 14

The cousins circle the house in opposite directions and arrive at the back of the house at about the same time. Sitting in a chair about 10 feet from the back of the house, but facing away from the house is someone. They either have not heard you, are ignoring you, or are pretending they don't hear you.

Val glances at Evy, expecting her to take the lead as he usually does on all non-aggressive matters.

Evy raises a hand in greeting. "Hello there! Hello? We've been sent by Sir Tristan to investigate a monster, and were wondering if you could help us?" She will approach slowly, with a wide smile.

The individual doesn't turn as Evy approaches. They do finally say something, however. Still with their back to the cousins, the individual says in a soft and creaky voice — an old voice, "No monsters around here." It is said with little energy and barely loud enough for the cousins to hear over the rustling of the leaves around them.

"What do they call you, gaffer?" Val asks, trying to help the conversation move along now that it has already started.