"Oh my, what's that!" Song gasps in surprise. "Did you find a magic sword, Khessa? Does it let you see through walls!?"

No life detected aside from yourselves.

"It's magic indeed, Song!" explains Khessa, excited "Its name is Cabbage Patch Avenger and not only it strikes quick as the wind and cuts like a razor; a few times a day, by speaking the ancient word I just used, you can... not exactly see through walls, but at least sense beyond them. You can sense for a brief time as if the earth around you were your skin... you can sense if there is something or someone moving on it or through it and tell exactly where! It is... It is really wonderful, Song. I'll let you try, later, my friend! Anyway," she is relieved "nobody is near us. Let's enter"

With that, the blonde warrior enters in the room from the window. First thing she wishes to examine is the candle. She tries to verify if the flame can burn something (she can try on a nearby piece of forniture) or if it gives only light but can not burn. Anyway, she keeps the candle (lit and ready to use, if it can not burn) and checks the rest of the room for anything useful or of interest.

Since there is a bed, she fetches sheets and pillows as Clara asked. Then she is curious about the book on the desk (if the picture is accurate and portrays what there is in the room actually). Can she read the book? If not she takes it (maybe Aster can understand it) and she also takes the inkwell and the quill.

In case a perception is needed to search the room: 17

If it was not needed feel free to ignore it

"Cabbage Patch Avenger? That's a very strange name! I suppose duergar are curious people, huh?" Song seems to believe that must be the sword's original name. [To be fair to her, I did give her a -1 to intelligence.]

Khessa cannot understand the book and its contents, it is written in dwarven! Nothing else in the room appears immediately useful or worth investigating further. The candle doesn't seem to burn at all. It gives off no heat. 

Arcana Check 15:

Arcana: 17

(Arrgh! So curious... but I'll not read the spoiler, a check is a check)

"Maybe..." conceeds Khessa "never met a duergar! But the name sounds not too bad to me..." she smiles nonchalantly "do you see the pommel? It kind of reminds of a cabbage patch... plus, 'avenger' this weapon sure will be; just let me meet one of those drow slavers!"

The blonde warrior keeps some blanket, some pillow, the magic candle (still lit, since it does not burn...), the inkwell and the book.

"Let's go in the next room" she decides and carefully opens the only door, taking a look.

[Very good to avoid spoilers! Don't worry, it isn't too painful to miss out on. But! As long as your character doesn't meta game about it, I also don't mind if you read them out of curiosity! My trust with you is mostly story-based! I am also revealing the third bedroom as you see here to speed things along...]

Through the door, you find a hallway and 2 more rooms connected to it. You find tools [as depicted, a pickaxe and a mallet, they would only be a d4 damage FYI] in the room directly south of the room you started in. The next room down, you do find 2 wooden shields [+ 2 AC] and a longsword in good condition.

"This is very eerie... I wonder why it was abandoned like this? It feels like the owners must have been here until only recently..."

Finding two more bedrooms, Khessa comments: "More pillows and blankets for the wounded! Clara will be happy! (And the wounded also, hopefully)".

Spotting the tools: "Look Song! Finally something we can use to work on the trap for the Ankheg! A pickaxe and a mallet!"

And finding the weapons: "Two wooden shields and a longsword... Some of our refugees might use them - although I hope they don't need to" she tries to wrap it all up in a blanket for easier transportation and takes it with her.

As Song speaks about how eerie this feels, the blonde warrior becomes more cautious and looks around more carefully: "You're right Song, my friend. Most of the settlement seems to have been abandoned for some time, while this mansion... one has the impression that someone has recently inhabited it. I don't know what to think, for now... but I know what we can find here can make the difference between life and death. Resources are certainly not abundant here in the Underdark... we won't have another chance like this. We should continue to explore the house. At least until we encounter signs of danger".

The tall adventurer approaches the next door in the corridor (I see there is one leading south?), puts her ear closer to hear any noises then opens.

As she tries to listen for any noises behind the door, Khessa finds herself briefly thinking of her friend tiefling: 'Song... In Twardens you were treated with such distrust, because of your appearance... And instead, look at yourself... you have fear, I see it, but you came to accompany me anyway! And before, in spite of your fear, you fought at my side to fend off the Manes! In the end, if I really manage to save you all refugees, it will be more thanks to you than to those who were so disturbed by your appearance... but who have not yet shown even half of your determination and resourcefulness!'

(In case Perception is needed: 12)

Khessa finds what is essentially an outdoor reading parlor. Nothing in particular stands out except that whoever lived here had a LOT of leisure time. 

Song wanders over to the shelves and puts her hands on the spines of the books. "Wow... I've never seen so many books in my life..." She looks back at Khessa, her eyes sparkling. "I wonder, do you think any are written in infernal or common!?"

"Let's find out!" Khessa urges her, starting to examine the first pages of each book, looking for some that are understandable to herself (written in common or in undercommon) or to Song (written in common or in infernal) "That would be nice! We Cabbagefields never had books at home, because they would have cost too much. My mother once told me that she had seen one, a botany book from which she had learned how to grow beautiful flowers. You know? Since she could not afford it, she had begun to idly turning the pages, under the eyes of the wandering vendor, with the excuse of evaluating it, and in doing so she had read it so carefully that she memorized entire chapters! She has always been so clever, Eshta, my mother..." she sighs at the memory of her mother still captive, but she pulls herself together and tries not to think about it now - not now that she can't do anything about it "But I personally had never seen a real book, before stealing the spellbook of Zer'lan, the slaver's drow wizard. Have you ever had any books, Song? You seem so excited to see them..."

If they find none understandable, Khessa still takes two at random (in the hope that Aster knows how to read them and that they are interesting or useful).

Then the blonde warrior goes to explore the next room to the east (is there an access from the east wall of the room where she is now? If yes, she uses that, if not she goes back to the corridor and goes to the door that leads in the next room to the east from there).

[I'll move scenes a bit later, just need time to update the others and maybe this is a nice roleplay moment.]

There are no books in common or infernal, sadly, but almost all the tomes here are written in undercommon. [Thanks for the reminder! I forgot that was a language you had.] This collection seems to mostly be literature, poetry, and history. The common theme of these seems to be xenophobia, owning slaves, slave trade, and justifications for all of the above. However, oddly, the poetry books seem to be romantic in nature. 

"Miss Eshta..." Song said sadly. It seems Song is quite sorry that Khessa's mother, and subsequently other family members, could not be saved and on the run. Song looks through the books alongside you, Khessa, but seems frustrated once she is on her tenth book with no success. "Ah, nothing!" With regards to the question about books, Song answers, "I used to have one book... the hag outside of town let me have it. I really enjoyed reading it... I've always been curious about other stories... But no one would help someone like me."

[Every moment is nice for roleplay!]

Khessa's disgust is visible on her face as she flips through the books of xenophobia and slavery, but when, to her amazement, she stumbles upon the romantic ones of poetry, her expression relaxes and she chooses a pair to hold them.

"This will change soon, Song! It's so stupid and so cruel to judge people without knowing them well... But now we all know you better and you will see that everyone will realize what a wonderful person you are!" tries to reassure her friend Khessa "You are helping me to save all these people... Do you think about it? We will bring them back to freedom, on the surface, they will be able to live who knows how many years and in all those years they will live, every joy they will have, big or small, it will also be thanks to you! Maybe one day we will find your deeds in a book!" she pats her enthusiastically on the shoulder, firmly convinced of what she is saying "Anyway, these books do not tell stories... but this one is nice! There are some pretty good poems! Can I read you one?"

The blonde warrior is too excited to wait for Song's reply, so she starts reciting:

[I'm borrowing a medieval love poem now]

For weal or woe I will not flee
To love that heart that loveth me.

That heart my heart hath in such grace
That of two hearts one heart make we;
That heart hath brought my heart in case
To love that heart that loveth me.

For one the like unto that heart
Never was, nor is, nor never shall be,
Nor never like cause set this apart
To love that heart that loveth me.

Which cause giveth cause to me and mine
To serve that heart of sovereignty,
And still to sing this latter line:
To love that heart that loveth me.

Whatever I say, whatever I sing,
Whatever I do, that heart shall see
That I shall serve with heart loving
That loving heart that loveth me.

This knot thus knit, who shall untwine,
Since we that knit it do agree
To loose not nor slip, but both incline
To love that heart that loveth me?

Farewell, of hearts that heart most fine,
Farewell, dear heart, heartly to thee,
And keep this heart of mine for thine
As heart for heart, for loving me.

"What do you think, Song?" the tall adventurer smiles "I'd like so much to find someone to love... I... well, I had my experiences already, that's granted. Someone I even thought I really loved him. But this, of which the poem speaks... it seems something so intense... I think I have never experienced something like this yet!"

While waiting for Song's response, Khessa thinks for a moment of the books of xenophobia and slavery.

'Some of those tomes even offer justifications for those horrors! I can't think of a more vile use for writing! I have such a great desire to burn them...'

But then she remembers once again of her mother, of Eshta, of how she had scolded her, that time the much younger Khessa had pulled by the hair a child who thought differently from her: 'It's just the weak ideas, Khessa, that have need to be demonstrated by violence!'

And freedom, tolerance... those are definitely not weak ideas at all! There is no need to burn those absurd books that deny them. The futility of those theses is self-evident.

'In fact, maybe I should try to remember some of those absurd justifications' Khessa concludes. 'To better understand how the Duergars think. Because if they think so, if they're so xenophobic... maybe someday I might even turn them against the drow! And maybe free my family in the course of the ensuing chaos...'

"Oh my... that's so romantic!" Song puts her hands to her cheeks as her face flushes. "I hope one day to have someone that loves me like that. Maybe a prince charming upon a white horse...! Of course, I've never had a boyfriend. What about you, Khessa? Have you ever been in love before?" Song offers Khessa a bashful smile. It was pretty unlikely any prince would be able to take interest in Song, but Song's girlishness really shone through in this moment.

"In love?" smiles Khessa in turn, glad to see the tiefling girl smile "Before reading this poem, maybe I would have told you yes... You know, we all knew each other in Twardens... When I grew up and... and my wants and needs became those of a young woman, when a boy interested me, it was never too difficult for me to deepen my knowledge of him. How many beautiful nights, on straw and under the stars... And before reading this poem, I think I would have called 'love' that passion that made my heart beat so fast in those moments. I felt so alive... Yet, now I know it wasn't a thing like that. It wasn't with anyone. We never made one heart of our two. In fact, sooner or later the passion subsided. The other no longer seemed so interesting. And here he began to interest me, or maybe even just to intrigue me, another, then another and another... By uniting so many hearts with mine, maybe I would have got a mixed salad!" the blonde warrior jokes for a moment, but then sighs "I must have inherited this trait from my father Tobar. He too was so... varied at first in the company he was looking for... Handsom and athletic as he was, he used to be courted by most women of the village. He used to bed them only to lose interest after a few. But oh, well, he finally took a serious interest in my mother, Eshta! Bored by the other women, he gradually got charmed by my mother's intellect. A woman not so beautiful, but with a sharp mind was something new to him. Maybe... maybe they really love each other like that, like in the poem. And so maybe one day it will happen to me too! Or to you! If it is possible for someone... why not for anyone!?"

Still savoring the pleasure of getting lost in pleasant memories, Khessa asks Song, "Did I ever tell you about how my parents decided to get married? Would you like to hear it?"

Khessa seems to notice a nod of agreement from Song, so she begins to tell: "Ok my friend, this is how it went: as I mentioned earlier, my father was really starting to be more and more fascinated by my mother, this woman so different from the others he used to... have relationships with. One night, after some 'activity' on sheaves of straw, they spoke for a while, like they were used to. My father was always so impressed by my mother's curiosity and intelligence . She was always able to find something interesting to speak about. That night he said to my mother: 'You truly are amazing, Eshta, I never met a woman like you. I think we really should marry. Can you imagine what it would be, to have a child with my body and your mind?'
My mother replied: 'Tobar, my dearest… and can you imagine if the child gets MY body and YOUR mind?'
And my father: 'I'm not very good at imagining or thinking' and started kissing her again.
He might have not been good at thinking, but he must have been good at something, for my mother accepted his proposal, in the end".

"Now…" concludes the blonde warrior "I know my mother was right. Things could have got like she said. But my father was lucky. And things went like he said. So, well, Song," she winks "maybe, sometimes, to be lucky it is more important than to be right!"

"Speaking of luck..." she seems to remember all of a sudden that they are on a mission rather than on a pleasure trip "...are you ready to find out if we will be lucky by continuing our exploration? We are still looking for useful material for Clara and the refugees..."

(Sorry! I neglected this thread the most!!)

(I made the image a link if you wanted to be able to look at it more closely.)

"Oh my, I had no idea," Song put a hand over her mouth. Your story of your parents put a faint blush on her cheeks. It was in this moment you realized Song was probably a virgin in just about everything. "Lucky... Hopefully I can be lucky one day to find someone to love like that!" She nods to continue exploring.

You both fan out over the house, and it is as you see in this picture. The food depicted is all fresh. There are bedrooms down here and you realize probably all of these bedrooms are for their servants... except one. This room (upper right) is more fancy, but not by much. It likely belongs to the head servant, you reckon. Other than these facts, you don't notice much else. There are stairs leading up. Currently, you still don't quite sense any life (as in, you don't see or hear anyone upstairs).

"My, I think we could provide everyone with a great feast! Hopefully the duergar won't mind..."

(Oh, don't you worry dear! You was BOTH sick AND busy... I don't blame you at all! On the contrary, best wishes for your activities and your health!)

(Thank you for the link! So many details... I'll have much to ask, once i finish looking at it carefully. Now posting just to reply to Song)

Khessa is really surprised to realize Song is probably a virgin... Such a sweat hearted girl... How...?

'Yes, of course! The horns. The devilish traits. She must gave been discriminated because of how she looks like. The fact that she has an ANGEL heart does not matter. Oh, men... My mother Eshta, on the other hand, was also neglected by men for so long, only because of her not so stunning appearence. But she DID find a man, in the end, and what a man...'

"I'm pretty sure you'll find such luck, Song," the blonde warrior smiles warmly, embracing her friend "because you really deserve it! You'll see!"

As Song comments about the plenty of food, Khessa agrees: "We all deserve some food and some rest, after all we have been through! A bath maybe, also, did you see the wonderful bathroom? And no, I don't think there are Duergar left to complain..."