Niggled by Kal's sarcastic comments, Vice keeps walking, suppresses the urge to snap back. He tells himself that the forest and the wolves just had everyone on edge, and Kal probably had it worse than him. Though there's a weird, chilling feeling at the back of his neck, he knows he couldn't ignored the cries even if it is trap.
He stops a couple feet in front the children as they turn their wide eyes towards him. He raises his palms, indicating there's nothing harmful in his hands. "Hey buddy," he asks gently, "what's going on? Why are you guys outside?"
The little girl is the one to speak up, whilst the boy is quiet for the moment. “There’s a monster in our house!” She then points to the tall brick row house that has seen better days. A strange orange glow is emitted from inside the house. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. "We don't know where our parents are."
"They trap the monster in the basement," the little boy finally speaks up.
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
They do it often? That monster is locked in there then? Why would anybody want a monster in their house? "That must be difficult," Emma crouches to see the children at eye level. "Have you been out all night?" She asks empathically, though she really can't help but feel that things may have been better if she was locked in a basement. Who knows, perhaps that 'monster' is just another one like her. "If your parents do it often, they must know what they're doing. I'm sure they'll be fine. Can we do anything in the meantime? Are you hungry perhaps?" Food always cheered her up, so it was the logical thing to offer, even if she was certain anything they had in their house would taste better than some food that was meant to be a practical emergency ration if she can't find anything better.
"Well," the little girl replies, thinking. "We were supposed to watch our little brother, Walter. He's in the nursery on the third floor."
"He is just a baby. Not like me," the little boy beams.
The little girl hushes her brother and then looks up at Emma. Her eyes search Emma's face for a moment.
"You seem nice. Could you go check on him? Could you go and check on our baby brother? I’d go in with you… I would! But… You see, Thorn needs me out here. And I can’t leave him.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Emma didn't expect that. "Umm, but what if your parents see me, a stranger in their house looking for their baby?" Parents capable of keeping a monster in their basement, Emma did not want to get on their bad side. "Couldn't both of you go in together? Or do they not let you in the house at all?" Makes sense, considering they're dealing with a monster, but Emma wondered how much a door could do to stop a monster on the loose.
No, Emma couldn't risk the kids. She shakes her head. "Nevermind. I'll just have to explain myself. You two stay here, out of danger, okay?" She tries to put on a brave facade to comfort the children, but it's actually quite easy to see through and tell that Emma is quite scared and hesitant. Just checking on a baby, right? Shouldn't be any reason to be afraid. "I'll check on... Walter? I'll check on him and be back in a moment."
Emma stands up, puts her hand on the door's handle and... hesitates for a few more moments. "Third floor, right? I'll find it." Emma confirms to herself before opening the door and stepping in.
Emma steps into the house to find herself in a wide hall. It runs the width of the house, with a black marble fireplace at one end and a sweeping marble staircase at the other. Mounted on the wall above the fireplace is a longsword. with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt. The wood-panelled walls are ornately sculpted with images of vines, flowers, nymphs, and satyrs.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
“Wait up,” says Juniper, hurrying up the path to join Emma at the door. “Are you crazy, going into a strange monster-house by yourself…?,” she hisses, but loses steam as the ornate interior makes its impression.
Vice gives Emma a grateful look as she mentions to offer food to the children. Some warm food would be good, to soothe the mood of everyone. He puts a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll find your brother.”
Vice comes up to the door following Emma. There’s an odd feeling about the house… and the monster? Vice likes to think the children are just exaggerating things, like children do. But still, he couldn’t let her go alone. He turns and sees Juniper and asks quietly, “You think Foxglove will be alright outside?”
"I didn't want to drag any of you in after me," Emma answers defensively, but in her voice, you can hear relief and gratitude for being accompanied in. "And I'm heading to the third floor while the monster is in the basement. I shouldn't encounter it, I hope. But if we do, will you be able to stop it? Otherwise, we'd both be dead." Emma would want to say that her death wouldn't be a big deal, while the others had the fate of a land or something hanging upon their lives, but she had a feeling that would achieve the opposite of what she would hope, so she keeps it to herself.
"Besides," she adds instead, "someone should look after the children. We can't all go inside. You have your pony to care for, and I don't think any of the men is fitting for checking on a baby. It makes sense I should go." Emma doesn't urge anyone to go back outside, but she doesn't turn away either. She keeps walking towards the stairs, her heart beating so loudly she can hear it. At least this time the fear wasn't irrational, though Emma wasn't even sure if that was better or worse.
(Good question. Using her free interact with object, shall we say Juniper tied Foxglove to the gate or presumed hitching post, so he won’t run if he gets spooked?)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"I am quite good with children," Star adds to the conversation. "They enjoy the music, and they are natural story tellers. Hmm..." Thinking on that, Star wonders about the children outside. He has no suspicion of them, but knows that children are prone to exaggeration or completely inventing details. Does it seem like anything of the sort of going on here?
(Well, I forgot to mention that a building to the right of the house is an old ruined stable. Otherwise, we can say that Foxglove is tied to a hitching post nearby.)
As you all enter the house, and just as Emma mentions someone waiting outside, the door swings shut behind you.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Juniper begins to answer Vice with a knowing smile, “He’ll be ok,” when the door swings shut, and her expression darkens. She looks at the last person in, perhaps Star, talking about kids’ imaginations. “That’s true but why did you close the door? If the parents come in they’ll think we’re trying to sneak in here or something.”
"I am quite good with children," Star adds to the conversation. "They enjoy the music, and they are natural story tellers. Hmm..." Thinking on that, Star wonders about the children outside. He has no suspicion of them, but knows that children are prone to exaggeration or completely inventing details. Does it seem like anything of the sort of going on here?
Insight: 23
The children genuinely believe everything that they are saying.
Star spins around as the door slams shut behind him, then back again when questioned by Juniper. "I did not close the door. Perhaps it was the wind?"
He opens the door again. The children shouldn't be shut out of their own home.
Star tries to open the door but finds that he cannot open it. Looking through the glass pane in the door, Star sees that thick fog is now surrounding the house.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
‘When people are tired they sometimes don’t think of how to do things well,’ Juniper reflects, as she tries the door handle and looks outside for herself. Assuming the door opens for no one, and that the children are not making themselves known, the slight-shouldered elf adds to Kal’s observation, pursing her lips, “Fog doesn’t suddenly appear from nowhere.” Then, to all in a stage whisper, “Shh, listen.”
Can the crying heard before still be discerned from above?
Vice tries the door too and looks through the glass plane. Through the mist he couldn't see anything, and he smacks his palm on the door once. "Thorn? Are you guys there?" Assuming no answers, he signs and turns around. "Let's just check on Walter and get out of here."
He quiets down at Juniper's words and tries to listen the sounds inside the house.
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Niggled by Kal's sarcastic comments, Vice keeps walking, suppresses the urge to snap back. He tells himself that the forest and the wolves just had everyone on edge, and Kal probably had it worse than him. Though there's a weird, chilling feeling at the back of his neck, he knows he couldn't ignored the cries even if it is trap.
He stops a couple feet in front the children as they turn their wide eyes towards him. He raises his palms, indicating there's nothing harmful in his hands. "Hey buddy," he asks gently, "what's going on? Why are you guys outside?"
The little girl is the one to speak up, whilst the boy is quiet for the moment. “There’s a monster in our house!” She then points to the tall brick row house that has seen better days. A strange orange glow is emitted from inside the house. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. "We don't know where our parents are."
"They trap the monster in the basement," the little boy finally speaks up.
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
“Oh that’s terrible! How long have you been out here? When did you last see your parents? Can you describe the monster? Are you hurt?”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
The little girl shakes her head, "No, we've never seen it. We've just heard its howls coming from the basement."
"We hear it through the floorboards."
"I think our parents are down in the basement, trying to deal with the monster."
"They do it often. We're not allowed in, though."
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
They do it often? That monster is locked in there then? Why would anybody want a monster in their house? "That must be difficult," Emma crouches to see the children at eye level. "Have you been out all night?" She asks empathically, though she really can't help but feel that things may have been better if she was locked in a basement. Who knows, perhaps that 'monster' is just another one like her. "If your parents do it often, they must know what they're doing. I'm sure they'll be fine. Can we do anything in the meantime? Are you hungry perhaps?" Food always cheered her up, so it was the logical thing to offer, even if she was certain anything they had in their house would taste better than some food that was meant to be a practical emergency ration if she can't find anything better.
Varielky
"Well," the little girl replies, thinking. "We were supposed to watch our little brother, Walter. He's in the nursery on the third floor."
"He is just a baby. Not like me," the little boy beams.
The little girl hushes her brother and then looks up at Emma. Her eyes search Emma's face for a moment.
"You seem nice. Could you go check on him? Could you go and check on our baby brother? I’d go in with you… I would! But… You see, Thorn needs me out here. And I can’t leave him.”
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Emma didn't expect that. "Umm, but what if your parents see me, a stranger in their house looking for their baby?" Parents capable of keeping a monster in their basement, Emma did not want to get on their bad side. "Couldn't both of you go in together? Or do they not let you in the house at all?" Makes sense, considering they're dealing with a monster, but Emma wondered how much a door could do to stop a monster on the loose.
No, Emma couldn't risk the kids. She shakes her head. "Nevermind. I'll just have to explain myself. You two stay here, out of danger, okay?" She tries to put on a brave facade to comfort the children, but it's actually quite easy to see through and tell that Emma is quite scared and hesitant. Just checking on a baby, right? Shouldn't be any reason to be afraid. "I'll check on... Walter? I'll check on him and be back in a moment."
Emma stands up, puts her hand on the door's handle and... hesitates for a few more moments. "Third floor, right? I'll find it." Emma confirms to herself before opening the door and stepping in.
Varielky
Emma steps into the house to find herself in a wide hall. It runs the width of the house, with a black marble fireplace at one end and a sweeping marble staircase at the other. Mounted on the wall above the fireplace is a longsword. with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt. The wood-panelled walls are ornately sculpted with images of vines, flowers, nymphs, and satyrs.
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
“Wait up,” says Juniper, hurrying up the path to join Emma at the door. “Are you crazy, going into a strange monster-house by yourself…?,” she hisses, but loses steam as the ornate interior makes its impression.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Vice gives Emma a grateful look as she mentions to offer food to the children. Some warm food would be good, to soothe the mood of everyone. He puts a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll find your brother.”
Vice comes up to the door following Emma. There’s an odd feeling about the house… and the monster? Vice likes to think the children are just exaggerating things, like children do. But still, he couldn’t let her go alone. He turns and sees Juniper and asks quietly, “You think Foxglove will be alright outside?”
"I didn't want to drag any of you in after me," Emma answers defensively, but in her voice, you can hear relief and gratitude for being accompanied in. "And I'm heading to the third floor while the monster is in the basement. I shouldn't encounter it, I hope. But if we do, will you be able to stop it? Otherwise, we'd both be dead." Emma would want to say that her death wouldn't be a big deal, while the others had the fate of a land or something hanging upon their lives, but she had a feeling that would achieve the opposite of what she would hope, so she keeps it to herself.
"Besides," she adds instead, "someone should look after the children. We can't all go inside. You have your pony to care for, and I don't think any of the men is fitting for checking on a baby. It makes sense I should go." Emma doesn't urge anyone to go back outside, but she doesn't turn away either. She keeps walking towards the stairs, her heart beating so loudly she can hear it. At least this time the fear wasn't irrational, though Emma wasn't even sure if that was better or worse.
Varielky
(Good question. Using her free interact with object, shall we say Juniper tied Foxglove to the gate or presumed hitching post, so he won’t run if he gets spooked?)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
"I am quite good with children," Star adds to the conversation. "They enjoy the music, and they are natural story tellers. Hmm..." Thinking on that, Star wonders about the children outside. He has no suspicion of them, but knows that children are prone to exaggeration or completely inventing details. Does it seem like anything of the sort of going on here?
Insight: 22
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
(Well, I forgot to mention that a building to the right of the house is an old ruined stable. Otherwise, we can say that Foxglove is tied to a hitching post nearby.)
As you all enter the house, and just as Emma mentions someone waiting outside, the door swings shut behind you.
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Juniper begins to answer Vice with a knowing smile, “He’ll be ok,” when the door swings shut, and her expression darkens. She looks at the last person in, perhaps Star, talking about kids’ imaginations. “That’s true but why did you close the door? If the parents come in they’ll think we’re trying to sneak in here or something.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Star spins around as the door slams shut behind him, then back again when questioned by Juniper. "I did not close the door. Perhaps it was the wind?"
He opens the door again. The children shouldn't be shut out of their own home.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
The children genuinely believe everything that they are saying.
Star tries to open the door but finds that he cannot open it. Looking through the glass pane in the door, Star sees that thick fog is now surrounding the house.
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
"Not more fog." Kal groans as he looks out the glass pane. "That's what got me into these woods in the first place."
‘When people are tired they sometimes don’t think of how to do things well,’ Juniper reflects, as she tries the door handle and looks outside for herself. Assuming the door opens for no one, and that the children are not making themselves known, the slight-shouldered elf adds to Kal’s observation, pursing her lips, “Fog doesn’t suddenly appear from nowhere.” Then, to all in a stage whisper, “Shh, listen.”
Can the crying heard before still be discerned from above?
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Vice tries the door too and looks through the glass plane. Through the mist he couldn't see anything, and he smacks his palm on the door once. "Thorn? Are you guys there?" Assuming no answers, he signs and turns around. "Let's just check on Walter and get out of here."
He quiets down at Juniper's words and tries to listen the sounds inside the house.