Taman sees that the rear is in danger and that a rat is attacking Redmond right behind him. He draws his rapier and attempts to skewer the vile thing.

Attack: 21 Damage: 10

As the last two rats were dispatched in quick succession the group stood there among the stinking dead corpses. The light from the shields reveal an open area leading to a door that gives entrance to the tower. From the size of the tower it looks to have 3 floors and the scaffolding near the roof all lead to the topmost room. 

The door is closed but upon testing it is not locked

"Ah... nothing like a bracing good fight." Fargrim said, pretending to clean the non-existent rat blood off his axe to hide his embarrssment at missing the quick creatures. "Anybody in need of a rest, or shall we be off? I can also offer some healing if need be."

Fargrim looks to the scaffolding, trying to see if it's connected to the tower and if there's anything of interest within view. [Perception: 16]

Looking around Fargrim doesn't see anything more than the dead rats, some of their droppings, and the crates stacked around on the dirt floor. The building seems to be in good repair if a bit dirty for obvious reasons. The scaffolding does lead into the topmost room, You could assume it is to allow a foreman to observe the goings on below during normal work hours. 

Alan looked at the dwarf oddly. "Fight? They were rats. That was pest control. We just did the job of two cats."

The cocky human looked around the room at the tower and the door that led to it. I wonder if we can use that scaffolding to get to the top... If there is a guard on the stairs, we could walk right past it.

Alan took a look around the room to see if he could find anything else to aid them in their goal.

"I'm assuming our quarry is at the top of the tower. How about we take a shortcut and use the scaffolding to get there?" Alan asked the group as he retrieved his crossbow bolt from the ground and wiped it off.

Perception: 16

"Ha! Perhaps to experienced warriors such as ourselves,  but some of our fellows have been injured. In my experience a wounded warrior is all the sooner to be felled, and we may need their help yet!"

"As far as the scaffolding is concerned, my people tend to the ground, not to the sky. I don't know if I have the dexterity to jump that high, much less in this chainmail!"

[Looking for any other way to access the scaffolding. Perception: 13]

Picture the scaffolding as more like catwalks. There are no stairs that you can see leading up to them. You would have to throw a rope or the like up there and climb it to reach the scaffolding. It is anchored to the ceiling itself. Sorry for not better describing it. It is up to you to attempt to go that route but I want to make sure you know what it will take. I'm open to any creativity you want to employ however.

Fargrim considers the tools available. "We could perhaps tie a rope to a crossbow bolt and fly it over to make a pulley, but I'm not sure if my 50 ft will do it; we'd need twice the height of the scaffolding without someone at the other end to tie it (or just a REMARKABLE shot)," he says the last bit to himself. "Not to mention we'll need to get the chest down as well once we get up there. I think the tower is the way to go."

"Bah, you're no fun." Alan said, shaking his head a bit.

Thank goodness. I don't think I would have been able to get up there, anyway.

"Well, I'm ready to go. You guys need to take a little nap on the floor after that heroic battle, or are you afraid that you might have to fight back the spiders? Let's get goin', short stuff!" Alan said, chuckling as he spoke. He had no clue how offensive he was being to the other hopeful adventurers around him. He was never a very good people-person, and being so far from home really wan't helping things. 

Alan stowed his Crossbow, hand at his hip and buckled on his Shield and drew his Rapier. 

Those tight corridors in the tower will make wielding that crossbow a little too difficult. 

"Absolutely fantastic work killing those rats, everyone. It reminds me of the heroes in the poem 'The Ratmen Cometh" when they fight in the tunnels"

Taman looks up at the tower and how high the scaffolding is, as he wipes his rapier clean.

"Yes, I agree. Let's take the direct approach. If we run into guards then we can still try bribery before we resort to violence."

"Hah! You do me shame, human. An Alaghor never shrinks from battle!"

And with that,  Fargrim walks brashly into the tower. [Passive Perception 13]

Entering the lowest tower room you see a break area in front of you. A number of lockers lay along the left handed wall with a few benches to sit on. A square wooden table sat on the right side with a few wooden chairs around it and a water cooler in the corner next to it. A set of stairs rise into the ceiling on the side opposite from you with a trapdoor at the top leading to the next floor. A slight sucking sound is coming from the direction of the water cooler.  

"All clear" Fargrim yells to his companions outside. He walks over to the water cooler to get a drink. Fighting in heavy armor is thirsty work. 

Alan followed the armored dwarf into the room and sheathed his blade when he saw the open space. He attached the shield to his back and drew the hand crossbow, focusing on the area that the dwarf occupied. 

What is that sound?

Perception: 16

Attempting very hard to try and see what the sound was what could be causing it, Alan struggled to identify it but just couldn't quite tell anything more than the general direction it was coming from. The corner where the water cooler stood.

Fargrim sets aside his battleaxe to try to grab a drink from the water cooler,  paying attention to the sound and trying to figure out what it is.

[Perception: 8]

(What does the water cooler look like? I'm imagining Ozarka lol)

Arynn will go with the rest of the group, sheathing his blade. "The sooner we get this done, the better." He comments, looking around the room before moving on.

Perception: 12

Taman follows Arynn, Alan and Fargrim into the ground floor room.

"Does it seem strange to anyone else that this place is so deserted?"

He tries to look inside a couple of lockers. His rapier is in hand.

Perception: 6

Not the best perception rolls.

The water cooler is a glass bottle sitting on a dispenser much like what is often seen in many offices. A spigot lets the water out below. No one seems to be able to ascertain the source of the sound and when Taman looks in the lockers he finds some dirty workers clothing and a moldy half-eaten sandwich. As Fargrim leans down to grab a drink from the cooler Arynn notices a translucent appendage reaching down from the ceiling towards Fargrim. That is when you notice the gelatinous cube hanging from the ceiling creating the sucking noise. 

I will give you a chance to respond then we will probably enter initiative. The DC for this was 14 to have noticed earlier. 

Alan noticed the tentacle reaching for Fargrim and his eyes shot up to the ceiling. Without thought, he fired a couple bolts at the thing.

"What the hell is that!?" He yelled.

(He's Chaotic, so he can be a bit trigger happy. I'll leave it up to you to decide if it occurs pre or post initiative.)

Attack: 11  

Attack: 17   Damage: 4  Damage: 6

Initiative: 10