"The shop looks closed," Taiga whispers to the others and points at the shuttered windows. "But someone is rummaging inside. Perhaps thieves?" She dons her shield and moves silently closer to the door to listen if she can hear anything that is said inside.

(Stealth and Perception, respectively: 17 and 17.)

Carina stops short upon seeing the door to Pelc's Curiosities ajar despite the store being closed, and hearing the whispering and shuffling within.

She keeps her voice to a whisper.  "Conversation got us into Tulgi's cabin, but now I think we should match stealth for stealth here if we can get the drop on these interlopers.  They may be here looking for relics themselves.  Perhaps Urgon's relics, not knowing they are with Hulil.."

She is about to suggest that the quieter members of the party take a look so the group can set up an ambush when Taiga beats her to the punch.  Instead, she nods her approval and suggests "if it comes to a fight, try to take one or more of them alive for questioning."

With the grace of one accustomed to ambushes, Elbert crouches slightly as he draws his glaive, an elegant and wicked looking weapon resembling a katana fixed to the end of a slender polearm. Creeping closely behind Taiga, he also approaches the cabin ready to strike in a flash should the need arise.

Stealth 22

Watching as most of the party starts creeping around in the shadows, Ragnus dons his shield and pulls out his warhammer, readying for a fight. He whispers to them, "Maybe someone should go around back?"

Stealth: 0

Recognizing that he isn't suited for sneaking, Ragnus stays away from the shop. However, he can't shake the feeling of a sneeze coming on and as best as he tries to stifle it, it comes out away - "Aaaaaaaaaachhhooooo!" Guiltily looking at the others he mumbles, "Damnable allergies."

As the subterfuge going on inside the cabin is announced, Brix begins looking around for cover. Hiding near by when he finds some. 

At the sound of Ragnus's thunderous sneeze, the whispers from inside Pelc's Curiosities immediately halt. As the silent seconds pass by tortuously, nobody seems to be exiting the shop — but the figures inside are certainly aware of the Paladin's presence. One of them seems to notice that the door is slightly open, and the wooden door is slammed shut before the sound of something large is heard being pushed behind it, blocking it from the inside. What will the party do now?

The door snapped close literally in front of Taiga’s nose. Ok, that is not normal behavior. Somewhat wants to hide something or steal something. Either would run counter to Taiga and her companions’ efforts. She glances to the rest of the party and gestures for someone to check the back of the cabin. She, herself, looks up if there is a chimney and if it is fired.

Elbert gives Taiga a silent nod and heads, once again, to cover the back door. He doesn’t bother trying to move stealthily at this point, in fact he will dash to reach the back door as quickly as possible.

Elbert runs across to the back of the cabin to search for a back door. Once he reaches the other side of the shop, he finds that there is no other entrance besides the front. No door, at least. There is a shuttered window, one that looks like it could be possible to force open with enough strength. There are no whispers or footsteps coming from beyond this window. Taiga searches for a chimney, and Pelc's Curiosities does have one, but no smoke pours from it. In fact, the shop appears from the outside as though it hasn't been open for business in quite a bit.

“I think I would be able to go down the chimney” Taiga contemplates with a shrug. “But then perhaps it is best we just announce ourselves at this point. After all we could just ask for backup and force our way in with no way out for whoever is inside.”

Seeing Elbert dash towards the back of the shop, Ragnus steps up to the door and slams his gauntleted fist against the door twice. He says to the occupants, "Hallo, is everyone okay in there?"

After nodding admiringly at both Taiga and Elbert's stealth, Carina winces and face-palms as Ragnus' sneeze shatters any chance at surprise.

Hefting her shield, she moves up to support Ragnus, ready to try her hand at some intimidation or deception if the dwarven paladin's direct approach proves fruitless.  As she does so, she turns to address Brix quietly:

"Brix, I'm thinking we should probably alert the Grassblades to come surround this place and..."  Wait, where did that little gnome go?

At the word "alert" Brix is already scampering off down the road back towards Urgon's and Mila the Greenleaf guard.

Ragnus decides to knock upon the door of Pelc's Curiosities, calling out to whoever was inside. After a brief moment of quiet, the party hears the sound of someone clearing their throat, and then responding in a gruff voice, "Uh, yes, everything is fine in here. Just performing inspection." A few unintelligible whispers are heard through the door after that, and then the sound of hushed footsteps return. It seems, with that response, whoever is inside is continuing their business.

Meanwhile, Brix has gone to fetch Mila, the Grassblade that had been posted guard outside of Urgon Wenth's cabin. The Elven woman returns with him, narrowing her eyes at the door of the shop and readying the shortsword at her hip. "If I may help you all, just say the word," she tells your characters, giving the Artificer at her side a light smile. Perhaps, she considered, a Grassblade should have been guarding Pelc's Curiosities too — but it had already been ransacked two months ago. What could possibly be inside of value now?

"I have the feeling someone just posed for Pelc," Taiga explains Mila. She shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know the owner, I can't call them out if they bluff. If you can help us convince them to open the store, that would be appreciated." 

(Do we know the store was ransacked? I missed that if someone told us.)

(OOC:  on my phone and can’t post properly for several hours but Tulgi said she herself ransacked the store after she knew that Urgon had sold his items to Pelc’s.  These are some new ransackers.  Maybe looking for the same thing, not knowing Tulgi beat them to the punch?  Or maybe people who know Tulgi and Hulil, looking for more?)

Hearing the extra voices and shuffling of feet, Ragnus doesn't buy the ruse. He pounds on the door harder and shouts, "Open up! I'll bust this door down if I need ta!"

Intimidation: 7

Elbert will set his hunting trap below the window in a position to snare anyone jumping out the window. He covers it with a light dusting of fresh snow to keep it concealed.

He rejoins the others at about the same time that Brix and Mila arrive.

Carina sighs inwardly and steps up, squaring her shoulders.  I wonder if this is my role now...  Bullying and browbeating petty burglars...

"There's no inspection and you're treasure hunters, not inspectors.  You know it, we know it, and all the grassblades that are going to surround Pelc's in two minutes know it.  So here's the plan.  We've spoken with Tulgi.  We get why you're here.  We want to help her and her sister Hulil."

She pauses.  "But that's not going to happen with you in there barricading the door.  Instead, either you all remove the barricade and walk out on your own in the next twenty seconds to chat with us, or we burn you alive inside this shop and then go have a nice drink to celebrate.  Your call."

After waiting a few seconds, Carina casts Minor Illusion multiple times in succession, twice briefly silhouetting a ruddy orange glow on either side of the cabin (not right at the door) as if a flame is being lit.  Then again to simulate the crackling and popping sound of a building beginning to catch fire.

Carina Intimidation or Deception (same +6 bonus to both):  24

She looks at Ragnus and then back at the others, whispering:  "Be ready to charge through the instant the burglars remove the barricade.  Full attack.  Try to take at least one alive with non-lethal blows."  She draws her black warhammer and stands to one side of the door, waiting.