--

Nisha, you find a backdoor. There is a single overhead light that is illuminating the door. It buzzes and flickers as if the bulb is ready to give up. 

Nathanial as your peer in on the second floor you see beautiful shelves with animal carvings on each end and there in the middle you see blood pooling on the ground and nearby is a dead gnome woman with curly greying auburn hair, slumped against a bookshelf. The nearby bookshelf is splattered with blood. in her hands she is holding onto a book.

The rest of the floor is obscured by the bookshelves. You see no one else here. 

Laine is not surprised as Nisha wanders off, fading into the night like some specter. Nor at Nathaniel as he takes flight. He figures they'll come back to report the best way to enter so he hangs back for now. 

Perception: 7

More disturbed about what he saw than he'd care to admit, the pale tiefling swiftly glides back down to the others in his team. "I'm afraid dear Miriam is dead. I suggest we enter quickly and silently before the culprit leaves." He says in a tone suggesting he would want swift justice for the gnome.

Laine's brows immediately draw in. "None of this bodes well. Lead on." 

Sticking to the shadows, Nisha spends a few moments staring at the door at the back of the building, considering whether she should keep pressing forward. There is something very ominous about the flickering light that hangs above it, the soft buzzing sound eerily loud in the stillness of the damp night. Finally, with a heavy sigh, the rogue traces back her steps to where she left the rest of the group, just as the tiefling returns as well.

The news of someone being dead doesn't worry her too much, but reinforces the unsettling feeling she got while looking at that damn light. Are they late? Has this Ebar Hall ran away? 

"There is another door at the back," she reports quietly. 

"Perhaps that is our point of entry then?" The pale tiefling grimly suggests, ready to follow the half-elf back there, also ready to assist her with searching for any alarms and opening any locks needed to get inside.

(Help actions offered if needed, good luck and good night :-)

Decide whether you want to enter through front or back door. 

"The back door sounds like a reasonable approach, given the everything of tonight."

Kaelen just shrugs “Why not both? Those of us less stealthy through the front and those more stealthy in the back? ” He asks just looking at the group.

Gavyn stands in front of the shop he has visited countless times before. He can already smell the pages and feel the comfort of the tight passageways of shelves. The fog of self pity and alcohol begins to lift as if returning to a welcoming home.

Then he hears the news that Miss Miriam is dead. His fists ball and he turns cold with anger, mouth set in a determined line.

"We need to block any exit," he says with a firm tone that belies his nature entirely. "Two in the front. Me and anyone else that volunteers, I think. The rest in the back. Secure the exits, then move in towards the stairs, you see, in a pincer that squeezes anyone still here. Be careful of the stacks...er...the rows of shelves. It might be difficult to root a clever person out of there without taking fire."

Since everybody has made their mind, Nisha turns on her heel and leads Nathaniel and Laine to the back of the building, leaving Kaelen and Gavyn to find their way from the front. She glances around, before she gets closer to the door, checking out for anything suspicious. 

Perception: 20

There is nothing strange as you move towards the back door except for that flickering light bulb. The back door is locked. 

Since she doesn't see anything more suspicious than the lamp, Nisha starts working on the lock, using the help so generously offered by the tiefling. 

11

Nisha deftly unlocks the door, and it opens into a darkened room. From the sputtering light spilling into the room, you see some boxes and stacked books. This is the stock room for new books. You smell blood in the air as you enter. The boxes and books are piled high enough to possibly hide someone or something behind them. 

The pale tiefling gives Gavyn and Kaelen a firm nod as the impressive pair make their way towards the front entrance of the Gilded Lily Bookstore, then following Nisha and Laine towards the rear.

As the half-elf skillfully unlocks the rear entrance, Nathaniel warily enters the bookshop, trying to move between cover should anyone try to ambush them from behind the stacks of books and boxes.

Perception: 13
Stealth: 16

(Not sure if you can ready a dodge action before combat ;-)

With the door unlocked open, the rogue cautiously steps into the dark room, letting her eyes adjust to the shadows within. She looks around, taking in the sight of the boxes and stacked books, along with the scent of fresh ink and parchment. But there is some other smell that lingers in the air, the unmistakable sweet, metallic tang of blood. With Nathaniel’s report of the dead gnome earlier, it isn’t surprising that there could be more bodies on this floor as well.

Her heart rate quickens at the thought of a possible danger lurking around, but Nisha remains calm and vigilant, her small frame carefully moving between the towering boxes and book stacks. Her hand has disappeared into her robe, clutching at a dagger.

Stealth: 9, investigation: 8

Kaelen just stands at the front door with Gavyn and listens as he talks “Think that’s the plan. Should we kick the door in a few minutes. No way the two of us are gonna be able to do this stealthy-like, but can at least make a distraction for the others.”

Nisha does not see the danger ahead of her and stumbles over a book on the floor. 

Nathaniel, you see a large looming bestial figure move in to kill Nisha. The beast is wolf like in silhouette, but any more details is hard to distinguish unless someone shed some light on the darkened areas of the room.