This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Vicky could not see nor hear much from the blackened interior of the windmill. She did however hear the old woman’s voice through the slightly ajar door as the old lady had her back turned and was fetching pastries. “That’s a shame dear, such a shame that youth these days would need to be convinced my pastry would bring them nothing but joy. Back in my day, people had respect for their elders.
Why, these pastries are made from my secret recipe and many of my customers would agree, a single gold apiece is a very reasonable price.”
Skanon sensed that while the old lady knew every single word of what she had just said was technically true, there was an undertone of twisted glee in her voice that implied it came as the result of great suffering from other people.
While all this is going down, Veronica would like to sneak around back and see if she can find out what's really going on... she was suspicious of this place from the start, even if occupants are apparently the absolute epitome of trustworthiness as far as she can tell.
Should I roll a Stealth check for that, and if yes, can it be rolled at advantage because the old lady is currently distracted by Skanon and Vicky?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
While all this is going down, Veronica would like to sneak around back and see if she can find out what's really going on... she was suspicious of this place from the start, even if occupants are apparently the absolute epitome of trustworthiness as far as she can tell.
Should I roll a Stealth check for that, and if yes, can it be rolled at advantage because the old lady is currently distracted by Skanon and Vicky?
Yes. You can have advantage. Skanon's Deception was successful and created an opening. You can roll it...or I'll roll it for Veronica later when I have time to write 😅.
Veronica silently slips into the shadows behind the windmill, using her spider climb ability to creep up the wall and peer into the windows. She needs to know what is really happening here...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Veronica crept up the side of the windmill and discovered it was 4 stories high, each level was about 8 feet tall. The building itself was not very wide, you estimate the interior to be about 20 feet in diameter at their widest point. The second and third levels of the building had 4 windows each, but they had been deliberately caked in dirt and grime and there were no light sources emanating from within, preventing vision into the building.
…on the third level, 2 loud cackling voices coming from within. The first screeching female voice said, “How do you stop a child from crawling around in circles?”
“How? Do tell!” said the second equally screeching voice.
“You nail its other hand to the floor!”
There was a pause. And the two voices spontaneously erupted into cackling again. In the background, you heard the sounds of two crying children.
The other levels were slient save for the first where you heard the clucking of chickens and croaking of toads.
Skanon gave a quick glance towards Garavon and cautiously motions for him to get closer before taking a slight step forwards. "Miss, do you need any assistance with... grabbing them? I know that may be a bit forward of me but my parents always said that it was a good idea to assist people when you can." As he says this he will subtlety motion for the others to sneak inside while he attempts to keep her distracted.
“Oh! What a kind young man you are,” said the old lady, “there’s no need to trouble yourself dear, it is quite a mess in here. Absolutely unfit for guests! Please just wait a moment, I won’t take a minute.”
You heard the squeak of iron hinges as an oven was opened and the smell of sweet pastries overwhelmed the room.
Now that the old woman wasn't paying attention to her front door, Skanon could look into the room and saw the first floor of the windmill was a 20-foot diameter makeshift kitchen. The room was filthy. Baskets and old dishware were piled everywhere. There was a peddler's cart, you recognized this to be the same one pushed by the hunched figure knocking on doors in the Village of Barovia. A chicken coop, a heavy wooden trunk, and a pretty wooden cabinet with flowers painted on its doors completed the clutter. The clucking came from the chicken coop and the sound of croaking toads came from the trunk. The awful odor you identified earlier came out of an open, upright barrel in the center of the room. Warmth issues from the brick oven against one wall, in front of which bent the old lady. A crumbling staircase ascended the wall across from it. Shrieks and cackles from somewhere higher up caused the old mill to shudder.
Mill Exterior
Each Area corresponds to a single storey of the 4-storey Mill.
Hearing what she could only describe as "pure evil," Veronica decides that she cannot let this go unpunished. It's all she can do to stop herself from breaking the glass and charging in right that instant... but she knows that getting herself killed wouldn't do anything to help those children...
She climbs back down the side of the building and returned to her companions, tapping Garavon on the shoulder to get his attention, she whispers in his ear shakily:
"There is pure evil in there... on the second floor I heard someone... something... torturing children... we can't let this continue, but we can't rush in without thinking either if we want to do any good."
Also, it will likely take a while for Garavon to respond, so why him?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
{DM Note: Some clarification is needed from Veronica...do you lead Garavon into the windmill and up the stairs while the old lady has her back turned, or get him to climb the outside wall with you?
And yes, lets assume everybody in the group hears what Veronica said. Skanon's distraction isn't going to last forever and the characters should have a chance to do what they want with the available information.
Also, the evilness is being done on the third floor, I'll assume the characters know this and move the scene there.}
If it seems feasible to get Garavon up the side of the windmill and through a window without alerting the bad guys of our presence then she'll do that to minimize the chances of meeting anything else on the way there. If it doesn't seem possible, her suggestion would be for Garavon to go up the stairs while Veronica climbs the outside of the building for a two-pronged attack.
Btw, what would we need to roll to open one of those windows without alerting the bad guys to our presence? Or could we skip rolling that by casting silence to make sure that it doesn't creak or make a bunch of noise when it shatters and get a guaranteed surprise round?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
{DM Note: Understood. Having Garavon outside with Vicky isn’t very helpful as the only potential information you’ll gain is whether the window can be opened quietly}
Garavon crept up the staircase behind the old lady to the second floor of the windmill.
The dirt-caked windows allowed very little light to enter this eight-foot-high chamber, most of which was taken up by a large millstone connected to a wooden gear shaft that rose through the ceiling in the center of the room. A stone staircase continued up, toward the sound of loud cackling Veronica had heard. Garavon carefully stepped around the clutter of small hard objects on the floor that upon closer examination, turned out to be children’s bones.
Continuing up the stairs, Garavon poked his head just far enough above the third floor to scout the surroundings.
Dancing around a thick wooden gear shaft in the center of this cramped, circular room were two ugly young women wearing silk shawls and gowns of stitched flesh. Long needles stuck out of their tangled mops of black hair. The women cackled with glee as they discussed toddler torture.
In a rotting wooden closet were three crates, stacked one atop another, with small doors set into them. The soft sobbing of children could be heard coming from these crates that looked like they could be easily opened from the outside with a simple latch.
Next to the closet is a heap of discarded clothing. A ladder climbed to a wooden trapdoor in the nine-foot-high ceiling. A moldy bed with a tattered canopy stood nearby.
DC 13, Garavon’s Nature Check: 12
Outside, Veronica took a closer look at the third floor windows to determine if they could be opened silently.
{DM Note: Mislabelled the stairs on the picture showing the 2nd floor of the windmill...it should say "stairs to 3rd floor" instead of "stairs to 2nd floor"}
Garavon realized through his years of soldiering experience that the party was dealing with hags. The obsession with children and disguises as regular women were the calling cards of these creatures. One hag was an elusive and dangerous enemy for even the most experienced veterans, and three together could form a coven, where their combined magics were capable of bringing down entire regiments of soldiers.
After careful examination of the window, Veronica realized it was tricky, but not impossible to open silently. (DC 15 sleight of hand)
Downstairs, the old lady returned to Skanon with a single pastry. “There you go, fresh from the oven. That would be one gold piece please.” She narrowed her eyes at the smaller crowd in front of her. “Where did your friends go? I swore there were six of you.”
Veronica gently prods at the window, trying to figure out how to open it... but quickly realizes that she doesn't have the skill to do so. She sighs... then casts silence with two ki points and proceeds to punch the window out. Because of her spell, the breaking glass will make no sound and shouldn't attract any attention.
Attack: 17; Damage: 8 (magical bludgeoning) against the window pane.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Vicky could not see nor hear much from the blackened interior of the windmill. She did however hear the old woman’s voice through the slightly ajar door as the old lady had her back turned and was fetching pastries. “That’s a shame dear, such a shame that youth these days would need to be convinced my pastry would bring them nothing but joy. Back in my day, people had respect for their elders.
Why, these pastries are made from my secret recipe and many of my customers would agree, a single gold apiece is a very reasonable price.”
Old lady’s Persuasion/Deception: 16
Skanon’s Insight: 16
Vicky’s Insight: 14
Veronica’s Insight: 7
Skanon sensed that while the old lady knew every single word of what she had just said was technically true, there was an undertone of twisted glee in her voice that implied it came as the result of great suffering from other people.
While all this is going down, Veronica would like to sneak around back and see if she can find out what's really going on... she was suspicious of this place from the start, even if occupants are apparently the absolute epitome of trustworthiness as far as she can tell.
Should I roll a Stealth check for that, and if yes, can it be rolled at advantage because the old lady is currently distracted by Skanon and Vicky?
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Yes. You can have advantage. Skanon's Deception was successful and created an opening. You can roll it...or I'll roll it for Veronica later when I have time to write 😅.
Stealth: Nat 20 (total 26)!
Veronica silently slips into the shadows behind the windmill, using her spider climb ability to creep up the wall and peer into the windows. She needs to know what is really happening here...
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Veronica crept up the side of the windmill and discovered it was 4 stories high, each level was about 8 feet tall. The building itself was not very wide, you estimate the interior to be about 20 feet in diameter at their widest point. The second and third levels of the building had 4 windows each, but they had been deliberately caked in dirt and grime and there were no light sources emanating from within, preventing vision into the building.
You do hear…
Veronica’s Perception: 20
…on the third level, 2 loud cackling voices coming from within. The first screeching female voice said, “How do you stop a child from crawling around in circles?”
“How? Do tell!” said the second equally screeching voice.
“You nail its other hand to the floor!”
There was a pause. And the two voices spontaneously erupted into cackling again. In the background, you heard the sounds of two crying children.
The other levels were slient save for the first where you heard the clucking of chickens and croaking of toads.
Garavon declines any pastries, uncaring of insult he may give. No smile has crossed his face since he has arrived in this dreary land.
"ALWAYS GIVE A MONSTER AN EVEN BREAK!"
1st Edition DMG
Skanon gave a quick glance towards Garavon and cautiously motions for him to get closer before taking a slight step forwards. "Miss, do you need any assistance with... grabbing them? I know that may be a bit forward of me but my parents always said that it was a good idea to assist people when you can." As he says this he will subtlety motion for the others to sneak inside while he attempts to keep her distracted.
“Oh! What a kind young man you are,” said the old lady, “there’s no need to trouble yourself dear, it is quite a mess in here. Absolutely unfit for guests! Please just wait a moment, I won’t take a minute.”
You heard the squeak of iron hinges as an oven was opened and the smell of sweet pastries overwhelmed the room.
Now that the old woman wasn't paying attention to her front door, Skanon could look into the room and saw the first floor of the windmill was a 20-foot diameter makeshift kitchen. The room was filthy. Baskets and old dishware were piled everywhere. There was a peddler's cart, you recognized this to be the same one pushed by the hunched figure knocking on doors in the Village of Barovia. A chicken coop, a heavy wooden trunk, and a pretty wooden cabinet with flowers painted on its doors completed the clutter. The clucking came from the chicken coop and the sound of croaking toads came from the trunk. The awful odor you identified earlier came out of an open, upright barrel in the center of the room. Warmth issues from the brick oven against one wall, in front of which bent the old lady. A crumbling staircase ascended the wall across from it. Shrieks and cackles from somewhere higher up caused the old mill to shudder.
Mill Exterior
Each Area corresponds to a single storey of the 4-storey Mill.
Skanon's View of the first floor (Area O1)
Hearing what she could only describe as "pure evil," Veronica decides that she cannot let this go unpunished. It's all she can do to stop herself from breaking the glass and charging in right that instant... but she knows that getting herself killed wouldn't do anything to help those children...
She climbs back down the side of the building and returned to her companions, tapping Garavon on the shoulder to get his attention, she whispers in his ear shakily:
"There is pure evil in there... on the second floor I heard someone... something... torturing children... we can't let this continue, but we can't rush in without thinking either if we want to do any good."
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Does Vicky hear this?
Also, it will likely take a while for Garavon to respond, so why him?
Look at it! Beauty! A spoiler!
Look what you've done, spoiling it for you and everyone who can see this screen. You're a disgrace, you know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of but yourself, you moster!
But to be completely fair, every monster has a cute side, like have you seen people draw goblins? Goblins look so cool! You're fine, you may seem like a monster, but I bet you're cute on the inside!
Hope I've made your day!
I picked Garavon because he wasn't part of the conversation with the old lady and thus could presumably be pulled aside more easily than anyone else.
I guess it's up to DM interpretation if Vicky heard or not.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Garavon grunts and whispers back, "The very air of this world is evil."
Stealth: 11
Garavon will attempt to sneak back with Veronica to the second floor.
"ALWAYS GIVE A MONSTER AN EVEN BREAK!"
1st Edition DMG
{DM Note: Some clarification is needed from Veronica...do you lead Garavon into the windmill and up the stairs while the old lady has her back turned, or get him to climb the outside wall with you?
And yes, lets assume everybody in the group hears what Veronica said. Skanon's distraction isn't going to last forever and the characters should have a chance to do what they want with the available information.
Also, the evilness is being done on the third floor, I'll assume the characters know this and move the scene there.}
If it seems feasible to get Garavon up the side of the windmill and through a window without alerting the bad guys of our presence then she'll do that to minimize the chances of meeting anything else on the way there. If it doesn't seem possible, her suggestion would be for Garavon to go up the stairs while Veronica climbs the outside of the building for a two-pronged attack.
Btw, what would we need to roll to open one of those windows without alerting the bad guys to our presence? Or could we skip rolling that by casting silence to make sure that it doesn't creak or make a bunch of noise when it shatters and get a guaranteed surprise round?
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
{DM Note: Understood. Having Garavon outside with Vicky isn’t very helpful as the only potential information you’ll gain is whether the window can be opened quietly}
Garavon crept up the staircase behind the old lady to the second floor of the windmill.
The dirt-caked windows allowed very little light to enter this eight-foot-high chamber, most of which was taken up by a large millstone connected to a wooden gear shaft that rose through the ceiling in the center of the room. A stone staircase continued up, toward the sound of loud cackling Veronica had heard. Garavon carefully stepped around the clutter of small hard objects on the floor that upon closer examination, turned out to be children’s bones.
Continuing up the stairs, Garavon poked his head just far enough above the third floor to scout the surroundings.
Dancing around a thick wooden gear shaft in the center of this cramped, circular room were two ugly young women wearing silk shawls and gowns of stitched flesh. Long needles stuck out of their tangled mops of black hair. The women cackled with glee as they discussed toddler torture.
In a rotting wooden closet were three crates, stacked one atop another, with small doors set into them. The soft sobbing of children could be heard coming from these crates that looked like they could be easily opened from the outside with a simple latch.
Next to the closet is a heap of discarded clothing. A ladder climbed to a wooden trapdoor in the nine-foot-high ceiling. A moldy bed with a tattered canopy stood nearby.
DC 13, Garavon’s Nature Check: 12
Outside, Veronica took a closer look at the third floor windows to determine if they could be opened silently.
DC 10, Veronica’s Investigation Check: 7
2nd floor of the windmill...
3rd floor of the windmill...
{DM Note: Mislabelled the stairs on the picture showing the 2nd floor of the windmill...it should say "stairs to 3rd floor" instead of "stairs to 2nd floor"}
Garavon realized through his years of soldiering experience that the party was dealing with hags. The obsession with children and disguises as regular women were the calling cards of these creatures. One hag was an elusive and dangerous enemy for even the most experienced veterans, and three together could form a coven, where their combined magics were capable of bringing down entire regiments of soldiers.
After careful examination of the window, Veronica realized it was tricky, but not impossible to open silently. (DC 15 sleight of hand)
Downstairs, the old lady returned to Skanon with a single pastry. “There you go, fresh from the oven. That would be one gold piece please.” She narrowed her eyes at the smaller crowd in front of her. “Where did your friends go? I swore there were six of you.”
Sleight of hand: 9
Veronica gently prods at the window, trying to figure out how to open it... but quickly realizes that she doesn't have the skill to do so. She sighs... then casts silence with two ki points and proceeds to punch the window out. Because of her spell, the breaking glass will make no sound and shouldn't attract any attention.
Attack: 17; Damage: 8 (magical bludgeoning) against the window pane.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
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The window shattered and Veronica could see what Garavon saw. The two hags in the room did not seem to notice.