Penumbra takes a moment to see if she can find any sign of fresh tracks in the muddy soil, going either towards or away form the door, before she returns to her companions. investigation 15

The torrential rain eliminates tracks almost as soon as they are made, but Penumbra makes out a faint muddy imprint on the caving wood porch.

Moving to where he can see Penumbra, Esano calls out loudly enough to be heard over the rain.

"Did you find something?"

Penumbra winces when she hears Esano call out. She quickly, but carefully moves closer to Esano. "I think someone just entered the house through that door, looks to be kitchen access." 

"Should we go after them?" Nillis asks.

"Are you talking about breaking in? Or seeing if they will talk to us and hopefully let us in?" Esano replies. 

"I'm talking about seeing if they're breaking in."

"Then let's go!" Esano starts to move in that direction straightaway. 

The wind lets out a mournful howl, as if to deter you from your goal. Esano pays no heed to it, however, and trying the door, finds it unlocked.

It is dark inside and smells of decay and neglect.The kitchen, for indeed it is one, is clearly not in use, and has not been for several years. Rainwater drips from a leak in the ceiling, and plaster and mouse droppings litter the floor.

A door at the back wall of the kitchen is locked, but it hangs off its hinges. A narrow shaft in the left wall, used to deliver meals to the upper floors, is covered in cobwebs, as is the fireplace opposite it. A broken table and a pile of firewood that was formerly a chair are the only other items of furniture. A pantry directly to the right of the door you entered through, once filled with food, is now empty.

Nillis looks around and says, "This is... peculiar. You'd think the person living here would keep this place in a better condition."

Taking a few steps inside Esano pulls back his hood and shakes his cloak to remove as much water as possible. 

Looking around he understands what Nillis means. 

"You are right, if you live here this is where you'd keep your food surely, what does that man who answered the door do? This room at least seems to have been unused for a long time."

"Perhaps the resident is not here legally, a squatter. If that is the case I can understand his hesitation to welcome visitors. I have no reason to want to force him out, but I think he may have been afraid of more than eviction." Penumbra says as she attempts to distinguish between her friend's tracks and those of the person who entered before them. investigation 10

Walter enters as the last one but before going inside he takes a look at the surroundigs. What is the landscape? Is there any visible path/road that goes from this "backdoor" ?

Perception 23

Quote from Kolbitr >>

"Perhaps the resident is not here legally, a squatter. If that is the case I can understand his hesitation to welcome visitors. I have no reason to want to force him out, but I think he may have been afraid of more than eviction." Penumbra says as she attempts to distinguish between her friend's tracks and those of the person who entered before them. investigation 10

The floor is covered in a thin layer of dust, but any tracks that might have been made by another creature is impossible to find among the tracks made by your party.

Quote from BirdCopp >>

Walter enters as the last one but before going inside he takes a look at the surroundigs. What is the landscape? Is there any visible path/road that goes from this "backdoor" ?

Perception 12

The farm is located in a small clearing and surrounded on all sides by the Rotting Woods. A small cobblestone path branches off of the road that leads to the front door, and that is the path you took to arrive at this small kitchen entrance. The rain continues to come down in buckets, and you can make out nothing more of your surroundings.

You now all stand in the middle of a deserted kitchen, soaked to your socks and thoroughly exhausted.

Nillis looks around and says, "So, what now? Should we just barricade ourselves in this room and spend the night? Or should we wait for the guy to fall asleep and then go exploring?"

"Well I don't think we'll be able to hide the fact we are here if someone comes looking, that door is almost off already" Esano says pointing at the only regular exit from the room into the rest of the house "and I think we should at least see what is in the next room."  He moves towards the door, as quietly as possible ( stealth 18 ) and then looks through the crack in the door where it is coming away from the frame, or opens it a crack if necessary ( perception 25 )

Edit: hmmm, that went well }:(

Using the help from Nillis I'll roll again - obviously I can't do worse than the 1 so this will be the advantage roll - if the DM doesn't agree then disregard and I will edit my post accordingly.

Perception 13

"Thanks Nillis, that was surprisingly helpful advice".

"Ah um... Try cleaning the dust a bit so it doesn't get in your eyes." Nillis Helps Esano look through the cracks. (I have no idea how someone can help someone else look through a crack so I just had Nillis give some not very helpful advice)

"The resident, legal or not, did sound afraid and I am sure that someone, or something, came in this way. We could go back around front and try talking to him again, to let him know that he is not alone, or we could just try to find the intruder before any damage is done. Either way I have a feeling that man is need of help regardless of if he wants it or not. Did anyone else notice anything odd out there? I mean besides the general atmosphere and the strange old man." Penumbra says as she removes her cloak and wrings it out into whatever kind of sink or wash basin she can find.

"Not really, a scary little raven staring into the woods was the only thing of note I saw" whispers Esano still looking through the crack in the door.