Tilliman freezes in the middle of licking his fingers clean when he hears Manistred talk about the alchemist's house. His attention is immediately gripped. He remains frozen in this position, listening intently, until he hears the words, "I would like to hire--" to which he immediately blurts out, "Yes!" Everything else, including the discussion of pay, is a bit of a blur for him.

He keeps conspicuously silent while Eron asks about "curiosities." He's of the mind that asking forgiveness is better than asking for permission in situations like these. Particularly when talking about items of great, erm... scholarly value.

“Well, I’m not one for putting on a show, but I am in need of some coin after making that potion. I’m in, if the rest of you are.” Fane says.

She shrugs as the question about 'curiosities.'  "I don't want to oversell that potential.  The old house has been left to rot for a human generation.  While most folk give it a wide berth, I'd have to think anything precious inside would have been plundered by braver burglars long ago."

"On the other hand," she says, leaning in with a sly smile, "I know for a fact that Salinmoor terrestrial probate laws are different from maritime, and expire after three years, so anything you do happen to find... well... should be your salvage, free and clear."

At the acceptance of her proposal from all parties, she smiles broadly.  "Excellent.  I can see this matter is already well on its way to getting cleared up.  Please, make this your utmost priority.  The sooner this is settled and my workers see the 'threat' has been eliminated, the sooner I can get back to meeting the King's quotas."  She plucks a pouch from a pocket and sets it onto the table with a jingling clunk.  "15 gold, in advance.  The rest as soon as I've heard the work is done.  If you follow the road to Seaton east from town, the house is all by itself on the cliffside, four miles out.  You can't miss it.  Don't let me down."

“I’m ready if you’re ready.  Has anyone seen Therris or Regdar?  Perhaps there is an optimal time for us to publically head out?”  Eron looks questioningly at his 2 companions.

 "Haven't seen Therris or Regdar, but I must admit, I'm told I have a problem noticing other people..." Tilliman holds up a finger. "I do have one quick bit of business before we head out. Need to purchase some arms, but then I'll be ready to depart. Seems like the start of shift or end of shift would be the best time to be seen, no?" 

[What is Tilliman looking for?  Its the middle of the day and all of the shops and vendors in town are open.  Saltmarsh is a small community and doesn't have everything in the world on offer, but most basic supplies/equipment and even a few less common items can be found here.  What did he need?]

Nothing crazy. Just a shortbow and some arrows.

20

Tilliman stops into a small second hand / pawn shop he had previously discovered in town, hoping to find a deal on a used bow.  The shop, creatively named Blades Gold Jewelry, is run by a down-on-his-luck looking human named Jacedem.  Based on his piggish nose, Tilliman might ponder if the man has some Orc somewhere in the ancient branches of his family tree.  Unfortunately, the shop doesn't have anything in the way of bows or arrows at the moment, though Jacedem encourages you to check back again soon as his wares turn over regularly.  

Instead, Tilliman is forced to visit the general goods shop, Winston's Store.  This is a large general shop for a village of Saltmarsh's size and it is of recent construction.  There are many aisles of goods, ranging from ship and boat supplies, to farm tools and animal feed, to some basic adventuring and security items.  The shop is run the eponymous Winston, a halfling man of late middle-age with a sharp eye.  He employs a few local youths in the shop to help with 'customer service', though Tilliman gets the immediate impression these kid's real job is to keep an eye on customers with sticky fingers and help Winston with loss prevention.

As Tilliman approaches the counter, Winston is just completing the sale of a map to a group of four travelers (two human men, an elven female, and a dwarf under so much armor and helm as to make gender identification a guessing game).  Tilliman overhears enough of the conversation to guess that these are adventurers, new to town, and Winston is selling them maps of the nearby Hool Marshes to aid them in a little exploring.

As the shoppers depart, Winston greets Tilliman.  "Welcome, good sir.  What can I help you with?  Here at Winston's we aim to serve those who need solid goods at honest prices."

Tilliman is quickly able to find a new, sturdy shortbow, quiver and arrows (20) for 27gp.

[Winston's store has most of the basic adventuring items from the PHB and a number of weapons as well, for listed prices.  If you are looking for something just ask and I can confirm if he has it in stock, and for how much.]

Eron greets the dwarven adventurer in dwarven, „Freut mich, Stonelord, mein Name ist Eron Colborn. Ich weiß ziemlich viel über den Hool, falls du dorthin unterwegs bist. Wenn du in Schwierigkeiten gerätst, kann ich dir meine Hütte auf deiner Karte markieren, ein sicherer Ort, an dem du dich notfalls erholen kannst.“

 If the adventurer wishes Eron will give details of some of the hazards and creatures known to inhabit the marsh.

Eron, the stout dwarf grunts a muffled but enthusiastic assent to your proposal.  When you look at their map, however, you are startled to see that your cabin is already marked (listed as 'private homestead').  You note a number of other Hool landmarks, as well as a few even you don't recognize.  Its clear to you that Winston - or whoever is making his maps - is exceedingly well-acquainted with the Marsh.

The party of adventurers thank you for the tips on dangerous flora and fauna.  They don't plan to crash at your cabin, but promise that, if circumstances lead them there, they won't wreck the place.

Fane doesn’t need any supplies but will engage Winston in conversation, talking about the area, sharing information from her home if the halfling is interested. During the conversation, she will ask halfling man what he knows about the house that is supposed to be haunted and ask for his thoughts on it.

Tilliman eagerly hands over the coin and takes ownership of the bow and arrows, not really giving much thought to the fact that he just spent most of his remaining gold. 

Winston wraps Tilliman's purchases in a cloth package and hands it over to him in exchange for the coin.  As he's locking it up behind the counter, he answers Fane.

"I don't have much to offer on the old haunted house.  It was already a topic of local folklore before I settled here and built my shop; I missed all the drama with the alchemist and his disappearance."  He wrinkles is nose as the thinks.  "There was always rumors... hidden treasure... curses... a place like that almost invites imaginations to get wandering.  Though... it does seem the tales have taken a dark turn these last couple of years.  I don't remember it being considered such an evil, haunted place when I first came to town.  Now, though?  The locals seem to think its a portal to the hells.  People are right terrified of it."  He frowns and then shrugs.  "Don't know much more about it, I'm afraid."

[If the party is ready to depart... stop me if you have more to do in town first...]

The mid-afternoon sun is high and hot overhead.  As Tilliman, Fane and Eron depart Saltmarsh, they leave a town still in the midst of recovering from the recent storm.  The streets are all clear now, though many empty lots are now full of fallen trees and debris that has been cleared to make way in the roads.  Likewise, repairs have begun to most buildings.  While the shops and the houses of the wealthy and nobility have been completed repairs, many homes of the less fortunate only have temporary fixes in place: boards covering broken windows, or canvas tarps covering damaged rooves.  

The homes, shops and warehouses along the waterfront, and those in Crabber's Cove, suffered the worst, as storm surge flooded many of those structures.  A few poorly-secures shacks were washed out to sea, while many others have their furniture outside, drying in the sun.

Not all is dire, however.  The local plants, for example, seem to have been rejuvenated by the storm.  Beach grass is erupting from the edges of all the streets and roads, and flowers everywhere are in bloom.  Birds, likewise, have flocked to the area.  Seabirds like gulls and terns comb the beaches, while songbirds, starlings and ravens poke about in the eaves and gutters of town.

Heading to the eastside of town, they pass a few shops they haven't seen before, including a studio and gallery called 'Azure Artists Collective.'  In the shop window are several oil paintings and some stringed instruments, suggesting their definition of 'artists' spans both the crafting and performing arts.  Passing by, you reach the Long Wall Gate, a simple but large wooden door in the stone wall that marks the eastern edge of Saltmarsh.  Just north of the gate is a fortified building with barred doors and windows... the local jail.  The guards open the gate for you and allow you to pass out onto the open road toward your destination.

The road to the 'haunted' house winds through the rocky coastal terrain, often offering a view of the sea below.  The Azure Sea stretches off to the south, seemingly endless.  The four mile walk to the location takes a little more than an hour.  In that time, the weather turns, with low clouds blowing in from the west to press upon you; occasional patches of sunlight still appearing out over the water.  A stiff wind blows in off the waves, carrying the briny stink of churning salt water.  It's nothing like the storm from earlier this week, but gone is the warm sunshine, replaced by gloomy skies and the promise of more rain to come.  It is a lonely walk, as the three of you don't pass anyone coming in the opposite direction.

It isn't much longer before your destination comes into view as you crest a rise onto a cliffside over the pounding surf below.  The decrepit old house sits on the highest ground in the area.  Around it, a stone wall has crumbled in many places, exposing the interior grounds.  An ornate metal gate lies open at the end of the walkway that branches from the main road, swaying slightly in the wind.  Rusty hinges groan softly in protest.  Wild flora grows throughout the inner yard, but all the years cannot hide the evidence of a well-tended garden that once sat here: the remains of a grape trellis; the wild husks of ancient rose bushes; a bird bath.  Near the house, the rotted wooden roof of a water well rises out of the tall grass.

It is now well into the afternoon, though evening is still a few hours off yet.  For now, the road past the house remains quiet and free of travelers.

Head up to the gate looking for tracks.  Survival 13.  Trying to notice anyone/thing in windows or openings, perception 20.  If it looks clear wave to bring everyone near,  “Even if it looks empty and abandoned we should probably take a walk around first and stick together.  Do you agree?  Has Leo managed a look about?”

Quote from Bartjeebus >>

"15 gold, in advance.  The rest as soon as I've heard the work is done.  If you follow the road to Seaton east from town, the house is all by itself on the cliffside, four miles out.  You can't miss it.  Don't let me down."

Should we each take 5 gp? If Regdus shows up, we can make it up to him with later treasure?

As we approach the house, I will have Leo flying and scouting. Generally, she will be looking for anyone else around, as we are supposed to make a ‘show’ of entering the house, so we need an audience.

When we get to the house itself, she’ll do a few laps around it, looking for additional entrances, anything on the roof, or anything seen from a bird’s eye view.

As you arrive, Leo circles high overhead but can't spot anyone on the road within sight.  It looks like it might take a little waiting if you want to make sure someone sees you. 

Circling closer to the structure, she spots a second entrance - a back door near the well behind the house.

Eron, looking at the path near the front of the house, you find a single set of human, humanoid or demi-human bootprints.  They head directly to the front door of the hold house.  They were left sometime during the 4 days since the hurricane.  There are no tracks leaving.  Looking at the house itself and its windows, you don't see anything concerning or alarming.  No faces peek out from the windows and there are no lights inside.  A few of the windows are broken but whether that is from the recent storm, or a condition years in the making, you can't say from outside.

“Let’s check the grounds and look at the back entrance, perhaps we’ll get witness’ of our grand exploration prior to entering this structure.  ( In a whisper he will share info about the tracks too) probably just a squatter but be wary.”  Eron is curious to see what shape the well is in… he heads that way to investigate.

Investigation 13 (still viable?)