"Yeah, let's stick with the plan, this floor first."

“I want you both to know that I don’t think we are the only ones here.  These tracks are not that old.”

Eron stands still and listens for a moment, for floorboards movement breathing snoring…

Perception 15

Tilliman will add his own senses to that effort... Not that it does much good (Perception: 7 lol)

"I can leave Leo here in the kitchen, she will alert me if she’s anything."

Leo will hide up near the ceiling or on a cabinet so she has a view of the whole room, but out of sight as much as possible.

“Let’s head south, lead on Tilliman.”

Stealth for Leo if you want it: 13

Eron, you listen carefully, but this part of the house is quiet.  Outside, there is the rumble of distant thunder, and it sounds like the soft rain from earlier may be increasing.  Somewhere inside the house (maybe multiple somewheres) you can hear water dripping.

Leaving the owl to guard the empty kitchen, the group travels back into the hall and moves toward the front of the house.  They find themselves in a dim and dirty entrance hall. To one side, a corridor leads into the west wing of the house. The walls are bare, though here and there old nails protrude from the walls showing where paintings or other signage once hung. Behind them, the corridor they just emerged from leads toward the rear of the house.  A staircase on the eastern wall climbs to the next story, reaching it at a balcony that overlooks the entrance hall along its north and west sides; the stairs appear safe to climb, though the balcony rail is broken in several places. Under the stairs, a third corridor leads east.

As the party moves into the entry hall, darkness descends like a crashing wave.  It is suddenly pitch dark.  Even Fane's and Tilliman's natural darkvision is useless, suggesting this is no natural phenomenon.  

Just as suddenly as the darkness comes, it is gone... but it has left something behind.  In each of the halls, to their left, right and behind them, the party see whispy, billowing forms floating in the air.  Pale robes provide the barest outline of a humanoid head, arms and torso, while the legs trail away to green mist.  These spectral wraiths point accusingly at the party.  You are surrounded by ghosts!

[The PC's must make WIS saves DC 10 or become frightened of the ghosts for 1 minute.  PC's who fail the save can repeat the save at the end of each of their turns.]

Initiative:

1. The Party!
2. The Ghosts!

Eron’s swords sing out of their scabbards as his body launches at the ghost to the right…

Attack 12 for 6 attack 11 for 6

Wis save 14

"Oh! Heavens above! Go away!" Shouts Tilliman as he flattens himself against the wall beneath the stairs.

From there, he waits for the ghost in the eastern hallway to come into view. The moment it does, he'll launch a dagger at it, hoping his hidden position gives him some advantage.

Movement: 5' East against the stairwell.

Bonus Action - Cunning Action: Hide (Stealth: 21)

Action - Readied Action - Attack Action - Dagger: (To Hit: 15, Damage: 7, Sneak Attack: 4)

Wisdom: 13

Fane sends a quick telepathic message to Leo asking if she saw where these ghosts came from

She will then move up to the ghost towards the kitchen and attack.

Attack Shortsword: 11 dmg:  9

Bonus Dagger: 11  dmg: 2

Leo doesn't know what ghosts Fane is talking about, as it has spotted some large insects in the kitchen and is keeping an eye on them at the moment.

While Tilliman hides in the shadows, Fane moves to strike the ghost in the kitchen hallway.  Despite her bravery in the face of these spooks, she is just a bit off with her aim.  

Eron, meanwhile, has similar trouble, but one of his blades manages to nick the Ghost in the east hallway.  The creature feels wholly ephemeral, the blade passing through without the slightest resistance.

In that moment, there is another flash of darkness.  It is not as pronounced as the first - it is as though you all took a long, involuntary blink - and then it is gone.  When you can see again, the three Ghosts have vanished.  There is no trace of their presence.  It is all over so quickly, the entire experience feels unreal, like waking from a nightmare.  

Once again, the three of you stand alone in the entry hall of the haunted house.

[We are out of initiative.]

Tilliman hesitates for a moment, not entirely accepting that the ghosts are gone... but after that moment, he stows his blades, mutters, "Now, hold on just a minute...Letsjustseewhatsgoingonhere..." and goes into full-on detective mode.

Getting on his hands and knees, he inspects the floor, and takes a close look at the doorway they came through and the ceiling above, and every environmental factor he can find, searching for any arcane or mechanical factor that might have triggered what they all just saw...

Investigation: 27

Tilliman carefully examines the room, a master at work.

Hidden beneath a mouldy rug on the center of the entryway floor he finds his culprit.  Nearly evaporated already, there remain the faintest traces of a rune or glyph of some kind.  Retracing his steps, he would have been walking over that very spot precisely when the lights went out and the ghosts appeared.

As the ghosts disappear, Fane looks around to make sure Eron and Tilliman are ok. Seeing that they are, she will close her eyes and take a moment to look through Leo’s eyes to see what she sees. Trying to understand if she is looking at little insects, or large, could be a problem, insects.

After which, she will stand, blades in hand and watch Tilliman as he does his thing. If the insects are a threat, she will share that and prepare at the end of the hallway.

Tilliman lets out a too-loud, victorious "Ha!" upon discovering the glyph.

Absolutely buzzing with eager energy, he points to the trigger. "Look here now! I do believe we've been the targets of some form of magical duplicity..." 

He'll try to deduce a bit more about the glyph if he can... Whether it looks old or new, and whether the symbols suggest an illusion, as he suspects, or some sort of actual conjuring... He'll narrate all of his discoveries and hypotheses in arduous detail to the others as he studies the glyph.

Arcana: 14

“Brilliant discovery Tillman.  You just busted those ghosts.  Fane is Leo in danger?”  Eron does not sheathe his swords his heart is still beating rapidly, as he follows her toward the kitchen.

(that’s if Fane shares this information)  Otherwise he listens for a response to us having tripped this little alarm/trap.

perception 21

Fane, looking through Leo's eyes for a moment, you see a swarm of centipedes emerging from the sink in the kitchen.  Long and black, with a multitude of legs and poisonous fangs, they erupt from somewhere below the house.  Leo has its eyes on them and is able to keep his distance, having moved from the cupboards to the staircase banister.   The owl is in no immediate danger, though this roiling swarm of bugs - each as large as a man's hand - may cause an issue with anyone trying to pass through the kitchen again.

Tilliman, the glyph fades with each passing second.  While no expert in the arcane, you have seen enough in your studies over the years to conclude this was most likely a glyph loaded with an illusion spell, with a proximity trigger of some kind causing it to release the spell.  You are confident this was an illusion, and not a real gaggle of ghosts summoned to attack you.  Probably.

Eron, swords drawn, listens to the house.  There is no rush of footsteps or sounds of weapons being drawn... but does he hear the 'thump' from somewhere upstairs?  Yes, he thinks he does.

Unless either Fane or Tillman protest, Eron will try to stealthily ascend the stairs following the sound…

Stealth 14

Fane knows that plans often change, so when she sees Eron start ascending the stairs, she will move to follow.

She will tell Leo to stay where she is and remain safe, watching the swarm.

Stealth: 24 (natural 20)

Tilliman looks up from the glyphs and says, "Someone has gone through some rather extraordinary lengths to keep out any interlopers. I imagine we'll need to prepare for the worst should we encounter this squatters and erm... whatever it is they're doing in here."

Seeing Eron venture up the stairs, Eron will let out a short, "Oh gracious..." then hurry to follow him.

Trusting Leo to keep an eye on the bugs in the kitchen, the party follows Eron upstairs. 

They do their best to remain quiet, and the avoid any noisy squeak or creaks as they move up the stairs.  They emerge onto the second floor balcony, which wraps around the upper party of the ground floor entry hall and sends three hallways leading into each wing of the house.  A water faded painting of a lighthouse is the only decoration still hanging on the otherwise barren walls.

Eron, the thump you heard seemed to come from somewhere down the hall to your right.  There are three doorways down that hall, all closed.  Set in the opposite wall, moldy curtains cover windows that look down upon the garden where you fought the weasels.

Tilliman whispers to the others. "Let's move cautiously. If they're willing to use a triggered illusion to deter prying eyes, they might be willing to use more deadly means as well." 

And, on that note, he will check the hallway for traps, then closely examine the lighthouse painting for anything unusual, (Runes, traps, hidden latches, etc).