Lyra points at a building that looks like it could have been Conyberry's tavern. "How about that building over there? It doesn't look half bad—at least compared to the others that are either demolished or burned," she adds with a smile and a shrug. 

Meira nods, "Makes sense BAK is related to Butterskull Ranch. Can you get the horses rounded up Gareth?" 

She then looks over in the directing of the building that Lyra was pointing towards. "We should be cautious until we make sure there's nothing in there. If you guys keep an eye out I can check it out."

Zephyros scratches his big brown beard.

"Aye, it's never a good idea to travel at night, especially near ghost-towns." The big man states, the first words since the dragon encounter.

Ironheart nods to the rogue and affirms her decision. "I'll cover your six. Lead the way."

The veteran glances at the ruined buildings around him and tries to understand what exactly happened here.

Perception: 9

Investigation: Nat 20 (21)

Meira moves forward to the building, trying to keep quiet and out of sight as much as possible. She tries to find a way to slip into the building while staying alert for anything that might be there.  

(Stealth: 13, Perception: 24)

 Adventurers,

With Gareth tending the horses, Lyra and Eldrin hang back, while Zephyros and Meira scope out the overgrown tavern. 

Meira & Zephyros,

You both are on high alert as you approach the tavern. The first thing you notice is that the entire building seems to be covered in thick Ivy, including the entrance, which is little more than an overgrown hole where a door once hung. Looking past the Ivy, the inside looks dark and quiet. Meira, you notice a small mouse skitter across the room away from your presence. If you move into the building, please provide a constitution saving throw, DC 10, or take 1 poison damage as the Ivy brushes against your skin.

Inside, the air is thick with the musty scent of rot and dust. Behind the bar, once-polished mugs lie overturned, coated in cobwebs, while a broken cask leaks nothing but the smell of stale ale long soaked into the wood. Rodent droppings are spread throughout the first floor, and a warped staircase leads to a floor above where you hear faint skittering. 

(Meira CON Save: 12)

"They're going to be okay on their own, right?" Lyra whispers, fidgeting with her moonstone as she waits with Gareth and Eldrin. "There shouldn't be anything weird hiding in the tavern, should there?" Her eyes darted around. "Or in anywhere else, of course!"

Just in case, the cleric offers her Blessing of the Trickster to her companions—on the off chance anyone decides to follow after Meira. Lyra really should have given it to her earlier! But she'd gotten distracted, and by the time she remembered, the rogue had already slipped away.

Well, in any case, Meira was already very stealthy, and Lyra was pretty sure she'd be fine. 99,9% sure there was nothing bad lurking around Conyberry. That other 0,1%, though… that was why she kept fidgeting with the moonstone.

 Meira,

As you enter the decrepit tavern, you feel the Ivy brush against your armor. A single leaf brushes against your exposed arm. You feel it immediately become slightly irritated and recognize the Ivy as poisonous, but take no damage as a result. Looking around, you get the sense this tavern could be used to rest, though uncomfortably so, with the current state the tavern is in. 

Gareth takes the horses by their bridles and leads them toward the abandoned tavern. Meira and Zephyros go inside to investigate. This gives the ranger the opportunity to scan more of the abandoned buildings in the village. He searches for any signs of movement or anything that seems to stand out as unusual. Meanwhile, he does his best to reassure Lyra. 

"Seems pretty empty," he says. "If they need help, we're right here. We'll stay close."

Perception - 8 :/

Meira calls back to Zephyros. "Be careful. That ivy is poisonous." She keeps looking around the place, trying to judge how sound the stair might be. (Perception: 17) She also keepsan eye out for anything more than cobwebs and rodents.  

Zephyros eyes the Ivy warily before taking his trident and using it to move it to the side of the doorway. His first instinct is to cut the plants down, but his tactician's mind decides it would be better to cover the door if they decide to rest here. "Copy that, Ms. Meira. Thanks for the warning." He then follows the stealthy rogue into the darkened building.

The armored warrior asks his winged companion to keep an eye on the cow for now and report back if anything changes in the meantime.

Felagi's perception Nat 20!

Constitution 21

Meira,

Zephyros,

You move into the building with no issue as you move the Ivy aside.

Eldrin pauses, his gaze tracing the curling green of the ivy that clings stubbornly to the outer wall. At Meira’s quiet warning, his eyes linger on the plant, noting how it grips the weathered stone.

“Poisonous,” he murmurs, studying the plant as if committing it to memory, cataloguing its details for later.

He steps inside with unhurried care, his attention sweeping across the dim space. The absence of movement, the still air, the quiet decay,  all speak louder than any greeting could.

“If this place has been left to its weeds,” he adds softly, “then it has been left to other things as well.”

"Perhaps we should..."  Meira had been speaking to Zephyros, but stopped as she noticed Eldrin. "Ah, well, I guess you noticed the ivy. You ok?"  She gives Eldrin a curious look for a moment, but then shakes her head. "Should we have the others come in too?" she asks Zephyros. "Seems as good a place as any to spend the night. Long as they watch the ivy on the way in."  Her gaze moves around the room. "And maybe if we cleaned up the space a tiny bit." 

 Zephyros holds the Ivy at bay as the others come into the tavern. "Aye, this is a defensible position for our rest tonight. Better than being exposed to the elements as well." The armored bull of a man then proceeds to help clean the place up a bit after Meira's suggestion by wrapping his hemp rope around his trident and using it to sweep the area, removing the rodent droppings and other debris from their immediate area.

Once complete, Ironheart sits down and begins cleaning out his smoking pipe, scraping the bowl and letting the ashes fall to the ground.

Adventurers,

You find yourselves within the protective walls of the abandoned tavern for a night's long rest. Gareth ties the three horses up just outside the entrance to the tavern to an old hitching post. The evening turns to night and is largely uneventful. You may post any interactions you wish prior to resting.

Zephyros,

Meira assists as she can with the clean-up effort.  She's a little bit wary of there being something upstairs. Or below. She just isn't sure about risking try to get up or down.  In the end, she decides they are best to just keep on the main floor for tonight. "Should we keep a watch?" she suggests. "I think we should be ok in here, but it'd be best to be safe."  As the light fades she dons the new goggles that she has.  "I can sleep first and wake up later in the night if you'd like."  

Once things are as clean as they'll get, she comes over to Lyra, settling in next to her.  She quietly asks her once again, "You are still feeling ok, right? You got all cleaned up and everything? If you need anything just let me know." 

Other than anyone asking anything of her, Meira is ready to get some rest in preparation for taking a turn at keeping watch later. 

Ironheart packs his pipe full and lights it, puffing until the bowl glows red. The smoke curls up his face as he exhales. The armored man stands and tells his companions, "I'll be right back. Felagi has spotted a cow with the same brand as the horses nearby. I'm going to see if I can round it up."

Zephyros then steps out into the nights cool air, careful to move the Ivy aside as always as he does. He then walks with bold confidence in the direction of his red tailed hawk, puffing on his pipe along the way and converting his hemp rope into a lasso.

Once there, the bull of a man walks with authority over to the beast and commands it to follow him. "You should not be out here. Come with me if you want to live." He tosses the lasso around the cows neck and leads him back to the tavern.

Zephyros asks Felagi to keep an eye on the wolves from above.

Perception 11

Animal Handling 21

@DM

Seeing Zephyros slip out, Meira is quickly on her feet. "You just wait here and rest. I'll be right back," she tells Lyra.  Drawing her rapier, she makes sure to push the ivy aside as she ducks through the doorway and follows after Zephyros. 

Catching up to him as he speaks to the cow, she adds, "You really shouldn't be wandering about alone either, sir. Anything I can do to help you out?"  She knows nothing of livestock really. But could probably hold the lead if necessary. She moves to head back to the tavern with him also. 

Lyra is happy to see that the dreadful 0.1% she was worried about has decided not to happen, and that they will seemingly be able to spend a restful night. She follows the rest into the tavern and discovers it doesn’t look half bad inside either—especially considering the town has been giving her the creeps since they arrived.

The cleric also helps with the cleaning, and eyes the stairs going to the upper and lower floors with concern. "I do hope there's nothing living up there ... or down there. But I guess we would hear it clearly," Lyra adds with a nervous smile. "In any case, making watches sounds like a good idea, yes. I'll help as well!"

When Meira sits close to her, Lyra smiles and nods. "I'm okay, really! Nothing to worry beyond my robes, which are..." She looks down. "... a mess, frankly. But nothing a bit of needle and thread, and water and soap can't fix." She waves a hand as if to dismiss the thought. "Oooor a bit of shopping. I was thinking that a wardrobe change was in order anyway!"

The hafling is about to keep talking, but Zephyros announced that he's going to round up the cow, and Meira follows after him. Before she goes, Lyra catches her hand briefly and murmurs a soft blessing, channeling her guidance into the rogue. "Uhmmm, be careful okay?" she adds, giving her an encouraging smile.

Lyra stays with Gareth and Eldrin in the house but keeps watching from the windows (if any) until Meira and Zephiros return.