Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh

Cook make a sleight of hand or survival check let’s see if there’s pelts for Kester’s leather goods, she buys or trades.

Also as Cook is dressing out the weasels and Seri is ritually casting speak with animals a curious critter slithers out of the well, drawn by the scent of meat and blood… a giant poisonous snake.

Sleight of Hand: 19

Cooks more worried about the meat but if the pelts come off nicely then sure.

Brynn watched the last of the weasel vanish into the den, the frost device in their hand hissing softly as the reaction finished burning itself out. They gave it a small shake, vented the remaining vapour, then clipped the brass cylinder back onto their belt. They also note the location of the den.

Their eyes then drift between the others as the tension slowly bled out of the moment. Soon Darixa’s comment pulls a faint grin from them. “Well now,” Brynn said, glancing over at her with an easy tilt of their head. “We’ve got ourselves a proper dockside Disney princess.” They gestured lightly toward the direction the weasels had disappeared. “Singin’ to critters, calming beasts…” Their grin softened a touch. “Honestly? Handy talent out here.” While Brynn may be playful, their words are genuine and said with fondness, not mockery.

When Seri spoke, however, Brynn’s expression shifts again. The shipwright leans one shoulder against the crumbling garden wall, arms folding loosely across their chest as they listened. When she finished, Brynn shook their head slightly. “Hey now,” they said, voice easy but steady. “That was a surprise charge through tall grass. No one’s fault defence instinct kicked in.” Their brass fingers tap once against their sleeve. “Truth is, if I’d been a heartbeat quicker I might’ve done the same.” A small shrug followed. “Just happened I had a moment to think first.”

They nod toward the weasel den. “That’s why I tried the cold mix instead of something nastier.” Brynn’s eyes drift briefly toward the looming mansion beyond the broken wall. “Wasn’t really about mercy, though that’s a nice bonus.” They rub the back of their neck thoughtfully. “Mostly I was thinkin’ those critters live here.” Their gaze slid back toward the others. “Which means they might know things.” A small smirk tugged at the corner of their mouth. “Strangers coming and going. Smells. Sounds. Lights at night. Animals notice a lot more than folk give ’em credit for...”

They give Seri a small nod. “So if ya need ten minutes to ask around the neighbourhood...” Brynn gestured loosely toward the den. “I support it. Seems like good scouting to me.” Their eyes flicked once more toward the old house rising above the overgrown garden. “Because if someone is using this place…” The brass fingers of their prosthetic flexed with a soft mechanical click. “…I’d rather know before we walk up and knock.”

"Looks like snake meat is on the menu soon too, hey cook." The young Rhenee says with a small sigh, placing her witch hex on the ophidian before blasting it with dark green eldritch force. 

Eldritch Blast: 14 Force: 5 Necrotic: 3

(oops, missed the snake bit as I just glanced in quickly on mobile...)

     "They grow 'em big in these parts," Cook notes as he spies the giant snake slithering out of the well.  He begins to cut a piece of the weasel meat off to toss towards the snake, hoping it'll sate it's hunger and curiosity, but he's a bit slow and Esmeralda has already blasted at it before he's even begun his underhand toss of the chunk of meat.

     "Too chewy for my liking," he replies with a frown.

Esmeralda’s blast hits the snake hard.  Seri has just finished her ritual and hears the writhing creature call to its mate to stay away.

It is severely injured trying desperately to retreat back to the well.

Thistle peeks through the boarded up windows and holes in the roof but only sees the sad current condition of a once grand estate.

* three entryways into the mansion front door, back door, or patio door.

As she is beginning her ritual spell, Seri hears Cook and Brynn's responses and inclines her head, not truly disagreeing.

She certainly does not busy herself inspecting the ground for unseen insects to avoid stepping on them as Cook quips.  Nor does she truly feel guilty about slaying the giant weasel in self-defense.  Merely... dissatisfied.  In a manner even her priestly mentors would not understand.

Intelligent humanoids are indeed part of nature, Seri thinks, though an unusual part.  A part that may actively seek balance in nature, or cavalierly destroy it in ways few beasts would.  Seri feels an inclination towards the former that she cannot rightly articulate, though she has no plans to lecture anyone who feels differently.  In any case, she nods slightly in approval as she sees Cook harvesting the weasel corpses so they do not go to waste.

Casting Speak with Animals ritually prevents Seri from responding for a time regardless.  As she finishes and witnesses Esme send her Eldritch Blast at the suddenly-appearing giant snake, followed by the serpent's urgent communication to their mate, the half-elf holds her hand out.

"Esme.  Well done but stop.  You are right to defend us, yet I can now sense the snake's intention.  After being wounded, it is retreating and warning it's mate to stay clear of us.  We have no need of the snake's meat to sustain ourselves.  I ask you to trust me and relent for now."

If Esme agrees, then to the giant snake, Seri calls out in a strange, atonal hiss (Speak with Animals, message in first spoiler below):

"Thanks, although while I can't sense it's intention the way you perhaps can, I do see for myself that it is now discouraged from coming any closer. And since it wasn't clear, I wasn't expecting anyone to actually eat the snake." The young Rhenee says a bit dryly, rolling her eyes, leaving to the blue-haired half-elf to deal with the ophidian couple.

"According to Thistle the place really seems deserted for some time, although if it is indeed in use by slavers they'd probably want it that way." Esme tells the others as her dark fey companion reports back.

“Give us some meatssss.  My mate is ready for birthing sssoon.  One of your kind lost a shiney thing, yoursss give us some meatsss.”  In snake tongue.

The other snake pokes her head up from the well a locket in its mouth.

The injured male is at the base of the well watching Seri, its gaze almost hypnotic.

*not a current/accurate image.

Seri smiles and nods in genuine thanks towards Esme, not worrying about the dry tone or eye roll, which she is accustomed to, given her persistently solemn and earnest tone, especially from her crewmates on the Dragonfly when she first joined them as Navigator.

"The snake tells me that he and especially his mate need meat.  Cook, could you kindly hack off a large chunk of weasel?  In exchange, I am going to ask the snake whether he has seen any other people in this area.  Unlikely to yield anything, but worth a try, I think."

Assuming that Cook obliges, Seri approaches partway and is ready to toss/push the meat towards the male snake who she is speaking to.  She hisses:

(If the snake answers, she tosses him the meat or pushes it toward him.)

“Fire in the window at night two legs in house yesss.”  In snake tongue.  If Seri tosses the meat.  The female swallows it then if no more questions they retreat back into the well.

The shiny is an electrum locket a ‘firefly’ on the cover the picture inside is missing.  Worth 10 lions (gp)

Cook you have 3 nice pelts and 30 pounds of meat.

Seri holds up her end of the bargain and gives the snake and his mate the weasel meat.

She takes the locket and shows the others before putting it in her pack as she relays the snake's response to her companions (in Common).

"If there is a light in the window at nights and there are other people about, I suspect they are not regularly entering through this front garden or they might always risk being accosted by giant weasels and snakes.  I wonder if there is a side entrance.  Or perhaps a seaward entrance that they use if they are indeed Sea Prince slavers."

About an hour has passed since first spotting the mansion everyone is soaked unless there were special preparations made, footwear and lower legs muddy as well.  The weather is a steady rain with gusts of wind and occasional lightning and thunder the temp is getting colder as the day gets later too.  There are two obvious entrances and a third observed by Thistle.

Where should we begin?

     Cook is a bit confused about the snake meat talk but gives a small shrug and just assumes it’s maybe regional humor he doesn’t get or something.  It’s a bit moot anyway as the snake lives and, according to Seri, is looking to barter.  Cook blinks at that, trying to wrap his mind around it but deciding it maybe best he don’t do that after all - He could find it hard to continue enjoying his meals as much as he does if he gave too much thought to the dishes once having been able to negotiate.

     “Yeah, um… Sure,” Cook says, agreeing to portion off as much of the weasel meat as the snakes may want.  Wasn’t like he came out here looking to stock the pantry anyway.

     Cook is further astonished when the snake leaves a piece of jewelry atop the well.  “What’s this all about then?”  he asks only semi rhetorically when the blue haired elf finishes her dealing and shows off the piece.  

     “Despite evidence to the contrary,” Cook grumbles soon after the snake dealing, “It’s not fit for man or beast out here.  One way or another let’s get inside and out of the rain, eh?”  While a seaward entrance sounds promising, Cook starts moving in the direction of the most obvious door unless someone specifically points him in a different direction.

___

Cook you have 3 nice pelts and 30 pounds of meat.

I'll note 3 and 15 as he'd of given the snakes as much as they wanted.

"So, we should expect to find two legs in there, sounds macabre." Esme says, her full lips curving into a smile. "I admit I wouldn't expect speaking snake tongue would be quite this lucrative." She adds with an acknowledging nod to the blue-haired half-elf as she shows the locket. Esme then nods in agreement with Seri's conclusions about any entrance used and then shares what Thistle had reported about the entrances they had observed. As the cook takes point towards the front door the young Rhenee follows along into the suspicious house by the sea, she too pleased to find shelter from the annoying rain. The invisible fae would return and find a comfortable place at their mistress' shoulder, helping her to keep an eye out for hidden threats inside the house.

(Perception: 22)

Quote from Kaemgen>>

     “It’s not fit for man or beast out here.  One way or another let’s get inside and out of the rain, eh?”  While a seaward entrance sounds promising, Cook starts moving in the direction of the most obvious door unless someone specifically points him in a different direction.

Quote from Oberon99 >>

Esme then nods in agreement with Seri's conclusions about any entrance used and then shares what Thistle had reported about the entrances they had observed. As the cook takes point towards the front door the young Rhenee follows along into the suspicious house by the sea, she too is pleased to find shelter from the annoying rain. The invisible fae would return and find a comfortable place at their mistress' shoulder, helping her to keep an eye out for hidden threats inside the house.

(Perception: 22)

 

 And so the party advances to the Garden door.  As Cook opens the door a creak echoes down the dusty hall, covered slightly by a rumble of thunder.  Esme’s perception aided by Thistles sharp senses notices this short entry hall goes 15’ ending at a door to the right and continuing to the left.  However the interior will require lighting for more human visual senses.

     Cook steps inside as much as the light allows and then pauses to go through his pack and pull out a torch.  A little druidcraft later and seeing shouldn't be too much of a problem.  He then moves down the hall to the door and turn in the hall, looking back to make sure everyone is inside and also pausing to see if he hears any signs of life other than the group.

Perception - 7
The group is apparently loudly stomping the rain off and such.

Two more doors and a larger room.  The floor creaks and groans with nearly every step. As Cook’s torch lights up, you see boot prints leading from the main area to the door you are at.  Cobwebs and rodent sign everywhere too.  A gust of wind causes chimney whistles you hear several rooms which must have chimneys.  You also observe dripping from long leaking areas…

     Cook pauses upon seeing the footsteps.  A clue!  He turns to the others and indicates the marks to the rest.  He then kind of awkwardly gestures in the direction they are headed and gives a shrug.  Follow them? he asks breathlessly, merely mouthing the words.  

Cook is further astonished when the snake leaves a piece of jewelry atop the well.  “What’s this all about then?”  he asks only semi rhetorically when the blue haired elf finishes her dealing and shows off the piece.  

Seri favors Cook with (for her) a rare, playful smile.  "It seems snakes residing in a well have even less need of an electrum locket than we have of so much weasel meat.  Though somehow I doubt the locket belongs to a Sea Prince slaver.  To a former mansion occupant, perhaps."

"So, we should expect to find two legs in there, sounds macabre." Esme says, her full lips curving into a smile. "I admit I wouldn't expect speaking snake tongue would be quite this lucrative."

"Two legs?  No, I...  we are the..." Seri begins to woman-splain, before Esme's jest registers, and the half-elf grins for the second time in a minute.

Two more doors and a larger room. The floor creaks and groans with nearly every step. As Cook’s torch lights up, you see boot prints leading from the main area to the door you are at. Cobwebs and rodent sign everywhere too. A gust of wind causes chimney whistles you hear several rooms which must have chimneys. You also observe dripping from long leaking areas…

Cook pauses upon seeing the footsteps.  A clue!  He turns to the others and indicates the marks to the rest.  He then kind of awkwardly gestures in the direction they are headed and gives a shrug.  Follow them? he asks breathlessly, merely mouthing the words.  

Seri sidesteps past the others to stand beside Cook, murmuring in Elvish for Procan's Guidance.  Dropping to one knee, she examines the boot prints, attempting to determine if they seem to be from human-sized feet, and how recently they were made.

Seri's Survival plus Guidance:  10 + 4 = 14

Regardless of what she finds, she whispers to the others:  "Solid timbers make a solid ship, and I imagine it is the same for a house.  Only the opposite in this case.  I mistrust this place.  Not just for the beasts who may be lurking here, having made this structure their home, but because the wood under our feet or over our heads may give way at any moment.  We must watch our step, and that is without even considering the house's humanoid occupants."