Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh

Darixa watches as the others harvest pelts and meat or converse with snakes to earn a locket. She follows as they move to get inside the mansion. More than happy to get out of the weather, she rubs her hands together to warm them once inside. Seeing Cook working to pull out a torch and light it, she shifts her lute to where she can strum the strings, briefly singing a lilting tune sounding a bit like a dance. Four floating globes of dim light appear around her and she causes them to move into even positions all around her. (Dancing Lights) 

Seeing the boot prints, she nods to Cook as though to indicate to continue.

It looks to Seri like these prints were made with in the past eight hours as they are still wet with today’s precipitation.  They were passing through the door Cook is about to open.

This door opens as if it has been oiled… 

This kitchen is dirty and damp, with patches of gray mold and cobwebs on the floor, walls, and ceiling. In the southwest corner is some iron and copper cooking equipment with a chimney above. Next to it, under the window, is a discolored stone sink.

To the right of the sink, a small, decoratively carved closed wooden cupboard is fixed to the wall about five feet above floor level.

Against the far wall, a flight of wooden stairs leads upward from west to east; the woodwork of the staircase is decayed, and a few of the treads are missing.

The bootprints go straight to another door to your right.

     Even as cook was fiddling with his gear and pulling out his torch he became enlightened. Or at least the room did. Glancing back he noticed four floating globes of dim light bobbing around Darixa and making everything much easier to grin.

     “Thanks,” he muttered but continued his own little project of lighting a torch. “We may get separated,” he explains with a shrug. “Or just need flames…”

     Seri talking about solid timbers and the like puts an idea in Cook’s head and he takes a moment to pay attention to the flooring. He wonders if perhaps the flooring the footprints are noticeable on is in better shape than the rest of the floor.  He's no carpenter though and it occurs to him that the type of scoundrel likely to be a smuggler and a slaver probably wasn't overly concerned with safety anyway...  He shakes his head to clear it and moves on.

     Immediately upon opening the door and seeing it was a kitchen, Cook's eyes scan the room in appraisal, as he does of any kitchen. This one surely does not pass muster. Dirty, cobwebby, mold and ick everywhere. It is a sad state. His instinct is to tsk tsk the entire room and set about making it right but he’s not up to that task today and he’s here on different business anyway. Still, the cooking equipment may be worth a look over before they leave. Could be some good pieces there and if not then at least some scrap for Brynn.

     Tempted but not drawn from the main mission, Cook points at the footsteps and gives a bit of a head jerk to indicate the others should follow him. “Let’s follow the trail,” he whispers and heads straight to the door on the right.

Darixa steps into the kitchen after the others. She pulls the dim globes of light with her as the group moves. She scrutinizes the place for anything interesting, though with the mold and cobwebs it seems this room is nothing more than a passageway for those who are here.  She nods to Cook as he whispers about continuing. 

Brynn moved with their head held a little higher, sporting their signature grin. It's always satisfying when an idea pays off, and even better when they learn of a new skill that their companion possesses. At one point, they too would praise Seri for her conversation with the snakes. They'd literally give her a pat on the back alongside a wink.

The discovery of the locket wouldn't be without Brynn hovering perhaps a bit unnecessarily close for a better look. They'd be curious if they could determine who it could have belonged, if there was anything else special about it, wondering if they may know where it was sold, or who crafted it. Tinkerer's habit.
(Intelligence: 16)

At Seri's comments on solid wood and the state of the structure, Brynn can't help but pass a judgemental eye over it as well. They wouldn't want anyone to fall through the floor, or have something fall on them if they could avoid it. Not only that though, if it were occupied by slavers, there could be traps to consider watching out for. It also never hurts to find any secret compartments or doors of course.
(Perception: 15)

Once they've done a preliminary sweep, they'd return to the door they came in and begin rigging an alarm. It would take some time while the others scouted ahead, but it could be worth the effort if someone, or reinforcements, came in behind them.

Seri straightens.  "The boot prints are recent," she whispers. "Perhaps from this morning.  Either someone arriving here in advance to prepare an ambush that Solmor is sending us into, or whoever is setting the light in the window that the snakes saw.  Or both."

Suddenly, the half-elven navigator considers lighthouses and maritime signals which use light.  Would any of the mansion's windows visible to the snakes in or near the well also be visible out to sea?  Perhaps to a Sea Prince slaver ship?  She prays for the Wave Father's guidance.

Seri's Insight plus Guidance:  19 + 1 = 20 (dirty)
(Would be same bonus for Perception or Survival, but only a 14 if for Investigation.)

Brynn

The firefly and electrum are unusual not a local jeweler…

The mansion has been unconditioned a long time but the structural integrity in the nearby area seems solid, had this place been sealed and heated there may have been hope for restoration (maybe with lots of patience and money)

the garden door is alarmed.

Seri
Yes there are windows facing out to sea which the snakes may have seen.

Cook this door also opens easily.

This room displays the effects of damp and decay more than most. Mold grows in patches on the floor, walls, and ceiling. A large copper cask, split, discolored and empty, stands under the window, with a small heap of crockery shards on the floor beside it. Stairs lead down into what is presumably a cellar.

 As you pass through however an intense low frequency moan can be clearly heard.  Then and ear piercing scream turning ragged and bloody…

Everyone Wisdom save DC 12 vs frightened unless immune to fear.

Wis save: 17 - I ain't afraid of no ghosts!

(Darixa WIS Save: 12)

The young Rhenee and her fey accomplice would simply follow along as the investigative force moved though the decrepit house, pleased that her own property was not nearly as down trodden as this dilapidated mansion. At the ear piercing scream she tries to cover her ears, fear in her dark grey eyes now as she frantically looks around for the source. 

(Wis save: 10)

Seri's DC12 WIS Save:  16 (success)

     Cook isn’t frightened so much as thoroughly startled. The moan catches him off guard, and the scream that follows nearly sends him sprawling.

     His head jerks one way while his body tries to turn the other, and for a moment he nearly goes head over heels down the stairs. He just manages to catch himself, windmilling slightly as he blurts out, “Whatzzat?!”

     When it quickly becomes clear there’s nothing immediately attacking them, Cook straightens and glances around at Brynn and the others to gauge their reactions. He gives a small shrug and a frown. “Well,” he mutters, “I’m guessing we don’t have the element of surprise anymore.”

     Cook tosses Brynn a quick wink before scanning the group again. “Everyone alright?”

     If no one speaks up, Cook nods once and gestures forward. “Right then. Let’s keep moving and get this over with.”

     But if anyone does say they’re not alright, he pauses immediately. “What’s wrong?” he asks, waiting to see what needs dealing with before they press on.  ((I see at least one of us failed the check but not sure if they are going to speak up about it, are immune to fear maybe, or maybe don't yet even know they can't advance until they try?  So there is some chance that Cook'll start down the steps not realizing not everyone is following...))

(First, just for RP since I missed it before):

Brynn moved with their head held a little higher, sporting their signature grin. It's always satisfying when an idea pays off, and even better when they learn of a new skill that their companion possesses. At one point, they too would praise Seri for her conversation with the snakes. They'd literally give her a pat on the back alongside a wink.

The discovery of the locket wouldn't be without Brynn hovering perhaps a bit unnecessarily close for a better look. They'd be curious if they could determine who it could have belonged, if there was anything else special about it, wondering if they may know where it was sold, or who crafted it. Tinkerer's habit.
(Intelligence: 16)

As always with Brynn, Seri reverently inclines her rain-drenched head to the salt-blessed one.  Freezing briefly motionless as they pat her on the shoulder, then smiling beatifically as if she too has been granted a benediction by some holy transitive property of Procan.

When asked, she solemnly presents the electrum firefly locket to Brynn for their inspection.

When it quickly becomes clear there’s nothing immediately attacking them, Cook straightens and glances around at Brynn and the others to gauge their reactions. He gives a small shrug and a frown. “Well,” he mutters, “I’m guessing we don’t have the element of surprise anymore.”

     Cook tosses Brynn a quick wink before scanning the group again. “Everyone alright?”

(Back to the current moment):

Seri nods distractedly in Cook's general direction.  "Yes, fine.  And you are correct that if they were not expecting us before, they likely are now.  I just was expecting to find slavers or land beasts, not... ghosts?  What in Procan's name was that?"

Muttering a brief prayer for Wave Father's guidance, she pokes her head into the kitchen and scans the stair area to determine if she can see or otherwise pinpoint the source of the spooky noises.

Seri's Perception plus Guidance:  22 + 2 = 24

The shipwright would circle back to the firefly locket another time. For now they were plenty content with it being safe in Seri's possession.

"Imagine fixin' this place up fer a land base of operations..." Brynn would let out a low whistle as they'd return from successfully setting their alarm at the garden door. "It'd take time, some elbow grease, materials, an' coin of course." They muse, flicking water off their prosthetic and giving it a shake to jostle any driblets free. "I ain't shy to be put to hard w-"

The ear piercing scream cut through the air like ice against rock. It was enough to interrupt Brynn's chatter and pause them in their tracks. Their teeth clench, visible from the flexing along their jawline. They then sway their head as if to try to brush their ear against their shoulder to wipe that wail away from their psyche. Close to their scream that day... but not enough to break Brynn this day. Straightening their posture, they close their eyes and take a deep inhale through their nose and roll their shoulders back. When their eyes reopen, the shipwright has firmed with alertness.
(Wis Save: 20) 

"I've still got a few surprises up my sleeve." Shuuck-click-click. With quick fingers, Brynn adjusts, prepares, and calibrates their prosthetic for what may come next. They do this as they take a few steps to place themselves between any that are frightened and the direction in which the moan came from, yet within reach of others to lean on or take hold of to ground themselves.
(Preparing Frostbite, if possible, should they come upon a hostile)

Though, it probably wasn't much longer than a breath, and likely just as Cook would gesture and suggest to go ahead when Brynn would do just that, sweep by to head down the stairs.

Brynn leads the way steadying Cook as she passes a frostbite prepped as she descends the stairs taking in a horrid sight.

Shoulder-height wooden bottle racks line the north and west walls here. There appear to be no intact bottles left in the racks and shattered bottles cover the floor.

Against the east wall, at the foot of the stairs, rest two large metal storage bins that appear to be empty.

In the center of the room lies a humanoid corpse clad in plate mail; a longsword lies by the corpse’s right side, and a large shield covers its legs. A decorative bronze plated set, the armor & shield are banged up.

"Perhaps we should cover the upper parts of the house before heading donwstairs?" The young Rhenee beauty suggests with a hint of fear in her voice, barely being able to look down the stairs. "You know, to make sure no one falls us in the back, or locks us down there until the next slave transport?" She argues, too proud to simply admit she is afraid to go down the stairs.

(Decepetion to hide she is simply afraid: 17)

     “Ghosts?” Cook scoffs at Seri. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. One spooky scream doesn’t mean there are actually...”

     He blinks and loses the rest of the thought when Brynn slips past him and heads down the stairs ahead of everyone. “Wait up!” he grumbles, quickening his pace. The idea of her taking point when someone—or something—likely knows they’re here doesn’t sit well with him. Assuming there even is a someone. The possibility that this whole business might still turn out to be a snipe hunt lingers stubbornly in the back of his mind.

     Esmeralda hanging back doesn’t register at first. Not until she speaks.

     Cook pauses halfway between the two of them, glancing from Brynn ahead to Esmeralda behind. He sighs, clearly not thrilled with the situation.

     “Maybe just hold there a moment?” he suggests, peering cautiously into the room at the bottom of the stairs.

     “Doesn’t look like much down here anyway,” he mutters. “But no sense us getting ourselves all spread out.”

"Okay, be careful down there, I'll keep watch up here in the meantime." Esme says, trying to stay vigilant.

Darixa gives Cook a nod when he asks if everyone is all right. "Good here." She's about to follow the others down the stair when Esme suggests going a different direction. She's a bit surprised Cook is just willing to leave her there. And that Esme just agrees to stay! 

"If you're going to insist, I suppose I can stay and watch with you," she says. "We should probably all stick together though."  She keeps one globe of light at the top of the stair, one to go down as far as possible with the others, and the other two stay in the room with her and Esme. 

As Darixa’s globe and Cook’s torch illuminate the armored corpse and the shards of glass it is clear the armored individual was brutally clubbed to death.

If you leave the stairs make a Dexterity save DC 15 vs 1 piercing damage and speed reduced to 0.