Necromancer's Delusion-Homebrew

Gabriel watches Inara intently but remains silent.

(Let's do this :) )

As you finish your deliberation Inara nods to Geo.  You make your way out of the temple and can see that some time has past while you were conversing.  You each take part in a light evening meal for energy and make your preparations.  Meeting back at the mother tree you see Inara, Geo and four other druids who will aid you as best they can.  The portal is opened and you make a familiar trek through the woods finding yourself southwest of the duke's mansion. 

You study the guards movements for about 30 minutes and can see their paths and actions have not changed since last night.  However there is vastly more noise as you watch carriages arrive and drop off guests.  A supply cart arrives taking the southern path to the rear entrance and you watch as servants unload the crates, barrels and boxes onto the stone  loading station allowing the cart to leave.  Periodically a servant or two will come to move supplies inside.

You move deeper into the forest towards Inara who motions you closer.  She whispers, "The party is well underway and the duke is most likely mingling with his guests as we speak.  Within an hour they will retire for dinner and that is typically when the duke takes his leave to retreat to his chambers.  Be patient and wait for your opening.  You have plenty of time to take out the guards slowly. If you can lure them close the forest we can assist with four of the guards.  I must be off.  Blessings and good fortune friends." Inara walks off a few paces before transforming into the same wolf as before and disappears into the darkness.

Time: 9:00 at night  Estimated time the duke will head to his chambers: 9:45-10:00.  

Map: 

As the minotaur approaches the edge of the forest and looks upon the manor, he will nod to his companions before wild shaping into a rat and scurrying up towards the house through the grass, using the cover of darkness and its small size to approach the house. The rat would appear sickly and dirty with mold and fungus around its eyes and along its hairless tail. 

Stealth check.

(Do I get advantage from it being dark and me being a small rat that is black?) 9 (second roll if advantage 17)

Mucor makes his way through the grass, past the two stationary guards by the back door and through a crack in the doorway.  The room you are now in appears to be a dry storage room filled with barrels, crates and boxes.  Two doors on the north and south part of the eastern wall are illuminated by a lone torch between them.  No one else appears to be in the room for now.

Updated map: 

 Jinara casts Message as the rat runs toward the  building and ssays "Mucor. Give us some sign when we should take action and attempt to enter."

OOC: I like to imagine that my little rat has tiny minotaur horns... Also I will try not to go too far until the others have acted.

Gabriel hangs back with Jinara, casts False Life (for 8 HP,) and waits for a reply from Mucor. 

Mucor will squeak back to Jinara "Will do" (but it is in rat speak soo...)

OOC: So I mean.. I know I had kind of said this was my plan-ish all along, to turn into something small and sneak in... but I had no idea how you guys were going to enter... I had uh.. kind of hoped you had an idea and I just missed it :D

Geo, watching the situation says, “We can assist in a couple ways.  We can turn your group into rats as well then drop the spell after 2 minutes or if you can lead the guards to the edge of the woods we can attempt to control their mind and have them return to the post but not raise an alarm when they see you.  We can only do this for up to 4 guards and there is a chance it will fail but if they resist we can dispose of them once they are in the woods.”

Jinara turns to geo and says "I can light several fires at the end of the wood line hoping to draw the guards this way. Once lit, change us into rats and we can scurry away from the fires towards the mansion. You can then have your way with the responding guards." 

Geo nods, "Understood.  We'll wait for your signal."

Mucor will skitter across the floor to both doors, attempting to look under the doors before sniffing around them and placing his ear next to them. The rat is attempting to locate the smell of food and perfume or the sound of nobles talking if he cannot see any when trying to look under the door.

Perception 26

(Basically use the animal's Str, Dex and Con and keep your Int, Wis and Cha for checks and saves.)  

As you sniff & peek under the northern door you smell a musty odor of blood, refuse and smoke.  You look down a lit stairway that leads to a large wooden door at the bottom.  You hear what sounds like hushed talking and the crack of a whip.

You back out and crawl under the southern door and the smell of foods being prepared hits your nostrils.  The room you look into is relatively empty of furniture except for two large cabinets at the northern end and a tall shelf of various bottles at the southern end.  A door at the southern end of the eastern wall is guarded by an armored guard who stands nonchalant at his post.  The sounds of pots, pans and plates can be heard somewhere in the distance. 

Updated map:

Mucor will skitter down the stairs and attempt to peak under the doorway into the room where he suspects his druid friend may be being held captive.

Perception if needed? 13 (my passive is over 20 if that matters)

Stealth check

Golver Rat stealth check 10 (in case it is dark or dimly light and my small black shape helps give me advantage 18)

You squeeze under the thick wood and iron door and immediately see two guards, a cultist and two large iron cages.  The guards are stationed next to each cage and the cultist resides int eh southeast corner inspecting the beast in the southern cage.  A similar iron/wood door lies closed near the middle of the western wall. 

Contained within the northern cage is the slumped form of a human female that you somewhat recognize as the image of the druid Inara showed to you.  Her once clean and shapely form seems to have deteriorated into the crumpled and withered body you now see wrapped in tattered, blood stained clothes.  In the southern cage you see the hulking shape of a beast that appears to be a bear but has the distinct mannerisms and form of a humanoid rather than a bear.  Fur covers its body but its arms, chest and legs look have the features and anatomy of man while its head is that of a bear.

Updated map: