The sheep stays behind a tree, well away from the compound, while the rest of the party walks forward. (On the map, you can see a path from the south that leads to the garden platform on the east.)

Between the highest platform and the outhouse are a trio of animals: a lion, a tiger, and a (black) bear. They are playing with a game with oversized dice... or trying to, since their paws make it difficult to roll the dice. From their seating arrangement, they were playing with a fourth person.

You hear shrieking coming from the outhouse. You are frightened to come any closer, since you aren't sure what kind of animal is inside, and you don't want to know what kind of bad diet is causing it to make those noises.

When the trio of animals see the party approaching, they start making loud roaring and growling noises. You hear someone yelling from the central platform. "Keep it down! I have to finish these scrolls, otherwise we won't get paid."  A human with tangled black hair and wild eyes leans out of an open window. When he realizes why his guards are making noises (due to the party approaching), he takes a few seconds to try to straighten his hair, then demands to know who you are and why you are approaching the home of the master wizard Noke.

(The party is at the bottom edge of the map, 20' away from the animal trio and the outhouse.)

“Bonjour, Monsieur! My name is Pascal LaRoux, chef of the Roadhouse Bistro, may we have but a moment of your time?”

We’re going for peaceful route first, right? Cause I got +6 Persuasion

Quillary looks at Pascal, then shrugs again. Sure. 

Hildigrim is present and paying attention to Pascal and Noke with his ears, but visually making sure nothing gets the drop on them.

Perception: 16

Jorin will keep an eye on the outhouse while Pascal talks to Noke.

Quote from JcAndD >>

“Bonjour, Monsieur! My name is Pascal LaRoux, chef of the Roadhouse Bistro, may we have but a moment of your time?”

We’re going for peaceful route first, right? Cause I got +6 Persuasion

Noke looks confused. "Chef? No one ordered any food here. What do you want?" He goes from the window to the east. You hear several locks being opened, then the door on the southeast (leading from the middle platform to the lowest platform) opens with Noke standing there.

What the party notices about Noke:

• Looks frazzled. Think about how tired Hildigrim looked after doing an arcane all-nighter in the Dynnegall library, then triple that.
• Even without the sleep fatigue, his mental state appears to be several bottles of ale short of a 6-pack.
• Has on a fancy wizard's robe, open in front, but underneath that are commoner clothes. To his chest, he is clutching an oak tree twig sloppily bound with iron bands.

The bear ambles up to the outhouse door and knocks on it. There is an angry simian grunt from inside, probably a "just give me a minute" sort of noise. Sounds like a gorilla or a similar ape inside.

Hildigrim does not notice any other activity in the area. There are signs that more people/animals were using the huts to the west, but you also know that Gruz, a brown bear, and 3 wolves are currently locked in your manor basement.

“No, no, sir, you are right! We are not here for delivery, but to... discuss possible exciting opportunities that a powerful mage such as yourself might be interested in!”

Yep, if he’s crazy, then my idea is that we talk our way in, then Jorin puts him in an armbar.

Quote from JcAndD >>

Yep, if he’s crazy, then my idea is that we talk our way in, then Jorin puts him in an armbar.

(Hildigrim would whisper to the whole group that Noke seems paranoid, twitching and constantly looking around. Getting close enough for someone to grab him is unlikely. But if you are getting information, you can keep him talking.)

"Opportunities... for a master wizard. Yes, I am a master wizard, soon to be recognized by all. My mentor will have to see that, have to see that, have to know that I am capable of more than sweeping and cooking. Yes I am powerful..." (strokes the twig near his chest, then eyes Pascal suspiciously) "Who told you of me? If it was the money lenders, I still have another day to get them the spell scrolls, no need to send armed men here."

“My friend! You wound me. I ain’t no repo man. As you can clearly see, we are people of class and stature; otherwise a man such as yourself wouldn’t even be chattin’ with us, no? Don’t you know that word travels fast in the world of prestige? Your name precedes you!”

OOC > Quasimodal... plans within that Quillary wants to do, but wanted to give the DM a heads up.

Hildigrim snaps his fingers and Volo appears in one of the trees behind them. Hildigrim commands him to fly around to the back of the building and then try to get back around to the open window and inside the largest section.

Volo stealth: 16

If the crazy wizard goes inside to chase the owl, Hildigrim will tell Volo to fly right back outside and up to a safe place. Otherwise, Hildigrim will look through Volo's eyes and listen with his ears as the owl flies around the interior.

Volo perception: 8

 

Quote from JcAndD>>

“Don’t you know that word travels fast in the world of prestige? Your name precedes you!”

"Talking about me? Gossip... lies! The liar is Shinebright, not me. Be a wizard after a short apprenticeship, he promises. What good is that, if it will be a century before I get anything more than a funeral as an old man... He didn't deserve praises. Where are his mighty feats, now that his wand is gone? I am not a thief, I earned this precious item, belongs to me!"

Jorin steps forward saying, "Stealing, is not how one earns their place.  If you believe you deserve what you have, you should restore Shinebright to his former self, and challenge him to a mage battle.  Surely doing that, no one could deny your power."

"Restore... to former self? How would you know... ah...  I see, now. You are conspiring, conspiring with that sheep against me? But I am merciful. Return the sheep to me. In return, I will not destroy you all."

Noke's expression gets more intense, and angrier. "Guz... Guz should have been back by now... You've met a half-orc, and a bear, and some wolves... Have you killed them? Have you come here to finish the job?"

Pascal just slowly turns toward Jorin, “Why...”

He turns back toward the wizard, “We ain’t killed nobody! The sheep ran into our restaurant and your buddy started wreckin’ the place. We got him locked up in the cellar. Listen, just poof the sheep back to normal and we can be done with this whole thing, alright?”

Quillary Readies her prepared action because this is going so well.

Noke is half talking to himself, half to your group. "Locked in a cellar... more like buried there. If Guz was alive, he'd be here, not somewhere else.

"You want to see the wand in action... But once you see the wand, you will try to take it. To steal it from me. Murderers! Thieves!"

At that moment, a gorilla emerges from the outhouse. It is waving its hand in front of its nose, to try to breathe in untainted air, and it stumbles to the west to get clear of the outhouse. It then notices its 3 buddies lined up, facing the party. The gorilla pulls out a mace from its belt.

Noke's rant goes into overdrive. "Guards! They are here to steal the wand for the sheep. When the wand is gone, you can never be turned back to human. Stop them, kill them!"

Combat starts!

Noke and Quillary will act at the start of the round, then everyone else (except those two) does concurrent. (Include initiative rolls for you post.)

Noke casts enlarge/reduce to make the gorilla the size of a Troll. (But not as big as King Kong.) Noke steps a little further back into the doorway, giving him 3/4s cover.

Quillary casts a spell, aiming at a spot SW of the central tower. Within a 20' radius (around the animals, but short of your group), the grass and bushes ripple, sprouting hard roots and dagger-like thorns, which are then covered by grass. It looks innocent now, but everyone has seen what lies underneath the thick grass.

Everyone (except Quillary) post your actions. (Quillary still has her movement. Mention if she stays put, or runs to the base of the steps entering the lowest pedestal.)

Quillary will stay put, shield up and cudgel at the ready, basically taunting the animals to come for her.

Prior to battle (if you'll allow), Hildigrim would have looked for the scrolls Noke's been working on to look at them through Volo's eyes. However, once he hears (through Volo) the wizard engage, Hildigrim will pull back into his own head.

Initiative: 19

On his turn, Hildigrim moves 25 feet to get to Noke and then bonus action: dashes another 25 feet. If he is not yet in melee with Noke, he action: dodges. If he's within five feet, he tries to grapple Noke.

Roll if a tackle is possible:

Extra d20: 9

Pascal sighs, "C'est la vie, when cooler heads fail, I suppose..."

Initiative: 8

Pascal aims a finger toward the monkey and crew, like he's cocking a finger gun. "Bang!"

Followed by... nothing! Pascal frowns and shakes his finger, trying to unjam it.

As he does so, a MASSIVE EXPLOSION detonates at the feet of animorphs as Pascal casted Fireball with his Subtle Cast!

DC 14 Dex Save vs 28 fire damage

Pascal snaps his fingers, "Misdirection, mes amis!"