At one of the points where the fog barred their path, Elya raises a hand and makes a forceful motion outward, casting Shape Water and trying to push the fog aside.

Regardless of the result of that, as Anborn speaks to the children, she puts her hand on his shoulder, “We’ll handle it. None of us will be going into that house alone.”

She then steps past him, crouching down to be level with the children and giving them a reassuring smile. She reaches out to pat the older one on the head, “We’ll get rid of the monster in a jiffy, don’t you two worry.” 

Elya pulls open the rusted gate and, making sure the rest of the group is behind her, walks into the house, watching out for danger. Perception: 8

Ledanra stoicly follows the party as they make their way into town, happy to see an end to all that tedious walking. Though as she approaches the town, the eerie atmosphere that surrounds it, encompassed by that unnatural fog, makes her feel a little unease. As they approach the children, and Anborn and Elya stride forward to talk to them, Ledanra looks at the mansion they refer to...

"Children, tell us what this monster looks like? And why have you not asked any others in this town for aid?"

She eyes them suspiciously, and weighs their responses to the flood if questions.

Insight: 13

Creepy fog. Creepy town. Creepy children. It’s all a bit unsettling for the usually jovial, carefree halfling. Corrin is surprised to see the two odd children roaming the streets unattended...especially if there is talk of a monster. He eyes the two suspiciously, listening to their answers while trying to discern if something sinister is afoot. 

INSIGHT: 19

The children, Rose and Thorn, appear to be telling the truth and are indeed afraid of some sort of "monster" which their parents "keep trapped in the basement." They don't say much more to your other questions, aside from giving you all scared yet hopeful looks. They either don't know, or are too scared to speak. They won't go back into the house until they know the monster has been taken care of. The mist you've seen on your journey is slowly enveloping the rest of the town. More and more structures appear to be swallowed up in the fog as you talk to the children, but stops and surrounds you as you go into the Death House.

THE FIRST FLOOR

ENTRANCE

A wrought-iron gate with hinges on one side and a lock on the other fills the archway of a stone portico. The gate is unlocked, and its rusty hinges shriek when the gate is opened. Oil lamps hang from the portico ceiling by chains, flanking a set of oaken doors that open into a grand foyer. Hanging on the south wall of the foyer is a shield emblazoned with a coat-of-arms (a stylized golden windmill on a red field), flanked by framed portraits of stony-faced aristocrats. Mahogany-framed double doors leading from the foyer to the main hall are set with panes of stained glass.

The house is dark, but has oil lamps and fireplaces which are easily lightable. The rooms on the first floor are free of dust and signs of age. The floorboards and wall panels are well oiled, the drapes and wallpaper haven’t faded, and the furniture looks new. You enter the main hall.

THE MAIN HALL

A wide hall runs the width of the house, with a black marble fireplace at one end and a sweeping, red marble staircase at the other. Mounted on the wall above the fireplace is a longsword with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt. The wood-paneled walls are ornately sculpted with images of vines, flowers, nymphs, and satyrs. The decorative paneling follows the staircase as it circles upward to the second floor.

From this point on, you are free to explore the house at your leisure. Getting to TWO milestones (that I've set secretly) within the house will grant you all a level each. If you survive. Good luck! 

As the party enter the mansion, the foreboding gloom seems to further dampen the moods already affected by the ensorcelled fog. Ledanra takes a moment as she passes the coat of arms, using prestidigitation to light the lamp nearest the entrance. With a slightly better view, she inspects the coat to see if it is one that she recognizes.

History: 15

Moving into the main hallway, Ledanra sees the quiet paladin eyeing up the sword that was mounted moments before. "There are plenty of doors... Why buck tradition, when you can simply open one up and stride through?"

Corrin follows the others into the manor, giving one last parting and reassuring look to the children. "We'll take care of this for you. Don't you worry." Entering the home, Corrin draws one of his daggers while cautiously looking about the first room. "I think it best we stick together in this cursed place."

Perception: 16

Elya steps in warily, not liking the dichotomy between the inside of the house and the rest of the town, "Someone has been taking care of this place, but why? And who could possibly bear to live alone in this dreary town?"

As Corrin speaks, "Yes, let's stay together. Follow me."

She then goes through the door to their immediate right, peeking through cautiously, greataxe at the ready. Perception: 22

"Apparently a vampire could bear to live in this town. Although it might be a stretch to say that they're living." Anborn follows Elya, warhammer and shield at the ready.

Entering the town, Song becomes both relieved to see civilization and disheartened that it's all so gloomy. And the fog... by the gods, it's not natural... The children, who are wearing some very interesting outfits, brought the group to their home, claiming that there was a monster in the house. Always ready to help others, Song agrees with the group to investigate.

"I'm happy to help these children. But, I also think we should find our way out of this town and fog. That letter... signed by the same person, but with different. information I believe we've been duped into coming here. And we might not be the first."

Ledanra, unfortunately, your history roll does not yield any information on the coat-or-arms.

DEN OF WOLVES

This oak-paneled room looks like a hunter’s den. Mounted above the fireplace is a stag’s head, and positioned around the outskirts of the room are three stuffed wolves. Two padded chairs draped in animal furs face the hearth, with an oak table between them supporting a cask of wine, two carved wooden goblets, a pipe rack, and a candelabrum. A chandelier hangs above a cloth-covered table surrounded by four chairs.

Two cabinets stand against the walls. The east cabinet, Elya, you quickly notice with your keep senses, is ajar. It holds a heavy crossbow, a light crossbow, a hand crossbow, and 20 bolts for each weapon. The north cabinet is unlocked and holds a small box containing a deck of playing cards and an assortment of wine glasses.

Elya earns the achievement: First nat20! Booyeah!
Anborn earns the achievement: First nat1! D'oh!

Elya walks over to the east cabinet and traces a finger down the heavy crossbow, "Whoever lives, or lived, here is certainly prepared for some sort of trouble. But what?"

She'll examine the interior of the cabinet as well as the weapons more in detail, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Investigation: 4

Looks like an ordinary cabinet containing ordinary ranged hunting equipment to you.

As Elya moves to inspect the cabinet to the east, Phineas hustles toward the other one, popping open the door and picking up the small box containing a deck of playing cards. He inspects them and the other contents of the cabinet.

INVESTIGATION: 8

Oh, cool! Playing cards, and wine glasses!

Anborn taps Ledanra on the shoulder and casts Guidance on her.  "The others look like they could use another pair of eyes in the dining room. Maybe you could help with that."

Then Anborn will walk into the two rooms on the top right and take a look around.

Investigation:20

Perception:11

KITCHEN AND PANTRY

Anborn: The kitchen (first top right room) is tidy, with dishware, cookware, and utensils neatly placed on shelves. A worktable has a cutting board and rolling pin atop it. A stone, dome-shaped oven stands near the east wall, its bent iron stovepipe connecting to a hole in the ceiling. Behind the stove and to the left is a thin door leading to a well-stocked pantry, the uppermost top right room.

Behind a small door in the southwest corner of the kitchen is a dumbwaiter — a 2-foot-wide stone shaft containing a wooden elevator box attached to a simple rope-and-pulley mechanism that must be operated manually. Hanging on the wall next to the dumbwaiter is a tiny brass bell attached by wires to buttons in those other areas.

Song moves to kitchen and pantry with Anborn. Better to be around someone more sturdy. "So, where are these monsters supposed to be? And what are they? In the closet type? Under the bed type? Basement?" He inspects the rooms along with him.

Investigation: 16

"The children said that the monster was in the basement. So it would probably be a help to find the basement. It doesn't look like there's a way to get to the basement in here, unless we convince Corrin to hop on this dumbwaiter and see if we can't send him down."

Orilo, for the most part, had been content to stand watch outside of doors. Ignoring his large frame, and outside of how he handled weaponry, its clear from the way he moved and how close he had to put his face to things of interest that the man's eyesight couldn't be all that good. Unless it was an act, of course. At the very least folk could trust that any other monsters in the house coming from upstairs would have to through him first. For he is diligent, if nothing else. Even at rest against by the stairs with a dagger in hand.