"I mean.. they did attack us.. and their equipment don't appear to be family heirlooms or anything.." Chip would reply back to Rhogar. "I wasn't looking for a fight but by freeing them of their no-longer-needed items.. it will make the transportation of their bodies easier." he would add after giving his fellow dragonborn a hard pat on the shoulder. 

Kazri is disappointed for not being able to resolve this situation peacefully. She could have avoided the bloodshed, and two souls are now lost. She angrily sheaths her sword, making a loud clank, and speaks to Runa. "Very well, you may keep your belongings, and take your horse."

She calms herself down, bends down, and respectfully closes Syleen and Jabral eyes if they are open. She says a small prayer to Helm to aid this two in their journey to Jergal. Without looking at Runa. "Before you go, however, tells us what you know of this keep. Have your party crossed the bridge? How long have you been here? You better tells us the truth, or you shall join your leader here."

Meanwhile, Kazri inspects Syleen's body for any kind information that may reveal their reason to be here. (Perception: 3)

Krom keeps his eyes on Runa and Brakkis as Kazri examines Syleen's body.

Chill steps out from around the corner and eyeballs the 2 mercenaries.  He leave's the questioning to Kazri and Krom who seem to have things well in hand.

Brakkis and Runa both slowly reach down and pick up their swords and sheathe them.  

"Get the gear Brakkis, lets clear out while these folks are still willing to let us live." Runa says

Brakkis begins grabbing some packs and bedrolls.

Runa continues, "We spotted the white dragon a few days ago.  We decided to follow it back to its lair and were waiting for it to go hunting so we could plunder the keep during its absence. We've been trying to avoid attracting its attention and haven't crossed the bridge.  The dragon is up there somewhere, we don't know where, but it is here."

You keep an eye on Brakkis as he ties bedrolls and packs to the horses in the closest stalls but the two of them seem resigned to your mercy and are preparing to leave.  

Checking the rest of the gatehouse you find the following rooms.

H3. Storage
This room contains empty wooden barrels and crates that are so old and brittle they fall apart if disturbed.

H4. Gatehouse Barracks
Wooden cots lie in broken heaps against the walls, leaving a clear space in the middle of the room where the mercenaries have laid out bedrolls and other gear.

H5. Smithy
An anvil rests on the floor near a fireplace that hasn’t been lit in years. To one side of the hearth is a bellows so old that it falls apart if handled. Scattered about the floor are rusty tools and old horseshoes.

H6. Barbican
Arrow slits look down on the trail that winds around the gatehouse, and an unlit fireplace stands to the south.

"So, as we already knew, the Dragon is in the keep. We do not know where exactly the wyrm sleeps, but I guess that there are not too many places where a dragon of that size can stay." says Krom to the group, "Shall we cross the bridge all together? Or do you prefer to examine it by yourself first Chill?"

If Chill crosses the bridge and examine the keep's gate, Krom will chant an hymn of Guidance on the Tabaxi.

"If he is to do so, then do you wish to have Ghorar accompany you, my feline compatriot? For I am concerned that without, she may be the fastest for you to communicate with us on so large a stretch." Rhogar brings up, if though at the price of the Psuedodragon glaring daggers at him in turn. As she had not the same benefit as the others of either a winter clothing or magic to warm the spirit. Still, she would relunctantly cross with chill, embracing the power of her scale father's magic to further aid the Tabaxi in a time of need.

"I can do that.   But let's make sure these folks are good and gone before.   Not that I doubt their word to not attract the dragon's attention,  that would likely go very bad for them before us.   But if the dragon happens to see them leaving it may search for more and I'd rather be in the keep if it does that."

When the time comes Chill prepares himself and then moves across the bridge. 

"Ghorar is welcome to come unless she doesn't to.  I'll not ask it of her,  but I won't turn her away if she wants to join me."

Stealth 29

Ghorar looks away, seeming ashamed for a moment. Then with drawn but cutesy sigh, she flutters on over to Chill's side, fully intending on shadowing the shadow cat.

Stealth: 24.

Kazri will remain alert, and watch as Chill and Ghorar cross the bridge whenever they are ready.

Rekuberk will remain back with Kazri across the bridge, keeping his eyes turned behind them incase the other two bandits attempt to come back around.

Brakkis and Runa finish grabbing their gear, lead two of the horses out of stable and head down the trail.  From the barbican you can see them descend the path and eventually disappear from sight into a chilly fog that lightly obscures the land as a freezing rain begins to fall.

Looking in the barracks you see a couple packs left, presumably they belong to the dead.  Two horses also remain in the stables.  Both have saddlebags.  The remaining weapons are standard long swords.  You also find a heavy crossbow and a set of bolts left behind.

With the mercenaries gone, Chill and Ghorar carefully cross the bridge.  This solid stone bridge spans the 35-foot gap between the gatehouse and the main fortress, 50 feet above the trail that passes underneath it. The bridge is edged by 3-foot-high stone railings.  Mounted to the fortress wall north of the door on the far side of the bridge is an iron bell with a short, rusty chain dangling from it. The door stands ajar, its crossbar broken. Damage to the door suggests it was forced open at some point.

Carefully pushing the door open Chill and Ghorar enter a small entry way.  This short, empty corridor has arrow slits in the north and south walls.  Looking through the arrow slits to the north you can see the outer ramparts with arrow slits along their outer walls.  To the south a hallway curves out of sight with a door in the southwall.

Ahead of you is another broken door that looks to have been forced at some point in the past.  Going through that door you enter a cold and dismal hall. Three stirges flutter near the ceiling and for the moment pay you no mind.Battered and wrecked shields, weapons, and tapestries that look to have once festooned the walls here are now scattered about the floor. A dozen humanoid skeletons in rusty armor lie scattered amid the debris. Painted on the stone floor is a 10-foot-diameter, shield-shaped crest that features a black tower being struck by a golden bolt of lightning.

Kazri searches the bodies of Syleen and Jabarl.  They wear splint armor and each have a long sword and a short sword as well as a few daggers.  Nothing is well made, but certainly serviceable weapons.  They each have a few coins in their belt pouches. (22 gold and 86 silver)  Syleen's belt pouch also has a a small stone in it.  It kinda reminds you of Chill and his occasional fascination with stones as this one is polished Agate and is shaped like a cat's head.

Chill carefully looks around the debris and inspects the bodies while staying quiet.  He peaks into the open doorway and also checks the door to the south.

"See anything or anywhere you want to fly to and check out." Chill whispers to Ghorar if she hasn't already flitted somewhere. 

Glancing into the next room Chill sees a table as well as more skeletons but he'd need to enter the room for more detail.  There is also a stairway that goes up.  There looks to be the remains of concealed doors on each side of the stairway but they have been long left open and hang askew.

In the room he is in the inspection of the bodies does not reveal much.  The armor doesn't appear dented or ruined as if there was fighting but the skeleton's that remain don't reveal enough to see injuries.  The door to the south is unlocked.

"Chill will like that stone for sure lass." says Krom noticing the item Kazri picked up. "Speaking of Chill, he and Ghorar have been gone for a little while now, I say to wait five more minutes and then we follow them or do we take our rest here and start our search tomorrow morning? I have lost track of time since we climbed up to this keep."

(I wasn’t sure when to cross the bridge)

”Agreed Master Krom. We shall give them a little more time. And yes, the stone does remind me of Chill. Perhaps he may have an insight on this object.”

It takes a little nudging and maybe a few words, but Ghorar eventually stops staring up at the insects and licking her chops to actually pay attention. Afterwards, her eyes go a little unfocused for a few moments from a message sent and received in turn. But in due time, she shakes her head, and would continue to shadow Chill. Any time at his specific bequest, she was willing to fly out to an area or into a room, provided it wasn't obviously dangerous or trapped, for a closer inspection.

Meanwhile, a bored seeming Ghorar jerks to attention from his corner(in area h6). "A short rest would be fine, but a lengtheir one is less preferred, if I have to be honest. We're already so close, and those brigands already confessed to the dragon being 'here'. If we are to not strike now and it leaves to spread its terror another day... " He trails off there frowning, and looks to the ground.

"Let's finish this then." replies Krom "Are we all ready to join our friends inside the keep?" The dwarf checks once again his weapons and armor and looks ready to press on.

“I am ready.” Says Kazri.