Gerrard:

Finally hearing Kei’s voice, Gerrard says, “Oh, there he is.  Let’s go over and see what he found,” and he starts moving that way.

“Jackals? Perhaps like the canine that was just watching us in the grass? And that made me fall asleep? We need to take extreme care and watch out for anything lying in wait,” Boko says, sticking close to Gerard and trying to rejoin the others.

Her eyes, now covered by her goggles of night, rove about, looking for watchers, ambushers, anything at all as they move.

Perception: 18

Kei finds the debris-strewn trap door in the old ruin and clambers down the iron-runged ladder into the basement. 
It's a sizeable cellar, mostly untouched by time – tidy and clear of debris. 
"You will have to carry me up," explains the man. He is upright, but has a bloody rag wrapped around one leg, which hangs limply. He leans heavily against a post. "Have the jackals departed? Or been vanquished?"

Meanwhile, Boko makes out a group of shining eyes, further eastward, up the beach, perhaps 100 feet away now. At least four canine forms, watching and still, standing on the rocky shore.

Gerrard and Qivys make their way to the ruin. Peri joins Boko.

Boko quietly, subtly points out the group of canine possibly-jackals down the beach. Would she have the sense that they would be subject to a casting of animal friendship?

(With that low Nature check, she doesn't know if it's a Beast or not. The only way to know would be to cast it and find out...)

Kei 

"You really shouldn't have been mucking about around here. Apparently there's some blood sucking creat...." He pauses mid sentence "Perhaps it's these jackals you say mauled you." He casts the injured man a sideways glance. Never heard of jackals attacking something unless they knew they could win. "My colleagues will have either dispatched them by now or scared them off." He helps the man to the ladder. Screaming out from the bottom "A little help down here. This guy might have some answers!"

"Jackals do not leave meat on the bone so there is obviously more going on. The canids are still observing us down the shore. I will keep a lookout while we retrieve Kei, his new friend, and the others," Boko says, eyes roving around still for any changes or new watchers.

(Are we all getting closer together? Not really sure about placement and positioning here, in case it's likely to become important...)

Once Qivys makes it to Kei's location he will survey the situation.

Insight: 15

Here's a map for reference (North is left.) The jackals are current on the point beach east of the last red house.

22. Private House
23. Carpenters’ Guildhall
24. Crabber’s Cove
     Cabin #1 (red; top/east) - abandoned
     Cabin #2 (gray) - yours; rebuilt
     Cabin #3 (gray) - yours; rebuilt
     Cabin # 4 (red; bottom/west) - ruins, man hiding in cellar.
25. The Leap
26. Temple of Procan
27. Saltmarsh Cemetery
28. Winston’s Store

Kei finds the man surprisingly light. He is quite thin under his noble's clothing. Kei is able to easily lift him over his head at the bottom of the ladder. Before he takes even his second step up the ladder, the man pulls himself the rest of the way up, using his arms alone. He scrambles out into the ruined first floor, exposed to the swirling night snow.

Qivys finds him not only as spry as a gymnast, but also quite confident in his motions. He is also clearly delighted to be outside again.

"Ahh!" he groans with pleasure, raising his arms above his head and stretching. He lets the bloody rag drop from his leg and he seems to find his footing. "Oh, the night air is delicious. I cannot thank you sufficiently, my kind friends." He turns to give a hand to Kei. "I was contorted in that cramped cellar much too long." He takes a deep, smiling breath. "May I ask your names, friends?" He takes a formal bow. "You may address me as Bela."

Peri:

Peri is uncomfortable trying to divide his attention between the jackals down the beach and the arrival of this stranger from beneath the collapsed house. "Maybe we'd better back off the jackals and see what that's all about," he quietly suggests to Boko. "If the jackals took the kids, it's too late anyway. But I don't think they'd drain the blood and leave the meat."

He begins edging back in the direction of the collapsed building. As he does, he taps into his link to the astral plane. Nothing about this Bela makes sense: he was too weak to climb out, but now he seems spry as a goat; the noble clothing would stick out in the poor little town, but Peri doesn't remember seeing him before; and how long was "much too long" in the cellar? he again uses his Eldritch Sight to study the man, looking for any kind of illusion or charm that might be disguising his true form, and his astral connection to look for clues in the man's behavior. (Insight 22) Whispering in a voice only Kei can hear, he says, "Look around down there -- don't see any sign of the missing kids, do you?"

((OOC:  Spent a Ki point to activate Peri's Astral Self. Using 2 of the features here:
   Wisdom of the Spirit. You have advantage on WIS (Insight) and CHA (Intimidation) checks.
   Word of the Spirit. When you speak, you can direct your words to a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 ft. of you, making it so only that creature can hear you.

I assume Peri and Boko are standing near the entrance to cabin #2 or 3, and Qivys and Gerrard are near the front of cabin #4?))

Examining him from two planes, the man seems to Peri to be a little manic, quite ecstatic, a little impatient, very confident, calculating, and strangely distant. But nothing pings him as arcane.

Kei may make an Investigation check if he wants to look for evidence in the cellar.
Gerrard may make an Intelligence check as something nags at him a little.

>I assume Peri and Boko are standing near the entrance to cabin #2 or 3, and Qivys and Gerrard are near the front of cabin #4?))
Correct.

The jackals continue to maintain their distance, watching. 

Bela dusts himself off. He seems to be able to stand and walk without impairment or limp. He wrenches a small ring off his pinky and hands it down to Kei. "A small memento of gratitude for my rescuer." He gives him another bow.

"It pains me to be rude, but I have a long flight tonight. A function to host, a feast to partake in, a little revenge to exact. It is time for me to depart. Is there a moon tonight?" He squints up into the dense night clouds. "I have lost track of so many things. I would extend invitations to you all, but I fear I must keep it small. Well, I suppose you could join us if you like," he gives a nod and a smile to Kei. 

Gerrard:

Coming upon the scene and seeing the strange interaction, Gerrard says, “Who are you?  And if you can fly, why did you need help out of the cellar?”

Intelligence Check (+3 if History applies):  16

Kei 

Accepting the Ring from the man, Kei studies it as he turns it over in his hand. Impressed, he slips it on whichever finger of his left hand that it fits. 

Peris voice echoing in his head comes as a surprise. Hmm, the little captain has learnt a new trick. He is just about to follow the halflings advice when he's invited to a party. All thoughts of rescuing the children gone. "A feast you say? Here in town?" Immediately his demeanour changes. "Sure, I'd be honoured." He bows in return to the man. "But first, what are you called? I can't attend a party with an unknown host."

Qivys watches the exchange. When the newcomer offers to take Kei with him, Qivys suspicion grows. 
"Yea" he speaks up. "If'n ya can fly, how was ya trapped down in a cellar where ya had a good way ta fly off through?" he asks. 

Gerrard searches his memory - something about this guy's nose. Then he remembers – his face reminds him of the one in that locket he found in the ogre's cave, only younger and less decrepit-looking. Fortunately, he covered it up with his own face and gave it to his cousin to bring to Esmerelda.

"Fly?" responds the man to Gerrard and Qivys. "Well, my leg was gravely injured," he answers, rubbing his calf and giving Qivys a wink.

"You may call me Bela," he responds to Kei. "I'm afraid our little feast is not here in this bitter hamlet. It is deep in... I think you call it the 'Dreadwood'? My company, however, I cannot vouch for. But the feast will be very tasty indeed. A sumptuous luncheon is en route, but revenge upon those who have wronged you is especially delicious, is it not? My associate is bringing the comestibles, but I shall bring my simmering enmity. I am afraid I cannot provide transportation, but walking is good for the spirit, don't you agree? My associate swears by it, and he lacks a leg."

As he speaks, he tries to rub a scuff out of his well-tailored dress shoe. He seems full of energy, and quite animated, even as he squints into the black night sky.

((Alright, I'm doing it))

Qivys, suspicious, pulls out his Holy Symbol and says a short prayer.
"Moradin, give this old dwarf yer sight so I can see tha truth of the matter." he says softly and uses his Divine Sense ability.

Gerrard:

Peering down into the cellar room, Gerrard asks, “We are looking for some missing children.  Did you see any signs of them down there after the jackals chased you down there?”

Perception:  5

Boko, about to ask Bela about the kids, stops when Gerrard does the same. Smart boy. She listens for truth or evasion or knowledge in the answer.

Insight: 24 (rolled on game log)

Let me try another source.

She turns toward the canines and casts speak with animals. 

She calls out in jackal first (then other canine tongues if this seems not to work) introducing herself, asking if they know what this man is, if they attacked it, what they are waiting for, how they made her fall asleep. She’s not rude but she pulls rank as a dominant pack leader who cuts right to the point.

Bela gives an annoyed glance to Qivys, who gets a clear sense that this entity is indeed undead.

"Yes. I supped upon one," he replies to Gerrard. "Surprisingly sweet for a Saltmarsh brat. The others I have sent ahead." Boko pegs that as an honest answer.

He points to Qivys' holy symbol and turns to Kei. "Throw that thing in the sea, would you?"

"Goodbye and many thanks, again."

With a soft sound like a footfall in loam, his body folds in upon itself and sprouts small black wings. Now a bat, he flies thirty feet into the air.

Meanwhile, the jackals do not react to Boko. After a moment, they begin to trot further away - eastward up the beach toward the bottom of the cliffs.