The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Balassar, you are confident that there are no creatures nearby that are hostile or watching you.  

Are you spending the night here?

Silent elects to spend the night in the house doing a bit of a stake-out. 

(OOC: I assume none of us can stay awake the whole night without incurring a point of Exhaustion or some other penalty, is that right? I guess we can set up a rotating watch schedule to keep an eye on our bait)

Yes, that's right. There are three watch turns, so first, second and third watch.  I'm assuming that Balassar is taking first watch, and Silent second, then Alton third?  If you haven't already, make a Perception check.

(OOC: Sounds like a plan.) 

Perception 11 

(OOC: Works for me.)

Perception: 14

You keep watch, and in the night you see a few birds fly overhead, and a few small creatures moving around, but none approach the small cottage.  There's no sign of enemies or other visitors, and you wake in the morning having completed a long rest.  The weather has turned sharper to the cold, with a stronger wind than yesterday.

Silent yawns and scratches his beard. Well, this seems to be a bust. Anyone have any bright ideas? Only other thing I can think of was that writing you saw on the wall, Alton, but I sure as hell can't read it either. 

Alton shivers in the morning air hearing the wind outside, "Well, we can go back into town and see if anyone can read the runes. Or we can follow the tracks that head up into the mountains, but we might want to have some warmer clothes first."

Balassar just looks at the two and then towards the path "Maybe we should give one last look around and then head up the mountains a bit and see what we see. Or maybe we just need to put a halfling on display, could be they weren't interested in the sheep in the first place." he says giving a smirk to Alton.

Silent chuckles. Up to you, I'm happy to head into the mountains whenever we're all ready. If they won't bring the party to us we'll have to take it to them. Silent will follow the group, either back to town or surveying the house again before venturing into the mountains. 

(OOC: I'm thinking that due to his Xhorhasian upbringing Silent is reasonably comfortable in cold weather... would he think it's chilly enough to warrant obtaining warmer clothing?) 

Alton will take a moment to pull out his journal and make a copy down the runes written on the side of the house.

Silent, you don't think you or the others are in much danger from the weather as it currently is.  The others should be fine, too, for at least a few more weeks before winter hits in full.

Alton,  you copy down the runes.

"That's mean Balassar. Besides I hear dragonborn is a much better delicacy." Alton turns from his coping and smirks back. Once finished coping the runes down, Alton will turn to everyone. "So which way? Back to town or up into the mountains?"

Balassar just shrugs looking over the runes "These look pretty cool." he says point up the mountain "I say we push on upward. I think we got all the information from the village we can."

You trek through the fresh morning air, coping with the cold and the wind to varying degrees (nothing so severe as to have a mechanical effect).

From what you've noticed between you the previous evening, there's a fairly clear trail that leads along the side of the mountain, and it's only about an hour later that you see the tracks enter into a cave that faces south.  You are able to approach, but see and hear no movement.  Wash sends his little dragon to scout around, but reports no giants or other dangerous beings nearby.

Alton peaks inside of the cave, "Should we go inside? If we go inside, I think we should go quietly and let Silent take the lead. Seeing as he can see in the dark. What do you guys think?"

Silent draws his sword. Wouldn't mind taking point, sure. 

(OOC: Does Silent smell anything from the mouth of the cave that would indicate something lives there? Rotting meat or body odour or maybe the scent of soot from a fire? In case it calls for a Perception check, 6 ) 

Silent is a bit too far to smell anything from where he is.  Would you like to approach?  How close do you want to get?

He would be getting right up to the mouth of the cave and sticking his head in without actually walking in, if that's feasible. 

Balassar just draws his scimitar and shield "Right behind you then." he says approaching the cave with Silent.