Cadence, "Velda is first, door is second, we keep wandering off, it's going to get us all killed, I reckon."

Rathe doesn’t nod, but she does follow, gripping the stolen short sword tightly.

Nova’s eyes wouldn’t waver from Rathe’s as she spoke. As the woman before her continued with questions, Nova had to stifle some chuffs from her nose and grumbles from her throat. She could not make sense of it all. Where did all the sense go? And it left her feeling distraught. Which she was trying her best to avoid. Be a positive pickle, not a negative Nova. Her arms would cross despite her internal push. Nova was thankful when Rathe’s attention was distracted by blood on herself. She’d move aside for Cadence to assist with her fancy magic ‘tricks’ to clear the stains.

Nova would pace almost relentlessly while the group was separated for the time of the prisoner release. She didn’t understand why that had to be solo, but was working on accepting it. Positive pickle. Not naughty Nova. Sighs and huffs could be heard from her as she went. Positive pickle... positive pickle... Are pickles even positive? The halfelf would try to push her lips into a smile, but then would wrinkle her nose at the thought of eating a pickle. She’d then try to bounce up and down for some energy, but it’d only work herself up more. She’d grumble on to herself until Cadence would rally them all with her enthusiasm.

Nova was thankful to get moving. She’d follow behind the group, making sure everyone was together. And as their quirky and upbeat wizard would lead the way, she’d pad along to their destination. Should they finally sniff out Velda, tucked away in the rain in the garden, she’d find herself circling a spot next to her. Nova would finally stop abruptly and plop down. It didn’t matter if it was in a puddle. She’d wait silently, for Cadence to rhyme her response. Though, her eyes would pan and dart around to keep watch.

Fionn leans against the door watching tje group surround Velda

Looking skyward "yes.mi.lady they do seem to need shepherding"

Turning to Rathe.  " ive only just met them. It seems they were all fond of Gert. How did you know him?"

He pulls a flask and looks at it. Nodding he takes a pull.  "Rum?" He.offers to Rathe

"As I said, mutual friends: someone must have seen him taken and I was in the area," Rathe replies. She accepts the flask with a nod, taking a sip, and grimacing a bit. "Thank you. That tastes like burning. I have been without food or water for longer than I am used to. That will do for now. Fionn, I believe? What is Velda's issue with Gert? Also, if you see a pack lying about, please let me know. I need my things if I am to be useful in this place."

looking skyward  "yes yes, i know"

then to Rathe  if i see one youll be the first to know, as far as Velda, im still trying to figure that one out, best friends maybe i dunno, i just met this group maybe 2 days ago

Nova's mismatched eyes would fall over Fionn and Rathe as they conversed. She'd only exhale a breath. Eventually she'd passively sniff in different directions from her spot, seeing if she'd catch a scent to hint a direction of where Gert could have gone, or if she'd happen to catch smell of this pack the new woman is looking for.

Velda would smile slightly, as Nova sits down next to her. "How are you? Today's a weird day, huh?"

Nova's ears would twitch hearing Velda's voice. She'd have to glance over to see that she was the one being spoken too before having to break eye contact and look back ahead. Her eyes would pan over the group, settling on Cadence for a moment before glancing back up to Velda. Nova was okay with weird. She welcomed it. A hint of a smile would tug at the corner of her lips. But Nova understood Velda's mention of the oddity that was today. "Honestly," She'd look back ahead and let out a breath. "I know where I am." The druid would push at the ground, meaning physical location. "But I feel lost and at a loss at the same time." She'd almost mutter the last bit of her confession out. And her back itched.

Nova wasn't supposed to be lost. She has the urge to find those who are lost. But she was now faced with the question, was Gert truly lost? Does she chase someone who may not wish to be found? She'd deflate into the mud with a big sigh, almost fighting a pout. "But," The druid would flip onto her back and start squirming, rubbing it against the ground to try to scratch it. "Things aren't meant to be perfect." No one is... She'd blink her mismatched eyes as she'd try to navigate scratching her itch, unable to reach it with her hands and not finding the sweet spot on the ground yet. "Even if it's not the original direction, there's always a way to be found right?" Nova would dig her heels into the dirt, stretching herself out a little as she'd push into the ground, finally finding the right motion to scratch the itch. She'd let out a sigh of relief before settling. "One step at a time." What ever one we can take...

Cadence crosses her arms, looking at Velda with little sympathy, "The song plays as it wishes, we just follow its stream, like a bunch of little fishes.  Now....we got a key, we got a door, lets go figure things out and maybe help this town a little more." 

Velda looked at Nova, with a curious smile and a sad, melancholic expression on her face: "So you're searching for someone too?" She left the question in the air, not really seeming like she wanted an answer. Turning to Cadence, she slowly pushed off the wall she had leaned against. "Right. Maybe that will help us, or maybe we'll help the town. Either way, someone is better off."

“You are trying to help the town of Phandalin? What have you learned of this group of miscreants thus far?”

Rathe’s voice is slowly getting stronger, whether from the sense of freedom that landed more viscerally outside, or Fionn’s sip of spirits, or a return of confidence after gutting her captors, or a slow osmosis of understanding of this odd group.

Cadence, “They murder and sell slaves without a care. But if you hurt them they whine for their lives and complain about what’s fair. Their leader is maybe a mage, he’s around here somewhere, center stage.”

"They're bullies, weak people banding together to push others down."

"Except that one lady that smells like sewer!" Nova would blurt out from the ground. "They don't bug her at the Miner's Exchange." She'd start scratching her forehead, scrunching it as she'd remember blips of things. "And there could be a secret tunnel." The half elf would tilt her head back to look at and jut her chin towards Velda. "A boy made a point to tell me that after you mentioned this place." She'd explain. Then the druid would pat her nose remembering two other little things that stood out to her around the same time, but they were not specific to this conversation. She'd stick a pin in those thoughts for later if they became more relevant.

"Huh, so more secret rooms down there then? Lead the way, Cadence." Velda is putting on a normal face, trying her best to keep going, and not slow the others down. If they wanted to find Gert, they needed her.

Cadence pats Velda on the shoulder, "Brave!  Let's go save!" 

She leads the way to the door with the lock in it, and then makes way for Fionn, with a big flourish, "Sir, your key hole. This will be good for your soul!"

Fionn tries the key

The key clicks in the lock. Those more acutely aware of their surroundings (passive perception 15+) feel a slight breeze coming the area on the exact opposite side of the door where Fionn used the key. Who would like to open the door/go through first?

I'm assuming Rathe's notsogood roll from before was her check for traps roll -- she'll listen at the door too.

Perception: 18

She's fine to open the door a bit, look in, and enter.

Stealth: 25

"I can usually stay quiet. Allow me to go first."