As the two of you move through the upper floors you find mostly moldering, decrepit bedrooms and storage areas -- full of rotting clothing, water-damaged books, and decaying broken beds and mattresses. The smell is incredibly bad and makes it difficult for you to concentrate on your search. There is not much useful in any of the rooms. Gib, you in particular are absolutely disgusted by the state of the upper floor, making looking around difficult.
Eventually, however, the two of you do find something of interest -- one of the doors is locked (I've marked the locked door on the map). Looking around, Tul does manage to see the glimmer of a small metal object amidst the clutter, dirt, and vegetation that seems to overtaken much of the hallway. Oddly, it is right outside the locked door.
Ground Floor
Arvastan and Hugh don't find much at first -- you pass through rooms that were clearly once a dining room and a smoking room that have suffered from decades of neglect. You both find some interesting things as you move to the front of the house though (I have marked relevant locations on the map in the resources.) First, you come across what was clearly once the study of the wizard. Though most of the books are ruined, you do find a few that are in usuable shape and probably sellable once you return to Saltmarsh (each book is worth 7 gp).
The titles are
*The Magical Properties of Gemstones by Tenser
*The Magical Properties of Herbs and Horticulture by Tenser
Metaphysical Mathematics by Nystul
Hugh, you also notice that there seems to be a loose brick in the fireplace, which seems out of place.
Finally, as you examine the living area, you notice another trap door, identical in appearance to the one you found in the maid's quarters.
We'll say that the ten minutes for the ritual have passed by this time. What are you all doing?
"It's like I said: There's nothing here so we can put these ghost stories to bed and head to the shore to look for pirates. This disgusting place gives ol' Gib the creeps." He scowls and shudders.
Poking around carefully at the loose stone, Arvastan discovers a hidden compartment with a small, velvet pouch contained within. Inside the pouch are two small vials that have a strange red liquid in them -- they are 2 potions of healing. He also finds 14 silver and a small crystal, that looks like it might be a spellcasting focus of some sort. It has a flat bottom, and is very pretty, but does not seem to be overly valuable (it is worth 5 silver).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tul ignores Gib's complaints about the state of the building. This is the same man willing to use a greasy, spider infested cloth to wipe himself with.
"Dimma is probably finished her work now so we should head back, but let's just quickly check this room."
She checks the pile of detritus that has the glimpse of metal more closely, concerned that there could be some sort of trap set for this door, but also hopeful that is might just be a key.
"...see, you can't dismiss the thought of looking for pirates down by the water simply by virtue of it being so obvious! There's absolutely zero chance that the key to this whole thing would be buried right in front of us in this miserable excuse for a ghost house..." Gibson trails off as he notices Tul picking something up from the pile of rubble. "Uh... What do you have there?"
As you swing open the door, at first glance, the room appears to be just another bedroom. However, you soon see in the southeast corner of the room, right under the window, a half-elf on the floor of the room. He is bound and gagged, but seems to be breathing. He is clad only in undergarments and appears to neither have weapons nor equipment. As he sees you, he squirms with alarm and tries to move closer to the window, but he barely moves an inch, given his current state.
Momentarily stunned with jaw hanging open, Gibson whispers from behind Tul, peering over her shoulder, "Is this the kind of situation where you want me to yell for the others?"
Gibson, keeping his eyes on the half-naked half-elf, turns his head slightly and his voice booms out unnaturally loudly with an accidental casting of thaumaturgy, "UH... GUYS? YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME UPSTAIRS."
Flinching at the sudden volume of his own voice, he looks at Tul's ear inches from his face. "Terribly sorry about that, friend. Didn't know I had that kind of lung power!"
Perception to look for anything interesting: 20
Investigation to look closer if we find anything: 11
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Hugh follows Arstavan in looking around the bottom floor (I think), much less gracefully.
Stealth: 9
Perception: 18
Alton Thorngage- (Klein’s One Shot String Adventure)
Holden Stonefist-(A Tale of Mercenaries)
Fenrick Wolfsbane- (Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden)
DMing-Ctleath13’s Lost Mines of Phandelver and Ctleath13’s Out of the Abyss
Upper Floor
As the two of you move through the upper floors you find mostly moldering, decrepit bedrooms and storage areas -- full of rotting clothing, water-damaged books, and decaying broken beds and mattresses. The smell is incredibly bad and makes it difficult for you to concentrate on your search. There is not much useful in any of the rooms. Gib, you in particular are absolutely disgusted by the state of the upper floor, making looking around difficult.
Eventually, however, the two of you do find something of interest -- one of the doors is locked (I've marked the locked door on the map). Looking around, Tul does manage to see the glimmer of a small metal object amidst the clutter, dirt, and vegetation that seems to overtaken much of the hallway. Oddly, it is right outside the locked door.
Ground Floor
Arvastan and Hugh don't find much at first -- you pass through rooms that were clearly once a dining room and a smoking room that have suffered from decades of neglect. You both find some interesting things as you move to the front of the house though (I have marked relevant locations on the map in the resources.) First, you come across what was clearly once the study of the wizard. Though most of the books are ruined, you do find a few that are in usuable shape and probably sellable once you return to Saltmarsh (each book is worth 7 gp).
The titles are
*The Magical Properties of Gemstones by Tenser
*The Magical Properties of Herbs and Horticulture by Tenser
Metaphysical Mathematics by Nystul
Hugh, you also notice that there seems to be a loose brick in the fireplace, which seems out of place.
Finally, as you examine the living area, you notice another trap door, identical in appearance to the one you found in the maid's quarters.
We'll say that the ten minutes for the ritual have passed by this time. What are you all doing?
Hugh scoops up the books before pointing out the loose brick “Oi, elf man. Want to check this loose brick out?”
After that, Hugh will wait by the trapdoor, yet again tapping his foot incessantly.
Alton Thorngage- (Klein’s One Shot String Adventure)
Holden Stonefist-(A Tale of Mercenaries)
Fenrick Wolfsbane- (Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden)
DMing-Ctleath13’s Lost Mines of Phandelver and Ctleath13’s Out of the Abyss
Arvastan wanders over to investigate the loose brick and the fireplace, checking for anything that might stand out or why the brick is loose.
New Investigation if needed: 12
(of course)
No Longer Active"It's like I said: There's nothing here so we can put these ghost stories to bed and head to the shore to look for pirates. This disgusting place gives ol' Gib the creeps." He scowls and shudders.
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
(@inkedwolves: with advantage if Hugh helped?)
Alton Thorngage- (Klein’s One Shot String Adventure)
Holden Stonefist-(A Tale of Mercenaries)
Fenrick Wolfsbane- (Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden)
DMing-Ctleath13’s Lost Mines of Phandelver and Ctleath13’s Out of the Abyss
(I'd say, sure -- since Hugh pointed it out to you.)
(Oh good~ In that case:)
Investigation: 16
No Longer ActivePoking around carefully at the loose stone, Arvastan discovers a hidden compartment with a small, velvet pouch contained within. Inside the pouch are two small vials that have a strange red liquid in them -- they are 2 potions of healing. He also finds 14 silver and a small crystal, that looks like it might be a spellcasting focus of some sort. It has a flat bottom, and is very pretty, but does not seem to be overly valuable (it is worth 5 silver).
(I added the healing potions to your inventory.)
Tul ignores Gib's complaints about the state of the building. This is the same man willing to use a greasy, spider infested cloth to wipe himself with.
"Dimma is probably finished her work now so we should head back, but let's just quickly check this room."
She checks the pile of detritus that has the glimpse of metal more closely, concerned that there could be some sort of trap set for this door, but also hopeful that is might just be a key.
(Perception: 20 )
As you dig through the pile next to the door, sorting through moldy clothes, curtains, and small animal remains, you eventually pull out a key.
"...see, you can't dismiss the thought of looking for pirates down by the water simply by virtue of it being so obvious! There's absolutely zero chance that the key to this whole thing would be buried right in front of us in this miserable excuse for a ghost house..." Gibson trails off as he notices Tul picking something up from the pile of rubble. "Uh... What do you have there?"
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Tul tries the key on the locked door.
As you swing open the door, at first glance, the room appears to be just another bedroom. However, you soon see in the southeast corner of the room, right under the window, a half-elf on the floor of the room. He is bound and gagged, but seems to be breathing. He is clad only in undergarments and appears to neither have weapons nor equipment. As he sees you, he squirms with alarm and tries to move closer to the window, but he barely moves an inch, given his current state.
Momentarily stunned with jaw hanging open, Gibson whispers from behind Tul, peering over her shoulder, "Is this the kind of situation where you want me to yell for the others?"
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Tul nods her head at Gib's question.
"That might be wise," she says. "In case this is a trap."
She then looks around the room for any sign of weak flooring, or trip wires between the door and the half-elf before heading in.
(Perception: 13 )
Given the level of dirt of everything on the room, its hard to tell.
(Go ahead a roll a Dex ST.)
Gibson, keeping his eyes on the half-naked half-elf, turns his head slightly and his voice booms out unnaturally loudly with an accidental casting of thaumaturgy, "UH... GUYS? YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME UPSTAIRS."
Flinching at the sudden volume of his own voice, he looks at Tul's ear inches from his face. "Terribly sorry about that, friend. Didn't know I had that kind of lung power!"
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
(Tul Dex Save: 18 )