Northlands Campaign

A warning hiss comes from the southeast corner, and you see a snake's head rise up from the floor until it stands just over 5'.  Its tongue flicks in and out but is not currently advancing.  Around the floor you see various pellets (snake droppings) ranging in size from 6" to over 2' scattered around the area.

Cade: 

Wil stops when he sees the snake's head rise and looks around the room (Perception: 16). Assuming there is nothing but the pellets, Wil says to the group, "If the snake wanted to do us harm it would have struck without warning. I don't see anything important here in this room so I'd rather we let it be and move on to the West Hall." Wil then nods his head respectfully to the snake and says (even though he know the snake won't understand), "Sorry to have disturbed you my scaled friend" and slowly and non-threateningly backs away.

Kina is all for leaving animals be.
"That sounds wise to me. Horses and snakes don't have a very good history, after all." she whispers, backing up as quietly as her hooves will allow.
"So far, we haven't found anything that can tell us more about this cult we're hunting down. I haven't seen anything of value that the guards here were actually protecting.... nor does it seem like this place is really suited to keeping hostages for any amount of time. Too many places to hide in and not enough solid walls." she murmurs.

"What could they have possibly kept here, I imagine, would be in the most well-fortified areas, the parts that aren't rotting away."

"I have a hard time believing that this is all there is. Maybe there is a hidden passage or a larger base? And as for the snake I'm well for leaving it alone... I don't want to become a tasty treat." Bart will make an investigation check to see if he can find any hidden passages or something like that.

Investigation check: 19

OOC: wow I suck

Bart: 

"I think I see a way my fellow champions. Maybe the smallest one of us could go through the ruble up the stairs." Bart Looks at Barnabus as if they weren't about the same height.

"Lets take a look in that other hall. My bets we go down not up to find what we're looking for. Might be a way down over there. Castles always have dungeons. But I'll let Wil decide. Up the steps or hall?"

The stairs up look a little like the stairs to the left … 

“West hall and down it is,” Wil says after looking at the stairs, “Unless your Dwarven eyes spy a route that I can’t Barnabus.”

The west hallway extends 30' from the main chamber, ending in a closed pair of doors.  You can make out what appear to be 2 closed doors on the left side of the hallway, and a single closed door on the right also.  The dust in this hallway is undisturbed.

Cade would speak to the snake prior to them leaving... "Be at ease great one, we do not wish to anger you. We will leave now." He then follows his companions to the West hall.

Cade: 

Barnabus starts with the first door on the left.

"Probably won't find anything but should still check. Might still find a reason why they chose this place." he says as he opens the door.

The hinges screech but the door opens with little effort.  A stale musky odor wafts out of the room.  Peering inside, the room is a shambles, but not from old furniture like the rest of the keep has been.  At first glance, it seems to be filled with corpses of beasts of all shapes.  However, the abundance of sawdust gives indication that the beasts had been dead and stuffed prior to their destruction here.

Anyone looking into or entering the room roll Insight check.

After glancing in the room Barnabus tells the others what he sees.

Insight: 8

"Aye, not much just some stuffed that hasn't been disturbed for a bit. Take a look" he encourages as he moves to the door on the right. He waits for people to finish their look before opening the door.

Insight: 5

The pieces of creatures all look familiar, common to the northlands, but none of them would be found anywhere near the moors.

Cade enters the room and looks over the stuffed bodies. Insight: 4

Cade:  The creatures all seem to be normal wildlife, but there is one that you have never seen before.  You have heard tales of the beast, but one has not been seen for several decades.

Barnabus:  The right door opens into what looks to have been a kitchen.  Pots, pans, tables and all manner of cooking utensils are scattered about the room.  There is a small gap in the exterior wall next to a large fireplace, and it would seem that a very large lizard is sleeping by the hearth.  Its body is at least 10' long.  You can see some movement, buts its eyes remain closed.  (The picture is not 100% accurate, just for reference.)