Silthras ponder for a moment, and cautiously looks for any sign of a wire or rope, that might allow someone at the top to warn those below.

Silthras Investigation: 15

With your augmented sight that lets you see inside this room as clear as day, you can confidently say there's no alert system set up. No wires, no rope, nothing.

After Sylnora passes on the message, Kal quietly draws his sword and begins to move in a wide arc through the trees to reach the northern side. Once there, he settles into a crouch, intently watching the tower.

Trusting his own, as well as Sil's senses, Usul slowly and invisibly creeps in through the broken out area to begin scouting inside, whispering back to Sil as he goes.

Silthras relays the progress via Syl, while keeping watch near the foot of the stairs.

Silently creeping up the stairs, Usul finds out very quickly that it is collapsed above the second floor. The second floor itself is a circular room 20 foot in diameter similar to the first floor. It definitely looks like three people have been living up here. Dust and rubble has been cleared away, and space made for three rough looking sleeping arraignments of straw and piled up burlap sacks.

But there's not a soul in sight.

Meanwhile, Silthras would hear a soft clink of metal on stone from the stairs that spiral down underground.

When each of Syl and Usul next "check in", Silthras would reply, "Sounds from below" and add any other details he can discern, then move to a position away from the stairs, and off the path, ready to ambush any single person that comes and stay out of the way of a larger group. To Usul he would add, "Stay in touch; we should take on a loner", and to Syl he would add "No signs of guards above ground. Move up to ambush."

@DM: Does it sound like multiple people, or one person, and are the sounds getting closer?

It was a single little plink.

Dib: This little familiar that is often forgotten by the DM would be able to discern that the fading gross human smells of the upstairs room are unlike the current strong scent on the air, which seems to be wafting from below ~~~

While Silthras waits, he conveys as much of the scene as possible to Syl, ending with, "I think if you come up to the hole in the wall, we can explore a little further down, and perhaps take out a sentry? Sound reasonable?"

He also relays this to Usul when he gets the chance...

 @DM: Have there been any signs that they come up above ground to relieve themselves, or are there unpleasant smells from below as well?

"Alright, let's move." Syl whispers to the other two after relaying Silthras' message. Drawing her rapier, she moves through the treeline and up the hill, coming up to the ruined wall of the tower.

Kal follows Sylnora into the tower, beginning to look around for Silthras and Usul before realizing the futility of it. Quietly, he waits for direction from their two invisible friends.

With this room being the top, Usul will begin to creep downwards, sending a message to say, “Whoever lives up here is out right now. And something smells funky down below…”

Velyra steps in behind the others. Taking care to move silently she moves across the room to just before the stairs leading downward, straining her ears to for slightest hint of movement.

With careful, quiet steps the invisible duo begin to creep down the stairs. The descent goes down two flights, spiraling around the same diameter as the rest of the tower. No light makes it down this far. You find no traps along the way, but at the bottom you find a young man chained to the wall, matching the description given by Lady Anet. He has a blindfold on, and appears to be unconscious. There's another plink as he shifts slightly, causing his manacles to scrape against the stone.

Silthras stops and stares then sends to Syl, "The lad's here...just waiting for us, chained to the wall. I don't like it." He waits for contact from Usul, and uses the time to peer down any passages he might see, as well as seeing how he is tied to the wall (without getting too close).

Seeing the man in chains, Usul looks around, and Dib pops his nose out of his coat to sniff the air, both looking for other signs of life, thinking to himself that so far, this feels too easy…

There aren't any other passages that lead from the stairs. From what you can tell, this lower level was probably used as a storeroom when the keep was in prime condition. The young man has his wrists secured together by manacles, which is linked to an anchor on the wall by chain links. His feet are likewise bound.

For Usul and Dib, nothing seems out of the ordinary. Dib still only smells the one fresh scent, coming from this man. There aren't any areas for someone to be hiding on the bottom floor. A few sacks litter the ground, but that's it. No crates, barrels, hallways, or crevices.

“We think we’re alone. He’s down here. Should we wake him or just take him out?” Usul whispers back towards Sil, and then begins to walk towards the man, lock pick at the ready should he have a chance to free the man ((22))

Silthras replies, "Perhaps try speaking in his mind first, but warn him to remain quiet. Ask him about guards...and when they will return."

While he waits, Silthras explains the situation to Syl.