“Yes, I agree... Or do you think there’s a third way in, down that well?... or through the shed?....”. Ash is really thinking, and looking out into the middle distance now like a dragon-chess player in full flow...

((Maybe some of this discussion not directly relating to what Ben's magic eyes see happened when we were back at camp? Otherwise we're whisper chatting up a storm outside the house....))

"I mean... maybe. But if not, we're just mucking about running a risk of being heard or spotted. Just so we're all on the same page... I mean the guy did try to kill me, so I'm not saying we treat them gentle, but if we'd been in their position and some randos came rolling up on our house, I might throw a dart first, ask questions later too. I'm thinking in all likelihood they aren't up to any good here, but are we going in looking to figure that out, or are we cleaning house? I'm well equipped to just knock people out, if we want to you know, ask questions first and stuff, but don't think shooting them or doing whatever Ben does to make their brains hurt is really a gentle option. Have ah... have any of you guys... um, killed someone before? I mean, it might come to that tonight, right? And if it does, I mean, even if they're a nasty cult, we're coming here with premeditated intent, right?"

((I’m imagining some of this discussion might have gone on during the morning back at camp, or on the way there, rather than in the back garden))

Ash’s look goes distant for a second and she chuckles, “My old partner Fiddnot, would say, ‘Throw a burning torch down the stairs and smoke them out!’, or ‘Drop a sack of those flesh-eating spiders down the trapdoor!’.”.

”He never was a big one for being subtle! Haha...”. She looks round the group. “What? No!... I’m not serious!... but if we’re putting every idea on the table!”.

"Not a bad idea... but it might need to be more than a torch to smoke them out... torch they could just stick in a chamber pot or the like. And I don't relish trying to bag up spiders... but yeah, dumping something BAD down the trapdoor, then tipping furniture on the trapdoor could be a good play, except that room didn't have any furniture."

Ash thinks on a previous question and avoids it, but says, “To kill or not is a fair question... Perhaps we plan not to in the first instance. I can subdue an assailant when I need to... But if it’s us or them, or if they bring deadly force, then I say we may need to rethink that strategy on the fly”. She looks around the group for thoughts.

"Kay, I like the idea of you silencing one of the traps and allowing us to sneak in. Probably the one on the stairs? It avoids the risk of setting off an alarm that will, as you put it, put swords and crossbows in hands. It also has an added benefit of allowing us to more easily subdue people rather than kill them. The fire option burns up our treasure and them, potentially, and the spider or other creature is too risky to us in rounding it up!"

He looks in the direction of the house,

"They are clearly up to something they don't want people knowing about in there and were willing to shoot first and yell orders later to protect it. I doubt they would have shed a tear had the bolt found its mark in Kay's head. As Ash says, we subdue when we can but if it comes down to it, well I won't hesitate."

He doesn't directly address Kay's question about having killed people directly but his emphasis on the last word carries some implications.

((yeah I think some of this conversation would be taking place back at the camp and/or on the way.))

Ess would say (and this all would flow naturally into your conversation instead of all at the end, hahaha) "Yeah man... Kay's magic definitely works. Like, I can see pretty darn well right now, and you guys all saw that crate he created. Dude, if you can get rid of the mouth thing, we can see about sneaking in."

Ess looks troubled when the part about the morality of it all and killing another man comes up etc. "Dudes. This is a good point. I never really thought about this. Suppose it's because the bastard tried to stick Korrik here in the head with a crossbow bolt. But yeah, no, I've never killed anyone bros. Man, this is intense shit dudes. I need a smoke. You got any Kay?"

"Ok. Yeah, you know what, this might not be our business, but those mutherforkers tried to kill Kay, and well they're definitely trying to hide something, and are likely on the wrong side of the law. Not even sure that last part matters much, but dudes, I'll be ready if the time comes. Let's just go see wtf they are so mad about and seem to be trying to hard to protect or to defend. Maybe we can have a conversation with them like they are our friends." he nudges Ben back when he says this. 

((Ess is good with the plan to remove the mouth with Korrik's magic and then however you guys want to proceed is good with Ess. Smoking them out, going in both entrances, sneaking in the trapdoor... whatever you guys decide he's on board. He's not going to suggest anything else :D ))

Oh, he'd ask Ben how many people he can charm, like he charmed him and Ash. 

Ben would answer Ess with,

"I can try it on a handful but there is no guarantee it will stick, especially if we are already fighting them. I'm certainly up for testing it if we can do so without getting hurt."

Korrik will share a smoke with Ess back at camp.

"So shut the mouth on the stairs if we can't get around it, and we go in that way?"

"Yes, seems like the best plan. I suspect once I see it I will be able to determine if it's possible to get around it. If not you take care of it and then Ash takes the lead, us right behind."

He looks at Ess,

"Maybe Ess further behind. How sneaky are you now that you're not a rat?"

Then back to Kay,

"Once we are about to head down I want to try something out on you Kay. It won't hurt either way but it might help keep you standing too."

((So @Klein, when Ben looks at the yelling mouth on the stairs down does it look like it would be possible to avoid it's area of affect? Otherwise he'd let Kay know his plan is a go.))

"Ummm, okay.", Kay shrugs at Ben's vague suggestion.

Ess would respond "it's hit and miss, man, but I'm nowhere near as slimy, I mean as sneaky as when I was ratty. Fork that shit though, bro. So yeah, maybe I cover the rear in case the chumps surround us bros?"

((without giving meta knowledge but also progressing the moment due to PbP at the same time, I'll tell you that basically if you go anywhere within 5ft of either of the magic mouth traps, they will go off and start yelling scary things like "geettttt ooouuutttt!!!!". Technically you're supposed to roll again to be in that semi frightened state, but that's just silly in this case given what has transpired, so we will ignore that. If you have a way of getting down the trap door or those stairs without getting in a 5ft radius of the mouths, then go for it, but it is unlikely. It's probably impossible via the trap door.))

You can all try to jump over the one on the stairs in the kitchen area, but it'll take a decent athletics roll.

**as well as it will require a stealth roll when walking through the house now. And the more you talk once we say that you have arrived at the house, the higher chances of things happening. 

Once Ben checks the stairs he whispers the layout,

"Not sure I would be able to jump that successfully. Maybe your plan to silence it is best now Kay? And does it move with you? If it does we can just stick close as we move through the house without making any noise."

((So I guess we will go in the other entrance nearest the kitchen and if, Kay agrees, head down with Ash in the lead? If that is what is happening then Ben will do this))

Very quietly Ben whispers a rhyme while doing a little flourish with his hand and poking Kay in the forehead,

"A short friend with curly hair, with fuzzy feet beyond compare, oh our enemies will despair, when I give him the power of a bear!"

Enhance ability on Kay, bear's endurance.

Temp hit points: 10

And advantage on con saves.

Oh and the stealth if needed: 23

((Not Saves, just checks. Which don't come up very often, but the 6 THP is appreciated!))

Korrik jumps up and down a bit, invigorated by Ben's magic. 

"I can't move it once I drop it, and it'll last for ten minutes or so, but I can drop it over the whole back of the house, should cover the kitchen, stairs up and down, and most of the two rooms nearby, so we could even kick in the door and it wouldn't make noise. But probably best to move quick and quiet.", he says with a grin in Ess's direction.

 Korrik will slip close to the side of the house, concentrate for a moment, then breathe out a quiet chant while swirling his fists. The shadows swirl and cling as he turns around and grins, stepping up close to the east side of the house by the backdoor and snapping his fingers, grinning wider as it makes no sound. 

((Do we need stealth to enter the house if we're doing it completely within the bubble of silence? If so, would that give advantage?))

((True enough Spider, was going from memory. Was hoping for more hp but it will do!))

As the magic is cast, Ash nods and approaches the back door (on the east side of the image above inside the zone of silence).

As Ash enters the magical silence, it’s like nothing she’s ever experienced before. Like stepping off the edge of the word into nothingness. One of her key senses is gone, but she opens her eyes wide, looking from here to there, to compensate.

If there’s a keyhole she’ll look through, otherwise she cautiously try the door handle. If it moves she’ll turn it. If it turns she’s open the door a smidge, peering through the whole time. If the coast seems clear she’ll step inside and head cautiously, looking all around, towards the stairs.

((Yeah, 12 would have been great, but I'd rather 6 than 2!))