Bertolt looks around slowly as he examines the actions of the others, taking the new parchment and ink to jot down what had been happening since they came into the house. "Do any of you have notes for me to take down?"

@Sho
As you cast your spell, you are immediately assailed by auras from all sides and angles.  You focus on the water skin and can tell it’s not magical. It’s just water.  You need to clench your eyes shut to prevent being overwhelmed by effects. It’s clear the house itself has some very powerful magic. 

@Erven @Talion
You don’t hear anything at the door. You do notice, getting close to the door and the wall, that the paneling has serpents and skulls interwoven into the design pattern - this seems to continue. Around the room and up the stairs. 

@Talion
The “room” doesn’t answer you. 

With Talion's help, Erven checks the doors in the rooms for traps.  Afterward he looks at his companions, "Should we proceed?  I agree, the only way out is through.  Which door would you like?  Should we start to the south?"

Talion nods, his enthusiasm apparently back in full force,  "First on the right. So be it!"

Then he glances back at the badly-wounded Sho,  "Do you need time to rest and recover?" he asks.

(( South works for me ))

@Erven @Talion
You both stop and listen at each door - and at each one you both hear the same things at each door, but it's like it is heard through water and is muffled....
A -

B -

C -

D -

Stairs (all) - you all hear faint crying coming from up the stairs....

What's the decision of the party?

(( My vote is D or stay still and rest so that Sho can recover a little ))

Talion looks again at Sho, "Rest?" he asks, then turns back to the door. "We should prepare. When we move forward, I can open the door from a distance..."

“I am still hurting from those rats we encountered before entering the house, I could do with a small rest, but up to Sho and the rest of you.”  He sits down in the chair in the northwest corner.  “Another option is to proceed upstairs and find the source of the crying... Walter is it?  After what we have seen and heard I no longer know what is real and what is an illusion...”

Talion looks up the stairs and grimaces, "I am not keen to leave any more surprises behind us...I doubt what we heard is really behind each door, but I would like to know what is..." he examines his component pouch carefully, "...perhaps more of our gear. I am not even sure if the house wants us to rescue Walter, but I'd prefer to do so better equipped."

"One of those things grazed me but it was nothing that needs to be worried about. But of any of you need to rest it would be best to do so here since it seems we have already cleared out this room... Or at least so it seems." Bertolt muses as he turns his eyes to each of them, warily dropping his hand back to the dagger on his hip.

Sho turns to look at Talion, he had been ready to move on, and the latter's sudden concern and kindness was something he had not expected. Surprised, he was silent for a few seconds before nodding quietly. “A break would be appreciated.”

He moves towards Erven and settles down against the wall beside him, tending to his wounds. “I will say,” looking up the stairs, his face pale but calm, “the children, the illusions, it seemed like an elaborate scheme to lure us upstairs. And might not be a good idea to throw ourselves into a trap, - though,” he smiles faintly, “it is a bit too late for that.”

Hit Dice: 9

Erven tends to his wounds in his thigh, taking the opportunity to rest as well.  “Ok, we will start on this level, door to door I guess.  Who knows what we will find as it seems that sound as well does not match up with reality.  “

Hit dice :  2

Talion laughs at Sho's comment. "Yes...traps are best approached by sneaking up on them from the side."

He settles himself down on the west wall of the north end of the south corridor, satisfied that he has a clear view of the other doors and a quick route to the exit if necessary. "Besides...I miss my backpack! Had that thing for a while now, and it was just beginning to fit properly." he stares bleakly and theatrically at the new one.

"Shall we move on?"  Erven stands and points to the door in the south.

When everyone is rested, Talion suggests opening it from a distance...

Good call. Sho Zuan stands up, and steps behind the sofa on the northwest corner and hides in the shadows, while he gestures others to hide as well. And someone can open the door from a distance using mage hand, he would assume.

Stealth: 21

Erven nods and hides as well, near the double doors entering the room.  

Stealth :  23

When everyone is in position, Talion takes a position skulking behind the stairway entrance, and opens the door...

Stealth: 9

Bertolt nods as he moves to get into a position he thinks will be the best place to hide for the moment. As he does so he will ready the dagger to be thrown if something comes rushing out of the room.

Stealth: 24

@Talion
I think you all found backpacks...

@all
With the exception of Sho, who seems to slide into the shadows and recesses quite efficiently, the rest of you dive like oversized bulls into the China shop, creating more noise than you suppress.  It matters little though, because as Talion opens the door, you are greeted by a cozy-looking room, glowing slightly from a lit fire in what you suppose is a fireplace, and looking straight into the room, there is also a lit chandelier perched over top of a cloth-covered table.  4 chairs surround the table.  On the wall you can see, there looks to be a cabinet or wardrobe of some kind.  You can't see anything else at the moment from where you are....

(( Talion was complaining about missing HIS backpack -- or are these backpacks also ours from before? ))

Talion looks a little sheepish at his clumsy attempt to hide, glances at the others, then moves out of cover and walks to the door cautiously and peers inside.

Perception: 17 (passive 14)

If he sees nothing to disturb him, he walks into the room...