The Wrong Guys IC II

[Savannah]

Rana whispers, "Do we really want to be sneaking unannounced into the house of a half-undead girl who we don't really know?"

[Strawberries]

Audric just shrugs at Antal's words when he picks the lock. He is turning a blind eye on much worse matters, it isn't the halfling's methods that are going to make a difference.

"No, I'd prefer to know what's happening, first." he answers Rana.

((listen - (1d20+3)[13] to see if he can distinguish the sounds.))

[Ajadea]

Audric

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Nope, you still can't tell if the shouting you heard has simply died down or if it came from the market.

[Strawberries]

Audric strains his ears for another moment, then shrugs "Nothing any more. Well then..." He takes some steps forward, before calling, with a clear, calm voice "Ranias?" As he calls, he looks around the inside of the house, once again focusing his magic-detection abilities around.

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((Detect magic again,please? I suppose since he is inside, maybe he can pick up something more))

[Ajadea]

Audric

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Again, no response.

There is a hint of a whisper, or perhaps a tune, and a sensation on the back of your neck, almost, but not quite, like the tail of a tiny snake. Incredibly faint magic, the sort that hints at only the most minor of spells, used infrequently at best.

[Strawberries]

Audic frowns, confused. He was expecting something else entirely - Ranias' signature messed-up colors, smells and sound "I am not sure that she is in the house - I can't pick up her magic." he says. Unconsciously tensing up a bit, he begins to walk carefully in the direction where he perceived the aura.

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

Matching Audrics pace, Llaars brings himself beside the paladin. In his head, he was deciding whether he wanted to rush in and surprise whatever was in the next room, or stay next to Audric and retain whatever small amount of stealth they currently held. In the end, he just exhales and clenches his hands.

[Ajadea]

Audric and Llaars head into the room to your right-given that it's the only room in the house with any light as far as you can tell, there's not much choice. You think you can hear something skittering away. The floorboards creak under your feet, even when you step onto the stained carpet in the center of the room. Closer up, it is clear that the lumps are armchairs and couches that are easily older than you are. One of the chairs is leaking fluff, and the seat of another has been torn to shreds. Every movement sends clouds of dust into the air. You think you can see a hint of cobwebs in the corner.

The air feels cold and thick against your skin. It is dry as a bone and carries a slight odor of rot with it. In the far left corner, a door is hanging ajar. Through it, all you see is darkness.

[Savannah]

Rana follows closely, lips pressed in displeasure, Shadow at her side.

[Strawberries]

"Ranias? You know you have nothing to fear from us." Audric is, in fact, pretty sure that Ranias is not there to hear those words...but if that skittering sound was made by something different than a mouse, he wants whoever is home to hear them. He takes some steps towards the door in the corner, then as an afterthought, he stops to quickly light his lantern - he doesn't want to be at a disadvantage because he can't see past his nose. He takes advantage of the light to take another look at the room

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((spot - (1d20+3)[6] search - (1d20+1)[13] and also, since I'm here listen - (1d20+3)[5] . EDIT:: Well, then, nevermind. If the others don't do anything else he'll keep walking slowly towards the door (pausing just for a second to overturn the carpet in the center of the room, just in case). Also, please, detect magic again: since he is in an unfamiliar situation, I figure he is relying on his abilities fully))

[Savannah]

Rana, too, keeps her eyes and ears open. (As does Shadow, along with his nose, of course )

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Spot (1d20+11)[27], listen (1d20+11)[15]

[Ajadea]

The light helps some with being able to see past your nose. Doesn't help with the fact this place is seriously unnerving. There is no response of any sort to Audric's words. No crazy people jump out from the shadows, and Ranias doesn't appear anywhere.

Paral looks pale and tired, though the walk was not that long. He leans heavily on one of the ancient chairs. "Are you sure this bard didn't run away already?"

Rana

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You hear nothing out of the ordinary. You can see the outline of a few bottles and something lumpy almost out of sight through the far door.

[Savannah]

Rana frowns slightly and cautiously moves towards the far door, trying to make the object out in better detail.

[Strawberries]

"It's possible." Audric throws a concerned look to Paral - the sorcerer obviously needs more time to recover - then follows close behind Rana, ready to intervene if something should jump at her.

[Ajadea]

Given that the unknown object turns out to be a pair of rather dead-looking cats in an open sack, you aren't exactly surprised when it does not jump up and attempt to eat Rana's face. The bottles look like they might have once held cheap alcohol, but they are empty now.

[Savannah]

Rana very carefully kneels down and takes out the dead cats, stroking their heads and laying them out in more natural poses. As she does so, she checks to see how they died (although she suspects she already knows...).

Heal (1d20+9)[16]

[Ajadea]

Rana

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Cause of death: Acute exsanguination (aka sudden loss of a lot of blood).

[Savannah]

Rana sighs, "That's what I was afraid of. She looks up at Audric (and anyone else looking over her shoulder), "They were bled to death. I think Ranias drank them..."

[Ajadea]

Paral looks disgusted. "Your dead bard drank a cat. And left it on the floor to rot." He catches sight of the second cat. "Correction. She drank two cats. I wouldn't touch those things if they were alive. How hungry do you think that makes her, now?"

[Strawberries]

Audric has to work very hard to suppress a shudder at the sight. A little voice inside his head mocks him You let an half-undead bard go, Audric. What in Aldaran's name were you expecting? but it is counteracted by a far more sensible thought - and it's this last one that he decides to put in words "She drinks blood, of that we were already aware. And I do not know how hungry she is now." I am only grateful those are cats and not people "That means she is still in the house- or at least, she was till fairly recently."

((Ajadea, how long ago do that cats seem to have died? If needed heal - (1d20+7)[21]))

[Ajadea]

Audric

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Going off appearances alone, the cats have been dead about two days. However, the removal of blood can slow the decomposistion of a body somewhat.

[Strawberries]

...or not. Audric bends down to give a better look to the cats, then gets up again, unconsciosly wiping his hands against each other, even if he didn't touch the carcasses. He sighs "She was here a couple of days ago, at least." he amends. He turns around to give another look to the room, and his eyes fall on the big wolf. "Rana" he asks, slowly as if a bit unsure of himself "Would Shadow be able to smell if someone was hiding in the house?"

[Savannah]

Rana nods and turns to Shadow. She murmurs something in a language you don't understand, and he begins to sniff the air.

(Telling him to find living creatures -- it's one of his tricks.)

[Ajadea]

Shadow sniffs around and then heads back into the entry hall, yipping at the base of the stairs without going up them. You hear a loud string of sharp, incomprehensible, and possibly Elven words.

[Strawberries]

Audric turns to give a meaningful look to Rana, then starts to step up the stairs. He moves slowly and deliberately - the last thing he wants is to scare people into attacking. "Michael? Michael Veltaros? I think we need to talk." He hesitates, then adds in Elven "[It is somewhat important.]"

[Ajadea]

Another burst of loud Elven shouting. A door slams above you. After a moment, a skinny, scruffy-looking human with light brown hair and sallow skin pokes his head over the railing. "Who're you lot, an' how'd y'get in here?" he demands sharply. "An' what d'you need t'talk t'me about?"

[Strawberries]

"Through the door. I am...ah, sorry for the intrusion. We deemed it necessary." As he talks, he is careful to keep his hands in plain sight and away from his weapons at all times. "As for what we need to talk about...several things. For starters, a girl named Ranias-" he pauses, making a memory effort "Ranias Dalithane. May we come up? Sit down, maybe? It is rather unconfortable having to bend our necks and shout up a ramp of stairs, and we do have a convalescent person with us." The last couple of sentences are said with a slight smile: Audric is doing his best to defuse any delicate situation before they present themselves. This doesn't stop him to surreptitiously scan the man in search of signs of magical activities. Even if he isn't going to act on it, he prefers to know who he is dealing with.

((Detect magic, please and thank you.))

[Savannah]

Rana quietly walks over to Shadow and lays a hand on his neck. He sits down and leans his head on her hip as they both watch the unknown man.

[Ajadea]

"Ye'll be doin' no such thing," the man (presumably Michael) snaps. He disappears from sight for a few moments, and you can hear his clunking footsteps coming down the stairs. He stops halfway down, on the landing. You can see he's clad in faded, old, clothes. Shadow growls up at him. "Call off yer mutt."

Audric

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Looking at Michael again gives you the same feeling of not-quite-a-snake-skin but this time it is joined with the feeling of tiny, sharp, claws along your arms and neck.

[Savannah]

Rana silently puts a hand on the side of Shadow's muzzle, and he quiets, although he still stares intently at the man.