Viva la Resistance! [D&D 3.5 Rebellion Game]

[FlamingKobold]

Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10646192#post10646192)'s the OOC.

As you're minding your own business and just going about your daily lives, be it in the shadows or the marketplace, the tavern or the wilderness, an old man dressed in old, tattered clothing walks towards you and grabs your arm. "I am a member of the Blue Oak Resistance, the same as you. Take this letter and pretend you never saw me," he whispers in your ear, shoving a small piece of rolled up paper into your hand. With that, he gives you a meaningful glance and limps away, not turning back.

The letter reads:


We bid that this letter reaches you in good health and prepared for your most difficult challenge yet. You have been handpicked to join a team of experts to deal with a grave new challenge to the freedom and lives of thousands of your countrymen. We recognize that this mission could bring you into harms way and will not fault you should you choose to decline. If, however, you accept and cherish the right to fight for the freedom of the oppressed, meet with us for more details tonight in room 238 of the Scarlett Ale Inn, south of the marketplace. You will be given more information at that time.

Should you choose to accept, this is what you find at the meeting place:

You enter into a dirty, cheap and dimly lit room at one of the worst inns in town. A table dominates the room, with a cloaked man sitting on the far side from the door, and other rebels, similar to yourself, file into the room, taking the rest of the seats. There are five of you in all. After the last to arrive is seated, the man begins.

"Thank you all for choosing to accept this invitation and putting the needs of the many before your own. Your work and dedication will be noted and remembered by the Resistance. Now, let's skip the pleasantries, as I need to be away from here as soon as possible; it has come to our attention that the Duke of Escon is hiring a band of ruthless mercenaries, the Bloody Fist, to quell revolts among the peasants of the duchy. If this is not stopped, the lives of hundred, or possibly thousands, of the peasants will be in grave danger, and knowing the record of the Bloody Fist, there won't be many survivors. The king has turned a blind eye, content to allow such blatant slaughter of his subjects.

This is where you come in. It is up to you five to stop this man's plan from coming to fruition, and I fear that the duke will be meeting and paying the leader of the Bloody Fist, Lucas Aronsson, within the fortnight. I know not how you will stop them, the best I can do is advise you to try to gather more information on the issue in Ivydale, to the East. The Resistance will be willing to pay you 200 gold pieces for your service.

I must leave you now, though I do hope you plan to set out in the morning. Do not expect much help from other members on this mission; you're on your own. Good luck."

And with that he rises, ignoring any questions or interruptions, and departs the room, leaving you at a table with four strangers and, apparently, your new teammates.

[ghostaxe]

"I am Grun," declares the slender but dangerous-looking wood elf after the cloaked man left.

Grun counts out his share of the gold as he continues. "I've hunted with the javelin in the wild for over five decades. I say we find this Lucas right away, neutralize him, and then masquerade as him and his associates in approaching the Duke."

[Silver Night]

"I am called Crutch." The non-descript human scratches his chin, "There're two things we'd need to do, for that plan to work: Find the merc, an' make sure that the Duke don't know him by sight, right?"

[Lord Ruby34]

"I am Aaron, and I was trained as a paladin by my father."

He went on. "The Mercenaries are likely to numerous for us, and if we did succeed then the Earl would likely find someone else to do his dirty work." Aaron leaned back and considered the problem. What do I know of the earl? He thought back, trying to remember the man from his past.

Knowledge Nobility and Royalty: 1d20+5

[Silver Night]

As I remember it, the head bastard for the Bloody Fist, Aronsson, he's from Escon. Could be the Duke'd know him to look at. They're pretty new to the merc game, but ruthless. No prisoners, no survivors types.

[Lord Ruby34]

"The duke is the same way. Now that you mention it, I do remember that the Duke has at least one family member in the Bloody Fists. It is likely he knows him on sight, at the very least. A better solution might be to take down the duke himself. If he can't give the order it can't happen."

"Although that would be difficult we would just need to catch him when he's out. Maybe when he goes to pay we can stage an ambush." Aaron readjusted his position in the chair, he had left his armor in his horse's saddle bags and he wasn't quite comfortable without it. He needed to go check on the horse soon. He hoped someone hadn't stolen it already.

[Silver Night]

"Well, we case them out a bit first, maybe, before we settle on a plan? Assumin' you're all goin' along wit this?"

[Telasi]

"We've not got the men to take the fight to the Fist, not on the field, that much is certain. That means that, whatever we do, it must be done by guile rather than pure force of arms." This statement comes from a young man with a fighter's look to him. He's dressed plainly, though he carries a longsword and a round steel shield at his back, half-obscured by his cloak. "The duke's death will just mean his heir taking control of the duchy, and I doubt that he'd be in a merciful mood. Unless you think to kill the man's family also, the duke's death would at best delay the slaughter. Beside that, unpaid sellswords are wont to mischief. It would serve little purpose to prevent the duke from hiring them only to leave them with nought else to do but pillage, rape, and murder at their own whims."

[gourdcaptain]

"Kind of suspicious, if you ask me, that the letter tells us they have no idea how to stop it, but then reccomend some place called Ivydale to check out?" says a halfling male in a chainshirt who looks incredibly average - brown hair, brown eyes, average build and height. The most striking thing is that his voice is very low and gravelly.

[Silver Night]

If somethin's off, somthin's off. We're going in the best way - eyes open. We need info, whatever the angle.

[Telasi]

"Aye, there's truth to that. Still, trap or no, our duty is clear; we cannot stand idly by and let this slaughter go unchecked."

[ghostaxe]

"I still think it's going to be much harder for us to approach the Duke than the Bloody Fist leaders. Many more bodyguards. On the other hand, if there was a little scuffle between some bandits and a random group of adventurers, we can still maintain a degree of anonymity... especially if we capture their leader.

[Silver Night]

Let's find out more first, then we can settle on a plan, yeah?

[Lord Ruby34]

"Agreed. We cannot determine our best course of action until we know what we're up against."

"So, uh, Does anyone know where Ivydale is?"

[gourdcaptain]

"Ah, the fine day the rebellion was defeated by its inability to locate a map."

[Telasi]

"Ivydale is to the east, if you were paying attention. In any case, it's not all that hard to find a town."

Knowledge (local) to know how to get there? [roll0]

[Silver Night]

I think we can manage to find the way, assuming that everyone is agreed on going?

Best route to Ivydale Knowledge(Local) [roll0]

[Telasi]

"We've no place better to start. To Ivydale, I say."

[gourdcaptain]

"Eh, fair enough."

[Lord Ruby34]

"Yes, I believe I got that part." Aaron deadpanned "If I am needed I will be in the stable. I wish to check on my horse, I'm afraid someone might try to steal her." With that he turned and left, making his way to the stable.

[FlamingKobold]

@Telasi
The route to Ivydale is pretty simple. You can just follow Guild Street out of the East gate, and follow it until you hit Ivydale. It's a straight route, for the most part.

@Silver Night
The route to Ivydale is pretty simple. You can just follow Guild Street out of the East gate, and follow it until you hit Ivydale. It's a straight route, for the most part. The road is rather well travelled and safe, so you don't anticipate any problems getting there

[Silver Night]

Anyone have any business to take care of before we go? If not we should get going. The trip should be pretty easy. Just follow Guild Street out the East gate.

[gourdcaptain]

"No particular buisness to attend to."

[FlamingKobold]

Everyone
Are you planning on leaving tonight or tomorrow morning?

[Silver Night]

Was planning on leaving ASAP.

[gourdcaptain]

"Can we get going tonight - I've got a day job."

Secret personal motivations for statement.
He does have a day job - as a scholar at the local university, but more important, he has to take care of his kid in the morning - his father-in-law is only arranged to watch his young son for the night. Plus, he's already bound, and he tries to keep the binding to a minimum to avoid detection. It should wear off around 7 or so AM the next day - abruptly killing the Disguise Self, if nothing else. Can I have the parchment and ink supplies needed to perform an emergency rebinding in my carried posessions?

[ghostaxe]

Grun sharpens the tips of his javelins as the other talk. When they finish, he says, "Well, let's get going then."

[Telasi]

Garth stands up. "To Ivydale, then."

[Silver Night]

Crutch nods an stands.

[FlamingKobold]

You set off on horseback, Crutch leading the way. The trip itself is uneventful, though it lasts until several hours past nightfall. On the way, you see a sign, signifying entrance into the duchy of Escon. As you arrive in Ivydale, things seem very still, seemingly too still, at first glance. After a second look, though, you notice just how many guards there are, all of them armed with swords and heavy armor, looking ready for battle. Now, the sight of guards is generally welcome to law abiding citizens, but there seems to be an excessive amount, including the eight that you pass just entering the city.

As you ride through the gates, one of them walks up to you, and in a low, gruff voice asks "What be yer bus'ness in Ivydale?" as he casts you a suspicious look.

[Telasi]

"We've heard it told that the Duke's hiring out for sellswords. We're here to see the truth of that. As you can no doubt see, we're as fine a band as might ever be had for a silver price. Besides, even if our rumor were untrue, we're sure to pay our custom at the inns, for we've ridden with haste to be here." Garth gives the guardsmen a knowing look and lowers his voice just a bit. "Besides, between you and me, they say the Fist might be coming, and they're sure to be wanting more swords even if no other bladework's to be had."

[gourdcaptain]

"Yeah, we're looking into job offerings."

Using Naberius binding to take 10 on bluff check: 10 + 10 = 20

EDIT: Darnit, Telasi, you posted while I was typing! :smallsmile: (Or not, and I just missed the new page of the thread.)

[Silver Night]

Crutch tries to remain an unobtrusive part of the group.

[FlamingKobold]

The man nods a little, then a grin spreads across his face as he says, "Well... if yer about ter get paid, then ya won't mind payin' five golds for passage, now will ya." Then, looking at the rest of the group a for a moment, he turns back and adds, his grin widening, "That's each. 5 gold each, or ya'll have ta wait 'til mornin'." The rest of the guards around him nod appreciatively, looking at you expectantly.

[gourdcaptain]

Quick check - how unusual of a bribe/toll amount is that (Given average salaries for non-adventuring peasants in many worlds are measured in less than 5 GP per year)? Would passing 5 GP indicate we have more GP than someone who would take the sorts of jobs we are implying we are taking?

[FlamingKobold]

@gourdcaptain
I rolled your knowledge (local) check, and this is what you learn about it:

Recent small jobs paid for by the Duke of Escon and other nearby aristocrats have been worth up to 20 or even 50 gold for a short time.

So no, it wouldn't be out of the question for an adventurer near here to have that much, but it could still represent a fairly large amount of your belongings, especially if you're just considering what you happen to have on you at the time

[gourdcaptain]

I look very slightly irritated, dig into my pocket, and pull out 5 GP and hand it over.

[Lord Ruby34]

Aaron had tried to stay unobtrusive through talking to the guard. He had made sure he had approached dismounted, holding his horse's reins.And he had been quiet, his oaths prevented him from lying, but he could let others talk for him. Even if he felt wretched about it. But five gold pieces! He could afford it, they had just gotten money from accepting this task. But was it a justifiable expense? Waiting till morning might be safer, they would stick out less and it wouldn't be as much of a strain on their pockets. There was no safe way to communicate with the others about this either. He let out an internal sigh, it looked like he would be stuck following their lead.

[Telasi]

Garth looks the guard directly in the eyes, his left hand casually coming to rest on the scabbard of his sword, just below the hilt. "You miss the mark if you think a man whose business is war fears you. Name the true toll, and I may yet spare you a coin, but do not think to rob me."

[Silver Night]

Crutch hands over five gold and sidles pointedly away from Garth.

[FlamingKobold]

The man smugly takes the money from those who hand it over, but upon Garth's insolence, he becomes angry. The guard takes a step towards Garth as he takes out his sword and says, his face not a foot from Garth's "the toll is what i said it was. Now hand over yer gold if ya know what's good for ya. And if you don't wanna... well I guess then we have a problem, don't we?" He snarls at his last question, even as his voice takes on a mocking tone.

[gourdcaptain]

Since you've said that binder abilities are pretty stealthy (please tell me if I'm wrong), if the guard tries to actually attack Garth (doubt that he will) I'll have a readied action to command him to drop the weapon. (DC 14 will save to resist).

[ghostaxe]

The elf stands quietly by as the guard argues with hus new teammate, also trying to avoid the fee if possible.

[Telasi]

"It would appear so," Garth replies, all warmth leaving his voice as the guard draws his sword. "You seem intent to leave me no choice in this matter. Garth's slowly withdraws five gold coins from his purse and moves as if to hand them to the corrupt guard. Suddenly, he whips his shield from beneath his cloak, the sable hydra blazoned on it momentarily outlined by a flash of moonlight off the steel surface. Garth swings a vicious body-block at the guard, simultaneously hurling the fistful of coins into his face. He calls back to the others, voice calm. "Go on, I'll be right behind."

Karmic Strike active. Swift: Punishing Stance. Move: Retrieve coins and draw shield. Standard: Sapphire Nightmare Blade with a shield bash, going for non-lethal damage.

Concentration vs. AC: [roll0] If successful, +2 to the attack roll (I assumed the failure penalty below) and he's flat-footed, plus an extra [roll1] damage
To-hit: [roll2] Crit 20/x3 (Confirmation if needed: [roll3], +[roll4] damage)
Damage: [roll5] + [roll6]

[FlamingKobold]

The guard dodges the blow and yells "Ya filthy rat! I'll have you killed dead!" He advances towards Garth, sword ready as he commands to the other guards, "Let him alone. I wanna kill 'im myself." And with that he yells and attacks.

Everyone:

I rolled the initiative. The order is

Garth
Elrik
Aaron
Crutch
Grun
Guards

So really, just post what you do when you're on to speed up combat, and redo it if someone else's actions make yours pointless or non-sensical

[gourdcaptain]

Command to make the guard drop the sword (challenge someone to honorable one on one combat, and then drop/throw your own sword away. Nice way to look like a fool) - DC 14 will save to negate, and stealthy to boot!

Then back away.

[ghostaxe]

How many other guards are there and how far away are they?

[Telasi]

"Come and try, then." Garth draws his sword and meets the guard's advance, swinging his sword in a simple attack to gauge the guard's defenses.

Karmic Strike active. Move: Draw longsword and move to melee if necessary. Swift: recover maneuvers. Standard: attack.

Longsword: [roll0], crit 19-20/x2 (confirm: [roll1], [roll2] damage)
[roll3] + [roll4] damage.

[Lord Ruby34]

Moron. There would be words if he survived the duel. His anger was putting the entire mission at risk. And Aaron knew he still couldn't let him die. He slowly mounted his horse, keeping his movements slow to avoid anyone jumping to conclusions.

"If anyone moves to interrupt the duel, I will stop them. And that goes for everyone."

I mount my horse (take ten) and ready an action to charge anyone who tries to interfere with the fight.

[Silver Night]

Crutch rolls his eyes at all the posturing and fades into the background s much as possible.

[gourdcaptain]

Personal thoughts:
Sigh. Why do so many think that the best way to oppose their enemy is charging in kicking and screaming?

Ever since Elrik had been visited on that fateful night by his... patron... his abilities he'd been impressed by the subtle nature of the abilities granted to him. No easily detected and marked as heretical lightning bolts, just the ability to make eye contact with someone and have them do something. While his compatriot may be yelling that anyone who interferes will be cut down by him, he doubts anyone will assign blame if a suddenly clumsy guard drops his blade. And duels of honor tend to go badly for the said clumsy people (barring freak "I'm actually a hidden monk" incidents).

His missions until now had been more of the espionage sort (the papers and the rest of the resistance stilll haven't figured out why that minor noble appeared in public to denounce the nobility, career suicide on a stick). They'll all pay for what they did... but it's not time to get righteously angry.

Note to self: Powers may make for interesting betting opportunities at local underground fights. Just don't do it too often so people make the link to the odd, supernatural, or just think you're paying fighters to take a fall. Especially the later - supernatural abilites may scare people off - but being suspected of riggging the game just gets your legs broken by the mob.

EDIT: Rewritten to add a bit more material.

[FlamingKobold]

The guard looks badly injured as Garth carves a huge gash in his left arm, but he still has some fight left in him. Breathing heavily, he swings is sword at Garth and misses spectacularly, fumbling as he falls backwards to the ground from a combination of pain and the realization that this was not a battle that he could win. He looks back up at Garth standing over him with his blade, with a look of loathing and an expectation that he could be killed.

The rest of the guards are restless, many looking as though they want to get in on the action, but they don't due to the threats of retaliation and to follow the man's orders to not interfere.

The guard is at 1HP and is lying prone.

[Telasi]

Garth points his sword at his opponent. "You will not win this battle, not alone. Yield, and survive it."

Karmic Strike active. In Punishing Stance. Standard: readied action to initiate a maneuver if any of the guards attack.

[FlamingKobold]

The guard breathes a small sigh of relief, inaudible to everyone but Garth. Then, putting back on his posture of resolve, he glares at Garth and says "Fine, ya can pass tahday, no charge." He throws all of the money he had collected from the rest of the part at Garth's feet as he stands up and backs away. Then he smiles and says in a mock welcoming tone, "Enjoy yer stay in Ivydale, sir," as he gestures for you to enter through the gates.

[gourdcaptain]

"Wow. You actually pulled that off." Elrik says as he picks up the coins he'd given over earlier. (Also - did my Command fire or not, and did he save?)

[Lord Ruby34]

"Let's go, lingering here too much longer doesn't seem like a good idea."

[Silver Night]

Crutch leaves the coin and turns to the town.

[Telasi]

Garth hands the wounded guard a coin from the handful he retrieves from the pile. "Get that arm looked at. It would be no kindness to spare you a quick death for a slow one." With that, he follows the others into town.

[FlamingKobold]

As you walk through the town, you see several candles lit in windowsills, by people who heard the commotion. The streets have a guard on every corner, and as you pass, many of them look at you, and especially Garth, with a mixture of uneasiness and awe as they reach down and take a firm grasp on their hilts.

You entered into the merchant district of Ivydale, a large space with winding, curved streets that don't really make a lot of sense. The buildings on either side of the road have signs that identify them as shops and inns.

@gourdcaptain
He saved. Sorry, I should've mentioned that.

[gourdcaptain]

Are there any public bulletin boards that would have announcements and job postings on them?

[Silver Night]

Gather Information about the Duke and the Mercs: [roll0]

[FlamingKobold]

@gourdcaptain:
On the opposite side of the main square from where you now stand is a board of public notifications. Quickly perusing the listings, you don't find much of concern, as it seems dominated by gossip and inconsequential events. Here and there, there are several postings relating to looking for adventurer's, but the combination of the menial nature of the jobs and the meager rewards makes you think that they probably aren't of the Duke's doing.

@Silver Night:
The streets are fairly empty, and the only place that you really see any sign of waking people who might wish to speak with you is in the tavern at the end of the streets. You talk to several bitter, poor men, who speak of how harsh and draconian the Duke's policies are, but little else is really common knowledge for these people.

At the mention of the Bloody Fist, however, people seem to perk up. Many people report that they've heard rumors of the horrible things that the Fist has done in the past, and your inquiries make several people worried that the Bloody Fist might be coming. One middle-aged man that you talk to informs you that he was a former member of the Fist, back before they became so violent and harsh, and quit a few weeks into the job. He says that he's fairly certain that the group is in the area, and offers his knowledge to any attempt of yours to stop they Fist's vicious slaughter of civilians.

[ghostaxe]

Grun considers for a moment, and suggests, "How about we find them Bloody Fist headquarters and... leave them a welcome note?"

[gourdcaptain]

Uh, what does this knowledge of his consist of?

[Telasi]

"A single message is unlikely to deter them, I think. Still, no harm in trying."

[ghostaxe]

Grun smacks his forehead. "No, you idiot! I mean like a message written in blood... their blood.. the blood of whoever's standing guard there. Time to terrorize the terrorizers!"

[Telasi]

"I took your meaning, hence my choice of words. My point stands."

[Lord Ruby34]

"No, if we make a statement, it must be much bigger than that." Aaron paused for a few seconds.

"What would mercenaries be afraid of? What superstitions do these men have? That is what we should hit."

[Telasi]

"Agreed. The question, then is what the Fist fears."

[Silver Night]

"I'll inquire."

[roll0] - Dimplomacy check with the fellow I met before to find out about fears, weaknesses, and disposition of the mercenaries.

[FlamingKobold]

@Silver Night


The man looks thoughtful for a moment, then begins, saying, "Well, I think what you have to keep in mind is that these folks are the same as everyone else, except that they're professional killers. For many of the bastards, the only thing they care about is the money they get from contracting out slaughter of innocents. Others, though, are still religious; and any type of devilry or witchcraft will probably frighten them a fair bit, just as any other man.

"I don't really know about weaknesses of the whole Fist, though. All I can say is that if you're looking to intimidate ruthless, cruel men who kill for a living, you and your friends had best be careful. I truly wish you the best of luck, but for now Im going to bed; it's getting pretty late. I'll be staying here in the room at the end of the hall on the left upstairs for the rest of the week. Talk to me if you need anything else." With that he stands up, pays for his drinks, and lumbers off to bed with a heavy limp.

Note to everyone:
The religious bent of this game is different from a traditional D&D setting, obviously, as divine magic doesn't really exist. Just think of the world as kind of like Renaissance to 17th century European religious beliefs, loosely based off of Christianity. This came up in the above spoiler, so I just wanted to make that clear.

[gourdcaptain]

"Uh huh. Witchery. All we need. Great. And where exactly does one find witchery on a friday night?"

OOC: Great, I have the most low key vestige ever currently bound. And I'm trying to size up your reaction to the mention of witchcraft.

[Silver Night]

Crutch sucks on his teeth for a moment and squints, "Most men like a drink, and mercs more than most. We find where they drink, we find a good way in. Make it easier to get what we need to know, and we can always snatch one or two in their cups and away from their buddies. Leave the bodies if we want. Things that look like witchery should be plenty for most, if stirring up the nest is what we aim for."

[Lord Ruby34]

"Or just make them disappear. If we do that every time they come to town..."

"Let's see if we can serve them a curse they'll remember."

[Telasi]

"Very well, a few mercenaries disappear. What else?"

[Silver Night]

"Well, we can make plans once we talk with them mercs, yeah? An' I suggest if we find 'em, we gather a bitta intel before we snatch anyone too. Could be that a few drinks an' a sympathetic ear'll get more than a knifepoint.

"We'll need a place to operate from, too. Somewhere quiet where we ain't likely to be stumbled across."

[Lord Ruby34]

"Any supplies they receive must be met with horrible inconvenience, a few turned back. We can't be seen to be doing it. It might make them think that they're cursed."

"And as for a base... Are there any abandoned buildings around here, something that the locals consider cursed, or a place that receives no use?"

[Silver Night]

"You think they're likely to accept turned backs? Assuming they pay for supplies, I don't see'em taking 'No' for an answer.

"A good idea, though, looking for an abandoned building to work out of."

Knowledge(Local) for good base locations [roll0] (Or would that be Gather info?)
Diplomacy with our new friend and Gather Information about Merc supply and places they might congregate (Diplomacy [roll1] Gather Info [roll2]

[Lord Ruby34]

"Trap the roads, make holes, sneak in and break axles, if they continue on they tell the Fist about it. If they don't the Fist loses their supplies. Either way, we win."

[FlamingKobold]

The man turns to Elrik and says "I think you ask the wrong question. The real inquiry should be how can you create the illusion fo witchery, for that is all that matters," with a small smile on his face. As Crutch asks about alcohol, the man laughs. "Ah, yes. We always got a night or two a month where we got to go to a nearby town and drink to our heart's content. After that, we would go round town and buy up as much alcohol as we possibly could to last us until the next outing. If you're looking for a bunch of Fist members, nearby cities right after a raid are a great place to look. The wisdom of seeking out drunk mercenaries, however, is another question entirely.

@Silver Night

One old man sitting at the bar, who is obviously heavily intoxicated, overhears your inquiry about the empty buildings. He says, in a hushed, spooky voice, ruined by his drunkenness, "There's an abandoned shop on King Street that erryone avoids. It's haunted, you see," he adds with a hiccup, "The fellow that ran it was killed in an accident, according to the guards, but we all know he was killed. If you're looking for a cursed building, that's your place."

[gourdcaptain]

(I'm still following, but I'm not sure what to come up with since I have the least impressively scary supernatural abilities ever.)

[Silver Night]

"Let's see this building then, to start with."

[Lord Ruby34]

"I agree."

[Silver Night]

Crutch leads the way toward the 'haunted' King street shop.

[FlamingKobold]

As you walk down King street, you can easily tell to which house the man was referring. It was fairly beaten down, with no other buildings within 6 feet of it, contrasting sharply with the rest of the tightly packed shops. However, from this far away, it doesn't really look all that abnormal; a little old and run down, to be sure, but nothing overly frightening. It's a simple two story wooden building with a short path leading up to the front door and an entrance to a wine cellar on the side. All of the windows are boarded up, reaffirming the apparent lack of maintenance.

[Telasi]

"This doesn't look so bad, really."

[Lord Ruby34]

"No, but we best be careful anyway. There are usually reasons for legends, and we don't know this one."

Aaron walked cautiously toward the building, studying it more closely.

Spot check: [roll0]

[gourdcaptain]

"This doesn't look so bad, really."

"Ah, yes, but what if that's what the ghosts WANT us to think!" Elrik seems to be having a hard time keeping a straight face.

[Telasi]

Garth rolls his eyes at the halfling, then moves to the wine cellar door. If it's unlocked, he'll carefully pull it open. "It would be less conspicuous if we entered this way, and it's simpler to explore from the bottom up."

[Lord Ruby34]

Aaron nodded. "As long as this isn't the only way into the cellar."

[Silver Night]

Crutch keeps his bow ready.

[FlamingKobold]

The hatch comes up with a gentle tug, accompanied by some snapping noises and creaking of the hinges. A set of stairs leads downwards into the darkness, with no end in sight, nor any signs of light.

[Lord Ruby34]

"Did anyone bring a torch?"

[Silver Night]

Crutch eyes the darkness, "Not I, and now I feel a bit a fool."

[gourdcaptain]

Elrik pulls out a torch, and lights it with flint and tinder.

[Lord Ruby34]

"Here hand it to me, I'll go first."

[gourdcaptain]

I hand it to him.

[Lord Ruby34]

"Thank you."

Aaron takes the torch and don's his shield and then steps cautiously onto the first steps. What does he see?

[Telasi]

Garth follows just behind Aaron, just in case there's actually something down there.

[gourdcaptain]

Elrik hangs back, ready to draw his crossbow, and follows at a distance.

[Silver Night]

Crutch Hangs back with his bow ready.

[FlamingKobold]

You enter into a a cold, dark, musty cellar. The cabinets and old furniture that is pushed against the wall is covered in a layer of dust, and cobwebs obscure any chance of seeing the ceiling. There are two doors leading out of the cellar room, one that leads towards the street, the other towards the house. Between the two is an old, worn, red rug, which contrasts sharply with the rather monotone grey of the cellar as a whole.

[FlamingKobold]

Tougher_SiuiS has been reported for spam. Ignore that post, please.

[gourdcaptain]

You enter into a a cold, dark, musty cellar. The cabinets and old furniture that is pushed against the wall is covered in a layer of dust, and cobwebs obscure any chance of seeing the ceiling. There are two doors leading out of the cellar room, one that leads towards the street, the other towards the house. Between the two is an old, worn, red rug, which contrasts sharply with the rather monotone grey of the cellar as a whole.

I examine the rug. Perception [roll0]
EDIT: That is my search check for reference, just been playing pathfinder lately.
EDIT: Don't really see much, then.

[Silver Night]

Crutch examines the area around the rug, and the rug itself.

Search [roll0]

[Telasi]

Garth checks the door leading farther in, testing whether it's locked or not after a brief look for any obvious traps.

Search: [roll0]

[Lord Ruby34]

Aaron brought the torch over to the rug, and tried to see if anything unusual.

Search [roll0]

[FlamingKobold]

@Crutch
The rug seems to be devoid of the dust that coats the rest of the room.

@Everyone Else
Wow. That was pretty atrocious rolling... None of you find anything in the areas that you were looking.

[Silver Night]

Somethin' weird goin' on here. Ain't any dust on this rug.

[Telasi]

"That does seem a bit odd. Maybe there's a trap beneath it? Or it's a mimic or some such?"

[Lord Ruby34]

"Perhaps we should check it over once more." Aaron peered down at the rug, checking it over once more.

Search: [roll0]

EDIT: Again, Really!?

[gourdcaptain]

Elrik looks as well.

[/roll]1d20+2[/roll]

(Perception danmaku?)

[gourdcaptain]

Screwed that up (and editing usually doesn't fix rolls).

1d20+2

[gourdcaptain]

Search: [roll0]

[Silver Night]

"Maybe we should poke it with something."

[Telasi]

Garth proceeds to do exactly that, prodding the rug with his sword tip.