Curse of the Crimson Thread: Escape from Old Korvosa [IC]

[lostsole31]

Tesh nods and takes the lead, putting away his greatsword and again taking up his longspear.

Vencarlo’s home is a humble building just east of his academy—or at least, where his academy once stood, for the once-proud structure is no more. It was burned to the ground in a recent fire as you had seen. Yet, Vencarlo’s home still stands, nestled in the southern section of Fort Korvosa.

What do you do?

[Moriar]

"Let's not waste time," Vivino suggests. "Shall we go say hi?

Unless others object will go up and knock on the door.

[lostsole31]

There is no answer at the door.

[Ason]

Ernak glances at any windows on the house--or failing that, any cracks between the door and frame--to see if any light or other signs of life peek out. He calls out tentatively, "Hullo?"

[lostsole31]

There are windows, and it is unlit inside.

[Moriar]

"Let's try to get inside, might be clues on where he is or he might be hiding inside and doesn't know we are friendly?" Vivino says.

Then he begins searching around the house for a way to get everyone into the building.

Spoiler: open sesame

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Using relevant senses and skills to find and or open a way into the house

[lostsole31]

Only because of his strange and alchemical senses is Vivino able to uncover what everyone else already sees .... the front door (no other ingress/egress).

What now?

[Dusk Raven]

Jacintha strides over to the front door and attempts to open it. If it's locked, she'll attempt to unlock it.

[lostsole31]

Jacintha moves up and simply opens up the door to reveal the entrance. Here, an elegant and colorful Vudrani throw rug covers much of the floor of this otherwise empty room.

[Moriar]

Vivino will slip just into the room being careful to avoid the rug and make sure that the room and then the next door is safe.

Spoiler: Checking

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Vivino will step 5' into the room and first search the rug/room for any traps. If all clear will say, "Looks clear so far, come on in." Then will use senses/skill to make sure next door is safe. If this is safe as well, will say "This next door seems clear as well, everyone ready?"

If either the room or the door is not clear will say, "Found something dangerous, hold on while I try to disarm it." Then will try to disable said trap.

[lostsole31]

Vivino checks the room and then calls out, "Looks clear so far, come on in."

At the north end, on the western side, there is a hallway heading west. But, there is a door to the north. Vivino checks that door as the others move in and says, "This next door seems clear as well, everyone ready?"

Runa, what will you do with Diva?

Does anyone else do anything?

[Sienna]

"Thinkin' you'll give new meaning to the word housebroken if you try to follow us in, Diva. Stay out here and keep watch, okay? We'll be back soon," Runa says, reaching up to pat Diva's head and slip him a treat, "Weird that it was just unlocked, though, 'specially with things being how they are. Didn't seem like someone forced their way in, did it?"

[lostsole31]

The group senses no sign of forced entry.

Meanwhile ... Dane, Ernak, & Runa .... you all smell something odd, like a scent of smoke in the air, but with a strange tang. You can't ID the smell.

In looking about and for clues, Runa and Dane note that the building hasn't seen much traffic for quite some time (exact time unknown).

[Ason]

Ernak looks slightly uneasy as his new friends enter the house further. "Breaking and entering may not be the best way to make an impression on Vencarlo, if it indeed seems like all is well in his house. But if he's missing..." Ernak lets his sentence trail off awkwardly with a confused shrug.

As the aroma in the air wafts over Ernak and the others waiting outside, he tentatively sniffs the air again. Having confirmed that something is there, he hunches his shoulders and juts his head forward before taking several deep breaths in through his nose, attempting to suss out what exactly is going on and where.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Ernak adopts the Running Hunter's Stance, granting him +10 move speed, giving him the scent special ability, and making him look like a giant dork now that they're not in the heat of combat. He then attempts to figure out more about this new smoky smell, both its nature and the direction from which it is coming.

[lostsole31]

Unfortunately for Ernak, not being a creature with natural olfactory increase means he doesn't have the intuitive "library" of scents such a creature might build up over a lifetime. He cannot identify the smell. There isn't a "trail" but "pools" of scent as this is more of a background scent that has worked its way into the walls, floor, and even furniture.

Now what?

[Ason]

Dropping his hunter's stance, Ernak resumes his normal posture, dusting himself off and pulling his head up high once more.

Ernak then steps inside the house, sniffs loudly for dramatic emphasis, makes an exaggeratedly disgusted face, fans away the air in front of his face with similar flair, and asks the rest of the party, "Do any of you smell that? It's not from outside: just inside here... it smells like a tangy smoke has settled into Vencarlo's home. If our friend doesn't have a smoking habit, perhaps he's been rummaging through the wreckage of his burned-down academy and simply bringing the smells back with him? Maybe... he's at his old school right now?"

[Moriar]

"Vencarlo, are you home? We came here to talk and hopefully help." Vivino calls out.

Spoiler: response

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If there is no response, then will say to the party: "Should we keep searching here or go back to the burnt school?"

[lostsole31]

Hearing no response, Vivino says, "Should we keep searching here or go back to the burnt school?"

Linzi looks at Dane with pleading eyes, "Days since signs of passing? Strange smells? Burnt-down school? I can't bear looking at that charred wreck. Can we please look around and see if Vencarlo just didn't die in his sleep or something?"

[Sienna]

"If he did, it'd probably smell a lot worse in here," Runa says, "Let's start checking rooms, I guess. Don't suppose your nose is pointing you to one in particular?"

[Dusk Raven]

After giving the street one last look-over, Jacintha abandons her vigil outside in order to step inside the house. Speaking up, she says, "I doubt we'll find anything more at the remains of the school. At least this place is still standing, and we might yet find something here." Suiting action to words, she moves to open the first door she finds on her right, eyes peeled for traps or other dangers.

[lostsole31]

Visto stands in front of the door that Jacintha checks and opens - for Visto had already checked it clear before discussion began about smells and signs of passage. The room to the north is a well-stocked workshop for decorating and repairing bladed weapons. Several partially repaired daggers and rapiers lie on the table. None are particularly valuable.

[Rithryn]

Dane will start checking around the walls and floors knocking on them to see if there is a hollowness to them, checking if there are any cracks at the base of a wall.
"Perhaps there is a hidden room we are not seeing?"

[Moriar]

"Good idea Dane, there may be hidden clues along the way. Continue searching as we go," Vivino agrees.

"Let's see what we have here." Moving into the room begins looking around.

Spoiler: Look

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Moves into the room to the north and begins looking around. If room is clear will check connecting doors.

If all clear, will say "This room and the doors are clear as well."

[lostsole31]

The group does a basic search of the workroom, and doesn't find anything of interest, nor any other points of ingress/ egress besides the two windows. Tesh stands watch.

This room has been checked. Now what?

[Moriar]

"Dane, did you want to check for secrets here as we check the next door?" Vivino asks.

Vivino will move to the hallway and check the first door.

Spoiler: first door

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Will move 5' south and 20' west. Then checking the door to the north.

If clear, will say "This door to the north is clear, shall head this way?"

[lostsole31]

Vivino senses no danger at that door and calls out, "This door to the north is clear, shall head this way?"

[Ason]

Not wanting to wait outside alone, Ernak reluctantly trails at the back of the party with an uncomfortable expression on his face. He leaves the inspecting of rooms to the others and instead joins Tesh in keeping a lookout.

[Sienna]

"No signs of anyone, huh? Does it look like he left in a hurry?" Runa says, walking through the hall and taking note of the rooms, "A secret room...? Is that common? Maybe he's got a cellar or something hidden under a rug. I don't know. I ain't really the homeowner type, but I saw that in a book I read once."

[lostsole31]

Runa gets to the end of the hallway where to the west it opens up into a large sitting room and there are stairs heading upwards.

[Moriar]

"Very well could be hidden basements etc. I'm not normally allowed in most homes." Vivino admits. "So far haven't seen much evidence of a mess or fast exit."

Vivino then knocks on the north door and then opens it if there is no response.