The Weasel's Trail (16+) Gameplay room.

[BulletSponge95]

It's the 14th day of the 8th month of the 1203rd year of the 5th age in the realm of Y'rilien.

(There are 30 days in a month, much like our months, but there are 16 months in a year. There are 480 days in a year. The phases of the moon are as we know them.)
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Long, long ago, in the second age, a famous thief named Robyrn the Weasel stole many valuable artifacts, weapons, armors, gems, and of course, gold and stashed them away in his many hidden caches. The largest of these caches were placed in the areas' most dangerous dungeons and lairs, their grand locked doors unmistakable, and vague clues were leaked to the public. The rest of the many, many, countless smaller caches were completely hidden, though rumors persist of ways to locate these.

After many months of doing tireless research and asking around for vague pieces of information, you think you have pinpointed the location of one cache. You're not sure what the challenge is, or if it's a large cache or a smaller one.

You are not the only one, of course, and you have gathered a small party of adventurers with somewhat similar interests. After weeks of travel you leave the nearest town and head straight for the Weasel's Cache.

The party is now directly in front of a small forest cabin, vines and weeds growing around the walls, light coming from the window and smoke emitting from a small chimney pipe, likely from a wood burning stove. The pathway looks like it used to be neatly kempt, but has been left alone and overgrown for months.
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Turn order: Amirrah, Thiida, Ulver



Your move.

[zucabr]

Amirrah paces in front of the ramshackle structure, searching the outside of the building, crouched to hide her appearance and the surrounding for traps, monsters, the usual. She hasn't survived this long by charging in aimlessly, and she doesn't plan to start today.
"Hey boss," she whispers to the Fehndu beside her, "you sure this is the place? Doesn't exactly look like a treasure-trove, if you ask me?"
Harrima, on the other hand, is a little less patient. Sword drawn, she stands directly before the door.
"Hey, you want me to kick the door down? I've always wanted to kick down a door!"

[Skautch]

Ulver sits still and out of sight from the windows, stroking his bone jaw. "Please calm down, Harrima, until we know more... and, please don't call me 'boss' or anything. But yes, this should be the place, despite appearances."

Thiidda tilts her head, examining the small cabin and the surrounding area. "Well, it looks deserted and all, but there's still a light inside and smoke coming out." She points overhead at the rising smoke. "Either the owner left his house running when he left, or he never goes outside."

Ulver thinks for a moment. "...Any volunteers care to sneak a peek through a window for us?"

[zucabr]

Amirrah and Harrima grin. Now that they know Ulver finds it annoying to be called "boss", they will make sure to call him that whenever possible.
"Sure thing, boss, I'll give that window a try." Harrima crouches down and moves to the window, slowly lifting her head to peer inside while trying not to be seen. (Perception check o6pjZDJI1-20 +3) (Stealth check 1-20 +11)
Amirrah, meanwhile, draws her bow, ready for whatever Harrima might find.1-20·1-20

[BulletSponge95]

Harrima would see an old man on a chair on the far left side of the cabin, beside him, a wood burning stove. On the right side of the house, a sword on a rack hangs above a bed for one.

Perception (15+2=17) The old man sees a face in his window, standing up suddenly. "Who's out there, hmm? Damn whippersnappers these days. You oughta knock like civilized folk!"

[Skautch]

Ulver quickly stands up and puts his back to the wall just beside the front door, hands at the hilt of his sword just in case. After a moment, he speaks up loudly for the man to hear. "Forgive the intrusion, sir, but your house appears abandoned." He thinks for a moment on a simple bluff. "...I have a search warrant and reason to believe that a dangerous artifact has been hidden in your home. Would you kindly open the door for us so we can search the premises and be on our way?"
(Bluff check, Zy5M3Ey01-20+12)1-20

[BulletSponge95]

(Sense Motive 12+5=17) The old man senses something is up by the manner in which The Fehndu speaks. His years have taught him much in that regard. He speaks through the door, playing along, ever so slightly, (bluff check to make Ulver think he fell for the bluff(3+11=14)) "I'm sorry, sir, but I sold all my dangerous artifacts decades ago! And believe me, there's nowhere to hide anything in here."

[Skautch]

(Sense Motive, yFU8TwQc1-20+12)
Ulver doesn't believe the old man for a moment. He looks to Thiidda and Amirrah and whispers. "You two, hide someplace with a good view of the doorway. As far as he knows, it's just me and Harrima - if he attacks us, we'll have the jump."

Thiidda nods and hurries behind the nearest tree with her crossbow.1-20

[zucabr]

Amirrah attempts to hide in the nearby bushes, keeping her eye on the door (Stealth 8451VS9i1-20 +9)
Harrima, on the other hand, decides to take the old man's suggestion to knock in the most sarcastic way that she can. She begins to pound on the door with both fists, shouting "Hello, anyone there?" She considers just stabbing the door with her sword, but it's such a nice, kick-able door that it would be a shame to ruin it.1-20

[BulletSponge95]

The old man is starting to get flustered. "If you'd like to come in, why not just knock like you aren't a half-retarded orangutan, and I'll let you in. It's very simple." Sleight of Hand (18+13) The old man silently pulls his sword off the rack behind him, in case these hooligans break in.

[zucabr]

/Harrima, you know what would really get back at that old man? If now you knocked in the most polite, snooty way possible./
Harrima decided to take her sister's advice, just to be sarcastic. She knocked three times on the door, slowly and politely.
"Pardon me, good sirrah, but would it be too much for me to ask that I enter? I do verily hope that I am not disturbing you upon this morrow fair."

[BulletSponge95]

The old man opens the door slowly with one hand, the other resting on the hilt of his sword, the tip of which is resting on the floor. "Was that so hard ta do?" His back is hunched slightly, like he's got a pain in it. Disapproval and annoyance are in his eyes.

[Skautch]

Ulver nods to the old man. "Sorry for the inconvenience, good sir. I'm trying to teach my trainee here to do this work on her own, but she still gets a bit feisty and excited sometimes." Ulver pats Harrima on the back and hopes that she just goes with what he's saying. "Now sir, I'm sorry if you don't like it, and I hate to intrude on an old man with a pained back, but we are under orders to search your house."
(Bluff check, hI67x38u1-20+12)1-20

[BulletSponge95]

Sense motive(11+8) The old man sees through Ulver's lies. He sets his free hand on the hand that's resting on the pommel of his sword. "You can drop the investigator act. What are you kids REALLY here for?"

[Skautch]

Ulver is silent for a moment before speaking. "...Long story short, sir, we're following several documented clues, trails, and maps to find something of value, and let's just say the X marks your house as the spot."