The family that owns it has returned to the city, but for some reason, has not yet moved back into their ancestral home. The house is said to have strange sounds, and strange lights, but the tightly shuttered windows of the three stories give no answer to the curious onlooker.
Today a dwarf comes to investigate, armed with an axe, a key to the gate, a key to the front door, and several halflings.
Will that suffice?
Beforehand
((ooc: I couldn't do this this morning due to the fact that I had to work on the project so I am doing this now.))
*Aramil gets his bow from his room before they leave and instead of using the arrows he got from that tomb he decides to get some plane old arrows.
.oO(Better waste plain ones then those ones. Better take the silver ones though. Mine as well get some more food fer myself and the halflings just incase. He he he)
*Aramil grabs the silver arrows and then goes downstairs.
"So we ready ter leave yet?"
"No I need to make a couple of stops afore we leave. Now you just stay here and I'll be back soon.
*Aramil leaves and quickly makes his way to the Market first.
*Once he gets there he finds a food vender. He purchases some traveling rations and pays the man. (9 sp for 3 common meals.) He wraps them up and puts them in his bag. Then he makes his way to the Iron Wolf armoy.
*Once he gets there he finds what he wants (2 sets of Quivers with 20 arrows) and pays the man for that. Then he looks for some more silver arrows seeing that they have some he takes 6 of them and puts them in the special pouch for those. He pays the man (15 gp) and then heads back to the SSAG with all speed.
*He gets there and guickly calms down. He enters and sees the halfings are gone so he goes to the training room and finds them there.
"Oy! 'S the dwarf again."
"Aye, its me. Now lets go on the adventure."
*Aramil smirks as all the halflings shout "Oy!" Then he leads them to the manor.
*Aramil walkes up to the front gate and looks back to the halflings, while he is getting the key.
"Well I hope ye are ready fer this. They say that this place is haunted."
"Haunted ye says, we says thats fun."
"Oy"
"When we get ter eat?"
"We barely got here and yer hungry already. We need to conserve food. I don't know how long were going to be here."
.oO(Good thing I bought that extra food.)
"Ok well get ready fer some fighting. Now lets go."
*Aramil opens the front gate and walks up to the front door, he fishes out the key and then opens the door. He swings it wide open and takes a look inside, one hand on his axe and the other ready to get his shield out.
*The halfling horde stands on there tippy toes or ducks under Aramils legs all trying to get there own view of whats inside. Nige even tries to climb up on Aramil's back until Aramil puts him down, gently. ;)
The main entry, a set of double doors, is in the exact center of the imposing building, with its shuttered windows like bandaged eyes.
The door opens onto a foyer, thirty feet wide by ten feet. There are what look to be chairs and small table, but they are covered by dustcloths. There is another set of double doors directly opposite the entrance.
*Aramil nods the the halfling horde and then cautiously makes his way to the other doors. Occasionally looking around to see if there is anything of importance.
(Spot +0)
There is a door to the left and to the right, abutting the foyer wall, and corridors opening off to the right and left along the back wall. A magnificent staircase takes center stage at the back of the room.
There is more dust-sheeted furniture scattered about.
"Oy! Oi'm a ghosty!"
One of the halflings darts to a chair, whipping the dust sheet off the table and over his head.
"Hey stop that. Ye don't want to be letting anyone know that were here. Better to do this secretly then letting em' know were here. Now remeber to be quiet!"
*He continues to scan the room and then when he makes sure that there is nothing that catches his attention he goes to the closest door to his left. He opens the door slowly and sees whats inside keeping a hand on his axe and his other hand ready to get his shield.
*The halfling puts the cloth back and then rejoins the horde. They all follow Aramil after what he just said so they don't get hurt as Aramil is opening the door they try and get a peek of what is inside. Again Nige tries to climb on top of Aramil but Aramil puts him down gently.
"Is it a ghost?"
"Oi bet itsa vampoire!"
"A vampoire ghost!"
"Ya can't be a ghost an a vampoire! Not unless yar a werewolf first!"
"An there aint no werewolves around 'ere! "Ermy killded them all!"
"Actually, I don't think Hermy has..."
"That goiant Ark used ta be a werewolf!"
"No 'e weren't. Ya can't be a giant an a werewolf! Not unless yer a troll first!"
.oO(This is going to be funner then I first though :D )
"Alright now let me check out this room and if I hollar for ye I want ye to come in here, but don't start attacking anything until ye see what I want ye in there fer. Also while I'm in there be quiet and make sure nothing comes to attack you."
*Aramil hopes that will work, he goes into the room anyways and looks around for anything that might catch his attention to why this stuff is happening. He searches the room for a while and if he finds nothing he heads back out and goes to the closest room. (The room on the right of which they entered.)
"Ya when soimeone tells us ta be quiote, we get really quiote."
"Ya Oim the best at being quiote you've ever 'eard!"
"Are not! Oim a lot quioter then you are!"
"The 'ell you are! Oim a 'undred toimes quioter then you are!"
"Oim a 'undred thousand toimes quioter then you!"
"Oim a vampire! Meow!"
Out in the Great Hall, the horde hears an eerie moaning from the center of the room. Nothing is visible.
"No, Oi thought it was Dirkko?"
"It weren't me! "
"Well it weren't me either! Or Nige! Oi know wot kinda noise 'e makes an its a bit louder then that!"
"An smellier!"
"'ey dwarf guy! Were that you making that noise!"
"Yeah! It weren't none of us!"
"Unless it was Rilla! She's a goirl! "
"It wasn't me."
"Yeah, an besides that didn't sound like a girl noise. I think it might have been the ghost!"
"'ey! Dwarf! We found the ghost!"
.oO(I just hope that I can get there names strait.)
*Aramil rushes out of the room since he really didn't find anything and looks around for the ghost, seeing nothing he listens for the sound they were talking about, trying to get a better understanding of where it was comming from.
"Well come on halflings we'll continue to search before we go up em' stairs."
*Aramil goes to the next closest door and sees what's inside continuing to keep a hand on his axe and the other one ready to get his shield out.
"His name is Aramil."
"Nah! That's not a dwarf name. It aint got a 'the something' after it."
"Ey! Dwarf guy! Are you something?"
"Oi bet 'es Aramil the Dwarf Guy!"
"Oi think 'es a 'orsey!"
"Guys, we need to be more quiet."
"Whoi? It aint loike were gunna scare the ghost. The ghost is suppose ta scare us."
"'Ey Dwarf Guy! Wot are we searching for?"
"Yeah, the noise was coming from the 'all,."
"Maybe we're loikin fer the laundry room?"
"Yeah, Oi didna see no sheets floatin around, maybe we came on laundry day?"
"Mister Aramil? What are we looking for exactly?"
"Werea loikin fer a ghost ya dummy!"
"I am not a dummy."
"Thats not wot Dirkko told me."
"Oi did not!"
"All of you, shut yer mouths and listen fer a second. If its a invisabile ghost the only way we'll see it is ith our ears... Nige, ya don't need ta close yer eyes ta use yer ears. They both cin work at the same toime."
*Aramil is amazed at how the last halfling took control over the group he smiles and nods to him then says very quietly.
"We are tryin' to figure out why this ghost is here and what we can do to get it out of here. And not that Hermy and Minto could help us, but fer now we are on our own and I'm sure that we could figure this out. Oh and my last name is Dunskar, so I'm Aramil Dunskar of the SSAG. Now lets go check out the rest of the rooms."
*Aramil goes to the door to his left and opens it slowly, all the while keeping his hand on his axe. He lets the halflings also peer in with him and he quietly reminds them to get ready to fight just incase. The halflings nod and each put a hand on there clubs or swords. Aramil nods and then looks to see what is in the room.
"An ta moan an groan an shake chains!"
"An to eat pie!"
"Ghosts don't eat pie!"
"Ermy says they do. 'e ate ghost pie once."
"Hey, Please be quiet. Mister Dunskar is trying to think."
"'e's a dwarf! 'e don't need ta think!"
"Yeah, dwarfs don't think!"
"Hey! Everbody thinks!"
"Even Nige?"
"Ok, almost everyone thinks."
"Oim a ghost too! Boo!"
Nige dashes into the room and waves his arms around.
"Hey Nige stop that. Now I'll give ye all some extra food if ye just shut yer traps. I'm trying to think here. And yes dwarves do think. :P "
*Aramil sees that nothing special is in here so he gives up and goes to the small hall and then goes to the center door. Quietly reminding the halflings to keep quiet in case other people are here. He continue's to keep a hand on his axe and the other ready to get this shield. He goes up to the door and opens it and then sees what's inside.
A door to the left appears to lead directly to the dining hall, and on the outside wall of the upper end of the L is a door to the yard. Just to the left of that is a narrow stair down, possibly to the cellar.
Vivvo and Will look around wildly.
"I heard it!"
"Me too!"
"The ghost!"
Edited in hearing the ghost
*Aramil turns around to the halflings and said.
"Ok, hmm... well I believed that we searched around here enough I don't think we'll find much information here as it is. So lets go and find out about that ghost. Now ye better gets yer weaopns out. I don't know whats going to happen upstairs so just be ready."
*Aramil gets his shield and axe out and starts to walk back to the big room with the center stairs. When he gets there he makes sure that the halflings all have there weapons out. He smiles and nods to them all and says.
"Don't ye worry little halflings I'm here to protect ye, as long as ye just keep in mind what I said and come behind me when ye get hit ye should be fine. Oh I have another idea. Half of you get out yer slings and use them instead. And the ones with the slings give yer swords to the ones who don't have them. So one group will be using slings and the others will be using swords. That way everyone will be ready. Ready?"
*Waits for the halflings to stop moving around and trading weapons, once they are ready he gives them a final nod and goes up the stairs.
All the halflings except Nige draw their weapons and look around.
"'oo threw that! Wese got a dwarf an we aint afroid ta use 'im!"
"Yeah !"
*Aramil nods to the halflings after they draw there weapons and says.
"Don't ye fret its probably somebody that doesn't want us here. Let's continue back to the center staircase. The sooner we find out what is making all of this noise and throwing that vase the better."
*He winks at the halflings and continues on to the central staircase, this time though he keeps in mind to make sure to look back in just incase and to keep an eye out for anything up ahead.
Several unlit candles veer about the room, one at a time, none hitting any of the investigators.
"Hey stop yer fighting, it doesn't matter who comes up first. Rilla you come up first, then Davvo, Nige, Mick, Vivvo, Phil, Will, Mick, and the person who will be in a very special position for being the rear guard."
*He looks to Dirkko and nods his head.
"Now lets hurry up these stairs afore one of the candles hits us."
Trees of outrageously lush green, ground soft and moist, dangling mosses and exotic birdcalls. Steam rises from puddles in the nearly-muddy ground, and hints of movement indicate life...
Rilla looks around with eyes narrowed. "Pretty, but fishy..." She reaches out to a tree. "Fishy."
"Don't do that. I suspect something is wrong here."
*He turns to all the halflings.
"Alright if this will be the only time you listen to me in this adventure please don't touch anything unless I say so. It could be dangerous for all of us."
*Aramil gives a nod to everyone and then smirks.
"Don't ye worry I'm here and we should be fine."
*Then Aramil slowly continues going north. ((ooc: Well its basically the direction I came out of the starcase if I don't know which way is north.)) He keeps a cautious eye out for anything and his axe and shield ready to defend the halflings.
A strange shiver goes over the group, and suddenly Nige lets out a high-pitched scream of terror. He turns and blunders back the way he came, shoving the others out of his way. Will does the same, hurtling down the stairs.
"Ey stop them. And once ye do get em' back up here. Take Mick along with ye."
*Then he turns to the rest of them.
"Well wait here until we have everyone here."
Dirkko nods back and grabs Phil and Rila and pulls them after him. Mick glares at Davvo.
"Oi wanna go with them. If theres any smashin ta do..."
Davvo cuts him off. "If theres smashin ta do Oi want ya 'ere ta protect the dwarf guy. 'Ermy an Minto won't loike it ifen we let 'im get 'urt."
Mick stops glaring and shrugs.
"As long as Oi get ta smash soimethin."
""Ermy! 'Elp us!"
*Aramil looks around and then realizes that this must have happened from some type of spell. So this manor or whoever lives in this manor must have some type of spell powers. Aramil shakes his head knowing that this will indeed get harder. He waits for the halflings to get the two runaways and keeps a close watchout.
Upstairs, a swarm of rats appears, where Aramil stands with the remaining halflings to his left. Davvo and Vivvo are just far enough away that the rats focus entirely on Aramil and Mick. They vanish under the heaving mass of disease-ridden fur.
Aramil takes 2hp damage, Mick takes 6.
Initiative:
Swarm
Aramil
Mick
Vivvo
Davvo
HP:
Aramil 52/50
Mick 14/8
Davvo and Vivvo move towards the edge of the swarm and begin to poke the rats with the tips of their swords as fast as they can.
"Don't worry Dwarfguy! We'll save ya."
"Oh, an you too Mick!"
******************************
"Will stop running! Theres nothing there to be afraid of!"
Phill, Rilla and Dirkko try to catch up with their terrified friends.
*Aramil takes his axe and swings at the horde of rats trying to take as many as he can down with his swings.
(D. Waraxe: +10/+5, 1d10+5, Crit x3. Slashing.)
*He makes sure that the halflings have switched to there other weapons and tries to send all the rats to him.
"Come on ye fithy stinking rats come and attack."
*Aramil braces himself as the rats come on again.
Vivvo and Davvo poke at the rats with their swords, while reaching for their slings. (Vivvo doesn't quite hit anything.)
Aramil and Mick are nibbled some more.
Aramil takes 2hp damage, Mick takes 1.
Initiative:
Swarm
Aramil
Mick
Vivvo
Davvo
HP:
Aramil 52/48
Mick 14/7
*Aramil continues his vicious attack with more fury because he wants to prevent any or all serious damage to the halflings.
((D. Waraxe: +10/+5, 1d10+5, Crit x3. Slashing.))
Davvo launches a rock at a twitching rat, shuddering at the horror of the attack.
Downstairs, Nige has crawled under a table, hidden by the cloth covering, and Will is yanking at a window. He stops when he hears his brother calling, and turns with a sheepish expression.
"Err... I was checking for, um, termites."
Will shakes. "What about ants? They might have ants."
Phil shakes his head and takes his brothers hand. "Let's get back to te others."
Rilla moves to the table Nige is hiding under. "Nige, will you come out of there?"
"Oim not under 'ere. Oim at the guild. Leave me alone!"
"Nige, come out. We need to go save Mister Dunskar."
"Oim not lissenenening!"
"I'll tell Volos to give you an extra slice of pie for being so brave if you come out."
"Oi wanna moi pie first!"
"But you can't have bravery pie until you do something brave."
"Then Oi wanna fraidy cat pie!"
*********************
Davvo prepares to fling another stone if anything so much as moves. "Where'd oll theses rats coime frum? Vivvo? Did ya bring soime cheese without tellin anyone?"
"No Oi didna Davvo. They went fer Mick an the dwarf guy, Oi bet theys 'oardin the cheese."
Mick shakes his head and keeps twitching away the feeling of rats crawling over him. "Oi donna have any cheese."
The three halflings look to Aramil.]
"Hey I's didn't bring in any cheese. So someone must have made them attack us. Anyways, are ye hurt badly Mick?"
*Aramil waits a response after he shrugs off his wounds realizing that there mear scratches and then he waits for a response from the halfling.
"Oi think Oim all right.."
Mick does a quick count of his fingers. "Yep, Oim allright."
"'ow about you? 'Ermy an Minto aint gunna loike it if we bring ya back without all yer fingers."
Davvo chimes in. "It's sorta a soire spot with 'im."
Vivvo points and laughs at Mick. "Oi thought ya were Rilla when ya were in that poile o'rats."
"Ya screamed loike a little goirl!"
Mick glares at him. "Oi'll make ya scream loike a little goirl!"
Mick charges towards Vivvo, but is stopped by Davvos yell. "Stop that! No fightenin' in front o'the dwarf! Ya don't wanna make 'im jealous do ya?"
Mick stops his charge and sneers at Vivvo. Vivvo responds by sticking out his tongue.
*****************************************
Dirkko shakes his head and taps his foot impatiently. "Come on! We're proibably missin all the fun. Oi bet they've already found the treasure an are troing ta keep the dwarfguy froim bathin in it."
"I'm alright don't ye worry about me. Anyways, we just need to wait fer the other halfings before we can continue."
The corridors lead out along the back wall, so the east corridor is in front of the group. Two doors are in the east wall, and one is in the west wall. The room is about forty feet wide (east-west) by twenty deep (north-south).
*Waits looking at the hole of the staircase hoping that the halflings will come up.
"Oi'd 'ave thought a jungle growin in the middle of a 'ouse woulda confirmed it was magic."
"Even Nige woulda thought that. But then again 'e thinks its magic when 'is feet dissapear in 'is socks."
Davvo moves towards the stairs and listens for his comrades.
"Wots next? Are we guna go foind the ghost now?"
*****************************************
Rilla and Dirkko pull Nige out from under the table and start dragging him back towards the stairs.
Will takes Phils hand and follows after them.
"Get out! Get out before I set all the legions of hell upon you!"
Somehow, the shrill-sounding threats are simply... unconvincing. Davvo looks at the other halflings and mutters, "Oi don't think it were a ghosty. Ghosties are scarier."
"Anywho, I think we should explore at least a couple of these rooms afore we go upstairs. So lets get the other halflings and then we can explore. " :D
The voice is louder and shriller, and the three halflings hear what sounds like someone jumping up and down. Vivvo points to the door in the southeast corner. "Oi think 'e's over there..."
Coming up the stairs, Dirkko, Nige, Will, Phil and Rilla hear the shouting also. The halflings stop in their tracks, trembling. "It's the ghost! It's the ghost!"
Rilla rolls her eyes. "If that's a ghost, I'm a teapot."
"Alright since we are all here lets go."
*He waits until the halflings are ready and then goes off to the door where Vivvo pointed to. He stands before and calms down, then he grips his axe and his shield. Then he opens the door very quickly wanting to surprise whoever it is. He looks around for the ghost and gets ready to attack anything that comes in range of him.
(Prepared action, attack any enemy that comes in 5 ft of Aramil.)
Inside the room (about 25' square,) a translucent figure with a fleshless skull for a head hovers in midair. It gestures and moves its mouth silently, facing the group.
Aramil is unimpressed -- somehow it really doesn't look like the ghosts at 'Undeath Keep,' -- and Will peeks through the door and giggles.
The rest of the halflings, and Rilla, shriek and try to hide behind Aramil.
"Oi was 'ere first!"
"So wot! Make room!"
"They's plenny of dwarf for all of us -- 'e's got a big backsoide!"
Scattered around the room are vases, chamberpots, pots and boxes, all with listless-appearing potatoes growing in them.
Against one wall is a pile of shoes.
"Hey, just what do ye think yer doing here? Why have you come here to scare away other people. Better tell me quick afore I kill ye...... again. ;) "
*Aramil gribs his axe tighter knowing that apparences could be decieveing, and also knowing the power of dead things.
"It's not a real ghost. Stop being so chicken."
"It's not even wearing a sheet."
The other halflings continue their cowering.
"Not all ghosts wear sheets."
"Yeah, this one aint!"
"Dwarf-guy! 'urry up an chop up that ghost!"
"Don't worry we got's yer back."
"Oi'm willin ta go guard the dor ta the 'ouse if ya wants me too."
"Me too!"
*Arami realizes that the thing might not want to fight and that maybe other people forced him into staying here for some odd reason. So he lowers his axe a little then starts to talk to the thing, hoping to try and figure out why it is here.
*In Dwarvish and if no response then common*
"Well I see that ye might not want this fight. I just came here for a simple job, ter find out what has been causing all of this rucas, and I's be thinkin' it would be caused by ye. So tell me why yer here and we'll leave if ye want us to, but if you try to harm me I'll have ter hurt ye."
.oO(Just remember ye got to protect em' halfings. This is probably a better situation then running in full force and trying to hack the thing to bits only to find out that it does have some power and hurt em' halfings.)
The halflings peer around the dwarf.
"Wot're ya gonna do, dwarf-guy?"
"Yeh, wot're ya gonna do?"
"'Ermy would know wot ta do."
"Maybe we should go get 'Ermy?"
*With that Aramil attacks the ghost with his axe, doing two quick slices hoping to destroy it.
(+10/+5 melee, 1d10+5, Slashing, AC: 21 (22 against the ghost.)
*Before the ghost gets her chance to attack Aramil tells the halfings:
"Get ready with yer slings, and when ye have a good shot, fire, but make sure ye don't hit me!"
This must be why it had no power to frighten him, while the halflings were taken in by the spell.
After a few seconds, it wavers and vanishes.
*Aramil searches the room for anything of value first checking the shoes/boots.
.oO(Wonder if they have any of em magic boots like me cousin had. Made him move twice as fast as we usually do.)
*Aramil continues to shift thru the piles of stuff in the room to see if anything is of value.
Oops. I left my notes at home. Sorry!
The halflings, seeing Aramil choosing some boots, descend on the pile and begin rifling through it.
"These're red!"
"Red boots ain't heroic, only red pants're heroic."
"Says who! Boots are like pants for feet! An' I says they're heroic!"
Shoes and boots fly in all directions as the group tries on footwear, squabbling over a few choice pairs. A surprisingly high percentage of the boots and shoes are sized for small people.
*Aramil reminds the halflings to hurry up for they are going to explore again. Then he goes off to the new door. He gets his battle stance ready and opens the door carefully.
Five badgers run at the dwarf, snarling. He swings and connects on the lead badger, which flies across the room to lie motionless and dead. A corner of Aramil's mind that is not busy with this new threat realizes that that was no ordinary badger; it was... too soft, perhaps? Looking again at the remaining four, he seems to see them in duplicate: a shadowy form with the translucent image of a badger on top.
"Hey, dwarf-guy, what is it? We can't see through you, you know!" Rill yells.
Initiative:
Rilla
Badgers
Will
Dirkko
Nige
Aramil
Davvo
Phil
Vivvo
Mick
*Aramil shouts to the horde.
"You must listen to me from now on please, it looks like these fights won't be any easier then I expected. And to make as many minimal wounds as possible listen to me! Now get our yer slings and get ready to start picking these badger thing off. Ok! Ready lets go!"
*Aramil rushes at the badgers with axe and shield ready to take all of them on, hoping too that the horde will listen to him from now on.
(+10/+5, 1d10+5, 20x3, Slashing, AC 21 (22 against nearest badger.) )
Dirkko pulls his out and then shakes his head before puttinng it away and drawing his sword. "Slings aint gunna be no giood if yer in the way Dwarf-guy!"
"Kitty!" Nige rushes forward to pet the badger.
Davvo draws his sword and charges to Aramils side, yelling out instructions as he does. "Phil! Stop Nige before 'e gets 'is 'ead bitten off!"
Phil tries to grapple Nige to keep him from reaching the enemy.
Mick and Vivvo draw weapons and rush to engage the badgers. "Ye aint gunna get ta do all the smashin!"
"Oi wanna smash somethin too!~"
The others crane their necks but can't see a way to get into the crowded room. There are just too many badgers.
Nige keeps calling 'Kitty!' but isn't getting any response, and Rilla mutters something about 'These are proper burrowing animals, not some nasty cat!'
Aramil starts swinging his axe, and there are immediately two less badgers.
With some space freed up, Davvo and Vivvo move into the room.
X B
B V
D A
X=open, B=badger, V=Vivvo, D=Davvo, A=Aramil
For some reason, the two remaining badgers decide that the newly-arrived Vivvo is particularly toothsome and they both attack him.
"They's not really real! Ow! They cin bite, though! Ow!!"
Aramil roars and chops up the one to Vivvo's left, and Davvo darts forward to protect his friend from the last badger. He stabs it with his sword, then Vivvo brings his blade down on it and finishes it off.
Vivvo takes 2 pts damage & is at 13
"I told ye to use yer slings, and if ye would have listened to me ye wouldn't have gotten hurt. Now next time listen to me and use yer durned slings!!!!!!! Or there might not be a next time for some of ye if ye don't listen!
"*Aramil adds more notches to his axe and then goes to the half-way open door. He checks to make sure that the halflings have there slings out, and then getting into a defensive position he opens the door.
The rest of the halflings nod their heads in agreement. (Well, except for Nige, who smells his armpit.)
Davvo frowns more, "Ya need ta remember, we was sent ta keep you safe not the other way around."
"Maybe if ya weren't so preoccupoid with cutting notches in yer axe, we wouldn't need ta rush ta yer rescue."
Davvo leans against the wall of the room, and glares at the other halflings until they put their weapons away.
"Let's just see 'ow well the dwarf guy does without ore 'elp."
"Oi wonder 'ow 'ard it's gunna be fer 'im ta notch 'is axe when 'e get's 'imself killed.
*With that Aramil turns around and heads to the door that was half-way open already, gripping his axe and shield readying for an attack.
Upon looking into that room, Aramil sees a fifteen (north-south) by twenty foot room. There are two doors besides the one he just opened: one is in the middle of the north wall, and one is in the middle of the west wall. The door in the north wall is open, and apparently leads to the open area they entered via the staircase.
The room is otherwise much like all the other rooms -- cloth-draped furniture, and bits of refuse.
"We oll do, even Nige."
Will and Phil look around nervously.
Davvo notices and nods. "Ya at least leave the guild soimtimes. It's 'ard ta get expeirance when yer busy banging on soimething with a 'ammer."
"It probably effects yer 'earing."
Davvo calls out to Aramil. "Didna ya 'ear them footsteps! Aren't ya gunna tells us ta 'ide in case it's another wild animal!"
"Ya never know, this toime instead of badgers it moight be bunnies!"
"We'd better get ore slings out. Ya know 'ow dangerous bunnies cin be!"
The other halflings chuckle. (Well, not Nige he gets a big grin and yells out.)
"Bunnies!"
"Aye, sorry me friends, just watchen out for ye. Now lets see here, which one of ye wants to come up here and help me along with searchin' and stuff? Which one of ye has the best ears and the sharpest eyes?"
*Aramil hopes that this way he'll earn the halfings trust so that they will listen to him.
"Oh and how about we go out every once in a while when I's gets back. Dunno where we'll go but we'll have lots o' fun I'm sure. ;) "
*Aramil looks at the halfings with a smile on his face and then tries to figure out which one of them will be best to be a 'sidekick'.
(ooc: If they all have the same stats in listen/spot/search then I guess I'll just take Rilla since she is the minority in the group and so she isn't left out ;) )
"Well, where to?"
"That way. Now all ye halflings get ready please. Use whatever weapon ye want, but please I ask this of you, if ye get hurt badly drop out of the fight, I'm sure the rest of us can handle whatever it is."
*Aramil nods to the Halflings, smiles and then leads them to the unopened door. He grips his axe and shield then opens the door.
"Over there, that corridor in the northwest corner, I hear 'im again! That's the same voice I heard before that fake ghostie appeared in the 'tater room!"
"Come ye halflings follow me to battle!"
*Aramil rushes forward following where Will is pointing to.
Will shrugs, flushing, and mutters, "I heard 'im. I dunno where he went, but I heard 'im."
*Aramil taps the wall to see if it is solid thick.
*Aramil grips his axe and shield and then attempts to walk thru the wall, first letting his axe lead to make sure that it didn't turn suddenly to stone.
"He's gone through there!" hisses Will, pointing at the door.
Aramil doesn't hear anything, again.
Now even Aramil can hear the sound of footsteps running up the stairs.
Marching order, please, single file.
*Aramil continues to rush up the stairs following the footsteps. He occasionally looks back behind him to make sure that the halfings are following up. If they aren't following that well then Aramil will stop to let them catch up and then he'll continue his chase.
(ooc: I guess we'll all be running if we can. So what thats 80 ft per round for each of us?)
He falls backwards down the stairs, unconscious.
Vivvo and Davvo respond quickly, bracing themselves and catching him, but the stairs are blocked for the moment, and Aramil is left to pursue the now-visible gnome by himself.
Initiative:
Aramil
Davvo
Gnome
Phil
Mick
Dirkko
Vivvo
Nige
Rilla
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 7 rounds)
*Aramil shouts out to the halflings as he prepares to charge the gnome.
"I want Rilla and Nige to stay with Will until he gets better, if you are in trouble shout out to us. The rest of you halflings prepare to fight and follow me to battle for we shall win the day!"
*Aramil charges at the visible gnome now.
(+12 to melee, 1d10+5, 20x3, Slashing, AC 18 (19 against the gnome).)
Davvo awkwardly tries to hand Will off to Rilla.
The gnome shoves his hand into a sack at his waist, pulling out a ball of lint. He drops it, and it instantly transforms into a wolf, which he orders to attack Aramil.
The rest of the halflings struggle to get past the blockage on the stair.
Initiative:
Aramil
Davvo
Gnome/Wolf
Phil
Mick
Dirkko
Vivvo
Nige
Rilla
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 6 rounds)
Davvo helps Rilia get Will out of the way. Dirkko grabs hold of Nige's collar and keeps him from rushing forward.
"A doggie!"
Phil moves next to his brothers side. "Is he going to be allright?"
*Aramil focus's his dwarven battle rage this time on the new opponent the wolf.
(+10/+5, 1d10+5, 20x3, Slashing, AC 20 (21 against the wolf).)
*Aramil hears Phil's question in the background and subconsiously shouts out to him.
"Yes Phil he'll be all right don't ye worry."
*Aramil continues to hack away at the wolf with Mick and Vivvo's help as fast as possible to get to the gnome.
Aramil hits the wolf twice, killing it, while the gnome is running away at top speed.
As he catches his breath, he feels a scratching at his leg, and looks down in time to see a tiny, horned, winged humanoid bite him through a gap in his leg armor. It hisses, backwings, and begins flying away quickly.
Initiative:
Aramil (3hp lost due to bite)
Davvo
Critter
Gnome/[Wolf (dead, now)]
Phil
Mick
Dirkko
Vivvo
Nige
Rilla
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 5 rounds)
.oO(Durned little thing.)
*Aramil yells out to Mick and Vivvo.
"Come on we've got to catch up to that gnome."
*Aramil calls back to the rest of the group.
"Stay with Will, will get back ter ye shortly."
*With that Aramil makes haste will a full out rush towards the running away gnome.
He sees the little fellow nip down the stairs in the central landing. The winged creature has taken to the air and vanished.
I'm sorry that I forgot to post current hitpoint standings.
Aramil: 45/52
Davvo: 14/14
Dirkko 15/15
Nige 9/9
Mick 7/14
Vivvo 15/15
Will 9/9
Phil 9/9
Rilla 21/21
Will Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 4 rounds
(AoO, +10 melee, 1d10+5, Slashing, AC 20 (21 against the sprite).)
*Aramil doesn't decide to wait and see if he hit the thing or not, so after he attempts to strike the thing he goes off and runns at full speed trying to catch up to the halfings and the gnome.
.oO(You know this would a great time for a Dwarven Bow.......)
As they scramble down the stairs after the gnome, he stops and turns, sending another fan of bright colors at his pursuers.
Vivvo falls, rolling a few steps down the stairs. Aramil is stunned, and drops his axe.
Mick continues hurrying down the stairs and swings at the gnome, cutting him slightly.
Initiative:
Aramil (Stunned: 1 round)
Davvo
Critter
Gnome
Phil
Mick
Dirkko
Vivvo (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 4 rounds)
Nige
Rilla
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 4 rounds)
The gnome yanks the mace from his belt and swings back at Mick, while shrieking "Badger! Badger!" He connects, and Mick grunts, then swings back, missing.
"Dwarf-guy! Hey, dwarf-guy, I need help!"
Initiative & hp standing:
Aramil (45/52)
Davvo (14/14)
Gnome
Phil (9/9)
Mick (4/14)
Dirkko (15/15)
Vivvo (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 3 rounds) (15/15)
Nige (9/9)
Rilla (21/21)
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 3 rounds)(9/9)
"Get out of the way Mick, I'll take care of the gnome, go back and make sure Vivvo is alright."
*Aramil brings his axe up high but instead of using the blade of his axe he figures that the gnome was the cause of all this mess, and he uses the pommel of his axe instead to knock him unconsious.
(+7 melee, 1d10+5, Slashing, AC 21 (22 against the gnome).)
The gnome grunts, and yells "Badger!" again, then chants and gestures. Aramil takes the opportunity to swing at the gnome, thwacking him solidly, and apparently disrupting whatever the little guy was doing.
Mick moves back up the stairs, calling the others to come and help.
Initiative & hp standing:
Aramil (45/52)
Davvo (14/14)
Gnome
Phil (9/9)
Mick (4/14)
Dirkko (15/15)
Vivvo (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 2 rounds) (15/15)
Nige (9/9)
Rilla (21/21)
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 2 rounds)(9/9)
"So yer the one scaring everyone away. All I want ter know is why yer doing this. So why are ye? If ye don't tell me then you have two choices, me knocking you unconsious, tying you up, and then giving you over to the city guard and they'll find our, or you can just tell me. But I'll still have to give ye over to the city guards. So either way yer going in jail. So all you have to do is decide whether or not you don't want to get hurt any more."
*Aramil raises his axe up high ready to strike at the gnome if he tries to make a run for it or decides to go the hard way.
(Prepare action to strike if he tries one of those things I mentioned. +7/+2 melee, 1d10+5, 20x3, AC 21 (22 against the gnome).)
"My house! This is my house! You -- you -- you interlopers!
Badger!!"
He shrieks again, swinging his mace at the dwarf, and connecting.
Aramil replies with the flat of his axe, twice, and, the frenzied gnome falls to the ground, unconscious.
The other halflings, except Phil, who stays with Will, are running towards the melee.
Initiative & hp standing:
Aramil (41/52) (took 4 hp dmg)
Davvo (14/14)
Gnome (Unconscious)
Phil (9/9)
Mick (4/14)
Dirkko (15/15)
Vivvo (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 1 rounds) (15/15)
Nige (9/9)
Rilla (21/21)
Will (Unconscious, blinded & stunned: 1 rounds)(9/9)
"Ye can put yer weapons away, the fightings over with, we just need ter wait until this little feller wakes up so we can get the information out of him. Till then, I think we can grab a bit to eat don't ye? So see if Vivvo and Will are fine yet and then meet at the hallway for the third floor."
*Aramil picks up the gnome and hoists him on his back. Then he makes his way back to the hallway. Once there he sets the gnome down, searches his body for any magical items, takes anything that he finds off of him, pulls out his rope and binds his hands and feet. He sets him down to lean against the wall and then waits until all the other halfings get back. Once everyone is back Aramil looks around to see how many doors are in the hallway.
Searching the unconscious gnome reveals colorful, mismatched clothing and particularly well-made boots of tooled leather -- clean, oiled and scrupulously maintained.
From his belt dangle half-a-dozen pouches and bags. One of the pouches contains a roll of leather that proves to be a sort of carry-case for heavy needles, lengths of heavy, oiled thread, an awl, and some other related items.
Another has a handful of small white balls that become sticky when handled overmuch. The next holds a potato, and the one after that is empty except for a ball of lint. A ten inch long stick of polished wood with inlaid designs is thrust through his belt.
He wears tooled leather wrist guards, and on the third finger of his right hand is a heavy gold ring with an almost hypnotic spiral design carved into it.
In a pouch connected to his belt by a thick leather strap is his coinage: 10 pp, 23 gp, 52 sp, and 33 cp.
*Aramil slowly removes the magical looking items, puts them into his backpack, before he ties him up just incase any of these can be used to let him escape, which in the end leaves him in the gnomes cloathes, without his boots.
*Aramil smirks then takes out his rope and binds his wrists together in the front so he can see if he tries to cast a spell, then binds his feet so he'll have to hop to escape.
(ooc:Spend enough time to properly bind the gnome up. Put all the items described in Scheherazade's post in my backpack except the gnomes cloathes.)
Having robbed the gnome, Aramil now has in his pack:
- tooled leather boots
- tooled leather wrist guards
- 6 pouches and bags
- leather carry-case for heavy needles, lengths of heavy, oiled thread, an awl, etc. (in pouch)
- small white balls, sticky when damp (in pouch)
- a potato (in pouch)
- a ball of lint (in pouch)
- a ten inch stick with inlaid designs
- gold ring with spiral design
- 10 pp, 23 gp, 52 sp, and 33 cp (in pouch)
- light mace
"Alright we still need ter look around up here so I'm going ter take a couple of ye with me and then the rest will have ter stay here and guard the gnome. So I'll take Dirkko and Davvo with me, the rest of ye stay here, and make sure that Will and Vivvo get rested, along with Mick."
*Aramil smiles at the group.
"Ye guys did a nice job today, I'm sure that Hermy will be proud."
*Aramil waits for Dirkko and Davvo to get ready, then once they are he takes them and goes off to explore the 3rd floor, first going to the central staircase where they came up. Then seeing that there is a door to close to him, he goes to enter the room. He takes out his sheild and axe and gets ready to fight anything. He opens the door and sees what is inside.
The furniture has all been pushed against the walls, and the bed has been lifted a few inches and propped on various things such as books and chamberpots. Blankets have been draped over the sides, giving the effect of a low cave.
There is a picture of a badger tacked low on one wall.
*Aramil does a quick look around the room to make sure that there is no other information he can gather from here, satisfied with that he closes the door and exits to the hallway.
"On'y if he was feedin' the badger ale an' sausages."
He pulls out a tray with the remains of a meal, then crawls further. "Hey, lookit!"
He wriggles backwards out from under the bed, dragging a box, then plops on his bottom to look at it.
"Ye can never be sure of what kinda traps could be waiting for ye inside."
*Aramil waits a minute or two just to see if any more traps will go off then if none do he goes over picks up the box and looks to see what is inside.
"That's not 'ow ya loik fer traps, that's 'ow ya set them off!"
"Let me loik at it. Ya don't want ta destroy everythin in there do ya?"
Dirkko hurries to the bedand starts to look it over for any traps before opening it, while Davvo keeps Aramil's axe out of the way.
"Ya really needs ya stop troin ta do things that ya don't know nuthin about."
"Leaves it ta the experts."
"Loike us."
"Not unless ya chopped through the box."
"Ya really should start payin more attention ta things."
Davvo nods. "Ya loik we do."
Dirkko sets to work on unlocking the box. "Soimethings ya just can't smash yer way through."
"Loik 'Ermy always says, 'Soimetimes ya just gots ta be sneakier then a box'"
"'e aint never said that."
"Well 'e would if 'e ever found a box that was troin ta be sneaky."
"There aint no box sneakier then 'Ermy."
"Well there aint no box sneakier then me neither. Now shut yer trap so Oi cin outthinks this lock."
"Ya shut yer trap."
"Heh I guess yer right, me axe wouldn't have found that lock. So hurry up and pick it so we can see whats inside."
*Aramil puts his axe down then goes up and takes a closer look to see what they are doing.
"Yer a dwarf, an yer probably not that good at jumpin out of the way if soimthin blows up likes us 'alflings are. The lock moight 'ave a trap on it. That Dirkko didna see."
"Nuthins gunna blow up, Oi got it all under control."
"Ya loike Oi aint 'eard that before."
"Ya aint cause Oi aint never done soimethin loike this before."
"That don't mean Oi aint 'eard it before."
"Well ya aint 'eard it about me."
"That's because ya aint never done nuthin loike this before."
On his finger there is a pinprick of blood welling up, and a circle of greenish inflammation around it. He feels a wave of dizziness wash over him.
Davvo runs to his friend and pulls his hand away before Dirkko can put his finger into his mouth.
"Don't do that! It moight be poison!"
Dirkko rolls his eyes back in his head. "Oi donna feel so good."
Davvo looks to Aramil. "Quick, Dwarfguy. Give 'im a potion!"
"Hey Dirkko I want ye to stay strong fer me while I try and get the poison out of yer finger."
*He nods to Dirkko then he says to Davvo:
"Ey, reach in me backpack and pull out me rope, then I want ye to cut off a piece big enough that I can tie around Dirkko's finger, hopefully I'll be able ter stop the poison from getting any further."
*He waits until Davvo gets out the rope and cuts off a piece of it. Then he takes the piece and ties it tight around the base of Dirkko's finger hoping to stop the poison.
.oO(I hope this works. I've only seen this done once and that was by me big brudder the cleric of teh family......)
There's no way he can pick the lock with a rope around his finger, though.
"A 'ero never gives up!"
Davvo looks at Dirkko and shakes his head.
"Ya aint a 'ero yet. We should go get 'Eremy."
Davvo starts to pull the rope off. "Oi am too a 'ero. An Oim gunna open that box ifen it kills me!"
"It's wot 'Ermy would do."
"Except fer the doin part!" Dirkkop tries to get back to work on the box.
"Just try not ter prick yerself again."
*Aramil watches to make sure this little thing doesn't happen again.
"A job well done. Now lets see whats in these bags."
*Aramil takes a bag, also noticing that the halflings did the same, and at once they all peer inside to see whats in there.
"Oi want magic pants loike 'Ermy 'as!"
Davvo looks at the coins and shrugs.
"The box weren't really big enough fer magic swords or armor."
"But maybe one of thems coins is a magic coin."
Dirkko looks at Davvo. "'oose ever 'eard of a magic coin? Don't be stoopid."
"Well ye know, ye can use some of that ter buy magical stuff. And we still haven't even checked the rest of this floor so ye never know what else we might find."
*Aramil continues to look to see what is in the bag.
"Ya don't ever 'ear stories about a great 'ero going ta the store ta boi a magic ring an two dozen eggs do ya?"
Davvo nods, but then adds. "Though if it were a good enough baird tellin the story Oim sure it could sound interestin."
"Oi bet Minto could do it."
"Oi bet even Oi could."
"Of course Oi'd make 'em magic dragon eggs."
Dirkko looks at Davvo. "All dragon eggs are magical, right dwarf guy?"
"That's kinda loike sayin magic wizards."
"Or 'Ermy the 'ero."
"Yer just statin the obvious."
When they take the time to count the coins, they will find 20pp, 141gp, 248sp, and 567cp.
"That's wot ya dwarfs do fer fun aint it?"
Dirkko nods "Yeah, countin gold an diggin caves."
"Is that wot you've been doin in the forge. Troin ta dig a cave back ta the moutains?"
Davvo thinks for a second. "It moight be a better idea ta dig a cave ta an inn or soimethin loike that. Then ya coulds get a drink easier."
"Dwarves loike ta drink too don't they?"
Dirkko corrects him. "Diggin, drinkin, an countin gold aint all dwarves do. They loike ta swear a lot tpp. Roihjt Dwarf guy."
Davvo shakes his head in disgust. "They don't loike ta swaer, they just can't 'elp doing it. Roight?"
Dirkko rolls his eyes. "Yer dreamin. Dwarves don't hafta swear, they's to stubborn ta do anything theys don't want ta do."
"They likes swaerin."
They both look at Aramil. "Which is it? Da ya swaer cause it's foin or cause ya don't know how not ta swaer?"
"Heh, we swear cause someone or something gets us really mad. Now give me the coins and I'll coin em' fer ye."
*Aramil takes the bags and counts them, then once he's done he smiles and nods to the halflings.
"We got a good haul from that chest. Now we're done here so lets go explore the rest of the floor."
*He puts the coins back in the bags and then puts everything in his bag (including the chest), and then exits the room. Once in the hall, he goes back to check on the other halflings, then he goes to the next room. He walks up to the door, makes sure Dirkko and Davvo are still here, then he takes out his axe and shield, and then opens the door to see whats inside.
"Oi wanna foind a doggie."
Upon seeing the living quarters Nige immediately runs to the bed and pulls the blankets off and puts them over his head and starts jumping on the bed. "Boo! Boo!"
Davvo and Dirkko shake their heads.
"You aint a ghost."
"Yeah no more jumpin on that bed, there moight be saomethin under it ye moight break."
Davvo ands Dirkko crawl under the bed to look. Nige doesn't stop jumping. "Oi am too a ghost. See 'ow Oi cin fly!"
.oO(Heh, yes I think it will be very fun taking the halflings out once in a while.)
"Alright ye halflings, it looks like our work here is done, so comeon we need to round up the rest of the halflings and then find out why the gnome did what he did to the manor."
*He waits until they are done in this room and then he goes back to were the other halflings are. He smiles at all of them.
"Ye did a good job today, all of ye. I'm sure Hermy will be proud to hear that. Now lets wake this gnome up....."
*Aramil goes over to the gnome and shakes him a couple of times, then if he doesn't wake up he shrugs.
.oO(Guess I hit him to hard.)
"Well it looks like we'll have ter wait till this little bugger wakes up. So everyone get comfortable and if ye want ye can eat what Volos gave ye."
(ooc: We are going to wait till the gnome wakes up.)
"Now are ye going ter tell me why you have been doing this again, or am I going ter have ter turn ye over?"
The gnome looks around wildly.
He struggles against the ropes.
And I haven't done anything but protect my home from invaders! Nasty badger-killers, trying to steal my potatoes!"
"This is not yer house, because ye moved in since ye thought no one else lived here. Well yer wrong someone else does live here and when ye found that out ye scared them away with yer spells. Well we were sent here to put an end to this, and well guess what? We have. Now are ye going to tell us the full story and co-operate with us, or am I just going to have ter knock ye out again?"
Mick explains a bit further. "Yeah, eventually if ya 'it's 'im enough somethin will fall out."
Will shakes his head. "Like his brain? I don't think that will help."
Mick growls back. "Ya want me ta troi it out on ya?"
Davvo steps between them. "Nobody's gunna knock no one else's brains out."
"Unless it's me doin the knocking. Ya got that."
Davvo gives Mick, Wiull and Vivvo an intimidating look and then turns to the gnome. "That don't mean Oim gunna stop the dwarfguy from cuttin off a few toes or soimethin loike that."
""e's a dwarf, an when 'e really wants to 'urt soimone 'e's gunna. They's stubborn that way."
Dirkko supports Davvos statements. "Oi don't think 'e wants ta 'urt ya so much as just get ya ta spill yer guts."
Davvo nods and gives his meanest stare to the gnome. "'ow ya spill 'em is up ta ya, but it's gunna 'appen."
"Ya moight as well tells 'im what 'e wants ta know."
"What'er ya doin 'ere?"
Davvo turns to Aramil and winks.
Rilla whispers into Aramils ear.
"That's how you intimidate someone."
Davvo looks back at the gnome. "Oh, an wot's the deal with the potatoes? Are they magic? Ya'd better tells us or Oi'll 'ave Nige eat one ta see."
"An 'e'll do it. 'e'll eat anything ya shove into 'is face."
You've broken into my house, stolen my things, and now you want to know if my potatoes are magic! You're not just robbers, you're crazy!
BADGER!!"
"I'll give ye one last chance ye going to tell us why ye been living here and saying this is yer place or do ye want ter go back ter sleep?"
The gnome struggles some more with the ropes, then looks around with a piteous expression.
"Badger? Badger, where are you? ...Badger?"
A tear trickles down his cheek.
"You... you killed him, didn't you? You m-monsters! You killed my friend, my only friend..."
He turns his head to the side and weeps.
"What are ye talking aboot? We killed no stinking badgers since ye probably sent them ghost ones on us a while ago."
*Aramil gets fed up with the gnome. He looks to the halflings and says.
"Alright to get this guy ter stop whinning about his badger we are going to try and find it. Now I want ye to split up into 3 groups. Rilla, Mick, and Vivvo I want ye to check out the first floor, Davvo, Dirkko, and Phil I want ye to ckeck the second floor for any signs of the badger. And then Nige, Will, and I will check this floor for any signs. Ye got that? Now lets go before this gnome keeps whinning."
*Aramil waits for them to get into there groups, he nods to them, then they seperate into there groups to search for the missing badger. Aramil hoists the gnome up again on his shoulders then looks around on this floor with the other two halflings in search for the badger.
It's a beautiful house, with lots of attractive furnishings, but there is no sign of a badger. Nige repeatedly pulls dust cloths from chairs and tables to 'play ghosty', and the gnome prisoner jabbers endlessly about his lost badger, the best way to cook potatoes, and the various commissions he has to finish and deliver for footwear.
"Recognize this little bugger. Gave me a nasty bit on the leg, sorry had to kill it though."
Agitated again, the gnome starts wriggling and bouncing on Aramil's shoulders.
*Aramil drops it down gently and then gets his stuff together.
"Well we can't find your little badger, sorry. By teh way what is yer name?"
He sniffles a bit, then sighs and answers, "I'm Dimble Folkor, but you can call me Boottapper. I'm a cobbler."
Ah, Caramip... Sweet as a berry in the summer sunshine... Wait for me, Caramip... I'll be back soon, oh yes!
But this city! So big, so loud, tramp tramp tramp all the big people pushing and shoving!" He whimpers.
"But then I realized I already have a house right here! Lots of room, quiet at the top, space for my work... Soon I'll have enough saved to go back to my village and wed my darling Caramip! My sweet Waterberry, frolicking in the meadow, wait for me, wait for me!"
He subsides into a soft, endless murmuring about his 'lovely Caramip.'
*Aramil looks back to the other halflings.
"Well its time that we go I guess. Better see what Volos wants me ter do with this guy. So you guys ready?"
*The two halflings nod.
"Good now lets go get the other ones."
*Aramil goes down to the second floor and sees if the other halflings found anything, they shake there heads and the gnomes whimpers some more. Aramil sighs then goes to the first floor only to hear the same thing from the other halflings. Aramil sighs again and then with one final look at the place they exit the Manor and start to head back to the SSAG with the gnome.