conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler: Intro 
  This is a wild and dangerous land, filled with forbidding forests and savage monsters. Along the lonly roads that bind civilization together can be found wayhouses--fortified inns where travelers may rest behind stout walls and have a hot meal before venturing forth once more into the unknown.
  
  The House of Three Squires is such a wayhouse. Situated on a lonely stretch of the Post Road, it's an easy day's travel from the nearest town.
  You've decided to leave town and head for the famous House in order to plan your next move with your new, like-minded companions.
  
  The evening is cold and blustery when you arrive at the stockade that surrounds the House of Three Squires, and you have a powerful thirst for one of the famed Three Squires sour beers. The stockade gate stands open and unattended, occationally slamming home with a great thud when the wind catches is just right.
  
  It does not take you long to realize that something is very wrong here. Not only is the place open to the elements and undefended, it seems deserted. And then you find the pool of congealed blood. Whoever or whatever left that blood, something or someone appears to have dragged it through the kitchen and into the cellar...
   
  
  
  The common room of the the House of the Three Squires is in shambles, tables overturned and chairs smashed.  A cold draft of the early spring follows you through the door, drawing your attention to the cavernous fireplace that only contains the charred remains of a happy blaze.  Whatever transpired here must have happened in a hurry, because the few bowls on the counter that aren't overturned still contain cold stew, unbothered by insects this early in the year.  The most interesting detail, though, leads you towards the kitchen--splinters and gouges that mar the floor and walls in tracks, leading toward a rickety stair leading down into the darkness.  It looks like something heavy was dragged this way.  Unlike the sterile cold smell of the common room, a slightly unpleasant, spicy odor hangs damp in the air back here, getting stronger as you approach the stairs.
conversations: The Hellbug:
conversations: human
conversations:  Aleena doesn't hesitate, unhooking her mace from her belt she moves towards the cellar. She nods towards her companions   "Come now friends, I am sure the tavern keepers will reward us, if they yet live."  
conversations: spinningdice:
conversations: human
conversations:  Abernathy absolutely hesitates. He takes out his dagger, but mostly it's for show. And to clean under his nails and pick his teeth. Not that there was any food here apparently.
  
  "You mean he'll reward us if WE live. So let's be cautious out there."
  
  He hides behind Mace Lady and peeks out from around her legs.
conversations: truemane:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Wait... let's first check about traces of who did this. Or what, judging by those signs and the fact that whatever it is is hiding in the darkness"   Ethrandis says, taking out the knife and stsrting to examine the mayhem, especially  the signs of dragging.
  
   
   Spoiler: ooc 
  Does Ethrandis recognize the smell? Any trace that might point to a specific creature?
   
conversations: Valmark:
conversations: human
conversations:  "You are correct of course, I simply dislike leaving someone in danger, we know not how long they ago they were carried away."   Aleena opens the cellar door and peers down into the darkness, making sure that whatever dragged them away was not waiting in ambush for fresh victims.
conversations: spinningdice:
conversations: human
conversations:  While surveying the situation, Ethrandis says   "Let's hope the silence means that they are unconscious..."  
conversations: Valmark:
conversations: human
conversations:  As Ethrendis bends over to inspect the gouges, a white-ish translucent material catches his eye.  Taking it up in his hand, a closer inspection reveals it to be cast off scales, the molt of some lizard-like creature.
  
   
   Spoiler: OOC Test 
  Identifying a creature from such a cast-off bit is a  hunter  test against the creature's Nature.  As the investigator of the refuse, Ethrendis will be making this test, trying to roll successes equal to the difficulty of the test (in this case the creature's nature).  Failure to do so will lead to a condition or a twist.
   
conversations: The Hellbug:
conversations: human
conversations:  Emboldened by both the silence and by his compatriots' willingness to walk in front, Abernathy looks over at what Ethrendis was up to. He wrinkled his nose at the gross little scales.
  
  "Oh man," he says, "I seen that stuff before. I used to cook a bit of a fricassee with lizards. Turn it to the light. See the little raised bits? That'll tell you what kind of whatever it came off of."
  
   
   Spoiler 
  I'm going ASSIST! I have Hunter 2! I'm handing him a dice.
   
conversations: truemane:
conversations: human
conversations:  Baldur laughs gruffly.   "You really believe anyone's left alive in this place? Hmph. Not if they had any brains. The best we can hope for is that the monsters got finished eating and left this place. No, wait. The best we can hope for is that the monsters left, and the victims have wallets stuffed with coin. And maybe a few barrels of sour beer left in the cellar."  
  
  The dwarf walks around to the kitchen and inspects the closet door. He kicks it open, and it protests mightily on squeaky hinges. He tries to look into the darkness to make something out.
  
  (OOC: Can I see anything down there? Or will I need to bust out my lantern?)
conversations: LnGrrrR:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Some of us would prefer to have a little faith that the world is not unremittingly dark, Baldur."   she slips her mace into it's belt-loop and draws a torch, getting ready to light it once her companions had finished discussion.   "Though we should also be prepared to shine a light upon the darkness, when necessary."  
conversations: spinningdice:
conversations: human
conversations:  Baldur turns to Aleena. He raises one eyebrow and jerks his head towards the trail of blood on the floor.   "A whole lot of good faith did these people. I prefer relying on my wits and this right here."    He pats the weapon hanging off his belt.
conversations: LnGrrrR:
conversations: human
conversations:  Ethrendis turns the molt over in his hands, but the elf can't make heads or tails of what creature it could have come from, even with Abernathy's helpful suggestions.  The rest of his companions, however, begin to turn their attention towards the dim cellar below, and Aleena is just getting ready to light a torch when the squeak of a loose floorboard behind them alerts all of the adventurers.  Just at the entrance to the kitchen behind them, they see a trio of short, scaly, and almost dog-like beastmen, and there's not a doubt in anyone's mind where the molt came from...kobolds!
  
  One of the three gives a cry of alarm, dropping the burlap sack slung over its shoulder and reaching for a bullet to load into its sling.
  
   
   Spoiler: OOC 
  Alright, we simultaneously get our first twist and our first conflict.  You have come across three kobolds; now is when you decided what kind of actions you're going to take and that determines what kind of conflict this is going to be (kill, drive off, flee, capture, riddle,
   etc).  Once that's settled, you'll pick a conflict captain and we'll go from there.
  
  Additionally, normally Ethrendis would mark a failure for that hunter test, but since he used beginners luck, it works a little different.  In this case,
   he just gets a generic mark in his non-existent hunter skill; if he ever has marks equal to his untaxed Nature, he gets rid of them all and gains the hunter skill at rank 2.  One turn has passed.
   
conversations: The Hellbug:
conversations: human
conversations:  "That wasn't much of a discovery..."   Ethrandis says, pulling out his knife.
    "May I suggest capturing one alive? If we can communicate, a lot could be explained. What do you think, Aleena?
  And I strongly advise against remaining in the trajectory of the fling's bullet"  
   
   Spoiler: spoiler 
  I'm for a Capture conflict, gonna second Aleena as conflict captain
   
conversations: Valmark:
conversations: human
conversations:  Baldur pulls out his weapon from his belt, and brandishes it menacingly.   "I don't know about you, but I don't speak kobold. I vote for the safest plan: hack them to pieces until they stop moving. They sure didn't give these people a second chance."   Baldur glares menacingly at the three kobolds, his muscles taut. Anyone can see he is a moment away from action.
  
   
   Spoiler: OOC 
  Voting for Kill, and voting for myself as conflict captain, because I am overconfident. :D
   
conversations: LnGrrrR:
conversations: human
conversations:  Bloody melee combat wasn't really Abernathy's scene.
  
  "This isn't really my scene," he said, "I'm, like, predisposed for other things. But I'll help you capture one. Go get 'em Aleena!"
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Votying for Capture. Voting for Aleena.
   
conversations: truemane:
conversations: human
conversations:  Aleena tosses aside the torch she had readied, instead reaching for her mace and raising her shield.
    "I concur, unless someone can translate we'll gain little by questioning these."  
   
   Spoiler: OOC 
  
  I only have the vaguest idea what I'm doing, so will vote Baldur for captain and Kill conflict.
   
conversations: spinningdice: