Where: Collins Estate Grounds
Doing: Obseving, shovel in hand. Ready to send ssf omeone to the grave and dig that grave himself.

The great house of Collinwood seems quiet... There are many candles and lamps lit, though, especially downstairs in the central part of the house...

Fortunately, there are no dogs... The Collins family have quite a few horses, but they've otherwise never really seemed to be the type of family to have pets... Perhaps they're just too cold-hearted for that...

Updated description

Adam took a rock the size of a human skull from his pack. It weighs at least fifty pounds and has a piece of cloth tied to it. Scrawled on the cloth in black chalk is:

Syrus Collins Come out and play

He hurled the rock through one of the light front windows of the manor home.

There are the sounds of mild alarm... and then more and more bustle. Lights are moved around... There's quite a bit of talk from inside...

In just a couple of minutes, men armed with rifles come out. Old Isaac Collins... his brother Lucas... that carriage driver, John Loomis... a couple of other male servants...

"Who's out here?!" calls Isaac Collins. "Who's there?!"

None of them as yet give any sign that they see Adam in the dark shadows...

...But Cyrus Collins is not present...

Leaving his shovel for now, Adam raised his hands, palms out. This is the classic surrender pose. He stepped into the light and spoke. His voice is like two stones being rubbed together.  "I am here for Cyrus only. The rest of you may leave here unharmed." He makes no attempt to hide the scars.

(This is NOT likely to go well, but... well, let's find out exactly how well it does or doesn't go. Make a CHR roll, please...)

13:49, Today: Adam DeLacey rolled 11 using 1d20.  V. 8 Cha

The men very much do not put down their rifles-- they aim right at Adam. It's clear they'll fire if he comes any closer (or does anything else they don't like).

"Cyrus isn't even here!" calls the old man. "He's in New York!"

"Are you behind all our recent troubles?!" calls Lucas Collins. "...The disappearances...?!"

Adam stayed very still. "I have no idea what you speak of. I am here to collect on an old debt. I wish none of you harm."

"A... debt...? Did Cyrus promise you money for something? Have you... been in touch with him recently...?"

Adam laughed, and the sound is wrong and horrid. It makes one feel as if they are listening to someone scratch a chalkboard. "This debt is more personal than money. I have not seen him in near of a year."

"Well, I haven't seen him for almost that long, either! And I've hardly heard from him in that time, either! If money will satisfy you and send you away, that's one thing, but if it won't... then let this matter be between you and Cyrus! Leave us out of it!"

Adam took one slow step backwards. "That was..." he took a second step back disappearing into the blackness of the night, "...my intention." retrieving his shovel he walked away, whistling a merry tune.

There are no shots, and there is no sound of pursuit.

There's really nothing wrong with Adam's hearing, though, and he's able to hear increasingly-faint voices behind him for the first few seconds after he is out of earshot:

"What the Hell was that"
and
"Never seen anything like that before"
and
"I'd'a fired but if I missed its head I'uz afraid I'd just make it mad"
and
"Quiet, all of you-- just let it leave"

Adam will try and set up in a place where he will be alerted to the comings and goings of others. Mainly he is waiting on Cyrus.

Adam thinks. IF it is true that Cyrus has been in New York... Then he could watch the road coming in from the southwest...

But what if he came back by boat? Hmm.

Or what if the old man was lying about where his brother was? Would it be best for Adam to just find a spot where he could watch the winding, uphill road through the trees to Collinwood from the town...? Hmmmm...

Adam was intending to find a spot to watch the road to Collinwood. This seemed the best way to go about his current goal.

(INT check, please...)

13:15, Today: Adam DeLacey rolled 10 using 1d20.  v. 9 Int.

Adam chooses a spot where he can wait, unseen from the road, yet still able to see any people, horsemen, or carriages that go by either way...


...He hears a wolf or dog howl in the distance... Not too far off, though...
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:46, Mon 11 Oct 2021.

Adam remained still and silent watching the road.

...After some time, the howl comes again. Closer this time. It's not incredibly close... but still...

As long as it is only one, he will remain.

(Sounds like just one. Often when a dog or wolf howl or bays at the moon, others nearby will do so as well, and that's not happening, suggesting-- suggesting, at least-- that it's a lone wolf and not a pack.

Has Adam, before or after his large and muscular transformation, ever killed a wolf?)

Adam is familiar with hunting. He has trapped and killed wolves before, since their pelts are very valuable.