Adam nodded and fell silent. He had nothing further to say on the current subject but would not turn aside a change of said subject.

Harry points ahead. "We're gettin' close, recognize that tree. Chestnut, old one." She begins combing through the foliage, once closer to it. "Sign and gate should be somewhere nearby."

Adam watched as she looked looked around the entrance. "What do you expect to find in an abandoned manor?"

Harry glances over her shoulder at Adam. "One or more missing persons, or clues where they might've gone. Not holdin' ont' much hope, just followin' up on th' sole lead I have."

Harry suddenly spots something: a sign--

STOCKBRI

The rest has rotted away.

The right side of the sign has had ivy clinging to it until fairly recently, like someone uncovered it...

Harry examines the area around the sign more carefully. Yes, there's a high, black, iron fence... and over here, an large iron gate. And yes... there's a mansion way back there, not-quite hidden behind the scattered trees... At night, one could easily walk right past the whole place, but by the light of day...

...Heavy clouds slowly drifting in from the east, though...

Harry examines the ground and foliage nearest the gate for similar signs of disturbance. Footprints or other indicators of recent human passage. "This is it, th' old Stockbridge place. Deputy Gallow and his companion headed here for reasons unknown."

Adam spoke in reply to Harry, "Well We have found our intended destination. I will go first, I am accustomed to pain. If any is to be handed out, I should be first in line." He moved toward the strange Manor house. He moved slowly and paid careful attention to those who might be in the windows or movement of any kind he might notice.

12:51, Today: Adam DeLacey rolled 7 using 1d20.  v 9 wisdom.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:51, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

(Wis roll, please...)



Adam thinks he sees something at one of the downstairs windows of the house, but the second he looks right at it, there's nothing there, and it's as if there wasn't anything there in the first place.

...He thought, though... that it might have been someone looking at him...

Harry shrugs and follows the big man once he is through the gate. "'Spose ye do know a thing or two 'bout pain. Will take yer word for it, at th' least."

---

13:51, Today: Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') rolled 18 using 1d20.  Check Vs. WIS 14.

Adam stopped and looked at the house. He pointed with his shovel, "There was someone in that window I am sure of it."

Harry looks in the direction Adam is pointing. "Could be one of our missin' persons, or whoever made 'em go missin'. This bein' Collinsport, could also be a ghost. Not that ye see many of those in broad daylight."

Approaching the house, Harry sees no sign that anyone has been here recently...  There's a spot of rotten wood on the front porch leading up to the front door that's been broken through as if someone's foot/ankle/leg went through it, but that might not be recent...

Adam went first and carefully went around the rotten spots in the porch. He put his hand on the door, "Shall I open this? I am intimately familiar with locks."

Harry makes a circuit around the exterior of the house, taking careful note of its windows. She counts shuttered versus unshuttered, broken versus intact. "Folk were leavin' th' house empty for a time, reckon they'd shutter all th' windows. Glass bein' fragile and costly, might even shutter 'em durin' a storm like we had recently."

Some shutters are closed. Some are open. Some are falling off or have fallen off.

And yes, a few panes are broken.

Adam waited for Harry to return and tell him one way or the other on the door.

Harry replies to Adam's query. "May as well. Given th' shape of th' place, surprised th' door's intact."

Adam looked the door over especially the handle/lock, as if he were going to try and pick it. After a moment he took a step back and attempted to simply kick it in.

We'll never know if the door was locked or not... it crashes inward, leaving just an open doorway.

Inside are a few old pieces of dusty furniture here and there, nothing terribly surprising.

No other people, no movements, no sounds after the initial crash...

Adam makes a gentlemanly "after you" motion.

Harry smirks at the big man and steps through the doorway. "S'pose there ain't much need for quiet."

Adam followed Harry but said, "Be careful of rotten floorboards."

Harry steps into the gloom of the old house, pausing to kneel and light her lantern. "Floor should be in fair shape 'cept where th' elements have found their way in. Still, better safe than sorry." She skims the floor for any sign of recent passage before climbing to her feet. Raising the lantern high, Harry glances around what she assumes are the foyer and entry hall. "Should check th' kitchen and fireplaces first. Folk need warmth as well as shelter. Those oughta give us an idea whether anyone stayed here, and how recently."

Adam nodded and began looking around to find the fireplace. He did not need the light, but assumed she did so he said nothing.

People have been here, in at least the last three weeks. Some signs are older, some newer. Footprints. Spiderwebs all over-- but not in the middle of the doorways. Things like that.

This is indeed a large entry hall. On the right is a staircase that leads up to the second floor, a small part of which can be seen from a railing that runs off around the top of the left side of the upper story of this room.

There are hallways leading off to the left, straight ahead, and under the stairway off to the right.

The footsteps... mostly seem to go straight ahead, and off to the left, although there's signs (though fewer) that someone's used the stairs, too.

From where you're standing, you can only see down the hallway directly in front of you. It has a door on the left, a door on the right, and then the hallway turns off to the right, and there's a door facing you. You can't, of course, see what the hallway does after it bends off to the right.



There's no fireplace in this room... better look around...