Slattery backs away from the opening and rejoins the others.

"Someone is sitting in the dark inside a room," he says, shrugging.  "Ominous cloak and all, but at least they didn't immediately attack."

"We could probably parley from just outside the door," he suggests.

Melissa looks at the others.
"He doesnt seem hostile, and I guess I'm the hardest target to hit." she says. "Let's go say hello."

Melissa flies back to the doorway, hovers about halfway up and leans the top half of her body around the edge of the frame.
"Hello?" she calls loudly.

Since Odhran can get out of harms way in a wink of the eye, he moves forward to back up Melissa.

Slattery follows the others, standing out of sight outside the doorway.

Thea follows along aside Slattery.

"Hardly traditional tactics..." Fetch muses, unsure how he'll get a first opportunity to prove himself. He thoughtfully weighs the new shield in his grasp, readies his well-worn hammer and tags along. Following suit he stays out of the entry path despite his bristling curiosity for a look inside.

"Don't worry," Slattery whispers to Fetcher, "you can be in the front-line when we fight the troll."

At your groups approach at least partially into the doorway and Melissa's greeting the figure sitting behind the table begins to move.

From one of it's sleeves the figure extracts a large deck of cards. It gives the cards a few shuffles and then deals out twelve cards on the table in three rows of four. It then sets down the deck, sweeps one hand over the cards, and then beckons you inside with the other.

Fetch coughs a single, mild cough into his own left shoulder trying to mask his surprise at the unexpected mention of a troll. "Hopefully your magics can account for the lack of swords, should it come to that."

Had Fetcher been a paid mercenary instead of an indebted orphan rescue, a small part of him might be wishing to return to the ranks of grizzled veterans. He steels himself against all doubts and thinks of the girl who holds his heart while staring down their current, single-story predicament.

“Well, it has not eaten us yet.  Might as well see what it wants,” said Odhran as he walked into the structure.  His cane was still ready, and he was ready to leave in a wink if things went bad.

Thea looked at the cards in hopes of discerning their nature and purpose.  Divination?  Or did the being want to gamble against something the party had?

11:17, Today: Thea Schreiber rolled 5 with the Tunnels & Trolls, Saving Throws system.  IQ roll to determine nature of cards.

The building had not been present on their initial trip to the ruins, but had only been visible on their return trip.  Random chance, or had they needed to prove themselves in some way for whatever reason?

Melissa grips her wand firmly and follows Odhran inside, silently casting Detect Magic to try and determine if the figure, or the cards, or both were magical.

OOC Detect Magic, 0 Wiz

Slattery shrugs at Fetcher and follows the others inside.

Fetch takes one final look around outside before he follows through the doorway. He settles into a footman's stance just inside the opening with his back to the wall, doing his best to balance being ready-for-anything with appearing non-threatening.

You accept the cloaked figures invitation and enter the building, if only just inside the doorway. Melissa does sense magic emanating from the cards and Thea thinks the cards look a bit like those used in telling fortunes; but those are mainly used by charlatans and con-artists (L2SR on IQ, failed, 10 AP).

The figure does not speak, but simply gestures to all of you and waves its hand over the cards once again.

Still ready to wink out if needed, Odhran goes up to the table on what would be the figure's right hand.  He taps the card in the second row, second column.

X X X X
X 0 X X
X X X X

The robed figure flips the card Odhran pointed to over and reveals an image of an athlete. Odhran is suddenly filled with a sense of health and vigor.

OOC: Odhran's CON is increased by 1.

Odhran looks confused for a moment, then backs away.  "I feel better, more vigorous after our host turned over the card, but I sense that this is a gamble.  But I tend to be lucky."

He turns to look at the others, and said, "the risk is in which card you pick.  And why our host is here, I have no idea.  Perhaps this is a trick left by wizards long past or it is some other force, but I think we still have a choice."

OOC: I take it you are now updating our character sheet.

Slattery looks dubious, but shrugs.  "If I end up a frog," he says, "I expect one of you to kiss me."

He'll touch the top right card from their host's perspective.

"If that does happen, it should be Melissa," Thea responds, her tone straining to be jocular, even as she attempted ti quell her fears.  "She's the right height, if giving a little tongue is needed."

"Oh come on, I've never been that drunk."

Fetch looks on, wide-eyed. "I don't think I'll ever share your trust in magics"

With everyone relatively at ease he advances enough to peer over shoulders, taking a keen interest in what happens with Slattery's selection.

Slattery taps a card and the robed figure flips it over to reveal an image of a dwarf. Slattery feels suddenly strange, then his bones feel as though they are fire for one brief moment and just as suddenly it passes.

Slattery finds himself a full foot shorter than he was a moment ago. His clothes and armor a bit ill-fitting.

OOC: Yes, I'm updating your character sheets; 1 CON was added to Odhran. Slattery, how tall were you?

"GODS!" Fetcher jumps back, aghast. He has absolutely no idea what to do in the moment and backs himself up to the wall near the entrance again.

Slattery looks at himself, shaking his head.

"Not quite a frog," he says, "but close enough.  I'll have to take the armor in a bit."

OOC: I'd pictured him average height, so 5'7" or so.