Alarven makes his way to the fireplace, the inconsistent symptom of a building long abandoned and showing to have been empty for a long time. Staring at the burning logs, he makes a quick appraisal of the situation there.

GM, I would like to see if I can solve the following questions.

Can I tell about how long the fire was left burning here before we arrived, a fresh fire with new logs or a fire about to go out?

Is there more firewood collected and available to sustain the fire?

If there is more firewood available, is it fresh cut/split or old, dust covered, and looking like it hasn't been touched since the mining office was last in operation (decrepit like the library)?

Neldi calls up the stairs, "Nothing down here."

GM, i'd like to do a comprehensive search of the basement.  just to be safe.

The fire seems to be have been well stocked prior to your arrival, though exactly how long ago is difficult to tell. There is gathered wood nearby, a mix of "fresh" kindling and wood that has been scavenged from the debris.

In reply to Neldi (msg # 137):

Moves outdoor without comment

Alarven will move over to Menden to fill him in on what his observation was, and help keep watch at the front door. His words are addressed to any of his companions within earshot, but primarily to Telorn and Menden.

"So it looks like someone stoked the fire a bit before we had arrived... and there is fresh gathered kindling, not just debris collected. I don't like this, guys- Did we chase someone from the only shelter they had, with our arrival? Where did they go?"

Neldi continues his rummaging around in the basement.

What is Kalve doing now that he is outside?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:59, Thu 20 May 2021.

Look around for tracks or any movement.

While Neldi is searching the basement, Kalve wanders the grounds.

Menden shrugs, keeping his eyes fixed out the door, “Does it matter?  If they come back and they are angry we explain our purpose if they don’t come back it’s one less thing to deal with.”

Move back into house through kitchen, make way to darkened windows.

"It's here. It would be a shame to let the fire go to waste. And the roof," Telorn says.

Telorn, you got it right, how you feeling?

"A roof, sure. Not much wall to hold the warmth in near the fire, though. I think we will want to use our tents for shelter still, tonight- keep the damp and chill off of us, less we all end up with Telorn's cough."

Alarven nods to Kalve as he returns. "Any news from outside, signs of whoever was here earlier?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:45, Fri 21 May 2021.

couldn't see any sign of recent movement in back, they probably just came in front like we did. look out the darker house right windows for movement outside

"If we are going to spend the night in here, we will need to do a few things. This building is not closed off, so we'll need to set up our tents here inside, or use a tent cover to close off part of the missing walls in the Library or the Living Room here for us to not catch a head cold... Do we have a preference, between those rooms? The living room will be harder to close off, but it has the fireplace to keep warm..."

"Also, after two days of wandering in the forest, I'd like to get clean, if there's water in the well out back. We can heat it up using a pot and wash up."

"And thirdly, we will want to set up another watch rotation.

go right a head I will watch from here

Neldi returns from searching the basement and says, "let's settle down in what used to be the dining room, use one of the tents to cover the collapsed wall to cut the draft a bit. It'll be colder without a fire in here, but we can close and spike the kitchen door and generally only have to watch in on direction. I'll check the well and see if it has water or not."

Neldi goes out into the backyard.

"I'm fine, Telorn says but a stifled cough gives him away. "I can take a watch."

Neldi stares dumbstruck at the bucket, then empties it out and tries again.

Must have just dragged against the wells walls the first time. The bucket comes up without any issues and filled with only water.

Neldi unhooks the bucket and brings in some water to fill the cookpot. His face is pale and drawn in the torchlight. "Probably boil that thoroughly before using it... Just to be safe," he says quietly before putting the bucket next to the back door and sitting down in the corner of the dining room, where he wraps his blanket around his shoulders and mechanically gnaws on a piece of hardtack, blankly staring out through the double-doorway into the entrance of the house.

Occasionally, his eyes skitter-dart toward the kitchen, then back to the entrance.

Alarven nods, a confused look on his face for a moment as he watches Neldi leave the room. "Alright, so... in trying times, sometimes one needs the comfort of having holy water on hand to ward off evils. My father had a method he spoke of, for making holy water anywhere it was needed."

With the most deadpan expression he can muster, he looks to each of the others in the room. "The process of making holy water is simple, but takes time. A ritual with only two steps, in fact. First, you fill the cooking pot with the water... and then, you boil the Hell out of it." The edge of Alarven's mouth curls up slightly, as he fights to not smile.

a bit of humor seemed necessary to break the black mood Neldi brought inside with him. :-)

Telorn smiles and chuckles. "Good one," he says before coughing slightly.

Telorn tries to warm himself by the fire.

Strength Challenge. 17:57, Today: Telorn rolled 10 using 1d20+1 ((9)).