Guillame thanks Quin for everything but quickly excuses himself and takes off into a narrow alleaway to the north. Jehanne motions the other way and leads the rest of the party from the cobbled sqaure into the narrow streets to the southwest. The street is flanked by a mix of simple cottages and two storey stone and wood buildings. Worn wooden shutters adorn small openings in the walls. Chickens scratch at the hard-packed earth, pecking for sustenance, while the distant sound of bleating sheep can be heard from the outskirts. Modest gardens feature essential herbs and some a small plot for vegetables. The air carries the earthy scents of rural life mixed with the stench of budding civilization. Townsfolk go about their business and the occasional wooden cart, laden with goods, rumbles along the uneven path.

Jehanne stops in front of a sturdy two storey home built with wattle-and-daub. The facade is in need of fresh lime and features a stout wooden door. The thatched roof show signs of age and wear.

Movement in a small window on the second floor catches your eye as a fleeting shadow passes by. The dim light reveals fragments of the interior, offering glimpses of sparse furnishings and rough-hewn beams. For a moment the narrow street is empty from townsfolk and the buzz of the town center dims and the air thickens with silence, broken only by a sudden cawing of crows.
This message was last updated by the GM at 18:20, Wed 29 Nov 2023.

Quin looks for the murder as yet somewhere unseen overhead, briefly wondering what their business was that caused them to call out. Perhaps they think that we are come for war, he thinks, with a sudden sunshine grin at the image of such battles an army of three might wage as he dismounts.

He helps Jehanne down and looks to the Lord de Roquefixade for instruction, looping Etienne's reins around a shutter-hook and keeping close by his charge. The big horse shifts in mild discontent, heaving an almost human-like sigh before settling to a standstill in this place that is not a paddock or even a stall.

Guy halted his horse and sat staring at the house for a long moment before giving instructions.

"Quintillian,  I understand Jehenne's father is unwell. Take the maiden and go see him, I will be with you shortly. Cook, I want you to see the kitchen, inspect everything they have been eating. Tell me if there is anything mouldy or gone bad. Tell me if there is anything unusual or wrong.

"William, are you any good with animals? I want them all checked. Tell me if there are any wounded or injured, or have gone mad, any that are Savage. There are chickens, there are sheep, there may be dogs. Dont get bitten or scratched, whatever happens."

The knight dismounted and knocked on the door, expecting to see the Lady of the house. He gave a short bow. "Greetings, Goodwife.  I am Guy de Roquefixade.  Your house seems to have suffered some misfortune recently. May we come in?"

ooc any folklore charms or symbols hanging from or painted on the house?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Thu 30 Nov 2023.

William also looks about for the crows. Though these southerners may find them as bringers bad omens, his father had once taught him that in befriending a crow or raven, they may reveal secrets to man with enough patience and a show of friendship.

"Very well," he responds to Guy, "I'll check on that flock of sheep first. Chasing chickens around isn't exactly my specialty, though." He lets out a chuckle at the thought of catching these damned birds and rides toward the flock, again eyeing the corvids for a moment.

After a quarter of an hour or so of disturbing and looking over the flock, William returns. "Totally unremarkable -- they seem to be behaving regularly to me, Lord Guy. No wounds or sign of disease, lethargy... to my eye, atleast."

12:25, Today: William FitzAlan rolled 82 using 1d100.  Perception 36.

Oof

"Does thy father's solier [Private to GM: upper floor ]give out onto a courtyard behind?" Quin asks Jehanne as they wait. He's uncomfortably aware that being here in a troop due to his honest answers to Guy's questioning may have sapped the girl's trust in him, but unsure what to do about it save to shield her from all signs of wrath.

Guy thumped on the door a bit more forcefully.

The eerie silence breaks with the ravens caw and there doesn't seem to be anything amiss with the animals. There are no suspicious foklore symbols visible.

No one answers the knock. "Non but there is a door to the back in the living room", Jehanne answers Quin. She slides past Guy and pushes the door open. "Meré is by the river at this hour. Peré?" she calls, walking ahead into the dimly lit interior. Rough-hewn beams support the structure and basic, functional furniture is arranged within. A small kitchen area is arranged along the far wall. There are stairs to the second floor off to the right and straight ahead there is a door leading into the backyard. There is also a door to the left, probably to a small chamber.

The cook, Penota, shrugs but does as she is told and starts to looks through the meager pantry, puffing that her sister should really keep better order. She finds nothing wrong with the food.

The rest of the retinue waits in the street.

Quin stays by the little maiden like a shadow, quiet and watchful. The lack of siblings or neighbours around with a sick man in the house is strange, but there are no signs of a funeral, and the motion upstairs had suggested someone able to stand at least long enough to approach the window. He listens for reactions from above or outside, but the motion inside the room makes nothing certain.

[[very much failed a voluntary Perception roll with 85]]

"I find this emptiness odd" Guy said with a frown and he entered the house. "William, when you checked the stock, did you see where those crows were? Were they in trees, or feasting on something?"

"Quin, hold the stairs. We will go up together." Guy walked cautiously through all the downstairs rooms to check they were empty,including opening the door into the back yard to see what was there.

"Good day! Is there anyone here? We mean no harm" he called as he went through the rooms.

16:27, Today: Guy de Roquefixade rolled 89 using 1d100.  perception 45.

About time I rolled an abysmal notice roll to match you guys. 3/3 rolls 80+.  None of us notice the murderer with a dripping knife standing in the middle of the room, lol
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Sun 10 Dec 2023.

"The corbîns circle but I'm unsure where or whether they feast. I have yet to see hawks to try and rob them of their bounty. Surely though there must be the stench of death in the air to have them in such a fuss," William retorts, still mounted and keeping watch near Quin and the others.

William doesn't actually see that many ravens, just a few that flutters away over the roofs.

The door in the back opens up to a communal back yard with several small gardens. The garden just outside this door is in dire need of some weeding. The door off to one side of the living room leads to a small chamber, empty aside from a narrow bed. Penota sniffs. "Well Belissenda and Stefes children are all flewn out of the nest, apprenticed or married. Jehanne is the only one left. Though I say, they should help Belisenda more."

At first there is no reply from upstairs but the stair creak as Guy puts weight on the wooden steps and as he nears the top he can hear a soft growl from the room above.

OOC: So William, the others are actually inside so if you're still mounted I assume you are waiting/guarding outside.

"Grand corbies alight, sometimes, where they foresee death..." Quin responds to William's remark, then frowns briefly as the Lord of Roquefixade makes swiftly for the stairs, taking up the broad cutting-board from the kitchen to hold the stairs with in place of his shield left outside. He throws a look to William that acknowledges this is faintly ridiculous, but that he doesn't have time to do more than check Jehanne's whereabouts before hastening to his place by the higher noble.

This message was deleted by the player at 18:01, Mon 11 Dec 2023.

OOC: There is no door, the stairs just open up directly into the room above.