HugeOgre said:
After checking to make sure his kama and siangham are tucked within the folds of his robes Kith stood his ground in the foyer. Running his fingers along his long elven ears as he peared about the room a second time, he found himself listening intently for anything out of the ordinary. Shifting his weight, Kith took a couple of steps to his left, then return back to the group before taking a few more paces to his right.
Kith listens, peers, and becomes one with the house.
[sblock]
There is a secret door under the staircase.
Not a high-quality secret door, either.
The door ahead is locked and blocked: something big and not moving is behind it.
There is too much woodsmoke in the house: not as in "house on fire" but as in "chimney badly needs cleaning".
There is a maker's mark in the colored glass window.
This was a very expensive house at one point, but it needs deep maintainance to return it to what it was.
The old woman coming walks with two canes, and only with great difficulty.
The fishmonger is outside, peddling fish. "Fish! Frrresh fish!! If it was any fresher nobles would challenge it to a duel! Frrrrresh fish!!"
Some of the original carving has been removed from the stair rail and replaced...a long time ago.
There are no birds singing outside.
There are scratch marks on some of the woodwork, as if a large cat had clawed them to amuse itself.
The hall is neat, but old and very worn.
[/sblock]