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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Softwind" data-source="post: 1245188" data-attributes="member: 13893">Sixteenth Session (Part 2)With witnesses safely ensconced behind window curtains and closed doors, the party decides that a frontal approach is best in this situation. Tombit takes one window, Brynn and Athena the door, and Genoa and Grimnyr the other window. Skylar stays in the street, her bow ready, arrow nocked, watching the windows on the second story for movement. Tombit pulls his dagger out, and carefully makes a small incision in the oiled parchment covering the window opening.*FOOM*The small Halfling finds himself wreathed in flame and heat, the flames dancing merrily in a halo about him. Supressing a shout of pain and surprise, he rolls on the ground to douse the flames. Startled, the dwarves by the other window try to abort their own window cutting, but to no avail.*SHOOOF*A sudden cold front moves in on their position, riming them with frost. Chattering from the chill, they step back away from the window, as Athena is torn between helping them and helping the toasted Tombit. Knowing his predilection towards injury, she decides the dwarves can wait as she lays healing hands upon the Halfling, currently meowing piteously and patting at still-smoldering patches of fur and cloth. Figuring that their attempt at stealth is now moot, Brynn applies his shoulder to the door, bracing himself for a surprise of his own. And surprised he is as the door gives way and he finds himself in the house, unscathed. Athena, finished with tending Tombit, quickly follows. Straight ahead of them are stairs leading to the second floor. To the right and left are rooms, currently empty of furniture, but storing several bags and boxes. Leaving those for later, the pair splits up to investigate the rest of the lower floor.Skylar, hoping to preemptively disable further traps, fires into the upper story windows. Cascades of small stones erupt from one, while the other drops a green fluid which etches the windowsill and falls hissing to the ground below. “Impressive,” she murmurs. Having seen no movement at either upper floor window, she moves to the side of the house, then the rear, seeking further openings in the building’s façade.Discovering that the ground level floor of the house is uninhabited, Brynn, Karazak, his cougar companion, Genoa and her Timber wolf companion (named Timber, of all things) move up the cramped quarters of the stairway, to the upper landing. Only once they all stand there, crowded together, do they realize the prime potential of an ambush. Thankfully, the house seems quiet.Tombit daringly leaps through the bottom window and tumbles to his feet inside the front room, arms upraised as if in expectation of cheers. His arms drop to his side, and he slumps a little when the applause doesn’t come. Sheepishly, he moves up the stairs where the ranger and druid await. To clear the way for the rest of the party, Genoa and Timber open a door on the left of the hallway, and move inside the room. Here there is more to catch their attention, including a number of pelts upon the floor. Most appear fresh. Curious, the druid begins to pull up the furs, peering underneath each. Timber joins her at her side, poking his nose into each and every one as it is pulled up. When the last one is lifted, they are both surprised by the gout of acid sprayed into their faces. Yipping, they both leap back, trying to brush or wipe away the stinging fluid. The corrosive liquid continues to burn, and soon the room is filled with its sizzle and an acrid stench.Unable to save the pelts, the two rapidly emerge from the room, and shut the door, only to meet the surprised gaze of Brynn. Embarrassed, they try to hide the angry red pockmarks on their face and limbs. Both bear sheepish grins. Shaking his head and sighing, the ranger motions for quiet and points to the last door on the second floor to remain closed. Not knowing if the tenant is there, or if he is, if he is lying in wait for the party, they wait for the rest of the Companions to arrive upstairs.Athena, Grimnyr, and Tombit join the other two, while Skylar remains outside, watching the windows. She notices a light in one room, quickly extinguished, but agonizes whether she should shout a warning to those inside, or just hope that they will catch by surprise whoever is in that room. She decides to let her arrows do the talking, and launches several at the window.They pierce the covering with a *Woof* of flame, which quickly burns away the remainder of the parchment. The light is not evident again, and Skylar hopes that her action was a wise one as she waits.</blockquote>

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