Taking the metal cabinet is not really an option. All four of you could lift it up and wrestle it over to the store and down those stairs and out the front door, but then all four of you would be carrying this thing along while you adventure. If you absolutely needed to you could.
The group heads outside. You ask about the Tarot cards.
Pearl does Tarot readings, but she explains it's more of a trick. "The meanings associated with the cards are vague and apply to general human nature. The reader spots when the mark has an emotional response to something and then she talks more about that. She also asks a lot of questions to get information from the mark, in ways that don't stand out in the mark's mind when he remembers the experience later. Also, people tend to remember the "hits" and forget all the "misses"." Pearl laughs and hands you back your Ocarina Necklace that she somehow pickpocketed just now. "It's not
magic."
The sun is up in the sky, and some birds wheel high above in the clear blue.
The open space next to the guard tower has a couple moss-covered wooden troughs, some posts driven into the ground, and the remains of three awnings. You spot a wagon wheel embedded in the gently-sloping dirt that has accumulated from the decaying fallen leaves of many autumns.
The cottage has a single window, right next to the eastern gate. It's made of stacked fieldstone with only bits of mortar remaining. The doorway and window were boarded up and then torn apart, the pieces landing inside the cottage on the wood-plank floor. There's a blanket that's been shredded and the pieces carried all over, and a leather backpack that's been ripped open and its contents scattered. There are several large pieces of branches. Overall, everything is broken and shoved up against the walls.
Several arrows are stuck in the chinks in the stone wall inside the cottage and in the beams of the ceiling.
A golden gleam catches your eye, and now that you look there are dozens of gold coins scattered around amid the debris.
The compound is arranged like this, with descriptions you can tell from the outside, or a more detailed italicized description if you've explored it:
[North, overlooks bridge]
Store Guard Tower Open Space
[West, overlooks cliff] Stable Well Entrance Gate [East, down to road]
Smithy Shed Lodge Cottage
[South]
You're in the guard tower, lower floor. There's a doorway south to outside, and narrow stairs up.
The area is quiet.
Claire, Charlotte, and Pearl are here. Everyone is completely covered in blood, and Pearl is also caked with black coal dust.
Equipment
Clothes: Fur Cloak, Faded Green Shirt, Trousers, Belt with Dagger Sheath and Pouch, Floppy Boot Hat, Cloth-Wrapped Sandals
Armor: None
Jewelry: Ceramic Ocarina Necklace (0 ENC)
In Hand: Rusty Axe, Lame Torch (Lit, almost consumed)
Satchel [10/10]:a Big Heavy Book [Unlocked] (10 ENC), Densely-Written Love Letter (0 ENC)
Dagger (Belt Sheath)
Bottle [1/1]: 2 Pints of Unknown Liquid
Mirror Shiv with Shirt Wrapped Handle
Torch
Sausages x2 (1 ENC)
Bread Loaf
Jug [1/4]: 2 Pints Hard Cider
Small Items (No Weight) In Belt Pouch
Compass
Pocketknife
Engraved Lighter
Pack of Serpent Tarot Cards
Engraved Gold Engagement Ring
Equipment
Clothes: Black Cloth Pants, Black Cloth Shirt, Black Hooded Cloak, Black Leather Gloves, Black Leather Boots, Belt with Axe Loop and Pouch
Armor: None
Jewelry: None
In Hand: Bow
Sturdy Backpack [7/20]: Hardtack x10 (1 ENC), Salamander Hide x3 (3 ENC), Salamander Head (3 ENC)
Hand Axe (Belt Loop)
Quiver [1/1]: Arrows x39
Bota Bag [4/4]: 8 Pints Water
50' Rope (2 ENC)
Small Items (No Weight) In Belt Pouch
Tinderbox
Chunk of Soap
Archer's Finger Guard
(Unknown)
Equipment
Clothes: Black Cloth Pants with Two Dagger Sheaths, Black Cloth Shirt, Black Hooded Cloak, Black Leather Gloves, Black Leather Boots, Bandolier with Six Dagger Sheaths, Belt with Sword Sheath and Pouch
Armor: None
Jewelry: None
In Hand: Short Sword
Cute Square Backpack [4/10]: Mixed Nuts x3 (1 ENC), Dried Meat x4 (1 ENC), Rolled Blanket, Brick of Soap
7 Daggers (Belt Sheaths)
1 Melty Dagger (Belt Sheath)
Bota Bag [4/4]: 8 Pints Water
Small Items (No Weight) In Belt Pouch
Tinderbox
(Unknown)
Equipment
Clothes: Dark Purple Fur-Lined Pants, Grey Cloth Shirt, Brown Leather Vest, Deep Green Hooded Cloak, Brown Leather Gloves, Brown Leather Boots, Belt with Dagger Sheath and Pouch
Armor: None
Jewelry: Silver Bracelets x5 (0 ENC)
In Hand: Dagger
Satchel [10/10]: Dried Fruit x5 (1 ENC), Dried Meat x4 (1 ENC), Pearl's Spellbook {Pyrotechnics, Whispered Message} (5 ENC), Coffer [Locked] [2/3]: 75 oz Gold, 100 oz. Silver (3 ENC)
Bota Bag [4/4]: 8 Pints Water
Small Items (No Weight) In Belt Pouch
Hollow Reeds and Cobweb x35 (Whispered Message)
Guano and Sulfur Balls x22 (Pyrotechnics)
Lockpick Kit (1 ENC)
Chunk of Soap
(Unknown)
>