(Yeah that might make things more confusing.)

"My suggestion would be to go to the rooms first.  You've all reminded me about a guest having the key, so maybe trying to get it first would be the way to go."

It won't be any more or less confusing if you do split, I just wanted to point out that splitting was effectively the plan. Time is of the essence here, so splitting may not be a bad idea, but I just want people to be aware that you can't all be in two places at once. At this point we've got a pretty even split of ideas:

Elero: Search the guest rooms.

Erix: Search the library

Kit: Fine either way

Mark: He searches a guest room while the rest of you go to the library.

You hear the footsteps of the two guards from upsairs coming down. You can makeout their conversation in the distance, "Did you hear something coming from the statue room? Has someone accidently set off the Stone Guardian again? And what was that yelling from the dining room?"

They'll be within sight in about 30 seconds, whatever you choose will need to be done now.

"C'mon boys!' Kit whispers and grabs Elero's hand "lets snoop their knickers! that's where I keep my keys. Mark and Erix will be fine. We can talk future combat combo strategies."

Ok, Elero will go with Kit, and Mark, if I'm reading this correctly, while Erix searches the library..

If you don't want the guards to walk in on you in this room that's going to have to be the plan:

Elero, Mark, and Kit - You walk to the east into the small hallway that curves around to the other side of the manor. There are four rooms coming off the left hand side of the hallway, they read: 1, 2, 3, and 4. All the doors seems the same apart from number 4 at the end, which is a bit bigger. Which door are you going for?

Erix - You walk into the large library to the west. The room is filled with books, from old novels and history books, to personal journals and histories of House Orien. There are also two other doors that lead out of this room, a smaller one to the south, and a larger one to the east. What are you going to do in this room?

Don't know if this makes it easier or harder to understand but this is what you're all looking at.

Ok, apparently Erix is suddenly alone:P But yeah Erix will be fine going to the library, would he be able to change into his fine clothes in there? Thinking that where they are now their work clothes probably won't do them any good.

Quote from Secretfool >>

Ok, apparently Erix is suddenly alone:P But yeah Erix will be fine going to the library, would he be able to change into his fine clothes in there? Thinking that where they are now their work clothes probably won't do them any good.

 Posted this without seeing the new DM post. Question is still valid, besides that he will start with a quick investigation of the library for any hidden compartments etc. If none are found he'll look for some interesting works about the history of the Orien's. Preferably from around the time this mansion was build.

Perception: 20
Investigation: 20

Elero's going to follow Mark's lead, since he doesn't think he himself has any lockpicking skills, though he does have proficiency with thieves' tools, so maybe he'll have to acquire some of those in the future.

Mark will go to room number 4 and see if it is open, if not, he will try to pick the lock. 

Lock picking: 21

Elero will keep an eye out, in case someone heads their way.

Perception check: 23

Erix - You look around the bookshelves while changing into your formal attire. In a small bookshelf with a bunch of reference documents, you find a bunch of blueprints that show the original Orien manor architect drawings from before it was built. While the rooms aren't labelled, you could potentially find important information by investigating the drawings. What was it that you wanted to find?

Mark finds that the door to room 4 is open and is able to walk right in. Inside you find a large room with many beds inside. Although the beds are very fancy, this is not anyone's private quarters but a shared common room. There are about a dozen people in this room, halflings, changelings, humans, dwarves, and elves. All of them drinking and having a little pre-party. They hardly even notice you walking in, except for one person. Over in the corner standing up from his table is Mark's handler at the bank, Reidnul, he puts on his glasses and adjusts his clothes. The dwarf looks at Mark in disbeleif and says, "Mark? What in the hells are you doing here?" He walks towards you, looking very confused.

Oh and Erix and Elero would hear this. Another yell comes from the west side of the manor, this time a bit louder and startled than before.

Erix would be looking for a logical spot for the vault to be in, and would be hoping for any hints of what the password might be (but that was more from books about the Orien's from around the time the manor was build. Hoping the vault was put in immediately).

Regarding the yells, Erix just hopes he'll be fine being in the library in his formal wears as a dragonmarked.

"Blast," Elero will mutter, trying to determine the exact source of the yell.  Since he's familiar with the target and knows he's in room 4, he'll Message Mark, whispering, "I heard a yell from the west.  I think we may have a problem coming our way."

He'll pull out the All-Purpose Tool, frown at it, since it apparently can become anything except Thieves' Tools, then put it away and cautiously try the door to Room 3, hoping it's unlocked as well.

In case there's a check to see if this can be done without alerting whoever's in the room, Sleight of Hand check: 15

Mark will smile, "Oh hello, Reindul, I am here on assignment to make sure the security in the Manor is top-notch before the party. I am planning to be in attendance tonight and thought it would be good to offer my service to the house of Orion. If there is any information you can provide me about their staff quarters, I can't seem to find it and I believe this is where a nefarious character would strike first." Mark will survey the room and leaning in begins to speak in hush tones, "I also have information on our unkind friend."  

Deception Check if needed: 21

Erix Investigation check to find a spot where a vault might be: 18

(It's a good thing you rolled so well because I just realised I revealed where the treasure room is on the map in a previous post! you can just scroll up to see it above the room with the statues in it.)

Erix finds a spot in the statue room you just came from that you didn't see when you were in there. There is a good chance the wall in that part of the room has been put there to conceal a treasure room.

Reidnul looks at Mark perplexed, "I see, you really do have quite an interesting side hustle don't you? As for the Orien's personnal quarters, you'll find them if you keep following this hallway to the north and up the stairs. We'll be expecting the heads of houses down in a few moments for the party after a meeting they're having." He then looks around the common room and speaks softly to you, "You mean Zaerun? What have you found out? Or do you wish to speak later in private?"

Elero hears hushed voices coming from behind the door. He tries to discreetly open it and look at who's in there, but as he does a voice calls out, "Who's there?" The door opens and you see three figures. One is a Changeling woman with no pupils and long white hair, she cuts off her conversation with a halfling woman with a bob of brown hair and stern features. The thrid person is another halfling, this one a male with cropped black hair and scars over his face and arms, it was his voice you heard as you opened the door and he steps forward. "I do not recognise you. You weren't one of the party guests. I'll ask one more time, who are you?" You seem to have interrupted a meeting.

"Very sorry." Elero blushes. "The head of catering sent me up here to fetch something, but I appear to have gone to the wrong place.  Again, my apologies," he'll say as he shuts the door and moves to the next room, away from Mark.

If they protest or try to engage him in conversation, he'll ignore them and shut the door anyway, and try to get away from them if they pursue him.