Hamish takes a deep breath after facing down the Banshee with his companions.  He steps outside the hut and casts Eyes of the Grave again to make sure there wasn't anything else lurking.  Assuming there is nothing, he will say to nobody in particular That was a really great job everyone did back there.  Those things can be very dangerous.  Is everyone ok?

I'm fine, thank you! pipes up Hansel cheerily, looking up from his mirror-shield. With genuine sincerity he compliments Hamish: You were very good, by the way. Very brave.

Then turning back to his mirror-shield, he continues: But I suppose a worshipper of Kelemvor isn't afraid of anything, right? 'Don't fear death' and all that...

Hamish's face flushes a bit at the compliment. "You're right, I don't fear death but there are a lot of things worse than death.  I am scared of hurting innocent people.  Also," he says sheepishly,  "I'm scared of getting hurt. I'm a bit of a baby and I need to grow up.  I'm trying." He falls silent for a moment.  "I wouldn't consider myself brave but I really don't like the undead.  They are against everything my life has always been about."

Hansel smiles vacuously and nods, as Hamish's last words apparently go in one ear and out the other. Instead of following up on what exactly Hamish's life has always been about, Hansel replies: Speaking of babies, I have a lotion here that will make your skin as smooth as a baby's bottom. If there's anything we should all be scared of, it's wrinkles!

Onu claps Hamish on the back 'You were great Hammy, you really saved our bacon in there.'

Fae dips her head in appreciation to Auric for offering to share the spellbook’s contents. She’d add the book to her bag with the others in her collection. “Should everyone be satisfied with their search and investigation, shall we continue our journey to Woodland Manse?” 

KD blinks a few times, trying to clear her head. She checks on Hal, and thanks Hamish. She stays quiet, feeling foolish at being so frightened.

Her eyes do alight at the introduction of the magic items. After anyone who wants something in particular has their pick, she would happily take any of the remaining to attempt to replicate them, or use them in another fashion. She would love to try to reproduce the perfume, or infuse it into an item for someone on the team who tends to do more of the talking than she does. The lock is something she'd like to study. the pole seems generally useful for anyone, though her mind goes to using it for mobility and martial purposes. And the boots seem very helpful for a scout, perhaps Nova? Or Hal. Mr. Dark also seems sneaky. But she'd love to study how they work and potentially work their abilities into her boots one day.

She's ready to move along, though. Much of this study and divvying can be done after their main task.

Yep, let's get a move on.  This place is creepy.  Hamish straightens up and begins walking when everyone moves on.  He keeps his eyes out for any trouble.  

Perception 10

Auric:

”Forsooth, let us sojourn hence,” says Auric, his speech pattern becoming more obtuse as he is distracted by the magic item discussion.  He does not appear to be interested in any of the items in particular…

Onward then, agrees Hansel. He continues to chatter away to Hamish, unaware that he may be disrupting the other cleric's attempt at staying alert.

'Onward...!'

Nova stops abruptly, poking her head up from the tall grass from where she had found herself. Her chaotic running around, tearing up the ground in her wake, lead to what one could almost describe as forest crop circles. Delighted with being provided a direction, the woman salutes, then pivots, and begins to casually skip off towards their original intended destination.

While too busy to respond herself, Fae would thank KD for thinking of Nova for her. Should no one else request the footwear, the artificer was welcome to hang onto them to study during some downtime. Perhaps should she be so inclined, she could replicate the boots. Of course Nova would be interested in something like that, however until she had a dire need for them, it was safer to keep them in a researchers possession.

Following Nova's trail through the woods, the group comes to a foggy clearing, in the midst of which stands a crumbling two-story manse all but hidden beneath thorny ivy. Nova was beginning to think there was a common theme along this trail in this forest. Turning her nose up into the air, she flares her nose, huffing intently. The large house is set atop a six-foot-high stone foundation, and the main entrance has a balcony above it. Pumpkins grow wild in patches around the manse, with several wild boars feeding among them. The boars snort with contempt as the group draws near.

Auric:

”Arcane foes most foul shouldst reside in yon manse,” says Auric as he starts tracing the pattern to a detection spell ( See Invisibility ) once they are ready to start exploring it.

Woodland Manse Quest.
“The orcs have fallen under the sway of evil spellcasters in Neverwinter Wood, and have been sighted in growing numbers near Falcon’s Hunting Lodge. The spellcasters dwell in a ruined manse. Falcon needs someone to make a preemptive strike against it. Destroy the evil in the manse, then expect him to reward you.”

Ugh, this place needs a makeover! Hansel says softly as he wrinkles his nose. Then turning to the more tactically-minded members of the group, he asks:

So... Orcs and evil spellcasters. What should we be looking out for? Orcs hiding in the pumpkin patch? Fireballs shooting from windows?

How many hours until sunset?

KD suggests someone sneakily looping around the manse to see if there are pathways that orcs living around the building might use. Hal can try but someone else is likely better. She looks at the building to se me if anything is obviously dangerous or watching them or arcane.

Regular d20 roll: 18

Onu nods his head at the suggestion of someone creeping forward quietly, loosening his sword in it's walking cane and bouncing lightly on the balls of his toes, before turning to the rest of the group 'Two of us can scout ahead?  Split up and cover both sides of the Manse?'

Stealth for Onu 14

Auric:

"I shall progress along the alternate facing," says Auric, casting a spell and fading from view as he moves to head around the other side of the building.

See Invisibility and Invisibility up for the scouting trip.

Hamish casts Guidance on both Onu and hopefully Auric before he fades from view.

KD figures there’s about an hour before sunset. Inspecting the manse from this far out, she can note windows are 2½-foot wide, 5-foot-high apertures with wooden shutters but no glass. Those along the outside walls are covered with ivy, which must be cleared away before the shutters can be opened or closed. While she may feel watched, there doesn’t appear to be any evidence of anyone peering out the windows. However, there was something worth noting about the Ivy. The ivy enveloping the manse is poisonous which obviously enough would make the walls difficult to climb if one chose too. 

Hamish shares his guidance with Onu, then Auric before he fades out of view. From here Onu goes west while the invisible Auric goes east. 

“Ouu! Pumpkins!” Nova scampers off into a pumpkin patch to pick one.

On the west side, Onu finds stone steps that climb to a portico with a stone balcony overhanging it at a height of ten feet. Vines wrap around the balcony’s support pillars and its crumbling stone railing. The ground-floor entrance features a double door with a giant boar’s head crudely carved into it. An unmarred double door stands closed on the balcony.

Coming around to the north side of the house, Auric notices another door. He would be able to conclude that this outside door was broken down years ago. Beyond the doorway it appears nature has run roughshod over a kitchen, whose furnishings are wholly decayed.

(I think Guidance can only be applied to one person at a time, but Hansel can apply one instance of the spell too if desired.)

Hansel remains in the same place with anyone else that isn't scouting. He inspects everyone's clothes and hair to ensure they are neat and unruffled.

Must be looking our best before we meet these evil spellcasters, now...

Auric:

Trusting in his invisibility, Auric gets close to the open door to the kitchen and peers inside, noting what he can without actually braving any of the tangled undergrowth inside.  He moves quietly and slowly, taking care not to make any of the lighter undergrowth move unnaturally. 

Perception with Guidance:  10