Hamish stays with Fae until she returns to consciousness.  "I'm glad to see you're awake.  I hope you had a nice rest.  You were amazing."  He will then stand and move to each of the bodies and lay a hand on them and say a brief prayer to Kelemvor that they are given the afterlife they deserve.

"OK, everyone.  What's next?"

Well, I was wondering... Hansel replies to Hamish... Weren't we told that there were orcs under the spell of evil mages or something? He looks around as if expecting to see evil mages surrounding them that no-one has noticed yet... 

Auric:

”Shouldst we not secure the premises, investigating for paraphernalia both mundane and arcane to empower our future endeavors?” asks Auric (assuming the fires are out or contained by this point) as he prepares to do his detect magic ritual and track down the auras he sensed earlier.

KD is happy to help scout around inside the building, once everyone is safe. She doesn’t need a short rest. 

It takes a bit of time for her to come around, but she does. And upon realizing what had happened, Fae's face is red not just from the flames, but from embarrassment. She pulls her hood up to shield herself, and turns her body away from the flames. Thankful for a distraction, the woman shares what she knows, wondering if it satisfies Hansel's question.

It was said many years ago, a half-elf wizard interested in the exploration of ancient elven ruins built a stone house in Neverwinter Wood, not far from several ruins that piqued her interest. In the course of her explorations, the wizard disappeared, and the protective magical wards on her home expired. The house fell into disrepair, then eventually into ruin. Ivy has all but engulfed it in the years since.

Recently, a half-orc anchorite of Talos (as Auric described) named Grannoc (the slain half-orc in the courtyard) took over the ruined house and is said to have planted the seeds at the bottom of its well. From these seeds, the malignant tree grew to fill the well and began spawning evil plant monsters, blights. The blights obey Grannoc, who used them to defend his woodland manse and kill trespassers within the forest.

Short Rest
(Go on and take that short rest.)

XP Granted
(If I maths right)
Each player receives: 800xp
Total player XP should be: 3928xp

Map
(W2: Investigated by Onu earlier)
(W6-7: Investigated by Auric earlier)
(W5: Partially investigated by Auric earlier. Did not walk inside)
(W3: The party walked through here to get to the courtyard)

Aurics magic reveals a dim aura of transmutation magic around the pumpkin Nova had carried in and dropped, and can presume he'd sense that around every pumpkin through out the pumpkin patches. His detect magic is picking up approximately three other pings of magic from the west and south west upstairs corner of the manse.

OOC: There's enough of us we could probably split up without too much danger. Perhaps one group could go back in through W3/5 and then up the stairs to check the upper level. Another group could check out W9/10/11 then up the spiral staircase (if that's what that is). I'm happy to start things off by going south...

Feeling somewhat refreshed after an hour or so of reverie, Hansel stands up and hoists his shield back on. Well brave folk, let us steel ourselves and face whatever ugliness has been left here by the foul orcs! May Sune give us the fortitude to not retch at their filth and squallor. 

Hansel is expecting to find a cesspit of orcish habitation in the southern wing, and bravely heads off that way (toward W9).

(Auric is happy to go check the upper level first)

KD will accompany Auric to the upstairs area, after things are settled. She doesn't need a short rest. Ears up, eyes wide (as best she can).

Perception: 17

Hamish will stay with Fae but gives her space.  He understands embarrassment very well.  He just keeps an eye on her to make sure she is stable on her feet and everything is ok with her.  If she decides to explore, he will volunteer to accompany her.

(Thank you for bearing with me while I’m away on holidays. Should be Monday or Tuesday when I return.)

Entering the room to the south Hansel discovers this room was once a bedchamber, kitchen, and dining room rolled into one. Four beds stand along the south wall, with shuttered windows and nightstands between them. Against the west wall are four wardrobes and a cabinet full of plain dishware and cutlery. Four chairs surround a small dining table in the northeast corner, and a trestle table strewn with pots and cooking utensils stands near a blackened fireplace. All the furnishings are made of wood.

The ceiling in the southwest corner of the room has collapsed, filling the area below with debris and leaving a jagged hole through which the room above is visible. This is where the enemies came barreling through.

Meanwhile KD and Auric pair up to head upstairs. They backtrack to the undercoated hall that features a creaky and mouldy wooden staircase. As Auric non chalantly goes to carry on up the stairs, the artificer stops him in his tracks about halfway up. She notices that the upper half has been weakened to the extent that it'll collapse, undoubtedly to something deadly beneath.

Wanting to physically separate herself from the flames at this time, Fae finds herself wandering towards the south west room, with Hamish close in toe. The door on the east side of this room has been smashed down, but any light from the courtyard isn’t enough to fully illuminate the room entirely, not even the flickering of the flames. What used to be some sort of laboratory lies in ruins, its furnishings broken and heaped against the walls. In the middle of the room, painted on the floor with mud, is a ten-foot-wide symbol depicting three lightning bolts joined at their tips. Hamish easily recognizes the symbol as that of Talos, the evil god of storms, that Auric had shared earlier. Where the lightning bolts converge, there's evidence of dried blood and viscera, as if a ritual was being performed here, but was interrupted.

Auric:

"Ahem, uh...Indeed," sputters Auric when informed of the trap..."Perhaps another route to the upper level awaits us elsewhere," he suggests, reluctant to try and traverse this dangerous area directly if it were not necessary.

KD looks to see if the stairway can be secured, or another route to the upstairs is available.

Investigation: 21

The staircase absolutely could be secured. A few nails and maybe some extra wood, she could nail it down. However, it’d be just as easy to search through other parts of the house to access upstairs just the same. 

KD would be able to lead Auric back out through the courtyard and into the south west room with Fae and Hamish. From there she’d be able to navigate to the next room through the doors in the north wall of this room.

Proceeding through, KD and Auric would discover a library. The room has a ten-foot-high wooden balcony forming its upper level, reached by a wooden spiral staircase curling down to the flagstone floor. Tall, empty bookcases line the walls, their shelves mostly bowed and broken. On the lower level, east of two pillars, are four old desks with chairs tucked behind them. A few moldy books are scattered about. 

The books found here are old texts written in Elvish that describe long-lost elven kingdoms and civilizations. They are too damaged to be worth anything. However, one desk has a small book tucked under one of its back legs to level it off. The book is titled Elvish Idioms, and its pages have been cut out to conceal a tiny leather packet which radiates one of the auras Auric sensed (contains dust of disappearance).

Upstairs, one of the bookcases on the balcony conceals a secret door. Tugging on the bookcase causes it and the secret door to swing open into a master bedroom. A four-poster bed stands between two shuttered windows against the west wall. Other furnishings include a desk and chair against the north wall and an empty wardrobe against the east wall. A fireplace built into the south wall features an elegantly carved mantelpiece.

Auric’s detect magic spell reveals an aura of conjuration magic emanating from the fireplace mantel. He’s able to discover that the mantelpiece is actually a lid concealing a long, hidden compartment. He’d come to discover, and conclude, that the wizard who built the manse hid her staff of birdcalls here.

Auric:

The mage carefully identifies the magic items and presents them to the others as he goes, not being particularly desirous of the two they have found so far.

KD allows the others to examine the magical items. She focuses on books, writings, anything that might yield secrets behind what they are looking for at this place.

The room doesn't seem to be as filthy as Hansel had feared, but he avoids touching anything regardless.

The cleric takes a quick peek up through the hole in the ceiling, but has no intention of climbing up there. Instead he will move toward the west into the other rooms...

Hansel's peek through the ceiling into the upstairs room (W18) confirms that the orcs have destroyed this room’s once-fine furnishings, leaving nothing of value. Moving on, he weaves back out into the courtyard to enter the room to the west (W10), essentially tracing the others steps, joining Hamish and Fae in what used to be some sort of laboratory. Unsurprisingly, it lies in ruins with its furnishings broken and heaped against the walls, and the interrupted ritual that was interrupted. Valiantly by himself and the others setting the well on fire no doubt.

Continuing on, Hansel walks through the mostly empty library (W11) as KD pours over the few books shes found. Besides finding the dust within the one concealed book, there appears to be no other hidden secrets. Moving on once again, he could then find Auric beyond a bookcase and inside a Master Bedroom (W12).

Map Update
(W12 Master Bedroom: Investigated thoroughly, staff found)
(W11 Library: Investigated thoroughly, including secret door)
(W10 Wizard's Laboratory: Investigated by all)
(W9 Apprentices Room: Investigated by Hansel)
(W8 Courtyard: Contains burning well)
(W6-7 Kitchen/Pantry: Investigated by Auric earlier)
(W5 Dining Room: Partially investigated by Auric earlier)
(W4 Parlor: Nothing of value)
(W3 Downstairs Hall: Contains the trapped steps)
(W2 Portico/Balcony: Investigated by Onu earlier)

Having discovered the items in the mantel, Auric moves to offer them to others as they join him in the room. As the items move away, he realizes there's more pinging his magical radar. Sweeping the perimeters of the room he comes to discovers a secret door. Opening the door he reveals a vault (W13) for all to see. Hanging on a hook on the far wall is a handsome cloak that billows softly as the door opens. Against the north wall sits a wooden chest with tiny clawed feet.

Hansel knows a cloak of billowing when he sees one, and the beautiful garment hanging on the hook was it. Auric on the other hand would be able to concur from his detect magic and knowledge, that the chest is magically locked.

(Hansel would be happy to take the cloak, assuming nobody else has a greater desire for it, and assuming it matches his outfit...)

Auric:

Checking the chest, Auric says, “Forsooth, this chest hath arcane protections, vouchsafing it powerfully against unauthorized access.  Hath any among us found keys, magical or mundane?”