The automaton coatrack seems to step back a small bit. "Of course, Dapplewing Manor is open to all during the hours of 6 am to 10 pm. There are unfortunately no guided tours available, but you are free to look through the various items displayed on the lower floor. Upstairs are offices for professors of multiple schools. You are of course free to meet with any of them if you have business with them. Have a good day."  

The pair of dwarves each steps back into line along with the other coatracks once the one finishes speaking. 

Before the Dwarven coat racks move completely away, Guardok interjects.

"So there are only the two floors? Did Captain Dapplewing not have somewhere to stay away from the official business of the manor? Private quarters or some such?".

The dwarf automaton pauses as Guardok presents another question. "Yes, there are only two floors to this building. Captain Dapplewing's study is still intact on the second floor, though admittedly renovation after his passing eliminated his own private room."  It then moves back into place once again.  

"Thank you for your hospitality. I heard rumours there was a doll collection somewhere in the manor, and also a collection of rare magical books, is any of that on display too?" Malvyn asks with sincere curiosity.

Again, the dwarf automaton continues, keeping its place in the line of coatracks. "There is no doll collection nor collection of magical books on display in the manor." 

"Oh, I see, I must have been misinformed then, no matter, thank you for your assistance." The purple-skinned tiefling says with a polite nod, then turning to his shorter friend. "Shall we continue?" He asks, ready to make a tour of the place to scope the manor out while also genuinely curiously gathering information about the old captain.

"Hold on, Mal", Guardok replies. "The coat rack said it wasn't on display, not it doesn't exist". He turns back to the dwarves coat rack, "Does either collection exist at all in the manor?".

"Oh, I don't doubt they do. I just felt it would be overly suspicious to ask more about them just hours before they would diminish in size, but I suppose we might aswell try to find out what we can here and now." Malvyn says quietly to his shorter friend, but then simply awaits the response from the animated coatrack.

"Oops", Guardok replies equally quietly, having not at all considered the implications of asking too many questions.

When Guardok asks about whether the collections exist at all in the manor, the dwarf is quiet for a moment, almost as though it hadn't heard. But then it responds, "That information is not available. The manor does have a couple of storage areas that I do not have inventories for. And personal items belonging to faculty members are not always recorded." 

(OOC - When you are ready to move on, where are you headed for?) 

"Ah well, worth a try", Guardok says to Mal. They didn't appear to be suspicious of them yet.

"Do we have the name of the Professor who has the book?", he asks Mal after they move out of earshot of the coat rack. "I don't remember Mae saying, did she? Perhaps we go to the second floor and try and find a loft hatch?".

(OOC - I was leaving Guardok's question to be answered in character.  Mae was told it was in the attic, and I think that was relayed to everyone. I'll proceed with what was indicated in OOC.)  

Leaving the entryway, Malvyn and Guardok head off to their left. They initially pass a salon featuring a comfortable sitting area and rows of portraits hung on the walls. After passing that area, you find a broad hallway, turning to the right, lined with four exquisitely carved marble busts set on gilded pedestals. The abstract busts all represent beautiful androgynous figures bedecked with jewelry carved into its stone.  To the north is a glass door leading out to a patio. At the east end of the hall is a door. 

(OOC - The blue path is the route you are taking.) 

Malvyn would take a closer look at the portraits, curious to see if they were the old captains old collegues. "No need to see the patio right?" He says to Guardok and turns to continue the inddoor clockwise tour of the manor, making special note of anything resembling security installments.

Malvyn would notice that the portraits seem to match Captain Dapplewing's former colleagues. In fact, they match with the carved figures by the doors: a loxodon, an orc, a gnome, a drow, a human, and a high elf.  The dwarves with high collared jackets, the automatons, do not seem to fit with any of the companions nor the pictures you see here.  

Guardok follows Mal around, assuming he knows what he is doing after his idea to check the second floor for a loft hatch is discarded. They would get there eventually.

"I don't tink so, Mal. Unlikely to be books out there".

"Agreed." Malvyn says with a small smile to the genasi and continues the tour.

(OOC - I'll assume that you simply open the door to the east to proceed.) 

Pots, pans, cooking utensils, fire pits, and dry goods are tucked into every visible corner of this small kitchen. A pair of crossed sabers hangs above the shelves to the north.  There does not appear to be anyone in here at the moment. There is another closed door to the east and one to the south. 

(OOC - Anything you want to look at in the kitchen? Where do you head next?) 

(OOC - Malvyn would try to continue eastwards for now, making the clockwise tour and finishing with the central banquet area before heading up the stairs. :-)

Guardok follows Mal, a little impatient to get up to the second floor and look for the entrance to the attic. He does however take note of the crossed sabres in the kitchen.

"Remember we heard of flying swords protecting the manor", he whispers to Mal, pointing to the sabres. "Are you able to check for magic as we walk around? It's not something I can do".

After remembering about the defences, he will also take note of where any statues have been.