Gooterat

The wide eyed gnome sidled up to Boff.  "This place ain't gettin' less creepy.  Say, nobody is using Silver Spark right now, it may seem a bit dinky next to your axe, but I bet it hits about as hard.  Like Aleric said, best to spread out the magic, and like Gooterat said, can't be too careful."

Gooterat paused to scoop up the paper and stow it with the other documents from the library.  He then wiggled in-between the two larger, more armored fellows.  He managed to get his hand up to chant a few words and make a warding symbol in the air.  He then followed Boff to the next room.

***OoC: cast blade ward - -d4 incoming attacks Concentration 1 min.  - if Boff wants it, he passes him the magic dagger.***

Boff glances at the magical dagger with suspicion. Magic isn't something to be trusted. So far all the dwarf has seen of magic is illusion and trickery. But perhaps a dagger is different. Weapons he understands. This is tangible. And maybe you need magic to fight magic.

All right then, Boff replies in Gnomish. But if this thing decides to grow a mind of its own and stab me in the back, I'll be none too pleased.

With that Boff picks up the dagger tentatively, passes it a few times back and forth between his hands, then carefully tucks it into a leather loop at his belt.

Gooterat 

"Don't worry, Boff.  I carried the blade and felt no trickery afoot." He replied in gnomeish. "I actually fancy the blade very much and hope we find a magic axe you like more!  But Aleric spoke true when he said to spread the magic out.  I can shape my basic attack spell to do all sorts of cool damage.  Aleric's blade has powerful magic.  Now you can get past a creature's resistance to basic physical  damage."

Gooterat was actually somewhat surprised by his own actions.  He came from a place where blood would be spilled over a small stack of copper, where every scrap or crumb could be a last meal, where trusting people got you killed faster than the plague.  He glanced at Boff and Aleric.  He had not known these men long, but with them he felt a bond forming, the foundation for something he had never truly known; friendship.  He wanted these men to be safe for more than what he could get from them.  With them there was no hustle, no back door deals, no deception.  There was just companionship for its own sake, well that and survival, but mostly both.

Alaric follows Boff to the bathroom, and then stops. "The seance said there was greater danger the lower we go. With that in mind, and seeing no instant enemies here, should we go up and look at what is there before fully exploring this floor? Or would you both rather finish this floor before progressing up?"

(Alaric is voting for up first)

Gooterat 

  "Up or over, its all the same to me, " he replies to Aleric.  He paused for a moment,  remembering words of warning for the lower levels of the manor.  "Now that I think about it, checking out the upstairs does make sense..."

Alaric speaks. Boff hears: "blah blah blah, something something, up!"

"Up!" Boff says in acknowledgement of what he assumes is an order from a senior authority. Boff knows how to follow orders.

The heroes ascend the creaky stairs and arrive at Halvhrest Manor's third, and final, floor.

The third floor has a central hallway with five doors leading off of it.  Some of the exterior areas of the map are on different levels.

A closeup.

Boff points wordlessly to the door immediately to their left as they leave the staircase. It's the closest door to the stairs, allowing for a tactical retreat should one become necessary. He makes a few cryptic hand signals - likely some kind of combat code used to avoid talking, although the dwarf is so heavy-footed that no sign language is likely to improve his stealth...