With his usual enthusiasm, "I didn't think about that, great idea!" And pull off more leaves to replace the ones in the torc. Before putting it back on, "Since it was your idea, would you like to wear it?" Offering the torc to Nicholas.

Nic shakes his head. “No thanks, you found it,  Just thinking about what you told us.”

Lusith will just nod and shrug, put it back on and continue to the manor.

Glancing at the others as they divvy up a trinket of loot, Eurim sniffs and joins Lusith at the front of the marching order as the group heads out. With a quiet grumble, he starts up a reluctant conversation with the bald man. 

"Lusith, yeh? You have any plans on how to take on this manor house?"

Lusith face will sink into an unfamiliar frown briefly before returning to his usual cheerful smile, "Well, I figure with the goddess on our side we shouldn't have to worry too much, but we should probably try to keep low and quiet as long as possible. Certainly until we're actually inside the manor, fighting our way into a barricaded building would take too long and the goddess wants us out of here by sunset." Turning to face Eurim directly, "I will admit to being out of mt element though, if you have any experience with such things I'd happily defer to you."

The dwarf grunts. "Elements. Slaves don't get to pick elements. Anyway, I'll take point, but I'm hardly a model for reconnaissance. More of a survivor than a soldier, when it comes down to it. But what about you, then? What is your element?"

He can't quite keep a slight bitterness out of his voice in talking of elements, as if it reminds him of something painful. Still, his face remains almost unchanged, his worn features unmoving.

"Well, to be honest, I was the assistant gardner at a temple. We practiced some a few basic martial exercises, apparently we used to do some kind of protection or intervention before the current leadership took over some years before I joined. So I kinda know how to fight, and I can pull weeds. What about you, what did you used to be before you were a slave?"

You start to get the idea (if you hadn't already) that Lusith is very open and honest, and has never heard of tact or subtlety.

Eurim pauses and eyes Lusith for a long moment. 

"I was a rich, spoiled brat who didn't know anything better." he says, at last. "My clan taught me well - gave me the best they could offer, fat lot of good it did me. But that was very, very long ago... You're what, in your young 40's? I could never tell on you tall folk. Anyway, I've been a slave for twice that long. My adult years have all been in chains, behind bars, working for others. That's my element."

Lusith looks likes he's about to tear up, "That's terrible!" Then he immediately brightens back up, "But at least your free now, right? So once we're back to the mainland, do you plan to go back to your clan? Oh, and I'm 26, but it was a good guess."

Seeing his swift emotional response, Eurim is taken aback, not quite sure what to do with it. At the mention of his age, Eurim stops in his tracks and stares long and hard at the young man. "I thought your kind lost their hair with age. Are you cursed, then? Were your follicles punished for some shameful crime?" With a short, single bark of a laugh, Eurim continues on. "Free. Aye. Still walking along a road picked out by those who know better. I'm in no condition to go back home now, lad. Not even if I sailed back with a fleet of treasure ships. You can't buy redemption."

OCC:  OK.. I'm back... And in-laws free!  And if anyone is from NYC, I apologize, but you can KEEP that place.  Ugh!  I have a lot of catching up to do for work today, so..

The mansion, just as the old man described, is an "H"-shaped building, very long and low. It seems to be built of granite. The exterior looks like it has stood up to the elements better than the temple. Unlike the temple, all the exterior windows have solid-looking, if rusty, iron bars across them. It looks as though it was made to be defended, though it's no castle.

You can see the orcs and goblins at opposite ends of the manor. There is a cluster of ore-guards in front of the entrance to the northwest wing, and a trickle of orc traffic between there and the barracks, a little north-west of the manor. There is a somewhat larger cluster of goblin-guards in front of the entrance to the southeast wing, and a corresponding trickle of goblin traffic between there and the stables, a little to the south-east.

The terrain around the manor is rolling, with great patches of grasses and weeds and scrub growing all over. Keestake points out another topographical feature—a depression, some sort of little ditch or break in the ground—which starts a few hundred feet southwest of the manor and runs almost to the southwest wing.

"That's how I'd creep up on the thing," he says. "Along that ridge. We couldn't go in the door there, we'd be spotted in a second, but there's a window on the west wall near the south side where the bars are loose. I 'magine we can get in there."

To Eurim, "Its a part of our Order's religious observance."

To Keestake, "Sounds like a good idea to me, would you like to lead the way?"

Nicholas slips toward the front of the pack, maybe 2 behind Keestake, as they head toward the mansion, sword out and eyes peeled.

Denethir: 7
Eurim Fundan: 13
Janey Amberhand: 5
Lyle: 22
Nicholas Pierce: 7
Lusith: 16
Melisana : 1
Keestake: 10

Orce 18

As you approach, Melisana trips , crying out slightly as she hits her knee on a rock.  A solitary Orc peeks around the corner of the building, but in the early morning light he does not see anything.

Denethir: 16
Eurim Fundan: 18
Janey Amberhand: 9
Lyle: 20
Nicholas Pierce: 1
Lusith: 1
Melisana : 2
Keestake: 14

Orc: 7

As you continue the approach, but Lusith and Keestake slip on the wet rocks, sending up a clattering.  Again, the Orc looks for the sound, coming around the building.  After several minutes of silence, he shrugs and returns to his watch.

Sweating with nervousness, Keestake reaches the end of the depression and moves on all fours to the window.  Moving aside the loose iron bars, he crawls through the window.  A moment later, he waves to you to enter.

Lusith will obediently follow him in.

Eurim hangs to the back, wincing at his own clumsy steps. 

Nicholas clambers through the window after Lusith.

Lyle tried to get to the front to get the first look

OCC:  Manson map is added to the campaign page.  It's big... (each sq = 5ft)

Entering the room, you find Keestake crying and mumbling to himself.  "Everything, everything.  It's all ruined.  They destroy everything, but they'll never find Himself.  No, he's hidden and safe.  Ohh, but all my things."

It is easy to see why Keestake is so upset, as over 60 years he had collected fine furniture, paintings, statues and knicknacks  (as well as paddywacks).  All now is destroyed.  Paintings torn from the wall and their frames, linens and clothes scattered and statues busted on the ground.

There is a door at the far end of the room, which hangs drunkenly from one iron hinge.