Zeke slides his shield down into place and pulls his blade from its scabbard, keeping it to a manageable size to maneuver down the stairs.

'What waits for us on the other side here?  And speak the truth or face the consequences'

"Well there's the cellar, the crypt, and then some more caves.  There's some traps and, ah, well the wizard, and that one-eyed thing.  Probably a bug bear or two, maybe."

Tarja gives a look at the narrow stairs down and then back at Horton.

Well, friend, I think this is where we have to part ways for a while. I don't think you'd fit!

Tarja gives a soft hoot and Horton folds back into a marble figurine. She then gets out the Song of Sylvanus and gestures down the stairs.

Shall we head down?

Ethan nods along as Elra communicates her stream of thought at him, managing to keep up and smiling at the end.

"Really? That would be great, thank you."

Ethan opens his gauntlet and begins rummaging around.

"Um, I'm not sure I could easily integrate, uh, Tharilim, was it? I'm not sure I could integrate Tharilim into my current setup. Technically my shield is in two pieces, well actually six, but they are grouped together into two connected groups."

Ethan pulls out his scanning device, popping the Pearl out of its receptacle and exchanging it with Elra's Pearl of Power.

"But if it turns out you would rather Zeke have him, it shouldn't be to much trouble to fit Tharillim into Zeke's arm and shoulder, shield mount, system."

Ethan but the scanner with the Pearl of Power back into his gauntlet.

Ethan then presses his thumb to a cut stone on his gauntlet, causing his shield to shoot out and fold out and lock into place with a thunk and clank.

Ethan has an idea as he prepares to follow the Zeke and the Redbrand down to the underground entrance.

Ethan asks the Redbrand,

"How dark is it down in there, does it get very dark?"

Ethan turns to Elra and Fae,

"I was thinking one of us could use the goggles to see in the dark, if parts of it were dark down there."

Ethan turns back to the Redbrand, waiting for his answer.

“Ah, well, it’s kinda dark but there are torches in most places.”

Ethan looks at the other two, in case either wants to make use of the goggles.

Fae couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, enjoying Elra's arrival, bursting with excitement to swap items with their artificer.

Looking over to Tarja dismissing Horton, she could already feel herself missing his presence. Though, she did take comfort in knowing it wouldn't be the last time they saw him.

Fae would then offer Ethan an encouraging smile, "I think they suit our Master Artificer quite well." She believed that to be the truth, unless he had other means of seeing in the dark, then of course Elra should take them. The wizard knew she, herself, wasn't the most perceptive of the bunch so she felt it like the goggles could almost be wasted on her. Besides, in a pinch, Fae always had her Light pebbles and in times that was not an option, in desperation, she could detect the thoughts of those she may not be able to see.

At Tarja's suggestion to head down, she'd nod to her. Fae would also look to Zeke, giving him a nod as well to indicate that she was ready. The scholar would then step aside to allow those to go ahead. Her eyes would move back to the Rebrand, keeping her position behind him and Zeke.

Elra looks down at Tharilim, "Do you want to go ask Zeke?"

"I am proud to serve and protect any of you fine folk, servants of, ah...what house do we serve, Ms. Elra?  What banner do we fly?"

Led by Zeke and their redbrand guide, the party descends into the depths of the former Tresendar Manor.  Only about a dozen steps down there is a landing large enough for storage of a number of crates or barrels.  The party splashes through a large but shallow puddle formed from rain water that drips from every edge and crack in this old foundation.  Beyond another set of stairs leads down further still, back in the opposite direction of the first as you search for the Manor's cellar.  The glow of a torch on the next landing below provides dim light and reveals a large chest centered on the back wall of the landing.  "Don't touch that, it's trapped" warns the redbrand man as he leads you on to the next set of stairs, descending directly below the first set now.  Below Zeke's vision begins to turn to shades of gray and others see no light at all.  The redbrand, being a human, hesitates to proceed into the darkness and remarks "uh, normally we have more torches".

"Um..." Elra thinks for a moment, "well I serve the House of Knowledge. And I guess we're helping Gundren. House of Knowledge or House of Rockseeker I guess. It depends on who you ask.!c

"Ooh, House of Knowledge, I like that.  And House Rockseeker, of course!  I will be Tharilim, defender of House Havelyn, House Rockseeker and the House of Knowledge, as those who wield me will it!" 

(Tharilim's Shield has now been upgraded to a regular shield mechanically, as opposed to the -2 AC it was previously due to his jerking about out of fear.  The party is likely a bit less sure of this at the current moment, of course, but since you are giving him a chance, you should know the mechanical implication.  I have modified the former 'Shield of Cowardice' magic item here on DnD Beyond.  Not sure if this was in someone's inventory or not.)

Ethan nods to Fae, and seeing no interest from Elra, Ethan takes the goggles out and puts them on.

As the group descends into the dark Ethan looks around and marvels at the workings of the goggles.

"This is how you see Zeke? This is so useful."

Ethan keeps looking around the dark room in wonder, only snapping out of his marvelling, when the Redbrand talks about needing light.

"Oh, well I have a little light, but my one is more for working and less for exploring."

Ethan turns to Fae,

"Fae you have the best light magic, do you want to do it?"

Fae couldn't help but smile warmly as she'd overhear Elra suggest the House of Knowledge to Tharilim.

As the Redbrand hesitated, Fae too felt a hint of her own apprehension bubble up. And just as it did, Ethan would chime in with a well timed distraction, Darkvision really must be a completely different experience! and solution. Her facial expression would brighten once again at his gentle reminder of her light spell. The wizard would nod to their artificer before digging into her pocket for a rock a bit smaller than the size of her palm, enough so she could wrap her fingers around to control the light, or pass over to Edgar to hold. And with a soft whisper beneath her breath, Fae would cast Light.

Keeping the Redbrand ahead of her, she'd hold her hand out a little to her side, directing the light downward. "How's this?" Fae would be testing for the 'sweet spot': the safest flood of light for those without darkvision, but not compromising those with it.

"Sneaking in the back door. In the dark. As quietly as possible. I'm quite beside myself with how to behave."

"Huh?" Elra looks to Arvel, "what do you mean?"

Zeke would shake his head slightly at the Artificer's enthusiasm 'I was born in the darkness my friend, you have merely adopted it for the moment.  My vision is clear here - but I'm more worried about our adversaries hearing - we should proceed as quietly as possible'

Seeing Fae's Light spill out and illuminate the stairs, the barbarian nudges the Redbrand to continue forward 'Quietly goes for you too, that light should give you enough to continue to lead us forward - plenty of incentive to continue to keep us appraised on any other traps.'

The redbrand nods and continues down with new light to guide the way.  Wrapping around another landing and set of stairs down the party finds a landing looking out over the cellar of the former manor.  No light exists here either save for Fae's and the air is damp and musty.  Old crates and barrels line the walls and stairs lead down a few feet on either side of the landing to ledges that are still higher than the cellar floor.  The dimming light at the edges of Fae's magically illuminated area reveal a water filled cistern near the center of the cellar.

The large redbrand leads the way down and to your right where a doorway leads to another hallway.  He pauses there and turns back towards the cellar, pointing to the opposite landing.  "We'll need a few of those."  Where he points sits a stack of half a dozen long, sturdy planks of wood over ten feet long each.  Looking at Zeke he says simply "pit trap."

Elra puts Tharilim on, swapping him out with her own shield as she follows the group down, "Anything I can help with?" she asks.

Ethan nods to Elra,

"Yeah give me a hand and we can carry a few of these on our shoulders."

Ethan lifts 4 of the blanks up, indicating with his head, that Elra should get the other end.

If Elra agrees, the two carry the stack on their shoulders, Ethan in front.