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It did not take long for Iliskra, Leon, and Elthel to reach their destination. The estate of this Jadarl lay along the southern wall, just west of the main gate. The lingering snowstorm and the fact that the posh abode was somewhat out of the way made reaching it no challenge. It was surrounded by a small, circular grove of trees and an ornamental red picket fence. A single cobblestone path led off from the main road and stopped at the front steps of the larger structure. The estate mansion building itself was three stories tall with a second story balcony and a rooftop balcony. A small courtyard graced the back of the mansion and a humble brown barn sat along the western edge of the grounds. Brightly lit lampposts surrounded the mansion and lined the courtyard, Iliskra could see the moving shapes of guards as she and her two shadowy companions drew near. Elthel had led them around to the east side of the grounds and over the fence where they slinked along among a patch of ornamental bushes which withered and leafless due to the unforgiving winter. It was not long before the three found Firoz and Willory, the Turmish bowman and the halfling ducked low behind a statue of a loosely clothed maiden sprawled against a stone tree.

“I see our new acquaintances agreed to help us once more.” Firoz said shakily under his hood as the three approached.

“Yes,” Elthel replied as she, Iliskra, and Leon moved in close behind the two thieves, “their dwarven friend remained behind while they will be aiding us in our little raid.”

Firoz nodded, “There are two guards that patrol around the mansion and courtyard. There are two crossbowmen up on the second floor balcony.” The Turmish thief got right to business.

“Is that all?” Elthel asked with audible surprise.

“Not quite,” Firoz said flatly, “there is… something inside that acts as a first floor guard…”

“‘Something’?” Elthel asked with a shiver.

“I only caught a glimpse of it,” Willory spoke up, looking over his shoulder, “but it’s big. Lumbering past the windows and talking in a deep rumble of a voice.”

“That does not sound good.” Elthel remarked.

“Not at all.” Firoz said.

“Have you seen anyone coming or going?” Elthel asked.

“Only a servant that left just before the storm really got bad, I assume on an errand.” Willory said. “There is a groundskeeper but he seems to stay around the barn.”

“How would you suggest we go about getting inside?” Elthel asked.

“A window is the best route,” Willory raised his voice slightly as the wind began to howl around them, “the back door and wine cellar door have a magical barrier on them. And the front door is too dangerous to try unless anyone has an an invisibility potion and a nerve of steel to go with it.”

Leon watched the estate, though there was little information to be gleaned aside from the report by Firoz. The guards and overwatching crossbowmen were nothing, unless Leon and Iliskra made some critical mistake they could take out two separate pairs like that without breaking a sweat. And with the cover of the snowstorm they could leave the bodies to be covered by the snow without much consequence. Still, the creature Firoz had mentioned... he would have preferred to have more details.

"Thats sounds like three options then," Leon said, nodding along as he brushed a hand against his mask, "I'm fairly certain we can deal with the roof guards without much issue. Which would make a window the best entry point. However, there are a few pieces of information I would like to have... starting with what that large lumbering creature is."

"The good news is there are ways for us to learn that without exposing ourselves to the creature," Leon said, his eyes looking back out towards the barn, "a lone groundskeeper should be easy enough to lean on or bribe... the barn may even tell us what sort of other creatures this person likes to keep on the property. The only trouble is if the groundskeeper proves uncooperative a scuffle might alert the beast or the guards to investigate."

"Second option is a bit more... weighty in terms of payment. Mask does grant me the blessing of calling on servants from the shadows, things that emulate normal creatures," Leon continued, figuring the vague explanation was enough. After all Iliskra had already seen him summon a fiendish wolf, the idea of other companion creatures was surely not a great leap in logic. "A bat could tell us much of the interior and even if it did not recognize the creature, could provide us a description. Their senses are also not easily fooled by illusion or magical disguise."

"The last option is perhaps the greatest in terms of risk, but if the cellar door is magically warded, there may only be some traps we need to work past for infiltration. I may be able to dispel the magic depending on it's strength," Leon sighed a bit as he mentioned this, "not my favorite choice obviously, but if anyone here has an additional reason for venturing those routes I thought it best to mention that doorway could be opened to us."

"Thoughts?," he said, turning towards Iliskra.

Iliskra’s response was immediate, “Well then, I say you send your bat friend to look the place over. We can decide on how to get inside after. Fingers crossed of course that your winged lackey can prove a better spy than Willory here.”

The halfling seemed insulted by this but agreed with Iliskra as did Firoz. The four made sure that no guards or anyone else was near and then Leon began his incantation to summon forth the bat. The spell was quick and in just a few moments after there fluttered a shadowy black bat before them. Leon directed the creature to the house while Iliskra, Firoz, and Willory kept an eye out for anyone that might encroach upon their hiding spot as the winged agent soared in toward the mansion.

Iliskra watched as the bat flew in to the nearest window, clinging upside down to the upper seal and pressing its tiny form against the glass. It lingered for several moments before fluttering free and moving on to the next window, and then the next, and so on. As the bat rounded the house Iliskra refocused on the guards. They seemed to maintain their pattern and there had been no change of shifts - yet. Iliskra guessed there were at least four or five more guards on the inside of the mansion. A handful of servants as well without a doubt. It was possible for the four of them to be in and out of the mansion without tipping off anyone, but it would be a challenge to say the least. Iliskra also thought of the possibility of there being more magical obstacles inside, nevermind whatever this large thing was that Willory had glimpsed. One problem at a time. Iliskra thought sighing softly.

Before too long the bat returned, flapping its’ way back against the biting wind and the snowflakes straight to Leon. The bat relayed quite a bit of helpful information to its master. The first being that the large “thing” that occupied the mansion was an iron golem, Iliskra wincing as Leon shared the information. The bat however had noticed that the golem seemed to patrol in an unchanging routine; going clockwise throughout the first floor, looking over each room before moving on continuing it’s endless cycle. The bat had seen only two servants on the first floor, a maid and a cook. The second floor was tended by a single servant as well with one heavily armored and armed guard patrolling the hallways. Iliskra presumed that there were other guards but they were sleeping somewhere inside the house. The bat had also flown up to the third floor windows but could see nothing as the windows were too high up from the floor.

“If we were too pick just the right moment to go inside we could just walk in through the front door,” Willory suggested after Leon had finished “convening” with the bat, “so long as we mind the guards outside and the servants inside.”

“I say we climb up to the second floor and go in through a window.” Firoz said with a cross of his arms.