[monty]

The elf tried to respond to VampiricDread's question, but he started to cough and pains racked his body.*Cough* "We," *Cough* "Ugh!" He said no more as he doubled over in pain. The dwarf faired little better. His dwarvish constitution obviously helped him escape much of the poison's effects, but he was still not up to fighting.

"we have yet to meet the enemy and already two of us are down!" VampiricDread said, the heat of anger rising the level of his voice.

The groundscreature tended to the elf-lord and dwarf while the rest of the party tried to come up with some way to get inside the manor.

The party examines the manor house for signs of what is going on inside. All they can tell from the small hut's window is that all the entrances are guarded day and night. The guard looked fairly strong, with at least one of them weilding a magical weapon. Downunder Tom saw a humanoid creature fly overhead and land in an open window of the highest tower one night.
Other than that, nothing could be seen. No one had entered or left the manor since they arrived. The party would have to go on a search of the surrounding area in order to find a way in, or try to overwhelm a pair of gaurds and break in quickly.

"What can you tell us of who is inside?" VampiricDread asked the groundscreature.

The groundscreature, mute though he was, managed to convey through hand gestures, scawled sand sigils and reenactments that most of the previous dwellers in the manor had been killed when the new owners took over. Their bodies had been dumped on the front lawn and he had buried them in the Manor's cemetary.

The party got the impression that all sorts of foul creatures had moved into the manor, though the new owner was a large furry being, possibly from the North.

"Perhaps, This person has come from where the tomb is." Drago spoke up.

"Perhaps," the elf-lord whispered. he was still feeling the after-effects of the poison.

Monty had an idea. "Hey, why don't we send Downunder Tom and our host on a reconn mission? See if they can find us a way in? They are the sneakiest pair here."

[This message has been edited by monty (edited 16 June 2001).]