William scanned the stables while Timothy parked the wagon, using his various tools to get an idea of what he was working with here. Normal stable layout. I see Lady Thalia’s horse 4 doors down being groomed. Interesting horseshoes on it. Looks like she’s indeed a serious rider. I wonder how they met. Two other groomsmen doing the usual. Time for a quick reconnaissance.
A hidden door on the top of the wagon slid open just long enough for William to exist with his tools and stealth outfit, his presence concealed from below by the extra foot of ornate paneling that surrounded the roof. Moving at his full speed, making him a blur to even an experienced watcher, he zipped up a nearby post to the beams crisscrossing the stable’s ceiling and proceeded to map the place out with no one the wiser.
Within five minutes he found where all the exits were, the number and type of animals, four minor magical items, an initial profile for the four stable hands and the hidden entrance to a tunnel leading towards the manor, probably a bolt hole in case they were attacked. All the occupied stalls had Alarm spells on them, likely to discourage horse thieves and there was a sending stone in a holder in the stall belonging to Lady Thalia’s horse.
Zipping across the lawn towards the mansion, William could clearly see the Alarm spell that surrounded it. Stopping just outside the invisible to everyone else barrier, he took a closer look. Hmmm, usual setup with the usual exclusions: small animals, insects and birds with no magical signature, the family and those carrying a token with one of two passcodes. Passcode one: public access. Passcode two: all access. OK, Let’s use that one. Taking out a small metal blank, he inscribed the mana pattern for the second passcode into it, then clipped it to his belt. Time to test. He zipped quickly across the barrier and then backed out just in case there was a trap set to go off on failure. Confirming the wall now viewed his pass as legitimate, he once again zipped through and over to the mansion where he concealed himself behind an ornamental bush and slowed his time sense down so he could silently communicate with his team.
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“Status Wilma?” William sent via his cantrip which delivered the message directly to her ears only and allowed her to mentally reply.
“First floor dining room, second room on right side facing the manor. Waiting for the first course. Light conversation.”
“Notable magic?” he asked, knowing she had entered with an active Detect Magic spell cast just before leaving the wagon. Bruno, he knew had a Ring of Detect Poison and Disease on which according to him had already saved his life at least once before he met William and would signal Wilma if he noticed anything.
“Unseen Servants. I think Drummond likes showing off. Nothing else. Food smells good. Want me to save you some if Bruno thinks they’re clean?”
“Please. Any good observation points in view?”
“Chandelier’s too skinny and on a chain. He’s got heat vents in floor, but your aura would be obvious if he uses mage sight. Suggest space between the ceiling and 2nd floor as he’s got a patterned ceiling.”
“On it. Moving back to full stealth. Will contact when in position.”
William allowed his time sense to return to normal and went full stealth as he rocketed up the side of the mansion and in through a partially open window on the second floor. Five minutes later he was lying on a sheet of lead foil above the first-floor ceiling and looking down through a lead glass lens into the dining room as he prepared to make observations. Using magic to look through the wall was fine with normal people, but when dealing with mages, sometimes a low tech, non-magical way was best.