Time passed, and everyone who felt they needed to sleep finally got their rest. 

The hands on her clock were clicking toward 2:30 when Jazdia awoke. The fire was still burning brightly, and although she felt refreshed and adequately charged, it would still take some minutes to fully gather her wit. After that, all was simple; after having some bites of waybread and steaming tea in a tankard, she was ready to depart.

Rechecking the map, she gave the party some time to wake up on their own. During the wait, she sorted four arrows from her quiver and channeled her magic into them. All four were the explosive kinds, with the outer coating slightly harder than usual so it could withstand reckless handling. 

Ten minutes passed, and it was apparent that not everyone seemed to possess a similar level of discipline. Jazdia felt it was too rude to rouse them up one by one, and she also felt reluctant to ask Solomon or Veronica to do the deed. 

"Good morning, Baron Evan. Already awake I assume?" Jazdia tried to not forget the pleasantries, smiles, and greets, but time was a precious commodity she couldn't help but be curt. "We are ten minutes behind our schedule, and I would like you to command your animal to give them a good howl. 

The man only gave her a nod, but behind such a small gesture, he apparently was quite creative with his command. All Three of his canine companions gathered, and like a choir group, they started singing with unusual and off-pitch howlings that reverberated in the early morning's chilly air.    

After some grunts and rude awakenings laced with displeased curses, most everyone else followed suit with their preparations not long after. Weapons, equipment, and horses are readied. The plan was set and they started riding to the north. 

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It was 4.01 AM when they arrived at the outskirts area of Stritzel's Manor. 

Jazdia asked Veronica to come with her before walking toward the northernmost tree near their parking spot. Activating her eyes once revealed the bluish veil protecting the area ahead of them from any magical spycraft, and carefully she stretched her hand, feeling the magical current. Thankfully it was a passive magical jammer designed only to distort.

The second time she activated her eyes, the manor and its surroundings finally came into view. It was a two-story building, and gloomy was probably the perfect word to describe it. 

Its front was on the south, straight facing the gates. The roof, while seemingly in a good condition was rather squalid, with moss hanging by its gutter and old branches strews about on its old and stained rooftails. In the middle of the roof, there was a spire enclosed only by wooden railings on its four sides. 

Below, several windows showed lights behind their dusty curtain, a small ray of hope despite being surrounded by dilapidated walls that already had their plastering chipped off here and there. In the middle of the building, a wooden door sealed the manor shut from the outside world. There was a path leading to west-side of the building, and there, she saw an entrance almost as large as the inner gate itself, leading somewhere underground. 

Surrounding the manor was two fortifications in the form of outer and inner wall. The outer wall was a two-meter wide, five-meter tall masonry work with parapets on both sides that seemed to have seen better days but was still a solid obstacle nonetheless, and the inner one was a pasalide made of decorated metals and brick. Both walls had gates made of irons and were quite sturdy for a dilapidated dwelling. 

"The opposition seemed minimal. I only saw four patrols near the inner gate, while in the outer courtyard, there are six more thugs congregating around some sort of a camping spot." 

Jazdia beckoned Veronica to walk a bit ahead of her. "I can't see anything more than what's inside their inner courtyard. Not in this distance at least. But I tell you, the veil is already behind us, and if you try to scry the entire building from here, your vision will not be impeded. Still, if Jonas Delving is really here, there is still a risk that your attempt could alert him. He might not be able to pinpoint our location that way, no, that's not how that kind of sense worked. Not without specialized talent or training. Anyway, it's your call."