Noah decides to let the others do the talking this time, simply taking a seat and accepting a cup of warm tea when it is offered. He sips it with respective posture, listening to the others as they converse. He glances around the cluttered room, wondering of coin could be made using magical means to clean it for Hedwick - probably not the best time to ask, though. Once he makes himself comfortable, Noah will simply wait for the others to settle in.
Ryona has trouble finding a delineated space to set her pack down and half-drags it around with her. She quietly nods to the question with a little welcome smile. As the tea is made, she thinks of cleaning the place, imagining another space for handling the increasing number of loose files. The woman, clearly overworked, inspires her to help, but instead waits for her to speak her piece first.
Yevele takes a seat and accepts the tea from Ms. Hedwick. Nervously clutching her quarterstaff in one hand and the tea in the other, the young woman looked around the office of the counselor. The clutter reminded her of Brother Jiprue's office in the library. The elderly librarian was constantly misplacing his personal items, like his glasses, but, if you asked him for a manuscript that he had on his desk or one of his tables, the human, after a couple seconds of third, could reach into the correct pile and pull the manuscript out without disturbing any of the other documents he had. Yevele wondered if Ms. Hedwick could pull off the same trick.
Not sure what was about to happen, the red-head quietly sipped her tea while waiting for the counselor to tell them why they were there.
"Thank you for coming so soon," Yelsa says, pouring a mug of tea for those who affirmed it. "It has been a very busy day."
Yelsa retains her seat at the desk and unseals a small envelope with E.F. pressed into its wax seal. As she pulls forth the letter within, the gnome speaks in a grave tone. "Now, as I mentioned at the services, Elaria included you in her last will and testament. She has no family and you are the only people mentioned in the document. According to her instructions, I am to read aloud and then give to you the following instructions to take with you." She clears her throat, and with a solemn tone, begins to read:
My gold has dwindled in 800 years
But there is some left, so be all ears.
My mansion, my treasures, they are all yours,
If you can open the last of my doors.
The vault in the backyard is my final test,
You must again work together to complete this quest.
The door can be opened with strength of the mind,
But before you attempt, find the tiles - all nine!
Three are hidden where she creeps and crawls,
The one with eight legs and venemous jaws.
Three are entrusted to one born of dragons,
Who cannot be reached by boats or by wagons.
Three still are buried with a friend long forgotten
Who lingers long after her body is rotten.
Unlock the vault! Do not delay.
For others are hunting my treasure this day.
Every moment you wait puts people at risk.
So take up the task and please do be brisk.
All will make sense when you open the vault,
And realize my death was not nature's fault.
The last line of The Master's will chokes up Yelsa and she sucks in her breath to compose herself. "I'm sorry...what could all that mean?" She pauses and again clears her throat, pushing past her sadness. "Well...Elaria's property now belongs to you, that much is clear."
"Belongs to us if we can find and claim it before others, it seems," Maelfearance would say softly from the back of the room. "A return to our Master's homestead seems to be of the upmost importance." Maelfearance would speak words of thanks and apology to the solicitor and then try to usher the group outdoors.
Whether he got them to leave or not, Maelfearance would suggest the group take to the road at once to return to the mansion. Unless there is known extraordinary dangers of traveling at night (or unless it is almost night now, but it seems it would be more mid-afternoonish?) it would seem is a higher priority than ease of travel. Not only must we get back to the mansion, the backyard and this vault, but we must also solve the riddle and overcome whatever obstacles are in front of us.
Mael would also attempt to "hush" anyone who tried to speak of the riddle or spoke of what it may mean. "Not around ears not ours," he would say to any who tried.
Jarnick scratches his head with furrowed brows, puzzled, “Leaving a riddle for us, this fits Master Elaria’s personality… I don’t understand half of this, I’ll have to rely on you guys.” He looks at Yelsa, “Solicitor, doesn’t Master Elaria have other students? Why would she choose us to succeed her belongings? ”
Yevele agrees with Mael's attitude that they should return to the mansion and then talk about the riddle the Master had given them. On the walk back to the mansion, she went over in her head what she could remember of the riddle "Hidden down where she creeps and crawls, with a poisonous bite" 'Perhaps that meant a spider. Was there a cellar in the basement of the mansion that might have a poisounous bite.'
"In the care of a dragonborn, reachable by neither boat nor wagon" 'That sounds like it might be a place up on top of a mountain'
"Buried with a friend long dead, but, not gone" 'Possibly in a graveyard, but, who would the friend be, and how do we find that out?"
ooc Yes, I know I got the riddle somewhat wrong, but, I was trying to do it without rereading it, similar to what Yevele was doing. And, apparently, do many this thing doesn't like too many color changes in the text.
Noah sips his tea with a demure expression, puzzled but somewhat amused by the last will. He ponders the meanings of the words - could the Master have been murdered by something of her own creation? Perhaps by some silent, undetectable, magical means? Death not by nature does not necessarily mean murder, the sorcerer reminds himself, aware of his inclination to the most dramatic outcome at times. He tries to gauge the reactions of the others, and then speaks up.
"Malfearance has a point. Retracing our steps should be a good start."
Then, to Mrs. Hedwick: "Thank for your hospitality. This is a difficult time for all of us - Elaria truly was a kind soul. We will try to fulfill her last wishes to the best of our ability. If you need anything, we will not hesitate to help you in any way we can."
Noah leaves with the rest of the group, bidding Mrs. Hedwick farewell. He'll try to lighten the mood any way he can as they travel, knowing how the events still will weigh on some members.
Falenas agrees to go outside with the rest, and not talking about the will around others. He thanks the solicitor and leaves, then he'll say to the rest "Before we go back to the mansion, isn't there any information that we could gather about these places? It didn't seem to me that the tiles had to be in the mansion. Maybe someone in this town knows about a spider or a dragonborn. As this is a town where adventurers gather, it shouldn't arise much suspicion to ask these kinds of questions."
(OOC: How far is the mansion from Parabor? Is it easy to come and go?)
To Falenas, "It could be that simple, but more likely we'll find the trail ourselves. As Maelfearance says," she raises a finger to her lips.
At Falenas' blurting about tiles, Ryona will check if anyone was listening in. Insight: 8 ... and checking if anyone was hiding nearby. Perception: 13
"We should seek help if we can't find the lead ourselves. Let's see to the charge as a group as soon as possible."
She puts a hand on Falenas' shoulder, whispering to his ear. "Master literally said there are others working against us. We can't just ask around, sharing what information was literally entrusted to us alone to strangers!"
Checking his voice to a whisper, Maelfearance will add "I had assumed all would be near the mansion, but it may be wise to dally a bit and see if we can pick up on a whisper or two... I could have Rat check out the solicitor's office, perhaps. Or listen in more at the Rowdy Room, now that we know what we may be listening for."
OOC: Elaria's mansion is only a short jaunt outside of Parabor.
For Ryona:
The streets of Parabor are not very busy this afternoon, with most of the townsfolk at the tavern or hard at work for the day. You do not see any presence that could overhear the conversation.
Yelsa answers Jarnick, "I'm afraid you'd have to ask her if you could, dear. She did frequently mention that you lot were her favorite pupils, or maybe it's simply because so many of her students are famous adventurers and heroes now, that you need it more than they do."
She hides the hint of a tear when Noah thanks her and the party prepares to leave. "It is no trouble, that is what I am here to do after all. I wish you all the best. I know Elaria's memory lives on in you," she bids farewell.
As the six of you begin the short journey back toward the mansion, discussing the mysterious will, memories begin to flood in to fill in gaps. Foremost, you all remember a stone trapdoor behind the mansion that was always locked. You never saw Elaria enter it, and you've never seen a key for it, but it did have nine square shaped divots in it.
You also begin to recall a number of comments that Elaria made during lessons and meals:
"If you travel up the Mirianthi River you'll find a waterfall coming down off the Icebound Peaks. Behind this waterfall is a cozy cave, but enter with caution, for inside lairs Vixthra. She is a spider as large as an ogre, with an equally unforgiving appetite."
"I may be old, but I am still an adventurer! I even climb the Staircase Cliffs from time to time. I have to. My dragonborn friend Alcaeus Scaevola won't climb down, so I must climb up. Trust me when I say his company and cooking are well worth the effort."
"Of all my old pupils I remember Helene Aerdune best. She was so passionate about adventuring! When she retired, she came back here for a time to teach with me. So dedicated was she to me that even in death her soul could not rest. That's probably why I remember her so well.
Her ghost still haunts the Dolor Forest where I buried her. My guilt drives me to see her, hoping to convince her to depart this world and be at rest. I fear as long as I'm alive she will continue to haunt those woods. It can be impossible to find one's way through the Dolor Forest, so I had to mark the path to Helene's grave by carving my initials into the trees."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Once they get back to the mansion, Yevele heads out in the back yard to check out the vault. She will look both at the door, and the surrounding area to see if there is anything that might help them in their quest. investigation3
(ooc) I'm assuming I don't get the intelligent bonus for investigation if I'm not proficient in it.
After completing her investigation, Yevele will head back inside and encourage others to check out the vault, particularly those who have magic abilities.
After everyone is done with their investigations and sharing their memories/thoughts on the will, Yevele says "It looks like we'll need to visit Miriantha River, Staircase Cliffs, and Dolor Forest. From what we, know, the spider in the cave at Miriantha River sounds like the toughest quest. But, that may not be the case, particularly if we are competing with others. But, I don't think we should split up. Which do we do first? Visiting Alcaeus or Helene may give us additional insight into the difficulties we may face with the spider. What do the rest of you think?"
(ooc) Do we have an idea as to how long it will take to reach each of these places?
Before anyone else has a chance to speak, Yevele also blurts out "We should check the library to see if there are any books or maps that may help us in this quest."
Noah spends some time once they reach the mansion simply walking about on its grounds, dreamily recalling memories of Elaria and the others during their training. He allows anybody to accompany him as he does so, but decides at Yevele's suggestion to investigate the vault.
"I do not know of any magics that I possess that could help us here. If Malfearance or Falenas does, I do not know, but I fear I can not be of too much use in this regard."
Discussing their plan of action with Yevele and the others: "I agree with Yevele. Some reconnaissance is in order before we continue - seeing if local folk lore in the libraries could divulge some information in this regard would be useful. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm quite disposed to a good meal right about now, and dealings with the undead sound. . . a tad unpleasant after a funeral. I suggest we travel to the Staircase Cliffs first and talk to Scaevola, perhaps stopping at a library on the way."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Since Jarnick decided to rely on his companions to take the lead, he's merely keeping watch, looking around vigilantly to see if anyone is eyeing them or the mansion, if so he will alert them quietly. He wouldn't mind helping someone to investigate if assistance is needed.
"If we know a route that links our destination we could probably face them one by one, but if we figure that the monster might be too much then we should just go for one of the people mentioned." Jarnick says this as discreetly as possible, while still keeping an eye around.
(OOC: Jarnick's just a bit paranoid, but perception just in case : 20)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Personally I would prefer to start with the ghost, Helene Aerdurne, for her condition piques my curiosity. And as Master thought she may move on after Master did, we may already be too late to converse with her. But if my reading of the will is correct, we don't need to hold discourse with the shade but nearly find where she is buried. And as this is no time for selfish interest, I suggest we start with the Dragonborn friend instead - Alcaeus Scaevola. If they are unwilling to come down, and if few know of them, then it's possible they have not even heard of the Master's passing. It would be best if the heard from compassionate souls. It is also possible that they need a warning that more nefarious types than us may come looking...
"Vixthra should be last. While I hold no concerns for our abilities to confront whatever challenge may come, I would think a monstrous spider is also most likely to keep their secrets from interlopers the best. If any of them can wait, I would think it be they," Maelfearance says, a bit tired out from talking so much all at once. But he takes another breath and adds a touch more. "But first is first, checking maps and personal papers is likely a wise preparation before we go heading out on an adventure..."
At some point, when needing a break searching for maps or such perhaps, Maelfearance will go and take a look at the vault. While he has no special magics for investigation, he will have Rat do the kind of searching for access that only a rat can, and he will conduct whatever Investigation 25 that he can.... But seemingly the results of his investigating is that the vault learns more about he than he of it. ((/e facepalm))
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Nodding repeatedly while Yevele, Noah and Maelfearance speaks, Ryona agrees after. "I was thinking we ought to look to Scaevola first, as well."
She seems hesitant, but then a little delighted laugh escapes her. She shakes her head apologetically, but still smiling. "Elaria intended to leave all this for us. It's only just now sinking in. Good meals and comfortable beds." She looks to Noah.
"I'll make us a little something nice to snack on before we go. After that, I'll get changed. Let's be ready to head to the Stairs in a half hour?" Cooking: 13
While working on the snack, Ryona will think about what she's learned of the Stairs or any relevant insight on the path they'll take. History (+3) or Survival (+6): 4 / 20 (if both are applicable)
After, she'll return to her space to prepare herself for adventure, putting a few things away to lighten her load.
The next few hours are spent gathering maps of the local area and investigating the trapdoor in the back yard. The door is as you remember it, and the nine divots in its center stand out like a beacon now that you have learned what may fit into them. The door is thoroughly shut, but does not have any visible sign of a lock, or even a handle.
Elaria has plenty of material available to map out Parabor's surroundings, and after a few hours (and the fuel of Ryona's cooking), you have studied them enough to gain an idea of how far it would be to travel from place to place.
From Parabor: To Dolor Forest: 2.5 miles To Staircase Cliffs: 1.9 miles To Vixthra's Lair: 2.3 miles
From Dolor Forest: To Parabor: 2.5 miles To Staircase Cliffs: 5.1 miles To Vixthra's Lair: 2.5 miles
From Staircase Cliffs: To Dolor Forest: 5.1 miles To Parabor: 1.9 miles To Vixthra's Lair: 2.4 miles
From Vixthra's Lair: To Dolor Forest: 2.3 miles To Parabor: 2.5 miles To Staircase Cliffs: 2.4 miles
"Studying these maps took a lot of time, but let's take one step at a time, plan for the unexpected. Let's be prepared to camp out tonight if we need to. We should be able to get this done before morning. I was hoping to go to the Steps first... but if we do go from the Steps with the Dragonborn, then to the mountains for the spider, then to the forest for the ghost, we'll be visiting the dead at night. I think that's a terrible idea. Unless we want to zig-zag across the area, let's instead go visit her first, then the ogre-spider in the mountains, then to the stairs in the south. Sound good?"
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Noah decides to let the others do the talking this time, simply taking a seat and accepting a cup of warm tea when it is offered. He sips it with respective posture, listening to the others as they converse. He glances around the cluttered room, wondering of coin could be made using magical means to clean it for Hedwick - probably not the best time to ask, though. Once he makes himself comfortable, Noah will simply wait for the others to settle in.
Ryona has trouble finding a delineated space to set her pack down and half-drags it around with her. She quietly nods to the question with a little welcome smile. As the tea is made, she thinks of cleaning the place, imagining another space for handling the increasing number of loose files. The woman, clearly overworked, inspires her to help, but instead waits for her to speak her piece first.
Yevele takes a seat and accepts the tea from Ms. Hedwick. Nervously clutching her quarterstaff in one hand and the tea in the other, the young woman looked around the office of the counselor. The clutter reminded her of Brother Jiprue's office in the library. The elderly librarian was constantly misplacing his personal items, like his glasses, but, if you asked him for a manuscript that he had on his desk or one of his tables, the human, after a couple seconds of third, could reach into the correct pile and pull the manuscript out without disturbing any of the other documents he had. Yevele wondered if Ms. Hedwick could pull off the same trick.
Not sure what was about to happen, the red-head quietly sipped her tea while waiting for the counselor to tell them why they were there.
"Thank you for coming so soon," Yelsa says, pouring a mug of tea for those who affirmed it. "It has been a very busy day."
Yelsa retains her seat at the desk and unseals a small envelope with E.F. pressed into its wax seal. As she pulls forth the letter within, the gnome speaks in a grave tone. "Now, as I mentioned at the services, Elaria included you in her last will and testament. She has no family and you are the only people mentioned in the document. According to her instructions, I am to read aloud and then give to you the following instructions to take with you." She clears her throat, and with a solemn tone, begins to read:
The last line of The Master's will chokes up Yelsa and she sucks in her breath to compose herself. "I'm sorry...what could all that mean?" She pauses and again clears her throat, pushing past her sadness. "Well...Elaria's property now belongs to you, that much is clear."
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
"Belongs to us if we can find and claim it before others, it seems," Maelfearance would say softly from the back of the room. "A return to our Master's homestead seems to be of the upmost importance." Maelfearance would speak words of thanks and apology to the solicitor and then try to usher the group outdoors.
Whether he got them to leave or not, Maelfearance would suggest the group take to the road at once to return to the mansion. Unless there is known extraordinary dangers of traveling at night (or unless it is almost night now, but it seems it would be more mid-afternoonish?) it would seem is a higher priority than ease of travel. Not only must we get back to the mansion, the backyard and this vault, but we must also solve the riddle and overcome whatever obstacles are in front of us.
Mael would also attempt to "hush" anyone who tried to speak of the riddle or spoke of what it may mean. "Not around ears not ours," he would say to any who tried.
Jarnick scratches his head with furrowed brows, puzzled, “Leaving a riddle for us, this fits Master Elaria’s personality… I don’t understand half of this, I’ll have to rely on you guys.” He looks at Yelsa, “Solicitor, doesn’t Master Elaria have other students? Why would she choose us to succeed her belongings? ”
Yevele agrees with Mael's attitude that they should return to the mansion and then talk about the riddle the Master had given them. On the walk back to the mansion, she went over in her head what she could remember of the riddle "Hidden down where she creeps and crawls, with a poisonous bite" 'Perhaps that meant a spider. Was there a cellar in the basement of the mansion that might have a poisounous bite.'
"In the care of a dragonborn, reachable by neither boat nor wagon" 'That sounds like it might be a place up on top of a mountain'
"Buried with a friend long dead, but, not gone" 'Possibly in a graveyard, but, who would the friend be, and how do we find that out?"
ooc Yes, I know I got the riddle somewhat wrong, but, I was trying to do it without rereading it, similar to what Yevele was doing. And, apparently, do many this thing doesn't like too many color changes in the text.
Noah sips his tea with a demure expression, puzzled but somewhat amused by the last will. He ponders the meanings of the words - could the Master have been murdered by something of her own creation? Perhaps by some silent, undetectable, magical means? Death not by nature does not necessarily mean murder, the sorcerer reminds himself, aware of his inclination to the most dramatic outcome at times. He tries to gauge the reactions of the others, and then speaks up.
"Malfearance has a point. Retracing our steps should be a good start."
Then, to Mrs. Hedwick: "Thank for your hospitality. This is a difficult time for all of us - Elaria truly was a kind soul. We will try to fulfill her last wishes to the best of our ability. If you need anything, we will not hesitate to help you in any way we can."
Noah leaves with the rest of the group, bidding Mrs. Hedwick farewell. He'll try to lighten the mood any way he can as they travel, knowing how the events still will weigh on some members.
Falenas agrees to go outside with the rest, and not talking about the will around others. He thanks the solicitor and leaves, then he'll say to the rest "Before we go back to the mansion, isn't there any information that we could gather about these places? It didn't seem to me that the tiles had to be in the mansion. Maybe someone in this town knows about a spider or a dragonborn. As this is a town where adventurers gather, it shouldn't arise much suspicion to ask these kinds of questions."
(OOC: How far is the mansion from Parabor? Is it easy to come and go?)
To Falenas, "It could be that simple, but more likely we'll find the trail ourselves. As Maelfearance says," she raises a finger to her lips.
At Falenas' blurting about tiles, Ryona will check if anyone was listening in. Insight: 8 ... and checking if anyone was hiding nearby. Perception: 13
"We should seek help if we can't find the lead ourselves. Let's see to the charge as a group as soon as possible."
She puts a hand on Falenas' shoulder, whispering to his ear. "Master literally said there are others working against us. We can't just ask around, sharing what information was literally entrusted to us alone to strangers!"
Checking his voice to a whisper, Maelfearance will add "I had assumed all would be near the mansion, but it may be wise to dally a bit and see if we can pick up on a whisper or two... I could have Rat check out the solicitor's office, perhaps. Or listen in more at the Rowdy Room, now that we know what we may be listening for."
OOC: Elaria's mansion is only a short jaunt outside of Parabor.
For Ryona:
The streets of Parabor are not very busy this afternoon, with most of the townsfolk at the tavern or hard at work for the day. You do not see any presence that could overhear the conversation.
Yelsa answers Jarnick, "I'm afraid you'd have to ask her if you could, dear. She did frequently mention that you lot were her favorite pupils, or maybe it's simply because so many of her students are famous adventurers and heroes now, that you need it more than they do."
She hides the hint of a tear when Noah thanks her and the party prepares to leave. "It is no trouble, that is what I am here to do after all. I wish you all the best. I know Elaria's memory lives on in you," she bids farewell.
As the six of you begin the short journey back toward the mansion, discussing the mysterious will, memories begin to flood in to fill in gaps. Foremost, you all remember a stone trapdoor behind the mansion that was always locked. You never saw Elaria enter it, and you've never seen a key for it, but it did have nine square shaped divots in it.
You also begin to recall a number of comments that Elaria made during lessons and meals:
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Once they get back to the mansion, Yevele heads out in the back yard to check out the vault. She will look both at the door, and the surrounding area to see if there is anything that might help them in their quest. investigation 3
(ooc) I'm assuming I don't get the intelligent bonus for investigation if I'm not proficient in it.
After completing her investigation, Yevele will head back inside and encourage others to check out the vault, particularly those who have magic abilities.
After everyone is done with their investigations and sharing their memories/thoughts on the will, Yevele says "It looks like we'll need to visit Miriantha River, Staircase Cliffs, and Dolor Forest. From what we, know, the spider in the cave at Miriantha River sounds like the toughest quest. But, that may not be the case, particularly if we are competing with others. But, I don't think we should split up. Which do we do first? Visiting Alcaeus or Helene may give us additional insight into the difficulties we may face with the spider. What do the rest of you think?"
(ooc) Do we have an idea as to how long it will take to reach each of these places?
Before anyone else has a chance to speak, Yevele also blurts out "We should check the library to see if there are any books or maps that may help us in this quest."
Noah spends some time once they reach the mansion simply walking about on its grounds, dreamily recalling memories of Elaria and the others during their training. He allows anybody to accompany him as he does so, but decides at Yevele's suggestion to investigate the vault.
"I do not know of any magics that I possess that could help us here. If Malfearance or Falenas does, I do not know, but I fear I can not be of too much use in this regard."
Discussing their plan of action with Yevele and the others: "I agree with Yevele. Some reconnaissance is in order before we continue - seeing if local folk lore in the libraries could divulge some information in this regard would be useful. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm quite disposed to a good meal right about now, and dealings with the undead sound. . . a tad unpleasant after a funeral. I suggest we travel to the Staircase Cliffs first and talk to Scaevola, perhaps stopping at a library on the way."
Since Jarnick decided to rely on his companions to take the lead, he's merely keeping watch, looking around vigilantly to see if anyone is eyeing them or the mansion, if so he will alert them quietly. He wouldn't mind helping someone to investigate if assistance is needed.
"If we know a route that links our destination we could probably face them one by one, but if we figure that the monster might be too much then we should just go for one of the people mentioned." Jarnick says this as discreetly as possible, while still keeping an eye around.
(OOC: Jarnick's just a bit paranoid, but perception just in case : 20)
"Personally I would prefer to start with the ghost, Helene Aerdurne, for her condition piques my curiosity. And as Master thought she may move on after Master did, we may already be too late to converse with her. But if my reading of the will is correct, we don't need to hold discourse with the shade but nearly find where she is buried. And as this is no time for selfish interest, I suggest we start with the Dragonborn friend instead - Alcaeus Scaevola. If they are unwilling to come down, and if few know of them, then it's possible they have not even heard of the Master's passing. It would be best if the heard from compassionate souls. It is also possible that they need a warning that more nefarious types than us may come looking...
"Vixthra should be last. While I hold no concerns for our abilities to confront whatever challenge may come, I would think a monstrous spider is also most likely to keep their secrets from interlopers the best. If any of them can wait, I would think it be they," Maelfearance says, a bit tired out from talking so much all at once. But he takes another breath and adds a touch more. "But first is first, checking maps and personal papers is likely a wise preparation before we go heading out on an adventure..."
At some point, when needing a break searching for maps or such perhaps, Maelfearance will go and take a look at the vault. While he has no special magics for investigation, he will have Rat do the kind of searching for access that only a rat can, and he will conduct whatever Investigation 25 that he can.... But seemingly the results of his investigating is that the vault learns more about he than he of it. ((/e facepalm))
Nodding repeatedly while Yevele, Noah and Maelfearance speaks, Ryona agrees after. "I was thinking we ought to look to Scaevola first, as well."
She seems hesitant, but then a little delighted laugh escapes her. She shakes her head apologetically, but still smiling. "Elaria intended to leave all this for us. It's only just now sinking in. Good meals and comfortable beds." She looks to Noah.
"I'll make us a little something nice to snack on before we go. After that, I'll get changed. Let's be ready to head to the Stairs in a half hour?" Cooking: 13
While working on the snack, Ryona will think about what she's learned of the Stairs or any relevant insight on the path they'll take. History (+3) or Survival (+6): 4 / 20 (if both are applicable)
After, she'll return to her space to prepare herself for adventure, putting a few things away to lighten her load.
The next few hours are spent gathering maps of the local area and investigating the trapdoor in the back yard. The door is as you remember it, and the nine divots in its center stand out like a beacon now that you have learned what may fit into them. The door is thoroughly shut, but does not have any visible sign of a lock, or even a handle.
Elaria has plenty of material available to map out Parabor's surroundings, and after a few hours (and the fuel of Ryona's cooking), you have studied them enough to gain an idea of how far it would be to travel from place to place.
From Parabor:
To Dolor Forest: 2.5 miles
To Staircase Cliffs: 1.9 miles
To Vixthra's Lair: 2.3 miles
From Dolor Forest:
To Parabor: 2.5 miles
To Staircase Cliffs: 5.1 miles
To Vixthra's Lair: 2.5 miles
From Staircase Cliffs:
To Dolor Forest: 5.1 miles
To Parabor: 1.9 miles
To Vixthra's Lair: 2.4 miles
From Vixthra's Lair:
To Dolor Forest: 2.3 miles
To Parabor: 2.5 miles
To Staircase Cliffs: 2.4 miles
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"Well, do we want to take the shortest route to all three, or take a route more based on perceived need or threat or...?"
"Studying these maps took a lot of time, but let's take one step at a time, plan for the unexpected. Let's be prepared to camp out tonight if we need to. We should be able to get this done before morning. I was hoping to go to the Steps first... but if we do go from the Steps with the Dragonborn, then to the mountains for the spider, then to the forest for the ghost, we'll be visiting the dead at night. I think that's a terrible idea. Unless we want to zig-zag across the area, let's instead go visit her first, then the ogre-spider in the mountains, then to the stairs in the south. Sound good?"