Heidmarch Manor is located not far from the city’s easternmost gate, and near your current location. The manor grounds are surrounded by a stone wall, but the front gate hangs open during the day as visitors are always welcome to the manor, which has recently come to double as the first Pathfinder Lodge in Varisia.
As you arrive, you are greeted by a kindly-looking woman who asks you to please wait in the foyer.
"Mrs. Heidmarch is finishing up a meeting, but will be with you momentarily," she says before quickly excusing herself.
A few moments later, before you've even had a proper opportunity to take in your surroundings, two women step into the room. The first is an attractive woman, dressed in a flowing gown of blue and green, and evidently of some means. She greets you with a no-nonsense attitude:
"My name is Sheila Heidmarch," she says in an unusually deep voice.
"Thank you for answering my summons."
- Sheila Heidmarch.jpg (31.02 KiB) Viewed 961 times
"And this," she continues, turning to an attractive half-elven woman dressed in leather armor with a distinctive-looking mithral-and-redwood aklys and an impressive bastard sword sheathed at her side,
"Is Koriah. Koriah Azmeren."
- Koriah Azmeren.jpg (28.12 KiB) Viewed 961 times
"Now, if you will all accompany me," she says, turning and leading
Koriah and the four summoned strangers into an adjoining room. Entering this new chamber, you notice the walls are lined with bookshelves, and several tables are found in the middle of the room are heaped with scrolls and books. One table in the center, however, supports only a single object— an ornate cubical stone coffer covered with Thassilonian runes.
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"Please. Have a seat at the table," she says, motioning to the table with the box.
“I apologize for the delay, but I really must conclude my business with Pathfinder Azmeren before we meet. In the meantime, though, I thought you could help us with another minor issue. This stone coffer --" she says, pointing at the box placed on the table before you,
"Is an ancient Thassilonian puzzle, a cunning feat of magical engineering known as a paradox box." She allows you a brief moment to observe it before continuing.
"As you’ll see from even a casual investigation, what appear to be seams on the sides are only shallow grooves—there’s no obvious way to open the thing. Each paradox box has its own secret method of being opened. Essentially, a paradox box substitutes hidden catches and magical triggers for a lock. Given time, anyone clever enough could figure out how to open a paradox box, just as given time, a locksmith can open any lock. This particular box was among those items recovered by Koriah—the scrolls next to the box are her preliminary notes on possible triggers or methods of opening it, but she’s not yet had a chance to sit down and properly investigate the thing. So... why don’t you put your heads together and see if you can’t do that for me? Even if the box is empty, as I suspect it probably is, knowing the method of opening it makes it a valuable find anyway. I’ll return shortly, and I hope to see that box open! Think of this as an audition, if you will—because the actual task I want to speak to you about soon will require as much wit as it will brawn!”
With that, and before anyone has an opportunity to question her, she turns and leads the half-elven Pathfinder into an adjoining room, leaving the four new acquaintances to themselves to complete her requested task.
Apologies for the delay. Today was probably one of the most non-stop, hectic days of my adult life. Also, I do not necessarily care for how this adventure begins... but, it is what it is.
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