Shattered Star

"I do," Sheila replies. "My personal vault. My husband and I shall convene to make sure it is as well guarded as possible."

"I'm sure it'll be safe here. After all, we're surrounded by some of the best trained warriors and mages there are: the Pathfinders. And it's unlikely there'd be a second mole after the shard itself, and even if there were I doubt they'd get past Sheila and her husband's personal protection," Naomi counters.

"I assure you that only those in my most trusted confidence shall guard the shard," Sheila mentions. "It will take some time for Flynt to make a plan to bypass my protections, and he'd have to have intimate knowledge of them as well. He can't simply magic his way through my vaults. It will be safe for a good deal of time there."

"...The alternative," Cade points out, meekly entering into the conversation, "would for us to bring an ancient, archaeological relic of unknown magical power into battle.  Given that course of action," he concludes, "we should trust Miss Heidmarch's word and leave it in her and her husband's possession while we recover its sibling from our mutual foe.  After, of course," he adds, "we recuperate from our delving into the Crow."

With it agreed, the party goes to sell all the loot gathered from the Crow thus far. Once the sale has been done, and the coin gained split among everyone, people start to go their separate ways. Meliora catches Anastasia before she can slip off, and asks "Hey, Anastasia! Have you been in Magnimar long? I could use some help finding the right stores and all to buy new things!"

Ali looks around and spots Naomi. "Hey Naomi! Wanna grab some lunch together?"

"Sure," Naomi replies, with a wide smile for the gnoll.

The gnoll smiles back, happy to have a companion for food. "Do you know of any good restaurants around? I'm still a bit new here..."

"I know a few places," Naomi says, nodding. "What are you in the mood for? I could eat just about anything right now, all of that fighting took a lot out of me."

Anastasia gives Meliora a funny look. "... I've lived her all my life, but I don't think the stores I frequent for my supplies will be your speed. You're too..." she eyes Meliora up and down for a second. "Nice."

"Too nice?" Meliora asks, tilting her head, a bit confused. "What do you mean? How so?"

"Uh..." Anastasia hesitates. "They're on the... seedier side, in the sort of neighborhoods mothers warn their children never to go. The merchants are ruthless, the other customers are suspicious, and everyone wants something from you. Very easy to get taken advantage of if you're not used to it, in more ways than one."

"Oh, well, I wouldn't be going alone, right? I'd be going with you, and you know what you're doing," Meliora says with a smile.

"... alright, fine," Anastasia sighs. "I need to do some shopping of my own, so you can tag along. But stay close to me and do not buy anything or give anyone money without checking with me first."

"Got it, I will!" Meliora says with another beaming smile. "Thanks so much, it's a huge help to have a guide when you're in a new city. You said you lived here your whole life? How do you like Magnimar?"

"It's a nice enough place to live," Anastasia grunts noncommittally as she starts leading in the direction of Underbridge. "It's got its high points and it's low points, and I'm familiar enough with both. At the very least we have areas that aren't crime infested, unlike Riddleport, and our magic schools aren't constantly spitting out devils like Korvosa's."

"And the Irespan! It's so cool!" Meliora gushes. "I haven't lived in a place with a huge ruin all through the city like that before."

Anastasia casts a glance up at the Irespan. "Meh. It's window dressing and a tourist trap more than anything, unless you're Thassilon-obsessed like Bennett."

"Or unless you're adventurers, like us," Meliora points out. "After all, we just delved into one of the pillars to pull out an amazingly powerful, cursed, magical artifact!"

"I suppose if you've lived here a long time, then you're just used to it," Meliora agrees. "But it really was amazing seeing it coming into view when I was approaching the city!"

Stowing his newly-acquired enchanted bracers in his pack, Cade watches as the ladies pair off before quietly slipping away to tend to his own business.  After being turned away from a nearby chiruregon for not having enough money to afford their services, Cade opts to instead purchase a simple meal for dinner on his way back to the Academy.  His stomach full, he then travels to the Stone of the Seers academy and returns to his dorm room.

The single-bed room is filled with clutter; short sheaves of paper are piled about haphazardly in organized chaos, and various baubles ranging from used spell components to simple paperweights line the room and anchor the various notes down.  On the far side of the room opposite the door is a desk similarly littered with papers and miscellany, which Cade dutifully sets aside by creating even more piles.  The desk cleared, Cade takes out the notes he had written down during the group's adventure, as well as a journal from the desk drawer.  Setting down a vial of ink and quill, Cade then lights a candle and begins to transcribe his compacted notes into a detailed account of his findings.