<div class="floatleft">(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/56e2c9c1-a4e5-48f6-be35-fe605f977c22/d7utatm-c866c711-59e3-431b-98b0-49f7926e6951.png/v1/fill/w_761,h_1050,strp/old_wizard_by_skiorh_d7utatm-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTIwMCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzU2ZTJjOWMxLWE0ZTUtNDhmNi1iZTM1LWZlNjA1Zjk3N2MyMlwvZDd1dGF0bS1jODY2YzcxMS01OWUzLTQzMWItOThiMC00OWY3OTI2ZTY5NTEucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTg3MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.hrOxbMnnhOk_CeWdNngqtmWnURM4rHYRsnbjsG95_A8)</div><strong>INTRODUCTIONS</strong><br/><br/>Koriah listened intently to Sheila's guests, attempting to suss out their potential from a mere introduction.  However, the lady was not an adept at social situations, and was a poor judge of character.<br/><br/>Though she did not know of Leah Goldflower, Koriah had heard of Leah Vestucia di Niroden, and, also, of Lord Ianocu Niroden.  Koriah did not know whether to be sympathetic, as the stories of whether the young woman deserved it differed between storytellers.   "Well met," Koriah murmured with a solemn nod to Leah.<br/><br/>So too was it that Koriah had heard of Eronious Adaris before.   "I am quite surprised to learn that Adaris ever had any children," Koriah said.   "But well met all of the same, Ms. Adaris,"  A soft nod accompanied the last statement.<br/><br/>Once Wallen spoke next, Koriah had become a bit suspicious of her friend's intentions.  Had Sheila transformed a small wing of her estate into an orphanage of some kind?  If the child had not been banished, they had been orphaned.  Of course, Koriah<em>understood</em>why Wallen would be banished from his family with a simple glance.   "Quite an introduction, Mr. Shadetree" Koriah said to Wallen.   "Well met."<br/><br/>After Neferi spoke, Koriah replied:   "I am surprised, as you do not strike me as a martial artist.  But I am happy that you are not all wards of the Pathfinder Society."<br/><br/>After Jhessela spoke, Koriah smirked and Sheila tilted her head with a grin.   "You'd be surprised how many orphans just happen to find my things," Sheila replied.  Koriah almost laughed.  It was obvious that there was an inside joke here somewhere between two very old friends.  Sensing that this might be perceived as them laughing<em>at</em>Jhessela, Sheila hit Koriah on the shoulder, and the latter straightened up, coughed, and said,  "Well met, former urchin," Koriah said smugly.<br/><br/>Koriah and Sheila, as it turned out, had also been street urchins.  They had also been plucked from poverty by a well-meaning woman who later became like their mother.  Koriah and Sheila fought against becoming that woman for years, and here they were now, the circle complete.<br/><br/>"Well met, Valindra," Koriah replied.<br/><br/>"Aye, I really look forward to working with you, Ms. Fell," Sheila said.   "You come highly recommended."<br/><br/>She then clapped her hands and made a "follow me" gesture.<br/><br/>"Now that our introductions are over, let's get to business.  As I said before, I apologize about the delay.  Let's get to business, but, uh... let's continue our discussion in the library," she said.  She opened two large brown doors with black metal braces, and led the group into the lodge library and study.  The walls are lined with bookshelves, while several tables 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.<br/><br/>"Have a seat around the table," she said.   "Koriah and I still have matters to discuss.  In the meantime, though, I thought you could help us with another minor issue.  This stone coffer is an ancient Thassilonian puzzle, a cunning feat of magical engineering known as a paradox box.  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 the box.  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.<br/><br/>"So why don't you if you can do it for me?  Even if the box is empty, as I suspect it probably is, knowing the method of opening it makes it a valuale find anyway.  I'll return shortly, and I hope to see that box open!  Think of this as an audition, if you will."<br/><br/>With that, she waved and led Koriah to a small antechamber.<br/>