A Dangerous Gift

Elysia nods along with the information that Findral is giving them, noting the different places on the map and memorizing them to have in her internal layout of the city. For a moment, she's distracted by the sudden appearance of the wisp of a girl in her lap. With silent laughter at her older sister's behavior, she embraces a rare moment of outward affection and hugs her sister around her waist before leaning back in her seat again.

The conversation brings back her more sober, serious manner as she contemplates her own thoughts. "While I am not desiring to be petty in this case, I do agree with Adran," she voices finally. "I do not believe they can be trusted with the artifact and leaving it within their reach is asking for trouble for at minimum their citizens. I am unsure what we should do with it as I am clueless on its purpose.
Perhaps we should do some investigating in some of these notable areas on the map and discover what we're getting into before we attempt retrieval though."

So... do you know a way down there?
I suspect that it would be hard to find than a squirrel's nest.

Elowin takes the gold coins and pockets them. Apart from some new boots after, and some frequent herbs to battle the odor, before. Is there anything else you guys need before we delv into the city bowls?

Adran will take a knee by Findal. "Do you need anything? Food and water? A blanket?" He will work to prep their friend's ruck, so if he has to wake up and hit the ground running it's easy to grab.

Turning to the others, he says, "I hope he's safe here."

He chuckles at his sister's question. "I don't suppose 'a path that avoids the sewers' is an option? I suppose not then. Shall we?"

"He should be more than safe for the time being," The rogue responds to Adran’s concerned statement. "I do not scout places that are easy to come across. We should go ahead and make our way to the markets though." Elysia makes her way to the exit, waiting for the others to join before leading the way out.

"I will do my best to check in with you when we are within range of the hideout." Eozindra reassures the gnome before she stands to follow Elysia.

"We should keep a wary eye for guards on the lookout as we make our way towards the market. I do not think the Duke will have given up on finding us yet."

"If we can, I might pick up a few things in the market. Depends on how publicized we are when we get there, I suppose," Adran sighs as he heads out with Elysia. Glancing at his sister, he adds, "Might be best to buy a spare set of boots now. It will only get harder with time."

When the party is traveling, Ishi is willing to walk about 30ft ahead because he he has Keen Senses and Danger Sense

Taking a look around the room they'd been hiding in, Elysia was proud for a moment to share the space she'd discovered as a way to help them. She was always willing to lend a hand where she could. The hidden basement they'd stowed away in was beneath a tannery that had been abandoned a month ago from what she'd heard gossiped about. Still, she was thankful of whatever wizard had been paid off to keep the chemical smells that still sat in the floorboards above them away from this room that had been magically preserved on its own. The basement was rather spacious, as big as the shop above it, as it had been designed originally to be the space used for the tanning process instead of the storage room that it was.

Drying racks lined one wall, some of them with rather imperfect leather still attached to them. Opposite from where she stood at the ladder to climb above again sat three empty, possibly unused as they didn't have any scent to them, wooden vats that reminded her of shallow, large wine barrels. It had been a spot she considered lining with the imperfect leather and having a nap if they'd needed to use the space when she'd found it. To her left, opposite the racks, Elysia's eyes ran over the two shelves that housed used, abandoned tools that ranged from the knives needed to pounding stones and polishing instruments. Beside them lie a scale for weighing the leathers. The space at the center of the room lay clean and open aside from the table with a few chairs around it. While large enough to possibly use to lay out and examine leather close up, it wasn't much bigger than a table to seat six people to dinner comfortably.

With a silent sigh, Elysia returned her gaze to the door that separated them from the upstairs. Whoever the previous tanner had been was often cursed by the nearby residents for having the "grand" idea to do his tanning above inside the shop where he could "be near his patrons." She already had memorized the layout beyond the long counter that hid their basement trapdoor. Behind cabinet doors hid the chemicals that still permeated the air faintly enough to be an annoyance above. She wasn't sure if a vat had leaked into the floor, bottles had been spilled, or just time itself had incorporated the scents into the space, but its odor wrinkled even her nose and warded people away from the shop, making it a perfect hideout. Larger tools hung off of nails along the back wall of the shop with display racks dotted throughout the main space to show not only finished leathers, but also creations made from them. The fine layer of dust over the space showed its disuse along with the cobwebs that began to accumulate in corners and across spaces between shelving.

Blinking her mind away from what awaited above, she looked to the party before reminding, "Don't forget to hold your breath when we leave if you are sensitive to the smells above."

With one last glance to ensure the gnome felt as secure as he could in the space, Eozindra pulled in a deep breath and escaped the hideaway quietly, making herself available to Elysia in ensuring the upstairs looked appropriately vacated as the group sneaks away. She whispers to the group, "I can stop for goods without be recognized while the rest of you get out of sight. I need bolts anyway," she pats the hand crossbow newly lashed to her thigh. "Just let me know what it is you will need and I will do my best. I think we are probably better off avoiding too much direct contact with the city as a whole right now. Especially as a group."

Elowin in a proficient leatherworker, so she does linger a bit with some of the tools and leathers. She tries the edge of one of the knives and starts to work on her left boot. Standing bearfootet she makes some corrections and replaces the inner sole.
My boots have been bothering me since we got here. Its all the cobblestones. She begins, but they don't care.

Elysia, have you fund any leather grease somewhere? It would go a long way to waterproof our boots.