Orgar scratches his head: "So, what should we do now?"
"Keep looking, I suppose," says Cynehelm to his friend. "I'm kind of curious to know how we hold the key to her future, too."
So what is left to check out?
"We were tasked to find her by one of her own riders... perhaps there is something preventing her from returning and setting things right in her own domains. We need to find her, and she needs us to find her... Our fates are entwined."
"Do these books belong to you milady?" - Helgash adds - "We require one of them to assist a friend"
"Also, do you require an escort away from this place? We have encountered many death threats here, and you are in danger of exposing your child to such risks" - he comments - "We can assist you in getting to a safe place"
They are in my possession yes. As for needing one of them that is difficult to comprehend as it would be impossible for you to even know that they were here before you arrived.
Helgash you get the sense that by her response these are not her books but she feels that they are her property. In fact they are Baba Yaga's property but she is their current custodian.
Turning to Venja she quickly asks, What do you mean one of her riders? What has happened?
Duardlara points at the Cookbook of Augmentation. "Actually, dearie, we were told to seek this very title by another associate of Baba Yaga. Is it the one that you are warning me about? Would it ease your mind to know that we have use of Grandmother's Hut while we seek her? I'm sure you are aware that even in her absence, that domicile on legs would not let us inside without her blessing."
"Illarion Matveius, one of Baba Yaga's three black riders told us he was the last remaining of her riders while on his deathbed. The tale he told us was that Baba Yaga was overdue to return after her hundred year absence, to replace her daughter Elvanna with a new queen of Irrisen. Elvanna has made plans to bring eternal winter to all of Golarion through portals placed all through the lands... Illarion gave us the keys to her Hut and tasked us to find her... our search brought us here. If Elvanna has somehow prevented Baba Yaga's return in order to undermine or assume her power, she has to be stopped... Bringing Baba Yaga back should be a major thorn in Elvanna's side and thwart her efforts. Can you help us? Will you help us?"
Grissell's eyes go wide in revelation at what both of you tell her. You can control the Hut and Elvanna has done something to Baba Yaga? This is news indeed. I must go tell the others.
She makes her way towards the stairs and to head out of the room. She gives you a dismissive wave of the hand Duardlara as she goes past. Yes yes, go ahead and do whatever with that book. Just don't come looking for help if you turn into a toad or worse...
This news is just so juicy she titters on her way out unless you halt her.
Duardlara doesn't move to stop the woman, but her eyes narrow as she watches her go. "Which others, I wonder?"
Is she happy that Baba Yaga is detained somehow by her daughter? I'm sure eternal winter in some other land bothers her not at all...
She turns back to the book and examines it and the shelf more closely, wary of a trap.
"See?" Cynehelm says to Orgar.
"That's the kind of thing it would have been good to know earlier. Wait, what?" the priest's head swivels to look at Venja. "We have the Dancing Hut? Where? And we're helping Baba Yaga?"
Looks like it, something about only she can stop winter from covering the world or something like that
"Right you are Cynehelm. At least we know something more useful the likes of this big oaf," says Orgar, pointing at the catatonic frost giant, ... are keen on killing us."
"I'm guessing we're stuck with this little quest and can't go home until it's done, right?"
"We are. Blood oath and all that. The things a person will agree to do for family." She smiles faintly as she continues to study the book without touching it.
The book does not even radiate as magic Duardlara. It is not trap either. All in all it seems like a perfectly mundane book except you know that it must have archaic formula written within.
Assuming you finally take the book and open it you see that the pages are written in Iobarian Once deciphered you find that the cookbook has a few potent rituals inside but all of them are beyond your current ability and resources. Namely they call for ingredients that you have never heard of and may not even be from Golarion. the exception is the 1 ritual you need to free Ratibor the Bold. Breifly scanning it you realize that the ritual will take the better part of a day and that the ingredients are easily found in the Hut or the room you are currently in.
"So who's 'Ratibor the Bold'?" he asks.
Fellow we met in the Hut a while back. He got stuck there by Yaga
"So where is it? The hut, I mean?"
Outside this confusin dungeon. This place is built into a cliff
"Really? You have access to the Dancing Hut? Amazing!"
"Well, what're we doing? Finding this Ratibor fellow?"
"He's been tasked with preventing anyone from entering the Hut through the outside door. The conditions of the geas are such that we were able to enter through an interior door and speak to him and learn of his predicament. He wishes to be released from his servitude and believes that this book holds the key. It appears that he is correct. Sadly, I believe he has been a prisoner of this spell she placed on him for far longer than he knows. From speaking to him, generations have passed. If he wishes to return home, I think he may find that his grandchildren's grandchildren have passed on."
"Even so, I'm sure he'll be grateful to be rid of that servitude."
"I know I would!"
Grissell's eyes go wide in revelation at what both of you tell her. You can control the Hut and Elvanna has done something to Baba Yaga? This is news indeed. I must go tell the others.
She makes her way towards the stairs and to head out of the room. She gives you a dismissive wave of the hand Duardlara as she goes past. Yes yes, go ahead and do whatever with that book. Just don't come looking for help if you turn into a toad or worse...
This news is just so juicy she titters on her way out unless you halt her.
"Wait, others? What others? Will you take us with you?" - Helgash addresses the woman as she passes them by.
”I imagine she’s referring to the Maiden and the Crone,” says Cynehelm. ”It seems obvious she is the Mother depicted in the bas-relief carvings we’ve seen.”
”Nit that that tells us who they are.”
Caigreal and Silyzul, my sisters! she calls back excitedly.
"Bring the book Lara" - Helgash calls out to his companions - "We must follow! Come all!"
Orgar follows along.
"This is all a bit of a blur", he thinks to himself.
Jetro ambles along
Venja, excited to meet the three incarnations together, follows along as quickly as she can.
Duardlara secures the book as she hustles to catch up to the others, taking note of their route as best she can in case they are forced to retrace their steps.
You follow her quickly as she moves through the complex. Quickly you reach the entrance to the temple where you hear some strange chanting. You enter to see no one in sight. Pausing momentarily to catch your bearings and look around the room you see the door to the far north open up and close by itself.
As fast as the woman was moving you are certain that she is not 8 months pregnant. Also as soon as she got into the temple you seem fairly confident the chanting you heard was her casting some sort of spell to keep you from following her too closely or monitoring her movements.
Jetro buys a bridge and adopts a child from Mangwai
Cynehelm slows down. "She does not wish us to follow too closely. Perhaps we are being rude. I suggest we wait for her here."
Hmm Jetro keeps a few arrows ready
"I am done waiting friend Cynehelm" - Helgash presses on the subject - "Our homes are facing extinction, and I am tired of being led in a runaround, frolicking with creatures that apparently have not a single care for our woes" - his eyes flare for a moment - "Nay, I am not waiting any longer - we need definite answers, and not games" - he adds, storming off and continuing after the woman.
"I might as well follow Helgash", Orgar says with a shrug ...
"Mostly out of curiosity, mind."
"Besides, trouble always seems to find us `round here!"
... and then follows Helgash.
Orgar follows with his own bow at the ready.
Venja follows the woman as well, undaunted by her attempts to lose her followers. She is both curious and eager to meet her other incarnations/sisters.
"Come on, Cynehelm. We can slow, but we can't stop if the others aren't."
The priest follows along, musing on the limitations of being wise when one is in a crowd.
Duardlara smiles faintly at the barely-voiced comments and nods.
You hurry as fast as you can to trace the path the woman is heading. You can't see her but he lucky for you the path is relatively easy as there is no other directions to go. You make it through the room where the previous warden of Artrosa were entombed and you fought he ghosts and retrieved the 2 ghost touch swords, back through the hallway needing the figures to align on the table to allow passage and to the area walled off with tapestries where you met the first thing in here that didn't try to kill you, Caigreal. Stopping outside you can hear excited talking even if you cant make out the words exactly as they are still in hushed tones. You do hear Caigreal say though, ...meet in the temple...if you can... I will be there shortly.
"We know where we need to go" - Helgash nods to the others - "The Temple"
Well let us make tracks. Jetro will head out with the others.
Orgar will try to wait in hiding...
Jetro tries imitating a vase
Helgash sees the others hiding around him - "Friends, this will never work - my abilities at stealth incursions, are as strong as a demon would be in the Heavens" - he smiles - "And also, we have done nothing wrong, and should not need to hide" - and crosses his arms over his chest.