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Delia-Jessamine Maric, Breton stealth-mage increasingly sympathetic to the Stormcloak cause, got her usual room at the Bannered Mare, where she and Aela extended their affair for another night. The next morning, they found Fralia Gray-Mane in the market and reported the good news: Fralia's son was free from the Thalmor and went to fight for the Stormcloaks. In appreciation, Fralia gave Jess an enchanted sword that belonged to her son. Jess graciously accepted the sword, though she has no use for it - enchanted weapons and sword-fighting aren't really her style. Later, she gave the sword to Aela.

They returned to Jorrvaskr and Jess found her husband. Torvar seems happy to be living at Jorrvaskr again. She is quite certain that he is having an affair of his own with Njada and Ria, after finding the three of them in the girls' bedroom a few days earlier. It didn't bother Jess until Njada asked sarcastically "What guidance could you offer to me?" and Jess wondered what Njada meant by that.

Oh well, Jess thought. Maybe their marriage was a mistake but neither she nor Torvar is unhappy right now. Jess and Aela stayed in Whiterun a couple more days and did not hide that they slept together in the Harbinger's room. Nobody seemed to care. Interestingly, Jess started receiving Lover's Comfort again. Only at Jorrvaskr does she receive this blessing with Aela. Odd. Maybe it is because it is close to the Temple of Kynareth, Jess thought.

They decided to investigate the Nordic ruin they found on the return to Whiterun. Some time ago, Urag had requested that Jess fetch a book, "Shalidor's Insights", and thought it might be in the area of the ruin. Jess and Aela left before dawn.

The trip to the ruin was uneventful, but upon arrival they were attacked by a ghost. The ghost said he didn't have a choice and was sorry. Jess calmed the ghost and they moved on. They encountered more hostile ghosts, all of them apologetic and claiming they had no choice but to attack. Jess calmed them, as well. Jess's Magical Mystery Map revealed that the ruin is called Rannveig's Fast. She and Aela went inside.

More aggressive, apologetic ghosts. Jess calmed them. They saw a treasure chest in front of another strange "word wall", and what appeared to be a trap. They decided not to test the trap, but the wall burned another nonsense word into Jess's mind.

"Do you know why they do that?" Jess asked Aela.
"Why what does what?" Aela replied.
"The wall... the word..."
"I don't know what you're talking about."

The chest was empty.

Continuing on, they eventually found the warlock responsible for subjugating the ghosts. Sneaking behind him, they witnessed an adventurer falling through the trap they had found earlier. The adventurer died. Jess calmed the warlock, whose name was Slid. Slid had little to say, but Jess and Aela read his journal. Slid was one messed up individual, like the serial-killing necromancer whom Jess and Brelyna had recently stopped. So Jess and Aela killed Slid.

Killing Slid did not free the ghosts from subjugation. They were still hostile. So Jess and Aela freed the ghosts another way. Nothing personal, and Jess apologized to the ghosts as she and Aela liberated them.

It was already night. They had not found "Shalidor's Insights" and realized they were probably in the wrong place. They found no beds in the ruin, so they tried to sleep on the floor for a couple of hours before giving up on sleep. They left for Whiterun in the wee hours.

Back in Whiterun, they traded, went to temple together, and then to Jorrvaskr. Torvar seemed depressed when Jess saw him, but he perked up when she spoke to him. He wasn't depressed, just very, very tired. Njada and Ria must be wearing him out. Good for him.

Jess and Aela would leave again to search for "Shalidor's Insights" the next day.

Delia-Jessamine Maric, Breton stealth-mage on a long-delayed errand for Urag, left again before dawn with Aela in search of "Shalidor's Insights". They explored near Rannveig's Fast and the pleasant cottage with the unpleasant mage, and saw a structure atop the mountain. Jess changed into her furs but Aela was unconcerned about the cold. They found a climbable route on the east side of the mountain, were attacked by frost trolls, and found another strange wall. They approached the wall.

"The music always changes around these walls," Jess said.
"Music?" Aela asked.
"Watch this," Jess said as she approached the wall, which burned another nonsense word into her mind.
"Watch what? You staring at carvings in a wall?"
"Try standing near it."
"Will do." Aela complied, but nothing happened. "Is that it? Let's look for the book."
"Fine."
"Don't get snippy," Aela said.

They found "Shalidor's Insights" in a chest near the wall and began the trek down the north face of the mountain. They followed the path until they reached Cold Rock Pass. Jess had never been through it but Aela said there was no point unless they were returning to Whiterun.

"Make a decision," Aela said. "Whiterun or Winterhold."
"I'm thinking Winterhold or Solitude. Let's stay the night in Morthal and decide there."
"Lead on."

Jess was glad that Aela was staying with her. At Morthal, she decided that Urag could wait a little longer for the book. There was another matter to deal with nearby, but they would have to return to Solitude first. The information they needed was in "Lost Legends" and Jess had left her copy at Proudspire.

Back at Proudspire the next day, Jess displayed the sword Fralia Gray-Mane gave her on a weapon rack, replacing Red Eagle's Bane. One of these days, she thought, she needs to take Red Eagle's Bane to Riften and trade it to Brand-Shei.

They went to market and to the Temple of the Divines. Jess prayed to Dibella and asked Aela to pray to Kynareth. Aela complied, whether out of politeness or sincerity was unknown to Jess, but it made her happy, regardless. Maybe someday she can convince Aela to cure her lycanthropy, too, Jess hoped.

Back at Proudspire, they reviewed "Lost Legends" and figured out where to go next. Folgunthur. After dinner, they went to bed and left again in the wee hours.

Wading through the marsh was not Jess's favorite thing to do. Outside Folgunthur, they found a camp and a journal. Hmmm. Someone else is after the Gauldur amulet, too. Jess had two of the pieces with her - would this Daynas Valen have the third already?

Inside, there were signs of trouble. Dead draugr and dead adventurers. Entering a large room, a gate slammed down separating Jess and Aela. Several draugr emerged - oh no! - but they had not seen the stealthy Jess. She frenzied them and summoned a Dremora for good measure. Soon the undead were dead, and Jess had not moved from the spot she was in when the fight began. Should have brought a chair. After much searching, Jess found the chain to open the gate. Duh. Then they found the body of Daynas Valen - at least there would be no competition. They took his notes and the Ivory Dragon Claw.

More draugr, but they weren't very powerful. Eventually, they found the draugr Mikrul Gaulderson, who was no match for Jess's magic. Jess collected the final amulet fragment, the writ of sealing, and the Gauldur Blackblade.

Exploring the room, Jess began to hear the familiar chant-like music indicating another strange wall nearby.
"You don't hear that?" Jess asked Aela.
"No."
They found the source of the music that only Jess could hear. Jess told Aela to approach the wall first this time. Aela complied.
"Anything?"
"Nothing."
Jess approached the wall and it burned another nonsense word into her mind.
"Are we going?" Aela asked.

They set off for Solitude and arrived in the wee hours. Jess was surprised by how many citizens were out and about. On a hunch, she cast Detect Life. Her hunch was wrong. Everyone around her was alive.

Jess and Aela slept at Proudspire and studied Daynas Valen's notes to figure out what to do next. Jess realized that she had done each stage of the quest with a different friend. Brelyna was at Saarthal. Torvar was at Geirmund's Tomb. And Aela was at Folgunthur.

Daynas Valen's notes revealed that the next stage of the quest would take them into The Reach. Great. Jess hates The Reach.
"You will come with me, won't you?" Jess asked Aela.
"Of course."