[Elora]

Perfectly feasible to assume that Barrold entered after Tallas. He would have pilfered first and destroyed later...

As for the books, I had an idea.... brace yourselves.... hard hats on? [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

The tomes that Barrold took are in ancient Noldorin. He lifted them secretively, not trusting Avanill with such a prize, in the hopes of winning some points with Naiore.

However, I think it likely that Tallas had more than those books in his house. Avanill could have found other books that he took, recognising a different value...

Say, books on the history of herbology and local botany.... ancient receipes for plants and herbs.... Tallas' medicinal notes, so to speak.

For his trade, such tomes would be of great value, financial and otherwise.

Naiore' chief interest will be in the books lifted by Barrold. She is a student of lore, a philosopher of a grim bent, and she would immediately recognise their import.

Avanill could use his books to work to his favour. Maybe concocting a new potion of use. Naiore guards her secrets well and only ever purchased raw materials from Avanill's mother. If Avanill proved he had some alchemist knowledge, that would make him both more useful/potent as well as dangerous from Naiore's perspective.

How does that sound? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]