Yes they will ripen indoors, its all in the method. I manage to break a couple of scapes every year. I have yet to lose one. First label your scapes, they should already be labled with the pollen parent anyway but make sure you know what each one is. Next cut them off leaving them as long as possible. Take them inside and cut them in water like you were cutting flowers for a vase. I have used sugar water, and water with 7up or sprite in it to hold them. Change the mix every couple of days, and recut the scapes when you do that. Or.... Get some nylon or better yet aluminium window screen and cut pieces to cover your pods with, wrap and tie them with cable ties or twistees, I don't think the deer will want to eat the screen. Or..... Since you are just worried about the pods at this time of the year you can buy pepper spray, and spray them, I suspect spraying them with a highlt scented dish soap and water mixture would also work, but if you use the sprays, don't forget to do it every couple of days, especially if it rains. Hope you can use one of these methods, I think covering the pods with screen is the best method, and you won't have to worry about the pods opening and the seeds falling on the ground.

Allow the pods to stay on the vine as long as you can. The longer they stay on the vine the more oppurtunity they have to mature. But be sure to harvest before first frost. Once you harvest them, store them in paper envelopes in a cool, dry, dark closet. Be sure to write on the envelop the name of the seed and the date havested. Moonvine seeds should be cream to yellow in color.

unless it's a late-flowering cultivar, go for it. I started taking them in last week, but I donate most. I cut the whole scape if it's looking dry and the pods are splitting as well, and just cut off pods if the scape is still firm. I put them in paper lunch bags. It allows you later to just shake the bag to get the seeds free, if they are dry enough. Plus, I can write on the bag. The late ones you can actually bring in, cutting the scape, and have it flower in sugar water, then you can control the cross. There's info on how to do this. I wouldn't worry about cold weather and seeds, unlesss you are wanting to do something specific.

In general, most seeds must be fully dry before harvest. Saving seed from perennials will not affect them. Harvesting seed from plants that re-grow each year from their own seed (hardy annuals & biennials) is another matter; unless you replant some of the seed, or leave some on the plant, you might lose them. Hollyhocks are a good example.