Looking for Answers - Repository - Chyril 25 (MT)

[Danomel]

Hidden almost in the shadows of the Bardic College of the Patrician Ring of the Citadel is a humble two-story residence with a simple shop-front on the first floor. A rooftop porch of some sort can be seen from the street.

The border of the shop window is decorated with the letters of the alphabet mixed in with numbers and mathematical symbols. All are painted blue-on-white. A sign over the door declares: "The Repository: Books and Lessons, The Citadel's Finest Scribes".

Within, the front parlor is spacious and welcoming. There are chairs and a table or two set up for patrons or students to sit and read. A magnificent antique kemn board adorns on of the tables. It is currently in use by two people: a brown haired adhiel woman dressed in a somewhat worn dress of velvet the color of burnt gold, and a tall silver-haired human man dressed in a fancy dark blue doublet with silver embroidery at the sleeves and neck. A long wooden counter top bar the way to further exploration of the shop. There are several books lying open on the counter. Behind it is a slate board listing schedules for "tutorials" and "lectures" on several subjects.

[hr][/hr]

Danomel had gotten a late start this morning. This seemed to be developing into a pattern as of late, or at least the last three days or so. Ever since the incident at the Red Banner that had resulted in him spending a bit of time in the sewer system. The memory of the whole evening was likely to take a good long time to fade. He was thankful for the experience, as it had given him a bit of life perspective.

Hence the past several late nights spend studying the book on magic he had received from Mistress Tabeann, really studying it, not just pursuing the pages. Part of his reason for visiting the Repository was to hopefully gain access to the upper observation room and a little privacy to try out some of the what he had to this point only been reading about.

Danomels second reason for visiting was to find out if there was a copy of the fifth volume of Meriklar the Wanderer stored there. Not that he expected to find a big mystery, but the Lady Lucienda had definitely piqued his curiosity. And his attempts to find out what had happened to the pages of the copy held by the Imperial Archives, for which he had found the cover and binding, had yielded limited success.

A slight smile touched Danomels mouth, as he recalled his first venture into the restoration wing of the Archives and how he had thought the air reeked with the smell of solvents and glue. The short time he had spent in the sewers had given him a new appreciation and understanding for what could be deemed as foul odors. By comparison, the restoration wing was not all that bad.

Upon entering the Repository proper, he glanced around, looking for either Stainis or Master Tervis.

[Tristam]

Stanis was manning the desk this morning examing a book closely as per usual. He looked up as the door opened and smiled widely.

"Danomel!" He greeted him. "Haven't seen you since you went over to the enemy." He ribbed him good naturedly. "How have you been?"

[Danomel]

“Stanis, it is good to see you again. Alas, I seem to have little in the way of free time as of late.” Danomel heads over to the counter while looking around to see if anyone else was present. “The Archives are a busy place; I miss the somewhat more relaxed atmosphere here.”

Upon reaching the counter, Danomel lowers his voice and leans towards Stanis, taking another quick glance around. “I was hoping to be able to get the use of the upper observation room for a while; I need some uninterrupted privacy to for a bit of study…” He taps the book under his arm.

“I am also in search of some information and another particular book. Do you know if the Repository has a copy of the fifth volume of the works of Meriklar the Wanderer? Seems the copy at the Archives was damaged some time back, and has been taking an unusually long long time over in restoration. I suspect it is not a very high priority, though it seems somewhat unusual and irregular. But that’s my problem to look into, didn’t mean to bore you with the details.”

“Also, by chance, has there been anyone else inquiring after the volume? Say a lady of the aristocracy?”

Relaxing a bit and leaning back, Danomel continues in a more normal voice. “Don’t know how important it might all be… Probably nothing at all, just my overactive curiosity.”

[Tristam]

"Would you mean the Lady Lucienda?" Stannis scowled. "Came in here a few days ago throwing her weight around, demanding the moon and stars and then complaining they weren't bright enough when she got them. Feh." Stannis shooed the thought away like an annoying fly. "Master Tervis saw her off the premises right quick and banned her from the shop." Stannis smiled in triumph. "I can even call the watch on her if she comes back."

"We do have that volume as it happens." Stannis nodded. "If you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on the front here, I'll go fetch it for you."

[Danomel]

Danomel can’t help but smiling at the thought of the Lady Lucienda being denied. “Yes, she can be quite a fireball there. If only someone had not given her access to the Archives. Wonder where else she will go now looking for said volume. She seems to have something of an unhealthy fascination with it. It has got my curiosity up.”

Another thought occurred to Danomel. “Well at least I won’t have to worry about her returning here anytime soon. Though I am sorry you had the unfortunate experience of meeting her.”

“I will be happy to keep an eye out here.” Danomel responds, as he takes a flicker to glance around. “It does not look to busy currently.”

[Tristam]

"The University might have a copy but they'd never let her in there." Stannis concluded. "Well, not without something of equal knowledge value in return." He amended. "Though with her personality I should think she'd return a newt." Stannis smiled. "Wish I had encouraged her to try there. Anyway, back in a burn."

Danomel was undisturbed during his brief turn at the counter and Stannis came back with a weatherbeaten leather book. The cover was scored and scratched badly but the title was still mostly readable.

The Fifth Journal of Meriklar the Wanderer: Being a Chronicle of My Journies Through the Deserts of the West.

"It looks more fragile than it is." Stannis assured Danomel. "Whoever bound this book intended for it to last. I'm told it survived a pair of sandstorms but that its previous owner survived but one."

[Danomel]

Danomel picks up the volume and runs his hands reverently over the cover. “It does indeed appear to have traversed some hard times. I don’t think the Archives copy was bound near as well.”

“I take it no one else has been around looking for this volume? Would not put it past the Lady Lucienda to send someone else around in her stead.” Danomel comments to Stannis.

Danomel sets the book he brought with him on top of Meriklars volume, covering the title. “So, is the observation room available? I’m not sure exactly what I am looking for here, so could really do with a bit of privacy while I go through this volume. I’m likely to make a bit of a mess taking notes and all.”

[Tristam]

"I had not considered that she might send an agent." Stannis looked concerned. "But no, no one else has come asking for that volume. Though we were contacted by someone trying to sell a copy oddly enough." Stannis added. "There's a fellow named Hadvin down in the Outer City. He gets his hands on all sorts of things and somehow he obtained an adhiel translation of the Meriklar's fifth volume. We turned him down of course since we had a copy."

Stannis turned to look at the daily schedule. "We've got a reading of Dwarvish long verse in a mark but its free until then. Help yourself." Stannis offered.

[Danomel]

Danomel nodded, “Thanks, hopefully it will not take that long.”

Moving down the adjoining hall, then up the stairs, Danomel opened the door. The place looked, for the most part, pretty much the same as he remembered it. Furniture was different, but then the old stuff had taken a pretty bad beating. All of the damage caused by Storm Bringer had been repaired some time ago. An involuntary shudder traveled down his back as memories of the incident crowded to the front of his mind.

Pushing them aside, he closed the door behind him. A mark was not a lot of time, Danomel thought to himself. Well I can only do what I can.

He also made a mental note to check on the copy Hadvin had for sale. Maybe the Lady Lucienda had got her copy after all. Anyway, at the very least, he should check it out on the chance the archives copy was damaged beyond repair and a new one would need to be procured.

Sitting down, he set the one book aside and opened the Meriklar’s fifth volume and started to skim through the major sections. He only had the vaguest of ideas what he was looking for. Hopefully, Aurelius would see fit to aid him in his search.

[Tristam]

Flipping through the book, Danomel swiftly saw that Meriklar wrote in two very distinct styles. The bulk of the book was written in an engaging informal manner. It felt like the reader and he were seated at the local pub while Meriklar spun tales of the peoples that lived in the desert sands and all of the adventure and wonder to be found there.

Scattered amongst and between those fireside tales were very detailed scholarly descriptions of certain items or rituals. Many were descriptions only with hypothesis as to there Aetherical nature and purpose. A few were fully detailed magickal instructions on how to recreate those rituals. Danomel was too new in his training to say if he could perform these magicks but the instructions seemed to leave nothing out. The rituals were designed to summon forth the spirit of an ancestor to ask their advice or seek their aid and then send them quietly back to their rest.

[Danomel]

Closing the book, Danomel leaned back and considered what he had been reading.

Placing a banner on the table and opening the book he had brought with him, Danomel flipped to the section he had bookmarked several days ago. After a quick review, he put out his hand, concentrated on the aether and focused on levitating the coin a few finger widths off the table. A small little exercise he had set for himself after the night at the Red Banner. He had decided that the ability to move small objects, say a dead bolt for instance, could be of very high value. While meeting with limited success, to date, he felt he was making steady improvements. Control seemed to be where he needed the most work.

As he concentrated on the coin, several thoughts flowed through his mind. What ghost or ancestor? Barrett had said something about an ancestor. Still the question of why? What kind of aid beyond information could be provided? The why is probably the lady wants the power and authority? The question is who, which ghost?

Letting the coin go, Danomel returned his focus to his current query. This was going to require additional study, but it could probably be accomplished at the Archives, just as well as the Repository. He was going to have to dig into the Lady Lucienda’s family history.

Picking up the books, Danomel headed back down stairs. Looking for Stannis, Danomel returned the fifth volume, and asked “What would you have on the family history of the Lady Lucienda?”

[Tristam]

Moving objects by magic was a curious thing. The easiest way in concept was simply to grab all of the energy that made up an object and move it in the Aether. In practice this method was the most difficult simply because moving that much energy while maintaining its structure required great concentration. The first few coins would come out stretched and warped.

The way was harder in concept but easier in execution. My manipulating the air around it the coin could be suspended by it. The trick was to apply a stronger air pressure below until it was where you wanted it and then apply an equal air pressure above. Usually the coin jumps around until applying the below force becomes easy. Then the coin was hurtled into the air or sent flying off sideways until applying the top force was mastered.

Stannis looked up from the book he was reading as Danomel reappeared with his question. "On the Marcada family?" Stannis wrinkled his brow in concentration. "Not much I would think. The genealogy of the Dortese noble families isn't really a topic of interest outside of Dort." Stannis shrugged. "The Dortese Embassy would certainly have those sorts of records and if the Imperial Archives did not I am sure its diplomatic corps would."

[Danomel]

“Yes, I am sure there is something in the Archives. Though I suspect the name I am looking for to be rather well known and probably appearing in other literature as well.” Danomel considers for a second. Stannis had, on at least one occasion in the past shown a tendency to not be overly good at keeping information confidential, which in this situation might be a bit of a risk.

“Hypothetically, say you were a Marcada, and desired the aid of a dead ancestor, who would you be most likely to look to for help?”

“By the way, do you have any general references on tattoos and other body art?”

[Tristam]

Stannis blinked at the rather odd question. "I really couldn't say." He stalled while his mind mulled over the problem. "It really depends on information sought I suppose. Hypothetically speaking, I would think the wedding is foremost in their minds. Perhaps the Baron's late wife." He shrugged.

The second question was much easier to answer though just as curious to Stannia. "I know we have several texts on the practice as performed in Amun Rah. Beyond that its really little notes here and there in various naval texts. May I ask what line of thought you are pursuing with these questions?" Stannis asked at last.

[Danomel]

Danomel mulled the thought of Lucienda attempting summoning her dead mother to help disrupt the wedding for several flickers. While she had the mental bend to attempt something of the sort, he wondered how much more it would do beyond disrupting the wedding for a few days. Danomel had to wonder, if going to the trouble of summoning a ghost, would there not be better choices for better gains? But then emotion probably also played into the equation. After all Lucienda did have a temper, and he could see her doing some rash acts in the middle of a tantrum. Well, more to consider anyway. And was the Barons late wife even her mother?

Danomel forced his focus back to the moment and Stannis’s question. How much to reveal here? He thought to himself. Ahh, but parts of the truth should work best, enough to allow Stannis to draw the wrong conclusions anyway…

“I hate to admit it… but I was down at the Red Banner a few nights ago. I have to say, it was way more excitement than I was looking for. The ladies, the fire, and everything.” Danomel does his best to look sheepish. “But anyway, I saw this tattoo on one of the bare backsides, a beautiful rendering of a lighthouse in unbelievable detail. Many have paid a pretty crown for paintings that were nowhere near the quality of this work. I mean some of the tattoos I have seen are simply atrocious, but this one was in a class by itself, and I wanted to see if I could track down the artist.”

[Tristam]

Of all the answers Stannis might have expected, Danomel seeking out a tattoo artist based on the work on a whore's rump did not even make the top thousand speculations. He didn't see Danomel as the type of person to get inked himself. If Stannis was not used to Querists and scholars pursuing strange paths when their interest was caught, he would not have swallowed the half-truth.

"Well it seems to me that you'd need more current information that any book would provide you." Stannis opined. "You might be better off asking around the Ha'penny Mermaid or the docks for that."

[Danomel]

Sort of what I suspected would be the case Danomel thought to himself. Looks like I will be visiting a few tattoo artists some time in the next several days.

“So how have things been going for you otherwise?” Danomel asked Stannis. He had really not spent much time as he should just visiting. Now that he thought about it, there were a few others he should also make time to visit.

[Tristam]

"Its been pretty quiet around here actually." Stannis replied. "All the scholars and nobles are focused on the coronation so we've had little business aside from making sure everyone has sufficient pens and inks. I don't know much about this new Caesar of ours but what scholar wouldn't want to be living through a turning point of history like this?" He smiled. "And I could use a good party about now. A few of the families in my neighborhood chipped in to buy a whole pig to roast slowly over the coals. Can't wait." Stannis licked his lips in anticipation. "Are you doing anything official at the Coronation?"

[Danomel]

Shrugging his shoulders, Danomel sighed a little. “No I don’t have any plans or obligations for the whole coronation thing. Maybe I am just anti social, but I don’t seem to have an affinity for these dog and pony shows. Too much pomp ands circumstance for my simple tastes. Actualy I think it is probably the crowds that I am not overly thrilled with. No I will probably sleep in late, and then go to bed early. I am sure the day after, or at lest the morning after should be somewhat quiet as people sleep off the evenings celebration. What about you? Going to see the show?”

[Tristam]

"I'm not much for crowds either but I've found a rooftop with a descent view." Stannis replied. "Having access to some of Master Tervis's collection of optics does come in handy on occasion." He chuckled. "Also, Lady Bright is throwing a bit of a celebration at her manor. I plan on popping in just long enough to say hello and see what she has brought up from the wine cellars."

[Danomel]

“Sounds like it should be a good time. I like the rooftop idea. I will probably swing by, just to see what exotic foods are being peddled by the merchants, but after that I will probably stay in.” Danomel responded.

Anyway, I have a few more things to get done before everything starts closing. So I guess I had best be moving along. I will try to stop by in a few days, so Let me know how it goes then.”

[Tristam]

"Oh it should definitely be worth the walk through the merchants." Stannis agreed. "Look out for people selling kabobs. I've heard good things about them." He recommended. "Be well, Danomel. See you in a few days. I'll tell Master Tervis you dropped by." Stannis promised and nodded to Danomel in farewell.

[Morg]

Skilled and archived.