RP:The Wrong Library
Synopsis: After learning that his house and the contents of his bank vault are gone, Trent meets Celaeno in the Mage Tower to discuss research.
Jan. 2nd, 2018
Mage's Library
‘’As you stand here, towers of bookshelves completely surround you. Most of them look to be magical in nature, but there are books of more mundane subjects in the library. Some are for spell research, some are about the history of spell casting and magic, while others are just lists of spell uses and objects. The cases are of a dark oak or pine, and glow a little at the ends, where runes have been placed to protect these sources of information from aging and decay. There are tables all over the room, with people of quite a few races sitting and studying. You notice a small door behind the rows of shelves to the north, and as someone opens and enters the room you see that it is the dormitory for those who stay here and study. To the east are two massive doors with designs carved into them, a golden dragon on each door.’’
Celaeno had decided to shift her studies a bit, today, and look through the tomes on runes and enchantment with characters she hadn't studied before. She yawns into the crook of her elbow a moment as she strolls between the cases toward that section, where she'd sampled a few of their references before. For the moment, she stood between the shelves, tracing her clicking finger over the spines of different titles, until she found one that might be applicable. For once, she didn't have her pack on her or anywhere nearby. Instead, in her other hand, she glances down at her small journal where she'd scrawled a recent mystery. Her nose wrinkles with the frustration of glancing over the first few titles. So far, no progress. Why did that script seem familiar?
The door to the famous Library of Magii closed with a resounding thud as a blonde haired figure, draped in black, stepped through the archway. His face was rosy and stiff, a reaction from the biting cold of the winter winds that whipped along the snow covered landscape of Xalious. A few onlookers briefly observed the man before going back to their own studies, each earning their own scrutinous look in return. Trent had come to the Mage Tower in search of someone in particular, yet his immediate perusal yielded no favorable result. It was only when he began to walk among the sprawling shelves that he finally found the one he had been looking for. “Celaeno, correct?” he asked the half-elf, making sure that he in fact remembered her name from the day before. “Have you… found anything?” Silver and flesh lifted and pulled back the leather good that shielded his head from the elements.
Celaeno hadn't quite reached her usual state of blocking everything out for the sake of concentration, so when the man's footsteps approached her, she heeded the perking of her slightly pointed ears and glanced his way. At the same moment, her finger traced over one reference volume she wanted to consult about one of the dialects she'd recognized, one of the minor parts of the spell upon that silver thing for sure. She takes it down and holds it out toward Trent. "Hold this, please. You've caught me on my second perusal." She traces her finger over a few more titles before finding another dialect that matched a few more of the engravings, pulled it out, and did the same. If Trent chose to take neither of the tomes, then she would be out of luck searching for more. "Some information can be gleaned here, but not quite enough to decipher most of your little friend, so far."
Trent shifted one of his brow toward the ceiling and the cold steel of his eyes focused on the offered book. He would not fight the woman, however, and took the item in both hands, browsing the title until another book was tossed in his direction. This one was also given a studious glance, yet for the most part, the topics were things that he had very little experience with. “That is what I was afraid of.” he stated, plainly. “While I am certain that this library has vast amounts of knowledge, I am not sure it will have the knowledge that I seek. The one who.. told me about these sigils, I feel here was more than some sort of archmage. Something more ancient.” It was here that Trent would tack on in offering,”I would also like to thank you for even looking into this matter for me. I would like to pay you for your services. It’s just… it might be a little bit before I can do so. It turns out that my home has been auctioned off, and my coffers have been emptied by someone unknown. Once I am able to find adequate work, I would be more than happy to give you a hefty sum of gold.”
Celaeno every the stubborn and studious academic, quirks her head toward the man as she pauses over another title, her eyebrows going up with renewed curiosity. "Truly? Well, then I'm afraid I've been looking in the wrong section." She takes the books back from him, rather abruptly, and slides them back into their gaps. "Did this ancient presence offer you an introduction with their vague explanation?" She slides past him, taking great care not to make physical contact, with some help from her pointy-eared half to make that possible. She motions for him to follow before he starts talking about money. She swipes at the air as if such a notion were no more than a fly. "We never agreed on any payment to begin with, so I won't accept any. It offers a welcome distraction. Now, if you want to commission something, then we can talk. Though, I warn you I'm rather new at enchanting for hire, so anything too extravagant might take some research and time." She seemed to be leading them to the history section instead…
Trent followed along behind the half-elf at a respectable distance. He looked between the stacks of neatly aligned books with a mild interest, his thoughts tearing through memory after memory of the things he had come to learn thus far into the journey. “Very well. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask in the future, then.” When they finally entered into the section containing historical texts, Trent would delve into subconscious thought to try and bring to surface the information that the stranger had revealed. It was when he reached down to touch his leg, the very one that had been injured in the attack on Cenril, that things came out. “He told me his name… was Sacrilus. The Face of the Damned. The language is of a demonic origin, derived from the Dark Immortals. It is a language that is not as well known outside of those that serve the dark ones.” The metal encasing that guarded his left hand was lifted to grasp the pendant that hung from the man’s neck, eyes focused on empty space as he continued to view that scenario in his mind. “He asked if I had ever died before. I told him no. He said that one symbol is of immortality- but more as a curse, rather than a gift. He said that other symbols indicate that the gauntlet can not be worn by another, and that it is bound only to me. He was not certain if it were possessive, or simply for warding. He asked if I was being punished, or if I were its guardian- Which of course, I do not know.” There was another piece of information that suddenly hit the man like a hefty hammer; His eyes went wide, but he did not speak any further.
Celaeno was quite deep into the history section, glancing over her shoulder every once in awhile to better listen to his explanation. At first, the name and title belonging to the entity gave her pause. Dark Immortals definitely rang a bell with one of her recent research topics through this section, though it only contained references. It was the word "demonic" that belatedly clicked with why she found the markings familiar, or at least the unsettling feeling they gave her, since being a foreigner unfamiliar with said gods it would be impossible for her to translate. For a moment she freezes in place, a cold sweat breaking out on her neck as she leans against the nearest stack, her gloves trembling some. She squeezes her eyes shut, her breathing quickening, before she manages to get a hold of herself. In and out, in and out. "I...I think this would be th...the wrong library for this then." The light headed feeling would pass, it always did when a latent memory came up.
Blonde brow knit when Celaeno began to showcase a sense of ailing, a careful observation of the woman taken as she managed to fight the feeling in her own way. Trent was not sure if it was the topic that were the cause, or if she were just in poor health, so he asked, “Are you alright? Do you need to sit?” When the half-elf spoke of the library not being the right place to search, his heart sank in his chest. He should not have been surprised, really- It wasn’t the first time he had mistakenly assumed things would go well. “It is not? That is a shame to hear. I at least appreciate the gesture of searching this place. Might you know of any other locations of information, then? I have already searched through the Cenril library, and have found all that I could, while I was there.”
Celaeno squeezed her eyes shut a moment as her equilibrium righted itself and her breathing evened out. "I...just a pesky flashback that happens once in awhile. It's nothing." At least so far it was nothing. She straightens herself back to standing on her own and smooths down the new wrinkles in her robes so her composure could return as well. "Hmm, Cenril is a library I haven't visited yet. I'll add that to my list," she mutters, half to him half to herself as she taps her chin. "Well, the first that comes to mind for darker things is restricted to members of the Necromancer's Guild...so unless you have aspirations of becoming a magical practitioner, that might be best left tried last." Her eyebrows go up and a somewhat wistful smile flashes across her mouth as she pounds her fist into her palm. "That might work!" The rather boisterous clang has nearby mages and students peeking into their aisle and shushing. She bites her lip, cheeks flushing some as she points upwards. "Schezerade has a rather extensive library that rivals even this one. And, to top it off, they have a restricted section where they keep their nastier acquisitions. I'm not sure how you would find your way in, but an avian let me glimpse it while he was dropping something off. That could be a good next step in your journey. I imagine you want to save finding someone who follows the Dark Immortals and asking them for last..."
Trent kept his eye on Celaeno as she assured him that she was fine, a simple nod in place of a verbal answer to say that he understood. “It’s somewhat lacking.” he commented toward Cenril’s library. “Although there are some interesting books on runes. If you are one that practices such magic, I am confident that would would find something useful. I don’t think I have been to Vailkrin, but I will make it a point to investigate the possibility to going there some time” There was a bit of a polite smile upon his normal stone face until the woman slammed those metallic appendages together. Even he, due to the initial resounding silence of the place of study, jumped a little in surprise at the loud clanging. It appears as though it were a instinctual reaction, but that gauntleted hand of his leapt up and came over across his chest, as if ready to block some sort of strike. Taking the arm by the wrist and forcing it down, the blonde haired male responds to her suggestion. “I saw it, I believe. On my way to the tavern. That may be a good place to start. I know that avians are one of the older races in this land. Is the library.. guarded by chance?” When she mentioned his final option, Trent gave Celaeno a look of agreement, a nod, and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
Celaeno thought back to the chance meeting that led to her first seeing the Schezerade Library, in particular that restricted section. She'd had a guide all that time, though. "The main library is not guarded and you're free to wander it, I'm sure. The restricted section, though, I remember required all magical items be surrendered before the attendant would grant entry. My gauntlets were made an exception, considering their purpose, as well as the fact I was also being supervised. The one that accompanied me was named Thamalys, I believe. It has been awhile since I've seen him though. He is not fond of vampires." She bites her lip as she thinks back to the other alternative in Vailkrin. "I'm not sure Vailkrin has a library that's open to the public, though I was told about many private book collections. The Black Library, which is the one restricted to only Necromancer's Guild members, was one I only gained entrance to because of my own admission into the guild and the special efforts of a friend."
“Interesting.” This would be the only word Trent utters for some time, as he was beginning to contemplate what sort of options this left him with. One library was barred due to restrictions on those of a specific magical ability, while the other was restricted to those with magical items entirely. The gauntlet lifted to eye level so that it could be inspected, and soon the amulet around Trent’s neck was pulled out to also observe. The aether energy inside the quartz pulsated gently, eliciting a deep sigh from the amnesiac. “This is a bit of a road block, I must admit. I wonder if I can approach a government body in Schezerade to make a special exception in my case. I am in possession of two items that I suspect are magically imbued, and there is no way that I can part with them. As for this Black Library…” Steel blue locked upon Celaeno’s own gray eyes. “Do you think there may be a possibility that you could obtain some sort of text for me? To see if you could find something, or maybe take notes? For this, I would offer up coin, given the potential issues that might arise. I understand if you would rather refuse. I would hate to affect your standing with your guild.”
Celaeno hums a moment in consideration, biting her lower lip as she does so. She slips her hands under her robe sleeves, something that comforted her when she was unsure about a course of action. The idea certainly appealed to her, and she wanted to help. After all, it was a positive way to use the dark knowledge she'd recently gained access to. "I'll...consult my superiors. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to disclose from there. Regardless, I have most of the inscription, aside from that part on the palm, so I can still try to find reference for you. The only question is how long it will take for me to get you any answers I might find." She made a quick mental note to jot down the extra details about what the inscription could be used for, the name of the ancient being, and the other tidbits he had revealed about the gauntlet. "And don't worry about the subject of payment. Any knowledge I glean from this should suffice. Meanwhile I'll increase my efforts to learn the lore of this land. It's quite a far reaching thing with many missing parts I'm finding..."
Trent felt as though this would have to suffice for now. It was at least something to look forward to, even if he had his doubts. He had already begun to make plans to return to Schezerade and investigate the guarded library, but first there were things he needed to do. Given that his house was no longer his, and his bank had been cleaned out, he needed to find Meri and see if she knew what was going on. That awakening upon Milous the other day, was not a case of deja-vu, or simple sleep walking as he had come to suspect. Some time has obviously passed and he was not sure how much. Larket. This was the town that Celaeno spoke of. This is where he would go with hopes of finding the blonde tattoo artist. There was also the matter of finding work. Trent was not sure he could go back to the docks, having been suddenly disappeared twice now. Perhaps he could find some sort of menial labor in forestry, or some sort of guardian work for those without knowledge of combat. “Thank you, Celaeno. You have been very helpful, and I can not state how much I appreciate your efforts. There is no need to rush. Take your time in your studies. If you do find something, please send word. If you’ll excuse me, I need go get a start on putting my life back together.” Trent offered the half-elf a smile and bowed his head politely, before he soon turned away from the woman and headed for the exit.