Do You Know This Man?

Submitted by Billy P. on Thu, 4/17/2014 at 4:31pm

Pelle was staring into his mirror as he stepped through the library's doors. The smell of old paper and leather covers gave the building a nice aroma that reminded Pelle of another library very far away. "Hello?" the riven called out, looking for the librarian. "Is there somebody who could help me?" He picked up a book stacked precariously on the desk beside him and began flipping through it's pages.

Mr. Ibis glides smoothly through the stacks. Standing a hair under 6 feet, and lean. He has purple, green, and yellow feathers mixed through his hair. His gold rimmed spectacles rest neatly on the bridge of his nose. 
 
"Quiet in the Library please." He pauses. "Thank you. What is it you are looking for?" He asks with a tone that says he'd rather be working with books than people.

The riven puts on his best smile, popping a stitch along his cheek. "Ah, greetings. I was hoping you'd be able to point me in the right direction," the riven said, being careful to keep a low voice. "I'm looking for records on a Baron De' Lapore. Does that name sound familiar, by any chance?" Pelle set the book back in it's original position.

The ixifar regards the riven with a dull expression, before squinting his eyes. "Get out." He says. "I'll have none of that." He shakes his head. "Chasing a silly superstition. Next you're going to be wanting information on Atrius, or Rizzik's daughter. No I think not. Begone." He says, readjusting his glasses. He grabs a broom and begins to sweep the front area of dust. 

The riven cocked his head slightly. "Superstition? I have yet to hear this story. There wouldn't happen to be a book about it, would there?" Pelle asked curiously. "I do love a good story."

The ixifar stops sweeping and cocks an eyebrow back at the Riven. "Truthfully?" He asks. "You've never heard of him?" He seems to grow slightly excited. His feathers ruffle, and he has a certain gleam to his eyes. "Sit. Sit. Sit." He motions to a chair, before taking one of his own. He waits.

"No, never. I heard the name mentioned earlier today and was quite curious actually," Pelle replied, graciously taking the offered seat.

The ixifar let's out a cough. "This is but one tale they tell...
"The Baron was once a normal human soldier known by a different name, with no political power or claims to land, himself. As I said he was a soldier, and he fought proudly for his land. He was once a right and just man, although rather quick to pass judgement. In his life he had a rival, a man he had known since birth. When The soldier took on a wife, the rival became jealous. The rival murdered the soldier and his wife. But the soldier was stubborn. He swore revenge on his rival and murderer, and outran the reapers themselves to exact it. When he returned to the mortal realm he discovered that his rival was already dead. Killed honorably in battle. And that the soldiers name had been dragged through the mud. He was branded a traitor by his people. This news drove the soldier insane. The soldier fled his land and started studying the dark arts. That is when he changed his name to Baron Alexander De'Lapore.
He now resides in an wealthy looking manor, that seems to disappear and reappear depending on the moon. Some say that when the Baron is out, and the Manor is visible, it seems run down, and vacant. But when the Baron occupies the manor it seems flawless, sturdy, and well built. The magic behind this has yet to be explained."
He takes off his glasses and then wipes him with his shirt. "Of course that's just one tale. Another paints him as a Lich of the Nether. I've heard some say He's a ghost. Some tell the tale of the old soldier still looking for his lost love."

The riven listened, imprinting every word into his mind. "Is there any rumors of why he comes out? Or anything that attracts him? For the story's sake." Pelle leaned back in his chair, more relaxed.

"Also, any stories of where the house appears?" the riven asked shortly after. The interest could be seen in the concentration in his eyes.

The Ixifar solumnly shakes his head. "Nothing of legend. I suppose if I had to guess, I'd say he's drawn to anything that would give him power." He shrugs. "There's very little concrete information on him as he's just an urban legend. A fairy tale, made up to scare children." He says. "And there's even less information on his manor. Most likely the manor is just a sort of flavor text." He nods his head, eyes closed. "Yes, added last minute to sort of spice up a campfire story." He waves the Riven off. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a lot of inventory work left to do."

"Thank you very much for the story," Pelle said to the Ixifar as he stood up from his chair. "Till next we meet." The riven gave a curt nod back to the librarian as he left out the door.