The interior of the library is small and unassuming. Maybe even appears a little underkept and underfunded. What little light there is coming from lanterns stratigically placed around the room, as well as whatever natural light peers in through frosted windows, seems to reflect off the dust particles in the room, bathing the room in unnatural orange and brown hues. The room smells of old books, dried ink, and dust. There are 5 rows of stacks made from worn red wood packed close together in such a tight place. In the front portion of the room is a group of three tables, with 4 chairs at each. To one side of the room is a wooden desk, made from the same red wood. A pile of worn books are perched carefully at the desk. Behind the desk, on the wall, is a map of Rica.
A lanky, middle aged, bespectacled ixifar moves skillfully between stacks putting up books.
The books that were once perched carefully on the edge of the desk teeter and fall to the floor in the sudden displacement of air. The ixifar jumps at the noise and carefully adjusts his spectacles.
"oh dear." He says, gazing at the mess on the floor, shaking her head. "Oh dear oh dear." He turns to face the golem, and smiles nervously. "Pardon me. Where are my manners. Excuse me while I unruffle my feathers." He chuckles shyly at his own joke. He adjusts his glasses once more, and straightens his vest. "Newcomer. We don't get many of those... Especially not many golem..." He stares the golem up and down, as if sizing him up.
The golem sees the books fall, and moves to collect them. As he does, we quickly checks each title, as if searching for one specifically. When he leans over to get the books, a crab slips from his robs and clicks across the desk. The Golem sets the stack on the desk and says, "I am sorry. I would not fit through the door any other way."
The three books you pick up are made from plain black leather, and bare no titles on the cover.
The ixifar coughs slightly in your direction, eyeing the crab now skittering out of sight. "Yes, well, I'd rather this than the alternative. Thank you for your help..." He moves to straighten up the stack of plain black books. "Can I help you find something?" He asks, both hands on the stack of books.
The ixifar beams at the golem, through his spectacles. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we don't have much in the way of that." He adjusts his glasses and looks around the room, squinting in the dull orange light. "It's not exactly a secret those who know are willing to share. Making life." He smiles lightly. "I never caught your name."
A silver haired head appears in the door way. "Pardon me, but that is something that I would greatly appreciate knowing as well." The Empyrean woman steps into the building, a soft smile on her lips as she looks fondly at the many books. "And perhaps you could help me find some information as well?"
The Ixifar cocks his eyebrow at the three newcomers. He closes his eyes, adjusting his glasses, again, apparent it's some sort of tick. He sighs, annoyed. "You're on the Island of Exima, town of Quito, In Rica." He glides swiftly to the map on the wall, behind the desk, and points to a small Island far from mainland Rica.
He turns to the Empyrean. "Yes perhaps I can help you find something. What is it you're looking for?"
Leofrick, while searching, you don't see any titles that pique your interest. The majority of books you pass have titles pretaining to various histories of Rica, and Rican politics. It doesn't take you long to search the entirity of the Library, as the room is actually fairly small.
After spotting what he thought where people he knew the fae makes his way inside the small building to check if he was correct.
"So did everyone get run out of the bar and decide to take shelter here?" Figuring something must have happened at the bar to bring this gathering here.
The golem's eyes followed the wolf around the room as he purused the books. Seeing nothing of use, Rune looked back the ixifar. "Thank you." emits from the golem. The runes begin to glow again; starting from his docent and spreading across this body. The golem mutters something, and teleports out of the crowded building.
Silver jumps slightly as the golem teleports away. Collecting herself she addresses the librarian. "You wouldn't happen to have any volumes pertaining to dragons? I would also be interested in anything you have pertaining to the lore of Exima." She spares a smile for the fey who wandered in to the library behind her. "I'm honestly here for the books."
The Ixifar's brow furrows and the new fae. He straightens his vest, adjusts his spectacles, and cracks his neck, just slightly. Eyes closed, he thinks for a few moments.
"Yes I believe I have a single volume on dragons. It's not much. Just a brief study in..." His voice trails off as he takes off between the stacks. He comes back a few moments later. His voice trailing back in, mid sentence, as if he never stopped, "some information on lifecycles in here too. Fairly basic though." He wipes some dust off an old tome made from a gray-green leather. The Black-red text reads simply DRAGONS. He sets the book gently on the counter, before pausing, a proud look plastered on his face. After a moment he snaps his fingers. "Ah and you wanted a brief history of Exima as well." He takes off down the stacks once more. "As I had said we're a bit..." His voice trails off. Seconds pass and you can hear rumaging coming from the stacks. He appears once more, again having never paused his explanation says, "and so after that a lot of written records were lost. So this is pretty much all I have." He sets the brown leather book on the counter. The gold flowing script reads, A Brief History of Exima.
Silver's face lights up as the two volumes are set on the desk. "Oh, thank you very much, anything at all is always of use. Do you by chance have a place I may sit and read these in the Library? I'd hate to take them outside and have any accidental damage come to them, especially if so many records have been lost already."
The Ixifar looks confused as he glances to an area just behind the empyrean woman where 3 tables sit neatly, with 4 chairs at each table. Surely she would have seen this area coming in. He thinks to himself.
He coughs. "Just over there, miss." He says with a smile, gesturing with an open hand to the seats. "Enjoy. And if you don't mind me asking, I don't get many visitors in here. Very few of Quito's visitors are interested in books, see." He stumbles over the phrasing. "Where exactly are you people from? By the looks of things I'd say you traveled together? I mean I've never had so many visitors at one time before." He exclaims in amazement.
Excites at the fact there may be something of use the fae decides to see what else the old ixifar might have here.
"So by chance do you have anything on Mynra or perhaps tales of hidden treasure around these islands?"
The idea of hidden treasure surely made the fae's eyes sparkle with excitement as he awaited an answer.
Silver glances at the area the Librarian pointed out. "Oh! I must have been too distracted by the golem! I tend to miss things now and then, I beg your pardon." As she collects the books and quickly looks them over before addressing him again with a small furrow of the brow. "Well, we are the residents of a town called Jastery. However the population of said town is primarily not originally from there. But how we came to be here... I honestly was busy with personal affairs, then the next thing I knew I was waking up here. That's when I noticed the Library and decided to get informed on where exactly we ended up. Thank you very much for all of the assistance."
Silver politley nodded to the Ixifar in thanks then headed to the table that had the best lighting while maintaining a clear view of the room. She gently placed the books in front of her upon the table, lightly running her fingers over the titles. She decided to start with A Brief History of Exima. She delicatley opened up the book and began reading.
Striding through the door of the library, Kollista scanned the room's occupants for the Ixifar mentioned at the bar. Seeing only one feathered fellow in the room, she approached him without hesitation. "'Scuse me, but are you Mr. Ibis? If you are, I have two questions- well, maybe two and a half: what town am I in, and do you have a book on things that may cause a person or group of persons to vanish from one place and appear in another, or perhaps a book on proper goat care?"
The Ixifar holds a long finger up the the fae before tapping his chin lightly. "Which one?" He asks. "Which Jastrey? There's quite a few if I recall." He finally turns his attention to the fae.
"Thank you for your patience." He says, smiling. "One moment." He disappears down the stacks. When he returns he has two books in his hands. One is the same red-brown as the furniture in the room, the other is a pale blue. The red-brown book reads "Lady Luck" in flowing gold script. The Blue book bears no title, merely a compass on it's face. He sets both gently onto the counter. "That one." he says tapping the blue book. "May or may not be of any help to you. The Islands hold many secrets." He says, adjusting his glasses and inhaling deeply, regarding the gnomish newcomer.
"You're in the town of Quito, on the Island of Exima, part of the Rican Archepelego." He says matter of factly, once again pointing to a small island far from mainland Rica. "As for your other questions, well..." his voice trails off as he ponders the question. "I don't have many books on magic." He motions around "Small library, see." He holds up one finger, before disappearing into the stacks. When he reappears he has a plain tan book. Black script reads Farmer Jeb's Big Book of Farming volume 5: Livestock. The book is, in fact, a big book. He offers it to the Gnome. "Turn to page 394."
Silver sat engrossed in the history book, though it was quite short and sucinct. Finishing it quickly, she set it gently on the table top and turned her attention to reading the book on Dragons. After sitting for a time she finishes the second book as well and stands, gathers up the books and returns them to the front desk. "Thank you very much, that was quite informative. I must be going now." With a smile and a tilt of the head, she left the Library.
Kollista took the book with a smile, "Thank you, Mr. Ibis! If you ever think you have room for or want helps finding magic books, just let me know. I like books and helping books get around. You said 394, right? I'll bring this back in a few minutes. I'm gonna read outside."
Once any confirmation was made, she would turn and stride out to sit near the entrance with Mirvana, giggling something that sounded like it involved the word "werewolves."
Cormac walks back to the ixifar and hands back the books. "Thank you any knowledge is good knowledge."
Curiousity had overcome him so he decides to sneak outside and peer over the shoulder of the gnome and see what she was reading to see if it answered how we got here and how to get back.
Hearing the tone of kollista and the word "Werewolves" sends a shudder down Leofricks spine. Standing up from the shelves, he gives a disgruntled look. "Well, another dead end, might as well look elsewhere. I wonder if I could get to the library in new Jastrey?" Leofrick turns to the ixifar. "Excuse me, would you happen to know of any books on the Lady Istentia?"
"Are you interested in goats too, Mr. Fae?" Kollista giggled without looking up, able to make out the creature's shadow. She assumed it was the fae from inside the library. "I'm done reading now. You can take the book. Just be sure to give it back to Mr. Ibis just like it looks now, all pretty and whole, okay?"
Without waiting for much of a response, she attempted to (somehow) gently shove the book in to the Fae's hands before skipping off with Mirvana by her side.
Confused at what just happened the fae now holds a book in his hands. He also questions his ability to be a rogue and being quiet then remembers he's a bard and the thought is gone. He the quickly murmurs a the gnome as se ws leavin. "Umm, thank you?"
Quickly he goes bac inside the Libary and back to the table. Avidly he turns looking through the book specifically looking for page 394 as the Ixifar mentioned earlier.
The Ixifar smiles gently at the Ulf.
"Books on Instensia, Yes I believe we might have one. Bare with me for one second." He says before once again gliding back down the cramped halls of the library. He reappears moments later, with a bright white book. A golden sun adorns the front page. He sets it gently on the desk.
"There you are." He says with the curteous, but mildly annoyed smile of someone being pulled in several directions at once.
Realizing this book was not what he thought it was he walks back over to the ixifar and places it in his hands.
"Do you by chance know anyone around these parts with magical knowledge or maybe a boat for sale or rent? I may be needing to get back home soon and should probally start trying to figure out how." he says to Mr. Ibris.
The Ixifar looks at the Fae for a few moments as if pondering the question.
"Rent a boat. Hm." He says, turning and staring at the map. "Well I'm positive down by the docks there's a ferry that can take you to Poulo, Talaud, or Tyre. Rentals are a little more tricky. I'm sure for the right amount of coin you could get a Fisherman to take you to some places."
He turns briefly to the Ulf. "Yes you can check out a book if you si-" Half way through answering the question, he watches the Ulf slip the book into a pouch and walk out the door. "Oh Bother." he mutters. "GUARDS! GUARDS!" He starts screaming. "THIEF IN THE LIBRARY!"
Thinking quickly as the bird starts calling for guards and realizing that someone from Jastery ending up in a cell might not make this trip so pleasant he says to Mr. Ibliss,"May I check the book out for my rude townsmen or perhaps pay for the book.? I''d hate to see his irrational thinking harm our name."
Thinking to himself well he's screwed the fae gets ready to leave this place as quick as he can. "I thank you then for what you have shared with me. I will go tell my friends what i've gathered and tell someone they may be having to bail there friend out." He smiles as he heads towards the door ready to leave the library and explore this strange new place.
The Ixifar runs a single hand through his hair.
"Yes sirs. There was a man, an ulf. Some newcomer, I watched him put one of my books into his personal pouch and then walk out the door. He didn't sign for it, he didn't pay for it. He just left." he explains. "You should be able to catch him."
The guards turn on their heels and begin the hunt for the dog. After travelling a bit outside the library, the guards appraoch the Ulf. One guard siezes each arm of the Ulf and state:
"By Order of the Sultan's First you have stolen property of the Library and must remit payment of a fine immediately. Surrender 2 gold and the stolen property post haste."
Being grabbed from the guard, and hearing the notice. "Very well, I can pay the fine and return the book." Leofrick nods towards his poouch. "The book and the gold is in my pouch." Looking to the other guards, he sighs. "I truly apologize for this inconvience gentlemen."
Rune walks back into town from the beach. The Golem still has afew of the crustaceans from the shore skittering about his frame. The stone creature walks down the row of ramshackle buildings that are common to seaside towns, taking in the new surroundings. Movement inside one of them catches the golem's lights. An ixifar is busy putting away books....
"Books..." slips from the golem's mouth slot. The golem moves faster than he would normally; several crabs fly from his form. Rune reaches the door and opens it only to realize he won't fit. The golem's lights flash and magic pulses across the runes on his body, and a moment later he appears on the inside of the library. The sudden teleport displaces the air in the room, causing a breeze to rustle some papers. The golem's gaze settles on the ixifar, "Hello."