Glimmer was nowhere to be found, so Mittens pocketed the cookies once more and climbed the stairs on all fours. Even though her knees bent the wrong way, it was still managable and a great deal more comfortable than walking balanced on two legs. So precarious, having only two feet to stand on. It was a wonder humanoids survived at all. Once in the tower, Mittens looked for Rune, her claws scratching on the floor as she went. If she were human, she might have called, but that was not the way of cats. She would wander, aloof until she found him...or until she grew bored in which case she'd meow until someone paid enough attention to give her directions. Which she would ignore and pretend she knew all along.
You had to have some self-respect as a cat.
Her ears picked up a faint humming, and she followed the noise to its source--the golem. Books stacked in its arms and on shelves all around, it smelled of dust and knowledge. Mittens cleared her throat--a strange humanoid habit that seemed to be ideal for attracting attention without all the fuss of batting someone with your paws untill they paid attention.
"You're looking for a docent." She paused to force herself back onto two legs. "I'm here to take that position."
Kaelan flips through the books creating stacks on a long table based on subject. In the common tongue there is smal note held in place by sorted stacks: Journals, Research, Rtiual Spellcasting, Herb Lore, Alchemistry, Enchanting, Dark Arts (Warlocks??), ... the subjects go on and on. Finally, there is one wth 3 books, Forbidden Lore ( To be secured / destroyed ???? ).
The golem turns to face the Mau, it's arms still full of books. "Yes. Help this one re-organize these books. We can discuss the terms and conditions of your employment as we do so." Rune begins to turn around again, but pauses to observe the human stack books by catagory, save for 3 tomes which he did seem to know what do with. "Human, what are those books?" The golem levels a stone finger at the offending stack.
Looking from the stone golem to the human and back, Mittens doesn't bother waiting for an answer before leaping easily from the floor to perch on the table beside the stack of three books, rotating the stack before opening the cover of the first book.
"Orn History, pre-shattering"
She set it to one side and opened the second book, reading for a moment before closing it again.
"Membership, history, and deeds of the Silver Council."
Setting that aside atop the first, she opened, skimmed, and shut the third book, looking vaguely disgusted.
"Goblins should not be allowed to publish literature."
Holding up the book to the title page, it read in slightly smudged ink, Tenda Caulkfingas Guide to Yo Bawdy. Underneath the title was a scrawled signature and Mittens grimaced.
"And it's a signed copy. Delightful."
Malkonius slams the entrance doors to the tower wide open, stumbling in, almost falling face-first onto the floor. He makes his way to the library, and sees his master, along with Mittens and some Commoner organising some books. "Wha'sa *buurrrrp* kit-kat do'n hurr?" He barely manages to belt this phrase out as he regains his balance again. He seems to take extra care that he doesn't spill any of the ale he brought with him from the tavern. "Un hoo's thus man hurr?" He asks, pointing to Kaelan with his entire arm extended, mug still in hand. Malkonius loses his footing, and falls forward towards the stack of books that Mittens was looking over. He catches himself on the edge of the table, and sees the Goblin book. "Wha' rubb'sh ish thush?" He takes a closer look, squinting to try to steady his vision. "GOBL'N TRASH... hic!" He starts to collect a large amount of mucus in the back of his throat to spit onto the book, but manages to compose himself before making a terrible mistake. He then notices the book about the Silver Council, which seems to resonate with him somehow. The Dwarf stares blankly at the book for a whie, seemingly lost in thought, but then spins around quickly, managing to spill a little of his beer on Mittens. "Whoopsie, sorrayyy 'but that Mitt'ns! I've had a wee muchh of tha holy wata is'alllll... hic!" Malkonius turns to Rune, "I'mma go sleep this'un off, leave a listh somewhere of things you need dun, won'tya!"
At the sound of the commotion going on below, Glimmer flits in the window from the garden and down the stairs to the library. Upon the site of the now sleeping dwarf, Glimmer claps out loud and exclaims "Only I get this lucky!" She begins to draw something out of her pouch when she sees the new Cat. She pulls a large green ball of thread and a packet of dried fish, throwing the thread ball and opening the fish packet, sitting it on the floor for the Cat. "Here Kitty Boo Boo! Look what Mama Glimmer's got for you! Oh Rune thank you for the Kitten! You're the best pets ever!" Glimmer looks at the cat wistfully, as if remembering some distant memory.
Turning her attentions back to the unconcious dwarf, Glimmer draws out her red lipstick, much like Festivia used and sets to work on the dwarf. "Rule Number One. Everyone must be Festive. Except I'm not a Seelie and Festivia's a heffer. A big mean evil heffer. So. Rule Number One.....hmmmm...Rule Number One: All dwarves are pretty creatures once created anew with facey paintsies!" Glimmer begins to giggle and stuff cookies in her mouth. Looking as if to had a stroke of genius, she stuffs the cookie in Malkonius' mouth saying "Hold that for a second" and then drawing one last thing before quickly replacing the lid and putting her tube up. She picks up her cookie and waves Rune and the Cat over to admire her work. Upon further inspection, the Dwarf's face depicts images of crudely drawn stick figure Fae with beards. Across his forhead reads "See! Dwaeries are possible." She waits a few seconds, then begins screaming at the dwarf. "GET UP GET UP YOU NUMBSKULL WOOLY BEARDED SPELL CASTING ALE SPILLING EEDJIT! CLEAN UP THIS MESS POST HASTE ELSE I GET MY TACKY SACKS!"
Rune glances over at his apprentice, and then goes back to sorting books. When Glimmer screams, the golem's lights glow brighter for a split second, as if startled. Realizing no more work is going to get done, least while the fae is present, Rune sets the remaining books down. The construct crosses its stone arms across it's chest and observes the proceedings.
Kaelan looks up from his sorting. "Are you referring to me?" Kaelan lowers his hood to show his pointed elven ears. "I am elven not human."
"I believe the stack Rune was referring to are these 3 books here. Kaelan lifts one of the books bound in strange leather with sigils covering the book.
The ones you looked at was the History stack." Kaelan says to the Mau.
"Rune, if you are referring to these 3 here," Kaelan points at the stack under my note 'Forbidden Lore.' "I am unable to understand the books, even with Read Magic. The words appear to be constantly changing when you try to read them. I was able to decipher the words 'Tomes of Daggoth must be fed blood to master the words of powers.' After that I was not willing to continue. In fact, just deciphering that has given me a headache."
"I also don't recognize the leather the books are bound in. One is a dark almost charred leather, another is deep brown with an odd texture. The final one is a tanned color and mostly smooth. If I had to guess the last one is bound in ... human skin."
Rune uncrosses it's arms and walks over the to table with the books on it. The golem picks up the tan colored book and the charred book, turning them over in his hands as it -translates- the titles. Holding up the tan colored book the golem speaks, "Your are correct elf, this is human flesh. However, this is not magical in the slightest. Its another tome by Mr.Caukfingas, this one is on massage techniques for humans." Rune then holds up the charred book, "This book is also by Mr.Caukfingas, but on massaging dragons." Rune observes the final book, rubbing its stone digits together as a strange, terrible smelling substance comes off of it. "This book appears to be covered in a thin layer of dried goblin leavings." The golem wipes off the spine of the book, and -translates- what he finds, "'Cookin Wit Sheeyutt' by a Mr Spread Buttcheeks. These are all goblin tomes." The golem -conjures- fire to engulf and sterilize it's shit covered hand before grabbing the three Caukfinga tomes, and opening the one the elf had read something about blood being needed to read them. Rune quickly -translates- the offending passage, and then looks at the elf before speaking; "The book actually suggests that two people are needed to use them. Correctly translated, it reads: 'Tomes of Caukfingas must be utilized with a partner to master the Strokes of Power'." The golem snaps the book closed, and notices some flaking skin coming off the book. Rune glances at it's drunken apprentice, and then back to the elf. "These tomes need maintenance, why don't you and my apprentice oil them down together. Be sure to rub it deep into the flesh, this one would hate to see this knowledge be forgotten." The golem looks in the back of one of the books, and in a flash, -conjures- a bottle of foul smelling oil. "This is what is reccomended for matinence." says Rune as it hands the books and flask of oil to the elf.
Malkonius wakes up from his alcohol induced sleep, regaining consciousness as he hears Rune explaining the book maintenance to Kaelan. He takes a quick look at the scene around him. He puts a hand to his head, and addresses Glimmer, "A'ight then, I'll get to it. No need to bring any'un else into this." He removes his hand, and notices the red smudges that wiped off onto it. "Blast, what'd ya do to my face, fae! I know 'twas you, none the rest would do such a thing!" He takes a look at his reflection in his mug, and sees all of the markings. Horrified, he quickly wipes the most of it off of his face with his shirt. He looks around again, and notices that the 'Commoner' he had seen before wasn't there. After taking a moment to process everything, he realizes his mistake. "Oi, Kaelan! I seem to mistook ya fer a Commoner earlier. Sorry 'bout that, couldn't really see straight!" The Dwarf proceeds to clean up any mess he may have made, and then walks over to the Elf to help work on the book. Upon smelling the foul oil, the last of the alcohol in his system makes a resurgence. Malkonius tries his best to hold it all in, but proceeds to vomit on the floor, barely missing Kaelan. *Cough cough* "Bleh! Agh, Kaelan, I'm truly sorry for this one as well. Look, yeh go tend to some other tasks, I'll clean this all up and work on the narsty Gobl'n books!" The Dwarf, now extremely humiliated over his lack of control, sets to work on cleaning up his vomit. "Strange..." he thinks to himself. "I've never had issue with me ale before... what could'a caused this?"
As cats usually do, Mittens had found a higher place to observe the chaos and was perched atop a bookshelf, completely balanced and staring down at the mess of drunken dwarf, revolting goblin oils, and a perfectly good packet of dried fish that was now ruined by vomit.
"Golem Rune, is there some task I might assist with? And perhaps the fey with the drawing sticks has more fish?"
As cats usually do, Mittens had found a higher place to observe the chaos and was perched atop a bookshelf, completely balanced and staring down at the mess of drunken dwarf, revolting goblin oils, and a perfectly good packet of dried fish that was now ruined by vomit.
"Golem Rune, is there some task I might assist with? And perhaps the fey with the drawing sticks has more fish?"
Rune is in the library with a stack of books between it's chin and and hand. The golem is emitting a dull hum as per usual, but it seems to change every few seconds. Almost like a children's ditty. Rune seems to be re-arranging the way the books are kept.