[The Library] You must read a lot (solo)

[Eryss Waldu]

21st of Winter,511AV [The Sunberth Library was easy to find if you knew what you were looking for. Apparently most people didn’t though whether this was because they hadn’t a clue how to read or because there was no profit in the library was inconsequential. The Library sat alone in Stumble Alley just across from the Majestic and it was often left unbothered by anyone in the know. This might also have something to do with patrons that were rumoured to spend their time around the library which may have meant it was no surprise that people dared not desecrate the place.] [Navigating the twisting maze that was Stumble Alley wasn’t particularly difficult seeing as how Eryss had been down it several times before. The Mage walked as though he had a purpose and in a way he did. Eryss was searching for the library, which he may have glanced before without realizing its true significance, so that he could leave a message for someone in particular. The entire time he descended deeper into the alley the Mage felt the eyes on him, vigilantes likely though none stood out to impede his progress, though he made no attempt to hide from them. Instead Eryss, walking openly, would turn his head on occasion as though he were looking for his observers. Occasionally he’d see a shadow darting back into cover but that was all, these were people far more adept at sneaking around than he ever was.] [Pausing briefly when Eryss felt a new set of eyes on him he would turn to look back over his shoulder, the hood that he wore concealing his features as usual, but by that time no one was there. Yet it felt too as though someone had passed behind him quickly, almost as though they were the wind, and the Mage allowed a brief smile to flicker across his features. Maybe it was all imagined, it could very well have been, but Eryss had decided to take it as a sign that he was headed in the right direction. On the ground he saw a myriad of footsteps not his own, Stumble Alley was a well traversed area, all of them booted feet stomped into the snow and he knew that where he was going had been well travelled.] [Every footstep Eryss took brought him closer and closer to the library and soon he was standing at its entrance, right across from the Majestic, and looking up at what appeared to be a dilapidated building from the outside. Noting the disrepair Eryss would chuckle briefly, an intriguing cover to be sure, and then head towards the entrance before pressing it wide with one hand so that he could step inside. Taking one last look behind himself Eryss noted that it was the afternoon, at least a bell remained before nightfall, more than enough time for him to do his business before leaving seeing as how he knew better than to linger to long deep in Stumble Alley alone. People had a habit of disappearing here.] [Once inside Eryss saw nothing. Only darkness and moving to a table that was unoccupied which must have once belonged to a librarian, or so he reasoned, he would remove a single gold miza from his person and place it on the wood of the desk. “Not everything is free.”...he said loud enough so that he could clearly hear his own voice before trudging beyond the desk where he felt that even inside he was still being watched. Of course anyone who saw the Mage wouldn’t learn much from his appearance. Eryss Waldu wasn’t a major player in Sunberth and he didn’t work for any of the syndicates, most people didn’t even know his name especially his last name seeing as how he never gave it to anyone he met here. Surely if there were actually eyes on him though and this wasn’t a facet of his own paranoia whoever was watching Eryss would note him after this visit.] [Inside the library it would become apparent that Eryss knew his way around the building. Moving deeper he’d walk around shelves of books and into halls between the shelves, occasionally stopping to look at the literature before moving on, and he’d circle tables laden with piles of books as well. Nothing inside the darkness of the building stood out for the Mage though it seemed as though he was looking for something, or a sign of someone, and he continued his search quite adamantly. Hesitating only once when a dull, barely noticeable, throb assailed him. Eryss hadn’t gotten over his headache yet but it was almost gone and now only served as a reminder for him to practice moderation when it came to the larger effects he attempted to bring into existence. One lesson he would not soon forget.]

[Eryss Waldu]

[Perusing a stack of dusty tomes piled atop one table as he paused in his search Eryss would reach out and take the book at the top in both of his hands before opening it and scanning the writing inside. It was a common book that detailed nothing in particular, a sort of fiction really, though nonetheless entertaining and valuable to those who knew how to read which is Sunberth seemed to be a precious few. Allowing himself a moment to search the first few pages of the book the Mage would eventually look up, setting the book down, and beyond where other small tables sat in the library, each equally piled with dusty tomes for the most part, before shaking his head. All that was going to happen here was that he’d hurt his eyes trying to read in the dark.] [Noticing several candles strewn around the area though, many of them with thick mounds of wax having gathered at their base, Eryss would raise his right hand and begin to channel his magical energies through his body until they manifest at his palm. The Djed came to life inside of him and soon manifest itself as a thin gaseous res hovering just inches above his hand. It was the physical embodiment of his djed. Manipulating the res until it had transformed into a mild spherical shape no bigger than an orange Eryss would then look at several of the candles scattered throughout this section of the library and mutter...”Lets shed some light on this place shall we.”...before slowly taking control of his djed and causing the res to separate.] [Dividing the sphere of res into smaller spheres Eryss would create almost a dozen in total which he controlled mentally with some force of will. The small nature and low expenditure of the task aiding his endeavours. Each of the smaller spheres of res would hover in the air before slowly moving towards different candles all across the room. When they had reached the candle they were destined for the spheres of gaseous res would ignite, burning themselves out in the process, and light the candles which began to shed light on the library in turn. Illuminating the surrounding area enabled Eryss to see better and being that he could search the area more easily he would turn his head and glance over his surroundings one more time.] [Observing the library when lit revealed much of the same except that the Mage now noticed not all of the tomes were dusty and that many of them seemed to have been handled recently, of course countless others were still collecting dust, which caused him to remark quietly...”You must do a lot of reading.”...before he moved around the table laden with books he had been standing near and moved on to another. When he moved to this table it felt like eyes had been watching him again, maybe a product of his paranoia or something more like the last time, though Eryss said nothing as he set his hand on the cover of a book he noticed. “Not that I blame you. I would do a lot of reading if I were forced to stay here too.”...whoever he was talking to went unseen but the Mage was sure that his voice hadn’t fallen on deaf ears which is why a faint smile graced his features beneath the hood.] [Anyone watching Eryss would know he was magically inclined due to the spell he had cast dividing his res and lighting the candles and he made no attempt to hide it. In fact it was all part of his plan after a fashion.] [Wiping the dust off another tome that he looked at Eryss would lift it like the last one that had caught his eye and opened it, listening to the spine of the novel crack as he did, and examining the pages he would begin to read what was inside of this text. Candlelight made it much easier on his eyes. Quietly looking inside the book Eryss would browse its content finding that it had something to do with gardening, a miscellaneous or educational interest, before closing and setting it back down on the table he’d lift it off of. “Libraries are a place where we can collect our thoughts don’t you think. They should be protected against people that would harm them. Wouldn’t you agree?”...no answer came of course but that hadn’t stopped the Mage from saying what he needed to and expecting that like his last comment this one was also heard.]

[Eryss Waldu]

[Nothing would have happened after the Mage made his comment about protecting the library but he continued on like he had been heard. Moving away from the table he had just stood near then and off into the library he’d move down an aisle of shelves where he could browse the various titles that were arrayed row by row. There wasn’t actually a lot of selection in the Sunberth Library but Eryss had enough of a mind about himself to think that it would still take him several days to catalogue everything that was here even though none of it was particularly useful or rare.] [Letting his fingers trace across the different tomes Eryss would eventually settle on a particularly large book that seemed to be a loose historical reference on Sunberth itself and removing it from the shelf the Mage would wander back out of the aisle to find a table. With the tome clutched to his chest Eryss would set it on a desk with a thud. Using his hand to wipe it off afterwards before opening the book and leaning over it to read what was inside. Interesting he thought, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, be standing straighter while glaring down at the book again.] [Laying his hand over the tome Eryss would begin by saying...”That’s why I came here actually so that I offer you help. We could be the greatest of allies.”...the sentiment left hanging in the air briefly before he continued on...”If you would agree to let me use this library whenever I desired I would defend it for you. You see I have a special talent for creating shields. Barriers that men cannot pass.”...the Mage wasn’t sure if what he was saying would make any sense but he’d let the thought linger awhile before adding anything further. When Eryss had paused long enough he would have went on to say...”Let me show you what I mean.”...before going silent once more and concentrating on the book that he had lain his hand across.] [Out from his palm began to flow a thin layer of the djed his body had channelled. Nothing like the res he made with his talent at reimancy this djed was translucent and intangible. Yet as the djed flowed from Eryss hand he would weave it masterfully over the tome as though he were stitching together thread for a blanket. Interlocking strands of his djed and spreading them slowly over the tome Eryss would continue to work until a thin layer had completely cover the book and his Shield was almost complete. Now all he needed to do was task it which he did against biologics as a demonstration of his skill. No hand less powerful than the shield had woven would be able to touch this book until the shield deteriorated. Admittedly a mild display but one which would serve a purpose to anyone who saw this book for as long as a week after the shield had been created; the Mage could have woven the shield to last longer but a minor shelf life was all that had been necessary.] [Glancing up from the tome once he’d finished the Mage would have said...”You see I could do this for much of the Library. We could ensure it was protected against any harm that might befall it.”...his words carried with them then the tempting proposition that he was willing to work with the Proprietor of this place or whoever else he had imagined may have been listening. Certainly if this was all in his mind then Eryss Shield may come as a startling surprise for whomever went to reach for this particular book. After the Shield had been completed and tasked the translucent layer would have vanished from sight where it would remain invisible to the naked eye until it was disturbed by any flesh that came into contact with it. Now that he had said his piece and left a demonstration Eryss had no reason to remain in the vicinity; he’d return another day though.] [Backing away from the table Eryss would turn around and move back through the library towards the entrance. Navigating the library was not so difficult and retracing his steps Eryss would be an the entrance again, passing what he believed was the librarians desk, slipping back outside in Stumble Alley once more. However long he had been in the library was a mystery to Eryss but it had gotten darker outside since then and with a look from one side of the alley to the other the Mage would move back down the way he had come. Venturing back through the maze like alley so that he could return to the encampment he maintained with Cade and the others; Eryss would make a decent sized fire to keep himself warm tonight.]

[Ink]

And in the Aftermath . . . The Rewards are Revealed. Eryss : Observation 3 Reimancy 1 Shielding 1 Persuasion 1 Negotiation 1 Lore: Sunberth Library (Basic) The Library’s Eyes are Watching Ledger: -1 GM Written in the ink : If there are any concerns or problems with my grading please feel free to toss me a PM. I am more than happy to explain my reasons or reevaluate them if you feel I've been unfair.