Chapter 02 - The Library

It was a short walk to the Silver Dragon, but the party took the opportunity to make some brief introductions.  

 

The human was Vim Shalen, an early twenty-something bard and actor who had performed widely across Töfraland and apparently used the battered shield strapped across his back as a percussion instrument.  His friend Modi was a high elf wizard who, according to Vim, was both a talented dancer and swordsman.  Modi’s slight frame was almost swallowed whole by his red wizard’s robe, the lute strapped across his back giving him the appearance of some kind of strange turtle.  It was hard to determine the elf’s age given how long they lived.  By outward appearances he looked only slightly older than Vim, though if Paloma had to guess she’d have figured him for at least 50 years old.  The two cut a strange pair as they walked and laughed together.

 

The triton was Jahnas Bloodcruise, a monk and practitioner of unarmed combat.  His jet-black hair and silver eyes were striking contrasts to the light bluish color of his skin, the three gill slits on either side of his neck giving it a tiger-stripped appearance.  Paloma had met quite a few tritons, her family living near the coast, and Jahnas looked to be in his late teens, which would make him an adult among his people.  The gnome was druid Gnomey Rockdodger, whose family apparently earned that last name due to their skill at some kind of contest that involved running down a steep hill while people rolled boulders at you, which sounded awful.  Like Modi, Gnomey looked to be about the same age as Paloma but she suspected he was in fact much, much older, gnomes being notoriously long-lived. 

 

Paloma had a natural affinity towards Gnomey, her people and the gnomes sharing both a mutual respect and a hatred of goblins and hobgoblins that went back at least a thousand years.  The triton seemed decent enough other than being a bit stiff and standoffish, as was their nature.  Paloma always felt comfortable around tritons because they were the one race that did not seem to see her appearance as being in any way unusual.  For whatever reason they simply saw her as a tabaxi, her coloring nothing noteworthy.  Vim struck her as being street smart but dim, just another pretty-boy bard staying one step ahead of the law, jealous husbands, and angry fathers.  Modi, by contrast, was exceedingly intelligent, but seemed to lack even the remotest amount of social sense.  There was also something about the wizard that made Paloma very uncomfortable, a feeling that grew in intensity the closer she stood to the elf.  She couldn’t put her finger on why she felt that way, and she reminded herself that she, of all beings, understood how hard it was to be seen as different in this world.  

 

The entered the Silver Dragon in late morning.  It was one of the few inns within the city walls.  The main floor was a neat and tidy tavern, with the second floor given over to ten small but comfortable rooms.  Behind the bar stood a dwarf cleaning some cups and arranging things for the lunch crowd.  A fire crackled off to one side where another dwarf busied herself with cooking meat and a large pot of bubbling stew.

 

The bartender looked up and welcomed them.  “Aye, you must be the new group sent over by the Council.  Welcome to the Silver Dragon.  Your rooms are ready upstairs.  The five on the left side are yours.”

 

They went upstairs and dropped off their gear.  All of them that is except for Jahnas, who didn’t seem to actually be carrying anything other than his weapons – a shortbow across his back, a short sword at his side, and some darts on his belt.  He simply stood stoically at the end of the bar.

 

When Paloma made her way back downstairs she saw Vim was already having an animated conversation with the bartender, Modi standing quietly behind him and nodding.  “Paloma, come over here and meet Slovi,” Vim said, seeing her at the foot of the stairs.  “He used the be the judge here before Jane Dredd.”  Vim turned back to the dwarf and continued conspiratorially out of the corner of his mouth.  “That Dredd is a bit over the top with the tough routine, don’t you think Slovi?”

 

Slovi’s face hardened and he leaned across the bar.  “Listen to me, boy.  Being the judge in the biggest city in the world is no easy task.  Jane made come across hard, but that’s because she needs to be.  She has a great responsibility.  Trust me, I know.”  Vim knew he had been a bit too glib and the look on his face was that of a man desperately looking for an out.  Slovi saw the change and took a more relaxed pose.  “I can understand why it felt that way to you, though.  But believe me, there’s no one you’d rather have on your side in a fight than Judge Dredd.”

 

Slovi provided them with a light meal before they left to begin their mission.  As everyone checked their weapons and prepared to depart Vim and Modi went back to the bar.  

 

“You ever have any musicians perform in here Slovi?” Vim asked.

 

“Aye, from time to time a traveling bard might play.”

 

“What kind of stuff to the folks of Unity go for?”

 

“Oh,” said the dwarf, pulling on his beard thoughtfully, “mostly ballads and epics I suppose.”

 

“Well it just so happens my friend and I here are performers under the name Mikael’s Pence.  I’m sure you’ve heard of us.”

 

“No, no, I can’t say that I have.  You say performers.  What exactly is it that you do?”

 

“Glad you asked, Slovi,” Vim said, smoothly slipping into salesman mode.  Paloma watched, admittedly a bit impressed by the bard’s brazenness.  Jahnas, on the other hand, looked on with disapproval, arms crossed.  “I do percussion on my shield,” Vim continued, tapping the shield strapped to his back, “and my friend Modi here is wonderful on the lute.” 

 

Modi tapped Vim on the shoulder.  When the bard turned Modi silently mouthed And dancer.

 

“Well yes, of course,” he said turning back to Slovi, smiling.  “He’s also an incredible dancer.  You need to trust me on this, Slovi, the people of Unity have never seen anything like the show we can put on.”

 

“Dancing?  That seems a bit strange.”  Slovi was clearly not sold on the idea, but after a few moments he shrugged his shoulders.  “But why not.  You can go on at the ninth bell of the evening.”

 

Vim turned to Modi and the pair did a poorly executed high-five, the elf clearly not having a feel for exactly where his hand should be.  Paloma just shook her head.  “I’m surrounded by idiots,” she said to no one in particular.

 

The party decided to first visit the professor who discovered the Codex was missing, Vindeep Balstrop, before heading over to the library.  As they walked toward the university Jahnas spoke, never turning his head as he strode forward.  “Does anyone else get the sense that we’re being followed?”

 

“Since the second we walked out of the Council building,” Vim replied, whistling as if he didn’t have a care in the world.  

 

They made their way quickly to the university and the young man working the front desk gave them directions to Vindeep’s office.  After a few turns they came upon an open door.  Vim knocked and stuck his head in, smiling.  “Hello?”  

 

He was startled by a crow that cawed shrilly at him.  “Oh don’t mind her, come in, come in,” came a female voice from the right.  “Oh my, aren’t you a handsome one?”

 

Vindeep’s office was like that of all professors, a kind of organized mess.  Books and scrolls were everywhere – on the bookshelves, on the floor, on chairs.  The professor herself was a gnome, and obviously an old one, though still spry.  A few small plants sat in pots on her writing desk.  Gnomey grinned and went straight to the crow, cawing at it loudly, he and the bird falling into some kind of conversation, both of them bobbing their heads side to side.  

 

Vindeep was working with the Council to try to make sense of the recent events.  In her case not so much the goblin and hobgoblin uprisings, but instead the tales of mythological creatures, and more concerning that some of those creatures might be using mental powers instead of magic on their victims.  

 

Psionics.

 

At just the mention of the world all of them shuddered slightly.  The world of Töfraheimur was infused with magic to the point that all but the most dim-witted could create simple magical effects, like making a tiny flame appear from a fingertip or causing an object to glow with soft light for a few minutes.  Others, of course, like Modi and Paloma, had deeper control of the world’s magic currents and could use them to cast more powerful spells.  So the people were comfortable with the use of magic.  What they were not comfortable with, and in fact feared, were those rare individuals or creatures that didn’t use magic, but instead used their own innate mental powers, or psionics, to create effects.  Even the slightest rumor of someone with psionic abilities could throw a village or town into a fit of paranoia and accusations that often ended with one or more people being burned at the stake as accusations and counter-accusations tore apart communities and even families.  

 

The Codex told a story of a time thousands of years ago when the people of Töfraheimur were enslaved by a race of reptile-like creatures that used psionics to control them.  An uprising led by an elf named Symeon evolved into a war with the enslavers, but the people of Töfraheimur weren’t powerful enough to throw off their yoke.  As they faced off against their enemies for what they expected to be their final battle, the skies opened up and strange flying ships appeared carrying warriors of an unknown race simply referred to in the Codex as “The Other”.  The Other fought alongside the races of Töfraheimur and helped them not only win the battle, but the war.  The leader of The Other fell in their final assault on the reptile city, after which his people left Töfraheimur and were never seen again.  

 

“Most people assume the story in the Codex is a myth,” Vindeep continued, having given them some background.  It was obvious she was a wonderful lecturer given how passionate she was about the subject.  “However, like most myths there is likely an element of truth to it, and I have long believed this is the source of our collective fear and hatred of mental powers.  With that in mind, I wanted to go to the oldest source of the myth, which is contained in the Codex.  But when I looked for it at the library, it was gone.”

 

“Do you have any idea who may have stolen it?” Paloma asked.

 

“No.  Certainly it’s a very old book and has some value as such, but for it to have gone missing at just this time seemed too odd of a coincidence.”

 

Vindeep insisted on making them some tea before they left and the group fell into a pleasant conversation, all except Gnomey who continued to caw with the crow.  Vim made sure Vindeep knew they were playing a show that night, and she promised she would try to attend.  It was obvious to Paloma that the professor was infatuated with the handsome bard, and the respectful way he responded to her attention impressed the tabaxi.

 

As they headed to the door to take their leave Vindeep said, more to herself than them, “Odd to have been asked twice about the Codex in such a short amount of time.  No one ever asks about it.”

 

They all turned as one, Paloma voicing the question in all of their minds.  “Was someone here before us asking about the Codex?”

 

“Yes.  A week or so ago, a human woman came to me with all kinds of questions about the Codex.  Nice enough, but for the life of me I can’t remember what she looked like, just that she wore a well-tailored brown robe.”

 

“You didn’t happen to get a name by chance?”

 

“If I did, I don’t remember.  I’m sorry.  Is it important?” 

 

Vim nudged Gnomey.  “Ask the bird if it remembers.”

 

Gnomey cawed with the crow for a few moments.  “It remembers the woman being here, but it can’t tell us anything more.  Which is strange, because crows have great memories for faces.  It said this woman’s face was like sand.  As soon as you looked away from her the memory of her face slowly disintegrated in your mind.”

 

They bid Vindeep farewell and headed back to the main entrance.  It was time to visit the scene of the crime.

 

Vim led the way to the library, Modi at his side.  Watching the elf walk, Paloma found it difficult to believe he was a good dancer.  Growing up in tabaxi villages she was used to see startling feats of agility and grace, and Modi’s movements gave no inkling that he had these skills.  But she supposed she’d find out tonight at the Silver Dragon.

 

All of them were alert as they walked out into the square and turned left to head toward the library.  All except for Gnomey, whose eyes were wide with wonder at every sight Unity had to offer.  The others, though, still had the feeling they were being watched.  Jahnas was on high alert, his scanning of the area around them painfully obvious.  Vim continued to walk and talk with the casualness of a bon vivant, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, but Paloma saw a look in his eyes that told her he was taking in everything at a glace.  The bard was more street smart than she’d given him credit for.

Unity Library - Special Collections Room At Top of The Stairs

 

The Unity Library was a temple to the written word, a striking structure of the finest materials and workmanship.  It was renowned as the best library in the world, though those who knew of such things said that the archive of the elves in Amon Dur put it to shame.  Regardless, the marble façade festooned with bas-reliefs of the most famous scholars and leaders from Töfraland’s history was a striking monument to learning.  

 

The inside was just as impressive.  The entrance hall was flanked with ten-foot-tall bookshelves that looked to have been carved by the finest elf craftsmen, ladders on brass wheels offering access to the highest reaches.  Tables and comfortable chairs of different sizes were scattered about, many heavily laden with books yet to be re-shelved.  A twenty-foot wide staircase opened to the second level, while a pair of passages on either side of the stairs led to various offices and storage areas.

 

“Can I help you?” a voice asked helpfully.

 

Sitting at a desk to the left of the door was an apprentice librarian, a human who looked to be around twenty years old.  He smiled at the group as he looked up from the book he was reading.

 

Paloma opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything Vim walked toward the desk.  “Yes, my good man.  The name is Vim Shalen.  My associates and I were sent here by the Council to help find the stolen Codex.  We’re here to see Gilden.  Gilden Bookbinder.” Vim looked around with an air of importance.

 

A few patrons turned from their reading to regard the group.  Most had sour looks on their faces, and a gnarled gnome uttered a loud, “Shush!”  Vim didn’t seem to notice at all.

 

“Oh yes, the librarian is expecting you.  I’ll let him know you’re here.”  The young man got up and walked down the hall to the left of the stairs. 

 

Vim turned back to the group, his arms crossed and a pleased smile on his face.  He was surprised by the stern looks he got from Jahnas and Paloma.  “What?”

 

“Why not just tell everyone in the building who we are and what we’re here for,” Paloma answered, her tail making her cape snap for effect.  “Not exactly subtle.”

 

Vim’s brow furrowed, having obviously not considered this.  “Hmm, you make a good point…” 

 

A few moments later the apprentice returned, and with him was the head librarian, Gilden Bookbinder.  The pair whispered in quiet conversation as they approached and looked to have a familiar rapport.  Gilden was also human, probably in his forties or early fifties, and had the look of a scholar.  

 

“I was told to expect a group sent by the Council.”  He gave them an appraising look and didn’t seem entirely confident by what he saw.  “I suppose we should start in the special collections room where the Codex is normally kept.  Come.”  With that Gilden turned and walked towards the stairs.  Paloma moved forward to walk alongside the librarian so she could start asking questions before Vim embarrassed them again.  Little did she know that Vim wasn’t following them, but was in fact still standing by the desk speaking to the apprentice.  

 

“What’s your name, friend?” Vim asked.

 

“Um, Jimmy sir.”

 

“Ah Jimmy.  A fine name.  A strong name.  It’s often short for James you know.”

 

Jimmy looked quizzically at Vim.  “Um, yes sir, I know that.”

 

Vim nodded sagely.  “So Jimmy, listen, we’re playing a show tonight at the Silver Dragon.  Music, dancing, you’ll love it!  Come by around the ninth bell.  Tell your friends too.”  He then leaned in close to Jimmy and whispered.  “There might be a few racy double entendres thrown in too, if you get my meaning.”  Vim smiled, slapped Jimmy on the arm, then strolled casually toward the stairs.  Jimmy just stared as he walked away, unsure of what just happened.

 

Upstairs Gilden showed the party the special collections room, as well as the security system in place.  Artificers infused thin metal strips with magical energy, which were then inserted into the spines of the books.  A spell on the arched entrance would make a loud tolling sound if someone tried to remove a book containing one of these strips from the room.

 

“Of course, I don’t know why anyone would want to steal the Codex,” Gilden said.  “Certainly it’s quite old, and as such has value, but it’s hardly a text of any interest.  At least not to anyone other than old Wally.”

 

Paloma’s ears perked up, one turning one way, one in a totally different direction as felines are wont to do.  “Wally?”

 

“Yes, Wally Seeker.  A nice enough old chap.  He was in here all the time poring over the Codex.  If there’s anyone who could be said to be a true expert on it, that would be Wally.”

 

“When was the last time you saw Wally in the library, Gilden?” Jahnas asked.  

 

“Oh, probably three or four days ago.  It was after the book had been stolen.  Wally just stood here and stared at the Codex’s spot on the shelf for a few minutes, then left.”

 

The spot where the Codex should have sat was marked by a card that held the place.  Paloma looked at the empty space, which was about two inches wide, and cocked her head to the side.  She then slid one of her paw-like hands into the space, moved it around slightly, and withdrew it.  A small folded-over piece of paper was pierced by one of her claws. 

 

Inside the paper was a thin metal strip, bent over upon itself.  

 

“Ah ha,” Vim exclaimed, grabbing the strip from her.  “I’ll bet I know what this does!” He strode purposefully to the arch.

 

“No wait, don’t…” Gilden began.  

 

But it was too late.  The alarm bells began ringing loudly.  Vim turned and smiled at them triumphantly, holding the strip up like a torch, before stepping back into the room and silencing the bells.  Then he raised his eyebrows, held up a finger and began to walk toward the arch again, this time going backwards.

 

“No, please, this isn’t necessary…” Gilden began before being drowned out by the bells.

 

A pair of guards rushed up the stairs.  Vim turned to them, held up the strip, then walked back into the room.

 

“Give me that,” Gilden said angrily, grabbing the strip from Vim.  He then turned toward the guards.  “Just testing the system, gentlemen.  Nothing to see here.”  The pair nodded and went back down the stairs.

Jahnas and Paloma had the unfolded note on a table.  It simply read, It made me do it.  

 

Modi looked over their shoulders.  “You know, I’ll bet whoever stole the book wrote that note,” he said helpfully.

 

Paloma just shook her head.

 

Gilden didn’t know where Wally lived, but suggested the party head over to the bookstore Tomes ‘R’ Us and check with Phil Chapbook, who would likely know.  “He might also know more about who took the book,” Gilden said, a distasteful look on his face.  “Phil isn’t above buying and selling books with, shall we say, questionable provenance.”

 

“Sounds like my kind of place,” Vim said.  

 

As they reached the top of the stairs they realized Modi wasn’t with them.  Turning back they saw him still standing in the special collections room, staring at the space where the Codex should be.  “Any chance a human woman in a brown robe was here recently asking about the Codex?” he said to no one in particular.  He never took his eyes off the shelf.

 

Gilden considered this.  “A woman?  Well, now that you mention it, yes, there was a woman like that who came here and asked to see the Codex.  It was perhaps a week ago.  She looked at it for a few minutes and when I came back to check on her it was back on the shelf and she was gone.”

 

“Could you describe her?” Modi asked.

 

“She was… a bit… no, I can’t seem to recall her face in the slightest.”

 

Jahnas had gone ahead, walking down the stairs, past Jimmy at the front desk, and stood outside.  When Vim began telling Gilden about their show that evening at the Silver Dragon, Paloma also took her leave and went outside to join the monk.

 

The triton stood looking at the street.  As Paloma took a place alongside him, without turning he said, “There is a human inside at the bookshelf behind the reception desk.  He has been following us.”

 

Paloma made no reaction.  “There is a fox-like tabaxi in a blue jerkin on the corner across the street who I believe is following us as well.”

 

Jahnas turned and locked eyes with the tabaxi, who immediately spun on his heel and disappeared around the corner.  “Let us go inside and see if we can get the human.”

 

When they entered the human was gone.  Jahnas walked to the desk.  “Jimmy, is there another exit to the library?”

 

“Of course, sir.  There are many exits to the library.”

 

The others arrived at the desk.  “…and Modi is a great dancer,” Vim concluded his sales pitch.  

 

“It sounds like fun,” Gilden said.  He turned to Jimmy and smiled.  “Perhaps Jimmy and I will attend.”  Jimmy smiled back.

 

When the others stepped outside, Paloma and Jahnas filled them in about their stalkers.  

 

“Well,” said Vim, rubbing his smooth chin as if he had a beard, “sounds like we need to head over to Tomes ‘R’ Us.”