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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AStott" data-source="post: 522953" data-attributes="member: 7825">Session 1: A Strange Sign<Kent> Let's get this show on the road. WHat day of the week is it?<Kent> DO I have any jobs to do today that require extra special care?<Kheldar> Oh, hmm... I need time of month... uh.... mid-summer. Oh... mid-week. Say wednesday.<Kent> Doh.<Kheldar> And... we start things off with you waking up in the morning...<Kent> Fantastic. What's the weather look like outside today?<Kheldar> Hot, hot hot.<Kent> Hm.<Kent> Good for drying pelts.<Kent> He'll start off the day by putting on a modicum of clothing and see if Thom is in the shop yet.<Kheldar> Ok, is the shop attached to where you live/sleep, or what?<Kent> The home is attached but there is no door between the two. you have to exit the home to enter the shop.<Kheldar> Ah, got it.<Kent> They share a load bearing wall.<Kheldar> All right then. You throw on some clothing, and head out the door of your home.<Kent> Do I have any standing orders for customers that need to be addressed?<Kheldar> You stop in the open door by an odd sight on the ground in front of you.<Kheldar> All thoughts of standing orders vanish from your mind.<Kent> oh no.<Kheldar> You see three dead birds lying on the ground.<Kheldar> They are in a perfect line, two of them 2 feet apart, and the third about 3 feet away.<Kheldar> They seem to be a relatively common sea-bird.<Kheldar> You don't see anything obviously wrong with them that might have caused their death.<Kent> Jannot crouches down and examines the birds closer... <Kent> Jannot has a brief flash back to his child-hood and does a fast scan of the rest of the yard.<Kheldar> Nothing seems out of order. Please explain your flash-back...<Kent> _plague-ridden people dying ... no apparent cause... Jannot calls to the shop hoping that Thom is in there. He does this as he approaches the shop.<Kheldar> ah, got it.<Kheldar> So, is Thom usually in the shop when you get up in the morning?<Kent> Depends, did I wake up early or late in the morning?<Kheldar> You woke up at a fairly normal time for you.<Kent> The shop is usually open and running around two hours, somethines 3, after dawn<Kent> So I have an hour and a half until the shop opens... Thom will usually get there about half an hour before opening - to help prepare for the day, so He'd likely not be there yet.<Kheldar> Good enough.<Kent> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> You don't hear any response from the shop.<Kent> Jannot makes his way through the shop.<Kent> Barring anything oput of the ordinary, he'll make his way through to the store front and into the street.<Kheldar> Everything seems in order.<Kheldar> The street is pretty much empty (fairly normal for this time of day).<Kent> Jannot looks around to see if there are any birds flying that are normally active in the morning.<Kheldar> You do see a couple birds across the street fighting over some kind of scrap.<Kent> "Hm. Wierd."<Kent> Jannot makes his way back through the shop, grabbing a stout pair of leather gloves along his way back to the house.<Kheldar> Right. Continue.<Kent> Putting the gloves on, Jannot marks the placement of each bird with an outline in the dirt and then scoops them up to dispose of... in the normal manner that trash is disposed of.<Kent> OK.<Kheldar> Right. You notice again as you scoop them up how odd it seems for them to be in a straight line.<Kent> Yeah, that's why I marked their placement... After putting the birds on the ... trash heap ... in the ... alley(?)<Kheldar> Sure, sounds about right.<Kent> He goes back and looks around the area of the dead birds.<Kent> Were the birds lined up in a line that pointed to the door?<Kheldar> No, pointing just slightly to the right of the door.<Kent> Jannot checks to see if there's anything along the line ... checks out where it points too... still has the gloves on<Kheldar> Nothing there but the wall of your house.<Kent> ... and in the other direction?<Kheldar> Just... across the street/alley. Nothing stands out in that direction either... Oh, wait, So...<Kheldar> Ok, let's see... So, the other end of the "line" of birds just points off across the alley. Doesn't seem to point at anything specific.<Kent> "Wow, how strange." Jannot mutters as he returns tthe leather gloves to the shop.<Kent> Returning into his home, he'll make himself some breakfast.<Kheldar> Right. Anything in particular you're thinking about?<Kent> Well, after opening the shop and Thom arrives, he'll make a point of mentioning it then. Could it have been perhaps a message from someone?<Kheldar> Ok then.<Kent> Are there any neighborhood hoodlums?<Kheldar> Some younger kids, but it seems unlikely they'd be up before dawn. There are some toughs/theives and such, but you can't think of any kind of motive for something like this.<Kent> True, but the birds could have been there in the night... <Kent> Did Jannot notice wether the birds bodies were already rigid/stiff?<Kheldar> Oh... They seemed to be.<Kent> Okay. Breakfast. Eggs nd ham if appropriate.<Kheldar> Right. So you have breakfast, and then head back over to the shop about a half hour before starting/opening time.<Kent> correct. Thom should arrive sometime soon.<Kent> Um. hold on a sec.<Kent> I haev a question. I was thinking about wether Thom would actually be living WITH Jannot in the house.<Kheldar> Ah, good question. He used to live behind the shop, but since he and his wife started having some kids... The place just wasn't big enough. So... he rents it to you.<Kheldar> Sure, he's been married for a while now.<Kent> Oh. I didn't know he was married... By the way, the house is Jannot's, Not Thoms.<Kheldar> Ok, ok. That's right, it was your father's house.<Kent> There you go... I'd imagine that until Jannot was an adult that Thom and Jannot would have lived together in the house, ubt finally wanting his privacy back... Thom gets his own place - perhaps then finding the time to garner female affections.<Kheldar> Yup.<Kent> Right. Heading over to the shop to prepare for the day<Kheldar> So anyway, about a half hour before the shop opens you head over. Thom has not yet arrived.<Kheldar> You go ahead with your usual morning preparations, and at last, Thom shows, hurrying in the door and getting right to work.<Kent> "Good morning Thom. Sleep well?"<Kheldar> He grumbles something back at you. Something that ends with "...damn kids"<Kent> Jannot chuckles, "And you keep trying to get me involved with a woman."<Kheldar> "It's not the woman that's the problem"<Kent> Are there any standing orders that need to be worked today?<Kheldar> Yes, there usually are most days.<Kheldar> Right. No mention of the issue to Thom?<Kent> Good. Barring any interruptions, Jannot begins his Tanning ... or leatherworking... <Kent> "Oh, by the way, Thom. Something strange happened this morning."<Kheldar> "Oh yeah?"<Kent> Jannot turns to the old fellow, "Yeah, on my way out to the shop this morning I found 3 dead birds lined up all neat in a row... right outside the house door."<Kheldar> All of a sudden, you realize something.<Kheldar> You seem to recall reading a book back just a couple weeks ago...<Kent> <Oh NOW I recall...><Kheldar> The book was mentioning some famous people in history, and it had a single verse of a prophecy that was used as an example of something.<Kent> oh great... Tai Chi?<Kheldar> You didn't pay much attention at the time, but you recall it saying something about... Three birds on the ground. Not worded exactly like that, but that was the gist of it.<Kent> Hm. Jannot tries to recall which book that it was and will look it up during lunch break.<Kheldar> It was one you had borrowed from a good customer of yours.<Kent> Does that customer have any work that they are waiting for me to finish?<Kheldar> He comes in about once a week or so. He was in yesterday unfortunately, so he won't be back for nearly a week.<Kent> So, after I describe the occurance to Thom... anything?<Kheldar> Anything what?<Kent> Did Thom react? or have anything to say about it?<Kheldar> Oh, right.<Kheldar> "Huh... Strange coincidence."<Kent> ...brilliant. "And even more strange was that they didn't appear to have been killed in any obvious way."<Kent> "Don't know what to think about it."<Kheldar> Thom's brow wrinkles up as he ponders this...<Kheldar> "Eeyup, that's pretty strange."<Kent> Going back to the daily processes Jannot says, "Hey, keep your eyes open when talking to the customers today."<Kheldar> "Yes, of course. You be careful too. If someone is hanging around that house of yours, they may be up to no good..."<Kent> Jannot nodds. "Yeah, I'll be careful."<Kent> Jannot briefly thinks about crafting himself a set of hard leather armor... but that much leather is hard to set aside for just himself.<Kheldar> True, true...<Kent> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> Well, the morning goes by swiftly with nothing out of the ordinary, and it's soon time to break for lunch.<Kent> Does Jannot still have that book?<Kent> Of course.<Kheldar> Nope, you'd finished it and returned it.<Kent> How far is it to this customers place?<Kheldar> Oh, probably only about a 15 minute walk, maybe 20 minutes.<Kheldar> He lives in a slightly more upscale place than you. You've gathered that he's a reseller of sorts.<Kent> Jannot makes lunch for him and Thom back in the house.<Kent> ok... To Thom: "I'm gonna take a little walk. I should be back in about an hour or less. Can you hold the place down till then?":<Kheldar> "All right. I'll keep things running. No problem."<Kent> "Thanks." After finishing the lunch, He'll head on over.<Kheldar> Good enough. You reach the guy's house easily enough. Like you, he has a combination shop/home with the home on the top floor. He makes various clothing from the hides he buys from you.<Kent> Ah. I enter the shop.<Kheldar> You hunt around and find him quickly enough. His name is ... uh... dang it, had a name. Lyle.<Kent> He he he... Matthias Rondel. Oh. Ok.<Kent> "Excuse me, Lyle. Hello."<Kheldar> "Jannot, good to see you. What brings you up this way?"<Kent> "I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if I could borrow that book again."<Kheldar> He puts down the thick needle he is using on some leather and stands up.<Kheldar> "Certainly. What's up?"<Kent> "Oh, nothing. I was just trying to remember something I recall in the book. Something about a prophecy... and three birds."<Kheldar> "Hmmm, I don't remember that one. Give me a second."<Kheldar> He calls to another man in the shop who is stacking some things, and tells him that he'll be right back.<Kheldar> Then he leaves the room.<Kent> Jannot looks around the shop - determining just how good of work this fellow produces. Good. So is he a competitor? I'm one of his suppliers then. Remember my skill are in leatherworking... Ok, ok.<Kheldar> Actually, it seems like he does a pretty quality job. He works both with furs and bare leather, and the stuff really looks pretty nice.<Kheldar> No, You are the raw producer of the goods he uses to make what he sells.<Kheldar> Yup, your skills are there, but that category covers a rather broad range.<Kent> Jannot waits...<Kheldar> Lyle soon comes back carrying the book. He hands it to you. "You can keep it for a couple days if you like. I don't mind."<Kent> "Thanks a lot Lyle. Sorry to bother you."<Kheldar> "No problem. I'm just about finished with the book you loaned me... Strange book. But interesting."<Kent> Jannot smiles, "Well, that's the way I like them. It's an escape fromthe boring every-day."<Kheldar> "I hear you..."<Kent> With another thanks-you, Jannot makes his way out.<Kheldar> ...and back home.<Kent> yep Along the walk back home, Jannot tries to browse through the book and find that reference.<Kheldar> You do actually manage to find the section again. The direct quote (as translated from the original by the author) goes like this:<Kheldar> Three wings together<Kheldar> from sea to air to earth<Kheldar> death returns to the fish city<Kheldar> searching for the father's sons.<Kent> Okay. That doesn't sound too good...<Kent> Jannot is VERY troubled.<Kent> He finishes his walk back - running.<Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kent> Upon arrival at the shop, He immediately check to see if there are any customers...<Kheldar> Nothing that Thom can't handle, just one person.<Kent> Jannot, somewhat IMPATIENTLY, but quietly waits until Thom finishes with the customer.<Kheldar> Thom was talking to the person, but seeing your apparent agitation, finishes quickly and sends the man on his way.<Kheldar> "What's wrong, Jannot?"<Kent> Can Thom read? I think he can since he does the paperwork...so, <Kheldar> Nope.<Kheldar> Yup, most of that is tally marks in columns...<Kheldar> No real reading.<Kheldar> Literacy is not a common skill.<Kent> grr.... "Thom, there's something VERY wrong."<Kheldar> "What do you mean?"<Kent> Jannot opoints to the passage in the book, but then reads it to Thom...<Kheldar> "It could be a coincidence. How old is that book anyway?"<Kent> good question, what are the origins of the book?<Kheldar> Well, the book itself is probably 40 or 50 years old. The passage being quoted is supposedly from about 80 years before that...<Kent> "I don't know, over a hundred year's I'd say, but Death! returning to the fathers sons!?"<Kheldar> "Well, I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean, but death has been here many times before, and this is not the only "fish-city" around..."<Kent> Jannot stops and thinks about that. He's right. There could be other sities that this refers to. And it was 3 birds, not three wings...<Kheldar> Of course, prophecy always tends to be a little... obscure...<Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kent> Jannot nodds. "Maybe you're right. I'll just try to calm down a little bit."<Kent> "But you understand why this bothered my, don't you?"<Kheldar> "I suppose. I really wouldn't worry to much about it though. What can you do anyway?"<Kent> "I don't know." But Jannot is actually thinking about tying to find the source of this book. perhaps the author or the original that the author quoted.<Kheldar> Right, the book you have right now does make a point that the quoted text is only part of a slightly longer prophecy. The rest was omitted, as it was only being used to make a particular point about trends of the day.<Kent> Jannot decides to think on it more later, and goes into the house, placing the book on the kitchen table - to be returned to at dinner-0time.<Kheldar> Good enough.<Kent> Jannot tries tro focus on the rest of the days' work.<Kent> ...and okay. The day passes?<Kheldar> There's nothing else worth mentioning during the rest of the day...<Kent> and after closing up the shop Jannot invites Thom to have dinner with him - if he can tear himself from his 'loving' family<Kheldar> Thom ponders. "You still worried about those birds?"<Kent> Jannot hangs his head, "Well, yeah, Kind of."<Kheldar> Thom grins. "I know you too well, boy. Sure, I'll stay for the evening."<Kheldar> Thom helps as needed...<Kent> Jannot smiles, "Thanks, Thom." Jannot puts togetther a good dinner - "You can go let your family know what you're up to while I'm making dinner..."<Kheldar> "Naw, they'll just figure I'm working late. No big deal."<Kent> "Yeah, you're a real hard-working old guy..." Jannot chuckles.<Kheldar> Thom lightly punches you in the arm and grins, "Watch your mouth boy!"<Kent> "Yeah, yeah."<Kent> And so dinner ensues.<Kheldar> As you sit down to eat, Thom asks, "So, tell me what's on your mind..."<Kent> Putting down his fork, or chopsticks, or whatever "Well, that passage says that death returns fromt eh sea to the air to the ground... Well, there was that story way back that that - gulp - plague, originated from some sick guy that came in on a ship.<Kheldar> (fork)<Kent> "Well, the birds were sea-birds."<Kheldar> "It seems to me, Jannot, that your thinking would point more strongly to this... "prophecy" talking about that plague."<Kheldar> "You know me. I'm a practical man. It's best to just take what life gives you and deal with it. You can't worry yourself too much about what lies ahead."<Kent> Jannot nodds. "Well, in that case, would you happen to know any... less-practical people that might know about this sort of thing?"<Kheldar> He sighs.<Kheldar> "Well..." He stops, eats for a bit, then looks up at you.<Kheldar> "I'll tell you what, if it would make you feel better, you can take the day off tomorrow and run up to the library and do some poking around. I can handle things by myself for a day."<Kent> "Well, I wouldn't want to slough off the work to you... but I do think that I wouldn't be able to get this off my mind."<Kheldar> "That's kind of what I figured. We'll bost be better served by you taking care of this."<Kent> "I'll take you up on that offer. Thanks, again Thom. It's nice to have you here for dinner again. It's... been a while."<Kheldar> "It certainly has at that. Seems so easy for me to get caught up with things at home or work." He shrugs.<Kent> "Well, the room you used to use is still open." Jannot smiles. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> He clears his throat. "Seems to me you should be looking for someone to help start filling those rooms..."<Kent> "Oh gees...Well, maybe the mystery woman will be in the library tomorrow." Jannnot says eating a bit more.<Kheldar> He grins.<Kent> After cleaning up after dinner, before going to bed, Jannot will check out the 'grounds'.<Kheldar> You take a look around, both inside and out, but nothing seems out of the ordinary.<Kent> Are there the sounds of night birds? They're so calming.<Kheldar> Yes, there are some. You can see a few birds drifting in the cool air, a red sky behind them.<Kent> "Red sky at night... sailors delight... where did I read that..." as he makes heis way to bed.<Kent> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> So, morning dawns, and your up , ready for the day... ?<Kent> Jannot wakes having been reassured by Thom the night before feeling a little foolish about making a special trip to the library just because he's afraid of a more-than-likely unrelated prophecy froma mad-man.<Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kent> Jannot goes about making breakfast for the both of them... and if Thom isn't up yet - proceeds to pound a little on his room door.<Kheldar> Wait, wait wait. Get ahold of yourself man. Thom went home after dinner. Sorry to disappoint...<Kent> WHAT?<Kheldar> Can't expect him to completely abandon his family. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> Sorry about the misunderstanding.<Kent> Oh. I suppose I misunderstood... Ahem. Okay. after making breakfast and eating it, Jannot will go to set up the shop for business for the day.<Kheldar> Right then. Today Thom comes in at about his usual time. He seems gald to see you. "Sleep well?"<Kent> Jannot smiles, "Yeah, I slept pretty good. You?"<Kheldar> "Oh... Not bad I suppose."<Kheldar> "You still planning on heading to the library?"<Kent> "Yeah, I'd better. Just to get it out of my mind for once and for all."<Kheldar> He nods. "Don't forget to take some money with you. I think they charge you...<Kent> Oh. I see. Hm. "Okay, thanks for the reminder THOM."<Kent> And after helping Thom finish opening up the shop and preparing for the day, Jannot will make his way back into the house to grab some coin.<Kheldar> "1 silver piece just to get in and look. Lots more if you want to borrow something."<Kheldar> You've got... oh about 20 silver in disposable cash right now.<Kent> Recall his 'comfortable wealth'<Kent> Especially since he has a nice business going.<Kheldar> Oh yeah, hang on... make that about 40 silver in disposable cash.<Kheldar> Or about 4 gold.<Kheldar> ...400 bronze... 4000 copper...<Kent> Okay. He'll grab about 5 silver of random coins.<Kheldar> For comparison, lunch might cost you about 1 bronze...<Kent> conversion?oh, oh, ok.<Kheldar> 10s all the way across, gold -> silver -> bronze -> copper -> tin.<Kent> okay... um, he takes with him...3 silver, 18 bronze, 12 coppper and 3 tin.<Kheldar> Oh, actually, lunch might cost about 1 copper.. my bad.<Kent> oooh. That makes the library rather expensive!<Kheldar> Yup, very true.<Kent> Knock two of those silver.<Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kent> And off Jannot goes.<Kent> While he walks, he again ponders getting a donkeyt... he ofcourse brings the borrowed book with him.<Kheldar> Of course.<Kheldar> You've seen donkeys sell for close to 3 gold or so...<Kent> Does Jannot notice anything out of the ordinary during his somewhat uncomfortable walk through throngs of people?<Kent> Exactly.<Kheldar> Hmm... nothing seems odd. You don't like the crowds, but it's something you can endure.<Kheldar> The library is up in the nicer district of the city. You feel a little out of place, but then again you aren't exactly from a slum yourself.<Kheldar> Yes, but tanners aren't exactly the top of the business heap.<Kent> Why? He's a successful busienss man.Yeah, true.<Kheldar> After all, tanning shops don't exactly smell good, which means they don't tend to be in the nice sections of town.<Kent> okay - approaching the linbrary. I'm going to assume he's been her e anumber of times before...<Kheldar> Sure. Sounds reasonable.<Kent> ...? and he enters the library...<Kheldar> You entry the library, paying the fee at the entrance.<Kheldar> As always, you stop and take a look around, amazed (as you are each time) at the stacks and stacks of books.<Kent> Is there going to be any trouble with the dfact that he has a book with him? and he'll want to leave with that book?<Kheldar> Ah, good question. When you enter, the book's description is noted. You will of course be searched when you leave the library to make sure you are not taking out anything you haven't payed to borrow.<Kent> good enough.<Kent> Is there a refernce person?<Kheldar> Most certainly. There are a couple men at desk whose job is to help people who need assistance finding things.<Kent> Jannot makes his way to the nearest one - if he's unoccupied.<Kheldar> He is a skinny man, with graying hair that kind of sticks out at random. He's currently looking over a list of some kind, but he looks up as you approach.<Kheldar> "You need some help?" He asks in a friendly tone.<Kent> "Yes,' Jannot says as he approaches. He places the book on the counter. "I'm trying to determine the origin of a prophecy that's quoted in here..." and Jannot points it out to him.<Kheldar> The man looks the passage over, then flips back a page or two in the book and studies some of the context...<Kheldar> "hmmm... It appears that the author is referencing a work by an elven mystic."<Kent> "Oh."<Kheldar> "One by the name of ... Llauron Mistover."<Kent> <nice><Kheldar> "He died... I believe it was around 60 years ago."<Kent> "Would you have the original work that this author was quoting?"<Kent> Jannot smiles. "Certainly."<Kheldar> "I can certainly look. Would you follow me?" He gets up from his desk and heads for a section of the library.<Kheldar> The man looks through a number of books, and at last pulls out a thin book and gently places it on a nearby desk.<Kent> By the way, since Jannot is particulkarly interested in elven and dwarven histories, has he heard of this particular 'mystic' before?<Kheldar> Strangely enough, the little colored cubes say "MOST DEFINITELY"... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> (4)<Kent> HA HA Ha ha ha... excellent.<Kheldar> The name sounds familiar. You've heard him mentioned before. He was a grey elf who spent little time with elves, but instead lived in human cities, or spent time on his own.<Kent> cool.<Kent> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":P" title="Stick out tongue    :P"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":P" /><Kheldar> The librarian gently truns some of the pages in the book, looking through it. Then he puts it back on the shelf and this time takes down a scroll. He opens this on the table and scans through it.<Kent> Oh. A scoll. <grrr...><Kheldar> "Ah, here we go. Llauron was a grey elf. He spent a lot of time with humans as I recall."<Kent> "Yes, I am familiar with him."<Kheldar> "Ah, good. Unfortunately, we don't have a translation of this work, but I can show it to you."<Kheldar> He points out a particular section...<img src="http://www.xmission.com/~abatish/pbem/jannot/prophecy.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /><Kent> ... "Hmm. are there any other passages or works by the same fellow?"<Kheldar> "This whole scroll has many things which he said. This particular passage here was a single prophecy he made. The rest were made at other times."<Kent> "Do you have a piece of parchment and a quill so I can copy this?"<Kheldar> "I do, though I will have to charge you for that..." He seems apologetic.<Kent> "Why? will you make the copy for me?"<Kheldar> "No, but we don't run a charity here. We can also copy it for you, although we charge for those services as well."<Kent> Jannot sighs, "Fine. What does it cost?"<Kheldar> "Seven bronze per sheet of parchment, nine for the higher quality paper."<Kent> "7 BRONZE!"<Kheldar> [GM This is not an unreasonable price.]<Kent> Oh. well, it sounded expensive, compared to food...Yeah, right. Okay.<Kheldar> [GM Yes it is expensive, but then it's not like you have tons of other things you spend your money on. A good book could easily cost 10 or more gold."<Kent> OUCH....<Kent> Jannot reluctantly pulls out the 7 bronze.<Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kheldar> [Good thing you brought some extra cash...]<Kent> Yeah, I was afraid I might want to actually borrow a book... NOT LIKELY!<Kheldar> Right, the man leaves you to your copying. The parchment of course has the library's mark in the upper corner so that you can take it with you when you leave.<Kent> So, Jannot goes and makes a careful copy of the transcript.Oh. Okay...<Kent> odd, but whatever.<Kent> After copying the passage I return the scroll to the fellow.<Kheldar> Right. "Is there anything else you need help with?"<Kent> "Well, I was wondering if there was anyone that might be familiar with these types of prophecies..."<Kheldar> "A sage you mean?"<Kent> "Sure, I guess. Or perhaps do you know of any Elves that would be willing to translate this?"<Kheldar> "I can certainly find you someone who would be willing to translate for you. He doesn't work free of course..."<Kent> "Well, is he an elf?"<Kheldar> "Actually no, but he does specialize in languages of many kinds. The library employs his services on occasion."<Kent> "Oaky. So, how do I find this gentleman?"<Kheldar> The librarian explains to you how to find the man. It's not too far from the library.<Kent> Jannot thanks the fellow and goes on his way. How long did the library trip take?<Kheldar> Oh, I'd say it's late morning by now. The walk to the library took the most time.<Kent> Good. Not lunch time yet.<Kent> Well, Jannot screws up his self control and prepares to meet yet another stranger...<Kheldar> Ok. You follow the directions, and soon find a... Well, kind of just a small awning covering an area with a couple tables and books. The man apparently sets up out on the street during the day.<Kent> THat's different.<Kheldar> It's summer after all, nice to get at least a little breeze rather than being cooped up inside.<Kent> True.<Kent> Jannot approaches the fellow.<Kent> ok. That reminds me, my wife needs to call a friend about working on a group project...<Kheldar> So what, you want to break here, or keep playing, or what?<Kent> Well, Lets break hee and maybe I can get back online in a short while.<Kent> Yeah. This is fun!<Kheldar> Ok, that's fine. We've made some decent progress... Hope you're finding things... interesting. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kent> Oh yeah.<Kent> Of course it COULD be a wild... seagull- chase.<Kheldar> By the way, how does Jannot feel about prophecy in general. Is it usually a wild scam, or is it really true.<Kent> I really hadn't thought about it. He's not particularly religious...but the plague was always mysterious... and he's read plenty about other prophecies before... Yeah, I'd say he has considerable doubt about them in general, but this one seemed so pointed that he just COULDN'T ignore it.<Kheldar> So, he's open minded then...<Kheldar> So, another question, what would his current interpretation be of what he's seen so far?<Kent> Hm. Well, He's thinking that likely this has nothing to do with him directly... and likely nothing to do directly with the city even... but there's a little smudge of fear still there.<Kheldar> Interesting, and what about the specifics, any thoughts on the sea/air/earth thing or on what father's sons means?<Kent> Well, that';s the POINTED part of the prophecy that wouldseem to fit. That's the part that causes him fear.<Kheldar> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /><Kent> I mean the birds... he supposes... could be - carriers...<Kheldar> Of course, as Thom might say, "All males are their father's son..."<Kent> yeah, there's that.Next time... The Prophecy Revealed</blockquote>

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