|
|
Post by The Jenn on Mar 5, 2009 9:16:33 GMT -5
Parzifal was relieved he hadn't missed any other many-book epics in his studies. He knew about the one, but hadn't gone over any books but the first three in great detail, simply skimming. The writing style was awful. "When we get back out of the restricted section, I think we should go looking for Book Ten of the chronicle. I think this hints that there's supplemental material buried somewhere in there, and that's something I can at least take my time on."
His eyes widened as the memory suddenly clicked. Everett, the myth and mystery of the man. "I know where there's an intact copy," he said with a slight twitch in his cheek. "For all I know, it might be the original. I'd... I'd never thought about it before. I haven't been to that place since I was just a child. My master took me out to a house in Torquehelm once when I was little. He needed to visit the owner for some of his research. Mustiest place you've ever seen and absolutely crammed with books. I met the weirdest deer while I was there. But I remember my master mentioning that book."
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 6, 2009 2:43:04 GMT -5
Harold nodded in agreement at Parzi's comment. "That sounds like a plan, though I'm sure the book is going to make our eyes bleed, being as dry as it is."
Snide comment aside, the Esterberry's eyes light up when he spoke of an intact copy of some of the most mythical books in proper creation. Harold was suddenly less tired, less unamused, and entirely too happy to be anything close to normal. "Really?" he asked in disbelief as he looked at the man. He couldn't imagine the bird had been joking, all things considered. But really it wasn't every day that you came across a rare book.
"Where exactly is this place in Torquehelm. You wouldn't happen to recall...?" Harold asked as he reached for one of the other books. As much as he wanted the man for a reaction. He flipped open one of the other books taken from the shelf.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on Mar 7, 2009 14:58:10 GMT -5
"We've both probably read worse before," Parzifal countered with a sigh, certainly not relishing the prospect. He preferred books written by people who knew a subject and knew how to write. Rarely did the two meet in his line of research. He'd waded through more than his fair share of intellectual discourse that could have served better than a lullaby at putting anyone to sleep.
Watching the other man's eyes brighten as his just had was remarkably gratifying. Finally, shared delight at a scholarly find! Or, at least... the memory of one. He hadn't known what he'd been close to at that age. He hadn't really focused his research until about five years ago, and by then it had been many years since he last visited the old man in Torquehelm. He wondered if he was still alive.
"I think I could get back there, yes... but the real question is whether or not the owner is still alive. If he is, he'll remember me, or at least my old master. If he isn't, his house may have been looted, for all I know." He frowned in thought as he watched Harold look through the next book.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Mar 13, 2009 13:49:15 GMT -5
The look on Harold's face was something akin to the expression worn by a man who had been kicked in the crotch mixed with nothing but horror. The idea of something so precious being destroyed or stolen just didn't sit well with the Esterberry.
His expression quickly faded when he opened the book to the index. His expression changed to one of confusion as he flipped through the pages. With each page turn it only grew worse. He handed the book to Parzi with a frown. Upon examination all the book's pages were blank. Not a single word was written on them, even if the pages were held up to the light it looked as if they were untouched.
Of course that made no sense. The library would never keep a book without words that was useless to the scholars. So what was the catch. Harold left that for Parzifel as he picked up a smaller book, opening the pages to find actual words and not a single note in the margins. He quickly paged through the book, skimming the words for something particularly stunning.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on Apr 6, 2009 8:10:50 GMT -5
The expression on the Esterberry’s face would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so unpleasant to think about. When he visited, the old man had been reclusive but interesting and knew a lot about a lot. He and Vren had talked for quite some time and his old master couldn’t tolerate stupidity for very long from peers. It seemed that only nieces and grand-nieces and nephews were exempt.
Parzifal took note of Harold’s confusion and leaned closer to glance at the pages, only to find... nothing on them. Their expressions matched for a moment before he accepted the tome from the other human and leaned against the table, trying to puzzle it out. The library wouldn’t stock a blank book, especially in the restricted section. There had to be a catch.
First he ran his fingers across the text, feeling for any sort of indentation or embossing, any unusual aspect to the texture. If that didn’t work, he would concentrate the thought of his Diamond lie-detector on the book. It was a long shot, especially since he’d found that his power only worked on Clubs, but he figured that it was worth a shot. He didn’t want to suggest anything more drastic like bringing flame close to the pages until all of the potentially less harmful methods were exhausted.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on May 15, 2009 14:09:32 GMT -5
The book refused to be anything but blank under Parzifel's touch. It was a very stubborn thing, but when he ran his fingers over the pages there were slight indentations in the margins as if someone had erased several notes.
Harold made a confused sound as he came to the middle of the book he was inspecting. His brow furrowed as he read information aloud. It concerned several spells the Tulgey Queens had cast during the battle, and then it abruptly halted.
"And everything after this point seems to written in code, or at the very least backwards." He flipped through the rest of the book briefly by running his thumb long the pages. Yes. Everything was written backwards. The man opened the book offering it to Parzifel. "If you think it's interesting enough I suppose I could take some notes down of it while you work on the blank book."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on May 24, 2009 19:32:48 GMT -5
As the hidden texture came alive beneath his fingers, Parzifal's tongue fiddled with his piercing and he considered. He didn't have any magic capable of affecting books, however much he would have enjoyed such a spell. His eyes flicked up from the seemingly blank page to glance at his companion. "Unless you have a spell capable of renewing erased writing, I think we may need a bit of charcoal. At the very least, the flat edge of a pencil would do. There was writing in the margins at one point."
He took in the backwards-written text for a moment, eyebrows creasing as he thought. "I suppose the only thing to do is glance through for 'cigam' or 'lleps' or any other backwards-written word referring to magic. That's really all I'm concerned with at the moment. If you come across a section mentioning spells, then it might be worth decoding and taking note of. Otherwise, probably not. Though it does make you wonder what's in the text that someone had to either painstakingly write everything backwards or use a spell to reverse the words."
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Jun 2, 2009 18:42:11 GMT -5
"Sadly I have no such powers, and finding charcoal in such a short amount of time might be difficult. Unless you carry some on you." Harold said as he flipped one of the pages of the book he was holding. "It seems we should save that part of last--because I doubt we'll find charcoal in these archives."
The Esterberry gave the other man a shrug. "I'll look for key words. As for writing something backwards, I imagine they were trying to hide something or distract from something obvious. There was one scholar who wrote his entire diary so it could only be viewed in a mirror, and then it was still written in a backwards code."
And then there was the matter of combing through the book. He glanced at the writing, it was going to take a while.
If Parzi decided to look around for some charcoal, the only thing he would find would be a stick of graphite. The only other writing utensils around was the pen and notepad for taking notes.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Jenn on Jun 28, 2009 13:42:43 GMT -5
"I don't know if we have the luxury of saving it for later..."
Since only one of them could examine the coded writing and the Esterberry had that well in hand, Parzifal glanced around the area for something to rub the tracings. He wouldn't be able to take this book with him when they exited the restricted archives, and besides, he doubted the librarians would look too kindly on anyone 'marring' a book, even if he wasn't damaging the text itself. He wasn't too keen on it himself, but the scholar and researcher in him was practically chomping at the bit to see what the hidden text might say. These were the kinds of books that he needed to be examining for his work.
"I think I found something that might work in a pinch." He picked up the lone stick of graphite, wondering who had left it there, and attempted to carefully brush it down over the notes in a manner that would leave white erased writing in on the gray-covered paper.
|
|
|
|
Post by Kari Muffin on Jul 8, 2009 18:59:30 GMT -5
The notes were clearly written in common, in a neat little cursive handwriting. A bit of the note seemed to be missing. The evenly space writing was a simple note that read, "If you are looking for the truth, seek it from its source. The skin of a dead General, the book of a Queen or...."
Harold looked up from his book keeping his finger on the possible hit that he had found. "How well did it work?" He was curious if they had found anything else that would be useful.
How much time did they have left? Harold paused in his thoughts to try and calculate how much time they had spent. Probably a little under an hour. If the woman got distracted like he had hoped, they would at least be hear another hour and a half. It was almost peak hours for the library.
"All right, I am going to go and check something if you don't mind, I wrote down a few pages in this book that might be interesting." He slipped the note between the pages and shut the book. "I'll be right back."
Harold quite suddenly hurried off, not too far off from this section was one he had been looking for. Right out of the wide range of the light he pulled one of the smaller books from the self. Leaving Parzi alone for a few minutes. Even if he was in sight, that hardly meant that he would hear anything the crow would say.
|
|
