In reply to GM (msg # 71):

Tegan listened to the other man's comments, then responded with a "Thank you" when the other had finished.

He rolled up the scroll that he had acquired at Milo's shop, and was silent for a moment. Then he spoke again, addressing the man of Drow ancestry. "You mentioned the possibility of doing some . . . 'historical research', I believe you called it."

"I mean no offense, but what makes you qualified to conduct such an exercise? For example," he added, flashing a quick smile, "were I, myself, to attempt such an undertaking, I would not even know where to begin -- and I daresay that the result would be less than informative."

In reply to Tegan (msg # 72):

As you are speaking he appears to be only just barely paying attention. He has taken out a sheet of fine parchment and is jotting something down upon it. “Oh don’t misunderstand me. Even if I were paid enough to pursue this, which I’m not, just to reiterate, I’d not be going about it myself. But I would certainly sponsor an aspiring young mind to pursue it to their fullest ability... and to perhaps, fill me in on what they uncover when they do.”

With that, he sweeps the quill across the bottom of the parchment in a series of quick slashes and pours a bit of sealing wax beside it; pressing it down with a small wooden stamp on the desk before him. He then holds the parchment out for you to take. “You’re lucky, you know? Five more minutes and I’d have been out the door. Got some folks I’m visiting off in Scarborough-at-the-Crossroads. Won’t be back for a week, at least. So glad you volunteered to make the delivery for me...”

The parchment appears to be a writ of passage of some sort, allowing one access to the so-called “Office District.” It is signed by one Ixvil Hangvor, Seventh Chair of the Tideswallow Public Betterment Committee. Along with it, he passes you a nondescript looking tome from the desk beside him. “If anyone winds up getting skeptical of your business, just tell them you’re delivering a misplaces book to Lady Shadesworn in the City Archives. Should be enough to get you in the door, at the very least. Information like what you’re interested in isn’t the sort of thing that gets kept in the ordinary library, after all...”

With that, he dismisses you with a flick of the quill and begins packing things up. It looks as though you genuinely did catch him at the very, VERY end of his shift.

---

So much so, in fact, that if you’d stopped to visit literally anything else, you’d have missed this particular opportunity :)

In reply to GM (msg # 73):

As he watched the other man prepare the parchment, Tegan found frankly surprised at the other's willingness to go out of his way to aid a stranger.

After the part-Drow had completed his missive, Tegan turned it around on the desk so that he could read it. He pursed his lips thoughtfully, then glanced over at the other, who had now seemingly turned his attention to preparing for his journey.

After rolling up the parchment, Tegan placed it and the book that he had been tasked with "delivering" in his haversack, where they could be easily retrieved. Then he secured the older parchment that he had bought at Milo's junk shop, in its scroll-case, and placed it in his backpack, the straps of which he eased onto his shoulders.

Now ready for his own journey -- albeit a somewhat shorter one than the one that the part-Drow was embarking upon, Tegan sketched a bow, and said "Many thanks for your assistance . . . Master Ixvill, is it?"

"I wish you a safe and enjoyable journey, and hope that I shall be able to return your kindness at some point in the future."

---

OOC: Re: the fortuitous timing of Tegan's visit -- as the old saying goes, "Timing is everything." Well, that and "Location, location, location!" :)

Bartimaeus and Yshtar enter the town square loaded as for travelling, early in the morning as it was. Reaching Milo's Junk Shop, Bartimaeus tried the handle and, finding it locked, rapped upon the door with his crosier.

"Perhaps the little fellow found himself buried in an avalanche of curios." he said aside to Yshtar.

"Maybe he was afraid to get the trinket back from you, knowing what is showed."

Yshtar -not affected by any curse- was patient enough for Milo to open shop. The new chain dangling on her hips and near her ankle were unsettling but the power they provided was real enough.

Bartimaeus smiled at Yshtar's not-quite-(yet)-paranoid insistence the world was hiding things from her. "It shows the stars, only closer."

But of course the world was hiding things from her.

"There's also this. Our associate was reluctant to give it up, but give it up he did, and did so with advice not to pursue its contents." He handed her a sheet of paper - not the scroll taken from the cultists - but a scrap of paper with Bartimaeus' transcription into Common.


"This is my translation, anyhow, for what it's worth. Of course I cannot testify to its complete accuracy, not without further study or more writing in the same language. Idiom is always difficult. But actionable, perhaps, should we choose to take action... if only for our defensive preparedness."

He tapped his foot as the door remained closed.

"They speak of seasons, so no doubt they're interested in a particular course through the heavens for a star. Rather than the moon, that is. She does something else in this story, I rather. That at least informs us of what sort of timeline they're on."

---

OOC:

22:14, Today: Bartimaeus rolled 25 using 1d20+1d4+5.  Arcana "zenith".

Is there a star or heavenly body approaching a zenith around the summer solstice? (Which we've just passed, right? Or are we further into autumn?)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:23, Tue 17 Nov 2020.

In reply to Tegan (msg # 74):

For Tegan: As he finishes packing up his final accessories from around the desk, a drow woman enters to quietly take his place at the desk. He gives her a nod before returning his attention to you on the way out the door.

“Master Hangvor, technically, but Ixvil will work just fine. I’m one of the volunteers of the Public Betterment Committee... we’re not particularly well funded or important, but the position does come with a few perks. Not the least of which being the occassional correspondence with Lady Shadesworn when the situation calls for it. Do give her my regards.”

With that, he steps out the door past you; no further instructions or explanation given.

---

For Bartimaeus/Yshtar: Not far away from the library, you two arrive at Milo’s junk shop and, after a few moments of pounding upon the door, hear the old gnome’s voice coming from within. “Yes, yes, I hear you! Just a moment. Gotta finish cleaning up this... uh... what is this... why are you here? You should be on that shelf there. Which would put you four over in that pile; unless... blast, what day is it? You only go on this table every other week.... hrrmmmm....”

There is the sound of shuffling papers, clinking ceramics, and clanging metals. A few loud BANGs and CLACKs. Then the door softly slides open. “We’re open, we’re open. Don’t go pounding a hole in my door with that thing! Now then... what do you want?”

He doesn’t appear to recognize you.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 05:57, Tue 17 Nov 2020.

"Good day, Milo." Bartimaeus held out the case for the kosmoculum. "You may recall yesterday having permitted a trial examination of this item overnight subject to magical compulsion upon failure to return or remit payment as security. I was satisfied by its performance and am in a better position to judge its value to me."

He tucked the case under his arm and made to move inside the shop. "I should like to be free of the conditional curse. Shall we conclude our transaction?"

In reply to Bartimaeus (msg # 79):

“Huh? Whats’at? No, I don’t remember yesterday! Who’s Milo?! Wait. Yes, alright, you’re the one with the fireball contingency star-gazing contraption. Alright then! Gold first, then I’ll remove the spell. Stand a bit away from the door while I count it, if you would. I’m very flammable. As is everything inside.”

Bartimaeus glanced smiling at Yshtar as the nature of the curse was revealed. "As am I. Isn't it an elegant solution, don't you think, to align our incentives: both your possessions and mine are subjected to any -- no doubt unlikely -- mishap." He looked around for a table to place things on, but finding none free of clutter said, "I will lay the coin and the item here at my feet; I may leave with either. Now... what price did you recall?"

In reply to GM (msg # 73):

Tegan nodded by way of reply when Ixvil had requested that the Half-Elf give his regards to Lady Shadesworn. For his part, Tegan did not plan to go out of his way to speak with her . . . as a matter of fact he did not know how to go about finding any useful information the the Archives, but he figured that he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

Tegan nodded a greeting to the female Drow, and followed Ixvil out the door. Once outside, he puffed out his cheeks as he exhaled, and glanced around. It occurred to him that he did not know his way to the City Archives.

~I suppose that I could double back and ask Milo,~ he thought to himself.

~It might mean waking him up,~ he thought to himself with a chuckle, ~but hopefully it won't cause him to think ill of me.~

In reply to Tegan (msg # 82):

As you near Milo’s shop, you can make out a slight commotion taking place just within the door. The old gnome is on his feet once more, hurriedly gesturing for a pair of figures to move back from the interior. A small sextant-like device rests on the ground between them, as well as a bag of coin. You can make out the sounds of their conversation as you near without needing to draw too much attention to yourself.

“Let me see here. That was... urhhmmm... 290 gold? I think? 300 minus the 10 for taking that cursed star map off my hands. Yes that sounds right. 290 it is. Will you be taking it or should I add it back to the pile?“
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 18:50, Tue 17 Nov 2020.

Bartimaeus was about to pull the proper change out of the small sack on the floor when the gnome mentioned the cursed star map.

He paused.

He looked up.

He looked at Yshtar.

He looked at Milo.

Bartimaeus laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

"Of course! Of course. Milo it's been a pleasure. The pleasure of having escaped alive from an encounter with a tiger, but a pleasure nonetheless."

He picked up the kosmoculum case, leaving 290gp.

"Shall we go, Yshtar? I believe this gentleman has business with our Milo here."

Yshtar watched the whole exchange with slight boredom until the exact moment Milo mentioned the star map. She raised her eyebrow and opened her third eye yet again to see whether Milo or any others inside are of interest. Afterwards she slowly turned away to leave.

"Hm? Yes let's go. Glad you were happy with your purchase."

She left with Bartimaeus just a corner then stopped in her tracks looking back at the shop.

"If he has stuff like this I wonder what else he is hiding in his shop. I think I've found the least interesting thing in there."

She reached back touching the protruding edge of the Saga of Saltspire Seven. I'll read more tonight.

In reply to Yshtar (msg # 85):

With that, you two depart from Milo’s, relatively no worse for the wear. On the way out, you encounter (or pass) the half-elf man who has heard the tail-end of this exchange.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:26, Wed 18 Nov 2020.

Chuckling still at the gnome, Bartimaeus smiles and nods at the armored man. "Good morrow. Mind the mess." The flash of his sunburst symbol catches his eye, but he says nothing.

"With that out of the way, Yshtar, I believe the city library was around the corner to the left. With luck, a chit to Shadesworn's Archives."

---

OOC:

Tegan, does a...

20:40, Today: Bartimaeus rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Know: Religion.

tell me anything about your holy symbol?

Thoughtfully nodding Yshtar looked yet again at the store seeing the armored tall blonde half-elf approaching the shop. She nodded toward the man.

"Milo is very suspicious - similarly to many inhabitants of this city as it seems. Shouldn't we wait and see what he requests from the old gnome before departing?" She waited a few heartbeats then continued. "If we talk to so many we might talk to him as well to see what he knows. It looks like this so called "junk store" sees a lot more visitors than it should."

Tegan had been leaning against the door-frame, his arms crossed across his chest, as he waited for the two people who were ahead of him to finish their conversations with Milo. He did not wish to intrude, but neither did he want to be so far out of the way as to give the impression that he was skulking in the shadows like a sneak-thief.

~A cursed star map?~ Tegan wondered as he could not help but hear part of the conversation. ~That's not the sort of thing that you bump into every day. I wonder how the curse works -- does it trick you into moving in the wrong direction, if you are trying to make your way with the stars as your guide?~

Glancing down at the contraption on the floor of Milo's shop, Tegan quickly decided that he had no idea what it was, or how it worked. ~Stars above, it seems that Milo has all sorts of marvelous oddities squirreled away in here. Too bad that he has probably forgotten about a goodly number of them -- or even if he remembers that he has them on hand, it seems a good bet that he has forgotten where he has put them. I should probably count myself lucky that he remembered the parchment that I purchased, and whereabouts in the store it was buried away.~

As the twosome had been speaking to Milo completed their business and turned to leave, Tegan gave them an appraising glance. The male Human wore a tabard that marked him as a priest or cleric of some sort, and the female wore heavy armor and moved with the casual competence of a trained warrior. ~An interesting pair,~ Tegan thought to himself.

The Half-Elf moved out of the doorway to give the two room to exit the junk shop. The fact that the female was discussing speaking to him with her companion put a smile on Tegan's face. ~And mayhap the him shall decide to speak with you two first,~

He sketched a polite bow and said quietly, "Your pardon, but I will admit to hearing mention of the City Library and the Archives. I am interested in those very things myself. Can I trouble you for directions? Preferably simple ones, if you please, for I am a newcomer to this city."
To Tegan's way of thinking, it seemed the natural thing to do for the three of them to walk over to the Library together. But he did not know these two, and did not wish to intrude -- and, after all, he was a complete stranger to them.

---

OOC:

12:27, Today: Tegan rolled 13 using 1d20 with rolls of 13.  Religion Check: To Recognize Bartimaeus' Tabard.

Tegan's holy symbol is made of steel, and is polished to a gleaming shine. Depending upon the angle from which it is viewed, it most closely resembles a sun-burst, or mahap a radiant ball or sphere. Bartimaeus would probably glean that it is not an exact match for the traditional holy symbols of any of the Gods whom he can think of. :)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Wed 18 Nov 2020.

"As are we. It's in the Office District, though that is the limit of my information. Head west, stop when you hit a 20' wall; that sort of thing. But I understand that the District is rather... less welcome of casual visitors than the rest of the city. We were on our way to the city library to inquire after a gate pass." Bartimaeus scrutinized the holy symbol a bit more.

"Pardon my curiosity, but I do not recognize the symbol you bear. It is not Pelovian, nor Appilonus; the rays are too many for Heironeon and too few for Helian; but nevertheless the aspect of divinity of the sun. Or..." He looked sideways at Yshtar with sudden suspicion, "Light."

Pausing, he asked warily, "...and at the Archives you seek ... Knowledge?"

---

OOC:
You recognize me as a member of a scholastic monastic order. Kinda like how someone could recognize that a man with a cassock and tonsure was a member of a Catholic mendicant order, but wouldn't be able to say if they're Dominican, Franciscan, or Benedictine.

In reply to Bartimaeus (msg # 90):

Seeing as how Milo's two customers seemingly knew the way to the main Library and Archives, at least more so than Tegan did -- the Half-Elf would have not even known that his objective was located in the city's Office District, except for the  fact that his Writ of Passage had made that  clear -- he quickly decided that he would not need to bother the Gnome to ask directions.

And so it was that Tegan gave a cheery wave to Milo -- wondering as he did so whether the Gnome would remember the Half-Elf coming into his shop only a short while earlier. As he turned to leave Tegan called out, "Given what I have been seeing of your wares, Master Milo, I would suggest a change of name for your shop -- 'Treasures and Oddities', mayhap? 'Junk Shop' gives your potential customers the wrong impression, I fear."

Turning his attention to the male who had been staring at his holy symbol, Tegan smiled as the fellow named off all the deities whose symbol it was not. "Well, I am not in the habit of telling that tale to complete strangers," he said. His chuckle turning into an outright laugh, he added "I have found that bending the ear of disinterested parties with windy patter is somewhat similar to the old jest about trying to teach a pig to fly -- it accomplishes little, and it annoys the pig."

"Ah, the Archives," Tegan murmured, echoing the other man. "As for that, I do seek knowledge . . . something that might aid me in unraveling the mysteries of an old parchment that I picked up a short while ago in Milo's shop,  truth be told."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:23, Wed 18 Nov 2020.

"Ah, but you see I am not a disinterested party. I am a brother-scholar of the Oghmanic order. I am on sabbatical conducting field research. Reifaxonomy is not my primary discipline, but it's always nice to learn more. I am Brother Bartimaeus; my associate is Yshtar. Shall we walk? The library is not far, though we've no assurance of attaining a chit to enter the Office District. Still, that's the route we must take."

Bartimaeus paid great attention after the mention of a mysterious parchment. "Oh? Yshtar was just saying how curious many of Milo's wares are. May I be of service? Is it the language or the handwriting that perplexes you? On those I may help. If the trouble is obscure cultural idioms I would need other references, I'm afraid, but then, of course, that's just what the Archives are."

Only the slightest hint of a half-raised right eyebrow betrayed Yshtar's sudden contempt at the half-elf's reply to the question of Bartimaeus. Ugh, he is another of those people - all show and no tell. Let's hope he at least doesn't speak in riddles as Barty. A slight smile showed on her lips as the men continued to talk, a smile of how "Barty" would react to his new nickname she just came up with. The woman in plate mail nodded to both the introduction and the suggestion to start walking.

"Indeed." She offered focusing on the road and the people of the city instead on either man. "Bartimaeus is a veritable fountain of knowledge, if you care content with the answers you get. His answers are most ... intriguing."

Why does he show his stupid emblem if he is not about to talk about it? This town is a magnet for weird people.

11:33, Today: Yshtar rolled 22 using 1d20+5.  deception.

Tegan nodded to the newly-introduced twosome. "Mistress Yshtar, Brother Bartimaeus -- well met, I'm sure. I am Tegan -- Tegan Adalondar, recently arrived from Saltspire."

"A Scholar-Brother who follows Oghma, eh?" Tegan echoed Bartimaeus' introduction of himself. He found himself wondering what sort of an "associate" this Yshtar might be -- she did not much look to be the scholarly type, any more than Tegan himself did.

"Well, then," the Half-Elf continued, shrugging the straps of his backpack off of his shoulders and setting the pack down on the ground. "If the parchment interests you, let's let you have a look. It is supposedly writ in Undercommon, although I do not know the language and could not say yea or nay as to that."

Tegan opened the flap of the pack, reached in, and pulled out a scroll-case. Handing it to Bartimaeus, he said "The parchment is in here, along with what purports to be a translation. Old Milo -- of all people -- allowed as how he understands Undercommon, and I had him read it to me whilst I scribbled down the words."

"What led me to this particular item is the catchphrase 'Blood and Honor', which Milo remembered as having been mentioned in the parchment. I'm sure that you will see it once you start reading -- assuming that you are conversant in Undercommon, that is. If not, you are welcome to read my transcription . . . is that the right word?"

"I'll be curious to hear what you think of it."

As they walked to the library, the priest prayed. "Lord of Knowledge, lend thy aid and insight."

Bartimaeus examined the parchment, though he did not read Undercommon without magical assistance. He wondered how old it was, and whether the words were written in the same ink at the same time by the same hand.

Having seen the original, he also looked at the translation.

• “Ressin. They’re here on official business. Just a lie. Not an exploratory team at all. They come from the main branch. From the Chorus. The grail’s in their possession, but only a small one. Gift for the town. To keep things strong.”
• “Elleck. Even if that’s true, we must be keeping eyes upon them. I fear the Chorus has made a mistake this day. These people are not to be trusted. Keep tabs. Send word. Eyes up. Eyes bright.”
• “Eyes up. All Night. Will send back what I find. Need to create a cipher still. Until then, no more talk of choruses and grails. I’ll see you when this is over, my love. Blood and Honor."
• “Watcher willing, Elleck. Light and Knowledge, my dear.”

~~ LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE. ~~

~~ The Cult of the Violet Watcher. ~~

~~ ... but which one? ... ~~

He looked up at Tegan. "I should very much like to spend more time with this. Ah, the library is just ahead and a carrel should serve well enough. Ah... May I ask why the phrase 'Blood and Honor' stuck out to you?"

---

OOC:
We're going to the library to get a pass into the Office District.
Because you need a pass to do that.
Which Yshtar and I don't have.
Hem hem.

In reply to Bartimaeus (msg # 95):

Looking at the parchment, you don’t truly notice anything substantial in the words as Undercommon is not a language you’ve put much time into studying. However, the handwriting gives the clear indication that the words are a conversation written back and forth between two very separate people. A correspondence of sorts, all upon the same single sheet of parchment. A damaged arcane spell circle rests in the middle of the parchment, with the words written in bending rings around it. Time appears to have taken its toll upon the parchment and the ink used in the circle, but not that of the words themselves; which remain pristine and fully legible to anyone who speaks the tongue.