Shekkara's Secret

Flamefeather rubs her nose pensively and looks at Dancer. "Honoured Librarian, we are to receive the Starhorn from Whimsy Strangemask, to help us in our travels.  It seems the Masks want to, hmm, clear their good name in this affair.  We know of the Horn's story, but I would like to hear more about it."

"I'm afraid that such things are not my area of expertise," says Dancer.  "I believe that the Starhorn is some sort of rare magical artifact produced by some lost civilization.  As I recall, it gives the power of prophesy to the user, but only functions a certain number of times.  You might try searching through the Library, for I am sure that there are those who know more than I on the subject."

Shekkara is still looking expectantly at Exiled.  "Well, are you going to say something now or what?"

Exiled takes Dancer aside and says, "Shekkara and I need to speak with you privately.  It regards one of our party members...."

Mercy glances at Exiled when he speaks, then looks briefly at Water Spider and Gilghul in turn, then wanders over to the window.  Gilghul watches Shekkara and Exiled disappear with Dancer with curiousity, and then turns to Waterspider.  "You don't suppose they're still beating a dead horse do you?"  He shakes his head with a sigh and glances toward the window.  "Mercy? Do you have any idea what this is all about?"

Mercy turns and sits on the windowsill.  "Well, Exiled said it pertains to one of the party members.  The way I see it that boills down to one of three things."  She holds up appropriate numbers of fingers to emphasize her points. "First, they may want to talk about the party member who is keeping secrets.  Two they may want to talk about the macho idiot who won't negotiate with grovellers.  Three, they may want to talk about the argumentative witch  who wouldn't let things drop, even when the party was about to get lynched."

Mercy pauses for a moment, then holds up another finger.  "Or they may want to talk about a combination of all of the above."  Mercy leans back, and tilts the brim of her felt hat over her eyes enough to look comically sinister.  She points at Waterspider.  "Since Waterspider here is the first, you," she points at Gilghul, "are the second, and I," she points a thumb at her chest, "am the third, I would suggest that Flamefeather, the only one left in the room who is not under suspicion, stand guard to make sure none of us escape." She goes back to toying with the wind chimes.

After a moment more, Mercy realizes that she has forgotten Akkaman, who is busily inscribing insanely complex designs on a sheet of parchment over at the table. "My apologies Akkaman.  I did not mean to leave you out.  You were just so intent on your work that I overlooked you.  Perhaps if Flamefeather feels she needs help to guard us all, you would consent to assist?  I for one promise to give you no trouble."
 

The Lost Traveler

"Hey, there all!" a tall dark rather strange looking younger man says, as he walks up to the group.  "My name is Daniel Moon and I would like to discuss the way this realm is adjoining yours.  If you don't mind discussing this with me I would greatly appreciate it."

Daniel Moon stands about 5'8" with short blonde hair and deep blue piercing eyes that seem to look right into one's soul. He is of average build and is quick to smile at any thing that strikes him even remotely funny.

His garments include a small jacket that seems too small for him probably because of the pockets which seem to always be bulging at  the seams with various and sundry pieces of plant material.  His pants on the other hand always seem to be loose but not quite loose enough to fall off his hips.  He's got them tied with a peice of rope that looks like hemp.  He also carries a backpack with all his worldly possessions on it, which, at any rate, include a smallish pot a bed roll.  His staff is carved with all the runes for each of the four colleges of magic.

Flamefeather, who had been listening to the word play between Gilguhl and Mercy, nearly jumps out of her skin when the newcomer announces his presence.  She turns around, half-expecting a Librarian, half-expecting another knife-throwing villain.  The young man, who is still in the doorway, appears to be neither.

"I'm sorry?" she says.  "I think you may be in the wrong room.  The research rooms are one floor dowm; the stairs are down the corridor and to your right."

Mercy continues to toy with the wind chimes. "I would be happy to discuss it with you, tall, dark, rather strange looking younger man, but I don't have much expertise in the matter.  This realm adjoins mine through the gate that connects it to my home realm of Remnant.  Said gate is around a week's walk North of here.  It is a simple stone arch around which the folks of Roundwander have built a small trading village.  It is said that the Walker created all the gates when stepping from one Sphere to the next.  I'm told that there are seventy-one gates connecting Everway to various other Spheres, though I haven't visited all of them myself.  However, if you really want information on the subject, you are in the wrong part of the Library.  You need to follow Flamefeather's instructions and go downstairs to the reference desk and ask for information.  Currently you are in our quarters.  And what is all this talk about horses, anyway?  Currently we don't have any."

Gilghul turns with a start at the sudden new appearance, wondering if the new arrival might be an associate of Waterspider's.  "Mr. Moon, you should be more careful about how you introduce yourself around here."  He moves toward the stranger, a good foot and a half taller than him. He looks down and extends his open hand.  "Welcome to the Library of all Worlds. I am Gilghul. My realm is a long way from here, and I hope you won't think me inhospitable if I advise you to stay away from it. For your own good, there are much more pleasant realms for touring.  Come, I will escort you to the reference desk. Unless anyone else here is in the mood for conversation?"

Flamefeather moves towards the doorway, interposing herself between it and the rest of her companions.  "We still have unfinished business here," she says in a mild voice.  "I'm sure Mister Moon can find his way to the staircase.  Why don't we wait for the Librarian, Exiled and Shekkara to be done before anyone leaves?" Flamefeather gives her full attention to Gilghul and Waterspider, intent on preventing either from escaping.

Gilghul crosses his arms to cradle his chest, and knits his brow.  ,"Because it's rude to have a guest wandering this part of the Library without an escort, and without a clue where he is going."  He sighs and drops his arms to his sides.  "But you're right.  All this secrecy is need for concern. May Dancer's wisdom keep it from breeding any more distrust around here.  Mr. Moon, you'll have to find your way on your own. Perhaps we can trade stories when we are done here?"

Mercy sighs.  "Look, I know that we're all on edge, and I'm guiltier than most, but lets try to keep this from turning into another fiasco like we had at Scroll's shop, alright?  Gilghul, I think you are right in your decision to remain here.  All joking aside, it seems that something is up and perhaps we should wait to find out what it is.  Shekkara is a magician - perhaps her arcane powers have revealed something that she did not want to speak of until now."

"Flamefeather, the tall, dark, somewhat strange looking younger man won't be able to get out of the room with you standing in the doorway.  I am quite frankly undecided about whether he is someone who has had the incredible luck to get in here past the Librarians Militant, or whether he is another of those sent by whomever dispatched the knife-throwing assasin who tried to kill Water Spider and I.  For now, however, he hasn't really done us any harm so far as I can tell, and he hasn't really heard anything except us bickering, so perhaps it would be best if we just let him go."

Flamfeather gently but firmly takes the newcomer's elbow and walks him to the door.  "Please do not think us inhospitable, Mr. Moon, but this is a very bad moment for you to show up.  Come back later if you want; you can ask one of the Library guards downstairs to announce and escort you.  Good day."  She gently pushes him through the doorway and stays there, leaning on the doorjamb.

Mercy nods towards the strange man as Flamefeather attempts to escort him out.  "Good luck," she says, "I hope that you find what you are looking for."  Turning to Gilghul and Water Spider she murmurs "If I had any valuables, I'd ask you to remind me not to leave them here.  How DID that guy get in here, anyway?"

"A mystery indeed," comments Gilghul.  "He bore all the signs of a mage, but if his youth is any indication of his abilities he shouldn't have been able to get past the guards. His interest in other realms would seem to suggest he's another Spherewalker, and we all know firsthand that none of them are ever what they seem.  You don't think he was applying for membership by trying to impress somebody, do you?"

"If so, he picked a bad way to go about it," answers Mercy.  "You weren't with us at the time, but the last person to drop in on us unanounced was Stickytoes, who climbed in through the window during our initiation ceremony and grabbed one of the scrolls away from someone else in order to take the oath."

With a large sigh, Waterspider walk over and  lean against a wall somewhere, not participating in the idle speculation going on in the room.

"Un huh," says Daniel Moon.  He bows deeply to Gilghul and adds, "Thank you, sir, I would enjoy talking with you; perhaps another time though.  Maybe one of those guards can help me out after all...  Oh, well..." He shrugs.  "I hope that you all have a nice day."  He proceeds to make his way towards the staircase, mumbling to himself.   "Now, how do I go about waking them without them harming me?"

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