Personal Quest (SE) One Book, Two Book, Red Book, Blue Book
Deimos Ignatius
the Resurrected Sword
Warden of Halo / Guildmaster

Age: 33 | Height: 6'4" | Race: Hybrid | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 14 - Strg: 72 - Dext: 72 - Endr: 73 - Luck: 80 - Int: 3
BELIAL - Mythical - Peryton (Blend) ZURIEL - Mythical - Unicorn (Healing)
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Posts: 6,559 | Total: 10,652
MP: 9824
#15
DEIMOS
Only a slight sigh slipped through the cracks of his reticence as the bats hastened at their request, the combined efforts of everyone ushering the winged creatures out into the wilderness; it could’ve been relief, it could’ve been exasperation. Nothing was ever quite as simple as they craved it to be – not even picking out tomes for entertainment.

Considering a majority of the time Deimos sought to either climb the walls, restlessly pace the floor, or brood in the corners during LongNight’s week of damnation, the novels might become a blessing in disguise.

He maneuvered back to his designated section, lowering his form, crouching before the makeshift shelves. There was a lot to be desired in these elements and fixations, as the more he inspected, the more disappointing the venture, hands picking through a few books before discovering spines falling apart, pages missing, covers crumbling, or obvious signs of paper wasps’ feasts. Another sigh managed to flicker along his chest and lungs, and he rose once more, eyes roaming further and further along the shelf, until he came to one in the back.

It seemed untouched; left to its own devices while its brethren were consumed and devoured. His stare narrowed suspiciously (maybe he’d learned his lesson from their adventure in Safrin’s library), and then he created a small stick in his hand, and blatantly poked the book, testing the waters.
He was something solid
to lean against
violent and fierce and unmoving
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
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#16

Wessex watches the bats flee the Atheneum, undoubtedly pushed out by the efforts of the others; she makes sure not to close the doors until it seems like they’re all gone. Shutting the doors in their wake, she simply nods at Jigano’s thanks, a tiny smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. Anyway, back to the stacks they go.

Ironically, it seems she’s chosen the wrong group of books - the Nonfiction section would have been very interesting to her deciphering upgrade, and she would have wondered how so many books written by Outlanders had arrived here, when the majority of them were so recent. But that also would have been terribly distracting, so in the interest of actually getting the task done, it’s best she’s chosen Romance - for what trouble are spiders, when a bite doesn’t affect her anymore?

With wide sweeps of her hand, the demi-god first clears the cobwebs amongst the books, undiscerning in her movement and heedless of spiders, she tries to clean out anything surrounding the things themselves. A title that tickles the back of her memories catches her eye and as she pulls it out and opens to an early chapter to see if she can remember the character, when she finds more stickiness and dead bugs, strands trailing down from where she pulled it from the shelf - and is that an egg sack? Making a face, Wessex takes a knife from her hip sheath and begins to try and clear the nest(s?) away, paying little attention to whatever she might have disturbed.

WESSEX
She whispered back, I am the storm
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
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#17
Nate ’s perseverance was paying off, though it was slow going. There were useful books buried amid the many, many books written in foreign tongues, but they were few and far between. His method of sorting out stacks of good and bad was creating a mess that would be more work for the Loreseekers to clean up later, but it was undeniably effective. It would take him longer than the others, but eventually he would be able to unearth a dozen books in legible language. But what topics had he found, and which of the dozen would he decide to offer up for LongNight reading?

Deimos had learned his lessons in caution well. Trust nothing, and always be alert for ambushes, and survive to see another day. This time, however, his caution was unwarranted, or so it seemed. The book didn’t react at all to the poke with the stick. It didn’t flinch, but neither did it budge – not even a little bit. And it should have given that there was nothing supporting it on either side. It was almost as if it was anchored to the shelf, or perhaps to the wall behind it?

It hadn’t gone unnoticed (by who though?) that individuals had chosen tasks they were particularly well-suited for at the start, and so Wessex wouldn’t have to worry about the venom of the spiders as they swarmed her hand and arm. Alas for the poor arachnids they can’t do the Ascended much in the way of damage or deter her away from their recent home, but they could make a slight nuisance of themselves, and their webs and nests would wrap around her knife in short order, gumming up the cutting edge until she’s doing little more than smearing the sticky substances around on the books.

Soft swearing arose from the fiction section as Jigano used his beastmaster ability a second time to start collecting mice (a trend, it was beginning to feel like) and marched them into a wooden box he created with his earth magic. Once all the mice he could reach with his mind were trapped inside he closed the trap firmly and set it aside to return to his search for books, having better luck now that he no longer had distractions.



Nate was successful and now just needs to choose the topics and titles to share with people over LongNight!

Deimos was also successful?? He wasn’t attacked by a sentient book! But the mystery remains unsolved…

Wessex’s luck wasn’t with her this time, but at least she’s immune to the spider bites. Don’t give up!

Jigano succeeded at corralling the mice and can finally begin collecting books!

Almost there, team! No posting order.
Deimos Ignatius
the Resurrected Sword
Warden of Halo / Guildmaster

Age: 33 | Height: 6'4" | Race: Hybrid | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 14 - Strg: 72 - Dext: 72 - Endr: 73 - Luck: 80 - Int: 3
BELIAL - Mythical - Peryton (Blend) ZURIEL - Mythical - Unicorn (Healing)
Played by: Heather Offline
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Posts: 6,559 | Total: 10,652
MP: 9824
#18
DEIMOS
Well, at least the tome wasn’t alive. He hadn’t been sent off to another dimension. He hadn’t been attacked.

Too many circumstances and events had surrounded, pervaded, persisted in his caution, and while the stick had done its job, the mystery still remained. The fact that it didn’t move at all provided him with little detail except perhaps it was stuck, anchored, and moored somewhere. He was tempted to simply use brute strength, but because nothing was ever that easy, he considered alternatives as to the reasoning behind these bizarre notions. Why curled within, curiosity getting the better of him, and he turned over his palm, permitting the smallest amount of fire to conform and curl from his calloused hands. The intentions were to merely contort some light to see by, to inspect, tilting his head and reaching forward, striving to catch a hint of what kept it mired along the shelving or the walls.

--

Deimos creates a tiny ember in his hand to use for lighting to see why this book is stuck.
He was something solid
to lean against
violent and fierce and unmoving
Nate Wrenzaok
the Lone (Free) Ranger
"Doctor" / Guildmaster

Age: 37 | Height: 6'1" | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 10 - Strg: 55 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 46 - Int: 1
PEMOTA - Mythical - Starwhale (narwhal) RAMOTH - Mythical - Dragon (Biopulse)
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#19
you see, i take the parts that i remember and stitch them back together
It feels like he's getting somewhere, however much of a mess it makes for anyone else. And it's not like they were really ordered in the first place, not like he's the one who has to put everything back where it belongs, so it's not something he even worries about. Instead, he focuses on the pile of appropriate books he's found, wondering which one to present to the provost, and which to set aside again.

Nate tries to keep in mind the criteria, as he goes over the books, again and again. Something appropriate for different reading levels, in a variety of topics, preferably interesting. An illustrated guide to various flora of the grounds is pulled out, along with several histories, both of the area, it's families, and places outside of it. A few that seem like they've been professionally bound, a few hand scrawled journals. Enough to keep things interesting.

And when his pile is whittled down to what he's been asked for, to something useful, Nate decides to go the extra mile, putting his organizational piles back onto the shelves. It's not neat, not in any particular order, but there's no longer books resting in teetering stacks, and that feels like... something.




Nate picks out his selection of books, and cleans up his stacks
to make a creature that will do what i say
or love me back
NATE
Wessex Theskyra
the Wraith
General of the Hollowed Grounds

Age: 47 | Height: 5'8'' | Race: Demi-god | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 61 - Dext: 60 - Endr: 61 - Luck: 58 - Int: 2
LOKI - Mythical - Dragon (Energy Blast)
Played by: Astor Offline
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#20

The infestation of webs here is so thick that her knife is quickly dulled and gummy, but she continues to try and make everything stick to it (or the aforementioned mess) before wiping it off. On what? On the edge of her boots, of course. Once there, she grinds the ball into the floor, sure that dirt and other things would come to make it less sticky in a day or two.

Once that's done, she turns to the problem of the remaining pests. Quickly and violently shaking her hands to hopefully send the rest of the bugs flying elsewhere, once the Wraith is free of any missed creepy-crawlies, she resumes looking at the titles. Picking both familiar titles and those books in the best condition, the Wraith soon has a small armful of books ready to present to Jigano, which are hopefully both web and spider-free.

WESSEX
She whispered back, I am the storm
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#21
Nate finally freed himself from the prison of books, his success made manifest in a respectable stack of reading material to interest young and old alike. Cleanup went faster than selection had gone, if only because he was unconcerned about what order the books went back on the shelves. Since most of the books were written in foreign tongues anyways, though, no one would ever know!

Wessex finally had some good luck roll her way and after the initial burst of spidery annoyances and sticky webs. She was able to clear her chosen books with her gummy knife and add the mess to her boot, to be walked off in the snow later. Some of her titles were decidedly explicit, when it came down to it, but others were more sweet than steamy and would provide a good mix for those looking for romance between the pages rather than the sheets on LongNight.

Jigano's mouse problem had been the last of his worries as well, and he had selected a half dozen books and was hunting for more when the Ascended pair came to present their picks. His eyes lit up at the miniature library they were assembling; a wide variety and good selection for those trapped indoors for a week, and plenty to go around. "Thank you both," he said gravely, even giving a nod of gratitude to Wessex. "I appreciate your time today for this. I had hoped--" he cut off, looking around with a slight furrow of his brow. "Has anyone seen Deimos recently?"

Deimos controlled his fire well enough to not set the nearby decomposing books alight, at least, but there was no obvious reason why the book - if book it really was - sat there upright and unconcerned with sticks that tried to push it forward or side to side when so many of its brethren had fallen to time or paper wasp depredations.



Congratulations Nate and Wessex! You've completed your tasks in the PQ. You can go help Deimos if you want, or head out with full credit.

Deimos has not yet found a single mystery book to share for LongNight.

No Post Order
Deimos Ignatius
the Resurrected Sword
Warden of Halo / Guildmaster

Age: 33 | Height: 6'4" | Race: Hybrid | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 14 - Strg: 72 - Dext: 72 - Endr: 73 - Luck: 80 - Int: 3
BELIAL - Mythical - Peryton (Blend) ZURIEL - Mythical - Unicorn (Healing)
Played by: Heather Offline
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Posts: 6,559 | Total: 10,652
MP: 9824
#22
DEIMOS
Deimos, unfortunately for probably everyone involved, had no idea that he was the last one remaining. Perhaps too suspicious, too meticulous, too scrupulous in his decisions, the methodical approach not winning in these circumstances, the fire and its prevailing light told him nothing. Dousing the flames, because it was likely no one wanted him to accidentally set the place ablaze (no need for history to repeat itself), the beast sighed, irritating by enigmas. He narrowed his eyes and thought about sneering at the thing, but then eventually realized he’d simply have to give in – too used to fault lines, to perils, to things poised for danger (even in the notion of words written upon paper) – reaching forward to grasp, hold, and tug on the tome.
He was something solid
to lean against
violent and fierce and unmoving
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#23
Forward produced nothing. The book didn't budge side to side. But when Deimos 's hand pulled on it? That was when the mechanism beneath the 'book' was activated, resisting at first, but with a firm hand and strong muscles working at it, an ancient wire attached to the base of the book-shaped lever was tugged back, tripping old gears that released with a puff of dust. The wall behind the shelf clicked and swung back a few inches on rusted hinges.

A little more effort to push the hidden door further open would reveal a hidden chamber where some long ago afficcionado of mystery books (and tropes) had too much time on their hands to indulge their hobby. A desk and chair remained within, dark with age and grey with dust, but otherwise in good shape. The walls were lined with shelves filled with books that had been protected from the paper wasp infestation, and though the air was musty and stale the tomes within were in good condition. Deimos would be able to peruse the collection and find a good selection of tales within, from stories of teen sleuths to macabre murder whodunnits and quite a bit in between.
Deimos Ignatius
the Resurrected Sword
Warden of Halo / Guildmaster

Age: 33 | Height: 6'4" | Race: Hybrid | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 14 - Strg: 72 - Dext: 72 - Endr: 73 - Luck: 80 - Int: 3
BELIAL - Mythical - Peryton (Blend) ZURIEL - Mythical - Unicorn (Healing)
Played by: Heather Offline
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Posts: 6,559 | Total: 10,652
MP: 9824
#24
DEIMOS
Apparently there was more to the notions assembled, residing in the book he’d grasped – no sooner had he maneuvered, was there a resounding click, and the wall swung. He nearly sneered at himself for not realizing it sooner, too caught up in the potential calamities, and pushed the door forward, eyes riveting to the sections, the sanctions, of desks, chairs, and then shelves of tomes. Were it any other moment he might have peeked and examined further, traced his way through clouds of dust, fumes, and primordial enigmas, pondered over how, why, or who’d created it, marveled at the feats.

As it was, he was likely already late.

So instead of distorting and contorting around the enigmatic quandaries, the beast stalked straight for the shelves, dusting off spines, grabbing hold of several volumes and ranges, peering through a few to ensure they were suitable.

Then, with a predilection to return, he wandered, arms full of books, back to where everyone else had already gathered.
He was something solid
to lean against
violent and fierce and unmoving
Jigano Silversmith
the Sage
Provost of the Loreseekers Soul Shepherd
Portal Guardian
Age: 36 | Height: 6'2" | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 12 - Strg: 30 - Dext: 45 - Endr: 38 - Luck: 42 - Int:
ISUMA - Mythical - Griffin (Venomous)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 3,914 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#25
Deimos successfully found his books! Some of them were brittle with age, but most were in good shape and he would be able to obtain the number he desired, across a selection of complexities and lengths. Soon enough he was on his way back to where Jigano and the others had gathered, appearing as the bard asked the very question and answering it with his presence.

Relieved to have all the books gathered and all his assistants accounted for, Jigano added the General's offerings to the stacks already collected. "Again, thank you. I'll take these over to the College once we're ready to begin preparations there. I'll settle accounts at the VlamVloed if any of you want to have a drink there, on me." Not perhaps the most useful payment, given who stood before him, and he smiled crookedly in acknowledgment, but just because the Ascended didn't seem to get drunk didn't mean they were unable to enjoy a drink with friends from time to time.

"Safe travels, and good luck at LongNight," he offered more formally with a half-bow, before turning his attention to storing the books they'd collected in a pack to more easily transport them across Sanctuary.



Thank you for participating! This PQ is over and will be closed in 48 hours. Feel free to leave final posts - or not - as you wish!

{Fin}


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