Day 1.5: Lies and Libraries

So there we were, slowly making our way through the town towards the local Library branch. Janott took point playing with her new ring. Oh, I may have failed to mention that when the Elf woman disappeared, she left behind a magic ring of sorts that allows people to "see" things they wouldn't normally be able to see. So while playing with that and me still a panicking mess, we made our way to the Library. Along the way, we reencountered the Goblin and sort of adopted it I suppose. Though I'm the only one that can sort of even remotely speak his tongue, he has taken a liking to hiding in crest and sort of nook at Janott's neck in her shell.
 
They were not too happy with us showing up so late, but fortunately for Scholars of the IA a Library is never closed. There we set to work looking for anything that can help us with this cult, which I remembered was called the "Rosa Sanguinem", and our Wendigo problem. Wraith, despite still being somewhat drunk and pukey, found something while using the ring: A strange book. The Human woman in our little party, identified it quickly as being bound in human flesh and gut. I quickly took the book and read what little Elvish mixed in with the Abyssal I could and then looked into the ring itself. With my experience, I investigated the ring and realized that ring itself was a life and somehow connected to the book... in fact I found that the ring had a soul trapped within. Wraith put the ring back on himself and tried to read the book at the same time.
 
Though we could not see nor hear what he could, he recounted for us that witnessed an emaciated corpse of an Half Elf man that spoke to him. According to Wraith, all he said was "Do not trust the king". Though most who don't even know the King know better than to trust him, with his parley with the Orcs and the conquering of the area, there are few would trust such a man. But I digress, for shortly there after the magic ring and flesh bound book reacted to one and other. They transmutated into what appeared to be an ordinary golden band and the book into an ordinary parchment bound book. I immediately snatched the book and took it to the counter, demanding the Scholar there to bring out the local Magister. When he brought out the tired man and we went to his personal study, I swiftly and albeit rudely listed my grievances with his branch of the Library in regards to the book and the fact something so sensitive and dark should of been shipped off and sealed at the IA's main campus. Furthermore I went into more detail regarding the exact nature of the ring and the book to the Magister and what I have learned thus far, for if I can't trust a fellow man of the IA then who can I trust?
 
We swiftly went to see Janott and her ring, though at the time she was surrounded by Initiates and seemed to be a bit claustrophobic, to clear the aisle I shouted "Move!" in Orc. Orc tongue isn't exactly a friendly sounding language, so for all they know I may have insulted their mothers. The Magister then investigated the ring himself... then the most curious thing happened. His eye color changed, they turned as black as night and I felt a familiar sinking sensation in heart. I looked at him and slowly slid my shard obsidian from my tunic, his eyes darted towards it and gave a sign of acknowledgement. The Magister knew, he knows more... way more than I ever believed or hoped. He said that ring was safe for now and gave it to Janott, who was still cowering in her shell with the Goblin. He told me to come see him in a day or so, presumably alone. He may have the answers that I seek. I asked him his name, and he gave the most curious of answers "Magister Bran" and he went back to bed.
 
Janott and I made our way back towards Wraith and the Human woman, whom I finally learned was Medea Delphi, and we began investigating a bit more in the forbidden section of the library. We explained what we learned about the ring and the book, while they explain some of the things they've recalled and learned about the Wendigo. I went to work looking up things about local cults and the "Rosa Sanguinem", I found some local history regarding them as a sort of Druidic Circle dedicated to death and such. While discussing such practices with Janott, who informed me that she herself was a Druid, Wraith had discovered a secret mechanism of some sort within the bookshelf.
 
After some investigating and some persuasive uses of a crowbar, we discovered between two fake solid wooden books a third but hollow one hid a scroll detailing a mysterious story about the origins of the town. It told us of a tale that some sort of Half Elf died protecting the place... perhaps it is the same Half Elf whose flesh made up that book and whose soul was trapped in the ring? How does this all connect to the Wendigo? We weren't going to find any more answers tonight; tomorrow we plan on invesigating the docks, the graveyard, and the walled off quarter that formerly held the mages homes. Wraith seems insistent on seeing the graveyard first in the morning, perhaps he has a contact there or old friend there much like how I insisted we go to a library.
 
Regardless, we needed an Inn for the night that wasn't a front for a cannibalistic cult. So we settled on the "Lovely Ducklinn", a pricier sort of place that I was able to negotiate a better price on plus breakfast. The four of us shared a room for the night, Jannot body blocked the door in her shell, Wraith slep facing the window for security, Medea took the only bed, and I crashed face first into my pillow and passed out as I swapped my crowbar for Janott's bedroll so I could sleep somewhat comfortably. Until tomorrow I suppose...