The Baharnan Library

Discovery, Exploration

With their business concluded at the port, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, Aotsuki Tsukamoto, Fubuki, and their retinue were led, as promised, to lodgings prepared for them in the heart of Baharna. This building, unnervingly named "The Thing in the Attic" proved to be a repurposed tavern. A small suite of rooms in the back provided almost, but not quite, enough room for each of their companions to have their own bed.

That was a problem for later, however. The Hashinara forces made themselves at home throughout the building. Ka-ten Agni gravitated toward the ornate hearth, while Alice of Hearts stared wondrously out of the flower-lined window. Others availed themselves of the beer and food at hand, all provided by Rachany, a young Baharnan woman assigned to assist them during their stay.   Fubuki busied herself* speaking with Taira no Tokuko and Oyama Hikari, deflecting the latter's accusations that a number of treasures must be stowed on the disguised Black Blade's person. Ka-ten Agni made a show of the hearth, proclaiming it to be a door to another world, but seemed disappointed when the other side contained only soot. Yoshitakatomo, Aotsuki, and soon Fubuki were soon drawn in, however, by happenings back in the mortal realm. Knight Commander Maxim had made a startling discovery in the depths of Wakigami Castle; one that would affect everyone aligned with the Hashinara.   Due to the importance of this matter, and the two spellcasters' proclivity to engage in it personally through their Sheele, the group decided to postpone their Wamp hunt for now. Instead, the better option seemed to be investigating that Baharnan Library the city Elder had mentioned. With expert directions from Rachany, they were soon on their way.   The Baharnan Library was an unassuming building on the outside, nearly indistinguishable from the brick-and-clay structures surrounding it. Upon entering, however, each of the generals was met with an imposing sight. Rows of books, bound in the Western style, rose up in a canyon above a model Dragon skeleton occupying the center of the modest hall. Although small for its species, the ossified drake still towered over everything and everyone surrounding it.   Among the myriad books, quiet Baharnans slipped to and fro, picking volumes seemingly at random and carrying them away for further inspection. The librarian in this place was not hard to spot. With a bearing and dress that set her apart from the others despite her petite stature, she also boasted a few spells to Yoshitakatomo's mystically-attuned eyes. Not least of these was an earth-aspected weave granting her magical command over the great skeleton on display. Book thieves, it seemed, would have more to contend with than mundane enforcers.   This chief librarian introduced herself as Chhean the Curator. At first, she displayed great distrust at Fubuki's foreign form. There weren't any Oni to be known in the Dreamlands, and so the other's horns were indicative of something more sinister: a Night-gaunt. After this misunderstanding cleared, Chhean was polite and receptive to Fubuki's requests to begin studying the Baharnan language. To that end, Chhean provided two volumes: Alice in Wonderland and Theories on Ngranek. Both books, despite their wildly different subject matters, provided English prose on one side with Baharnan translations on the facing page.   As their discussion wound down, Yoshitakatomo chanced to approach as well. As if in response, a faceless, rubbery black figure stole from the darkness above and landed behind Chhean. The Curator appeared not to notice the sinister presence behind her. It did nothing, however, except stare eyelessly, intently, at Yoshitakatomo. Thinking that this must be none other than the "Night-gaunt" Chhean had warned against, Fubuki spoke in passable Latin, calling upon her* lessons from Phenex. Told in that archaic language that it was not welcome here, the Gaunt looked to Fubuki, then departed. It remained uncertain whether her* words had produced the desired effect, or if the creature had decided to leave on its own. Regardless, it was gone, with Chhean none the wiser.   Meanwhile, Aotsuki was browsing books not far away, in the company of Kan Shōjo. That Avatar of Knowledge's insatiable curiosity made the Baharnan Library a veritable treasure trove of new information for her. Indeed, Kan Shōjo made it clear that she'd be spending her time here while the others went off to fight Wamps or whatever else they intended to do. Aotsuki, ever the mediator, had to impress upon her that he would not be complicit in any heist to remove books from the premises.   Fubuki joined them soon after, asking if Kan Shōjo would assist her* in learning a bit of the Baharnan language. As if prepared for this very eventuality, the Avatar produced a book bound in an unfamiliar style. Listing its author as "Chūemon," it purported to contain a series of poems about frogs, all in Japanese with Baharnan translations. This would do even better than the English works Fubuki had procured before. With the three volumes in hand, both went up to the study desks on the second floor and began their investigation. Friendly passing Baharnans were happy to show Fubuki how to pronounce certain words, allowing her* to pick up a fair bit of the basics in a short time.   Now left alone, Aotsuki proceeded to the front of the library, with Chhean and the magnificent map laid out on display behind her. The Golden Shield expressed his curiosity, and the other was only too glad to oblige. This, she explained, was the Only Accurate Map of the Dreamlands. Due to the realm's oneiric nature, it shifted with time and the whims of dreamers. Therefore, it was nearly impossible to chart an accurate representation of its geography. Most maps could only hope for "about right." This piece, penned by an unknown cartographer who might not have been Dreamer nor Baharnan, represented the various realms of dreams as they shifted in real time. It was priceless.   About halfway through Chhean's spiel, Aotsuki had noticed Oyama Hikari prowling about the tops of the bookshelves. The not-rabbit's intent could not have been more clear. She intended to make off with the map! No doubt such a unique item was setting off her treasure hunter's instinct to an incredible degree. With a complex series of hand signals behind Chhean's back, Hikari conveyed to Aotsuki that she'd make the steal if he'd just keep distracting the librarian. Amaterasu's Good Boy was not about to join in the second heist he'd been offered that day. He instead moved around to the map itself, putting both it and the would-be thief directly in Chhean's line of sight. Stealing it would be far more difficult now, much to Hikari's chagrin.   While all this happened around her*, Yoshitakatomo's consciousness was mostly elsewhere, dealing with the crisis that had cropped up in the dungeons of Wakigami...