Dionysus Thebooks, sorry:

Dionysus You just start choosing at random?

Arsul_T yes and opening them. I want people to tell me what they're about

Dionysus A Silver Torch will read to you.

Arsul_T I listen

Dionysus This one seems to be a journal. It's by a man named Civitello. It's about experiments he did on a child...

Dionysus ""

Arsul_T "A child?"

Arsul_T "What happened?"

Dionysus "He refers to it as a faerie, which is a bit strange. He turned it into a great talent, he says."

• Arsul_T nods. "Yes"

Arsul_T "All right. This one."

Dionysus "This is a book of spells." "This is a book about dopplegangers." "This is a book about something called shadow-kin." "This is a book about genies."

Arsul_T I open the dopplegangers one

Arsul_T "Read this?"

Dionysus He starts. It's basically talking about what would be on the doppleganger wiki page.

• Arsul_T gets pretty bored and quickly chooses a new book and opens it. "This one please."

Dionysus "This one is about Servitors of Darkness. The enders' corps."

Arsul_T "An ender on an island." he mutters. "Right. Read please?" he says, opening it

Dionysus It describes the Ender Gifts: Helmet, Armor, Sword. It tells how one with all three can create simulcra & give them to his Servitors--as the Champion of Darkness has & does. It explains the powers thereof & how it exacerbates the cruelty within the person wielding it.

Dionysus It also talks about a thing called a bloodjewel given to the strongest of these, which makes them capable of extending their wounding ability away from their bodies, & letting them absorb the blood of others for power.

• Arsul_T frowns as it's read to him

Arsul_T the ender in my vision didn't wear armor?

Dionysus He did

Arsul_T huh

Arsul_T "That's not good. Thank you for reading. Another please." he picks up another book

Dionysus "This one is about the moons."

Arsul_T "That will interest Sue."

Dionysus "Here's one about rare animals."

• Arsul_T opens it

Dionysus It's more or less parts of the beastiary on the wiki.

Dionysus Simurghs are in it.

Arsul_T he's interested about the simurgh

Arsul_T that's something that can heal him

Arsul_T "Will you read that passage?"

Dionysus From reading, you understand that Little Wing will have to be older, but his wing tips could heal you if he were.

Arsul_T (I can tell from the description that Little Wing is a simurgh?)

Dionysus I thought it had been established, but if not, then you can tell from the descriptions you've heard of both

Dionysus Or you can guess

Arsul_T (I was never told)

Dionysus You can guess from the descriptions of both that he might be.

Arsul_T I continue picking books

Arsul_T right

Dionysus "This one is about elementals." "This one is another spellbook." "This one is a journal."

Arsul_T "The spellbook. Put it aside. I need a mage for that. The journal, let me open it."

Dionysus He lets you, then gasps as he starts to read. A pause. "He was plotting to kill the Emperor... And replace him with Avery Colzayre. Marry him to Annavera. By the gods..."

Arsul_T "Right. Ok. Another."

Arsul_T he reaches and opens the book

Dionysus "This one is about the Champions."

Dionysus Can you handle doing PM & the main chat?

Arsul_T yeah

• Arsul_T has him read this one

Dionysus Cool. In the main chat, you feel something... good when you enter this inn. It's one you've never been to.

Dionysus When you open the book, the Torch takes it to read, then gasps again.

Dionysus "There's writing in the margins... This mage contacted the Champion of Despair."

Arsul_T "About?"

Dionysus "An alliance...? And this is recent, I think. The ink looks fresher."

Arsul_T "That is bad. Anything else he's written?"

Dionysus You hear him flip through, "On the page for the Champion of Darkness, he's jotted notes that he failed to make an alliance."

• Arsul_T frowns. "That needs to be taken to Damon when we're done. He should examine it."

Dionysus The Torch agrees, then says, "Ahh, he seems to have blotted out the page for the Champion of Dreams. And the Champion of Nightmare's page has a note next to a mention of the Queen of Nightmares. He apparently sold her information... but this looks old."

Arsul_T "Who is the Champion of Dreams?"

Arsul_T "And the page is blank?"

Dionysus "I'm afraid I don't know the particulars. Yes, it is."

• Arsul_T frowns. "Thank you. Another I think." and he opens another

Dionysus "This is a collection of letters from Connell Colzayre."

• Arsul_T frowns. He reaches and opens the book

Dionysus "This is from fifteen years ago, 'The child's eyes are coming to full power. Are you sure there's no danger?' From ten years ago, 'The child is noticing girls. We must arrange a meeting with Annavera.' Three years ago, 'The child is off with musicians. I am losing control.' Nine years ago, 'The child takes to music faith like a fish to water. I have to keep pretending to still be faithful.' Seven years

Dionysus ago, 'His mother is startingto suspect things again. Another spell is needed.'"

Arsul_T "The most recent letter?"

Dionysus "From three months ago, 'I demand your further assistance in the contest. Meet me in Madziar & we will discuss.'"

• Arsul_T frowns but nods. "Another for Damon I think."

Arsul_T he grabs another

Dionysus "This one is about Gifts."

• Arsul_T opens it and hands it to the TOrch

Dionysus "The Marvelous Toy? A celebration Gift."

Dionysus "It's... kind of an insane Gift."

Arsul_T "How so?"

Dionysus "It's very random, & it seems to operate on its own. It's like a rolling practical joke."

Arsul_T "Hmm. All right." he grabs another book

Dionysus "This one is about necromancy on plants."

Arsul_T "Plants?"

Dionysus "Undead plants. It's fairly gruesome."

Arsul_T "I'm not sure how that's helpful."

Arsul_T he opens it though

Dionysus He describes what's on the wiki about jack o lanterns

• Arsul_T stops him after a bit and then gives hima new book

Dionysus "This one is about demons."

Dionysus "Or rather, demonic hierarchies."

• Arsul_T opens it. It'll be about the fiends and archfiends and demonic nobility, yes?

Dionysus "This page is about the Lord of Night, the most powerful of the incubi..."

Arsul_T "What about him?"

Dionysus "He... Well, that's odd. He has servants in the Enders' Corps, for one thing. It basically describes him as a wannabe, though. He's not as powerful as he thinks he is, & he's constantly scheming for more... And he's a known ally of the Champion of Despair..."

Arsul_T "No notes in the margins?"

Arsul_T "Wait! A demon?"

Dionysus "No, none."

Dionysus "Yes?"

Arsul_T "A demon. I--I'll come back. I need a room. A quiet one."

Dionysus "Sure."

Dionysus He leads you to one