Possibilities

The five you dispersed in wildly differing directions, no sooner had you been formed together, all of them towards the same goal of trying to find a pathway to finding the sought after manuscript, or at least towards the next step. Kel, not being as intellectually astute, had returned to the Pathfinder’s Hall to ask around their members and archivists for hints. Misha, the cleric committed to the God of Memory and of text, retreated to a sanctuary of sorts to divine an answer from Skolm. Doate, the professional detective and investigator had gone about his own means. Left alone with Martel, the two of you worked together to find any additional clues. You returned to the Bard’s College, where you had been practicing and developing your skills under private tutelage under the hopes of becoming a member, just as you were looking to become a Pathfinder.

“Of all of us, I think you’re probably the most likely to find something,” Martel began, as you walked together onto the College campus, “But how are you going to even get access to what we think we’re looking for? It’s a private library after all.”

“Just trust me, Martel” You gave him a wink as you looked back at him “Chesale has been my mentor here since as soon as I came here. The biggest help I’ve had in becoming a singer and musician. He hasn’t said it out loud, but he acts like me becoming a Bard is a foregone conclusion, just a matter of time and going through the steps. He’ll absolutely help if I ask him, especially when we tell him what it is we’re looking for.”

“You’re a lucky lady, Margot,” He commented softly “Everything seems to have lined up for you as soon as you left home. The Gods must have blessed you. Tell you what, I’ll even bet that we’ll find the copy right here, in some dusty old tome, be finished before we even begin.”

You laughed slightly “If it were that easy, someone else surely would have found it by now. Besides, I don’t know if I want to be that easy and straightforward.”

“Really?” He asked curiously “That’s a little unexpected. Why not?”

“Well, that would be taking all of the fun out of it, wouldn’t it? All the new places and people we’d discover, the challenge? Just wouldn’t make for a very good story I guess,” You paused, turning around to see him directly as you slowly walked backwards “Would you rather be remembered for being a great swordsman, or just being lucky?”

“I see your point, and I wasn’t disagreeing with you. The simple and easy is for other people. That said, as much as we’ll look back on everything at the end of this with some fond memories, I’m not so sure I’d use the word fun for what we’re about to get into. At some point, before it’s all said and done, we’ll have nearly lost our lives at least once.”

“That’s not an unfamiliar event for me. It’s how I ended up here, after all.”

“Of course,” Martel chuckled, slightly embarrassed “Clearly you’re a cut above the typical novice.”

“Why thank you,” You spoke quietly as you opened the door to the College’s main library “but if you’re saying that just to get in my pants again, you’ll have to do better”

“Madame,” He began in a feigned retort or outrage “you impugn my honor, I would never stoop to such a thing. Now, where are we going?”

“We need to find Chesale. He’s usually here more than he is in an office.” The two you silently moved about the library. Though not as large as that would be found in a Bard’s College in a major metropolis, it was still larger than nearly any private collection found in the Admiralty, you’d bet it likely matched a Wizarding School for sheer number of books. Built on a small footprint, it was a tall, multi-stories cylinder of a building. A clear domed ceiling and a rotating series of windows along the three stories followed the arc of the sun, allowing maximum use of natural daylight to fill the space. It was by consequence a very bright, warm, comforting location. A large round staircase allowed for transit through the four floors, the stairs opposite the windows to minimize glare. While it was an altogether impressive feat of engineering and design, it did make the actual organization of the books and materials inside a chaotic maze. Even for the veteran Bards here, locating an unfamiliar topic frequently required the aid of the librarians or senior staff. You traveled up to the highest floor, where Chesale was most frequently found, as he was today as well. Thick, worn tome open, he was speaking with another young student, who you gave distance and time for them to wrap up. As the conversation ended, he rose to his feet, making his way to you. He moved well for a human his age by your estimation, hair nearly finished graying.

“Ah, miss Margot” He began warmly, his arm outstretched to signal for a gentle hug, which was quickly given and quickly ended. “Can never seem to keep you away for long,” He glanced at your elvish comrade, quickly sizing him up “but it’s good you’ve at least gotten away from here long enough to start making friends. We’re not scheduled for lessons today, is there something the matter?”

“I’m hoping you can provide some help. Martel and I are heading out on a mission, we’re trying to find a manuscript for a lost play, said to have been a favorite of Zrajil. Seemed the Bard’s College would be the first place to start looking for clues.”

He looked at your compatriot as you spoke “I thought you looked familiar. I’ve heard your reputation, young elf. Promising future” He started walking away, putting his book away, before moving about in the library. As the two of you followed behind him, he spoke again, just loud enough to be heard.

“So, you’re looking for The Lady of Brene? Jokim must have gotten in your ear than”

“Do you know him?” You asked, not recognizing the self-evident answer.

“He’s found me out here, no doubt thanks to the proximity between the church and here. He hasn’t only ever talked to me about trying to find that mythical play, but it’s come up frequently, trying to get me to go find it for him.”

“Why didn’t you?” You asked, your curiosity growing by the second “You couldn’t find it?”

“I felt unconvinced, to make it short. If it must be said, I’ve never been particularly interested in the will of the Gods, and it seems that if the play really was that important to Zrajil, she’d have found a way to preserve it.”

The two of you shared uncertain looks at each other, feeling a sense of doubt come over you both. Sympathetic to it, Chesale diverted his conversation.

“Don’t me wrong you two. The play did exist, Jokim would not knowingly you be sending you on a farce. It would be a benefit to us all if it were found, whether the gods favored it or not.” He had slight smirk on your face “It would not only guarantee your membership among the Bard’s, but it would immediately put you ahead of most in your reputation.”

“Do you know where we might start looking?” You asked, again having missed obvious cues, as Chesale had been looking at the books on the shelf.

“Lucky for you, I might have something,” He paused, staring at the books “If I can just remember where that blasted book went. I did my due diligence when Jokim talked to me about it, tried to see what we had here about it. Been too long for me to remember details, but we did have something. The start of a series of leapfrogs, if you feel me.”

“Do you know why Zrajil loved it so much?” Martel asked, pulling both yours and Chesale’s attention towards him.

“Now that is an excellent question, young sir. One I would have expected from Margot. There may be hope for you yet.” He held his hands behind his back “The short answer to your question is no. Any telling I’ve seen about The Lady of Brene has only mentioned how much Zrajil loved it, never explaining why she did. I’d normally think it was hyperbole or a marketing tactic, if it wasn’t so consistent. I’d asked around some of other College’s or places where I thought they may know something, and they keep saying the same thing.”

Chesale groaned emphatically “I can’t find the blasted book!” He turned to you both with a long sigh “Margot, do me a favor please. When using an archive, always remember to put things back precisely where you found it, too many artists in this place don’t have any respect for basic organizational practices. Which, I’m afraid to say, means this is going to take a while to find. With your long lives, I’m sure you can be patient to spare a few moments for me to find what I think might help the two of you.”

“Well, I think I have something” Chesale announced, bringing forward a slim bound book, almost a small diary than anything one would expect to be of use. “It’s not much to go on, I’ll admit. I have a business ledger of sorts here. It mentions the cast and crew, and who the backers were. A name in particular sticks out. Rehlehb Viramez.”

“I feel like that’s a name I should know,” You began “circumstances being different.”

“It’s rather obscure knowledge.” He shook his head slightly, opening the book and providing it to you “Viramez was something of an eccentric. A sorcerer whose true passion was the stage. He wrote once that his eternal mission was to bring reality itself to the stage, to change audience’s minds of what was possible. He had a private manor that all of his wealth had gone into, before some sort of accident destroyed it, and took him with. They say the place is still haunted.”

“Well that’s certainly not a promising lead” You let out in disappointment.

“I wouldn’t be so sure” Martel countered “If the place is spooked and dangerous, than it’s probably been left alone, meaning if this Viramez had what we’re looking for, it’s probably still there.”

“Assuming whatever accident didn’t destroy it” You returned back.

“Children” Chesale spoke loud and stern, pulling your attention back “I must remind you, this is still a library. Have your argument elsewhere, please”

Feeling flush in embarrassment, you quickly excused yourself and left the library, Martel swiftly behind you.

“Charming, truly” Your elf friend sarcastically commented outside. “Pretty bossy for a musician”

“He’s intense, for good reason. He’s also a veteran of war, on top of a veteran adventurer. He expects a lot of out of others.”

“Well, I guess that means you must be doing something right, if he’s still training you. Anyway, sounds like we’ve got some options ahead of us.”

“Some dead ends in our future too,” as you held the book up “this’ll take some work getting through, if this is even what we want to go with. Who knows what the others found.”

“Well, we have some time to kill before we were supposed to regroup” Martel looked towards the sun to gauge time “Can I take you up on that date now? Or back to the bed?”