A Reading of the Crimson Pen

OOC Notice

<OOC> Whirlpool says, "All of you know who the Crimson Pen is as an identity. They write what amouints to frequently thinly veiled bawdy adventurer fan fiction. As a result of the well known bodice ripping, one must be careful with regards to the comfort of other individuals. Most of the adventurers involved are fairly well known figures who can be publically recognized as such and have been around for a while. In this scene, we will be writing quotes and snippets from the Crimson Pen, so please be aware of this, and when involving a PC, make sure they're cool with said snippets before posing them out loud. Mostr of you are well known enough to have your own piece of literature, or at least be a character *in* one of these stories. Also, if you can make Seldan's head explode from the sheer amount of blushing, I will award bonus RPP."

A group of adventurers have assembled to investigate a truly terrible thing .... THE CRIMSON PEN!

There is a PILE of books on the table. The Crimson Pen does have a substantial collection of books at this point at the ASlexandrian library but it's the, to no one's surprise, the Bardic College that has the single most extensive and complete collection.

The books have been placed on a table.

... there are ... so ... so many.

Aryia has a secret.

She has almost the whole collection back home. And here, before the scarred, mute mul'neissa woman, is books and tomes and novellas that she has yet to ever see. The other secret is she's not one to read it in public. Let alone... in front of people she holds in high regard.

Despite her inability to speak, she is the one to break the silence. With a thud. Of a bottle of rum on the table. "Let's just get this over with," she gestures slowly, cheeks tinged red. <Handspeech/Tongues>

Seldan is best described as - resigned, his even features impassive as he stares at the table of collected works. Sabina's descriptions to him of a code hidden within these puff pieces spurred him to a thing he would, scant months ago, have regarded as inconceivable - willingly reading such things in public, Malik's liking for the writing notwithstanding.

"It has been suggested to me that clues to Lady Akorinil's whereabouts may lie in code, in these books," he offers. "What other purpose might there be in such an endeavor?

His cheeks, too, are pink.

Assembled, Jacob is here, dressed in his armor and flanked by robes of red and gold. He stands quietly as he looks around, silent and calm. He looks as eady to have a laugh as he is to explode in rage. He greets everyone here with respect and with a bow. Yet, he turns his eyes to the pile of books on the table, a hum on his lips.

Aya appears to have no issues reading in public, as she has already taken up a seat to lounge upon and has a volume in hand. She must have her own collection as well, given that the book she browses was brought in rather than taken from the table. Perhaps she is simply studious and preparing for the discussion?

"She looks to have had an avid appreciation for the series," she notes to Seldan, her skimming leaving room for attention to her surroundings, "so anything is possible." One hand lifts to wave to Aryia.

Murder lets out a lengthy breath, and begins searching through a small section of books. "A secret code? Are we talking readin' between the lines, or like.. a means a different letter, as does b and the others? Or are all the uh... naughty words the code?"

This was one branch of literature which Schara was not particularly familiar with, but if there was a chance to read, help people, and get paid for their effort, it seemed like a good enough idea.

A brown haired elf sits at the table, a long metal rod sticking out of a corner of their mouth, as they rest their arms on the table. "We are looking for a mul'niessa, yes? And a noble? Maybe that's a good place to begin with. Unless the information is hidden in a book that would be unlikely." The elf offers quietly. "There are a few I saw at a cursory glance that seem relevant, but I didn't have time to look through all of them. Throws of Passion perhaps, or Charned by you? Those both had mul'niessa as the leading characters, unless the beginnings were misleading on purpose, it was hard to keep up with all the characters being introduced after all."

...so many books.

Ine walks a young bardic student carrying more.

"WE almost forgot! Here's the 'Most Recent Favorites' collection!"

A handful more books.

Great.

Aryia blinks at Seldan. 'Seriously?', her expression seems to say. The absurdity of it all just- she whips to Aya. No. It's real!?

She thuds into a chair, finding a book she hasn't read yet. Schara mentions a book, and she gestures, "Hey, Throws of Passion was /good/. The intrigue was /sublime/," she defends before thudding into a chair, getting a shot of rum in her, and she reads from the newly delivered pile. "So what kind of code are we looking for-"

She starts coughing, eyes widening. A hand raises to quote as her face gets close to the pages. "... ok, this is just- '... supple shade was nothing compared to the sweet embrace of /deepest shadows/. Darker we delved, finding more venues for our penumbral escapades, her firm in her muscular hold, swaying braids matching rhythm-'"

The mute starts wheezing painfully, silently cackling. <Handspeech/Tongues>

_More_? Seldan's gaze is even and level and holds quiet despair, but at length, he stands and takes a book from the table. it appears to have been randomly selected from the top of a stack, and he thumbs through it with increasingly looming dread. "The sun set on their secret hideaway, Kamil's magic secreting it from all but the lovers. Only a single rope, stiffening with sand as it dangled from high above, was witness to-"

Abruptly, he inexplicably slams the book shut, he fair skin reddening. He sets it very, very gently on the floor by his chair, and drops his face into his hands.

".. I found them alone, together, in their tent. Seldan, sleeping peacefully, Malik still awake, filling out PAPERWORK. Their clothing was rumpled and wrinkled, and both were sweaty-browed.." Murder stops reading and closes the book with a slap. "Tales of Love during the Plague of Alexandria.", she reads, from the spine.

Aya looks to Schara as she mentions those with mul'niessan characters and then catches Aryia's gesturings. "Yes, Throws of Passion was-" She pauses as her sister coughs, then peer, then sign. A brow lifts. Followed by the other. "There was some ... creativity in that tale, but it was not terrible. Somewhat inspiring, even." It is only after her comment of admission that she abruptly quiets and looks back to the book in her lap. For a long few moments.

Then the book is thumbed to a section and lifted so she can both display it (perhaps not readably) and read. "Here is another, from an unpublished volume from Lady Akoriniil's personal collection. 'A Night Spent in Silence.'" She skims a moment. "... no words were needed as scarred dark flesh conveyed blunt, coarse intent... swaying braids..." She glances over as she comments, "A common occurence for mul'niessa, in my experience... clutching calves..."

The book is then extended towards Seldan after he appears to finish his. "Would you care to investigate? The tale of Rayia and her mystery knight, V, could offer some insight?" It is waggled at him.

The elf stops and tilts their head, before shaking their head. "The entire set up made little sense. And I don't know what writer was thinking, but the expert grappling techniques the mul'niessa wanted to teach so badly have little value for combat." They refute. "Ah! New books, if this is a recent hint, maybe it would be best to start there?"

Schara takes one of the books and props it on one of their arms, leaning in to read it. "Steelrager worked at a charn lumber camp, but carried a dark secret, for when the nights grew cold and long, they were transformed into an insatiable beast. Would it be possible for a mul'niessan noblewoman to-"

They blink, tilt their head and shrug. "Well, I hope she is able to cook enough food for them. I know sith-makari eat a lot of food."

Intrigued, Seldan's hands drop from his face, and he reaches to take the book that Aya hands him, his fair skin still quite pink and flushed with embarrassment. "A tale I had not previously come across," he murmurs gravely, opening the cover and laying his other hand on the page, his finger scanning, his lips moving as he reads.

Suddenly, he looks up, and around. "Have you, among your library, the following titles-" he asks of the brown-haired elf. "I seek - "Lost In You", "The Vastness of Desire", "A Love Worth Fighting For", "The Greater Magic", and "Timeless Bonds"." The flush is fading from his cheeks, he abruptly seems purposeful.

Aryia snorts at Murder's reading, but her dying chuckles end with her staring at Aya. She blinks. Blinks again. Her face flares deep red. "There's ONE ABOUT ME?!" she motions widely. Then, she stands up abruptly and pointing an accusing finger at her sister. "IS THIS WHAT YOU MEANT ABOUT THE CALVES?!" It had V. It had herself. Properly embarrassed, she slinks down into her chair, face barely visible above the table. A tiny, silent giggle leaves her at Seldan's expense as he slams his reading shut. "Get used to it, buddy," she teases before looking at Schara.

She blinks at the brown haired elf. "... you... - you know what, sure. Lots of food. Lots of meat." It's funnier when they figure it out.

She draws another book as another shot is downed. Blink. "And I quote- 'Her service was impeccable, her sea tail and azure hue marred nothing in her lavender blush. Grin as wide as her goods. Her /menu/ dear reader. Rada's blessing was clearly with her bustling abode. The sea's blessing not just with her skill of commerce, but with also the space of time one can hold their breath-'"

The mute throws the book down. "Okay, lame!" she huffs before looking over at Seldan. Her brows raise. "Oh, shit, I think I know some of those," she gestures before grabbing one of the suggested titles. <Handpseech/Tongues>

Aya gives her sister a sly smile and a wink in answer as Seldan skims. There is no time for further comment as Seldan may have caught on to something? She steps to the table, scanning the assortment. One is taken up and titles skimmed. "Here is Timeless Bonds..." She can be self-consious later about which volumes she may or may not be able to identify at a glance and/or which stories they might contain. Afterall, this could be the moment where solving a world-shattering mystery could depend on the the collective knowledge of who did what to whom in what direction upon which page of which tale in which volume!

"About you? Why would they change the names? That doesn't make much sense. Is it on a farm? I like calves, they're usually really friendly, but you need to be careful around their mothers." The elf wonders aloud. They thumb open the book with the metal stylus in their mouth. "Have no fear, misssstresss." Steelrager hissed sibilant- that doesn't make any sense, why would they be redundant in their writing like that?" They complain before sighing. "Have no fear missstresss, thisss one isss ssskilled with handling wood."

Again, Seldan flushes, but he watches Aryia with a steady gaze. "Mal tells me that the tales of Kamil and Reldan is quite the series," he informs her seriously, although not without flushing quite bright red himself as he speaks of the ongoing saga of the mighty male lovers. "Be grateful that this is but one book - and but one copy. For within those five volumes, I am told that you shall find repetitive passages that begin with _her heaving bosom_ and end with _his_ -" He stops, his flush deepening, and coughs. "_His manly shaft_. It is in my mind that these passages - the the words between them - may be a coded message? The one who spoke of this to me sought a key, by which she might decode these passages. It is in my mind that this book," he holds up the tale of Rayia, "may be the key we seek. There is, after all, but one copy, among her personal effects."

The Goblin simply stares wide-eyed. "I swear, if there is anything regarding Redrum..." Murder starts shifting through the pile more. "So what exactly are we looking for, I mean, what's supposed to be in here? Clues to a murder? A heist? I mean.. we know what they're talking about when they say manly shaft.."

"And that can't be a terribly good murder weapon, now can it?"

Aya skims through Timeless bounds now that some ... keywords are noted. "And what if there is nothing between her heaving bosom and his manly shaft?" A brow arches. "Aside from rather one-sided enjoyment, that is..." The question may be rhetorical as she continues to turn pages.

Aryia finds a copy of 'Lost in You' and sits back into her chair. A glance is shot to Schara, one of exasperation, and of total amusement. She even quietly giggles in a raspy sort of way. "Calves, Schara," she points to her leg, but keeps giggling nonetheless.

She looks to Seldan, blinking. Blushes. "... they're not /that/ heaving. I think the author needs to check their sources." The book featuring her. She shakes her head and snorts "Then look for as many shafts and bosoms as possible, Seldan. The fate of the world depends on it!"

She opens the book she has in hand, skimming, skimming, skimming, "... 'The blindfolded silver beauty held her spear in hand, scantily clad. Polishing scale and spear head, agonizingly slow. "Yarduse," she introduces herself, patting her thigh. "Come rest. Plenty of time, my sweet." The mans braided hair bounced in vapid agreement-' Wait. Braided hair again?" Aryia squints, her giggling dying out to read closer. <Handspeech/Tongues>

"No, I don't know what they mean. What makes a shaft manly?" The elf wonders. "Ah, like leg calves, that would make more sense."

"Braided hair? Maybe they're connected? The writer may know a lot of people with braided hair." The elf suggests, looking for another book to grab. "Timeless bonds sound interesting, perhaps I'll take that one."

The elf opened the book, and continued reading for some time, stopping to tilt their head. "I know sir Daniel the Penitent is a paladin of Eluna, but why do they keep talking about his moons?" They wonder aloud.

Aryia shrugs at what could make a shaft manly, but she leans over to peer at Schara's book. "'... the tenacity of the full moon on display is nothing to scoff at, even with its waxing crescent, stars glitter at his manly shaft-' wait right there, reread this," she points out, snickering the entire time, but staying on task to get this done. <Handspeech/Tongues>

...a considerable larger amount of time is spent reading. Eventually, several more key phrases are identified, actually, with the help of the key-book.

It's a cypher, see. Aryia's solo 'adventure' book is a cypher.

... it's just gonna take a little time to figure out the code.

-End Scene-