On the matter of the library

Two barbarians fighting over libraries... I've officially seen all I've come here to see. That was in fact the last thing on my list! Time to head back to Londwyn. Its been great Travance! 

- Jonas Kane
Proprietor, Dragons Claw Inn

Just to amuse Jonas Kane, I figured I'd throw my two copper in, and come up with something witty to say.  The problem is, I've been told I can't count that high.  Oh well.

Brother Templar Ravyen, I believe your lack of counting is why you took a gypsy as your student.

Silly gadje with their written words. This is argument of joke right, being that so many of us don't frequent the library we already apparently have? If you are another person who could care less about how many libraries Travance has, come and talk stories with me. The enriching culture of spoken word is time honored tradition. Let those who cannot understand why we don't care sit with their heads in books at whichever library they care to be in.

It warms my cold Londwyn heart to see the populace so enthusiastic about libraries!

The scent of ink, the musty parchment, the rows upon rows of knowledge just waiting to be learned. The call of words is siren and for so long I had feared that the people of Travance were going through life with cotton in their ears. Oh, frabjous day!

Father Brax, allow me to address your statements directly. Perhaps your concerns are not an aberrant case, but instead give voice to the unspoken and the whispered (Do people whisper about libraries, or does that occur solely within them?). Primarly, you have expressed that more than one library would result in some kind of restriction of patronage set forth by the librarians. By the same token, you are implying that more than one of any kind of establishment would result in the same situation. As I would not dream of insulting your intelligence by contradicting your statement, I must express sadness that Jonas is leaving us and we will have but one inn (Jonas, dear, do take the kids with you when you return to Londwyn; they do so tend to get into the books and make a mess.). I am sure that the Bloody Stump is up to the task of providing for the monthly feast, as of course there are no differences between the establishments that would make one more suitable to a task that the other is not.

And how touching to see you concerned about slowing down the dissemination of information! Do us a favor, then, and tell us all the password to the Baronial library - or more accurately, to the building in which it resides? I always forget, and I have to track down Jack and pester him until he tells me. It wastes so much time, and having it written down here on the posting board will make the spread of the information contained within that library so much easier. Of course, one wonders about the security of a widely-known password, particularly as writing it down would mean that only the illiterate would not have access, and I doubt that they would be much interested in the library in any case.

I suppose I will also have to put aside my dreams of inter-library loans, comfortable couches upon which to sip tea whilst perusing the tomes, and holding classes and lectures in a space designed for such purposes. I shall endeavor to remind myself of your words, Father, every time we scholars meet in the current library with no desks or tables, and we find ourselves shoulder-to-shoulder unable to write without spilling ink on each other and must make sure Father Weaveforger's armaments have their own chair. I will do my best to think of it as growing closer to my fellow scholars. I shall also miss interrupting baronial meetings or members of the court sleeping and dressing every time I wish to consult a book.

On the upside, since attempting to monetize a library is a fool's errand, as you put it, I no longer have to worry about renting space from Travance, the materials cost of books, and the security of the building, all of which are expensive and would require some form of income. I am sure that since you are such a connoisseur of educational institutions that you would not be opposed to guarding a group of we scholars on a small adventure in order to collect coin. We must fund the contents of any library, baronial or not, somehow, and since scholars are not typically known for their prowess in battle we will require an escort. We cannot pay you in coin, of course, since any that we find must go towards purchasing materials to make the books, but surely the knowledge that you are helping spread education and information will be payment enough. Otherwise, we must leave the town yet again dependent upon Father Haroldson's legendary generosity, and rely solely on him to stock the library. We should all be sure to sit and listen thankfully as he tells us again how much he contributes to the town.

Thank you for setting me straight about all this library business, Father Brax. After all, I am only a scholar, physician, and scribe; what could I possibly know about libraries?

I do seriously recommend the people of Travance take Zafrin up on her offer to exchange stories. Education comes from a wide variety of sources, and what can be learned around a campfire is often that which can never be learned from any book, no matter how great the library.

Best,
Lois Maxwell
Scribe of Kaladonia

As I place each book into the library, it becomes part of some sort of sorcery which makes it mpossible to dessecrate or remove from the room.  I do not know how the Count managed this, but after the rarest of books was stolen from the library, the count moved with alacrity on this matter.  Thus Lois, the books are safe.