Researching Dragons I: Wingspan

[Faith Augustin]

2nd Vhalar, 720

Faith had been here before and, as she looked around at the library, she smiled.

There were some things which gave her a good head start, she knew. She had been here previously, met a woman called Maebella. Then, she'd met with Knots and Linika - Faith had also purchased books here, and they had been a great help.

But now, she was back with a very similar, but broader, agenda. Faith had six trials here, and she had a number of things to look for. She walked up to the desk and smiled. The woman behind the desk smiled back in a distracted manner and then did a double take. Sometimes, Faith thought, fame was a good thing. "Hello," she said softly. "My name is Faith Augustin. I was wondering if I could have some help please?" The receptionist nodded her head. "Of course, what do you need?"

"I am planning on being here for as many trials as it takes - I need to find all the information you have on a number of topics. I was wondering if I might have a place to study and to store books for that time?" Faith smiled. "Previously, I was given a small room with a key so I could leave my research to sleep?" That was easily arranged and the woman gave Faith - happily - the same room. Faith was pleased and said so, then she got started.

She put out the rolls of parchment which she had brought with her- each one a topic in its own right. Faith didn't need to do this - she remembered everything she saw or heard, after all - but it helped her enormously to do so. She started with legends and studies which were recent. After all- Padraig's work on the Barriers had been published, and that had undoubtedly spawned a lot of theories. First things first, she got started there. Mythology, legends, scientific ideas and crackpot theories. She wanted them all. Because in there might be the "this could be linked to" or "this might be akin to" something which took her somewhere else. Also, it was a very good place to start, she thought.

And so, she started there.

[Faith Augustin]

2nd Vhalar, 720

There was no doubt that Faith could have had books and so on brought to her. But she didn't. She considered this like mapping the terrain in a battle or counting her resources as the first step in a larger goal. This was the trial which would determine what she found, ultimately, so she would spend the trial making sure that she had everything ready.

First, she prepared the tables, arranging them in the room. One table for science and research, one for myths and legends. She wanted to start there, and she would branch out as things became more clear. On the walls of the room where she would be researching, she put the pieces of parchment with the headings on them - they would function as notes and a key, she knew. She'd done this before, many times and with many topics and it had not let her down yet. On one wall was a map of Idalos she had brought with her and she put that so that she could mark it if needed. So, she got the space set up first, and then she went out into the library.

She started with the maps. This was the one area that Faith knew she would need help and so she went to the desk and asked. "I'm looking for differences or anomalies in maps of Idalos," she said. "Specifically any maps which show anything unusual at the edges of the known map. Could I have someone research that for me?"

Once that was sorted, Faith made her way to the library index cards, flicking to where Padraig's discovery and his papers following the first and second journey to the barriers. As every book and paper in here did, it had key words and Faith then started the process of pulling all the resources which shared those key words. There were five of them, ranging from "Barriers" to "Unknown Phenomena" and that meant that Faith could explore in detail. It took time - even with an eidetic memory and excellent skills, these things took time. It was fine with her, though, it was time well spent.

Then, when she had the list of resources, she made a list of them, from those which matched all the key words, to those which matched only one. Within each subgrouping, she then arranged them into those before Padraig's first paper, between the two papers and after his second. With the most recent getting priority that gave her a nice organisational chart in her mind. Jotting it on paper was, then, easy enough.

Date	Key Words Matched
After 2nd Paper	5	4	3
Between Papers	5	4	3
After 2nd Paper	2	1
Between Papers	2	1
Before 1st Paper	5	4	3
Before 1st Paper	2	1

Looking at it, she nodded. That worked. Now, it just meant getting all these books and scrolls in the room, putting them on the two tables she had prepared. The science and research was put into piles - following her organisational chart, as was the myths and legends. The key words remained the same, because Faith knew this was the best way to gather information here. Then, finally, after that was done and the books were in the room, she put a piece of blank parchment on the wall, where she would write new key words as she found them.

It took her all trial to get ready, but that was just fine with her. It was an important job and, therefore, it was one worth doing.

[Faith Augustin]

3rd Vhalar, 720

Faith could, quite easily, go without sleep. However, she didn't. There were all sorts of reasons for that, but the two main ones were that Padraig worried when she didn't get at least her four hours, and second because Faith liked sleeping. The novelty of a warm and comfortable bed had not yet worn off and she'd been free for a number of arcs now. So, she came back the next trial and she was well rested and had eaten a good breakfast. She had much to do to-trial, before she could truly begin, but she was glad things were taking shape.

Now that she had the resources, and she had sorted them by keywords and date, she split them further. She had originally thought to just put them into the four areas she was going to be researching; dragons, blood, geography and emea - but by splitting them like she had first, she could focus that further. So, for the first pile of resources - 5 keywords matched, after Padraig's second paper - she began. For each area of research, a list of resources. But Faith knew that it was not only a list she needed. If others were going to be able to work with her, if she was going to be able to show the system and in order to be able to make sure that - even with her eidetic memory - there was no stone unturned.

So, she got writing. Each resource was numbered, listed, given a code and so on. Faith was meticulous and careful. It took time now, but she knew that it would save her time in the long run. When she had finished, she could get started on the actual research. The beauty of this was that, should she go to another library, she had a list of resources and they were in pre-set categories, so that she would be able to get set up quickly, negating this part entirely.

By the time she had finished that, there were a few more breaks in the trial left and Faith wanted to use them well. To that end, she started with the first book - it was the most recent one in the pile of those which matched five key words and was about blood - which was where she was going to start. She carefully scanned the contents page and the index, looking for more details. Having done that, she put a "B" next to it on the list. Then, the next one, and so on and so forth. When she had finished that first pile, she made a list.

And on the top of that list were the words "Books to Buy". She went out to speak to the librarian, to get that arranged. Chatting with her, Faith explained that she was going to be creating lists of books to purchase over the course of her visit and she asked, simply, "Would you rather get these lists in dribbles, now, or all together at the end?" The librarian didn't really need to consider it. "When you have them is best, doctor, because if there are issues getting a book on this list, it gives us the time to try in a few different places." Faith nodded, that made sense, and so she handed over her list. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I appreciate it very much." The librarian smiled and assured Faith it was a pleasure.

Which meant that, finally, she could get in to the details.

All in all, Faith figured, it was a good trial's work.

[Pig Boy]

Player Name: Faith Augustin, Wingaling Appraiser

Points awarded: 10
Magic xp: none

Knowledge:

None requested.

Renown: 0
Loot: Data, Lore, Wingaling parameters.
Injuries/Overstepping: Maybe some lost sleep.
Wealth Points: n/a

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriately to PC's level

Notes: As a non-academic myself, I found the methods for finding references in disparate sources a novel concept. But it seems to make sense here, to separate out and categorize sources by the number of references to things you're looking for. Someone needs to figure out a speed-reading capstone, or maybe a tier 2 ability for knowing the contents of a book just by touching it, that'd be useful, but maybe counter-intuitive for one who spends their research career taking pleasure in reading books.

Anyway, it makes sense for her to focus on maps that show weirdness at the edges of the known world, since she knows there are dragons that live beyond or at the barriers. Good writing! Looking forward to Faith making more concrete progress in her research.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!