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Fillard Goldman research offices, Jordan has been given the opportunity to look over a copy of "Tetrarchial Considerations of Runic Theory" by Ungulf Morburhemsen with a forward by Cardinal Pierre Amsisoille of Lorraine. You just can't find these anymore!
The copy is on loan from an Anatheum in New York, likely in exchange for something equally rare and valuable. Jordan has a short time to study the book before its return, and he's needed to draft Jack to help.
If there was an Arcane Knowledge equivalent of "hog heaven," Jordan was there. Even with his time-based ability to read rapidly, he discovered more after every look. It discussed the definitive differences between runes and sigils, and pointed out unique usages specific to tetrarchy.
His jacket was hanging off a chair, and his notebooks were filling at an astounding pace. His hands were in the tight blue gloves he used for handling delicate volumes, preventing skin acids from attacking pages or blurring inks. Jordan now raised his magnifying glass. Some of the material was tricky, and the young scholar wanted to preserve some of this material digitally before the volume had to be returned to New York.
There were also a couple of margin notes written in cipher, and Jordan was hoping that Jack would get there soon. The computer specialist could reach into the cryptographic packages in Jordan's home computer system and help unravel the riddles within.
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New scene oblation
Jack swiftly weaves his way through the back offices of the Museum until he spots Jordan in one of them. He's dressed in his standard style of casual wear: today's mix is khaki cargo shorts with an ash-colored t-shirt that has a thin, sky blue stripe across the chest.
"Hey Jordan," Jack says, putting his backpack down in a corner so as not to disturb Jordan's organization, whether or not it actually was organized. He looks around at the vast amounts of notes before asking, "So, what's this book really about? I know you couldn't really go into much detail earlier..."
Jordan looked up, positively animated for the calm, deliberate scholar that Jack knew.
"Hi, Jack...it's fantastic! The Alae in New York lent the museum a volume on how the Tetrarchs have influenced Atlantean runes. It is not only fantastic in its discussion of runic theory, but gives us insight into intellectual workings of the Seers. It could well give us some serious insights into the opposition as well as being a landmark study in rune development and construction."
He then chuckled. "Listen to me...Jesus, I'm positively breathless. Excuse me."
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The thick parchment is open to a set of intricately illuminated depictions of Nordic Stele.
The Stele were runstones carved to mark Spirit paths, and to alter the flow of Time. The land of Odin had a powerful tradition of Enchanters, as well as more than a few remarkable Shaman.
Although Ungulf does briefly touch on aberrant script morphologies common to Seer enemies, the material is sparse on the subject and overall largely inapplicable to modern Arcane traditions. Of course, Jordan can't be blamed for letting his enthusiasm get the better of him.
After all, the graceful curves of Nidhogg encircling a twining branch represent an interesting application of numerological cryptography. A barely legible scrawl is penned in the margin, indicating that the pattern of his scales in relation to his curl represents a coded allusion to some forgotten historical event.
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"Naw, man," Jack chuckles. "I've ranted more vehemently than that, and it's something you actually enjoy." The younger Enchanter leans over to take a glance, himself.
Being one of those gamers who not only is a powergamer but also loves actually reading the story and lore of the fantasy games he plays, he digs the runes as well, even though he can barely make out anything from them and probably isn't as excited as Jordan.
"Hmmm... What's this?" Jack points out the scrawling in the margin, trying to make out what Ungulf or one of his fans had written.
Jordan handed Jack his magnifying glass, wrenching his attention for a moment from the runestones that impacted the flow of Time.
"The commentator is pointing out this illumination of Nidhogg, one of the dragons of old Norse tales that eat at the roots of the World Tree. He points out that the curls here interact with the pattern of the dragon scale to form a numerological cryptogram. It is supposed to refer to some historical event or other."
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This seems reminiscent of Warcraft lore... I guess Blizz' did "steal" more stuff from mythology than I give them credit for... Jack thinks.
He pores over the stuff some more before starting to take his own notes. "How long we have it?" he asks while writing.
"Not very long, I'm afraid. I'd like to get some of this material digitized. I think I have the makings of a paper on the impact of subcultures on Atlantean, past and present."
To himself, Jordan thought: The commentator must have broken the cipher, or he would not have mentioned that it referred to a historical event.
He played around with the cryptogram for a moment or two before moving on in the manuscript.
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