Bundled Papers [Jamileh]

[Don Nadie]

A young man in a rush leaves something at the Krak, with orders to deliver it to Jamileh, from The Competition. Within the bundle are what seem, on first sight, a whole lot of absurd stories drafted and interlinked. Passing through the first few papers, however, reveals a lot of carefully transcribed texts, with some additional commentary on them.

A note, accompanying the papers, reads:

D. Jamileh,

I've transcribed everything I found in the Well (both outside and inside) as well as a couple notes of interest I found in the Gutters. I didn't find anything of great relevance in the Souk, except for the steele in the bookseller's shop, which I thought you had transcribed yourself already (let me know if that's not the case).

Apologies for the delays! It's a lot of transcribing, and I also have to earn a living! Did you knew the lady at Hashimaa's rest won't let me sleep in the cots anymore? And did you know that the Krak refuses to accept "grand and marvelous tales" in exchange for lodging?

Well, now /I/ do!

Anyhow, shouldn't complain. I'm still young, have strong arms and can wield a sword and sing. Plus, I got the Thousandfold Tale. The same cannot be said for many refugees...

Yours,

Alejandro

[Don Nadie]

A young man is seen running back and forth, eventually leaving a package in Rashid's "cobbler" shop. The package contains bundled papers and a small note.

D. Jamileh,

I've continued my transcriptions. First, I finished translating some monoliths in Ephia's Well, and transcribed some of the materials we found in the Ruins of Rust. Then I went to transcribe the notes we found in the Abandoned Village. I think it has archeological significance, if only to recognize if maybe these things happened in the past. I will admit it made me a bit sad to go over these things...

Finally, I've transcribed my translation of some Piscean research notes. You will find there also some of my notes and theories regarding the Calendar, Piscean custom and a  few other things of note.

I will start working on transcribing some other texts.

Oh, I've also read the sample letter you sent to the Legate and the Sandstone College, I think I'll be ready to write it in your stead next time. That said, maybe we should use the next time we take an adventurous trip to some distant site to talk more specifically about nomenclature and how to organize the exhibits! I am sorry if sometimes I'm clumsy!

Yours,

Alejandro

[SN]

Hziran 1st, IY 7787

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From:
Jamileh Attar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler,
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)

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To:
Alejandro Benjazar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler,
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)

---

Alejandro,

Thank you for the notes. I appreciate you taking the effort to provide more rigor and discipline to your notes.  It is imperative to do what we are doing with no bias or colorizing, as it may introduce misinterpretation.

Collect, document, catalog, until enough facts present themselves to form a theory that holds itself to scrutiny of other scholars. So that it is unassailable.

Academic communities are truly the most petty, jealous and spiteful groups you will ever encounter, that will seek to poke holes and point out inconsistencies in your thesis. Especially there, where there are forces that obfuscate and bury it under a thick veil of carefully crafted lies that serve an agenda.

And it will take a very long time. Should something happen to me, please secure my logbook with Mari and continue my work. I have picked you as my secretary for a reason, friend, as I saw the depths of potential within you.

It occurs to me the arduous, methodical and dispassionate cataloguing goes against your very nature and how difficult must be to leave bias and an intrinsic need to fill in the gaps with your vivid imagination, so let's find some time to think of a Personal Development Plan for you and how to address your needs.

It is very important to me that you are content and satisfied with our arrangements and if any alterations are necessary towards your happiness please don't hesitate to write to me.

Additionally, I am attaching a correspondence template below to be used at your leisure.

Live and drink,
Jamileh Attar
"The Competition"

[hide=Correspondence Template]

Date, in accordance with local calendar

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From:
Sender's Name
Address

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To:
Recipient's Name
Address

(Optional) CC:
Recipient's Name
Address

---

(Honorific) Name,

Body of the correspondence.


Live and drink,
Sender's Name
"The Competition"
[/hide]

[SN]

Hziran 7th, IY 7787

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From:
Jamileh Attar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler,
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)

---

To:
Alejandro Benjazar
Ibram's Fine Leathers and Cobbler,
corner of Qadira street / market square
(temporary correspondence address)

---

Alejandro,

I should not put this down on paper, but in the spirit of emphasis, it is worth repeating - I am and you should be too - careful what you share and with whom. It is essential to be careful. Mari and Sana have my complete trust.

Every time we share a discovery with others, it is a gamble.

Oh and here are the numbers you asked for, from the first card reading I was given: 8 18 19 35 41 45 49  but please take this with a grain of salt, you know my opinion on superstition..

Burn it after you read it!



Live and drink,
Jamileh

[SN]

Post Scriptum: I've finally reviewed your second set of notes (apologies it took so long).

You are definitely getting there and I appreciate you taking my reque-- suggestions to heart! The alphanumeric categorization and labeling truly does wonders...

One note: While I understand how sometimes there is very little time to transcribe, catalogue and document the findings - we must strive towards perfection and not make any typographical errors. You wrote peoeple instead of people, shal instead of shall and Progosticator instead of Prognosticator in your piscean notes (and a couple others..).

That, unfortunately, forces me to take the grade down.

So a solid 3+ (I am using the grading system I have suffered over the years of my own education, where the scale is 1-6, where 3 and above means passing, 6 is rarely given unless it is for going above and beyond, 2 implies the student made some effort but totally botched the job, so he/she needs to repeat the test, and 1 is given only to the biggest idiots who are so hopeless, they would do the world of academia a service if they stopped wasting the tutors' time on having to read through their nonsense)

Now as for an explanation, as you may find this harsh...

Imagine you made a typographical error in an important historical name. This creates a conundrum for someone reviewing this (or reading it a few years later). Are other historical books wrong, and - to not look far - was it "Alikah I" or "Akilah I" (the ancient coin we found in #TCDC2 had it clearly written as "Akilah I",  whereas Rayrul the Wise in his Lives of Maribid, Fifth Edition lists the most splendorous and glorious of Caliphas as Alikah I. Frustrating, isn't it?  Was it a minting error? Was it a typographical error of Rayrul?
An innocent error in this case, or is it?

I stumbled upon others too - was it "Bet Neppahi" or "Bet Nappahi"?  Linguistic dialects may vary, surely, especially if we are dealing with texts that may go as far as several thousand years... But it introduces room for error and doubt. We must strive for perfection and accuracy, that is what history and archaeology is about.

Now imagine that some of the texts you found, translated and transcribed may have been passphrases to open a doorway in an ancient pyramid..

Please be more mindful. I write all these things not to appear cruel or nitpicking, but these may one day simply prove invaluable.

And you have a knack for spotting these already in other's texts, as you did with the phrase about love [sic!] in the piscean notes.

P.P.S.: "The SHIRE of Izdu" ??

Jamileh

[Don Nadie]

A young man rushes to Rashid's shop, leaving a thick stack for Jamileh. The papers are titled: Saphic Elves 7: Elven Queens Gone Wild, and seems to be some cheap tale. Only after the first ten pages may a note be found:

D. Jamileh,

Sorry for the subterfuge (hope you're not dissapointed this is /research/!).

These are my notes on all the information I've gathered in my expedition to the Crypt as well as Old Formoria. It includes a lot of information on texts, but more importantly on impressions, surviving artwork and architecture, conversations and local inhabitants. I have tried to use your classification system, but you'll see I've added some changes (the contents of some buildings specifically) for the sake of accomodating more future discoveries.

It is a lot, I have wild theories I barely dare to share. I stil need to return to fill in some of the blanks.

There are so many blanks.

I doubt this is a mystery we can unravel ourselves. But at least we have a record, a classification. Something for future scholars.

Stay safe,

Alejandro

The rest of Saphic Elves 7 is, in fact, an enormous amount of research notes, strange theories, and more.

[Don Nadie]

[A little bundle of papers, lovingly transcribed, awaits Jamileh at her room. Atop them, a note:]

Here are the transcriptions from our expedition to Kulkund.

I keep feeling sorry that I only brought this back.

Yours,

Alejandro