Date: Thirtieth of January, year 810 Post Seminal War (810 PSW)

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Job sat down on the rocky outcropping and rubbed the small of his back, “remind me again why, after pissing off, beating up, and humiliating the son of Lord Bera, wandering about unannounced and unescorted in the wilds of Bera is a good idea? It just seems like a good way to get assassinated to me.”

Sly bounced a small stone off of his sable fedora, “because that’s where the lost library of Mevada is?”

“Supposedly.”

“Also, if we had told Lord Bera that we were in the area, then we’d have treasure hunters looking to steal our prize and assassins trying to shank us.”

“That makes me feel lots better. How good is our map again?”

“According to Enra, Index dug up a pre-Seminal War map of the island that showed our destination, and one from about 10 PSW that showed the ruins. So we should be somewhere near it…”

Baar’miin spiraled down out of the shy to join Job on the outcropping. “Nothing but rock and tree for long ways. Even ruined stones will stand for long time. None visible above the trees.”

Job nodded, “the same magics that ripped up the fourth island and made Sunderstone Shoal must have hit some of this area too. Earthquake spell perhaps. Not sure if there’s anything left standing.”

Baar’miin’s head tilted in confusion, “so if library made to fall down, what hope does book have of surviving?”

Sly shrugged one shoulder, “preservation enchantments is what Enra is hoping. Personally, I’m not holding out much hope.”

Baar’miin scratched her chin, “if not above ground, then below?”

Job tossed one hand skywards, “yeah, but where? The Detect Magic spell could probably pick up any lingering enchantments, but it only has a range of thirty feet, and even a foot of stone or three feet of dirt would block it. That’s what Enra and Index are working on with their maps.”

Baar’miin twitched her blue and white tabard back into order, “Can I see map? I don’t know much about where streets lead, but I know where to find them.”

Job stood up and dusted off his black vest, tan shirt, and brown pants. “Let’s go talk to them and see what we can find. If you can find the streets, I can probably navigate them.”

Mevada was, according to the pre-Seminal War map, located at the southern root of the great mountain peak at the center of the island of Bera. A quick glance at the surrounding skyline, and a consultation of more modern maps, showed four mountain peaks in the rough center of Bera, Collectively known as the Compass Mountains, they formed a rough set of cardinal directions, with each of the four peaks being called by their corresponding position; north peak, south peak, etc.

Each of the four Compass Mountain Peaks had its own spreading network of roots and foothills, valleys and ridges. The city of Bera occupied a position in the southern foothills of South Peak. The hills provided rich, terraced fields for farming, leaving open spaces on the plains between hill and sea for Althiem’s largest army base and the surrounding drilling fields. The southern foothills of the East Peak also had a small town, little more than a collection of farms and cowpens around a few dirt streets, bearing the uninspiring name of Scratchtown.

Baar’Miin was sure that one of the two places had been built atop the ruins of Mevada but wasn’t sure which.