@Scientia; Entry 01

[reigniter]

[Ignis seriously doesn't know the right way to start these entries so- he just types.]

Ignis here.

I visited the Library few days ago (read: Aug28th) to check on the Librarian spirit. The entire incident had left them to feel gloomy and I didn't want us to lose the handful of spirits that still like us.

[Bear with him, he IS going somewhere with this]

As always, after a "cookies & chat" I scour the Library, reading and returning books along the way. I usually never run into anything of importance, asides from books on stars and random biographies (which is a good way to pass time).

That day, however, I ran into a geography book. This is what I found.

[Ignis shares image.jpg- a page in the book of a continent (North America), with scrawlings alongside the margins. It is not the best lit picture ever, but it decently shows that someone has been marking the said continent with numbers from 1 to 12 at the places that are completely blocked out. The word that stands out amidst all of it is "Panem".]

I have never heard of this continent
Nor am I claiming that we are residing on it right now

I have been trying to make some sense of it in the past two days, but without the basics, I'm afraid I can't move past it.
And now, after hearing that bit from Will, keeping it as a puzzle to solve in borning evenings is out of the question.

After reading Will's post, some of my assumptions:
1. If this actually represents the land we are on, the 12 points could be older Beacons
2. They are blocked/scratched off because they fell to the World Eaters in the past
3. There might be some salvageable information there

Amidst all of this I still cannot fit in word "Panem" anywhere, so please take this with a grain of salt. The only solid confirmation that this is the land we're on would be from the Keeper (and I have some doubts she will do it).

Note: You can check out the book by yourself at the Library in the Village

Warning 1: If you visit, do not antagonize the Librarian. They were skittish and uncomfortable even when I opened the book.
Warning 2: Don't go off on your own to check and prove this. Eager you might be, but you'll end up dead without anyone to return your lantern.

What is your take on this?

Comments

[equinoctials]

There's someone else who might be able to help you confirm this map. Robin said there's someone here from before the darkness came, which would mean they're native to this world.
No one's been able to meet them yet.

[reigniter]

That means someone survived the initial devouring and probably knows the way how to do it.

But that means going deeper into the forest, and with spirits being moody from recent events, it won't be easy.

[equinoctials]

You know where they are? Or who they are?

[reigniter]

Unfortunately no, this is the first time I hear of them, from you. I didn't know someone like that existed.

@remmidemmi; text

[axegirlfriend]

[He feels kind of like that one kid in class very, very reluctantly raising their hand when nobody wants to answer their teacher's question.]

I've heard of it.

[But he really wishes he hasn't.]

[reigniter]

[He shouldn't really, Ignis is far cry from a teacher (tutor maybe)-]

You have?

[axegirlfriend]

yeah uh...the numbers stand for districts, and each one specializes in something.

@Grandmaster

[paletteswap]

Twelve older beacons does not bode well for our group. In a different culture than mine the number 13 is unlucky.

[reigniter]

I heard about that superstition. Still, it's something to work forward to, see if there is anything we can get from there.

If the map is a representation of this land, of course.

[paletteswap]

We'd have no way to find out unless we could match up known landmarks. Or if someone happens to be a cartographer. Rosinante perhaps.

Is the Librarian doing well? They were one of the forest creatures I pulled into the tavern after the party and were rather antsy about being inside.

text; @kingsknight

[broplaints]

You've been busy
Think we should go check it out?
We could take Luna with us

[reigniter]

At first I thought this was just a puzzle
Set up by Librarian
I keep seeing Spirits doing that. They seem to love riddles.

I don't know how should we check it out.
A trip through the forest?

If we could get a higher vantage point, we could probably tell whether we're on land or island

[broplaints]

Do you really think they would have written in a book tho?

Might be the only way
If we can find a tall enough spot I might be able to warp up
We'd only need to get above the tree line, right?

@newham

[mayorly]

People show up here from different worlds don't they? Different versions of almost identical worlds?

[reigniter]

Yes. I have met people from different worlds that don't know of mine as well.

Which is why it is hard for me to identify the map.

[mayorly]

That picture you showed is North America. It's where I'm from.

I don't understand what the rest is but maybe it's another version of my world?

[pearlstrings]

The information was blocked out for a reason.

[reigniter]

Any hunch what that reason might be?

[pearlstrings]

I don't think the reason is the most significant part. That someone took the time to redact the information suggests a personal connection of some kind.

Though I suppose the importance of that depends on its place of origin. After all, we've come from different realities. We can't rule out that some of these records have done the same.

@darkness

[evulsed]

More lighthouses?

[reigniter]

Possibly.

Not only lighthouses but destroyed ones too- if that's what the blocked/scratched off parts mean

[evulsed]

Someone was keeping track of the Light going out.

@cuttingedge; text

[knifecollecting]

[Jo studies the map for a long time. It's shaped like North America, she recognizes that, but she has no idea what the divisions are or what the numbers mean.]

Was there any other information in the book?

Does the librarian understand us?

[reigniter]

Unfortunately no. There were other maps of the world I don't recognize in it, but it was written only on this page.

The Librarian is unexpectedly literate. A bit jumpy and twitchy; takes really good care of the books, but they seem to understand me whenever I talk to them.

[knifecollecting]

[that doesn't help her much. Hmm...]

Was the book titled? What section was it in?