Enter the Library

[Gudran]

The tranquil library of the Defenders ironically rests within the busied halls of Ironforge. Once through the massive doors of oak and bronze, all the hectic life of the Forge wisp away as it is drowned out by the peace and quiet of the resting place of ancient tomes and scrolls. This calm and relaxation, you realize, is exactly what you have been longing for after so many exhausting journeys.

As you walk down the stone steps you gaze up around you at the colossal circular room before you. The walls of this room are covered with vast amounts of books, tomes, scrolls, documents, and manuscripts. This central room extends upward, spiraling into the heavens. Various stepladders line these shelved walls, each resting on a tiny roller allowing horizontal free movement for eased access to the literature. A small basket rests on each side of each ladder for carrying the books back down to read. Several figures already clinging onto the ladders look down and nod in quiet greetings.

Reaching the base of the room, your head releases its upward gaze and returns to the scene in front of you. On the floor of the enormous cylindrical room are scattered chairs and tables. Sitting down at one of the tables, an overwhelming sense of tranquility envelops you. You noticed the smell of mosses and other foliage. Turning you head you notice that between the shelved walls are various semicircular inlets. Elongated windows allow light to pour through and illuminate the library. The floor of the inlets is lined with soft moss and grass. A couple figures sit on skillfully carved tree stumps and stones, relaxing and reading various manuscripts.

After taking in your surroundings, you get up, take off your packs, get comfortable, and lounge around looking for a book of your own interest…

[Kalmorith]

Kalmorith set down his worn pack, and unslung his axe. Such a large axe looked terribly out of place in such a peaceful and tranquil environ. He set it down on the stone floor, careful not to make a loud clang. With the weight of the weapon off his shoulders, he settled down into the large, oaken chair and slouched back.

The library had a very soothing atmosphere that made one want to just sit. Kalmorith was tired, and though he had come to read, he was, for now, content to just...sit. The large oaken doors of the structure blocked out most of the echoes of the Ironforge Halls, and the moss and grass seemed to filter out the smelting stench that Kalmorith found so distasteful.

He noticed two figures sitting in the adjoining alcoves. These areas were masterfully designed by what must have been a Night Elf or some other being with intimate knowledge of the forests of Teldrassil, as the sculpting of the rock and trees were very convincing.

Kalmorith had intended on finding knowledge on the Twisting Nether. Though few of his companions ever talked of it, the Nether was always on Kalmorith's mind, and he needed to learn more about it. He always felt it was close by...whether it be Blackfathom Deeps, or his recent adventures in Stromguard, the Nether always seemed to be slightly beneath his feet, and though lurking under the very soil and rock.

But Kalmorith's thoughts were directed to a large leather book that had been left on the table in front of him.

How careless for someone to leave a book out like that, though Kalmorith. He thought if they had the energy to go up a ladder to get such a large book, surely they would have the decency to return it rather than make poor Gudran do it.

He thought about taking it himself, then wondered if he would even be able to find the section to which it belonged. It was likely all the shelf labels were in a Dwarven tongue, which Kalmorith knew nothing of.

As he leaned closer to the book, Kalmorith realized to his surprise that its leather cover was embossed in bright gold and red lettering in three languages. One was certainly Dwarven, the other he did not know, and the third...Elven! Not his dialact, but Elven just the same.

Dennfoloamin Parma a' Kann'loki ... "An Adventurer's Guide to Dragonscale" ... good Elune!

Now his interest was peaked. Peaked, indeed! Kalmorith had always had his heart set on making dragonscale articles, but knew nothing of them, and had no idea where to start. He hadn't even seen a dragon yet!

And now he found a whole book on the subject?! And further, the book was off a shelf of thousands of books and laying alone on the one table he sat at?

Tenderly, as though it might disappear or fly off the table if he moved too quickly, Kalmorith leaned forward and reached for the book.

[Kalmorith]

Carefully, he slid the book toward him, and lifted on the heavy leather cover. As a leatherworker himself, Kalmorith was impressed with the craftsmanship and tooling of the book and it's bindings.

He opened the book to a random page. There, painted in bright colours in great detail, was depicted a large piece of scale. "Kre'nacha scale", the label read. Since the book was in three languages, there was not much text, and it was hard for Kalmorith to read the ancient Elven dialect...but it was clear enough.

"Kre'nacha is a Red Dragonscale of the Third Grade, typically taken from the underflank of a Kre'yoon Parma (dragon) where the size and shape of the scale is best suited to fashion a shoulder-piece for an"...Kalmorith squinted at the word..."orc"?! Hmmm...it seems this book was for just about anyone!

Don't like orcs much, thought Kalmorith, as he considered getting his pipe out for a smoke. No, best not in the library.

The next few pages had excellent illustrations of the removal of the scale, which in this case meant cutting away the scales to the front the area to be harvested. The cut away scales were wasted, as they had to be twisted in order to cut the fore-tendons which attached them to the hide. Kalmorith was familiar with this process, as he had mastered it on the Snapjaw Turtles of Tenaris.

On a medium-sized dragon, said the book, four suitable scales can be had from each underflank, just behind the pheneral tendon.

Kalmorith wondered if the book explained how to slay such a dragon. But the words of Turi rang in Kalmorith's head even now..."Ya jest keep yer arrows true, lad, an' you'll find yer dragon soon enuf!"

Other than the odd Whelp, Kalmorith had never seen a dragon, let alone a piece of dragonscale. How was he ever going to become a Dragonscale Crafter if he didn't learn this?

He would read on. For this book, by some great coincidence, was just what he needed.