The Esoterical Library of Valenco
A World of Draconica/Amanda Moonstone short story
By Dan Wright
By Dan Wright
As I’m sure you are familiar with, magic is no longer taught on Draconica – at least not since The Age of Sorcery was superseded by The Age of Science. Magic was once the sole force on Draconica and the way of life that many a mortal swore by. Of course, we all know that using such a dangerous force led to some, shall we say, complications. It would take an entire age to list all the problems that stemmed from using this unpredictable and, in most cases, dangerous power – needless to say the great Dronor necessitated a change in our way of life if Draconica was to survive.
Nevertheless, there were some who refused to give up the old ways, myself included, and to this day there are some who still practice it to an extent. However, due to the dangers that arise from using magic incorrectly, many tomes from The Age of Sorcery were mostly destroyed so as to limit (or completely eradicate) the use of it. However, some tomes still exist in some form or another, though tracking them down can prove to be impossible for the unknowing mind.
This is where the Esoterical Library – or to give it it’s full name the Esoterical Library of Valenco (I have heard it also mentioned as the Esoteric Library, but that is just a lazy pronunciation) comes in. The purpose of this library was to collect every known magical tome in existence, keeping them in one place. As a country, Valenco is known for its use of alchemy – magic used within scientific boundaries. They needed a basis for this of course, so the Library is useful for this purpose. Supposedly every known tome of magic ever written is held here, although whether that is true or not I have no idea for certain.
Should one wish to visit this library – well, that in itself is a task. So protective are they of their tomes that the librarians here to not allow just anyone in. You must require special permission just to travel here – and that’s not including the work involved to visit it. One shouldn’t be too surprised of course – considering the vast level of dangerous material included here (some of which could even drive a man insane), they have to be careful who they allow. I’ve heard stories of people who were incinerated on the spot for turning up unannounced. But also there have been numerous attempts to try and burn the Library to the ground, presumably by magic haters, so you can’t blame them for being so protective.
I was once admitted to the Esoterical Library as part of my studies. I am one of the few who believe that magic can be used for good as much as it can be used for evil – for that belief there are some who would avoid me like the plague, but I stand by my beliefs. Also, I was doing research into this ancient entity known only as The Moonstone Goddess, a name have read in a few books, but few info – if any – exists about this person. From what I can gather, she was the first to use magic, but little information exists. Hence why I wished to visit the museum.
It took me an entire year, but finally I was granted permission. Just arriving at its location was awe-inspiring. The Library rivals that of any castle in terms of size and majesty. The architecture of the building is somewhat perplexing – it is so antediluvian that it’s almost impossible to determine when it was actually built. Rumour has it that it was even built before The Age of Sorcery, though I have to question that logic. Still, the building itself has an eerie presence – and I couldn’t help but feel cold when entering.
Now, I have been given strict instructions NOT to mention anything about the contents of the Library and what I read – although I doubt I could really begin to explain my findings. If you have any interest in it, I suggest you apply for a visit yourself and hope that they will accept you. I was not even allowed to take any books out from
the Library, for they do not allow their tomes to leave. Every single one is catalogued and checked with a precision that takes even my breath away.
Needless to say, I cannot mention if I found anything to help with my research, but it was an enlightening experience to say the least. I feel honoured that I had a chance to visit this incredible place and learn so much.
I would love to visit again, but with a child on the way, I doubt I will have much chance. Still, I won’t forget what I have learned. I’m it will be of great help to me in my own research.
-
The signature suggests the author’s name to be Laura
Nevertheless, there were some who refused to give up the old ways, myself included, and to this day there are some who still practice it to an extent. However, due to the dangers that arise from using magic incorrectly, many tomes from The Age of Sorcery were mostly destroyed so as to limit (or completely eradicate) the use of it. However, some tomes still exist in some form or another, though tracking them down can prove to be impossible for the unknowing mind.
This is where the Esoterical Library – or to give it it’s full name the Esoterical Library of Valenco (I have heard it also mentioned as the Esoteric Library, but that is just a lazy pronunciation) comes in. The purpose of this library was to collect every known magical tome in existence, keeping them in one place. As a country, Valenco is known for its use of alchemy – magic used within scientific boundaries. They needed a basis for this of course, so the Library is useful for this purpose. Supposedly every known tome of magic ever written is held here, although whether that is true or not I have no idea for certain.
Should one wish to visit this library – well, that in itself is a task. So protective are they of their tomes that the librarians here to not allow just anyone in. You must require special permission just to travel here – and that’s not including the work involved to visit it. One shouldn’t be too surprised of course – considering the vast level of dangerous material included here (some of which could even drive a man insane), they have to be careful who they allow. I’ve heard stories of people who were incinerated on the spot for turning up unannounced. But also there have been numerous attempts to try and burn the Library to the ground, presumably by magic haters, so you can’t blame them for being so protective.
I was once admitted to the Esoterical Library as part of my studies. I am one of the few who believe that magic can be used for good as much as it can be used for evil – for that belief there are some who would avoid me like the plague, but I stand by my beliefs. Also, I was doing research into this ancient entity known only as The Moonstone Goddess, a name have read in a few books, but few info – if any – exists about this person. From what I can gather, she was the first to use magic, but little information exists. Hence why I wished to visit the museum.
It took me an entire year, but finally I was granted permission. Just arriving at its location was awe-inspiring. The Library rivals that of any castle in terms of size and majesty. The architecture of the building is somewhat perplexing – it is so antediluvian that it’s almost impossible to determine when it was actually built. Rumour has it that it was even built before The Age of Sorcery, though I have to question that logic. Still, the building itself has an eerie presence – and I couldn’t help but feel cold when entering.
Now, I have been given strict instructions NOT to mention anything about the contents of the Library and what I read – although I doubt I could really begin to explain my findings. If you have any interest in it, I suggest you apply for a visit yourself and hope that they will accept you. I was not even allowed to take any books out from
the Library, for they do not allow their tomes to leave. Every single one is catalogued and checked with a precision that takes even my breath away.
Needless to say, I cannot mention if I found anything to help with my research, but it was an enlightening experience to say the least. I feel honoured that I had a chance to visit this incredible place and learn so much.
I would love to visit again, but with a child on the way, I doubt I will have much chance. Still, I won’t forget what I have learned. I’m it will be of great help to me in my own research.
-
The signature suggests the author’s name to be Laura